The Birth of Gossip

Zhu Juntang is a decisive young lady who can skip classes whenever she wants, and even repeated groundings cannot sway her will.

So she simply skipped all her classes for the entire day, because if her mother was going to be angry, she would already be angry after she skipped two classes, so what difference would it make if she skipped the whole day?

This is similar to how Zhou Dongdong, if he gets the lowest score in one subject in his exam, doesn't care if he gets the lowest score in the others either. Anyway, he'll get a beating, but he'll still have dinner to eat, so it doesn't really matter.

Zhu Juntang felt that her mother, as the actual head of the Zhu Family, had been too idle lately and was always concerned about her studies, which was not the case before. Moreover, she was abroad, and her mother's constant monitoring of Zhu Juntang's daily performance regardless of the time difference made Zhu Juntang very irritable.

Maybe Mom has already returned to China, and as is often the case, she might be hiding behind the scenes manipulating things.

These treacherous and cunning people are all like this... This is different from Liu Chang'an. Zhu Juntang dislikes Liu Chang'an very much, but she must admit that Liu Chang'an is more upright and honest. If he says he will hit you, he will hit you. He would never hide behind someone and curse you.

Zhu Juntang returned to Baolong Center and happened to meet Zhong Qing returning from burning incense at Mount Heng.

Zhong Qing uses a helicopter because Mount Heng also has an airport. Sometimes Zhu Juntang or the Third Mistress need to coordinate their travel routes between Junsha Airport and Mount Heng, choosing whichever is more convenient. Therefore, they had already applied for a route between Junsha and Mount Heng. Since the opening of low-altitude routes and new policies after 2015, the use of private aircraft has become more convenient. For example, Zhu Juntang often takes a helicopter on a fixed route between Baolong Center and Hunan University, and no longer needs to report it every time. Once applied, it is valid indefinitely.

Even if the flight route is not reported, the only penalty is a fine; there are generally no serious punishments.

"Third Miss, you have class today." Zhong Qing, holding some blessed Buddhist amulets or something, saw Zhu Juntang strolling around the rooftop with the "Sect Master" again and reminded her with a hint of helplessness.

The "Sect Master" was frolicking around Zhu Juntang when he saw the helicopter land on the helipad. He rushed over, circled the helicopter, roared a few times, and then tried to bite the helicopter's tires.

"My mom said she found me a tutor." Zhu Juntang didn't answer by saying she skipped class or anything like that, cleverly avoiding Zhong Qing's follow-up questions.

Zhong Qing didn't ask any further questions, but simply took out a Buddhist amulet. "Third Miss, I got this for you. I'll hang it around the neck of the doll above your bed in your bedroom later; it will protect you."

"Do fairies need other bodhisattvas to protect them?" Zhu Juntang was slightly puzzled, but didn't pay much attention to this strange phenomenon. "Actually, sometimes I think that if someone suddenly knelt down on the roadside and begged me to grant them a wish, like wanting to get rich, I might suddenly be interested in granting it. It's common for fairies to occasionally show mercy."

"That's normal. It's like some bloodsuckers who drain the economy of a place, then occasionally do some charity work, or like Miss Third, suddenly generously sponsor a stranger's trip, and many people praise them." Zhong Qing praised sincerely, "Miss Third possesses this talent for manipulating people's hearts. Whether it's a company or an entrepreneur, they all need such methods to improve their image from time to time."

"I didn't think that much about it, I just thought it was fun." Zhu Juntang said as she walked downstairs without turning her head, "Didn't you go with your relatives yesterday? Why are you the only one who came back?"

"They're going to stay there for two days to watch the sea of clouds and sunrise," Zhong Qing explained.

Seeing its owner leave, "Sect Master" stopped biting the helicopter tire and instead chased after it, wagging its tail and chewing on the tow rope.

"The Sect Master is so good." Zhu Juntang picked up the leash again. She loved walking this dog the most; it was more fun and made her happier than walking other dogs.

In the evening, Zhong Qing picked up Zhu Juntang's tutor to give Zhu Juntang a lesson.

Zhu Juntang was already waiting in the study... That's right, Miss Zhu not only had her own library, but also her own study.

That's true, but thinking about the words "Miss Zhu San" and "study," it seems like there's absolutely no connection between them.

Besides the library, the study is also a favorite spot for Zhu Juntang to take selfies.

"It's you..." Zhu Juntang was shocked and then furious when she saw Zhong Qing bring Yan Qingcheng into the study.

Her anger wasn't directed at Yan Qingcheng, but at Liu Chang'an; she hadn't expected that she still wouldn't escape the old man's arrangements in the end.

Zhu Juntang decided not to give the "Sect Master" meat pies tonight.

"Qingqing, what's going on? Do you know what my mother and Liu Chang'an are doing... I mean, some kind of private agreement, to torture me together or something." Zhu Juntang said, looking at Zhong Qing.

Zhong Qing merely curled the corners of her lips slightly. Her seniority allowed her to be reserved at times, and she had a good relationship with the masters of the Zhu Family, so she could pretend not to hear such a question.

"Xiao Tang, actually, it was Teacher Yu who contacted me. He said there was a tutoring job for me with pretty good pay. After I agreed, he said the address was in Baolong Center, and that's when I guessed that the tutor might be you." Yan Qingcheng also looked a little surprised and smiled. "I just felt that you wouldn't ask me for tutoring on your own initiative... I guess it was your mother who arranged it at the school."

Yan Qingcheng vaguely felt that she might have owed Liu Chang'an a favor; otherwise, given Zhu Juntang's family's investment and donations at Xiangtan University, it would be normal for the school to arrange for teachers to take turns tutoring her.

Zhu Juntang's mother was even less likely to pay attention to an ordinary female student like herself, unless someone recommended her.

The only person who could recommend her is Liu Chang'an... Even if she were her own advisor, there would be no reason for her to be nominated.

"It's Liu Chang'an... He made me get you to tutor me today, but I didn't want to and ran away. But my mom still brought you anyway. What a coincidence. He just loves to torment me." Zhu Juntang got up and walked towards the door. "No way, I'm going to his house to yell at him."

"Third Miss, that's a terrible excuse." Zhong Qing stopped Zhu Juntang and shook his head.

Zhu Juntang sighed and sat back down.

Yan Qingcheng couldn't help but smile. She had only seen people so resistant to learning during her elementary school years.

"I'm in the secretary's office next door. Call me if you need anything. The servants will bring fruit and tea in a bit. You can take a ten-minute break every fifty minutes." Zhong Qing finished speaking and left the study. Just then, he ran into Bai Hui who came to visit Zhu Juntang, so he took Bai Hui with him. Every time Bai Hui came to visit Zhu Juntang, the two of them could play for most of the day just by taking selfies. He couldn't let Bai Hui interfere with Zhu Juntang's studies.

Yan Qingcheng was still standing in the study with her schoolbag on her back, looking at Zhu Juntang who was as uncomfortable as an ant on a hot pan. She felt that some people really resisted studying during their spare time, as if it were a stress reaction. Maybe it was a kind of illness, and she couldn't blame them.

"You're the first classmate to visit my humble abode! How about we take a selfie together to commemorate this?" Zhu Juntang saw her phone, a sudden inspiration struck her, and she found an excuse to procrastinate on her studies.

"Okay." Yan Qingcheng said helplessly. Sure enough, tutoring often involves outsmarting or compromising with unruly students... But Liu Chang'an hasn't come? After thinking for a moment, Yan Qingcheng realized that for Zhu Juntang, Liu Chang'an wouldn't be considered a classmate; he must be an extremely close friend.

Watching them bicker and argue, clearly disliking each other, Yan Qingcheng felt inexplicably envious.

After class, Zhong Qing escorted Yan Qingcheng downstairs.

"You've worked hard." Zhong Qing said sincerely. She could tell that Yan Qingcheng had really put in a lot of effort. Tutoring Zhu Juntang seriously and responsibly was indeed an exhausting process.

"It's not hard work. Two classes earn me more than I usually make in a month from part-time work." Yan Qingcheng may have worked hard, but her eyes were full of positivity.

Zhong Qing nodded and smiled. Putting aside the kinship ties, Zhong Qing felt that girls like Zhu Juntang and Yan Qingcheng were the most suitable to be friends... Zhong Qing felt that if Zhu Juntang and Bai Hui spent too much time together, they would lower each other's IQ ceiling.

Yan Qingcheng rarely visits the commercial center in River East, a place her classmates describe as high-end and highly desirable. She knew she definitely couldn't afford it, but she was happy just browsing. So, after going downstairs, she went inside the mall for a stroll.

Seeing the prices of some items in the shop window was astonishing; it seemed only a young lady like Zhu Juntang could afford them. Just as Yan Qingcheng was about to leave, she saw a familiar figure walk into a maternity and baby products store.

Teacher Qin? Why would she go to a baby store? Yan Qingcheng tiptoed behind the GG sign and peered out.

There's no way around it, gossiping is a woman's nature.