Rong Yu had promised Old Master Ji a gift, which finally managed to soothe the old man.
As she got into the car, she saw Old Master Ji standing at the manor gate, waving at her, his hunched figure growing smaller and smaller in the distance.
For some reason, her nose suddenly stung with emotion.
When her son was little, he would watch her leave just like this, eyes full of longing as she headed to the research institute for work.
Now, her son had grown old, with only a few years left in his life, yet he still saw her off every day and eagerly awaited her return…
Old Master Ji stood at the gate, watching the car drive farther away, his face filled with melancholy.
Ji Zhouye, who was leaving for school, patted the old man’s shoulder. "At least you still have Mom. Unlike me—I don’t even remember what my own mother looked like."
Old Master Ji didn’t know how to comfort him, so he pulled out his phone and transferred some money. "Buy yourself something to eat and ease that wounded heart of yours."
Ji Zhouye perked up for a moment.
But when he checked his phone, he found it was just a red envelope of fifty-two yuan.
In the past, the minimum would’ve been ten thousand.
"My money’s all under your great-grandmother’s control now," Old Master Ji huffed. "I don’t have much left in my private stash, and fifty-two is already generous. Now go, scram off to school."
Ji Zhouye: "…"
Well, fifty-two could still cover two meals.
Once Ji Zhouye left, Old Master Ji made a bold decision. "If they won’t let me go, I’ll sneak out. Steward Yu! Quick, pack my luggage."
Steward Yu had a headache.
Lately, the old man had been acting more and more like a child, impulsive and unpredictable.
Rong Yu ordered the driver to turn back, only to find Steward Yu loading luggage into the car.
"Mom, Mom, let me explain…" Old Master Ji looked on the verge of tears. "I just couldn’t bear to be apart from you, wuwuwu…"
That expression on an elderly face made Rong Yu’s eyes ache.
She quickly averted her gaze. "I came back to tell you—I just called Secretary Jiang to book you a first-class ticket. The flight leaves in two hours. No need to rush; take your time."
Old Master Ji was overjoyed. "Great! We’ll meet in the capital."
Rong Yu shook her head with a chuckle.
She was running late by the time she reached the airport, with boarding about to begin. The first person she spotted was Pei Yaru—and then, standing beside her, Rong Wangtian.
She hadn’t told Rong Wangtian about her trip to the capital, so why was he here?
"It’s your first time traveling far. I couldn’t help but worry a little," Rong Wangtian said calmly. "Let’s go. Time to board."
The school had booked economy class seats.
Rong Yu sat by the window, with Rong Wangtian to her right, and beyond him, Song Huai and Madam Song.
Rong Wangtian and Madam Song were in-laws, their families well-acquainted. The two chatted about business collaborations, diving deeper into the topic.
Song Huai found it dull and pulled out a book he’d brought along.
Involuntarily, he glanced at Rong Yu—only to see her holding the exact same book. The difference? His was a translated version, while hers was the original English edition.
His English grades were among the best, but even he couldn’t fully comprehend a scientific text in pure English.
Madam Song followed her son’s gaze and smirked disdainfully.
During the last parent-teacher meeting, she’d made a point to ask around—Rong Yu, the eldest daughter of the Rong family, had ranked last in the monthly exams.
She couldn’t fathom how someone who placed dead last had managed to qualify for the national physics Olympiad finals.
Maybe she’d copied her son’s answers?
Yes, that had to be it.
There was no other explanation.
Madam Song’s face was full of contempt when her son suddenly spoke up. "Uncle Rong, could we switch seats?"
She froze.
Back when Rong Yu had first returned to Haicheng, she’d always trailed after Song Huai like a lovesick puppy during family gatherings, much to his annoyance.
So why was Song Huai now asking to sit beside her?
Had her son lost his mind?
Rong Wangtian was also taken aback.
He, too, remembered how Rong Yu used to chase after Song Huai.
Originally, the arranged marriage had been meant for the eldest daughter.
But later, it shifted to the younger one.
Some things were better left unspoken, and it was best to avoid misunderstandings.
He weighed his words carefully, preparing to decline—
Then Song Huai added, "Rong Yu and I are reading the same book. There are a few points I’d like to ask her about."
"What? You’re asking her?" Madam Song’s voice dripped with disbelief. "You’re not just the top student in school—you’re first in the entire city! And you’re asking the girl who ranked last? Have you lost your mind, Song Huai?"
Her words stung Rong Wangtian.
Though he sometimes found Rong Yu disappointing, that was his own business. Hearing it from someone else was entirely different.
Coolly, he said, "Both Song Huai and Rong Yu qualified for the physics finals. That alone proves they’re equally outstanding, at least in this subject—"
Madam Song let out a mocking laugh and opened her mouth to retort—
But Song Huai grabbed her hand. "Mom, could you stop? You’re embarrassing me."
Sure enough.
Madam Song turned and noticed several parents nearby staring their way.
Flustered, she shut her mouth.
Song Huai didn’t bring up the seat swap again.
Rong Yu, meanwhile, had been wearing earphones the whole time, completely oblivious to the commotion.
She read by the window for a while before dozing off, only waking when Rong Wangtian nudged her as the plane prepared to land.
She moved to grab her luggage, but Rong Wangtian beat her to it. The group filed out in an orderly line.
The school had arranged a hotel near the competition venue. While waiting for their ride outside the airport, Rong Wangtian suddenly looked apologetic. "Xiao Yu, a client found out I was in the capital and wants to discuss something. I’ll head over first. Can you manage with the teachers?"
Rong Yu’s expression remained neutral. "Sure."
From the moment she’d seen Rong Wangtian at the airport, she’d guessed this so-called father of hers hadn’t come just for her.
Pei Yaru, assuming she was upset, quickly changed the subject. "Once we get to the hotel, we’ll have lunch. Rest well in your rooms this afternoon—there’s a lecture tonight…"
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
Rong Yu’s phone vibrated.
She glanced at the screen—it was Ji Yanting, her second grandson.
"Great-Grandma, have you landed? I’m at the airport."
Rong Yu replied, "Give me a minute."
Hanging up, she turned to Pei Yaru. "Teacher, a friend of mine is in the capital. I’ll go have lunch with them first."
Pei Yaru couldn’t help but worry. "Is this friend reliable? How long have you known them…"
"To be precise, they’re family," Rong Yu said with a smile. "I’ll keep in touch. Don’t worry."
Hearing it was a relative, Pei Yaru didn’t press further.
Rong Yu strode toward a black car parked across from the airport. Leaning against it was a man in black casual wear, a mask covering his face and a cap pulled low, revealing only the sharp outline of his profile.
Song Huai frowned.
Why did this man’s figure remind him of a celebrity?
