Sun Xingyu and Li Ziyi were held back by the principal. Since neither had confirmed their attendance in the Pine Soul Soul Martial University's Junior Class, they would be met by wave after wave of admissions teachers from top high schools.
As for Rong Taotao...
He was whisked away by Rong Yang and Yang Chunxi.
Walking beside the two, Rong Taotao felt more and more that something was off. After all, Rong Yang and Yang Chunxi seemed very close, and it didn't look like they were faking it.
"What's going on in that little head of yours?" Rong Yang slung an arm around Rong Taotao's shoulders, leading his little brother out of the school and casually ruffling his naturally curly hair.
'Hmm... feels pretty nice.'
In fact, both brothers had naturally curly hair. It was just that after Rong Yang enlisted, he'd gotten a clean-cut buzz cut, so he couldn't ruffle his own soft, curly hair anymore.
Then again, what's so satisfying about ruffling your own hair compared to someone else's?
Rong Taotao fiercely shoved Rong Yang away with his shoulder.
Rong Yang was a good 1.85 meters tall, while Rong Taotao, who was only fifteen and still growing, was a half a head shorter than his older brother. It was a bitter pill to swallow.
Rong Yang just smiled at Rong Taotao, not minding the shove, and continued to ask, "I'm talking to you. You've been so quiet this whole time, which isn't like you at all. What are you thinking? Is there nothing you want to tell me?"
"Oh," Rong Taotao said with a grin, "I'm thinking of some song lyrics."
On Rong Yang's other side, Yang Chunxi's interest was immediately piqued. "What song is it?" she asked curiously.
Rong Taotao tilted his head to look at Rong Yang and immediately launched into a classic oldie: "You said you'd come see me in a couple of days, but I've been waiting for over a year..."
Rong Yang was speechless.
"Pfft..." Yang Chunxi froze for a second, but then, as if someone had tickled her funny bone, she saw Rong Yang's disgruntled expression and couldn't help but laugh. She even finished the next line for Rong Taotao, "Three hundred sixty-five days ain't easy, you don't love me, no, not really~"
Yang Chunxi sang through her laughter. Although she was a little off-key, there was a unique and wonderful charm to her voice.
"Oh?" Rong Taotao said, listening to her sing. "You're not that old, but you know some pretty ancient songs, huh?"
Yang Chunxi's expression froze for a moment. 'Is that something a boy your age should be saying?'
Tremble!
Once a teenager opens fire, he'll take on the entire world!
Rong Yang gently patted Rong Taotao's shoulder. "You should be more respectful to Teacher Yang."
But to his surprise, Yang Chunxi shot Rong Yang a playfully reproachful look. "Taotao is just complimenting me for being young."
Rong Taotao was baffled.
'Whoa, since when is my EQ so high?'
"Let's start over." Yang Chunxi casually pulled Rong Yang aside and put a friendly arm around Rong Taotao's shoulders. "From now on, you'll call me Teacher Yang at school. In private, you can call me 'sister'."
Rong Taotao tilted his head up, looking curiously at the gentle, beautiful Yang Chunxi. "What kind of sister? My sister, or my brother's 'sister'?"
Yang Chunxi's face flushed slightly, but she answered frankly, "Mm, your brother and I are dating."
'Just as I thought!'
Rong Taotao nodded to himself. They had been so close the entire time without trying to hide it at all. He had already pretty much figured it out.
"So... Sister-in-law?" Rong Taotao asked, blinking.
Seeing Rong Taotao's curious expression, Yang Chunxi finally couldn't resist and made her move!
Her slender Jade Hand slowly rose and finally landed on Rong Taotao's head.
The truth was, from the first moment Yang Chunxi saw Rong Taotao, she had been dying to ruffle his naturally curly hair!
Finally!
She got to touch it!
'Tsk... So satisfying!'
"Wait until we're officially married to call her that," Rong Yang said from the side.
Rong Taotao pulled his head away from Yang Chunxi's hand and looked at Rong Yang. "When did you two get together?"
Rong Yang said, "A year ago."
'Whoa, you damn dog!!'
Rong Taotao completely lost it!
He pointed a finger at Rong Yang and yelled, "Weren't you too busy with work!? You have time for a girlfriend, but no time to come home and see me!?"
"Actually..." Yang Chunxi suddenly spoke up to explain, "Your brother and I met through work."
Rong Taotao was speechless.
"Here, a first-meeting gift from your sister-in-law." Yang Chunxi took a square box out of her exquisite handbag and handed it to Rong Taotao.
In contrast to Rong Yang's "strictness," Yang Chunxi was much more open, readily calling herself "sister-in-law." It was clear she was very confident in their relationship and its future.
"What's this? A phone?" Rong Taotao took the box, looking it over. 'Daogu C8500?'
Yang Chunxi looked at Rong Taotao and said softly, "My number is already saved in it. Once you're enrolled, if you run into any trouble with your studies or just life in general, you can call me anytime."
"Bro! I've completely misunderstood you!" Rong Taotao suddenly exclaimed, turning to Rong Yang.
"Huh? How so?" Rong Yang asked, confused.
Rong Taotao said, "Dad sees me once every three years. You see me about once a year.
You knew nobody was looking after me, so you came up with a once-and-for-all solution, didn't you? You infiltrated the school and found me a teacher for a sister-in-law to watch over my studies and my life?"
Rong Yang scratched his head, his expression surprisingly similar to Rong Taotao's. "Er..."
Rong Taotao continued, "The girl isn't even part of the family yet, and you're already giving her assignments and shackling her with responsibilities. Are you even human?"
Yang Chunxi's expression was a little odd. The more time she spent with Rong Taotao, the more she realized this kid was a bit of a rascal...
'Looks like... school life in that world of ice and snow is going to be very interesting.'
...
Led by his brother and sister-in-law, Rong Taotao was treated to a huge barbecue feast, partly to celebrate their reunion and partly to celebrate his awakening of six Soul Slots.
After the feast, Rong Taotao, who was basking in his family's affection, got a haircut with the two of them. The sides were trimmed short, but he kept the natural curls on top, making him look much more handsome.
It wasn't until the afternoon that the three of them finally headed home.
Back on the 17th floor, back to opening the fire hydrant box, Rong Taotao took out the key with practiced ease. As he unlocked the door, he chatted with Yang Chunxi, "Do you know his real name?"
Yang Chunxi and Rong Taotao had been chatting the whole way. "Bribed" by the barbecue feast, their relationship had rapidly grown closer. Yang Chunxi had grown very fond of the cheerful, mischievous boy.
'Then again... it was probably more a case of "love me, love my dog."'
Hearing Rong Taotao's question, Yang Chunxi paused, surprised. "Isn't his name Rong Yang?"
Rong Taotao opened the door and, while changing into his slippers, said, "Oh, it used to be Rong Yang. But ever since I was born, his name has been changed to Rong Yangyang."
"Oh?" Yang Chunxi turned to Rong Yang with a smile. "You never told me that."
"Haha," Rong Yang said with an apologetic smile. "I was just Rong Yang until I was eight. I was so used to it that I never really stopped using it. After Taotao was born, my mother wanted to give us names that were connected.
She found the lines 'A gentleman is happy and cheerful (Taotao)' and 'A gentleman is bright and radiant (Yangyang)' in the Book of Odes. So she named my brother Rong Taotao and, at the same time, added another 'Yang' to the end of my name."
Yang Chunxi asked, "So what do the names mean?"
Rong Taotao had already gone into the kitchen to boil some water. "She probably just wanted us to be happy," he called back.
As he said this, Rong Taotao poked his head out of the kitchen and looked at Rong Yang. "Are you happy?"
Faced with such a simple yet soul-piercing question, Rong Yang found himself unable to answer.
Yang Chunxi understood perfectly well that this was no ordinary family. Theirs was a story of life-and-death separation.
Right now, everything Rong Taotao knew about his mother came from his middle school history textbooks or bits of information online. But the reality was...
If Rong Taotao knew the full story of his mother, he likely wouldn't be acting the way he was now.
It wasn't that the history textbooks were wrong, just that they didn't tell the whole story.
The nature of Rong Yang's work, however, had clearly given him access to the "full story," but it was obvious he had never explained any of it to his little brother.
Yang Chunxi also understood that Rong Taotao's resolute decision to take the assessment for Pine Soul Soul Martial University's Junior Class was most likely influenced by factors related to his mother.
She had no idea how he would react in the future, when he finally met his mother and learned the truth.
At this thought, Yang Chunxi pursed her lips and changed the subject. "Your brother only has one day of leave; he has to go back soon. I'll take care of your enrollment procedures. Tomorrow, you'll head north with me to Pine Soul Soul Martial."
Rong Taotao came into the living room carrying a kettle of hot water and two cups. He placed the cups on the coffee table and, as he poured water for them, teased, "You're that certain I can get into Pine Soul Soul Martial? That's a First Class institution, you know."
Rong Taotao acted as if he hadn't heard the news about Rong Yang leaving so soon.
It wasn't that he hadn't heard. He was just... used to it.
They'd had barbecue, he'd gotten a haircut, and Rong Yang had even been there in the corner, sharing the experience of his awakening ceremony...
It was enough.
For Rong Taotao, it was truly enough.
Although Rong Taotao's words were full of Yin-Yang Strange Qi and he hadn't held back in teasing Rong Yang, deep down, he was already completely content.
He wasn't a greedy person.
There's an old saying in Huaxia: children from poor families learn to be independent early.
Rong Taotao's family wasn't poor, but they were never around. Having lived alone for so many years, he seemed more mature than other kids his age.
Of course, the two years of harsh discipline from his Devil Master had something to do with it.
A dutiful son is born from the end of a rod, after all...
What do you do when a kid just won't listen and doesn't know any better?
IT'S! BECAUSE! YOU! HAVEN'T! F*CKING! BEATEN! THEM! ENOUGH!
Yang Chunxi watched Rong Taotao, her voice full of laughter. "Of course. I'm certain you'll get into Pine Soul Soul Martial University. After all, you're..."
She trailed off, reaching out to take the cup of hot water from him. The implication was obvious.
"Makes sense!" Rong Taotao said, placing the other cup in front of Rong Yang. "I'm Yang Chunxi's uncle, after all!"
Yang Chunxi, who was holding the cup to her lips and blowing on the water, froze when she heard that. "Hm?"
Rong Taotao grinned. "From now on, we'll use the ancient terms of address! I'll call you Sister-in-Law, and you'll call me Uncle!"
'Tsk, tsk... Now that's the stuff!'
'Once I get to Pine Soul Soul Martial,'
'if my sister-in-law treats me as inhumanely as my Devil Master did...'
'I'll change my name to Rong the Cowardly right in her face!'
Thinking this, Rong Taotao subconsciously reached out and touched his butt.
'HOLY SH*T! NO!'
'This feels way too real!'
'My name is already Rong the Coward!'