Volume One: First Signs of Brilliance Chapter Twenty-Four: The Cause of the Matter

Watching his father and sister treat him as if he were invisible, Wang Jue immediately realized that it was impossible to expect them to speak up on his behalf. In this family, the true authority was not his father, but his mother. If it were any other time, perhaps they would have helped him, but now, with his mother clearly angered, they weren’t so foolish as to invite trouble upon themselves.

“All right, I gave birth to you—how could I not know what you’re up to?” his mother said, feeling utterly helpless toward her son, who neither cared about being scolded nor could be disciplined with a beating. Yet, despite her exasperation, she still worried for him as only a mother could. “It’s so late. Have you eaten? Do you want me to make you something?”

“I’ve eaten. I had dinner with Luoshui before coming home, heh heh…”

“Then hurry up and get back to your room. Just seeing you annoys me.”

“No problem, I’ll go right now. Please don’t be angry, it’s bad for your health.”

“Why are you talking so much? Get lost!”

Wang Jue could only fall silent. With no standing in the family, he dared not argue further and obediently returned to his room.

As he turned toward his room, Wang Jue frowned slightly. It was obvious to him that something was off about the atmosphere at home tonight. By this time, nearly half past nine, his parents would usually just be getting home, and his sister would have been asleep long ago. For all three to be waiting for him, especially with his parents’ worry barely concealed behind their expressions, something must have happened—something he was not yet aware of.

Could something have happened to the noodle shop? Or was it something else?

Troubled by these suspicions, Wang Jue returned to his room, too distracted by worry to cultivate as he'd planned. He had intended to surprise his parents with his stipend money the next day. Although he’d only received sixty thousand, less than some classmates, it should be enough to buy better ingredients for the noodle shop and add a few more varieties to the menu. After all, eating the same noodles every day could become tiresome.

But, seeing the strangeness at home, he knew things weren’t that simple. Judging by his parents’ anxious faces, this wasn’t an ordinary problem. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be so ill at ease, their concern barely hidden.

Lying on his bed, Wang Jue realized he couldn’t just remain ignorant. He needed to find out what was happening. He decided to ask his sister; as for his father, with his mother present there was no chance of getting an answer. His mother, still angry, was unlikely to tell him either. His best bet was his sister—he was sure that, given her love of money, a little bribe would loosen her tongue.

Without hesitation, Wang Jue got up and slipped out of his room. But as soon as he set foot in the living room, his mother’s voice thundered, “Why aren’t you studying in your room? What are you doing out here?”

“Oh, Mom, you’re still up?” Wang Jue froze awkwardly, glancing at the sofa where his mother sat. He noticed his father and sister were gone; only his mother remained in the living room.

His mother’s face was expressionless. “I’m asking you: why aren’t you in your room studying?”

“It’s not that I don’t want to study. I was just studying when a mosquito started buzzing around my room. I searched everywhere but couldn’t find any insect spray, so I was going to get some from the bathroom,” Wang Jue said, scrambling for an excuse.

He knew that in moments like this, everyday matters were the best way to placate his angry mother and avoid further scolding.

Sure enough, his mother didn’t question him and remained seated. But just as Wang Jue was secretly relieved and heading toward the bathroom, her voice sounded again: “No need to go to the bathroom. I know exactly where your insect spray is—I’ll go get it for you.”

Wang Jue was speechless.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to go—shouldn’t his mother be sitting on the sofa, still fuming? Why had her anger dissipated so suddenly?

His plan to go to the bathroom foiled, Wang Jue could only follow his mother back to his room, head bowed.

As soon as she entered, his mother spotted the insect spray right on his desk, which was conspicuously free of books. Her face hardened as she turned to him. “Tell me, why did you leave your room?”

The moment she saw the can on the desk, she knew he hadn’t come out to find it.

Wang Jue averted his gaze, not daring to meet her eyes. The atmosphere grew heavy.

After a moment, his mother’s voice softened, gentle as usual but carrying a chilling undertone that made Wang Jue’s hair stand on end. “Are you going to tell me honestly, or do you need a taste of ‘discipline’ first?”

He knew too well that the softer her tone, the angrier she was. If he kept playing dumb, there’d be consequences.

“I’m grown up now, Mom. Could you not hit me like you did when I was a kid?” Wang Jue pleaded, realizing it was pointless to feign ignorance.

“If you don’t want to be hit, be honest about your intentions,” his mother replied, her voice even gentler but laced with greater menace.

“Actually, I was going to ask Xiaoyu if something had happened at home,” Wang Jue admitted, bracing himself. “Don’t try to hide it from me or fool me. I’m not a child anymore; I’m not stupid.”

His mother’s expression shifted, hesitating over whether to speak.

“Mom, I’m part of this family too. I have a right to know what’s going on. The exams are less than a month away—if you don’t tell me, I’ll just worry and won’t be able to focus. Honestly, I