Xiao Chong buried his head in eating, and his grandfather on the side gave him more food from time to time.
"Eat more, now is the time to grow, so eat more meat and vegetables."
"These prawns are good, very fresh. Here are two more!"
"Xiao Chong, why don't you eat the big crab? Your sister has already eaten three of them, but I can't eat all of your portion. Hurry! Eat too!"
Cheng Huanchong knew that he "annoyed" his parents, so he was very obedient and ate quietly.
Xue Ling urged: "It's already seven o'clock. Let's eat quickly. I'll send Xiaoxin to play chess later, so I have to get in early."
"That's right!" Dad Xue reminded: "It starts on time at eight o'clock. Xiaoxin has to enter the venue at seven-thirty."
Cheng Tianyuan looked at his daughter with gentle eyes and whispered: "Have a good time, don't be nervous."
"Okay." Xiaoxin chuckled and said, "You can't shout 'come on'! People who go in to watch can't speak loudly, otherwise the security will chase you away."
"Don't worry, it won't happen." Xue Ling smiled and said, "Just do well, we will cheer you on in our hearts."
Everyone laughed.
Xiao Chong glanced at his sister and asked in a low voice: "Are you going to class tomorrow?"
"Of course!" Xiao Xin explained: "There is only one competition. If we can compete for the championship and runner-up, we have to compete next week. I will go back and go to bed early. I will still be in time for class tomorrow."
"Class is the most important thing." Cheng Tianyuan said solemnly: "The final exam will be in two weeks, so we must pay special attention to it."
Cheng Huanchong shrank his head and ate quietly.
Xue Ling couldn't help but said: "Xiao Chong, your grades in the midterm exam are not very satisfactory. You have to study hard for the final exam this time, and your grades cannot drop any further. You have just been promoted to the first grade of junior high school, so you must lay a good foundation."
"Oh." Cheng Huanchong responded in a low voice.
Cheng Tianyuan on the side said in a deep voice: "Don't think about it, it's impossible."
Xue Ling was slightly stunned and asked in a low voice: "What's wrong? Being behind for a while doesn't mean it will always be like this, right?"
Cheng Tianyuan took a deep breath and put down his chopsticks.
"His class teacher said that he has been addicted to comics every day recently. He reads comics in class and draws comics after class. He doesn't even complete the homework given by the teacher. How can he get good grades?"
comics?!
Xue Ling was a little stunned and turned to look at his youngest son.
"How...why did you become obsessed with comics? When did it happen?"
Cheng Huanchong buried his head and did not dare to answer.
Father Xue was also surprised and couldn't help but ask: "What's wrong? What painting? What thing? Xiao Chong wants to learn painting?"
Xiaoxin let out a long "Oh" and explained: "Third brother, there are dozens of comics in his room! He also bought a set of more than ten comics last week. They are all imported comics and they are very expensive!"
Cheng Tianyuan said in a deep voice: "What? Are you mute? Do you dare to do it or not?! Ah?"
Xiao Chong shrank his neck and whispered: "I... I like comics very much. I started buying them last year, and after reading them... I started drawing them myself. There was someone in the next class who had studied comics, and he learned it from a professional teacher.
I often go to him to learn."
"So you spend all the time in class painting?"
"...No." Xiao Chong whispered.
Xue's father quickly acted as a peacemaker and said warmly: "Okay, okay, let the child talk to you. Maybe he has any difficulties."
"The reason?!" Cheng Tianyuan sneered: "Is it possible that someone forced him to do this? He will be thirteen years old in two months and is no longer a kid. Doesn't he know that he is a student now and his main task now is
Studying? He doesn’t read well, his grades plummet, his mind is filled with those comics, and he doesn’t even attend class. I would like to ask him what his plans are. Will he drop out of school and work on that comic next?!"
Dad's sudden loud voice startled Xiao Chong!
His eyes turned slightly red and he whispered: "...No...it's definitely not."
Xue's father felt sorry for his child, but he also understood the importance and did not dare to dote on him too much.
"Xiao Chong, please explain it to your parents quickly. Grandpa knows that you still like to study, right? You are just confused for a moment, right? Come on, don't be sad, explain it to your parents clearly."
Cheng Huanchong shed tears and quickly wiped them away.
"I...I like comics very much. I want to learn comics and become a cartoonist in the future."
Xue Ling and Cheng Tianyuan looked at each other, feeling quite surprised.
Xiaoxin was also startled and asked: "Do you know what you are talking about? What is a cartoonist? A cartoonist?"
"Yes." Xiao Chong swallowed his saliva and whispered: "Ever since I first saw comics, I have been fascinated. I like comics so much that I don't think about food and drink. As long as you give me comics to read,
I can skip meals and sleep... That kind of love is an extreme love from the bottom of my heart. I know I still have to study now, but I... just can't control myself. I want to read comics, and I want to draw comics."
Cheng Tianyuan just rolled his eyes and asked: "As long as I give you comics, you can go without eating or sleeping? Really?! If you don't eat for two or three days, you will starve to death!"
Cheng Huanchong was startled and did not dare to say any more.
Xue's father secretly felt that something was wrong and quickly coaxed: "Xiao Chong, that comic book... you can't eat or drink it. The key is that it has seriously affected your study. You quickly apologize to your parents and say you won't read it in the future -
—”
"No!" Xiao Chong suddenly became excited and said with red eyes: "I love comics! I love them so much!"
Cheng Tianyuan said solemnly: "What is 'love'?! Is it possible that you want to drop out of school to engage in that stuff? Is anyone watching? Are there students like you?! You are so annoyed that you don't want to study, are you going to harm other people?"
Student?! You deserve a beating!"
Xiao Chong cried and twitched.
Xue Ling frowned, took out a tissue and handed it to him.
"You're a grown man now, not a child anymore. You can't just cry casually. You are only thirteen years old now. You should put your studies first and don't be careless. If you really like comics so much, your parents will allow you to do it after school.
Go ahead and study during the winter and summer vacations, but not now. The most important thing now is to improve your studies and do well in the final exam."
"Really?!" Cheng Huanchong looked at his mother in disbelief and glared: "Mom... you didn't lie to me? Can you really learn?"
Xue Ling nodded: "As long as you do well in the final exam, mom will help find a professional cartoonist to be your teacher and teach you. Mom always means what she says."
"Really?!" Xiao Chong stood up excitedly and took Xue Ling's hand: "Mom! I-I can really learn?!"
"Yes." Xue Ling said quietly: "The premise is that you study well. Next semester, try to be among the top ten in the class, and strive to be among the top five at the end of next semester. As long as your grades are good enough, you can use your pocket money to buy comics.
I’ll help you pay extra for studying comics. It’s almost the end of the term, so you should check for any gaps you missed and take the exam well. I’ll arrange for you to study with a professional cartoonist during the summer vacation.”
Xiao Chong thought about it seriously, then smiled and nodded, "Okay! I will study hard and take the exam well!"
Cheng Tianyuan glared at Xue Ling with complaints and confusion.
Xue Ling returned a "be calm and don't be impatient" look.
"Hey!" Dad Xue suddenly said: "It's almost 7:15! We'll talk about Xiao Chong later! We have to go to the stadium immediately, otherwise we won't be able to make it in time."