Genius is just the threshold for me!

It was a little after 7 p.m. at Lin Dong's house.

While looking at several cutting-edge scientific theories on his phone, Lin Dong picked up a piece of pure chicken thigh meat from his bowl, which was boneless and made into Kung Pao Chicken, and put it in his mouth.

Zhang Xiali, who had finished eating earlier, changed into a set of clothes with Lin Weiliang for a walk. Looking at Lin Dong, who was still eating, she pointed to the living room and gave him instructions.

"Xiao Dong, put the bowls and chopsticks on the table after you finish eating. Mom will wash them when she gets back."

"When you go there, remember to bring the two gifts from the living room table. They are your dad and I's birthday presents for Qingling."

"understood."

Lin Dong responded, glanced at the remaining dishes on the table, picked up the plate, grabbed his chopsticks, and started eating.

Since entering junior high school, his appetite has increased significantly. He usually eats at least two and a half bowls of rice, plus even more dishes than rice.

He eats more than Lin Weiliang and Zhang Xiali combined, so Zhang Xiali has to do twice as much grocery shopping and cooking every day.

"Try to use your phone less while eating."

Seeing Lin Dong eating straight from the plate, Zhang Xiali smiled gently and told him to play on his phone less, but didn't interfere much. She then invited Lin Weiliang and Lin Weiliang to go for a walk.

The robotic dogs are already being promoted, but because the training data has not yet been collected, they cannot be equipped to the army before the end of the year.

Lin Weiliang's studies are still demanding, but he no longer has to study as intensely as before. After meals, he can have some free time to go for a walk with Zhang Xiali.

Ten minutes later.

Lin Dong finished all the dishes, breathed a satisfied sigh of relief, took a tissue to wipe his mouth, and got up to collect all the dishes and chopsticks into the kitchen to wash them.

Although Zhang Xiali said to leave the bowls and chopsticks on the table after eating so she could wash them.

But unless he's particularly busy, Lin Dong will do some housework within his ability instead of expecting to be waited on hand and foot at home.

Ding-dong-

Around 8 PM, Li Tao sent me a message.

[Li Tao]: Lin Dong, you go to Xu Qingling's house. Zhang Yihao and I are going there now.

[Lin Dong]: Now past.

Lin Dong replied to a message, put his everyday cell phone in his pocket, picked up two gift boxes from the living room table, and without opening them, headed straight for Xu Qingling's house.

From fifth grade onwards, I noticed that he and Xu Qingling had a very good relationship.

From then on, whether it was his birthday or Xu Qingling's birthday, Zhang Xiali and Zhou Xiaoyan would each prepare two gifts.

However, for birthday events, they are only allowed to attend; the parents from both sides are completely estranged.

Even when the two families have free time, they often visit each other, chat, go out for morning tea, eat out, or go camping in the park.

Lin Dong roughly knew the reason behind this was etiquette and propriety.

But Xu Qingling didn't know that last month, on his birthday, he had asked Zhou Xiaoyan about it out of curiosity, and then he was given a lecture.

They said that the adults usually visit each other for chats, and that it's fine for the two families to have a get-together.

However, if it's a child's birthday and the adults aren't helping to throw a birthday party and invite guests, but rather the child is inviting a group of friends, then it's not appropriate for adults to attend.

When Lin Dong arrived at Xu Qingling's house, the living room was already decorated with balloons and ribbons.

Huang Qingyao was the first to jump out when she saw him coming, holding a pair of scissors and looking at him: "Lin Dong, you're not the first one to come and help!"

"You need my help to decorate with a dozen balloons and a few ribbons? Huang Qingyao, your practical skills as class monitor are lacking."

Lin Dong replied, then walked up to Xu Qingling, who was counting snacks and drinks, and handed her two gifts: "Here, these are my birthday presents. I brought them with me, and I also conveyed my message."

Xu Qingling looked up and saw that there were two gifts, so she knew they were from Zhang Xiali's side. A happy smile immediately appeared on her face.

"Find a seat yourself. Dad went to work overtime after dinner, and Mom is busy in the kitchen..."

Xu Qingling said something, took the gift box back to her room and put it away, then came out to continue her work.

Every year on her birthday, she would invite her friends, whether it was Lin Weiliang, Xu Ziming, or Huang Qingyao's father, Huang Xinhua, to celebrate.

They would consciously go to work overtime or go out for tea, leaving the space for the children and avoiding leaving all the children uncomfortably playing alone.

"Qingling, we're here!"

Just as Lin Dong sat down, Su Yue's excited shouts suddenly rang out from outside.

As soon as she finished speaking, Su Yue skipped in, her pigtails swaying, and placed a gift in front of Xu Qingling: "Happy Birthday!"

A short while later, Xia Ran, along with Li Tao, Zhang Yihao, Zhang Xuebin, and a few others, arrived one after another, each carrying a small, exquisite gift.

Xu Qingling thanked them one by one, accepted the gifts, placed them on the table next to her, and invited everyone to sit down.

"We can eat cake now."

Zhou Xiaoyan hadn't been involved in anything outside, but chatted for a while after everyone had arrived.

Then he came out and took out the cake he had ordered in advance from the refrigerator, and then brought out some taro milk tea that he had made himself.

"There's also taro milk tea, one cup per person, made by the auntie herself."

"Mom, one more cup, please."

Xu Qingling glanced at the table and saw that besides Zhou Xiaoyan herself, there were only eight cups of milk tea. She immediately waved and called out.

"it is good."

Zhou Xiaoyan found it a bit strange, but didn't ask why. She went into the kitchen to make another cup of milk tea and then took a DSLR camera to take pictures.

Xu Qingling took the milk tea and placed it in a separate empty spot.

At this moment, Huang Qingyao helped light the candles, Su Yue put the birthday hat on her head, and then excitedly turned off the lights.

"Make a wish! Make a wish! Blow out the candles, hurry up and cut the cake!"

"..."

Xu Qingling glanced at Lin Dong across from her, clasped her hands together, closed her eyes, and after a few seconds opened them, took a deep breath, and blew out the candle.

"Here comes the knife!"

Su Yue called out, turned on the light, and placed a cake knife in Xu Qingling's hand.

The serrated blade slices through the cream and cuts through the cake layers inside.

Xu Qingling first cut a piece and gave it to Zhou Xiaoyan, then cut another piece and placed it on Zhang Zihua's empty seat, followed by Lin Dong, Su Yue, Huang Qingyao and others, and kept the last piece for herself.

"Yay, we can eat now!"

After Su Yue and Xu Qingling finished distributing all the cake, they cheered, raising a milk tea in one hand and a cake in the other, shouting, "Brothers and sisters, cheers!"

"Cheers!"

Li Tao, Zhang Yihao, and others also raised their milk tea and cakes. Xu Qingling and Lin Dong exchanged a glance and smiled, then raised their cakes and milk teas as well.

Upon seeing this, Zhou Xiaoyan smiled and took several photos with her DSLR camera.

But when she examined the photos, her eyes paused as if she had discovered something.

He glanced at the seat everyone had reserved for Zhang Zihua, then looked at Xia Ran sitting next to him, and finally swept his gaze over Lin Dong and Xu Qingling...

Because I have class tomorrow, around 9 pm.

After finishing their cake and milk tea, the group of friends chatted for a while while snacking, then helped clean up the table and said their goodbyes.

"Aunt Zhou, your taro milk tea is so delicious!"

Before leaving, Su Yue held Zhou Xiaoyan's hand affectionately, her expression full of anticipation, and asked, "Can I come over often to enjoy some milk tea?"

"Then you can come every day."

Zhou Xiaoyan immediately smiled and said, "Auntie will make it for you every day."

"Oh, don't drink it every day, you'll gain weight. When you have time to make milk tea, just have Qingling call me."

Su Yue quickly shook her head, then happily let go of her hand and said, "Goodbye Auntie, goodbye Qingling."

Goodbye, take care.

Zhou Xiaoyan escorted everyone to the elevator lobby, then handed a bag to Lin Dong, saying, "Xiao Dong, there's a local specialty in here that your Uncle Xu sent from his hometown. Take it back for your parents to try."

"Thank you, Aunt Zhou."

Lin Dong nodded, took the bag without ceremony, exchanged a few glances with Xu Qingling, and then entered the elevator with Li Tao and the others.

Zhou Xiaoyan didn't rush back. She stood at the door watching everyone, and finally glanced at Xia Ran naturally. After the elevator doors closed, she said to Xu Qingling, "Go back now. You're another year older. Let's have a chat."

"it is good."

Xu Qingling nodded in confusion: "Mom, what do you want to talk about?"

"Let's save a cake and milk tea for Zihua today. Who came up with this idea?" Zhou Xiaoyan asked casually as she went inside.

"Lin Dong," Xu Qingling said with a smile.

"Great, Mom will send you this photo tomorrow. Have Xiaodong send one to Zihua."

A hint of relief appeared in Zhou Xiaoyan's eyes as she earnestly said, "You and Xiaodong, and all your friends, should try to take better care of Hua whenever you can..."

The more trapped a person is inside and the harder they struggle, the more they will fall. That's when they really need help from the outside.

You get along better with people your own age; you need to pull him back and prevent him from falling.

"Uh-huh."

Xu Qingling nodded: "Lin Dong has said similar things to me."

"That's good. If there are things you don't understand, you can listen to Xiao Dong more."

Zhou Xiaoyan nodded, then casually asked, "That Xia Ran, the one who's in the same class as you and Xiao Dong, the one you said was more talented than you, the new family member of Chengfei? This is the first time I've met her, she's quite pretty."

"Um."

Xu Qingling paused for a moment, then nodded and said, "It's her."

"Judging from the way Mom looked at her just now, she seemed to be paying more attention to you and Xiaodong..." Zhou Xiaoyan noticed the pause in Xu Qingling's tone and suddenly said, "Is she about to encounter a love rival?"

"Mother!"

Xu Qingling immediately snapped at him, her face turning bright red to her ears.

"Looks like Mom was right."

Zhou Xiaoyan patted Xu Qingling's head: "You're thirteen years old, and you still can't hide your thoughts. What are we going to do? Let me tell you, don't compare yourself to others. Just be yourself."

People are afraid of comparison; once they start comparing, they lose themselves.

Similarly, don't be jealous or feel inferior because others are talented; these feelings will cloud your judgment.

What you consider someone else's extraordinary talent might be worthless in Xiao Dong's eyes...

Okay, let me give you an analogy.

Let's say your talent makes you a millionaire with a hundred dollars, Xia Ran makes you a millionaire with a hundred and twenty dollars, then Xiao Dong is a multi-millionaire...

The twenty yuan difference in talent that you care about is not even enough for half a day's interest in Xiao Dong's eyes; it's not a plus at all.

"I have a hundred dollars, Lin Dong has tens of millions..."

Xu Qingling's eyes widened suddenly: "Mom, do you really think I'm that bad?"

"It might not even be a hundred yuan." Zhou Xiaoyan nodded with a smile.

"Mother!"

Xu Qingling persisted, but after a moment of coaxing, she nodded earnestly, "Mom, I understand. I'll be myself and not compare myself to others..."

"Yes, that's great."

Zhou Xiaoyan, transforming into a kindergarten teacher, praised him and said with a smile, "Go take a shower and go to bed. You have school tomorrow..."