"Of course. I’ll take Ani with me to pick her up. That way, Yanli won’t feel awkward." Yan Aohan smiled.
When addressing Zhu Yanli, Yan Aohan always used her full name. She never used her nickname. To her, nicknames were reserved for the closest family members, childhood friends from the same village or clan, or her future partner. As an outsider and an adult man, she would never use such an intimate form of address. Therefore, she had always called her by her name. However, with Zhu Yanyi, she consistently used her nickname, "Ani."
No one else had noticed this distinction, but Zhu Yanyi had. For some reason, she hadn’t corrected her, nor had she reminded Zhu Shun Yao about it.
"Papa, I want to discuss Doumiao’s situation with you," Zhu Yanyi said to Zhu Shun Yao. Yan Aohan’s words weighed heavily on her heart. For Zhu Zhibin’s future, she decided to speak up.
Zhu Shun Yao glanced at Zhu Yanyi. "What’s wrong with Doumiao? She didn’t cause any trouble, did she?"
Zhu Yanyi shot her a look. "Do I only talk to you about Doumiao when she’s in trouble?" Seeing Zhu Shun Yao smile, she continued, "Papa, stop smiling. I’m serious. The exam results are out."
"They are. Just like you back then—amazing. First place in Yong City." Zhu Shun Yao’s face was full of satisfaction. Although Zhu Zhibin had skipped grades and joined the first cohort of the nine-year compulsory education system, exams still existed. Good exam results meant good future learning. In their area, there was a common belief: as long as boys worked hard, they would rise step by step. There was no need to worry about their grades dropping. This was known as "boys opening their minds." Like Zhu Zhibin, once a boy got first place, his grades were unlikely to fall. Boys matured later than girls. Girls usually performed better in elementary school, but boys would gradually surpass them in middle school. Once a boy’s grades were good, they rarely declined.
"So, which middle school have you decided for her?" Zhu Yanyi asked.
Zhu Shun Yao looked at her, puzzled. "How about the City Middle School you attended?" He wasn’t worried about Zhu Zhibin’s admission; his grades were excellent.
Zhu Yanyi paused for a moment. "When I got first place, it wasn’t as stunning as Doumiao’s. Although I self-studied advanced courses, I attended elementary school regularly, except for the entrance exam in first grade when I was young. So, my first place wasn’t very controversial. But Doumiao is different. She skipped grades. Remember, she’s only nine years old this year."
Hearing this, Zhu Shun Yao was slightly stunned. She placed Zhu Yanyi’s luggage in her room on the third floor before speaking. "Then what do you suggest we do?"
Zhu Yanyi spoke seriously. "There’s a special class for gifted youths in the capital, also known as the Genius Youth Class. The children there are similar to Doumiao—mostly grade-skippers with high intelligence. Ordinary knowledge can no longer meet their needs. So, I think Doumiao should join that class."
"Doumiao is only nine. Is it appropriate to send him to the capital alone?" Zhu Shun Yao was worried.