Forced into a romantic relationship

Chapter 209 A Mere Animated Film

The huge room was quite noisy.

The tall and strong Lin Anyu was chased around by Lin Youya, who had just started junior high school. Every now and then, Lin Anyu would turn around and make a face, looking like he deserved to be punched.

He was smug for only two minutes before he was caught up and given several slaps on the buttocks. He screamed in pain and had to beg for mercy with a long face, promising to buy back the dolls of White Crescent and Elegant Flower the next day. Only then did he appease his foolish cousin's anger.

Lin Youya, like a victorious rooster, strutted around proudly, scolding her foolish cousin while poking his forehead with a rolled-up exercise book. Before she could be smug for long, her face was pinched, which made her furious, and she launched a new round of chasing.

Han Zhou and Gu Zheng watched this scene with great interest. They could tell that Lin Anyu had deliberately let himself be caught. If he really ran at full speed, even if the young Lin Youya had two more legs, she wouldn't be able to catch up with him.

"You know, Lin Anyu spoils Ya Ya so much, why does he always do things that make that child angry?"

Guzheng hugged the majestic general and angrily rubbed the dog's head, as if she wouldn't stop until she had rubbed the dog's head bald.

After several unsuccessful attempts to escape, the mighty general had come to understand how terrifying this woman was. At this point, he completely gave up struggling, lazily curling up in her arms, his dog eyes half-open and half-closed, looking utterly hopeless.

Han Zhou replied with a wry smile, "Perhaps this is his way of expressing affection."

"Just like those little boys at school who like to tease the little girls they like?"

"...Pretty much. Actually, most of these pranks are meant to attract the attention of girls they like, but kids generally don't know how to be tactful and end up expressing their liking as dislike."

Han Zhou was once a little boy himself, and he even experienced two childhoods. He would occasionally take the time to observe the children around him, so he naturally understood the psychology of boys at that time.

Of course, he also knew that the little boy at that time did not understand girls' psychology at all. Teasing girls is actually a very annoying thing. It may attract attention in many cases, but it will only have the opposite effect on increasing their favorability.

Occasional, well-timed jokes can improve relationships to some extent, but things like putting frogs or bugs in someone's desk, giving them an offensive or derogatory nickname, or burning someone's hair with a lighter for no reason are simply asking for trouble.

"How childish. I hated guys like that when I was a kid."

Gu Zheng pursed her lips, clearly thinking of some unpleasant experiences.

Han Zhou chuckled: "You are indeed detestable, but you must have been a little tyrant when you were a kid, right? Would anyone have dared to tease you?"

"What little tyrant? That sounds so awful." Gu Zheng rolled her eyes at him, annoyed. "I was just a little naughty when I was little, but I didn't bully anyone."

"So some reckless brave souls dare to play tricks on you?"

"No, but I often see people teasing other girls, and when that happens, I take my buddies to stand up for them."

"Oh, you even have a little brother." Han Zhou exclaimed with respect, clicking his tongue in amazement, "So you're not a little tyrant, but a king of children."

"You could say that."

Gu Zheng looked nostalgic and smiled with her eyes crinkling. "Back then, we often climbed trees, stole watermelons, caught insects, and sometimes we would run to the river to skip stones. Let me tell you, I was really good at skipping stones; I could make a stone bounce dozens of times on the water."

She looked at Han Zhou with a proud expression.

"I know."

Han Zhou smiled. His "powerful throwing" skill came from the guzheng, so he knew that the other party had superb throwing skills. "If I'm not mistaken, you must be very accurate when throwing stones. You might even be able to accurately knock down the birds in the trees."

"How did you know?" Gu Zheng was taken aback and asked, puzzled. "I don't think I've ever told you anything about my childhood, have I?"

"I haven't talked about it much." Han Zhou didn't answer the first question, but thought for a moment and said, "But you did mention that you grew up in the countryside with your grandmother. Can you tell me what kind of person your grandmother was?"

Gu Zheng's extreme competitiveness began to emerge in junior high school. Generally speaking, many people's personalities are formed in childhood. Although it takes a long time for a personality to be completely formed, it is almost always based on the initial personality formed in childhood.

In other words, childhood experiences are definitely one of the most important factors in shaping personality.

Han Zhou had long suspected that Gu Zheng's competitive nature was related to her childhood experiences, a point that Gu Zheng's parents had hinted at to varying degrees.

According to his understanding, Gu Zheng grew up with her maternal grandmother when she was young. As the only relative by her side at that time, the old woman must have had a significant impact on Gu Zheng's personality development.

"Grandma..."

Gu Zheng hesitated for a moment, then put the majestic general in her arms on the ground, her face showing a look of reminiscence.

"She is a very, very good person. When I was a child, I was always very naughty and didn't like to study, but she never got angry with me."

“My maternal grandfather passed away a year before I was born. My mother told me that my maternal grandmother was heartbroken for a long time until she learned that she was pregnant. She said that she would take care of me herself after I was born. Many of my clothes and toys when I was little were made by my maternal grandmother.”

“I’ve been with my maternal grandmother since I can remember. She always said that I was just like my maternal grandfather, mischievous and always wanting to explore everywhere, which was quite annoying. Although she said this often, she always had a smile on her face when she said it.”

Han Zhou listened silently.

“Other people’s elders don’t really like girls going out and running around. They’re either worried about the danger or that they’ll get too tanned and won’t be able to get married. But my grandmother never worried about these things. She just told me not to come home too late.”

"But I was playful back then and often disobedient. I wouldn't go home until the sun went down. That's when my grandma would come out with a flashlight to look for me. Even if she found me all dirty, she wouldn't be angry. Instead, she would put on the coat she had brought for me and take out some biscuits from the little cloth bag she always carried with her..."

My memories of my grandmother are from six years ago, and many of them have become blurry, like scattered fragments. I just talk about whatever comes to mind, but I always feel like I can't finish.

Han Zhou listened quietly without interrupting. From the narration, it was easy to tell that Gu Zheng's grandmother was a kind and gentle old woman, much like the epitome of the elderly in most families.

Lin Anyu and Lin Youya had stopped playing around at some point. They could tell that although Gu Zheng had a warm and nostalgic smile on her face, her tone carried a hint of sadness that she couldn't hide.

Several seconds after Guzheng finished her narration, Lin Youya cautiously asked, "Sister Guzheng, what about Grandma now...?"

"He has passed away."

Seeing that the little girl wanted to apologize, Guzheng shook her head slightly, smiled and patted her head, "She is now buried with her grandfather and is very happy."

"Just be happy."

Lin Anyu handed her a can of drink and said, "If your grandma knew that you're number one in everything now, she would be so proud of you."

"Ah."

Guzheng nodded, picked up the mighty general again, and gently placed her hand on the dog's head.

Others might not be able to tell, but Han Zhou knows Gu Zheng very well. This girl can't hide her feelings. Although she was trying her best to act nonchalant, she clearly didn't agree with Lin Anyu's words just now.

So the problem really lies with this grandmother...?

He murmured to himself, but had no intention of asking any further questions. He would be going back to his hometown with Guzheng tomorrow, and if all went as expected, he should be able to learn a lot about the situation then.

Although he doesn't mind Guzheng's competitive nature, if the other person has some kind of unresolved issue in their heart, then he feels it's necessary to help them resolve it.

This topic was quickly moved on.

Having promised to tutor Lin Youya yesterday, Han Zhou naturally wouldn't break his promise now that he had the chance. He and Gu Zheng sat on either side of Lin Youya, explaining each question she didn't understand. Surrounded by two academic geniuses like bodyguards, even Lin Youya, with her strong will, couldn't ignore the unspeakable pressure. At first, she was trembling with fear, but she quickly calmed down and even found it interesting.

It wasn't just because Brother Han Zhou and Sister Guzheng didn't look down on her for being clumsy, but also because the two of them would often argue about which problem-solving approach was simpler.

Their arguments were childish, and they would burst out laughing every time they argued. It was only at this point that she dared to cautiously say, "Actually, I think they're all quite difficult," and then she showed an embarrassed expression.

The two of them laughed even harder.

Let them laugh, it's not her they're laughing at. What's infuriating is that big-headed guy who was playing on his phone and laughing out loud, insisting it was because the video he was watching was so funny, when he clearly wasn't watching any videos!

Lin Youya told herself that she should focus on her studies and not bother with this guy for the time being.

Brother Han Zhou and Sister Guzheng are both very patient people, and the questions they explain are simple and easy to understand. But if she had to choose who is the best, she would still think that Sister Yixia explains the best.

Of course, although she was clumsy, she wasn't stupid... no, she was neither clumsy nor stupid. She knew very well that the things between Brother Han Zhou and her two older sisters were not something she could get involved in, and she just needed to pretend that she knew nothing.

If things aren't as I think, that would be best. But if they are as I predict, there's a real possibility that a legendary battleground will erupt between these three in the future, and it would be terrible if I were to be the referee...

The knowledge of the first year of junior high school was undoubtedly child's play for Han Zhou and Gu Zheng, and they quickly finished all the exercises with Lin Youya.

Looking at the exercise book with all the blanks filled, Lin Youya almost burst into tears, hardly believing that this was the result she had achieved.

Although she knew that she might not be able to get some questions right if she did them again, she believed that she had definitely made great progress compared to before!

No wonder her parents always praised her for having great potential and a bright future; now it seems they really are right...

Looking at his smug and foolish cousin, Lin Anyu couldn't help but tease her, "So, if Brother Han Zhou and the others come to teach you every day from now on, are you confident you can get into the top thirty in the class?"

There are forty people in Lin Youya's class. If she can get from the fifth to the tenth from the bottom, that would be a great honor for her family.

"A piece of cake!" Lin Youya waved her little hand and declared with great pride, "What's so special about being in the top thirty in the class? I'm going to be in the top twenty!"

"Okay! Be ambitious!"

Lin Anyu gave a thumbs-up with admiration, waving his phone and saying, "I've already recorded this and sent it to your parents. I hope you can keep your word like the main characters in anime."

The girl's smile froze on her face.

After thinking for a moment, she cautiously asked, "Um... getting into the top twenty in the class in the physical education exam should count, right?"

"What do you say?"

Lin Anyu gave a half-smile, then changed the subject, "If you want to go down the path of a sports school in the future, then I suggest you go and learn from your guzheng sister now. She was the top student in the whole grade in sports in high school."

"Really!"

Lin Youya looked at the guzheng with a look of amazement and admiration, her eyes shining, and asked, "Sister Guzheng, are you even more amazing than Brother Han Zhou?"

"That depends on what aspect is being compared."

Gu Zheng smiled proudly, her eyes crinkling. "Overall, I am indeed a little better than him."

Han Zhou didn't refute it. Without the status bar, he really couldn't be as good as Guzheng, at least in terms of sports, he would always be far behind.

Gu Zheng's stamina has now reached a terrifying eight points. Although he knows that the other party insists on exercising every day, such a rate of increase in stamina is simply too exaggerated.

If it weren't for Guzheng's unusually thick hair, he might have suspected that this guy had some kind of Saitama template loaded, becoming invincible just by exercising...

Gathering his wandering thoughts and to avoid stirring up Guzheng's competitive spirit, Han Zhou promptly interrupted the topic, saying, "Take a break after you finish your homework. Is there anything Yaya wants to do?"

Lin Youya had been working so hard on her homework for this very moment, and her eyes lit up immediately: "I want to watch a horror movie!"

"Horror movie?"

Gu Zheng's expression became somewhat unnatural.

"Hmm! Actually, it's a horror anime. I've wanted to watch it for a long time, but Big Head Garlic never wants to watch it with me." Lin Youya glared at Lin Anyu with dissatisfaction.

"Cartoons..."

Gu Zheng breathed a slight sigh of relief. She had been afraid of ghosts and monsters since she was a child, so watching horror movies might be a bit of a problem, but she wasn't afraid of cartoons.

Lin Anyu, sitting on the sofa, raised an eyebrow and reminded her, "I heard this anime is quite scary. I don't want to watch it with her because I'm afraid she'll have nightmares tonight."

"I won't have nightmares!" Lin Youya said sweetly. "I'm very brave!"

"Then why don't you dare to watch it alone?" Lin Anyu looked at her with a puzzled expression.

"Because... because..."

Lin Youya stammered, then suddenly had a flash of inspiration, "Because the video said at the beginning that minors must watch it with an adult!"

Haha, I wish you were really that obedient...

"Alright, alright."

Lin Anyu put down his phone and said helplessly, "Since you want to watch it so much, I'll reluctantly watch it with you. But let me make it clear first, don't blame me if you get scared and cry."

"I won't be scared to tears!"

Ignoring his foolish cousin's stubbornness, Lin Anyu looked at Han Zhou and Gu Zheng and asked, "You two should be fine, right?"

This question was actually mainly directed at Guzheng, but he knew she was a strong-willed girl, and asking her alone might upset her, so he asked her as well.

"no problem."

Han Zhou was very bold, so naturally there was no problem.

"Me too."

Gu Zheng nodded in agreement, her face full of confidence and composure.

It's just an animated film, what's there to be afraid of?
"Okay, let me look for the remote. My TV can be screen mirrored."

Lin Anyu got up to find the remote control.

To reiterate, please treat this book like an anime or similar series, and don't get too hung up on the characters' special traits, such as Mo Yixia's "mind-reading" ability or Guzheng's physical strength. There's no need to insist in the novel that girls can't be stronger than boys. This is a light novel (if I weren't unfamiliar with Japanese culture, I might have set the story in Japan), not a realistic novel. These special traits have almost no impact on the plot.

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(End of this chapter)