Ethan stayed at home for about seven or eight days until Vivian finally completed the guardianship paperwork.
One day, while out running errands, Ethan received a call from Vivian, asking him to make a quick stop at JH Road.
"Go to Dr. Ye's clinic and pick up Noah's medicine. I just landed a big order and won't be back for a while," Vivian instructed.
"Got it," Ethan replied before hanging up. After picking up the medicine at JH Road, he also grabbed some school brochures on his way home.
When Noah opened the door, his face fell at the sight of the medicine. But when he noticed the school brochures in Ethan's hand, his expression turned even more miserable.
"Bro…" Noah mumbled, "I mean, honestly… I think not going to school might not be so bad."
Ethan gave him a stern, silent look—a gaze that was firm, unyielding, and impossible to argue with.
"Alright, alright," Noah quickly surrendered, raising both hands in defeat. "I'll go to school! I love school!"
Only then did Ethan look away, tapping the brochures on the table. "Take a look and see if there's one you like."
Noah nervously chewed on his fingernails as he flipped through the brochures. By the time Vivian got home from work, he had made his decision.
"Hanwai Elementary?" Vivian raised an eyebrow. "Well, aren't you picky? You sure know how to choose the expensive ones."
"So… is it okay?" Noah asked, his voice tentative. He had chosen the school mainly because of its top-notch facilities and, well, the food wasn't bad either. Okay, fine—the food was the main reason.
"Why are you asking me? Ask your brother," Vivian said with a cryptic smile. "He's the one paying the tuition, not me."
Noah turned to Ethan, who glanced at the tuition section of the brochure.
Fifteen thousand yuan per semester.
Plus additional fees.
Vivian couldn't hold back her laughter. "You really know how to pick the most expensive one, don't you?"
Noah, now visibly embarrassed after noticing the price at the bottom of the page, stammered, "Maybe I should pick another one…"
Ethan cut him off. "This one's fine."
"But, bro, the tuition is—"
Noah couldn't even bring himself to say the number.
"Don't worry about it. I'll handle the tuition," Ethan said firmly.
When Noah still looked uneasy, Ethan reassured him again. "It's fine. Just focus on your studies. Leave the rest to me."
This was between the two brothers. Vivian watched the scene unfold, staying silent the entire time.
Once the school was decided, the next step was contacting the admissions office. Transferring records and enrolling in a new school required additional fees, and the tuition itself was a staggering amount for the Blackwood brothers. Vivian couldn't understand why Ethan was pushing himself so hard.
After Noah went to bed, Vivian finally asked Ethan, "What's the plan? Why such an expensive school? Why not just go public?"
"One hundred twenty-six thousand eight hundred," Ethan stated calmly. "That's how much Noah's previous private school cost."
Vivian stared at him coldly before letting out a disdainful laugh. "You're out of your mind. You can barely feed yourself, and yet you're trying to turn your brother into some kind of young master. Are you willing to spend double what a public school would cost? Do you really think this will help him?"
"It's not about whether it helps," Ethan replied evenly. "If he can go to a good school, why not?"
"Honestly, Noah's not cut out for academics," Vivian said bluntly. "Have you ever thought about yourself? Are you just going to keep tutoring forever? You're a better student than he is. Save up for a year or two, and you could afford your own tuition."
Ethan fell silent.
After a long pause, he finally spoke in a soft voice. "Noah's not like me. I can adapt anywhere, but he's still struggling with the disparity between our old life and now. If he had to go to a regular school, he wouldn't be able to handle it. I just want him to have a better childhood."
"But you're still a kid yourself," Vivian thought, feeling a surge of frustration.
"...Whatever. It's your business," Vivian said, turning away. "If you can afford the tuition, fine. If not, don't expect me to cover it. I've got my own expenses to deal with, and I'm not raising you two out of the goodness of my heart."
Ethan lowered his gaze, his dark lashes casting a shadow. "I understand."
"Go to bed," Vivian said, waving him off irritably. "I'll take you to the train station tomorrow."
The next day, Vivian drove Ethan to Han Station.
As they approached the drop-off point, Vivian suddenly remembered something. "Hey, you haven't added me on WeChat yet, have you? Do it now. It'll be easier to stay in touch."
"Okay," Ethan replied, taking Vivian's phone. It wasn't locked, and the screen opened directly to WeChat.
Vivian had two phones—one for work and one for personal use. Her WeChat username was "I'm Not Working Tomorrow", and her profile picture was a meme of a panda head, a clear reflection of her youthful, carefree attitude. Ethan, on the other hand, simply used his real name.
As they neared the station entrance, the traffic became unbearable, so Vivian had to drop him off early. "Just follow the crowd and head inside. Don't forget your phone and luggage when you get on and off the train. And for heaven's sake, keep your ID card in your hand. Don't lose it."
She went on and on, clearly worried about a fourteen-year-old traveling alone by train. "Here's an idea—when you get on the train, send me a photo."
Ethan nodded, then asked if she had been angry with him the day before. He explained that he had actually earned more than four thousand yuan.
"Enough already! How much you earn is your business!" Vivian snapped, waving her hand dismissively. "I'm not trying to control you two."
The conversation was starting to drag on, so Vivian urged him to hurry into the station.
Ethan's figure soon disappeared into the crowd.
The weeks leading up to and following the New Year were the busiest time for private tutors. Ethan was constantly preparing lessons and shuttling between students' homes. As the holiday approached, he finally finalized his teaching schedule for the upcoming semester and realized he needed to book his train ticket home.
But by then, all the tickets were sold out.
"Didn't you know you had to book tickets early during the New Year rush?" Vivian scoffed over the phone. "Isn't that, like, a national tradition?"
It wasn't fair to blame Ethan too harshly. Despite his efforts to adapt to his new life, he had, until this past summer, been a young master who had never needed to worry about things like train tickets—he'd always had a chauffeur.
Ethan licked his dry lips. "I can check for bus tickets. There might still be some available."
"Don't bother. Just send me your location," Vivian said.
Ethan paused. "Are you… coming to pick me up?"
"I'm in Shiyan for some business. I'll swing by and get you on my way back."
Ethan sent his location, and by dusk, Vivian arrived, her car pulling up just as the sun dipped below the horizon.
Ethan began loading his luggage into the trunk while Vivian leaned against the car, watching him.
"Noah's starting school after the New Year," Vivian said casually.
"Did you get his enrollment sorted out?"
"Of course. Transferred his household registration first, then contacted the school and handled everything online. Though it did cost a bit."
"How much?" Ethan instinctively reached for his backpack. "I can give it to you now."
"Thirty-eight thousand. You got that?" Vivian shot him a look. "I told you to send him to a public school, but no, you had to go for private. Didn't you know transferring to a private school is a hassle?"
Ethan hadn't realized the complications. He hesitated, feeling the weight of his limited funds. "I only have twenty thousand right now…"
Now, it was Vivian's turn to be surprised.
"How much?! Did you rob a bank or something?!"
Ethan quickly explained, "No, it's from this month and next semester's earnings. I needed to cover Noah's tuition, so I collected half upfront and the rest after finishing the lessons. One of my students did really well on their finals, and their parents gave me a bonus."
Vivian's eyes widened. "How much was the bonus?"
"Not much, just over two thousand."
Vivian sighed. "There are still plenty of rich people in this world, huh?"
Ethan changed the subject. "What brought you to Shiyan?"
"A friend of mine used to run a driving school. I came to catch up with him."
As Vivian merged onto the highway, she continued, "With twenty thousand, you've got enough for Noah's tuition this semester. But don't forget the dorm fees, textbooks, new school supplies, a backpack… Oh, and I got Noah circumcised."
Ethan, who had been nodding along, suddenly froze. "Circum—" The word caught in his throat.
"Circumcision. Don't all boys his age need it?" Vivian said nonchalantly. Then, with a teasing grin, she added, "Wait, don't tell me you haven't had it done yet?"
"I have…" Ethan covered his face, embarrassed. "I just thought you meant… never mind."
Vivian froze for a moment, then blinked in confusion. "What are you talking about? I meant Noah! I took him to the hospital to get it done."
Seeing Ethan's ears flush a deep red, Vivian couldn't help but laugh. "What's so embarrassing about that?"
"I've been meaning to say this to you," she continued, adopting a tone of mock seriousness. "You're a man now. Stop being so shy and reserved, especially when you're outside. You shouldn't act like that at home, either. You're gonna end up getting laughed at."
"...I know."
When they got back home, Ethan found Noah, now walking stiffly like a little crab, and couldn't help but chuckle.
"Bro... I..." Noah's discomfort was clear. "It hurts when I pee!"
"Yeah, it hurts, you're thirsty, and you need to pee all the time," Vivian quipped, standing hands on hips. "Do you have any idea how many times he tossed and turned last night? I almost lost my mind. I was ready to throw him on the floor."
"I can't help it… It hurts down there!"
"Then tough it out," Vivian snapped. "You're a man! You need to act like one!"
There was no way Noah could use his usual puppy-dog eyes on Vivian—she wasn't having any of it. So, he turned to his brother for sympathy. Ethan, however, could only offer support by staying up with him for the night.
And so, the whole New Year passed with Noah's complaints about "it hurting down there" and Vivian's repeated insistence that he "act like a man."
After the New Year, Vivian went back to her usual work while Ethan returned to teach in XY city. As for Noah, he finally began his school life.
A new semester, a new start.
Vivian took him to the new school for his enrollment.
"Study hard," she reminded him. "Don't let your brother down. He's working his butt off out there for you."
"I'll make sure I do!" Noah replied, still adjusting to his new life after his "rite of passage" into manhood.
Noah walked off toward school, carrying his shiny new backpack, just like the other kids. Vivian watched him go, feeling a sense of pride. All around her, other parents were snapping photos of their children, and she, too, joined in, taking a short video. But then she realized she didn't know who to send it to, so in the end, she sent it to Ethan.
Vivian: "Noah's first day at school."
Ethan quickly responded with a simple: "Good luck."
The school was a full-boarding institution, and Ethan had his worries about how Noah would adapt. Vivian brushed them off. She'd toured the dorms and knew how fancy they were, almost like something out of a fairytale. The place was way better than the school she had attended.
"Well, that's a relief," Ethan said, finally able to relax. "And don't worry about the 38,000 for Noah's transfer. I'll pay you back soon."
Vivian waved it off. "No rush. We'll figure it out later."
And so, time passed, and before they knew it, it was May.
Out of the blue, Ethan got a call from Noah.
"Bro!" Noah's voice was panicked, full of tears. "Help me! I'm in big trouble!"
"I'm gonna be killed by sis!"