Chapter 938: Childhood Sweetheart Teen Years 32

The Director of Discipline slammed the table hard, "Still not admitting, still not admitting! Do you really want your family to know?!"

"If you get a criminal record at such a young age, your life is over!"

The conference hall fell dead silent.

Jin Chen, asking for a beating, started counting down on his fingers, "10, 9, 8, 7…"

As it turned out, the countdown was childish but effective.

Another person stood up, head lowered, hiding their face.

Old Cao: "Liu Xiao???"

Startled, he jumped up from his chair, "You, you! It's actually you spreading rumors?!"

"Teacher remembers your family isn't well-off either—how could you have money to bribe classmates?"

Jin Chen clicked his tongue and complained to his father, "Last time he even reported me for climbing over the wall."

Jin Shu startled, "Then did you climb over or not?"

"'No.' Jin Chen said confidently."

【That's right, you properly sneaked out through the main gate while the guard wasn't looking.】 0731 laughed.

Jin Shu slapped his thigh, "Then this kid must have disliked you for a long time, huh?"

Jin Chen sighed resentfully, "Yeah, Dad, you said I finally turned over a new leaf and studied hard, so why does someone still dislike me?"

"Don't be scared! Mom and Dad have your back!"

Jin Shu and his wife exchanged a look, then marched boldly toward the stage.

"Hey hey hey! Jin Chen's parent! Let's talk this out nicely!"

Old Cao and the other teachers hurried over to stop them.

"Even if the kid did something wrong, shouldn't we first find out what happened?!"

Liu Xiao kept his head down, only lifting it when surrounded, feeling both guilty and unwilling.

"It's not my money, it's someone else's."

Jin Chen suddenly thought of someone.

"'A man, middle-aged?'"

Liu Xiao looked up at him, suddenly excited, "You… you know, then what he said is all true!"

"Alright, alright! Let's continue this in the office."

The Director of Discipline suddenly interrupted their conversation, after all, with everyone watching, it's not good for the school's reputation.

So the group went to the office in a mighty throng, and the facts were exactly as Jin Chen had guessed: Song Chong had deliberately bribed a classmate, and it just so happened to be Liu Xiao, who had some grudge against them.

The Director of Discipline immediately called in the parents; after learning of this, Liu Xiao's parents were also shocked and angry, but the deed was done—saying sorry couldn't make up for it.

Moreover, bribing outsiders is expressly forbidden even at the university level.

Finally, the school gave Liu Xiao a warning to withdraw, while the other students who took bribes received major demerits.

Jin Chen originally thought Song Chong's plan had failed and that he would still trip them up, so the four of them braced themselves, but after a week passed, the news they got was that Song Chong had hurried back to Jing Shi.

After that, for a long time, he didn't appear again.

But because of this incident, Granny Xu learned of the change in Jin Chen and Song Xu's relationship.

——

One weekend night, Granny Xu spoke with Song Xu alone about this matter.

"'Little Xu, come sit.'"

Granny Xu sat under the pear tree in the courtyard and patted the stone bench beside her.

She had always been kind and gentle, her silver-white hair pinned up with a hairpin, her wrinkles merely the sediment of time.

After Song Xu sat down, he lifted his head to glance at the wall between the two courtyards; at night the wall's white tiles weren't visible, but under the sky full of stars and moonlight he could see the two pear trees linking across the courtyards.

"'Grandma, I didn't mean to hide it from you.'"

Song Xu embarrassed, pursed his lips, "I was afraid your blood pressure would rise."

"'I know, I knew this day would come.'"

Granny Xu sighed, 'You two have hardly ever been apart since childhood, and you rely so much on Xiao Chen—being together is practically inevitable.'

"'Grandma, why did you say that to me before?'"

Song Xu tilted his head, puzzled, 'I thought you were telling me not to have other thoughts.'

"'That's because you're still too young; I worried you couldn't tell the difference between liking and love, and the dependence that comes from simply being together.'"

Granny Xu smiled and asked him, 'So, Little Xu, do you understand now—are your feelings for Xiao Chen, and his for you, genuine liking, or just the habit of growing up together?'

Upon hearing this, Song Xu recalled that afternoon, the flutter in his heart beneath the tree shade.

"'It's liking, the liking of a lover.'"

"'It's from reliance on my brother to liking; Grandma, I can tell the difference.'"

Song Xu spoke slowly but very firmly.

"'And then what, Little Xu? The Song family might not allow it, or perhaps the road ahead will be extremely difficult—if you return to the Song family, what should you do then?'"

"'My brother said he wouldn't back down because of this.'"

Song Xu lowered his head, gloomy, 'Grandma, I don't want Dad to plan my future for me; I don't like being a heir without freedom—what should I do?'

If he hadn't come to Ming Cheng and instead grown up in Jing Shi, he might have followed his parents' plans for study and had a childhood similar to Mu Henian's.

But Mu Henian also said his childhood and growing-up years were filled with all kinds of unpleasant memories.

"'Little Xu, you should grow up a bit more, then come back to think about this issue.'"

Song Xu didn't understand, gazing blankly at Granny Xu's tolerant, gentle eyes.

"'It's not about age; it's about waiting until you encounter more things later, then thinking—if you don't inherit, what method should you use to carry on the conglomerate?'"

Alright.

Song Xu: "So... I won't stop me and my brother, right?"

Back then, your mother insisted on going to Jing Shi with your father to marry into the Song family; even though she knew marrying into a wealthy family would bring great pressure, I didn't stop her.

Aunt Xu stroked Song Xu's hair and slowly said: "So I also won't stop your choice; your choice is something you need to take responsibility for."

All right, let's go to Xiao Chen's house for a birthday; I guess everyone's waiting for us.

Okay, I'll support you.

Song Xu got up to support Aunt Xu, passing through the wall archway.

The courtyard was lively, with lanterns hung on the pear blossom trees, the barbecue grill set up early; Comrade Jin Shu is tonight's barbecue chef, and Ms. Liu Ou also prepared many delicious dishes.

Jin Chen, Cheng Huai, and Mu Henian sat around the table, eating barbecue while arranging a fruit plate; after spending over ten minutes, there was hardly any fruit left, as it all went into their stomachs.

Xiao Yu'er, come quickly!

Jin Chen waved at him, saying, "Brother saved some for you; otherwise that brat Mu Henian would have eaten it all."

Mu Henian: "What did you eat that ended up in your stomach? Dirt?"

Go on. Aunt Xu smiled, loosening her grip on Song Xu's hand and patting him, saying, "Grandma needs to go help your godmother; it wouldn't be right for her to handle a big table of dishes alone."

Jin Chen raised his hand to defend himself.

There's nothing like that, Grandma; the dishes are all cooked by me. My mom said she's not used to my light cooking, so I went to the kitchen to stir-fry a couple of spicy dishes I like.

Good, good, good, Xiao Chen is a well-behaved child; in the future he will surely treat our little Xu well.

Aunt Xu could always be made to laugh by Jin Chen.