Li Xuekai clenched his fists when he heard Mr. Li’s demeaning words. “I know that this project won’t work out, but the research itself is meaningful. At the very least, it can produce many important materials for future generations to use. Dad, don’t always talk about benefits.”


  Mr. Li sneered. “Fine, we won’t care about the benefits. Our family isn’t in need of your scientific research results. Let’s just talk about fame. Do you have no money or resources? Why do you have to work for that Xue Xi? Back then, the two of you were tied for first place in the Math Olympiad competition. How are you inferior to her?

  “You must have been bewitched by her beauty so you are willing to be a boot-licker, right? Even if such a project produces scientific research results, in the end, the name on it will not be yours! I really don’t understand why you put in so much effort. Is it for fame or for benefits?”


  Li Xuekai: “To make life meaningful!”


  Li Xuekai suddenly raised his head and his eyes turned red. “Dad, Mom, you guys made me study hard and nothing else since I was young. You guys forced me to do so many things that I don’t like just for fame and money. Let me ask you, are the examination results really that important? So what if I got the national first prize in the Mathematical Olympiad? What’s the use of merely studying for the exams? Now, I finally understand the true reason why I’m studying. It is my love for it! I love mathematics, not the exams!”


  Mr. Li found it ridiculous. “Such knowledge is only for the sake of earning money. I want you to study hard and become outstanding so that you can inherit the family business with a good education under your belt! Have you become dumb from all your studying? Do you really think that there’s treasure to be found in books?”


  Li Xuekai: “.……”


  He stared at his parents.

  The Li family was not a nouveau riche, but businessmen like them had the stench of copper. Mr. Li could not understand his thoughts at all.

  This was probably because of their generation gap.

  Li Xuekai did not speak. Mr. Li thought that Li Xuekai had been convinced by him, so he said, “How about this? What project do you want to do? You can find a topic to choose from. I’ll get the Li family to invest in you and let you prepare for a project. At the very least, if word gets out, our family will gain a lot of prestige! Anyway, I won’t stand for you working for others! This is the pride of the Li family at stake!”


  Just as Li Xuekai was about to retort, he heard an indifferent voice. “Who said that he’s working for someone else?”


  The three of them turned around and saw Xue Xi push open the door and walk in.

  When he saw Xue Xi, Li Xuekai’s eyes darkened and he felt embarrassed.

  Sister Xi actually heard those words.

  Too embarrassing.

  Mr. Li was stunned. “Who are you?”


  Xue Xi introduced herself. “Uncle, I’m Xue Xi.”


  Mr. Li instantly frowned and looked at Xue Xi in an unfriendly manner. “So you’re that Xue Xi who bewitched my son! Looking at your red hair, I can tell that you’re not a kind person. Li Xuekai, I’ll say this here today. Don’t even think about working for her unless you want to be thrown out of the Li family! If that’s your choice, you won’t get a single cent from the Li family again!”


  When Li Xuekai heard this, he took his bag without any hesitation. He took out a bank card and threw it on the table. “Alright, I won’t ask you for a single cent from now on!”


  Mrs. Li panicked and rushed forward to grab Li Xuekai. “Xuekai, what are you saying? You don’t even earn money now. If you don’t take the family’s money, how are you going to survive?!”


  Li Xuekai smiled bitterly. “Mom, I’m sorry.”


  Mrs. Li panicked when she heard this. She pounced at Xue Xi. “What kind of demoness are you? You bewitched my son into becoming like this! He has been obedient since he was young and has never disobeyed us!”


  Before she could rush over, Li Xuekai grabbed her. He grabbed Mrs. Li and said, “Mom! Don’t you understand? I didn’t become like this after meeting Sister Xi. I’ve been like this for a long time!”


  Mrs. Li was stunned.

  Li Xuekai slowly said, “You won’t let me play games and only made me read, but did you know? Since I was young, you’ve signed me up for the Mathematical Olympiad class, but I only attended Math, Physics, Chemistry, and English classes—I skipped all my other classes and went to play games! You didn’t let me drink or eat junk food, but what you don’t know is that I love to eat those! My appetite at home was reduced not because I was tired from studying but because I’d already eaten outside! Also, you insisted that I rely on Math to be number one. Mathematics is my interest and the only subject I persevere in, but I don’t want mathematics to become a tool for you to show off! So, in my second year, I deliberately broke my legs and fell sick to avoid being forced by you!”


  Li Xuekai’s every word stunned Mrs. Li.

  Mrs. Li looked at him in shock and disbelief.

  This was her precious son. In her impression, he was an obedient and elegant son. How could this be? How could this be?!

  Li Xuekai sneered. “I didn’t intend to do well during the third-year Math Olympiad examination, but I didn’t expect to meet someone like Sister Xi. It triggered my competitive spirit. It was also her who’d made me see that studying is not just for the sake of examinations. I was able to participate in the CMO and the IMO because of her! Because she made me feel that examinations are not such a bad thing!

  “Mom, it’s not that I’ve been bewitched and become bad, it’s that I’ve always been a bad kid!”


  “.……”


  Mrs. Li was stunned.