Chapter 45
"I don't know how to do this one. And this, and this…" Opening the practice book, Zhao Yanzi circled with the ball-point pen.
"Urm, let me take a look…" Hao Ren forced himself to look through the problems.
"This is only Math. And I still have Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geology…" One by one, like in a magic show, Zhao Yanzi pulled out many practice books from that little drawer.
Hao Ren was dizzy with exhaustion, and he could only solve a few of the problems. Meanwhile, Zhao Yanzi slouched in the chair with her arms crossed over her chest, looking at Hao Ren with a gloating smile.
"d.a.m.n! How come the science courses in middle school have gotten so difficult…" Hao Ren cursed silently. However, since he couldn't humiliate himself in front of Zhao Yanzi, he had to rack his brain on the problems.
While he was working on the Eighth-Grade math problems, he thought about advanced mathematics; while he was working on the physics problems, he thought about college-level physics theories… The big gap between his current knowledge of the subjects and that of a middle schooler made it impossible for him only to solve the problems using middle school concepts.
"Uncle, can you solve them or not?" While he was struggling with mounting frustration, Zhao Yanzi asked him in high spirit. Hao Ren had tormented her in English, and now she felt good about the retaliation.
Putting his hands to his burning temples, Hao Ren felt he was going to explode. However, it was too shameful to admit that he, a student at a top university, couldn't solve middle school problems.
"Hand me all your textbooks, and I'll refresh my memory on the middle school concepts," Hao Ren put down the pen and said to her.
Zhao Yanzi misunderstood him and said, "But I need them for tomorrow's cla.s.ses."
"It's fine. I only need them for tonight," Hao Ren looked confident.
"Wait!" Standing up, Zhao Yanzi walked to the bed and picked up her backpack. She dug out five to six thick textbooks before handing them to Hao Ren.
"Sleep early tonight," Hao Ren said to her as he walked to the door with the textbooks in his hands.
Zhao Yanzi looked at him, stunned. She was surprised that Hao Ren was still so nice to her and didn't get angry as she had expected.
Before she could regain her composure, Hao Ren had left her room and walked up to the attic where Zhao Hongyu's studio was.
She looked down at her pink pajamas and the soft skin under the collar and wondered, "Is he not attracted to me at all?"
"He leaves as soon as he finishes tutoring as if it is a task to him…" Zhao Yanzi thought as she looked down at the slight rise of her chest. All of a sudden, she thought of the pretty girl she met at East Ocean University during the Athletic Games.
She snorted with disdain and jumped onto her bed.
When Hao Ren got up to the studio, he found that neatly laid out bedding was placed on the clean floor, and on one side of the bedding hanged the clothes he had
"Zhao Yanzi's mother is such a thoughtful and considerate woman. If Zhao Yanzi can grow into a woman with half of her mother's virtues, I will be a happy man… Urm, what am I thinking…"
Hao Ren put the textbooks on the floor before settling down. He picked a random textbook from the floor and began to study it.
Outside, the storm continued into the night as predicted by Zhao Hongyu. Illuminated by the soft yellow light, the little attic was warm and quiet.
While reading, he began to doze off. Clap! The book slid from his hands and fell to the floor.
In her room, Zhao Yanzi was tossing and turning in her bed, unable to sleep. She turned on the lights and stared up at the ceiling covered with stars. After a while, she got up from her bed and tiptoed out of her room and up the stairs; she was curious about what Hao Ren was doing.
When she found Hao Ren asleep with textbooks scattered around him, her suspicious heart was touched.
The pitter-patter of raindrops outside made the small attic seem a little cold.
"You jerk, throwing my books everywhere."
She thought for a moment and tiptoed into the room. She picked up the textbooks and was about to leave when a thought occurred to her. She bent down and quietly dragged the kicked-aside quilt over his body.
She made a face at the sleeping Hao Ren and waved her hand in front of his face as if she was going to strike him. But in the end, she didn't wake him up.
Carrying the heavy books, Zhao Yanzi returned to her room on the second floor.
The next morning.
When Hao Ren woke up, he was a bit startled to find himself not in his dorm. Sitting up, he saw the quilt had been kicked aside and realized that the textbooks beside him were gone.
It was still raining, though not as heavily as last night.
He changed into his own clothes and walked down the stairs to the first floor. When he pa.s.sed by Zhao Yanzi's room, it was rather quiet.
Chop! Chop!… The chopping sounds came from the kitchen.
Hao Ren walked in and found Zhao Hungyu who was in her ap.r.o.n busy in the kitchen.
"Morning, auntie," He went in and greeted her.
"You up already?" Zhao Hongyu smiled at him. "How was your sleep last night?" she asked.
"It was good. Isn't Zi up yet?" Hao Ren asked.
"She is a lazy bug and won't get up until someone wakes her. Go to Zi's bathroom for your morning wash-up. I've put a new towel and a new toothbrush there for you," Zhao Hongyu said.
"I'll wait for her to get up. It's not right to barge into her room," Hao Ren said.
Zhao Hongyu nodded with a smile. Indeed, if Zi found that Hao Ren had seen her unladylike sleeping poses, she would fly into a rage and make a scene.
"Zi's father will drive you to school. Relax in the living room for now," Zhao Hongyu said while chopping the Chinese Mustard with ease.
"Minced pork congee with mustard and preserved egg? Let me help you," Hao Ren walked over and began to help.
Zhao Hongyu didn't refuse his help. She smiled and said, "You is a good boy."
"And you are a great mother," Hao Ren replied.
"Doesn't your mom cook you breakfast?" Zhao Hongyu asked casually.
"She is very busy and has no time to do the things an ordinary mother does," Hao Ren answered after some thoughts.
Sensing the faint disappointment in Hao Ren's tone, Zhao Hongyu smiled at him. "It doesn't matter. This is your home now," she said.
Hao Ren was touched. He wasn't certain about Zhao Yanzi's feelings toward him, but he knew Zhao Hongyu treated him as a member of her family.
Not knowing how to answer her, he busied himself and worked silently.
Soon after, Zhao Guang and Zhao Yanzi got up and came down to the first floor. By now, the deliciously smelling minced pork congee with mustard and preserved egg was on the table, a result of the joint efforts of Hao Ren and Zhao Hongyu.
Hao Ren went into the bathroom in Zhao Yanzi's room to wash up, and Zhao Guang was pleased that Hao Ren had helped to make breakfast.
Zhao Yanzi was surprised that Hao Ren was such a hardworking and able guy. However, when her mother scolded her for being surprised, she pouted in silent protest.
When the simple breakfast ended, the storm which had been raging for the whole night ended as well.
Zhao Guang got ready to drive Zhao Yanzi and Hao Ren to school while Zhao Hongyu took off her ap.r.o.n and revealed the lotus flower halter top with thin straps underneath. She put on her sungla.s.ses and grabbed a very ladylike black purse before entering the garage.
One minute later, Zhao Hongyu drove a red Ferrari out of the garage.
Hao Ren was surprised by Zhao Hongyu's instant change from a perfect mother to a fas.h.i.+onable woman. But then again, it wasn't that big of a surprise since Zhao Hongyu was a top-rated fas.h.i.+on designer.
He had only seen her role as the perfect mother recently and had forgotten that she had her own career. With her reputation and ability, she was probably leading her own elite team and running an independent studio.
With a wave of her hand, Zhao Hongyu sped off in her s.h.i.+ny red Ferrari.
In his low-profiled black Chevrolet, Zhao Guang drove Zhao Yanzi and Hao Ren to their schools successively. Not wanting to draw more attention to him, Hao Ren asked Zhao Guang to drop him off hundreds of meters away from the school's main gate.
After saying goodbye to Zhao Guang, Hao Ren walked to the main gate of the university.
From afar, he saw some students hanging up a banner over the gate.
"A Warm Welcome to the World Famous Biologist Hao Zhonghua and Globally Well-known Meteorologist Yue Yang who will be Giving Lectures at the University!"