Back to the 70s: My Childhood Sweetheart Spoils Me Rotten

Chapter 641 - 643: Blustering Also Requires Confidence

Is your stomach feeling full? Of course it is, but that’s not what makes Zhao Guangran the most unhappy. What really bothers him is this.

"Ni Zi, are you really not hungry?" Zhao Guangran was truly unconvinced. Why wasn’t she eating, when he found the food so delicious.

Ah, it must be that Gong Ruini is already full, otherwise why wouldn’t she eat? Suddenly, a light bulb went off in Zhao Guangran’s mind.

"The beef today was good, wasn’t it?" Zhao Guangran suddenly asked.

"Shouldn’t you be the one telling me if the beef was good?" A little trick like that—did he really think she’d fall for it?

If he’d asked her as soon as he came in, Gong Ruini might have been caught off guard. But not now, not after she’s been on guard against this sneaky guy for so long.

"The beef was delicious." No way, did she really not eat it? Zhao Guangran was shocked. Did Gong Ruini really not eat the cold noodles?

Even if his brother wouldn’t intervene, surely Uncle Gong would step in?

Zhao Guangran panicked. Although he wanted to catch her in the act, the fact that Gong Ruini truly wasn’t eating was alarming.

"Ni Zi, not eating like this isn’t okay, it’s really easy to get into trouble."

"If you don’t eat, you’ll get hungry and feel weak."

"And it’s bad for your stomach." Zhao Guangran was genuinely trying to persuade Gong Ruini to eat, having gone through the trouble of thinking about the consequences of not eating.

Seeing how worried Zhao Guangran was about whether she ate really made Gong Ruini feel a bit guilty, especially since she was indeed playing a little trick on him.

To admit or not to admit? Gong Ruini waged a mental battle within herself.

"Actually, Ni Zi, just eat a little. Isn’t it just that I’ll laugh at you a bit?" Zhao Guangran finally got to the main point.

"You’ve laughed at me so many times, why not let me laugh at you a little for once?" Zhao Guangran felt truly wronged; it’s not like there haven’t been times when Gong Ruini laughed at him.

Ah, she knew this guy wasn’t up to any good. Gong Ruini had planned to act like a city kid, but when she heard what Zhao Guangran said...

No, she wouldn’t admit it. It was obvious Zhao Xuran brought the cold noodles and even washed the dishes. The only one who saw her eat was Zhao Xuran; who else could testify?

If Zhao Xuran really spoke up for his little brother, Gong Ruini wasn’t worried. Zhao Xuran was Guangran’s own brother. Would his testimony even be credible?

Zhao Xu had just been thinking of how, despite his brother being a little dumb, he seemed to care about people. But now he felt that idea was not suited for the current situation with Zhao Guangran.

"When did I eat anything, Brother Guangran? Don’t you know it’s okay for someone to not eat for a day?"

"Don’t you know every month Master Hongyi practices fasting?" Sigh, Gong Ruini planned to educate Zhao Guangran and let him know that skipping a single meal—or even not eating for a day—wouldn’t kill you.

Huh, what is fasting? Zhao Guangran looked puzzled and turned to Zhao Xuran for help, feeling truly exhausted by not understanding so much of what Gong Ruini was talking about.

Clearly, he was the elder sibling. Clearly, ever since Gong Ruini had started learning to read, they had been together all the time, except when sleeping in different rooms.

But that was just a matter of one room inside and one outside. If Gong Ruini did something different, how could he not be aware?

To think that under his nose Gong Ruini knew so much really left Zhao Guangran at a loss for words.

Zhao Guangran had actually wanted to ask how Gong Ruini knew so much, but before he didn’t ask out of embarrassment.

But now he had to ask, or else he’d really worry that the gap between him and Gong Ruini would only grow larger.

As it is, he’s already feeling all sorts of suppressed by Gong Ruini. Will it become so that in the future he won’t be able to rise up no matter what? Even if he finds friends like little Gong Ruzhi, then what?

"Ni Zi, how do you know so much? It’s not all from books, is it?" More than this small advantage, Zhao Guangran wanted to know why Gong Ruini understood so much.

Not from books? This was something Gong Ruini truly didn’t know. She only remembered reading an article online about Master Hongyi in the past, but can she say that?

She absolutely couldn’t say that. "Of course, the textbooks don’t have it, but some of the books we bought do."

Gong Ruini was really not worried about having her words exposed by Zhao Guangran. They bought a lot of books; after all, they bought them by the pound. As long as a book looked appealing, they’d buy it. Not to mention stuffing some hidden treasures inside them. How else could they sneak what they needed out if not by purchasing a large quantity of such books?

As for whether anyone actually read the books brought home as decoration, it was a non-issue. Reading or not was up to personal preference.

Gong Ruini really did read. Without the internet and unwilling to play outside with the little kids all the time, nor could she draw or write continuously every day, she could only read books.

Maybe, in many people’s eyes, these books were nothing more than random collections, reading them was pointless. But Gong Ruini truly found a lot within them, especially after consciously buying many travel notes that really helped her understand the development of various cities.

Oh, in those books, eh? Zhao Guangran shrank his neck and cautiously looked towards Zhao Xuran.

At this moment, Zhao Guangran was truly regretting; had he known it would turn out this way, he wouldn’t have been curious enough to ask.

Now look at this, someone answered his question, but he’s ended up with new troubles.

That little guy’s worried he’ll be made to read books, huh? Zhao Xuran didn’t want to scare Zhao Guangran, this kid seemed rather pitiful today. Yet, thinking of his worrisome intelligence...

"Spend more time reading when you can, I won’t ask you to read several books a week. Just read one a week, then tell me what’s in it." Zhao Xuran originally intended for Zhao Guangran to write reading reflections.

But thinking about how writing essays was as painful as taking bitter medicine for him, he gave up on that idea. If he didn’t want to write, then he could speak—it would achieve the same result.

Ah ah ah, no way! Writing reflections and discussing a book right in front of his big brother wasn’t essentially the same as reading the entire book? This realization brought Zhao Guangran to a state of despair.

If time could turn back, Zhao Guangran would definitely not ask Gong Ruini such questions. Why ask so much? Even if Gong Ruini was fooling him, she had the skill to do so.

Now look, not only did he fail to uncover Gong Ruini’s words, but he also brought himself huge trouble. Just the thought of it annoyed him in all sorts of ways.

Not hearing a response from Zhao Guangran, Zhao Xuran was slightly annoyed, "Did you hear me?"

"I heard you." Okay, since big brother is already a bit displeased, better be honest.

"And what about Ni Zi?" Since this matter involved him, it shouldn’t leave Gong Ruini out.

Good kid! When it comes to fun things or good food, he never thinks of her, but now he does. However, this challenge posed no threat to her at all.

"I guarantee I’ll complete the task perfectly." Gong Ruini’s response was much louder and certainly more confident than Zhao Guangran’s.