Lin Yu turned around and retorted, "How I live my life is none of your concern. You never cared about me before, and now you’re putting on this hypocritical act. Please leave. I can support myself and don’t need your charity to fund my education."
"Support yourself?" Lin's Father laughed as if he had heard the biggest joke. He grabbed Lin Yu’s arm and said, "You’re just an eight-year-old child! What ability do you have to support yourself? You dress like a beggar, and I’m ashamed to have a son like you."
Lin Yu shook off his hand and said coldly, "If you’re ashamed, then let’s not be father and son anymore. I’m tired of pretending with you—it’s disgusting."
"You!" Lin's Father raised his hand and shouted, "You ungrateful brat! I’ll teach you a lesson today!"
"Stop!"
"Don’t touch Lin Yu!"
Zong Jincheng and Zong Wenxiu shouted in unison.
Buyan, the fastest of them, grabbed Lin's Father’s hand and threw him to the ground.
Lin's Father howled, "Ouch… my back… Who dares to hit someone in Qingbo Academy? Haven’t you heard of Lin Youde from Qingyun Street?"
The little devil snorted and replied with even more arrogance, "Well, have you heard of Zong Jincheng, the leader of the four young prodigals of the capital?"
Zong Wenxiu: "..."
Are you using evil to suppress evil?
But admittedly, it worked.
Lin's Father immediately felt a chill run down his spine and stammered, "Zong Jincheng from Yangyuan Marquis Manor?"
The Lin family was a merchant family, wealthy but without any political power. On the other hand, Yangyuan Marquis Manor was the wealthiest and most influential aristocratic family in the capital, surpassing them in both money and power by leaps and bounds.
Lin's Father immediately cowered, shuffling backward on his bottom and quickly changing his tone to a fawning smile. "So it’s Young Master Zong! I was blind not to recognize you. I’ve long admired your reputation."
Lin Yu sneered, unsurprised by his father’s reaction. This was typical of a merchant—always ready to grovel.
Zong Jincheng proudly lifted his chin and said, "Lin Yu has already said he doesn’t want to be your son anymore. If you keep harassing him, I won’t be so polite next time."
Lin's Father hurriedly waved his hands. "No, no, I wouldn’t dare! Since Young Master Zong has spoken, I’ll obey. I’ll leave this child to you. I’ll stay far away and never come back to Qingbo Academy!"
With that, he scrambled to his feet and ran off without looking back.
Lin's Father’s fear of Yangyuan Marquis Manor wasn’t just because it was a noble household. The Marquis’s influence spanned countless industries, and a single word from them could obliterate the Lin family.
Lin Yu was just one of his many sons. This rebellious child could be written off—he had no expectations for Lin Yu’s future anyway. He was sure Lin Yu would eventually come crawling back, begging to return home.
Zong Jincheng watched Lin's Father’s retreating figure and frowned. "Brother, I wanted to help Lin Yu chase him away, but now that he’s gone so quickly, I feel even more upset. Why is that?"
Zong Wenxiu thought for a moment and said, "Maybe it’s because you’re empathizing with Lin Yu. Having such a cold-hearted father is heartbreaking. It’s better to have no father at all."
Zong Jincheng nodded solemnly. "That makes sense."
Meanwhile, Lin Yu came over to thank them.
Zong Jincheng waved his hand dismissively. "It’s nothing, just a small favor."
Zong Wenxiu was more polite. He smiled and comforted Lin Yu, "You’ve improved a lot in your recent exams. Keep it up, and you’ll surely achieve great results, making your father regret his actions."
Lin Yu smiled back. "Thank you. That’s what I’m aiming for."
Then he turned to Zong Jincheng. "After this exam, are you planning to go to the Child Prodigy Class to see Qin Ye?"
Zong Jincheng tilted his head and thought for a moment. "Not yet. My brother told me not to rush. Why? Do you want to join the Child Prodigy Class too?"
Lin Yu shook his head with a smile. "No, the Child Prodigy Class is for geniuses. I’m just an ordinary person who works hard. I’ll stick to my studies and take the regular imperial exams in a few years. That’s enough for me."
"Huh?" Zong Jincheng looked puzzled.
After saying goodbye, Lin Yu returned to Qingbo Academy to continue his studies.
Zong Jincheng watched Lin Yu’s retreating figure and asked, "Brother, why is he so lacking in confidence? He won’t even try the Child Prodigy Class. What if he’s a genius too?"
Zong Wenxiu chuckled softly. "Not everyone can be a prodigy. I heard Lin Yu started learning at the age of three and has been studying for five years, yet he only managed to rank third in the eight-year-old class at Qingbo Academy. Outside the academy, there are countless students of different ages who are stronger than him. He doesn’t have a clear advantage."
Zong Jincheng nodded in understanding. "True, not everyone can be as smart, talented, and gifted as me. Otherwise, how would my uniqueness stand out? I get it now."
Zong Wenxiu: "..."
Here we go again.
Can’t my brother share some of that confidence with me?
"Young Masters, the Madam is heading back to the Minister's Mansion and has asked me to escort you home," Steward Liu called out to them.
The brothers were in the middle of a lively conversation. Zong Wenxiu was about to reply when Zong Jincheng quickly covered his mouth.
He turned to Steward Liu and asked, "Is Duke Jin's Manor attending the gathering? Don’t we need to go too?"
Steward Liu forced a smile and said, "Do the two of you wish to attend? The Minister's Mansion will be quite crowded today. Not only will Duke Jin's Manor be there, but the Minister himself will also be present. There must be no mistakes."
"Isn’t that… inappropriate?" Zong Wenxiu whispered. "Jincheng, the Minister's Mansion will be packed today. We might cause trouble for Madam."
Zong Jincheng’s eyes lit up, and he patted his brother’s hand enthusiastically. "How could we? We’re mature and responsible. We won’t cause any trouble—absolutely not."
Zong Wenxiu: "..." I’m not so sure about that.
Steward Liu: "??"
Mature and responsible?
Perhaps Zong Wenxiu fits the description, but what does that have to do with you, the little troublemaker?
Is there even a hint of truth in that?
The reliable steward maintained a calm expression, though he had already mentally criticized Zong Jincheng a thousand times. He smiled politely and remained silent, clearly reluctant to take him along.
Zong Jincheng continued to persuade him. "I’m serious. I’ve just learned how to read people’s expressions from my brother, and I need more practice. I promise not to speak out of turn. If I do say anything, it’ll be quietly, just to my brother."
Steward Liu compromised. "Then I’ll inform Madam. You two can board the carriage and discuss it on the way."
"Great!" Zong Jincheng dragged Zong Wenxiu toward the carriage.
As they ran, Zong Wenxiu asked, "Jincheng, what are you really planning? Steward Liu said today is a formal occasion. We can’t let Madam down."
"Don’t worry, we won’t." Zong Jincheng leaned in and whispered something in his ear.
Zong Wenxiu immediately stopped protesting. "Are you serious?"
