Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Calligraphy

Mu Ran left Dan Heng Entertainment, listening to music in his sports car, waiting at a traffic light.

He glanced at his watch.

It’s twelve o’clock.

Mu Ran: “…”

Frustrated.

Mu Ran changed to a soothing piece of music, and just then, the screen showed an incoming call.

——Teacher Liu!

That’s Xiao Jin’s teacher.

“Teacher Liu, what’s up?”

“Xiao Jin’s guardian, do you have time? Our calligraphy teacher wants to take Xiao Jin to participate in today’s national calligraphy exhibition and also wants to submit Xiao Jin’s work for the competition,” Teacher Liu explained.

She had never seen Mr. Wu taken with a child like this. He taught children as a favor to the dean, intending to teach for just a month.

Today was his first day teaching Xiao Jin, and he was stunned by Xiao Jin’s talent, insisting on taking him to the Newcomer’s Exhibition and later getting him into the Hai City Calligraphy Association, with plans for further development.

“Ah?” Mu Ran was surprised.

“Do you have time now?”

“Yes, I’ll go to the kindergarten right away.” When Mu Ran arrived at the kindergarten, he saw Xiao Jin talking eloquently to an old man with a long beard.

Chu Xijin thought everyone had lost interest in calligraphy.

Because compared to a brush, pencils are so much more convenient!

They are perfect for promoting literacy, lowering the cost for ordinary people to get educated.

But today he realized that Hua Country’s calligraphy has never been forgotten. Instead, as the times progressed, brushes, once seemingly obsolete, were being picked up again. The people of Hua Country hold onto their roots!

And they also work to carry forward their traditional culture, making him exceptionally happy today.

While chatting, he received a notification from Teacher Liu that his aunt had arrived.

Chu Xijin turned his head and gleefully walked forward, “Aunt, you’re here!”

Mu Ran raised an eyebrow.

Chu Xijin couldn’t decipher his aunt’s expression but still led her in front of Mr. Wu, “Grandpa Wu, this is my aunt.”

“Hello, Mr. Wu.” Mu Ran bowed slightly to greet the elderly man.

“Hello, you must be Xiao Jin’s aunt. Can you make decisions on her behalf?” Mr. Wu assumed the teacher asked Xiao Jin’s parents to come.

He didn’t expect an aunt.

“I can make decisions,” Mu Ran replied.

“That works. I want to take Xiao Jin to visit the national exhibition of Hua Country’s calligraphy and also recommend his work to the Newcomer’s Exhibition. Is that okay?”

“Where do we have to go?”

“Shan Province.”

“….. He has a job to do tomorrow. If he goes to the calligraphy exhibition, it will be a breach of contract. Can it be four days later?” Mu Ran asked.

“The deadline is the 10th, so I’ll take him on the last day,” Mr. Wu frowned, “How come such a young child has a job?”

Chu Xijin quickly explained, “I want to earn more money and then join a variety show.”

Mr. Wu frowned even more, not blaming Xiao Jin at all. Instead, he addressed Mu Ran: “He’s still young and doesn’t understand. As a guardian, you should carefully consider his future, instead of letting him participate in all sorts of messy shows.”

The respectful attitude Mu Ran had towards the elderly man instantly dissipated, his lips firmed into a straight line, bordering on a scowl.

“Grandpa Wu, I have rights too,” Chu Xijin stood in front of his aunt, looking up at him with neither arrogance nor servility.

The child’s features were delicate, his skin as smooth as porcelain, and there was a subtle smile at the corners of his mouth. Normally, he seemed a naïve and innocent child.

But at this moment, the five-year-old smiled, yet there was an unfathomable depth to him, a solitary nobility, a paradoxical blend of elegance and enigma.

Mr. Wu was startled by the child’s gaze.

This child…

Was beyond his control.

“I misunderstood. Discuss it with your aunt. You could go on the last day, but how much recognition you receive will depend on you.”

“Thank you, Grandpa Wu,” Chu Xijin remained polite, the gentlemanly demeanor fully evident in his five-year-old self.

Yet Mr. Wu clearly felt that this Xiao Jin was no longer as close to him as he had been just moments ago.

Mr. Wu left.

Teacher Liu also asked Xiao Jin to discuss things well with his aunt, “Come back to class when you’re done discussing, okay?”

“Okay.” Chu Xijin nodded obediently. After Teacher Liu left, he immediately turned to his aunt, “Aunt, I’m sorry. I got too excited when I discovered how popular the brush still is and didn’t take the time to understand this person’s character.”

“It’s okay.”

Mu Ran waved it off.

Though her temper wasn’t the best, she could tell Mr. Wu truly appreciated Xiao Jin.

Chu Xijin pursed his lips.

He felt there was something to it.

He was still too young to be taken seriously by everyone.

Because he knew that if someone were truly outstanding, everyone would be cautious even when speaking to the people they care about.

Emperors were like that!

He realized he was weak.

“Aunt, I’d still like to go that day, if possible?”

“Sure, after the program, we’ll go. I’ll accompany you that day,” Mu Ran planned to negotiate with Yang Yingying about the possibility of finishing the program earlier on the third day to get back to Hai City, allowing Xiao Jin to head to Shan Province.

“Really?” Chu Xijin was delighted, his eyes sparkling, “Aunt, you’re the best.”

“You sweet talker. Alright, go to class properly. Don’t think about skipping,” Mu Ran pinched his soft little cheeks, making his mouth form an “o” shape. Seeing his cute blinking eyes, her mouth curved into a smile, and her eyes softened, “My Xiao Jin is truly amazing.”

Chu Xijin paused.

Smiling with his eyes curved like little crescent moons.

A gentleman should avoid arrogance and impetuosity, but he couldn’t help feeling happy.

To guard against complacency and falling into the trap of compliments, Chu Xijin reminded himself to work harder, always to be the remarkable child in his aunt’s eyes.

At the same time, advancing toward his goal!

“Aunt, wait for me. I’ll get you something.”

He had received lots of cute snacks as rewards at school, which he had stored in a cupboard intending to use them to charm his little friends.

Now that his aunt was here,

he decided to give them all to her.

Mu Ran left with a bag of snacks, barely suppressing a laugh. After getting into the car, she snapped a photo and posted it on social media.

“Kindergarten rewards after years.”

Comments appeared quickly.

Yang Yingying: “Wow, wow, wow, I can’t believe your kindergarten days had rewards. These snacks must be snatched from Xiao Jin.”

Mu Ran: smiley face jpg.

What kind of lousy friend is this?

Recently, they claimed to be very busy, yet they were the first to comment as soon as she posted.

Mu Ran immediately called her, “I need to discuss something with you.”

“What a coincidence, I have something too, but you go first,” Yang Yingying said.

“Okay, I’ll go first. On the third day of the variety show recording, could you try to start earlier in the morning and finish quickly in the afternoon? Xiao Jin has something to do.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep