"Of course!"
After Li William agreed, he started talking nonsense seriously, saying, "In my opinion, to study well, the main thing you need is hard work. There are no stupid children in the world, only children who don't work hard!"
"For example, I am not very talented, but why can I get the first place in the school? Because in addition to studying at school, I also study during holidays!"
"Every morning after getting up, washing, dressing, and eating breakfast, I start studying until lunchtime!"
"After lunch, I don't rest, but continue to study until dinnertime, and continue to study after dinner until ten o'clock at night, take a shower, and then go to bed, and continue the same routine the next day!"
"Over time, my grades have gradually improved!"
Upon hearing this, Mary, who was listening nearby, couldn't help but twitch the corners of her mouth. Do you even listen to what you're saying? She thought to herself. Wasn't it just yesterday that she saw William spending his holiday morning strolling around and coming back only at mealtime? The idea of him studying non-stop was far from reality.
"But wouldn't you feel tired if you did that?" Molly asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.
"Of course I'm tired!" William Li responded earnestly. "But I've heard an old saying from Longguo before: to win at the starting line."
"What does it mean? It means that life is like running, and by studying hard, you can make your starting line farther ahead, closer to the finish line. When you run, you can be a step ahead of others!"
"In addition, there's an old saying in Longguo, 'the early bird catches the worm.' It means that if a person is not that smart, then they should work harder than the smart people. Only in this way can they catch up with those who are naturally talented!"
"So, yes, I do feel tired now, but I know that this tiredness will bring future ease. If I don't work hard now, I will fall behind others in the future!"
"Also, according to the research of scientists in Yingguo, when we are children, our brains are the most capable of learning. This is the time we should learn. If we don't make good use of it now, it will be much harder later on!"
"Oh!" Molly nodded, her expression thoughtful as she looked at Ron. The early bird catches the worm? she thought. Isn't my Ron a little foolish sometimes? She frowned at the idea, clearly considering William's advice.
Seeing this, a subtle smile crossed William's face—the fish had bitten the bait.
But he wasn't done yet. His gaze shifted to Ginny, who sat quietly at the table. He had a second fish to catch.
Changing his tone, William continued, "And don't think I'm the hardest worker. There's someone in our neighborhood who works even harder than I do!"
"What!? There's someone even more hardworking?" Molly asked, surprised.
William nodded, looking sincere. "The girl next door is the same age as me. She wakes up at eight every morning to study and doesn't rest until one in the morning!"
"Hiss!" Molly drew in a breath. Is this level of effort something a six-year-old can endure? she thought. And why would someone so young put in such a strenuous effort?
"Why does a six-year-old girl need to work so hard?" Molly asked, genuinely curious.
"Yes, I wondered the same thing!" William Li replied, keeping his expression innocent. "So I asked her, and she told me that girls have it harder in the workplace, in society, and even in the family. It's much tougher for them to live well compared to boys."
"So, as a girl, she has to study harder and enrich herself. Only by being better than the boys can she ensure she'll do well in her job, society, and family in the future!"
(Hermione: I didn't say these words, no!!!)
As a woman herself, Molly heard these words and thought about her own life. She couldn't help but nod in agreement. Then, she looked at Ginny, her eyes filled with consideration. It was clear she had made a decision regarding her daughter.
But before she could say anything further, Molly caught sight of Ron from the corner of her eye and suddenly seemed to remember something. She looked at William and asked, "But what if someone isn't talented and has trouble understanding things, no matter how much they try?"
"That's easy!" William Li grinned. "I often come across questions I don't understand, and the solution is simple—I practice them. I do the same questions hundreds of times, even thousands of times, until I understand them!"
"There's another saying in Longguo: 'Read it a hundred times, and the meaning will reveal itself.' It means if you don't understand something the first time, read it a thousand times, and eventually, you will understand."
"Oh!" Molly nodded in surprise. Then she smiled warmly and said, "Thank you, William, for your advice!"
"It was nothing," William Li responded, smiling back.
At the same time, he cast a sidelong glance at Ron and Ginny. Neither of them seemed to have realized the implications of his words.
Ron continued shoveling food into his mouth, oblivious to anything beyond his plate. Ginny, meanwhile, simply listened to the adults talk, her face a picture of innocent confusion.
Watching them, a satisfied smile played on William Li's lips. They might be happy now, he thought. But after today? He chuckled internally. That happiness might be short-lived.
Soon, after eating and chatting, the Weasley family took their leave.
——
The Burrow
As soon as they got home, with it being late, Ron and Ginny were ready to head to bed.
But just then—
"Where are you going?" Molly's voice called out behind them.
"Uh, to bed?" Ron responded, confused.
"What bed?" Molly raised an eyebrow, pointing at him sternly. "Look at William! He studies from morning until bedtime. And what about you? You eat and sleep, then repeat. How is that any good?"
She shook her head and added, "Starting now, you're going to study until ten o'clock every night. No bedtime until you've studied enough!"
Ron blinked, stunned. Study until ten at night? he thought. I'd rather die! He tried to speak up, "Mom, I—"
But Molly wouldn't hear it. "No excuses. If you haven't studied until ten, forget about going to your room!"
Then, as if realizing something, she turned to Ginny, her voice softening. "Ginny, sweetheart, you only need to study until nine, okay?"
Ginny, unlike her brother, didn't argue. She nodded obediently.
And just like that, the calm and peaceful world of Ron Weasley shattered.
"Why is this happening?" Ron grumbled as he begrudgingly sat down to study. He was frustrated, and his young brain struggled to make sense of it.
Suddenly, he recalled what his mother had said earlier: Look at William.
And in that instant, everything clicked. It was William's words that had led them here.
William misled me!!! Ron realized, his eyes widening in despair.