When Hope is Before Your Eyes, Despair Cuts Deeper

"Wan Xiaoxiao, 200 points, ranked 647th in the grade. Parents, you need to take this seriously!"

Jiang Junyi glanced at Wan Xiaoxiao, who had her head down, then walked up to the podium to take her report card.

His young, handsome face caught many parents off guard.

The homeroom teacher was also surprised that someone had actually shown up for Wan Xiaoxiao's parent-teacher meeting this time.

Jiang Junyi slapped the report card on the desk and fixed a sharp stare on Wan Xiaoxiao. The intense gaze made her look away guiltily.

"Explain yourself?"

Wan Xiaoxiao scratched her head. "Well, I fell asleep in math class one time, and when I woke up, I couldn't understand a thing."

"English? That foreign stuff—I don't bother learning it."

Jiang Junyi laughed in exasperation. "What, should I praise you for being patriotic?"

"No need... no need..." Wan Xiaoxiao gave an awkward smile.

Jiang Junyi sighed softly. This little girl had been impossible for Wan Qingyun to manage since high school started, so her grades being like this was understandable.

"How many students in the whole grade?"

"647."

"???"

"Just you wait until we get home!"

He shot Wan Xiaoxiao a fierce glare.

Just then, the homeroom teacher at the podium called out Su Shuangshuang's name.

"Su Shuangshuang, 395 points, ranked second in the grade. I hope everyone can learn from classmate Su Shuangshuang."

Jiang Junyi looked over at Su Shuangshuang, but the girl beside him seemed a bit uneasy, as if she hadn't prepared to go up and get her report card either.

"Is Su Shuangshuang's parent not here?" The homeroom teacher frowned, glancing at Su Shuangshuang, who was the only one at her seat.

"Brother-in-law... could you go get it?" Wan Xiaoxiao whispered.

Jiang Junyi glanced at Wan Xiaoxiao. You've got a kind heart, don't you?

Actually, he'd already planned to do that. As for why, heh.

Jiang Junyi stood up and walked to the podium under Su Shuangshuang's surprised gaze.

"Uh, this parent, you're Su Shuangshuang's...?"

"Brother."

"And Wan Xiaoxiao..."

"Brother-in-law."

Jiang Junyi took the report card and walked back under the strange looks of the crowd.

Handing the report card to Su Shuangshuang, he said softly, "You're excellent. Be confident."

Hearing the gentle voice by her ear, Su Shuangshuang's face flushed slightly. She nodded and whispered, "Th... thank you..."

Jiang Junyi turned back to Wan Xiaoxiao. "I take it you don't want your phone anymore, huh?"

"Mmm... I just don't know where to start..." Wan Xiaoxiao muttered.

She did want to study, but she had no clue where to begin, completely at a loss.

Jiang Junyi rubbed Wan Xiaoxiao's head vigorously. "Your nose is right above your mouth—can't you ask the teacher?"

"I'm a bad student..."

"So what if you're a bad student? I believe if you're willing to learn, the teacher will be willing to teach." Jiang Junyi rolled his eyes. "At the very least, you could ask classmate Su Shuangshuang."

Jiang Junyi turned his head. "I think classmate Su Shuangshuang would be happy to teach you. You're deskmates, after all."

Su Shuangshuang nodded. "I... I'm willing..."

"See?"

"Got it, got it!" Wan Xiaoxiao pouted. "I'll ask!"

With the report cards handed out, the homeroom teacher started going over the usual spiel.

Parents of students with poor grades scolded them; those with good grades were proud and smug.

Jiang Junyi, meanwhile, propped his head on the table and spaced out.

Suddenly, Wan Xiaoxiao leaned in. "Hey, brother-in-law, how old are you?"

"Twenty. Why?"

Wan Xiaoxiao looked like she'd seen a ghost. "Wait, you're twenty and not in college?"

Jiang Junyi smirked dismissively. "Are you kidding me? Who do you think I am? I mastered this kind of simple academic stuff by the time I was sixteen."

Wan Xiaoxiao & Su Shuangshuang: ?

"To clarify, that includes undergrad and graduate studies."

"Where's the PhD?"

"Bored, didn't feel like going to class." Jiang Junyi spread his hands.

Seeing Jiang Junyi's smug expression, Wan Xiaoxiao gritted her teeth. Damn it, he was showing off.

"Hey, the road today's pretty flat," Jiang Junyi blurted out for no reason.

"What do you mean?" Wan Xiaoxiao was confused.

"No gravel (guts)."

"Jiang Junyi! You jerk!"

Jiang Junyi snorted coldly and ignored the fuming Wan Xiaoxiao.

Beside them, Su Shuangshuang watched their exchange, a flicker of envy in her eyes.

Wan Xiaoxiao's grades were poor, but she had a brother-in-law who cared for her.

If she could, she'd trade her grades for that.

Just then, applause broke out in the classroom. The parent of a top student had just finished a speech on the stage, sharing educational experience.

Jiang Junyi saw the parent step down, and the homeroom teacher's gaze turned toward him.

"Um... brother-in-law... you might have to give a speech too..." Wan Xiaoxiao said sheepishly.

"Huh? Why?" Jiang Junyi was puzzled.

"Because I used to go up and do a self-criticism before..."

Jiang Junyi narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean, making you do a self-criticism in front of all these people?"

"Yeah, just explaining what affected my studies and what I'll do about it, blah blah blah." Wan Xiaoxiao said nonchalantly.

Jiang Junyi's eyes darkened, his expression souring.

"Next, let's welcome Wan Xiaoxiao's parent to the stage."

Jiang Junyi stood up, his gaze cold.

He walked to the center of the stage, glanced at the homeroom teacher beside him. "It's an honor to speak. Taking this chance, I want to say to all the students with poor grades—"

"Bad grades don't mean bad character."

"And they don't mean weak ability."

"School is just a platform that gives you the biggest chance to chase your dreams. But that doesn't mean poor grades leave you without any path forward."

"Classmates, you're only eighteen. Your lives have just begun."

"Don't wallow in self-pity. Don't sell yourselves short."

"The world is vast, and life is long."

"Of course, note that I said 'grades,' not 'learning.'"

"Classmates, never give up on learning. You can dig deep into any field you like or excel at. Never stop moving forward."

"Finally, for those of you who feel lost about your future, my advice is still to work on improving your grades. That way, you can go farther and better places to find the dreams in your heart."

"That's all I have to say. Thank you."

Jiang Junyi walked calmly off the stage, leaving the stunned homeroom teacher behind.

"Clap, clap..."

Slowly, applause rose, growing louder and louder, thundering like a storm.

Wan Xiaoxiao looked at Jiang Junyi with adoration. "Wow, brother-in-law, you're so cool."

Jiang Junyi snorted lightly. "You just figuring that out?"

"No, this is different." Wan Xiaoxiao's eyes sparkled.

She knew that speech was him standing up for her. She'd thought he'd go up and tear into her, then end with a "thank you for your hard work, teacher."

She never expected this outcome.

Beside her, Su Shuangshuang's eyes also gleamed. Jiang Junyi's actions planted a seed in her heart.

It was the first time she felt she had a goal in life, a dream.

After school, Wan Xiaoxiao bounced into the car, while Jiang Junyi strolled behind, looking helpless.

He tilted his head slightly, catching Su Shuangshuang staring at him from the corner of his eye.

Jiang Junyi's lips curled into the faintest smile: When hope appears before your eyes, the arrival of despair cuts even deeper.

Su Shuangshuang, are you ready?