Wealthy Beauty in the 60s-Chapter 658 - 660: Forever Closed Eyes

"Kids are still young, and I hope they study well. Although they are high-IQ children, ’wise at times may not necessarily excel; geniuses too must strive to progress,’" Zheng Xianghong stated.

Xia Xiao certainly couldn’t agree with Mrs. Jiang, but even though Mrs. Jiang was unsuccessful in persuading Xia Xiao, she didn’t get upset and instead pushed her daughter to work hard.

Jiang Meimei had always been very intelligent and was the darling of her parents. When Shitou, who had just turned four, won the Asia-Pacific Mathematical Olympiad and amazed both the domestic and international communities, Mrs. Jiang took her daughter to have her IQ tested.

Jiang Meimei’s IQ was 140, and although it was not as high as Shitou’s, it still delighted Mrs. Jiang. However, Mrs. Jiang didn’t immediately enroll her daughter in the Genius Youth Class; she first decided to properly understand and observe the class, given that the Genius Youth Class had a mixed reputation in society.

Some geniuses who entered the class became mediocrities and did not properly utilize their talents, which drew widespread societal attention.

Thus, after understanding the situation for three years and constantly hearing about Shitou’s achievements and seeing that he remained outstanding, Mrs. Jiang finally sent her daughter there.

Jiang Meimei attended the Genius Youth Class because of Shitou. Mrs. Jiang always told her, "Such a genius is the only one who deserves you, the only one who truly has the right to stand by your side." Jiang Meimei then felt that Shitou should belong to her.

Thus, she was extremely unhappy and dissatisfied that Xiao Shanyue could get close to Shitou, feeling as though Xiao Shanyue had stolen something from her while also experiencing great insecurity.

Jiang Meimei was the star of her family; even though her father and mother didn’t forgive Mrs. Jiang, they both adored Jiang Meimei. Therefore, from a young age, Jiang Meimei had always been popular; both older and younger friends liked her a lot.

However, in the Genius Youth Class, Shitou, whom she most wanted to get close to, had become a source of frustration for her.

"Mom, don’t worry, I will make Brother Shitou like me," Jiang Meimei confidently said.

"Of course, my daughter is the best," Mrs. Jiang truly was satisfied with her daughter and was extremely proud. In her eyes, Jiang Meimei was the crystallization of her and her husband’s love, embodying all their best traits, the perfect creation of God.

Mrs. Jiang had no sons and felt somewhat guilty towards her husband because, besides them, her husband didn’t have any relatives.

However, her husband didn’t mind and adored their daughter all the more, which made Mrs. Jiang even more content. She felt that her husband was perfect in every way, an endless source of love.

These were Mrs. Jiang’s innermost feelings, of which Xia Xiao was unaware. However, after interacting with Mrs. Jiang, Xia Xiao also realized that Mrs. Jiang was a woman immersed in love.

She was also someone who could be fully content with love alone; her husband’s love was the pillar of her life. If her husband remained faithful for life, Mrs. Jiang would be happy forever. But if he ever betrayed her, Xia Xiao felt that Mrs. Jiang wouldn’t withstand the blow.

Because she had given up too much for her husband; Mrs. Jiang had even had the chance to go to college but had given that opportunity to her husband instead, financing his education.

This was the first reason her parents could not forgive her. The second reason, naturally, was that Mrs. Jiang and her husband had privately committed to a lifelong relationship. Thus, even though many years had passed and Jiang Meimei was now ten years old, this bitterness in her parent’s hearts was hard to dispel.

That year, Gao Guoqiang and Zheng Xianghong’s health was deteriorating. Xia Xiao spent more time at home taking care of Gao Guoqiang and Zheng Xianghong, leaving the lab duties to Shitou.

Unlike Dr. Xi, Dr. Jiang, influenced by Mrs. Jiang, was very interested in Shitou. Although he didn’t view Shitou as a future son-in-law like Mrs. Jiang did, he secretly observed Shitou’s abilities and assessed him.

But Jiang Meimei didn’t have the energy anymore to chase after Shitou; Xiao Shanyue, who was in the Advanced Class, had slowly surpassed everyone from the back of the pack. Although she didn’t make it into the Special Class, she had left Jiang Meimei far behind.

Although the Genius Youth Class was divided into different levels, there was an annual joint exam that all students took together, assessing overall performance and resulting in a ranking of all students.

Shitou was now firmly at the top of the list, and Xia Xiao ranked twenty-ninth. Although Jiang Meimei was in the Intermediate Class, she ranked fortieth, making her the last in the class.

Clearly, Jiang Meimei’s performance had declined, which was hard for the always proud Jiang Meimei to accept.

Dr. Jiang urged her daughter to study hard, and Mrs. Jiang also focused on her daughter’s grades, encouraging her to study diligently and, ideally, catch up to Shitou and stand side by side with him.

But dreams are beautiful, and reality is harsh. With her hard work, Jiang Meimei had become significantly thinner and moved up only two places.

In 2009, Xia Xiao repeatedly failed to enter the Special Class, and Jiang Meimei also faced repeated setbacks in advancing to the Advanced Class.

Although Shitou did not take the college entrance exam, everyone knew it was merely a matter of whether Shitou wanted to; during this time, many geniuses better understood the advantages of having an IQ of two hundred.

They did not know that Shitou’s IQ was even higher than that; otherwise, they would have been even more amazed.

Shitou now spent most of his time in the research laboratory, not because he was complacent, but because he was already studying university courses.

That year Shitou was eight, Xia Xiao was seven, and Jiang Meimei was ten.

At the end of the year, Ao City was returned to the nation, and the whole country celebrated.

But in that month, both Gao Guoqiang and Zheng Xianghong passed away, one day apart; Gao Guoqiang at midnight, and Zheng Xianghong in the morning.

When Zheng Xianghong found out that Gao Guoqiang had passed, she did not call for help but closed her eyes. In the morning, the maid found both elders had forever closed their eyes.

Gao Guoqiang died at ninety-eight by actual age, ninety-nine by nominal age.

Zheng Xianghong died at ninety-seven by actual age, ninety-eight by nominal age.

Though neither lived to see a hundred, they had no regrets, leaving without any final words.

Feiyue was unable to return to the country in time, but their other children and grandchildren, along with their nieces and nephews, all made it.

Everyone had also aged. Not to mention Jiazhi and his two sisters, even Jiaxing was sixty-five by then, and Xia Xiao sixty-three.

They transported the bodies of Zheng Xianghong and Gao Guoqiang back to Guangming Team for burial. Although the country now banned burials, some ethnic minorities and certain regions still practiced it.

The bodies of Zheng Xianghong and Gao Guoqiang were flown back by Feiteng using a helicopter, as Jiaxing and Feiyang, although in the military, could not use military helicopters for personal reasons.

The last time, when Li Min gave birth, it just so happened that Feiyang was on patrol.

To facilitate the transport of Zheng Xianghong and Gao Guoqiang’s bodies, Feiteng purchased a helicopter outright, and the family flew back directly.

Once the bodies of Zheng Xianghong and Gao Guoqiang arrived at Guangming Team, they held the funeral there, and friends and relatives gathered to attend the ceremony.