“Jiu Si, was that classmate just now causing you any trouble?” Zheng Yixu asked anxiously, worried that Jiu Si might encounter something like campus violence.

“Hmm? Ma Chengyao? No, Dad,” Zhao Jiu Si tilted her head, “He can’t outrun me.”

Hey, Jiu Si, does that mean if someone encounters you, they’ll just run away? Shouldn’t you go up and give them a good beating instead?

Zheng Yixu glanced at Zhao Jiu Si. Although her height was sufficient, she didn’t look particularly strong or robust, completely unlike Zhao Louqin’s muscular physique. Of course, this was worth celebrating!

Zheng Yixu sighed in relief. Even if Zhao Jiu Si could actually fight, he would still not support her getting into fights with others. Every parent cares about their own child, and even if she won, she would likely end up injured. Besides, children are growing, and if they’re not careful, any mishap could lead to serious trouble.

Zheng Yixu didn’t dwell on it any longer and followed Zhao Jiu Si as she showed him around the school. It was indeed impressive; as the top high school, its facilities were comparable to those of many universities, justifying both its admission rate and tuition fees. It’s no wonder so many wealthy parents are eager to send their children here.

Zhao Jiu Si’s classroom was on the sixth floor, and without an elevator, they had to climb up the stairs. Zheng Yixu had already heard many complaints from parents wearing high heels about this.

Zhao Jiu Si’s class was the best in the grade, and the teachers assigned were top-notch. Similarly, most of the parents who came to this classroom were dressed in expensive clothes and adorned with jewelry, looking more like they were attending a banquet. Zheng Yixu felt for the first time that he should have dressed more prominently.

Zhao Jiu Si led Zheng Yixu to his seat in the classroom, where several parents had already arrived, each accompanied by a student. When Zhao Jiu Si entered, she introduced herself to the other parents, mentioning that she was the top student in the grade.

Sitting confidently under the admiring gazes of others, Zheng Yixu’s self-esteem was greatly satisfied. Hmph, it’s clear that at a parent-teacher meeting, a child’s abilities are what really matter.

The homeroom teacher seemed to be having a discussion with a middle-aged, somewhat overweight parent. The teacher’s expression was not very pleasant, and there appeared to be some arguing. The parent was quite assertive, speaking incessantly.

Ah, being a teacher these days isn’t easy, especially when the students come from well-off families. Each student has their own little temper, and with capable parents, teachers often have to swallow their frustration.

By the time the homeroom teacher resolved the situation, the classroom was already full.

When the homeroom teacher saw Zhao Jiu Si and Zheng Yixu, her previously unhappy expression instantly brightened into a smile.

This was understandable. Zhao Jiu Si, though young, was not only good-looking but also among the top students in the school. There was even a chance she might become the top student in the city. As her homeroom teacher, this meant she would attract more attention from parents and receive a larger bonus from the principal. It also gave her more leverage when dealing with challenging students. While there are many wealthy students, there aren’t as many outstanding teachers. Moreover, Zheng Yixu’s refined and handsome appearance added extra points to the overall impression.

“You’re Zhao Jiusi’s parent, right?” The homeroom teacher said with a smile, “Jiusi is an excellent student.” She just hoped this parent wouldn’t send their child abroad like some other parents do before the college entrance exam.

Zheng Yixu nodded proudly and smiled modestly. However, he could still feel the envious gazes behind him. Previously, Zheng Yixu had heard many parents start whispering after seeing Zhao Jiusi. After all, being the top student naturally draws attention.

Zheng Yixu’s mood was like eating a popsicle on a scorching summer day, feeling delightfully cool. He finally understood why parents love to compare their children; this feeling was even better than being praised himself.

“This time, Zhao Jiusi ranked first in the grade again, though his essay could still be improved a bit,” the homeroom teacher said with a smile as she handed over Zhao Jiusi’s report card.

Zheng Yixu glanced at it, and the string of three-digit scores made him a bit overwhelmed. If only he had grades like these…

“Yes, Jiusi will keep it up,” Zheng Yixu originally wanted to say “work harder,” but after thinking it over, he felt Jiusi was already working hard enough. Every day after coming home, he diligently reviewed and previewed his lessons, so there was no need to push him further.

“This time, the second place in our class is Li Xue, who ranked seventh in the grade…” The homeroom teacher went on to list the names and school rankings of the top ten students in the class, not mentioning the rest. The top ten were mentioned just to motivate the students to strive for improvement.

Zhao Jiusi remained motionless, not flinching in the face of the intense gazes from the nearby parents. Ma Chengyao looked at his own report card and felt a wave of sadness wash over him. Then, seeing his aunt’s unwavering gaze fixed on Zhao Jiusi, his frustration grew even more.

What’s so great about having good grades anyway?!

The parent-teacher meeting mostly revolved around familiar topics. For instance, how the second year of high school is the most crucial, bridging the past and the future, and how parents should pay attention to their children’s study habits, encouraging them to develop good study habits, and so on. After providing some examples to support these points, the teacher finally invited Zheng Yixu to come up and talk about Zhao Jiusi’s study methods and other related matters…

The more Zheng Yixu listened, the more exasperated he became. Were all teachers throughout history cut from the same mold? Back when he was in high school, teachers said the same things. In the first year, they said it was the foundational year and the most important. In the second year, they said it was the bridging year and the most important. In the third year… well, naturally, it was the final sprint, so it was, of course, the most important year!

Ahem, he realized he was overthinking things again.

Zheng Yixu lowered his head and smiled, feeling proud. Finally, under the expectant gaze of the homeroom teacher, he stepped onto the podium and praised Zhao Jiusi repeatedly, making Jiusi a bit embarrassed.

The parent-teacher meeting concluded successfully. Many parents wanted to discuss their children’s study habits with Zheng Yixu afterward, but he deftly brushed them off. However, there were a few discordant voices. For instance, one girl’s parent made a big fuss, accusing Jiusi of trying to seduce his daughter. Zheng Yixu felt helpless; even if Jiusi were to date early, he wouldn’t choose someone nearby, and that girl was at best above average. While she might be popular in the science class, in the whole school, she probably didn’t stand out at all.

“Auntie, aren’t you leaving?” Ma Chengyao tugged at his aunt’s sleeve and asked.

“Xiaoyao, you go ahead. I have something to do,” the woman said with a smile, patting Ma Chengyao’s hand, clearly preoccupied.

“Maybe I’ll wait for you, Auntie,” Ma Chengyao hesitated for a moment.

“No need. I don’t know when I’ll be done. I might go buy some clothes and then directly pick up your cousin from school,” the woman said, winking.

“Okay then,” Ma Chengyao nodded and turned to leave. He still needed to show his report card to his parents. Now was the perfect time to find someone to alter it a bit =V=!

After enjoying the satisfaction of the parent-teacher meeting, Zheng Yixu happily pulled Zhao Jiusi along to go out for a nice meal. Unfortunately, they were stopped before they could leave the school gate.

Zheng Yixu took a closer look and realized it was that girl’s parent. Was she here to cause trouble? How unbecoming would that be?

“Ma’am, you are…?” Zheng Yixu asked, showing a perfect smile. After all, no one hits a smiling face, and Zheng Yixu was quite courteous, especially to a beautiful woman. But he felt that she looked somewhat familiar—was it just his imagination?

“Are you Mr. Zheng Yixu?” The woman removed her sunglasses, revealing a beautiful face. “I’m Sun Ai. Could we talk in private?”

…

It felt like a bolt from the blue, a thunderclap on a clear day—take your pick.

Any of these expressions could describe Zheng Yixu’s mood at that moment.

Zheng Yixu felt like the world was playing a cruel joke on him. How could he run into a rival just by attending a parent-teacher meeting? He sensed an overwhelming hostility from this rival. He wondered if there was still time to rush home and fatten up Zhao Louqin to make him less attractive.

He really couldn’t handle this.

Zheng Yixu remembered very clearly who Sun Ai was, no wonder she seemed familiar. She was the second on the “true love” ranking list for Zhao Louqin, as mentioned in that gossip post. She had overshadowed the daughter of a CEO who was only second to Lin Ninghua in the rankings, a high-society socialite!!!

This world really was going downhill.

How did the original owner spend over a decade with Zhao Louqin? The number and quality of rivals just keep increasing, and now they don’t even care about gender?

It’s like a magnet for admirers.

“Jiusi, you go back first. I need to have a chat with this lady. Be careful on your way home,” Zheng Yixu said. Although he was stunned and had countless thoughts racing through his mind, including some dark ones, he managed to maintain his composure. Despite the many unsettling scenarios in his head, his face remained calm and collected, embodying the cool demeanor of a top executive!

“Truly a man who once said ‘The weather’s turning cold, the king is broken!’”

“…Alright,” Zhao Jiusi sensed something was off but obediently left. Since his father lost his memory, he rarely spoke like this, but every time he did, it was a sign that something significant was happening.

“Miss Sun, what would you like to discuss?” Zheng Yixu asked calmly once Zhao Jiusi had left.

“I noticed a nice café on the way here,” Sun Ai said, blinking. “Since we’re old acquaintances, why not catch up there?”

Zheng Yixu was internally exasperated—another old acquaintance?

Lin Ninghua had just left, and now Sun Ai showed up. Was that gossip post actually a checklist of people he had to meet one by one? Was it really playing him like this? What was the point of his reincarnation if this was the case?

While not many people knew about Zheng Yixu’s memory loss, it was still a significant number. Clearly, Sun Ai wasn’t among them. What Zheng Yixu found most troubling now was that boy!

Sun Ai was here to represent that boy, who was about the same age as Zhao Jiusi and had once pursued Zhao Louqin. What does this imply? It’s truly frightening to think about.

Not only does he have to guard against male rivals, but now he also has to watch out for female ones. Zhao Louqin, can’t you show a bit of restraint?

Meanwhile, Zhao Louqin, who was innocently caught in the crossfire, sneezed vigorously, completely unaware of the intense, malicious speculations being directed at him by the small light in Zheng Yixu’s mind.

I have to admit, Sun Ai is truly impressive. From a man’s perspective, she’s definitely goddess-level—beautiful, wealthy, dedicated, and even pursued Zhao Louqin. These three tags are enough to make a wave of admirers swoon.

“I just returned to the country not long ago, and I didn’t expect to run into Mr. Zheng here,” Sun Ai said, placing her sunglasses on the table and casually adjusting her hair. She looked both elegant and graceful.

“Yes, I didn’t expect it either and didn’t recognize you at first,” Zheng Yixu said. Of course, he wouldn’t reveal his memory loss; it was already problematic enough that Lin Ninghua knew. Having another rival find out would be too much to handle.

“It’s quite normal. If I hadn’t seen Zhao Jiusi, I wouldn’t have recognized Mr. Zheng either,” Sun Ai paused, her smile becoming more genuine. “He looks just like Zhao Louqin.”

See? The change in her expression so quickly clearly indicates she has an agenda.

“Not at all; your child is also outstanding,” Zheng Yixu smoothly responded.

“He’s my nephew,” Sun Ai shook her head. “Mr. Zheng, you must have misunderstood. I only have one daughter.”

“Oh, then she must be smart and charming as well,” Zheng Yixu complimented.

Sun Ai suddenly didn’t know how to respond. Zheng Yixu was indeed remarkable; she couldn’t gain any advantage in his presence.

“Yes, she resembles her father quite a bit. Although she’s not particularly smart, she is very considerate.”

That’s clearly not Zhao Louqin’s child!

Zheng Yixu breathed a sigh of relief; with this, the woman in front of him seemed to have little to no threat.

“Mr. Zheng, don’t worry. I’m married with children now; I’ve just returned from abroad recently,” Sun Ai waved her hand and directly stated her intention. “I simply want to catch up with you and share some thoughts that have been on my mind.”

“Oh?” Zheng Yixu’s heart raced. Since she wasn’t a rival, the situation was manageable. However, with Sun Ai dropping this bombshell, it made things tricky. Without any memories, he was apprehensive about continuing the conversation and was at a loss for content. How could he keep the conversation going without revealing his memory loss?

Sigh, he would have to rely on his acting skills and deduction.

“I won’t keep you in suspense,” Sun Ai thought for a moment and finally said, “Back then, I confessed my feelings to Zhao Louqin, but he rejected me. He said he only liked you.”

Oh, oh, oh!

What did he just hear?

Zheng Yixu wanted to laugh but managed to hold it in, feeling a swift surge of joy. Words from others carry far more credibility than anything Zhao Louqin himself said to Zheng Yixu.

Although Zheng Yixu wasn’t sure why he felt happy, perhaps it was because this body was feeling it.

“I really envy Mr. Zheng, having someone so wonderful willing to wait for you,” Sun Ai said with envy. “Even when you and your boyfriend were about to get engaged, he still quietly waited for you. Now, finally, you’ve found your happy ending.”

Hmm?!

Zheng Yixu was startled by Sun Ai’s words.

What situation was this?

The original owner had a boyfriend, and it wasn’t Zhao Louqin?