Naturally, it was Wu You who had never gotten along with Song Miao. Her grades were also good, just not in the same examination room as Jiang Chan. She had been eager to go home, and since the last subject was history, which she excelled at, she handed in her paper early.
Who would have expected that when she went to the bike shed to get her bike, she would witness such a scene?
Wu You tugged at the corner of her mouth. She had not thought Song Miao could be so shameless. She had no intention of spreading the matter. As long as Song Miao did not provoke her, she could pretend she had seen nothing.
Jiang Chan rode her scooter home and bought some ingredients along the way. She still preferred cooking for herself, although so far only Jiang Yuzhi had tasted her cooking.
Knowing Jiang Chan could take care of herself, Jiang Yuzhi threw himself entirely into his company. The instruction from Jiang’s father and mother before their business trip, to look after his younger brother, had long been forgotten.
Jiang Chan knew he was busy and was happy not to be disturbed. In fact, this kind of solitary life felt extremely comfortable.
A black Mercedes was parked in front of the villa. Jiang Chan raised her brows. Had Jiang’s father and mother returned? They had said they would be away for a month, but they had been delayed and only returned after two.
As soon as Jiang Chan entered, the things in her hands were taken away. Looking up, she saw a woman who appeared strong and capable. Smiling brightly, Jiang’s mother tried to take the groceries from her. Jiang Chan stepped back slightly and handed over only the lighter items.
Although it was her first time meeting Jiang’s mother in person, she felt very favorable toward her. In the original owner’s memories, Jiang’s mother had truly fulfilled her role, caring deeply for him.
Even after the original owner developed depression, it had been Jiang’s mother who stayed by his side day and night. Without her, he would not have endured as long as he had.
Jiang’s mother laughed. “Our Xiao Er cooks for himself now? That’s too tiring. How about I take you out to eat?”
The housekeeper stepped forward with a smile. “Second Young Master’s cooking is excellent. I just assist him.”
When Jiang Chan had first insisted on cooking, the housekeeper had been alarmed. Could a teenage boy really cook? But seeing Jiang Chan work skillfully, she stopped worrying and went about her own tasks.
Jiang Chan smiled faintly. “At lunch I’ll let you and Dad try my cooking. Big Brother has had plenty. You two haven’t tasted it yet.”
Jiang’s father, who had been sitting on the sofa, chuckled. “Then I must have a proper taste and see what our youngest son has made today.”
Jiang’s mother shot him a look. “Don’t listen to your father. Your studies come first. It’s rare to have a break. Why not relax this afternoon and go out for a walk?”
Although they had been away, Jiang Chan’s homeroom teacher had been sending updates to their phones, including monthly exam results, competition participation, and school performance.
Jiang’s father and mother did not demand much from Jiang Yuhui academically. They believed there was more than one path in life besides studying. Still, seeing Jiang Chan’s outstanding grades made them genuinely happy.
What worried them was whether she was pushing herself too hard and damaging her health. If other students heard this concern, they would probably cry out about unfairness.
After chatting briefly, Jiang Chan went to the kitchen. She had not expected her parents to return today and had only bought a few ingredients. Fortunately, the housekeeper had stocked up earlier.
After cooking two dishes, Jiang’s mother chased her out of the kitchen and let the housekeeper finish the rest. A son showing filial piety by cooking one or two dishes was enough. He did not need to act like a full time chef.
After lunch, Jiang Chan returned to her room to study. The study belonged to Jiang’s father. When her parents were away, she used it. Now that he needed it for work, she studied in her bedroom instead.
Recently she had been busy with physics and biology competitions and had not devoted dedicated time to the robotics competition the original owner loved. Moreover, robotics could not be mastered through self study alone. It would be best to have a specialized teacher.
Jiang’s mother pushed the door open and saw Jiang Chan resting her head on her hand. “What are you thinking about? I’ve been here for a while and you didn’t even notice.”
“I want to participate in a robotics competition. There are parts I don’t understand just by reading. Do you know anyone who could help?”
Jiang’s mother considered it. “Your father knows many people through business. I’ll talk to him.”
She frowned. “Your teacher said you’ve already joined physics and biology competitions. Adding robotics, isn’t that too exhausting? You still have regular studies. Where will you find the energy?”
Jiang Chan sighed inwardly. If the original owner had not left this wish behind, she would not need to worry.
“Don’t worry. My regular studies aren’t falling behind. I’m just really interested in robotics. I wanted to join before but hadn’t figured things out yet. Back then even keeping up with classes felt difficult.”
Jiang’s mother poked her lightly. “Alright. Stay humble and don’t get arrogant. Talk to your father tonight.”
Jiang’s father was decisive. After hearing from Jiang’s mother, he quickly introduced Jiang Chan to a well known figure. This was a friend he had met through business, a computer science major who now ran his own company developing games.
He had numerous programmers under him. Any one of them could serve as Jiang Chan’s mentor.
After all, the core of robotics lay in programming, and that was their specialty. The very next day, Jiang Chan went to the company, partly to broaden her horizons.
The programmers were impressive. Problems that had troubled her for a long time were explained clearly in just a few steps. Jiang Chan felt enlightened.
It was her first time in a game company. Aside from the receptionist, everyone else was male, mostly programmers speaking in various coding languages.
Jiang Chan could only grasp fragments of their discussions. That made her even more unwilling to give up. She was not someone who surrendered easily. Once she recognized a weakness, she wanted to study hard and overcome it.
The programmers were skilled and did not withhold knowledge. Talented people often had their own pride. They had a good impression of Jiang Chan. She grasped concepts quickly, unlike others who struggled.
After exchanging contact information with over ten programmers, Jiang Chan could consult them directly in daily life without needing to visit the company. Once immersed in programming, rest became a distant memory.
The more she studied code, the more she realized how little she truly understood.
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