Chapter 186: I’m not very talented, I concede.

As everyone knows.

This kind of banquet, where you’re specifically told to bring your juniors along,

usually doesn’t lead to anything good.

Just like now.

Even knowing that Jiang Ning was just a first-year high school student,

that Auntie Chen, or whatever her name was, still adopted an unusually kind attitude.

She pulled her close, asking her about everything.

“Is the pressure of studying at school high?”

“It’s alright.”

“Are your grades okay?”

“Passable.”

“What university do you want to get into in the future?”

“Staying at home.”

“Huh?”

Miss Jiang’s reply clearly startled Auntie Chen.

No sooner had she finished speaking than Jiang Ning was pulled behind her mother, who pointed to the empty seat next to Tian Wenhao.

“Go sit next to your cousin.”

“Your humble servant obeys.”

Dropping that line, Miss Jiang dodged her mother’s reaching hand.

She scurried over to Tian Wenhao’s side.

As soon as she sat down,

her elder cousin leaned over with a teasing expression.

“Ningning.”

“You really are popular with the elders.”

“Especially those with sons.”

Hearing her cousin’s teasing,

Miss Jiang rolled her eyes in annoyance.

“Cousin, you’re not playing fair!”

“I brought you to dinner hoping you’d help me fend them off.”

“But what do you do?”

“You just sit here by yourself watching the show!”

In response,

Tian Wenhao helplessly spread his hands.

“Who told Auntie to expose my identity as soon as we came in?”

Hearing this,

Jiang Ning immediately felt a pang in her heart.

Originally, her eighteenth sense told her there was something off about tonight’s dinner.

That’s why she had tricked her elder cousin into coming to dinner with her.

But as soon as they entered the private room,

before she could even speak,

her mother had already revealed Tian Wenhao’s identity.

Nephew.

Her own sister’s son.

A blood-related elder cousin.

Alright.

Miss Jiang conceded defeat.

Following her mother’s introductions,

she greeted Auntie Chen, Auntie Ma, Auntie Du, and so on.

It was during this process of greeting just now

that Auntie Chen had pulled her hand and asked her all sorts of questions.

Just then,

two more young people entered the private room.

A man and a woman.

The man was tall and thin, wearing black-rimmed glasses, and looked quite refined.

The woman was tall and pretty, dressed in a coffee-colored skirt suit, with light red curly hair, looking as if she had just come from work.

Seeing the two enter,

Auntie Chen and Auntie Ma waved almost simultaneously.

“Over here!”

“You’re here?”

Then, the man with glasses came and sat next to Auntie Chen.

As for the other girl in professional attire, she casually sat next to Auntie Ma.

“This is my son, Guan Shuwen, currently a sophomore at Ningzhou University of Aeronautics and Astronautics.”

Immediately, Auntie Chen had the young man with glasses greet the various aunties present.

But when he saw Miss Jiang sitting there playing with her chopsticks, his eyes shifted, and he pushed up his glasses.

“And this is?”

“This is Auntie Tian’s daughter, Jiang Ning, currently a first-year high school student at Jiangzhou No. 1 High School.”

“Next to her is her cousin, who studies at Jiangzhou University.”

Although it was said to be an introduction for both siblings,

Auntie Chen’s introduction focused entirely on Miss Jiang.

In response,

Jiang Ning could only nod with a fake smile, offering a response.

At this moment,

the girl on the other side was also pulled up by Auntie Ma.

“This is my daughter, Xu Ya, a first-year university student this year, studying Computer Engineering at Jiangzhou University.”

A student?

First-year university?

Honestly.

When this girl first came in just now,

Jiang Ning had thought she was someone who had been working for several years.

Her demeanor, her presence.

She was practically indistinguishable from a seasoned professional.

However.

Her external appearance was quite good.

Delicate features, fair skin, and beautiful.

The only drawback was that she didn’t seem very well-endowed.

Flat.

Probably about the same as Sun Qian.

A moment later,

after Auntie Chen, the birthday celebrant, said a few words about sisterly harmony,

the small birthday banquet began.

Salted goose, spicy crayfish, sauerkraut fish head, crispy yellow croaker…

Many dishes were served one after another.

This made Miss Jiang eat with great delight.

Especially the sweet and sour pork ribs.

They were so delicious.

She ate several pieces in a row without stopping.

“Ningning likes ribs, huh?”

“Come on, Ah Wen, go find a waiter and order another plate.”

Seeing the young man with glasses about to stand up, Miss Jiang quickly shook her head.

“No, no, no, Auntie Chen, this plate is enough for me.”

“If you order more, I won’t be able to eat it.”

Actually, one plate only had a few pieces of sweet and sour pork ribs, and even another plate wouldn’t be very filling.

Miss Jiang could finish it all by herself.

But she didn’t dare.

When you eat someone’s food, your mouth becomes soft; when you take someone’s things, your hands become short.

She couldn’t possibly fall into someone’s trap just for a few pieces of sweet and sour pork ribs, could she?

Fortunately, her mother, who was beside her, also chimed in at the right time.

“Sister Chen, don’t order more, Ningning is a small eater.”

“She doesn’t eat much at home either.”

“Why don’t you ask Sister Ma and Sister Du if they want anything else to eat?”

With this diversion tactic, she successfully shifted the attention to others.

Seeing this,

Jiang Ning immediately gave her mother a discreet thumbs-up.

But what she got in return was an annoyed glare from her mother.

“Don’t get too clever.”

“Mom knows what to do.”

Okay.

With that assurance,

Miss Jiang dared to eat freely and boldly.

For a while after that,

whether it was due to some hint or not,

Auntie Chen never actively approached Miss Jiang again.

This made Jiang Ning very comfortable.

She chatted intermittently with her elder cousin beside her, whispering all sorts of things.

From shop arrangements, they talked about her cousin-in-law’s recent situation.

Just as Jiang Ning was about to chat with her elder cousin about whether there were any new adult film actors recently,

suddenly,

the conversation at the table had, at some point, shifted to Tian Wenhao.

Especially when the other aunties heard that her elder cousin was the person in charge of ‘Shi Ning Ji’.

Several of the aunties suddenly became exceptionally kind.

They all directed their attention towards the shy young man who was busy eating with his head down.

“The young man looks energetic and healthy.” This was a compliment from Auntie Du.

If Jiang Ning remembered correctly,

Auntie Du seemed to have a 35-year-old unmarried daughter.

“Wenhao, right? My daughter also works in the food business, perhaps you two could meet up sometime to discuss it?”

Auntie Sun, was it?

Didn’t you just say your daughter sells cars at a Kia 4S store?

How come?

The 4S store doesn’t sell cars anymore, but sells food instead?

The successive remarks from several aunties truly opened Jiang Ning’s eyes.

Miss Jiang was extremely amused by what she saw.

She couldn’t help but nudge her elder cousin’s arm, who had an embarrassed look, and whispered,

“Elder cousin.”

“It looks like you’re quite popular with the elders too.”

“Especially those with daughters.”

“Hehehehe…”

The meal ended amidst all sorts of solicitous inquiries.

Considering that these older ladies had their next round of nightlife planned,

it was inconvenient for a young girl like Jiang Ning to follow.

So, under her mother’s instructions,

Jiang Ning and Tian Wenhao bid farewell to the aunties and both walked out of the private room.

But just as they reached the doorway,

a voice came from behind them.

“Ningning~ Ningning~”

Hearing this voice, a vein throbbed on Miss Jiang’s forehead.

She reluctantly turned around.

“Mr. Guan, may I help you?”

“Uh.” Guan Shuwen looked at the pretty girl in front of him; for some reason, he always felt as if he was being kept at arm’s length.

But remembering his mother’s instructions, he still asked,

“Ningning, my mom said she knows of a training class taught by a super-grade teacher.”

“The part-time teacher there is her classmate, and she can help you get in to tutor for second-year high school courses.”

“Tutoring?” Jiang Ning guessed that Auntie Chen wouldn’t give up so easily.

But she hadn’t expected her to play this card.

If it were other things, she might not have been able to refuse so easily.

But this one…

Miss Jiang’s eyes suddenly curved into a smile.

“Jiangzhou No. 1 High School, Class of 2001, first-year high school unified exam, ranked 34th in the entire grade.”

“First prize in the provincial Olympic Math Competition.”

“In September, I will represent Linjiang Province, go to Haicheng, and join children selected from 34 provinces and cities across the country.”

“To participate in the 16th National Middle School Students’ Olympic Math Competition.”

Saying this,

amidst Guan Shuwen’s stunned expression,

Miss Jiang smiled sweetly, cupping one hand in the other.

“I’m not very talented.”

“I concede…”
(End of this chapter)