Chapter 16

“Sir, you are…” Teacher Huang raised her glasses.

“I’m the columnist director of the City Morning News, my name is Jiang Hai.”

This Jiang Hai had just moved in this year, and he was out early and home late every day, so they didn’t interact much. Who would have thought he was the columnist director of a newspaper?

“Well, Director Jiang… you might have a misunderstanding…” Chen Li’s voice softened, with a hint of flattery.

“There’s no misunderstanding or not misunderstanding. Our newspaper isn’t a court, we can’t judge right and wrong, but I can’t stand it. It was clearly that little fatso who worked hard to deliver food to his classmate, how come it became this woman who prepared it for the child? The edge of the thermos handle might have been dropped and dented. Teacher, if you don’t believe me, go and check. If it’s not the thermos that was sent down from my place, I’ll personally apologize to this lady!”

Teacher Huang frowned and went back to Ling Mo’s room. She checked the thermos in front of Chen Li and sure enough, she found that the edge of the handle was dented.

Chen Li opened her mouth, but she couldn’t think of a single word to say.

“Your thoughts are not good, it’s okay. But don’t corrupt Yuanhang.”

As soon as Teacher Huang said this, Chen Li’s face turned pale and flushed.

“Ling Mo, it’s late, go to bed early.”

“Thank you, Teacher Huang, for your concern.”

Teacher Huang rode her bicycle away.

As she rode, she was troubled in her heart.

She, as a teacher, had no right to cause trouble. If she upset Ling Mo’s only relatives, who would take care of him? Maybe… she could only talk to Mo Qing and his wife.

After Teacher Huang left, Chen Li was about to go back to her room in the thick awkwardness, but she was suddenly stopped by Ling Mo’s raised hand.

“Little Auntie, why did you say I was sick and wouldn’t let Xiaobai see me?”

Ling Mo’s gaze was indifferent, with a hint of coldness, making Chen Li feel a chill.

“I just thought it was too late…”

Ling Mo took a casual step forward but with an overwhelming force, Chen Li inexplicably trembled and stepped back.

“You can chase away anyone who wants to get close to me, but Xiaobai is the exception.”

Ling Mo’s eyes were even colder. Chen Li stepped back again, and she suddenly fell onto the sofa.

This boy, whom she had always ignored and once thought was her only relative and support, looked down at her with a completely indifferent gaze.

“You know, I can get into a key high school even if I don’t go to class. I have plenty of time to play games with you. The only reason I let you live in this house is so that I can stay with Xiaobai.”

Chen Li opened her mouth, her throat felt like it was being choked, and she couldn’t speak.

“If I apply to revoke your guardianship, the court will send someone to investigate how you’ve been taking care of the money my parents left behind. At that time, you might have to explain properly how that house under Yuanhang’s name came about.”

Ling Mo put his hands in his pockets and looked down at her.

“That house was bought by us!” Chen Li grabbed Ling Mo’s arm in excitement.

“Then I thank you for investing in me and paying my mortgage.” Ling Mo said softly in her ear, “You have time to cause trouble, you might as well return the money in the passbook sooner.”

“You…” Chen Li didn’t expect Ling Mo to suddenly become so tough.

“Auntie, you’re hurting my arm. What if it leaves a mark, what if other classmates and teachers misunderstand?”

Chen Li’s hand let go as if it had been burned.

Ling Mo went back to his room and closed the door.

He looked at the thermos quietly, subconsciously reaching out to touch the dented part of the handle.

Then he lowered his head and gently placed his forehead on it.

The next morning, Qu Yun was kicked out of the house early by Liang Ru. Liang Ru was worried that Ling Mo hadn’t eaten breakfast, so she asked her son to bring some out.

As soon as Qu Yun put down his bag, he saw Ling Mo walk in.

Qu Yun immediately smiled with narrowed eyes, walked to Ling Mo, deliberately sat down in the row in front of Ling Mo, facing him, and raised his chin, “Hey, was your aunt busy acting again yesterday? How did she do? Could she win that card?”

“Oscar.”

“Yes, yes, Oscar!”

“She doesn’t act as well as you.” Ling Mo said.

Hearing Ling Mo say this, Qu Yun immediately laughed. His eyes narrowed so much that you couldn’t see the slits.

“That was a natural performance! Honest and aboveboard!”

Ling Mo’s beautiful fingers tapped on the desk, “Did you finish your homework yesterday?”

Qu Yun’s face immediately fell.

“You know I didn’t, why are you asking…”

“Is it math or English you don’t understand?”

“Math…” Qu Yun, who was still excited just now, was now like a frost-bitten eggplant.

“There’s fifteen minutes left before morning reading, take it out and get it done quickly.”

Ling Mo’s voice was still cold, but it sounded like music to Qu Yun’s ears.

This guy had been ignoring me before, but now he’s willing to teach me how to do my homework!

Qu Yun immediately took his homework to sit next to Ling Mo, and he even prepared scratch paper and a pen.

Many classmates looked over, showing surprised and envious expressions.

Because before this, Ling Mo had never taken the initiative to talk to any classmate. His thoughts were his own, he never taught anyone how to do their homework, but now he was actually going to teach Mo Xiaobai!

Ling Mo’s logical thinking was very clear. He could jump from the first step to the final result himself, but he couldn’t do that with Qu Yun, he had to take it step by step.

Chen Qiao came early, and he also had a problem he didn’t understand, but he didn’t dare to copy Ling Mo’s homework. He went to stand behind Ling Mo, stretching his neck to listen to how Ling Mo was teaching Qu Yun.

“Do you understand?” Ling Mo’s voice was cold, very refreshing and invigorating.

“I think I understand what’s going on, but I’m not sure if I can do it myself…”

“Try it first.”

Chen Qiao’s foundation was a little better than Qu Yun’s, and after listening to Ling Mo explain for a while, he understood faster than Qu Yun. He quickly went back to his seat and finished the problems he hadn’t done.

Qu Yun was doing his problems, and Ling Mo opened the lunch box Qu Yun had brought. He saw that it was full of buns and steamed buns, the filling was about to burst out.

“How come there’s so much? Didn’t you eat breakfast?”

“I did. I ate two buns!” Qu Yun answered Ling Mo while writing.

“Are two buns enough for you?”

“I can’t get any fatter, it’s easy to get sleepy in class. I have to lose some weight, and if I keep going like this, I won’t be able to pass PE.”

Ling Mo snorted, “You’re quite organized.”

“Ouch!” Qu Yun suddenly exclaimed.

“What’s wrong?”

“Are you worried about me? Worried that I didn’t eat enough? Afraid that I’m hungry?” Qu Yun asked with a smile.

“Then you can still be hungry.”

“My mom’s unit is welcoming an audit inspection, and she suddenly has to work overtime. She won’t have time to take care of us at noon or at night. She gave us money and told us to eat at the school cafeteria at noon.”

Qu Yun didn’t use “I,” he used “we.” Meaning that Liang Ru’s allowance for him included Ling Mo’s.

Ling Mo turned his head and looked at Qu Yun.

Qu Yun’s eyelashes were long, and they fluttered gently as he blinked. Ling Mo’s finger stretched out, just about to touch Qu Yun’s eyelashes, when Qu Yun raised his head, “Can you check for me, did I get it right?”

Ling Mo’s hand came down and gently tapped Qu Yun’s workbook, “Can you use your brain to get the calculations right?”

“Ah…”

Qu Yun lowered his head to look carefully. Ling Mo picked up a bun, looked at it for a while, and took a bite.

At this time, Li Yuanhang came in with his backpack. When he saw Ling Mo and Qu Yun sitting together, a fire inexplicably rose in his heart.

Last night, he didn’t know what Ling Mo had said to his mom. Chen Li and her husband, Li Hao, were on the phone until three in the morning. Chen Li was very scared, she kept telling Li Hao to return the money, and they had a big fight.

“Yo! Someone is bribing you with food every day, right?”

As soon as Qu Yun heard this, he was furious. He was about to raise his head, but Ling Mo whispered, “Do your problems.”

Li Yuanhang saw that Ling Mo was still the same, and he continued to sneer, “Ling Mo, you never teach other classmates, do you? How come, Qu Yun gives you his leftovers, and you wag your tail and go up to him?”

Chen Qiao couldn’t stand it anymore, and said, “Only you would think that everyone treasures your leftovers!”

“What’s it to you?”

Just then, Chu Ning, the English class representative, also walked in. She stood behind Li Yuanhang and was about to ask Li Yuanhang to move, but Li Yuanhang said to Ling Mo, “You’re just a beggar! You can’t eat at my house, so you’re waiting to eat the fatso’s leftovers!”

Qu Yun felt a fire burning from his feet to his head.

He was about to get up and beat him up, but Ling Mo’s finger tapped his workbook again, “The last step, hurry up and finish the calculations and hand in your homework.”

Ling Mo’s indifference was the weapon that choked Li Yuanhang. But this time, Qu Yun wasn’t going to be calm.

“I’ll hand it in, don’t worry about it!”

Qu Yun stood up abruptly. He was a little shorter than Li Yuanhang, but his momentum was amazing. And he had lost some weight recently, his eyes widened, and it was quite intimidating.

“Li Yuanhang, do you know what a bro is?”

“Ah? What?” Li Yuanhang was dumbfounded for a moment.

“It’s like, if I have a bowl of porridge, I’ll definitely scoop out the rice for my bro! Are you so lonely that you’re envious and jealous here?”

Ling Mo raised his hand, and the finger that was about to grab Qu Yun’s uniform gently touched Qu Yun’s back. He could feel Qu Yun’s back trembling slightly with excitement, and his fingertips inexplicably trembled as well.

Finally, Qu Yun also snorted in Ling Mo’s usual cold tone.

That one snort made Li Yuanhang unconsciously tremble.