Chapter 96: 064 Trickery (Second Update) _3
Translator: 549690339
Song Yinzhang sighed, âIt looks like youâre going to be first again this time.â
A hint of a smile appeared in Ming Jingâs eyes, âItâs fine, thereâs always next time.â
Song Yinzhang shook his head and laughed.
âHey, can you two give it a rest? I canât enjoy the taste of this crab while youâre discussing math problems. It feels like chewing wax, no flavor at all,â Tao Xingxing said with a mournful face.
âIn the eyes of us academic losers, thereâs no such thing as the last big question. What even is that?â She seemed more and more like she wanted to cry.
Ming Jing laughed and said, âAlright, weâre done talking. You eat slowly.â
After finally calming Tao Xingxing down, Song Yinzhang said, âThe mathematics competition training lasts for 15 days and prepares you for the nationwide competition in the middle of next month. If you rank in the top five throughout the province, you can join the provincial team and get a ticket to the Winter Camp. The Winter Camp takes place at the end of December, and January and gold medal winners from the camp can join the national team to participate in the International Mathematical Olympiad next March and April.â
With shining eyes, Song Yinzhang looked intently at Ming Jing, âThis is a thorny path so many students dream of. Letâs walk it together.â
Ming Jing frowned, âIâm not familiar with the format of the Olympiad questions. I mightâ¦â
âIâve seen your math exam papers. You have a sharp mind and flexible thinking.
Many of your methods are often unexpected. If youâre not suitable for the
Olympiad, no one is! Moreover, if you win an international prize, you can not only get into top domestic universities but also choose from prestigious ones abroad.â
Tao Xingxing burst into tears, âI canât go on living like thisâ¦â
Whatâs the point of enjoying crabs when youâre in the company of two
academic gods? She should just eat exam papers instead.
Song Yinzhangâs driver came to pick him up.
Ming Jing took Tao Xingxing home.
Her family lived in a high-end residential building in the south district, where most of the residents were middle-class professionals like lawyers, doctors, and university professors.
Tao Xingxing touched the leather seat and sighed, âThis BMW cost more than a million yuan. It looks like your momâs favoritism is cured.â
Even when she got out of the car, she was still somewhat reluctant, âIt is definitely more comfortable than my momâs Audi, which only cost a few hundred thousand yuan.â
âMing Jing, weâre at my doorstep now. Come in for a cup of tea before you leave.â Tao Xingxing swung Ming Jingâs hand back and forth.
Ming Jing hesitated, âUncle and Auntie are home, right? It might be inconvenient.â
âMy momâs on a business trip, and my dadâs working at the hospital.â
Tao Xingxingâs mother ran a law firm, and her father, still young, was already an assistant director of a department. The family was full of social elites.
Unable to resist Tao Xingxing, Ming Jing followed her upstairs.
The area of Tao Xingxingâs home was not very large, about 150 square meters, three bedrooms, and two living rooms. The decoration was warm and cozy, full of warmth and happiness.
As they entered, a wedding photo hung on the wall. The woman was gentle and beautiful, and the man was handsome and gentle. The two leaned on each other, truly a match made in heaven.
Tao Xingxing took out a brand new pair of womenâs slippers for Ming Jing to change into and then went to the kitchen to boil water.
Ming Jing never drank that kind of junk drink; she only drank hot water.
The living room and dining room were very clean, and it was obvious that the hostess was diligent and virtuous.
There were many photos on the TV wall, almost all of Tao Xingxing, arranged neatly by age, from infancy to toddlerhood, and now a graceful young girl.
Time was truly magical. As Ming Jing looked at these photos, she could imagine the indulgence and satisfaction in the eyes of her parents when they looked at them.
She glanced at the busy girl in the kitchen, smiled, and thought that only a happy family and loving parents could raise a lively and adorable personality like Tao Xingxingâs.
Suddenly, her gaze focused.
There was a potted money tree half a person tall near the TV cabinet. The surface was layered with various sizes of goose egg stones. She dug around in it and found a small white pill that was barely visible among the white goose egg stones.
Ming Jing held the pill between her fingers and examined it. She glanced around and saw a small box on the dining table with various common medications. She picked up a bottle of vitamin B, unscrewed the cap, and sniffed the bottle.
Her eyebrows twitched slightly.
Tao Xingxing came out and saw Ming Jing looking at the pill bottle. She felt a little strange but didnât think much of it. She said, âMy mom takes those. She works so hard that her health isnât great. My dad often gives her vitamins and supplements to eat.â
Ming Jing put down the pill bottle and smiled, âItâs alright.â
From an angle Tao Xingxing couldnât see, Ming Jing held a flashing white pill between her fingers.
âAre Uncle and Auntie usually busy at work?â Ming Jing asked.
âItâs not too bad. My momâs busier, so my dad spends more time with me.
Whenever he has time, he cooks delicious food for me and takes me to amusement parks. He even encourages me to be a star chaser. I have the best dad in the world.â Tao Xingxing hugged her stuffed bear with a proud, happy look on her face.
Ming Jing laughed, âYou really are enviable.â
Recalling Ming Jingâs family situation, Tao Xingxing realized that it wasnât very kind of her to brag that way.
She stuck out her tongue, hugged Ming Jingâs shoulder, and said, âFrom now on, my parents are your parents, too. Iâve told them about you, and they both like you a lot. In the future, whenever you have time, come over to our house for dinner. My dadâs cooking is delicious, and heâll definitely like you.â Ming Jing didnât stay long and left.
Returning to the car, she stared at the pill in her hand thoughtfully.
Zheng Qing asked, âWhat are you holding in your hand?â Ming Jing replied, âAmitriptyline.â
Zheng Qing raised an eyebrow, âWhere did you get it from?â
This stuff is used to treat depression, but because of its serious side effects, itâs not commonly used in clinical practice, and only severe depression patients would take it.
Zheng Qing knew this because she had used it too.
However, that was in the past. She had made it through now.
Thereâs nothing more important than living.
Ming Jing pinched the pill and muttered, âWhy hide it from her husband?â
Zheng Qing probably understood, âHey, life is so fast-paced these days, and with all the stress, who doesnât have depression? Whatâs the point of worrying about it? Are you scared your classmate would get hurt?â
They say the heartless are the most ruthless.
But deep down, she was full of compassion..