Chapter 81

The pure black guitar pick, when wiped clean of dust, revealed a line of tiny red characters engraved on it. ‘DepuisCh********’ What does “ch” stand for? The following letters were obscured by an unknown stain, and no matter how hard Ji Nian scrubbed, she couldn’t remove it. [What words can “ch” form?] [It looks like a name.] [Charles? Or Charlie? Both are male names.] [If it was left by the original owner’s mother, maybe it’s something like Cherry?] Ji Nian quickly analyzed the possibilities. Seeing Ji Nian so engrossed, Zhiliao spoke up, “Send it to someone to restore it. Once the stain is cleaned, you might be able to see the letters clearly.” Ji Nian’s eyes lit up. “Zhiliao, you’re so smart!” “Why are you suddenly so interested in this?” “Did someone at school say something to you?” Zhiliao helped her put the item away and asked. Outwardly, she seemed calm, but upon closer observation, a faint yet intense killing intent could be seen in her eyes. It wasn’t obvious, but it was strong enough to make anyone who crossed her regret it. Ji Nian thought to herself, no wonder you grew up together—your thinking is exactly like Ji Tingzhou’s. “No, I was just suddenly curious,” she explained. Seeing that the child’s expression didn’t seem fake, Zhiliao believed her. “If anyone bullies you, tell me.” She remembered that there were a few buildings across from S School with good vantage points—perfect for setting up a sniper. Ji Nian nodded repeatedly, “Mm, I know.” After handing the necklace to Zhiliao for restoration, it was almost bedtime. On her way back to her room, Ji Nian stopped by Ji Tingzhou’s study. Seeing that he was busy, she didn’t disturb him. [The Lu Family’s child has gone missing.] [I heard from Wei Yang that their family has royal connections, so that child is practically a royal descendant.] [If they went missing in our country, it could escalate into a national issue. That would be a real problem.] No wonder Ji Tingzhou wasn’t sleeping and was busy solving the problem. However, she didn’t expect that even though Ji Tingzhou was busy, he still came to her room after she climbed into bed. “Sleep. I’ll leave after you fall asleep.” Sitting down on the chair by her bed, Ji Tingzhou gestured for the child to lie down and sleep. Even as Ji Nian approached, Mo Chen showed no reaction. His hand was on his forehead, likely due to dizziness. He was sweating, and his hand was trembling slightly. [It looks like low blood sugar.] He sat motionless, as if trying to alleviate the symptoms by sitting down. Ji Nian had come in a hurry today and didn’t have any candy on her. Spotting the smoothie in her hand, she immediately had an idea. [Bananas contain about 12% sugar. This should do for now.] “Teacher Mo, Teacher Mo.” Ji Nian poked him with her finger, then opened the smoothie lid, inserted a straw, and brought it to his lips. “Teacher Mo, open your mouth. Take a sip.” Mo Chen hadn’t eaten breakfast that morning because he wasn’t feeling well. Shortly after arriving at school, he suddenly felt dizzy. At first, he thought it might be a symptom of his illness, and that his legs might give out soon. But then he realized something was off and quickly recognized it as low blood sugar, so he found a place to sit. He was also experiencing some tinnitus and dizziness, making it hard to see clearly. Hearing a voice, he instinctively opened his mouth. A straw was promptly placed between his lips. He instinctively took a sip. A sweet taste spread through his mouth. A few minutes later, Mo Chen regained some strength. Seeing that he could now hold the cup and drink on his own, Ji Nian breathed a sigh of relief. “Teacher Mo, I’m going to be late, so I’ll head off now.” “Remember to eat something later and buy some candy or chocolate from the store to replenish your sugar. You don’t need to return the cup.” Mo Chen probably didn’t even see who she was, so there was no need for formalities. After saying this, Ji Nian turned and left. This time, she didn’t run in a panic—she just walked a bit faster since she was already late. The first class was English, and the foreign teacher was notoriously strict about punctuality. However, since class was in session, he didn’t say anything immediately but told Ji Nian to come to his office after class. Shen Qingtang, sitting nearby, looked at her with concern. She regretted not waiting for Ji Nian. If she had, she could have accompanied her to the office. Ji Nian must be so nervous going alone. But Ji Nian, not being an actual seven-year-old, wasn’t particularly anxious. Instead, she mentally prepared an apology for the foreign teacher. She didn’t plan to mention that she had helped Teacher Mo, as it might sound like an excuse. She decided to simply apologize honestly. Being late was being late, no matter the reason. The other kids exchanged glances. Being late for English class and still so calm? Wow, she’s so cool. That’s Ji Nian for you.