The Delicate Darling with Her Rough Man

’They skipped a grade. Those two actually skipped a grade.’

Recalling her mother’s instructions from last night, a shiver of dread ran down Lin Daya’s spine.

’Both of them skipped a grade. That just shows how good they are at their studies. Can I really measure up to Sweet Girl and Xiao Yang?’

Lin Tie Dan was just as shocked as Lin Daya. He hadn’t seen the two in class, and only after asking around did he learn that they had skipped a grade.

Lin Tie Dan was speechless.

The two ”beggars” he had always looked down upon were suddenly more outstanding than him. He started to panic.

’No, I absolutely cannot let my mother find out about this.’

「In the village.」

After being put in her place by Chen Ruoyu, Chen Shulan didn’t dare to bad-mouth Gu Jiaojiao anymore. However, praise for her own son and daughter still came as easily as breathing.

”You all have no idea, my son and daughter are really making me proud. Their teacher has praised them several times, saying how smart they are.”

This was all based on what Lin Daya and Lin Tie Dan had told her upon returning home, which Chen Shulan then ”artistically embellished” before sharing with everyone.

Most of the village children attended the primary school in the neighboring production brigade. Some went to the one in the commune, but they weren’t in the same class as Lin Tie Dan and Lin Daya. Besides, no one thought anyone would bother lying about something like this. If Chen Shulan said it, it must be because Lin Daya and Lin Tie Dan were truly outstanding.

Instantly, the people working around her showered Chen Shulan with praise.

Even though some people didn’t think being good at school was particularly useful, you never knew—the Lin Family children might just have a bright future ahead of them!

Offering a couple of compliments was no big deal. And if they really did become successful, the whole village could bask in their reflected glory.

Others genuinely believed that being a good student was a real skill that could lead to great accomplishments in the future.

After the group finished talking, one of the women suddenly brought up Sweet Girl and Xiao Yang.

”Didn’t Gu Zhiqing also send Sweet Girl and Xiao Yang to the school in the commune? I wonder how they’re doing.”

Hearing this, everyone exchanged blank looks.

Leng Yuan and Gu Jiaojiao lived far from the village, so nobody really knew what was going on with their family. Plus, everyone was busy with their own farm work—who had the time to pay attention to those two children’s studies?

So when the woman brought it up, not a single person knew what was going on.

In the end, all eyes could only turn to Chen Shulan.

They had heard that her son was in the same class as Sweet Girl and Xiao Yang.

When Chen Shulan saw everyone looking at her, she leaned on her hoe, straightened her back, and said with a face full of smug satisfaction, ”I happen to know about that.”

”My Tie Dan is in the same class as Sweet Girl and Xiao Yang. Those two are absolutely hopeless at their studies.”

The crowd listened, a little skeptical. ”Hopeless?”

Chen Shulan scoffed. ”That’s right. Not everyone is cut out for studying. Not only are Sweet Girl and Xiao Yang’s grades terrible, but their teacher is constantly scolding them at school. It’s just embarrassing.”

Sweet Girl is the oldest of the students, and she’s always getting scolded by the teacher. It’s a total embarrassment.

This was all stuff Tie Dan had told her when he got home—though he hadn’t said that last part. That was Chen Shulan’s own ”artistic” addition.

Upon hearing this, everyone sneered. ”So they’re really that bad at school. And to think I thought that with two teachers in their family, their grades would be better than the average child’s!”

The crowd broke into a flurry of discussion. Before long, the news that Sweet Girl and Xiao Yang were poor students had spread, and along with it, the story that Lin Daya and Lin Tie Dan were excellent students who were always being praised by their teacher.

Chen Ruoyu was working in the field right next to Chen Shulan’s. Hearing their discussion, she wanted to say a few words to help, but they completely ignored her.

Chen Ruoyu was at a loss for words.

’Guess I’ll just keep my mouth shut!’

Gu Jiaojiao knew nothing about this. Today was the first day that Sweet Girl and Xiao Yang were coming home by themselves, and as soon as they returned, they went to find Chen Xiaoli’s children to do their homework.

They had arranged this with Gu Jiaojiao in advance, and Gu Jiaojiao had also cleared it with Chen Xiaoli.

As Sweet Girl and Xiao Yang were walking through the village with their schoolbags, a curious villager called out, ”Sweet Girl, Xiao Yang, where are you two off to?”