The quietness gradually turned to silence.

As Ruan Yu fidgeted with a strand of hair near her temple, pondering how to break the silence, Teng Yi’s phone rang first.

It was a video call from Shen Bing.

Ruan Yu thought he would avoid taking it in front of her, but surprisingly, Teng Yi answered it naturally.

“Hey, Bro!” Shen Bing’s voice came through the speaker.

Ever since Teng Yi had referred to Shen Bing as “Ms. Shen Bing” in front of Ruan Yu, she knew their mother-son relationship must be very relaxed, but she hadn’t expected Shen Bing to greet her son in such a casual, hip way.

Just like a young girl.

So cute.

Teng Yi helplessly rubbed his temple and reminded her, “I’m out.”

“OK! Is it convenient to talk?” Shen Bing’s tone immediately turned serious.

“If you speak properly, then yes.”

“OK! Teng Hao’s homeroom teacher messaged me saying Teng Hao made it into the top twenty for this exam. Is that true?” Shen Bing asked.

Teng Yi confirmed.

“Looks like that young girl has some skills.” Shen Bing didn’t know Ruan Yu was sitting across from Teng Yi. She continued, “It seems you were right to insist on keeping her. She really can do things others can’t, just as you said.”

Ruan Yu raised her eyes to look at Teng Yi.

Teng Yi hadn’t expected Shen Bing to suddenly bring this up. His expression showed slight surprise before quickly returning to normal.

“Is this all you called about?”

“Yes, your brother rarely makes us proud, I’m very happy. You need to thank that young girl properly for me.”

“I know.”

“Also, find time to treat her to a meal.”

“I know.”

“Can you say something else?” Shen Bing’s tone carried a hint of coquettishness.

Teng Yi checked his watch, “It’s getting late, you should rest early. Hanging up.”

“OK! That’s all then, I won’t disturb you. Take care of yourself, and take care of your brother.”

“Mm.”

The video call ended.

Teng Yi put away his phone and looked up to find Ruan Yu still watching him. Unlike her previous evasiveness, this time her gaze was steady.

“What?” Teng Yi smiled.

“Why did you want to keep me? Why did you think I could do things others couldn’t?”

“Intuition.”

He answered, though he only addressed the latter question, but the answer to the latter question was also the answer to the former.

“Why did you have such intuition?” she pressed.

“Only children like asking endless ‘whys.'”

She stared at him stubbornly for a while, and seeing he wouldn’t answer, disappointedly leaned back in her chair. She returned to her initial listless state, her recently sparked interest deflating like a balloon with a small puncture.

“The rooftop,” Teng Yi suddenly said.

“Hm?”

“When I met you on the rooftop that time, that’s when I had that intuition.”

A tongue twister – he watched her practice it once when it wasn’t smooth, twice when it still wasn’t smooth, three times… No matter how many times she stumbled, no matter how boring the content of the tongue twister was, she never showed any intention of giving up. She just kept stubbornly, solitary, persisting against herself.

That’s when he knew she was the kind of person who held herself to extremely high standards, and once she had a goal, she would achieve it.

With someone like her guiding Teng Hao, what was so difficult about making it into the top twenty?