It was clearly a very serious matter, yet when the woman reached this point, Ji Yanzhi's expression was strangely at odds with it.
There was no worry, much less fear. Instead, his brow relaxed, and the corners of his mouth even seemed to be lifting.
Of course. Of course he'd been clever and capable ever since he was little.
"Are you... smiling?"
Ji Yanzhi reined in his expression a little. "He has a very strong desire to protect you. Although his methods were wrong, that only shows how much he cares about you."
The woman studied him for a while. "Aren't you afraid he'll go astray?"
"I believe you'll raise him to be a good person, someone who obeys the law and conducts himself with restraint and propriety." Ji Yanzhi thought for a moment, then added, "Someone who's even a little too strict with himself."
His words seemed to stir the woman's memories, and her gaze softened. "He takes everything he does seriously. He learns quickly and does well. Sometimes he's so diligent that I quietly encourage him to slack off a little. Do you know what he said to me?"
"What?"
The woman put on a stern face, imitating the child, and cleared her throat. "Article 44 of the Education Law stipulates that students shall fulfill their obligation to study diligently and complete their assigned learning tasks. Slacking off is a clear violation of this provision."
Ji Yanzhi let out a chuckle and nodded. "That's him. Even the tone is exactly the same."
"But he does slack off sometimes. For instance, he doesn't like exercising or going to PE class. What he hates most is playing soccer."
The corners of Ji Yanzhi's mouth lifted as he picked up the thread. "He's very competitive, too. Even when it's something he