Chapter 1026: How Score Did I Get?
Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Su Li simply could not accept the idea of losing his mother. He had always remembered what people whispered–that his father was far older than his mother, that his father was constantly buried in work, and that his mother, so stunningly beautiful, would inevitably attract attention.

As their son, it was his duty–no, his mission–to safeguard the sanctity of their family’s happiness. He would be vigilant, always on guard, keeping an eye on any man who dared approach his mother with ulterior motives.

After delivering his statement, Su Li fixed Su Shen with an intense, almost glacial stare. He was convinced that his father must have neglected his mother, providing an opening for some opportunistic interloper to swoop in.

Su Shen studied his son’s expression and found it rather amusing. Of all his children, Su Li was usually the most carefree, the least serious. Yet the moment anything involved Gu Zi, he transformed into a little guardian with steely determination. There was a distinct flicker of Su Bing’s cold ruthlessness in his eyes, a testament to just how much Gu Zi meant to him.

After a pause, Su Shen said in a deep, measured tone, “Stop overthinking things. If your mother has been on the phone, it’s obviously for something important. Now go to bed.”

Su Li nodded but turned away with a look that was downright intriguing, as if to say: I’ve warned you. If you don’t take this seriously, don’t come crying to me when you lose your wife.

Su Shen, unwilling to entertain his son’s dramatics, simply shook his head and headed upstairs to the master bedroom.

As soon as he entered, he was greeted by the soft, melodic humming of a familiar tune. The sound was light, sweet, and–most unusually–brimming with delight. Intrigued, he stepped forward and saw Gu Zi at her vanity, fresh from a shower, wrapped in a silk robe as she carefully tended to her skin.

The sight triggered a memory of what Su Li had just said, making Su Shen uneasy. Tonight, Gu Zi seemed unusually happy. Who had called her? The Lin family?

No, that didn’t make sense. If it had been the Lin family, Su Li wouldn’t have been suspicious. But no matter how hard Su Shen racked his brain, he couldn’t think of anyone who would call Gu Zi and put her in such a buoyant mood.

Curiosity gnawed at him until he finally relented. “Honey,” he asked, his tone casual but probing, “someone called you tonight?”

Gu Zi turned to him, slightly surprised. “I was just about to tell you! How did you know?”

“Su Li mentioned it,” Su Shen admitted. “He said someone called and you spoke for quite a while.”

Gu Zi chuckled. “That little rascal! I told him to go to bed ages ago. Turns out he was eavesdropping. But since it’s the holidays, I suppose I’ll let it slide. It was a call from the education bureau and my principal. Darling, take a guess–what do you think my score was?”

The moment she mentioned test scores, Su Shen immediately relaxed.

So that was it. His second-born was just being overly sensitive.

He smiled, already confident in his answer. “It wouldn’t be below 680.”

Gu Zi huffed, unimpressed. “Ugh, who guesses so accurately? You’ve completely ruined my excitement! It was 688.”

Su Shen pulled her into his arms, laughing. “Didn’t you aim for Imperial Capital University? I looked up their admission cutoffs over the past ten years. I knew you’d score higher than their threshold. That’s why I guessed the way I did.”

Gu Zi blinked, momentarily taken aback. This older man had actually gone out of his way to research admission trends for her? The realization made her annoyance fade.

“You guessed correctly,” she admitted, “but that doesn’t mean you get out of giving me a gift. So, tell me–what’s my reward?”

Su Shen, of course, had already planned for this. How could he not? He gazed at her tenderly and said, “Anything you want. Just tell me, and I’ll make it happen.”

Gu Zi had no doubts about his generosity–Su Shen had always been extravagant when it came to her. Yet his calm, almost matter-of-fact response dulled her excitement slightly. He was always so composed, so unshakable. Was there anything that could truly stir him anymore? Feeling a little deflated, she nodded. “I’ll think about it and let you know.”

Su Shen gently guided her to bed. “Tomorrow, make sure to call the family and share the good news. They’ll be over the moon. Now sleep–I’ll drive you to school in the morning.”

Gu Zi obediently agreed. She needed a good night’s rest. Tomorrow, she would be the brightest star on campus, all dressed up for the newspaper feature.

She drifted off quickly, her mind filled with visions of her triumphant entrance at school. Su Shen, on the other hand, found himself unable to sleep. Careful not to wake her, he quietly slipped out of bed and went downstairs.

The clock read just past nine. He sat alone for a moment, then picked up his phone.

“Huo Jing, I won’t be able to make it to your grandfather’s birthday banquet. My wife just scored 688 on her exams–she’s the provincial top scorer. I need to focus on preparing her reward.”

A moment later, he dialed another number. “Jin Long, my wife’s results are in. It’s time to start planning her celebratory banquet. Upgrade the scale–we’re talking about a 688 score. She’s got Imperial Capital University in the bag.”

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