SABA Chapter 4

Jiang Tiao spent two days finally clarifying his current academic situation, which could only be described in four words: a complete mess!

He had failed six courses last semester, including Advanced Mathematics, which he had taken three times.

How could I be so bad at this?

Jiang Tiao could hardly imagine it!

But fortunately, there were make-up exams after school started in September. Jiang Tiao roughly flipped through the textbooks, had a general idea, and felt that passing them wouldn’t be particularly difficult.

These past few days, he followed Huo Shen to the company during the day. Huo Shen worked, and he reviewed beside him. They ate lunch and dinner together, played games together at night, and occasionally went for walks. In short, he was living a very comfortable life.

…

This day, right after breakfast, he received an overseas video call from his dear mother and father.

It was evening on their end, and the brilliant red sunset filled the entire sky, looking incredibly beautiful. They were likely in a park. Jiang’s mother, dressed in Xiao Xiang style, sat gently on a park bench, while Jiang’s father held the phone for her.

“Wow wow wow wow, Mommy, you’re still so beautiful, truly our family’s little fairy!”

Jiang’s mother chuckled. As she laughed, she suddenly tilted her head to the side for a while.

“What’s wrong? What’s wrong?” Jiang Tiao saw the camera shake a few times and then both of them disappeared from view. He thought something had happened and was extremely anxious, wishing he could jump through the screen.

After a while, Jiang’s father straightened the phone again, and everything seemed normal.

Except…

“Fairy, why are your eyes red?”

Jiang’s mother said softly, “It was windy just now, and sand got into my eyes. Your father blew it out for me.”

“Oh oh oh, Mommy, you’re not feeling well. If it’s windy, go inside early and don’t stay outside.”

Jiang’s mother: “Got it. I’ll go in later. How are you? I heard you fell?”

“Isn’t that the truth? I’m so unlucky. I ran into fans picking up celebrities, and I don’t know who hit me with their DSLR camera,” Jiang Tiao pouted, sounding very wronged. “I wanted to call you two days ago, but Brother said you were busy and insisted I shouldn’t disturb you.”

Jiang’s mother: “I’ll call him later. Our little treasure should tell us when something’s wrong. What could be more important than you?”

Jiang Tiao grinned, his mouth stretching all the way to his ears.

“When will you be busy until?”

Jiang’s mother hesitated. Jiang’s father, who had been silent, spoke up, “Currently, the time is still uncertain. It might be another month or two.”

Jiang’s father commanded respect and was never defied outside, but in front of his wife and younger son, he always yielded.

Jiang Tiao: “Oh, then can I come over to visit you for a few days? I’m on summer break now and don’t have anything to do. Plus, I miss you a little.”

Jiang’s father and mother were silent for a while, seemingly making a difficult decision. “Your father and I miss you very much too. However, there are quite a few things here, and it wouldn’t be convenient for you to come. We’ll be back in two months. We’ll finish handling things here as soon as possible.”

“Okay,” Jiang Tiao obediently rested his chin on the table, watching the people strolling back and forth on Jiang’s father and mother’s side, and casually asked, “Are you near a hospital?”

Jiang’s mother’s smile showed a hint of unnaturalness, but she quickly covered it up. “Why do you ask?”

Jiang Tiao: “I see quite a few people in hospital gowns among those walking around.”

Jiang’s mother: “Perhaps. We just finished a meeting and were about to go eat. When we heard about you, we immediately found a place to call you.”

Jiang Tiao had never doubted his family’s words. Hearing this, he immediately became happy.

The three chatted casually about their recent lives. Jiang Tiao and Jiang’s mother did most of the talking, with Jiang’s father occasionally offering his opinion, only to be met with unanimous opposition from both of them. It wasn’t until Jiang Tiao noticed a hint of fatigue on his mother’s face that he busily urged her to hang up, albeit reluctantly.

After hanging up the call, Jiang Tiao was in a very good mood. He wanted to share it with Huo Shen, but worried about disturbing Huo Shen’s meeting. After some thought, he sent a few spinning emoji packs in the group chat titled “Jiang Chi’s Brain is Finally Better!”

Chu Yanhao replied the fastest, making one suspect he held his phone 24 hours a day.

[What’s wrong? You’re so happy even when you’re being blackmailed?]

Invincible Cute Baby Tiao: [????]

Invincible Cute Baby Tiao: [What being blackmailed?]

Chu Yanhao forwarded a link to the top trending post on the Bean Gossip Group.

[Internal Scoop: JT, a guest in Extreme Escape Room, is suspected of being replaced.]

“Extreme Escape Room” seemed to be a popular small variety show in recent years, said to be a highly combined effort of escape room and script murder mystery.

But what did that have to do with him? Jiang Tiao clicked on the post.

[Great news!]

[Is it true? If it is, I’ll set off a hundred fireworks tonight to celebrate.]

OP: [It’s probably true. The news came from a friend in the production team. They are currently looking for a new guest on short notice.]

[Terrible acting, workplace bullying, disrespecting women, and forcibly piggybacking on CX’s popularity. How can such a person still appear on shows and not be banned?]

…

Perhaps to avoid lawyer’s letters, the Bean Gossip Group used abbreviations frequently. But the entertainment industry changed too quickly. Jiang Tiao had been away for four years, and he had been focused on his studies these past few days, so he didn’t understand what they were talking about at all.

Invincible Cute Baby Tiao: [@Chu Yanhao, who is JT?]

Chu Yanhao: [?]

Chu Yanhao: [Are you kidding me?]

Chu Yanhao: [JT = Jiang Tiao]

Invincible Cute Baby Tiao: [?????????]

[Are you kidding me?!]

[You mean I spent these four years not doing anything important and went into the entertainment industry??]

Chu Yanhao: [Oh my god, have you not been online since you were discharged from the hospital?]

Chu Yanhao: [You even acted in two dramas.]

Chu Yanhao sent two stills.

One was from the Republican era, and the other was modern. They were passable. Jiang Tiao felt they were acceptable.

Invincible Cute Baby Tiao: [So I’m a very popular big star now?]

Invincible Cute Baby Tiao: [Then why is no one asking me for autographs when I go out these days?]

Chu Yanhao: [………]

Chu Yanhao: [Hehehehehehe]

Chu Yanhao’s reaction made Jiang Tiao feel that something was very wrong. He opened the Big Eye Software and typed in his name.

“Jiang Tiao Cut Version” [Explosive]

“Jiang Tiao Scum” [Hot]

“Jiang Tiao Awful” [Hot]

“Jiang Tiao Bullying” [Explosive]

“Jiang Tiao Selling Bromance” [Hot]

…..

Jiang Tiao plopped his phone onto the table as if it were a hot potato.

“Ding—”

Chu Yanhao: [Why are you not smiling anymore?]

Chu Yanhao: [Is it in your nature not to smile?]

…