Chapter 27: A Childish Fellow

Shi Zhaodi continued to live with the Jiang family, balancing her time between helping her mother with chores and focusing on her studies. She still loved to linger around Jiang Hao'en, and regardless of whether he responded or not, she would chatter on incessantly about her life at school, occasionally criticizing Zou Kai for being incorrigible and lazy in his studies.

As Shi Zhaodi entered her third year of middle school, her academic workload became even more demanding. Despite this, she still dedicated one day every weekend to go to Zou Kai’s house to tutor him. Zou Kai’s grades remained mediocre at best; worse still, whenever she stopped the tutoring sessions, his performance would plummet immediately, prompting his teachers and parents to personally plead with her to continue helping him. In their desperation, Zou Kai’s parents even offered to pay her an hourly rate for the tutoring, but Shi Zhaodi, feeling embarrassed to accept, continued to help him with unwavering dedication. Sometimes, when she saw Zou Kai failing to pay attention, she would become so frustrated that she would stutter for a long moment before finally blurting out, "You... you bad person!" Years later, when recalling these days, Zou Kai would say that what left the deepest impression on him was the sight of Shi Zhaodi, face flushed bright red with anger, calling him a "bad person."

"Zou Kai, can you please take this seriously?" Shi Zhaodi asked one day, feeling utterly helpless.

Zou Kai turned to look at her and asked with a serious expression, "Then can you stop tutoring so seriously? That way, we’d be even."

"I have been entrusted with a task, and I must see it through!"

"Then I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do," Zou Kai said, spreading his hands with a look of feigned helplessness.

Shi Zhaodi felt completely dejected. She began packing her things, ready to head home.

"If you agree to one condition, maybe I’ll consider it," Zou Kai suddenly changed his tune.

"What condition?" Shi Zhaodi asked, looking at him in confusion.

"Come with me to a certain place the day after tomorrow afternoon."

"The day after tomorrow? Isn't there school?"

"If you agree, I promise I’ll study hard from now on and get a good score on the high school entrance exam. If not, then forget it. I’m not forcing you, just think about it."

Shi Zhaodi nodded, thinking to herself, *And you say you aren't forcing me?*

Back at the Jiang residence, while helping her mother with some chores, Shi Zhaodi overheard several servants gossiping about the upcoming eightieth birthday banquet for the old master next month. This was a major event for the Jiang family, and no one dared to be negligent. Every year, the old master’s birthday drew a crowd of dignitaries and high-ranking officials; since this was a milestone birthday, the house was expected to be overflowing with guests. Shi Zhaodi could already foresee how busy her mother and the other servants would be during those days.

"I heard the old master intends to use this celebration as an opportunity to choose a match for the young master!" Sister Li whispered mysteriously.

Shi Zhaodi’s heart skipped a beat, but she did not stop what she was doing; she simply lowered her head even further.