Chang'an, Restless and Uneasy

Fang Chang'an shook his head. "I rarely nap at noon."
Cheng Mengfei glanced at Shen Chengyan, who also shook his head. She checked the time and said, "Then call us in half an hour."

Soon, only Fang Chang'an and Shen Chengyan were left in the study, one reading a book, the other working on the computer. The tea had cooled, and Fang Chang'an took a couple of sips, then glanced at the computer screen and asked, "Uncle Shen, is that the stock market?"

"Yes," Shen Chengyan nodded. It was the weekend, so the market was closed; he was reading stock analysis articles.

Seeing that Shen Chengyan didn't mind, Fang Chang'an stole a glance at the screen and spotted an analysis of Guizhou Moutai. Unlike his impression, the article's author wasn't optimistic about this stock.

"Moutai's not good?" he asked again.

Shen Chengyan was a bit surprised that Fang Chang'an showed interest in stocks, but after that astonishing remark earlier, he didn't feel annoyed or impatient. "Good or not, it's been dropping lately."

He sighed, reached for a pack of cigarettes from the keyboard drawer, glanced at Fang Chang'an, and put it back. "I actually think it's good. I bought more than thirty thousand yuan worth. Bought it at thirty-six, now it's down to twenty-one, lost over ten thousand already."

After saying this, Shen Chengyan expected Fang Chang'an to be shocked by the amount, but he heard no reaction for a while. Turning his head, he saw Fang Chang'an deep in thought.

Shen Chengyan found it odd and was about to ask when Fang Chang'an spoke first, "Uncle Shen, why do you think Moutai's promising?"

"I like drinking it," Shen Chengyan replied matter-of-factly. Seeing Fang Chang'an's mouth twitch with a slightly strange expression, he grew more curious. "What's wrong?"

Fang Chang'an shook his head. "Nothing. I just don't get why grown-ups like drinking. My dad loves it, too."

Shen Chengyan laughed. "You'll understand when you're older... Though drinking is nothing to be encouraged; best to drink as little as possible."

Fang Chang'an nodded, then said, "Uncle Shen, could you teach me about stocks? I'm quite curious."

Shen Chengyan, bored and a bit troubled, didn't mind the kid's interest and began, "Stocks, simply put, are like partnering in business. Say you invest a hundred, I put in ten; when we make profit, I get a tenth..."

His explanation was rambling and amateurish. Fang Chang'an secretly made a face, all the while wondering, if he didn't intervene, whether his past self had ever sold those stocks.

After a lengthy talk, Shen Chengyan asked, "Did you get it?"

Fang Chang'an nodded. "I got some of it—it's about having a good eye for things."

Shen Chengyan praised him, "Exactly, although that's not always enough. There are tricks and insider stuff... But you're still young, no need to worry about it. Knowing this is enough."

After talking so much, he got thirsty, gulped down his tea and spat out a couple of tea leaves.

Fang Chang'an said nothing more, returning to his book, while Shen Chengyan busied himself with browsing articles.

Fang Chang'an glanced over; still stock analyses. He thought: If you keep reading, you might really get fooled.

He knew little about the stock market in this era, but coincidentally, Moutai was the only one he recognized—someone at a dinner had bragged about it, saying in 2003 it plunged to its worst, twenty yuan a share!

And at that dinner, Moutai was over seventeen hundred yuan a share! If you bought it in 2003 and held it until then, not counting dividends, it'd have multiplied over eighty times!

If Shen Chengyan could keep those thirty thousand yuan worth of stock until then, it'd be over two million, even factoring in inflation, a huge profit!

Near two o'clock, Fang Chang'an reminded Shen Chengyan, then went to wake Cheng Mengfei and Shen Mo. Fang Chang'an also went downstairs to the communal bathroom to wash his face.

When he came back up, he found Shen Mo sitting on the sofa in the small living room, staring blankly. Just awake, her hair was loose, draped casually over her shoulders. Her fair, translucent cheeks were still dotted with water, clearly just washed, but she remained drowsy, blinking at Fang Chang'an, rubbing her eyes, and asking in a soft, tender voice, "Fang Chang'an? Why are you at my house?"

Fang Chang'an chuckled. "Take a guess."

"Annoying."

The little girl wrinkled her nose and pouted, looking adorably silly. She flopped onto the sofa, then sat up again, glancing around, then said, "Oh, it's not my house."

"Mo Mo, come here and tie your hair up," Cheng Mengfei called from the bedroom.

"Okay."

Shen Mo replied and went into the bedroom. Fang Chang'an returned to the study, grabbed a book by Lu Xun and another called "Fortress Besieged", and came out again. Cheng Mengfei was just pushing Shen Mo out, her hair now neatly tied.

"I have no classes this afternoon, so I won't go. Let uncle take you two to school."

Cheng Mengfei glanced at the books in Fang Chang'an's hands and reminded him, "No reading outside material during class, understood?"

She saw them downstairs. Shen Chengyan was already waiting there, though she wasn't sure when he arrived. As they were about to leave, the housekeeper, hearing the commotion, came over with a plastic bag and handed it to Cheng Mengfei.

Cheng Mengfei first asked Shen Mo, "Mo Mo, do you want some milk?"

Shen Mo thought for a second, then nodded. Cheng Mengfei took out a carton of milk from the bag and handed it to her, then passed the bag to Fang Chang'an. "There's nothing special at the teacher's house, just take some snacks."

Fang Chang'an hesitated, then accepted it and said softly, "Thank you, Teacher Cheng."

Cheng Mengfei smiled, rubbing his head. "Alright, I'm not seeing you off. You'll come again anyway. There are only two people at the teacher's home, it's usually quiet, and those books just sit there unread. Whenever you're done, bring them back, don't worry about being a bother. First time here, you're a guest—next time, you'll get no such treatment."

"Okay!" Fang Chang'an nodded energetically and thanked her again.

Cheng Mengfei smiled, patting his head. "Alright, off you go."

Fang Chang'an nodded, got in the car with Shen Mo, lowered the window and waved at Cheng Mengfei. Only after the car left the yard did he raise the window.

In later years, an entrepreneur with an annual income barely reaching a million, not even considered a real business owner, yet the experiences from childhood had forged in Fang Chang'an a mind stronger and calmer than most adults.

After his rebirth, constrained by a child's body and unwilling to accept his circumstances, whether in thought or action, he was purposeful and pragmatic.

His interactions with Cheng Mengfei and Shen Mo were no exception.

Yet at this moment, he felt genuine gratitude, and even a touch of shame.

It wasn't due to today's invitation, nor the contents of the bag, but her final words.

No matter what Cheng Mengfei said or didn't say today, Fang Chang'an would certainly find opportunities to visit her home in the future. But her last words were truly meant to safeguard a poor boy's sensitive heart and fragile pride.

Given her environment, and from the perspective of a teacher and adult towards a twelve-year-old student, it was exceptionally rare.

From this angle, it confirmed Fang Chang'an's impression of her.

She might not be a teacher of high academic ability, but she undoubtedly tried to be a good teacher. At least to Fang Chang'an, and to classmates who'd discussed such topics with him, her reputation was that of a good teacher.