Chapter 184 - 182: Melancholy Old Wang

Chapter 184: Chapter 182: Melancholy Old Wang

"Hello, Aunt Li. I’m Lin Yanwan."

Li Weiya froze for a moment. ’That’s the same surname as Lin Gaoyuan, isn’t it?’ No wonder she looked a bit familiar. At first glance, her delicate features bore a strong resemblance to Ji Wanqiu’s.

"You’re... Ah Xia’s girlfriend?" Li Weiya asked tentatively.

Lin Yanwan blushed slightly. "Mhm, he’s in Wang Ming’s room right now."

"Ah, I see."

Li Weiya took a good look at her. The girl was quiet, gentle, and very pretty—a good match for Jiang Xia.

"Very nice."

Her eyes immediately fell on the fruit on the coffee table. She smiled and said, "You didn’t have to bring fruit just to visit me. Don’t do it again, okay?"

"Jiang Xia said Wang Ming needed to replenish his vitamins, in case he overworked himself," Lin Yanwan said, her face flushing. "Aunt Li, thank you for having us today. I hope we’re not too much trouble."

"Haha, it’s nothing at all." Li Weiya waved her hand. Beaming, she said, "Ah Xia told me you’re doing all the voice acting for *Cat and Mouse* by yourself?"

"Yes." Lin Yanwan nodded, a little shy. "I’ve studied music since I was little, so I’m just about able to help him out."

"That’s wonderful. Ah Xia’s animation is excellent, and so is your voice acting." Li Weiya gave her a thumbs-up. ’Talented people really do attract each other,’ she thought with a sigh. ’No wonder they’re a couple.’

Just then, Jiang Xia walked out of the bedroom. A smile immediately spread across his face when he saw Li Weiya. "Aunt Li, you’re back."

"How long have you been here?"

"I just got here a little while ago." Jiang Xia introduced with a smile, "This is Yanwan, my girlfriend."

"We’ve already met. Your girlfriend is lovely; I like her a lot."

Li Weiya smiled and handed the letter in her hand to her son. "Here. I ran into the mail carrier at the door on my way in. It’s your acceptance letter from the Central Academy of Fine Arts."

Wang Ming froze, then quickly took it from his mom. It was an EMS express mailer. The cover read: *Central Academy of Fine Arts Acceptance Letter*.

He eagerly tore open the mailer. Seeing that he had been accepted into the animation program at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, he was so excited he immediately wrapped Li Weiya in a huge bear hug.

"Hahaha, Mom, I did it! I got into the Central Academy of Fine Arts!"

A relieved smile graced Li Weiya’s face. Seeing her son so happy made her want to cry, yet she was also filled with an immense sense of pride.

’Even though Ah Ming grew up without a father, my son is still more exceptional than most!’

"Mom, I didn’t let you down, did I!" Wang Ming said with a wide grin.

Li Weiya’s eyes grew moist. ’Let me down? He’s done the complete opposite—he’s made me prouder than I could ever be. I wonder what all those gossips will think when they find out.’

"That’s my boy."

"Of course I am!"

For a moment, Wang Ming was like the little boy who used to cling to his mother’s side.

Li Weiya turned her head slightly, discreetly wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. "Alright now, Ah Xia and Yanwan are still here. Don’t give your friends a show."

She looked up at her son, her eyes filled with adoration.

"Aunt Li, I’ve never seen Ah Ming act like this," Jiang Xia said with an amused laugh.

As long as he’d known him, Wang Ming had always been tough. Even when he fell and got hurt as a kid, he never cried or complained.

He’d only realized as they got older that it was probably because he grew up without a father. He always had to be strong in front of others; he only ever showed his softer side to his mother.

’This guy... he’s had to bear more than kids his age from the very start.’

"Is that so? I’m going to have to charge you for the show, then," Wang Ming said, turning to Jiang Xia with a serious expression.

"No problem. Finish up the work for these next two months, and a huge bonus is all yours."

Old Wang disdainfully flipped him the bird.

Watching them joke around, Li Weiya smiled and suggested, "Today’s a celebration. How about we skip cooking and go out for a nice meal?"

"Sounds good. We’ll have to try your cooking next time, Aunt Li," Jiang Xia said with a small smile. ’He and Yanwan were just mooching a meal anyway, so it didn’t matter where they ate.’

"Then let’s get ready and go!"

「A few minutes later.」

Li Weiya drove them to a bustling restaurant that served spicy hot pot skewers.

In their private room, the spicy, chili-filled oil was bubbling in the pot. Lin Yanwan and Li Weiya drank Cokes while Jiang Xia and Wang Ming had beers. The atmosphere was lively.

"Old Wang, what did I tell you? I said you’d definitely get into the Central Academy of Fine Arts before the exams even started. I wasn’t lying, was I?" Jiang Xia said with a laugh, clinking his glass against Wang Ming’s. They were a true pair of brothers.

Wang Ming couldn’t help but think back to the bet he’d made with the guy. If he got into the Central Academy of Fine Arts, he’d have to work for him for a month for free.

Back then, his own scores were still a fair bit away from the cutoff for the Central Academy of Fine Arts, yet this guy had been so certain. Sometimes, he really wondered if Jiang Xia could see the future.

"So what if it’s a month’s wages? I don’t need ’em!" Wang Ming said with a hearty laugh. Compared to getting into the Central Academy of Fine Arts, a few hundred yuan was nothing.

"What’s going on with those two?" Li Weiya turned her head and asked Lin Yanwan, her face full of curiosity.

Lin Yanwan smiled and explained the bet they had made. Li Weiya’s face lit up with understanding. She laughed and said, "It seems the prospect of losing a month’s wages was good motivation. You’d better thank Ah Xia properly."

Wang Ming nodded. During the final push for the college entrance exams, Jiang Xia’s grades were already consistently in the top ten of their year. If he hadn’t buckled down, he wouldn’t have even been able to see Jiang Xia’s taillights.

He raised his glass, about to say something, but Jiang Xia cut him off. "Save it. It’s all in the beer."

"Ah Xia, Yanwan," Li Weiya said suddenly, "When you’re all in the Imperial Capital, please help me keep an eye on him."

"Don’t you worry, Aunt Li. As long as I’m around, I won’t let him get taken advantage of. Even when it comes to finding a girlfriend, she’ll have to get my approval first," Jiang Xia said with a grin, giving Old Wang a little preemptive warning.

’That green tea bitch from the Central Academy of Fine Arts can forget about messing with my boy in this lifetime.’

"I’m holding you to that," Li Weiya laughed.

She trusted Jiang Xia completely. With his promise, she knew Ah Ming would be alright.

Only Wang Ming’s expression twitched. After a few sips of beer, he couldn’t help but think of Shen Ying. ’A girlfriend... but what can you do when she doesn’t like you back?’

He tipped his head back and took a long drink of beer. ’When we’re in the Imperial Capital... what will it be like when we meet again?’

’Will she have found a boyfriend by then?’

’And will I still be single, just like I am now?’

Lin Yanwan nudged Jiang Xia with her elbow. A pang of anxiety shot through him. ’Thank God I listened to Yanwan and didn’t invite Shen Ying today. Otherwise, things would have gotten really awkward by now.’

"Old Wang, come on, let’s have another. This one’s to thank you for your contributions to *Cat and Mouse*."