Chapter 166: Chapter 166: Only Good Children Deserve Happiness

Ling Zhiwei, however, looked completely unfazed, utterly unaware of how hurtful his words had been.

He even leaned in a little, standing casually with his hands in his pockets.

"You know what? My little sister was the top scorer in the college entrance exams this year! Seven hundred and thirty-nine, raw score! The highest in Beijing’s history! Who’s ever heard of that?"

The more he spoke, the more excited he got, his words tumbling out faster and faster.

He was completely lost in his pride, wanting nothing more than to praise Shanshan to the heavens.

How could he have known the young girl was already at her breaking point?

Tears welled up in her eyes, but she managed to hold them back at first.

But as she listened to his bragging, her heart felt like it was being crushed bit by bit.

After just a few more sentences, Cao Jiajia’s tears streamed down.

The tears slid down her cheeks. Before she could wipe them away, she turned and ran.

Ling Zhiwei watched her retreating back and pursed his lips.

"Tsk, her fortitude is way too weak. She can’t even take a joke."

Not only did he feel no remorse, he was actually quite pleased with himself. He turned and rushed back toward the private room.

His gaze swept the room and locked onto Shanshan at the table. He immediately called out to her.

"Shanshan! Your fourth brother got some revenge for you! That girl from just now ran out crying!"

"What are you talking about?"

Shanshan looked completely clueless.

Her chopsticks were frozen mid-air, holding a piece of tofu she had just picked from the plate.

Everyone else quieted down, turning to look toward the door.

Ling Zhiwei grinned mischievously.

"If you don’t ask, I won’t tell. I’ll just let you stew in suspense."

He strolled in slowly, deliberately bypassing the main seat to sit down in a chair beside it.

He crossed his arms, looking like a patient fisherman waiting for a bite.

"Not going to tell me? Fine, I won’t listen then."

Shanshan turned back to her food, completely ignoring him.

She put the piece of tofu in her mouth and chewed slowly, her expression placid.

Now the tables had turned. The one trying to build suspense was the one feeling antsy.

Ling Zhiwei fidgeted in his seat, first touching his ear, then straightening his cuffs.

He opened his mouth to speak several times but forced himself to hold back.

He watched as Shanshan focused on her meal, showing no intention of turning around to acknowledge him.

Later, Ling Zhiwei was pulled away by his parents.

They repeatedly instructed him that he had to take good care of his little sister at school.

The two elders were serious; one grabbed his arm while the other stood opposite him, scolding him while pointing a finger in his face.

Ling Zhiwei could only nod repeatedly, muttering all sorts of promises.

By the time dinner was over and everyone was leaving, he still hadn’t managed to get close enough to whisper a single private word to Shanshan.

The crowd gradually dispersed, and the hall grew a little quieter.

He tried to approach her several times, but he was either stopped by relatives for small talk or called away by elders to help clean up.

He could only watch as Shanshan was led out by her mother, unable to get a single word in.

But when she spotted the timid-looking Cao Jiajia outside the restaurant’s main entrance, everything suddenly clicked.

’So it was her!’

The girl was standing under a streetlight at the corner, hands in her pockets, head lowered, avoiding eye contact.

Her clothes were plain and drab.

She stood in stark contrast to the students coming and going around her.

Her hair was a bit messy, fluttering slightly in the night breeze.

Shanshan stood still, just watching quietly.

Don’t be fooled by Shanshan’s usual soft spot for children.

When it came to spoiled brats, she genuinely enjoyed watching them suffer.

’Good kids deserve happiness, and little monsters deserve to suffer!’

After they got home, Ling Zhiwei wanted to seize the opportunity to continue their earlier conversation.

But before he could even get a word out, Shanshan beat him to the punch and shut him down.

Ling Zhiwei froze, his mouth slightly agape, a sentence caught in his throat.

Her fourth brother looked like he was about to have a meltdown, scratching his head in frustration.

Shanshan was beside herself with laughter, slapping her thigh.

Laughing, she used hand gestures to describe the scene she had witnessed outside the restaurant.

Ling Anxun sat on the sofa listening, nodding occasionally, his expression showing little reaction.

Although he was thoroughly exasperated by the little rascal, on the first day of school, Ling Zhiwei still puffed out his chest and proudly showed his little sister around campus.

Shanshan was the youngest student in the school’s history.

The university had even hung a celebratory banner.

Many teachers arrived early, walking around with cameras to document the special occasion.

She had hoped for a quiet start to her school year but had instead become the center of attention for the entire university.

As soon as she walked through the school gates, students stopped to stare and whisper.

After the news spread, many people came over specifically to see what the fuss was about.

Upperclassmen used their breaks between classes to crowd against the railings and look down.

Seeing this, Ling Anxun, who was there to register his daughter, frowned so hard you could have killed a mosquito between his brows.

Ling Anxun, who had originally planned to head to work after finishing the paperwork, had no choice but to stay and guard her closely.

He followed half a meter behind Shanshan, never leaving her side.

Even when the university president was personally escorting them and explaining things, he remained vigilant.

While her father was worried sick about her safety, Shanshan herself was completely at ease.

She walked ahead with a light spring in her step, a small backpack on her shoulders.

She would stop in front of every office door to offer a polite greeting.

Less than ten minutes after entering the classroom, she had already become the apple of everyone’s eye.

Ling Anxun and his nephew, Ling Zhiwei, stood dumbfounded at the classroom door.

They were holding luggage of all sizes, with Shanshan’s heavy coat slung over their shoulders.

The light from the hallway illuminated their faces.

Students came and went, some giving them a second glance.

The two men looked at each other, their eyes filled with helplessness.

’Looks like we won’t have to worry about how Shanshan will get through university life at all.’

Ling Zhiwei looked down at the crumpled registration form in his hand, a wave of disappointment washing over him.

"Shanshan is so popular. I might have a brother-in-law one of these days..." he muttered under his breath, forcing a slight smile.

The moment the words left his mouth, even he felt they were a bit out of place.

After all, they were surrounded by young students, boys and girls mingling together. Who could guarantee that nothing would happen?

"Shut up!"

Ling Anxun’s sudden, low shout made Ling Zhiwei jump out of his skin.

Ling Zhiwei flinched, nearly dropping the suitcase in his hand.

He swallowed hard, not daring to look at his uncle’s expression.

"Uncle, don’t be so anxious. Shanshan is grown up now, a university student surrounded by outstanding and impressionable young people. Falling in love isn’t such a big deal. I’ll keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn’t do anything out of line. You’ll have to get used to it, Uncle. Kids grow up, and sooner or later..."

Ling Zhiwei tried to salvage the situation, his tone as gentle as possible.

But with every word he spoke, Ling Anxun’s face grew a shade darker.

This time, Ling Anxun shot him a death glare.

Ling Zhiwei immediately snapped his mouth shut, his shoulders tensing slightly.

"If you don’t know how to talk, then shut up. No one will think you’re mute," Ling Anxun said coldly.

He didn’t spare Ling Zhiwei another glance and turned to walk toward the dormitory building.

"Er..."

Ling Zhiwei immediately threw his hands up in surrender, not daring to say another word.

He hurried after him, jogging to keep up while adjusting the bags on his shoulder.

But he couldn’t help the thoughts churning in his mind.

’Shanshan is already eighteen and in university. You can’t just lock her up at home, can you?’

But it was too late.

Ling Anxun tossed out a cold sentence, announcing his extra task for the evening.

Ling Zhiwei heard it loud and clear: a ten-kilometer weighted run. He had to complete it, or it would be fifteen kilometers tomorrow.