After Descending the Mountain, Seven Big Brothers Spoil Me - Chapter 1014

Chapter 1014: The Painful Loss of the Scholarship
As Jinbao’s claws neared Zhouzhou’s face, Ye Lingfeng twitched his lips and gently moved the little chubby girl’s face aside.

Zhouzhou turned her head just in time to meet Jinbao’s gaze. Her neck instantly shrank, and she quickly hugged her head with both arms. “Jinbao, don’t scratch me, we’re just talking!” she exclaimed.

“Sure, I believe you,” Jinbao thought, rolling its eyes fiercely. It turned its back on her, leaving only its backside exposed, hoping that if it couldn’t see her, it wouldn’t be bothered.

It wished it could grab her by the hair and pull her bald, just to teach her a lesson about trying to flirt with every creature she met!

Watching the scene, Ye Lingfeng’s lips curled into a faint smile, finding it amusing.

“Alright, let’s go,” Ye Lingfeng said. Just as he spoke, the airplane arrived, and the rope ladder was lowered. He carried Wangcai on his back while Zhouzhou held Jinbao, and they quickly climbed aboard.

Sitting in their seats, Zhouzhou cuddled Jinbao, her little face leaned forward as she tried to flatter the cat. “Good Jinbao, you’re the best, I love you the most!”

Hearing this, Wangcai, with its big head, lifted it for a moment, glanced at Zhouzhou, sighed, and then lay back down.

It was no surprise anymore; it had long known that Zhouzhou wasn’t exactly an angel.

She wasn’t the first to charm and then abandon, after all.

After all the commotion, Zhouzhou yawned and, leaning into Ye Lingfeng’s arms, dozed off while making small snoring sounds.

By the time she was placed on the bed, she didn’t even stir.

She slept peacefully through the night.

When she finally woke up, she slid out of bed, put on her little slippers, and walked out.

“Papa, where’s sharp-tongue dad?” she asked.

“He said he had something to attend to and asked me to let you know that he’s going to be busy for a while and that you should focus on your studies,” Qin Lie replied.

Zhouzhou immediately patted the bag at her side. The syringe inside had already been taken away. That must mean Jing Bai had come to collect it.

She looked around. “Did big brother not come to stay here?”

She had invited Jing Bai over earlier, and he had agreed.

Qin Lie thought for a moment, then understood who she was referring to. “He stayed for a day. Your big brother went to school, and he didn’t return after that.”

Jing Bai had come because he was hoping to spend time with Zhouzhou and Qin Ren. But once he arrived, both were busy, and Grandma Qin was so overbearing that it scared him. The next day, he left without a word.

Upon hearing this, Zhouzhou’s mouth dropped open. She imagined the scene and couldn’t help but cover her mouth, sneaking a laugh.

“Hehehe, Grandma always cares about everyone so much. Big brother probably wasn’t used to it, so he must have been really scared.”

Thinking about this, she felt a little giddy.

Qin Lie watched the expression on her face and couldn’t help but chuckle as well.

Then, something occurred to him, and the smile faded from his face. He pinched her little cheek and said, “From tomorrow onwards, focus on your studies. The final exams are just around the corner, and aren’t you trying to earn a scholarship?”

Zhouzhou nodded. “Yes, yes, I’m going to study hard!”

When scholarships came up, she remembered something. “Daddy, didn’t Brother Dafu say there’s a scholarship for the final exam too? How come I don’t have one?”

Qin Lie gave her a look. “Did you even attend the mid-term exam?”

You didn’t even participate, and you’re already dreaming of a scholarship?

“What do you mean?” Zhouzhou blinked.

Qin Lie continued, “During the midterm exam, you weren’t at home. You were out and about. I don’t know what you were doing, and when I sent you a message, you didn’t reply, so I didn’t send any more.”

He noted the time.

Zhouzhou’s mind clicked as she remembered.

That was when she had been at the Alva Lab!

There was no signal in the lab, so she never received his messages.

Thinking about how she had missed the scholarship, Zhouzhou’s heart clenched with pain.

She was devastated. With a thud, she plopped onto the floor, covering her chest as she pounded her thigh. “Wuwuwu, why is my life so hard?”

Why did it have to be during those few days?

Her scholarship!

Her money!

And it started again.

Qin Lie sighed lightly, not bothering to stop her, instead watching with calm detachment.

Grandma Qin heard the commotion and immediately rushed over. She glared at Qin Lie. “How can you be a father? Look at how much Zhouzhou is crying, and you’re still drinking tea? Don’t you have a heart?”

Heartless!

Zhouzhou also gave him a resentful look. Her father didn’t love her anymore.

Qin Lie put down his cup, opened his arms. “Come here, let me comfort you.”

Zhouzhou huffed and turned away from him, instead running into Grandma Qin’s arms.

Grandma Qin shot him another glare, but when she saw Zhouzhou, she immediately smiled. “Come, don’t mind him. Tell Grandma what happened.”

Zhouzhou explained, pouting, “I missed the midterm exams, so I don’t get a scholarship.”

Grandma Qin nodded in understanding, then tried to comfort her. “It’s alright, our Zhouzhou is smart. Grandpa and I will reward you.”

She pulled out a bank card and handed it to Zhouzhou.

Zhouzhou shook her head, not accepting it. She buried her face in Grandma Qin’s chest, still feeling gloomy.

Grandpa and Grandma’s money was family money. The school scholarship was what she truly wanted, the money she had earned on her own.

Just thinking about it made Zhouzhou’s heart hurt.

It was all because of those bad guys!

Zhouzhou gritted her little teeth, her small fists clenching tightly, wishing she could grab those bad guys and give them a good beating.

If it weren’t for chasing those bad guys, she never would have missed the exam. If she hadn’t missed the exam, she would definitely have gotten the scholarship!

In the end, it was all their fault!

With that thought, her expression grew fierce.

One day, she would catch every bad guy in the world!

She would see how they could stop her from taking her exams!

Feeling emboldened by this, Zhouzhou rushed to the training room and started practicing furiously. That evening, when Qin Ren returned, she snatched a book from him and started asking for lessons.

By the time Qin Lie came to call her for bed, she had already stopped and wrapped herself in a blanket. But she couldn’t shake off the thought of the scholarship, and she still felt a little gloomy.

Qin Lie pinched her little cheek. “Alright, stop looking so sad. I just talked to Brother Dafu. There’s a math competition next month. I’ve signed you up. If you win a medal, the prize money will be even bigger than the scholarship.”

Zhouzhou’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

“Mm, really,” Qin Lie said, pressing her back down into bed. “Now, you can sleep peacefully.”

“Mm-hmm!” Zhouzhou nodded eagerly, her eyes shining with excitement.

She snuggled into his arms and closed her eyes. Within two minutes, she was sound asleep.

A little money-grubber.

Qin Lie chuckled as he watched her. If someone didn’t know any better, they might think he wasn’t giving her money, which was why his little girl loved it so much.

In reality, he couldn’t do anything about it.

She could have lived as a rich second generation, but somehow, it felt like they’d never had enough to eat.

Shaking his head, he looked at her sleeping soundly. He gently removed his hand, tiptoeing out of the room.

The next day, Zhouzhou stretched and quickly dressed, brushing her teeth before rushing out.

But as soon as she stepped outside, she froze when she saw someone in the living room.

“Eh? Uncle Chief?”

It was none other than Chief himself.

Beside him was a young boy, whom Zhouzhou immediately recognized as Lei Chong.

She furrowed her brow, looking at them in confusion.

Chief had dark circles under his eyes and looked somewhat embarrassed. He cleared his throat before speaking, “Zhouzhou, can you help take care of him for a few days?”