The Marquis Mansion's Elite Class-Chapter 198

Xu Wan walked over, gently stroking his little head and softly said, "Start calling me Mother from now on. I will treat you as my own child and love you dearly."

She thought, if she were to spend her entire life in Marquis Manor, and if Zong Zhao never returned, then Zong Jincheng would forever be her son, her only child.

She would watch him grow up, start a family, establish a career, get married, and have children. Over his long life, he would become her closest relative.

She also didn't want to be called "Hey Hey Hey" by the little devil for the rest of her life.

The little devil had been waiting for this day.

Her hand was so soft, and the way she stroked his head felt so comfortable, completely different from how his grandfather or the Crown Prince would touch him.

Zong Jincheng felt like crying.

But a real man shouldn't shed tears so easily.

He stubbornly lowered his head, holding back his tears, and then softly called out, "Mother."

Follow current novels on freewebnσvel.cѳm.

The surroundings were silent.

Such a small voice was heard by everyone, including his brothers, teachers, and relatives who were nearby.

But the little devil didn't feel embarrassed at all. He felt incredibly happy, especially when Xu Wan embraced him.

The little devil was secretly smiling, and with a glance, he saw his grandfather winking at him, signaling that their cooperation had been a success.

Zong Jincheng thought, "Grandfather is still pretty reliable today."

From that day on,

Although the little devil had started calling her Mother, he still didn't do it often. Every time he called her, it still felt strange, but it was better than "Hey Hey Hey."

"Where's my Mother? Why isn't she eating with me?" The little devil, after finishing school, came to Xu Wan as usual for lunch, only to find her unexpectedly absent.

A maid in the courtyard explained, "Madam was invited by Madam Shen and Madam He early this morning to buy New Year's supplies. She probably won't be back for lunch."

“Not coming back again for lunch, this is the third time this month…” The little devil grumbled, pouting with dissatisfaction, muttering softly, “And she didn’t even take me along… humph, I don’t want to go anyway.”

The maid thought, "It's almost the end of the year, and there's so much to do. Buying New Year's supplies and getting new clothes made—it's normal for women to go shopping."

But after politely explaining this to the young master, she still didn't get any understanding and heard him huff heavily, "Then I'll go out with my brother!"

The maid: "......"

Go ahead, little lord.

As the year-end approached, the streets were packed with people. Red lanterns hung everywhere, and the cries of vendors selling New Year's decorations and trinkets filled the air.

Zong Jincheng went out to play with his brother, Zong Wenxiu, and He Zheng. With the year end coming, everyone was busy preparing for the New Year, and Baili Xi had stopped classes. The three private tutors only accompanied them in the morning, and full-day classes would resume after the sixth day of the new year.

In the afternoon, the three brothers put down their books and papers to go out and relax.

"He Zheng, how far have you studied? Do you understand the story of the fox and the tiger? Don't get hurt by my words again when I scold someone else next time," Zong Jincheng asked while looking at the trinkets on the street.

He owed Xu Wan four hundred and forty-nine taels of silver, and after ten months of diligent studying, he had finally paid it all off. Now, he had saved a small amount, enough to buy these pretty trinkets.

He Zheng grinned, "Don't worry, Jincheng, I'm really good now! I even understand 'mend the fold after the sheep are lost'!"

Zong Jincheng's mouth twitched, "Alright, when I accidentally hurt you again, we'll see which part you still don't understand."

Zong Wenxiu chuckled beside them, shaking his head in helplessness.

Zong Jincheng then spotted a nine-linked ring, picked it up, and shook it. Listening to the crisp sound, he fiddled with it a bit, obviously interested.

The vendor, seeing his interest, quickly introduced, "Young master, you have good eyesight! This is the nine-linked ring invented by Zhuge Liang; even many adults can't solve it. Only the smartest child prodigies can solve it, and they are sure to pass the 'child prodigy' exam!"

The three children were well-dressed, walking and talking with confidence, showing no signs of fear typical of ordinary children. The vendor could easily guess that they were students from a prestigious school.

However, now Zong Jincheng wasn't easily swayed by a few compliments. He shook the nine-linked ring and reminded the vendor, "Historically, it hasn't been proven that the nine-linked ring was invented by Zhuge Liang. Some say it was King Wen of Zhou."

"Ah... ah? Was it King Wen of Zhou...?" The vendor was confused.

He was just a toy seller, but now he was being taught by a child?

Usually, mentioning Zhuge Liang was enough to get children to buy the toys. They wanted to prove how smart they were. Now, it seemed, maybe he should start saying Zhou Wen invented it?

The little devil proudly explained, "However, King Wen of Zhou is also just a legend; there's still no historical proof."

The vendor: "......"

Forget it, I'll stick to saying Zhuge Liang invented it.

Zhuge Liang sells the best.

"Buy three, one for each of us, and see who can solve it first," the little devil generously bought them.

He Zheng immediately laughed, "Thanks, Jincheng. I haven't even gotten to study the nine-linked ring yet, oh no, not even King Wen of Zhou."

Zong Wenxiu laughed heartily, "He Zheng, just listen, it's not part of your studies. Jincheng found it while casually browsing books in the study."

The little devil proudly patted He Zheng's shoulder, "Brother, although you study very hard and your spirit and action are commendable. However, the most talented, hardworking, and gifted person is still me. I read fast, and even in my spare time, I learn things that you haven't gotten to yet. Hahaha, don't be jealous of me, I'm the one who's going to protect you in the future!"

He ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‍Zheng took his words as gospel and immediately obediently clasped his fists, "Understood, big brother!"

Zong Wenxiu: "......!"

Big brother? If I remember correctly, among the four little rascals, Jincheng is the youngest...

The little devil nodded contentedly, handing the newly bought nine-linked ring to him, "Good brother, here, this is a gift from your big brother."

Zong Wenxiu: "........."

Having watched the big brother recruit his little brother, Zong Wenxiu couldn't bear to look anymore. He turned his head to look elsewhere when he suddenly spotted a familiar figure.

No, it should be added, a familiar scene.

Zong Wenxiu patted the little devil's shoulder and reminded him, "Jincheng, look over there."

The little devil turned his head to look and saw Qin Shi holding a book, being pushed around again.

The person hadn't changed, nor had his personality, nor the way he carried the book. The only thing different was the person bullying him, again.

The little devil was a bit exhausted, "This is the third time we've run into him being bullied, right?"

The first time it was Feng Song, the second time it was Luo Chen, and the third time, he didn't know who it was, but it was someone who could easily push Qin Shi around, without resistance.

Zong Wenxiu rubbed his forehead and responded, "Yes, should we still interfere?"

The little devil crossed his arms and sighed, "Brother, I think I understand what you and my Mother meant by that saying before."

"Which saying?" Zong Wenxiu didn't react.

The little devil solemnly said, "Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime."