A-Zhao thought to herself that a child starved of affection was just like this—so easily satisfied just by being given a little warmth.
She coaxed him, "That's only because you haven't been going out and haven't had the chance to meet more people."
Xiao Yan refused to listen to her words, stubbornly repeating, "There is no one in the world better than Teacher."
Even if there were, it wouldn't be this person right in front of him.
With no other choice, A-Zhao had to go along with him: "All right, all right, then will you let go of Teacher first?"
This time Xiao Yan didn't say anything, obediently releasing A-Zhao.
A-Zhao put away the medicine in her hand and said, "Now, come with me to the study."
She hadn't forgotten her primary duty, after all.
Actually, in A-Zhao's opinion, Xiao Yan really ought to go to school; the role a school plays for a student goes far beyond simply imparting knowledge.
That is something no private tutor, no matter how excellent, can ever replace.
But leaving aside the situation of the Xiao Family, Xiao Yan's own current condition made it rather unsuitable for him to go to school.
She could only do her best to teach him everything she knew.
Fortunately, although the System was pretty useless in many aspects, things like knowledge and skills could be directly instilled right into A-Zhao's mind.
Not knowing Xiao Yan's academic progress, A-Zhao could only start by giving him a few test papers to complete.
Very quickly, she discovered that Xiao Yan's foundations were truly abyssal.
She would have to re-teach him pretty much everything starting from middle school.
"Teacher, I'm sorry. Am I really that useless?" Xiao Yan sat in his seat, his face pale, looking at A-Zhao with a very anxious expression.
A-Zhao remembered that he had been sent away to live here alone at the age of ten; it was only natural that he didn't know anything.
She shook her head, "No, we can take it step by step."
She was not a woman who would be easily defeated by such a small setback!
As if feeling profoundly insecure, Xiao Yan suddenly reached out and grabbed A-Zhao's hand: "Teacher, please don't look down on me..."
A-Zhao sighed, thinking to herself that the male lead was undeniably far too fragile and sensitive.
She squeezed Xiao Yan's hand, "Don't let your imagination run wild, Teacher won't look down on you."
As if swearing an oath, Xiao Yan promised, "I will definitely study hard!"
A-Zhao couldn't help but pat his head: "Teacher believes in you."
Xiao Yan turned his head away and muttered, "Stop petting my head, it's like you're touching a little kid."
A-Zhao laughed in spite of herself: "Aren't you just a little kid?"
She hadn't taken the male lead's words very seriously, but as it turned out, Xiao Yan gave her a huge surprise.
He completely grasped whatever was taught the moment it was presented, almost never needing a second explanation.
A-Zhao looked at the male lead lowering his head to solve the problems, and sighed to the System: "If he hadn't been held back by that stepmother, the male lead probably would have earned a reputation as a genius long ago, wouldn't he?"
That being the case, how could that woman Zhao Li have the nerve to publicly claim that her stepson had intellectual disabilities?
She wondered just how impressive that so-called genius biological son of hers, Xiao Mo, could possibly be.
The System nodded vigorously in agreement: "He is the male lead, after all; how could he not be exceptional!"
A-Zhao felt that what the System said made a lot of sense.
Right at that moment, Xiao Yan finished the exercises in his hand and looked over toward her.
Without any surprise, it was another all-correct score.
A-Zhao couldn't resist praising him: "Xiao Yan, you really are a genius!"
Xiao Yan lowered his head, looking somewhat embarrassed.
He chuckled inwardly; having spent six years stuck in this place, how could he possibly have spent every day just sitting in his room staring into space?
He had already known all of these things to begin with.
It was just that she looked so happy because of it.
Seeing her bright, sparkling eyes as she praised him, Xiao Yan had to admit that he found it deeply pleasing.
Since that was the case, he might as well just keep playing the part.