I Became the Eye Candy: Four Bigshots Claimed to be My Dad?-Chapter 61: Why Are You Always Being Ostracized

Sang Zhi, dressed in a small gray robe, was bent over and frantically picking up sheets of Xuan paper from the ground.

Ye Qianning frowned. ’Why is this kid getting bullied so badly every time I see him?’

She looked down at a sheet of Xuan paper that had drifted to her feet and bent to pick it up. The characters on it were neat, filling the page completely. Ye Qianning couldn’t read all the traditional characters, so she only got the general idea.

She then picked up another sheet. ’Huh, this one’s different.’

"The nation’s fortune," Zhan Chi remarked, picking up a sheet.

"He copied it?" Ye Qianning asked.

"Yes. To be able to copy out Beili’s ’Great Unity’ shows real patience. The calligraphy is powerful—it’s clear the Eighth Prince has practiced a great deal," Zhan Chi said admiringly.

"What’s the point of copying?" Ye Qianning said. ’Original insight is what’s actually useful.’

"You’re wrong about that. It’s not easy to understand the ’Great Unity.’ As the saying goes, diligence begets wisdom. By reading it over and over, one naturally becomes immersed in its principles, leading to limitless future potential." Zhan Chi had tried to read it during his school days, but he’d never been able to get into it.

"Just words on a page."

Ye Qianning walked over to the small boy.

Sang Zhi picked up the sheets one by one, carefully dusting them off before stowing them away. Suddenly, a shadow fell over him, and a stack of paper appeared in front of him. He froze for a moment and looked up.

It was mid-morning, with the sun high overhead. Ye Qianning was a fairly big child, and as she stood before him, she completely blocked out the sun.

Sang Zhi looked up. The person standing over him was backlit by the sun, so all he could see was a shadowed face with exceptionally bright eyes staring right at him.

Ye Qianning remained standing there, holding out the papers in her small hand. When he didn’t move to take them, she couldn’t help but press him, "What are you waiting for? Take them."

Sang Zhi finally snapped back to his senses, stood up, and took the papers. "Thank you."

"Why are people always picking on you?" Ye Qianning asked.

Sang Zhi said nothing.

"Silent again. Anyone who didn’t know better would think you were mute." ’This kid is way too introverted,’ Ye Qianning thought.

"Whose child are you? How dare you speak to the Eighth Prince like that?" a eunuch in plain clothes said as he rushed over.

"Mr. Li," Zhan Chi said, walking over to Ye Qianning’s side.

When Mr. Li saw him, he immediately understood. "Ah, it’s the young lady of the Zhan family. Please forgive my poor eyes."

"Er... yes." Zhan Chi glanced to the side. ’The chubby kid by his leg has her arms crossed. She really does look like a little tyrant.’

"Your Highness, we’ve gathered all your coursework. We should hurry, or the tutor will punish you for being late," Mr. Li said, turning to Sang Zhi.

"Mm," Sang Zhi nodded.

A young servant brought the carriage over, and Mr. Li helped Sang Zhi aboard.

Once inside, Sang Zhi lifted the curtain with his small hand to look at Ye Qianning.

Seeing him, Ye Qianning waved, her face breaking into a radiant smile.

A flicker of emotion crossed Sang Zhi’s face, but before Ye Qianning could get a good look, he had already dropped the curtain, and the carriage rolled past her.

"How do you know the Eighth Prince?" Zhan Chi asked.

"Last time at the Changyang Prince Mansion, the Seventh Prince was bullying him," Ye Qianning said with a sigh, shaking her head.

"The Seventh Prince’s mother has enjoyed the Emperor’s favor for many years, so of course the Eighth Prince can’t compare. You’re still young; you don’t understand these matters. Come on, let’s go get something to eat." Zhan Chi bent down and scooped Ye Qianning up.

"It just means a kid without a mom is like a weed," Ye Qianning huffed.

For once, Zhan Chi was silent. In the Capital City, a mother’s status depended on her son, and a son’s status depended on his mother. As long as one had the other, life wouldn’t be too difficult.

Without either, one’s noble status was just the final straw that would crush them.