Chapter 21: The Experienced Driver

Professor Dai was stunned for a moment. Wasn’t skipping classes something that usually started in the sophomore year? This kid was still in middle school and already ditching classes—he certainly had promise!

“Child, with such a carefree personality, does your mother know?” he joked.

It was just a lighthearted remark from the old man, but it cast a shadow over Wen Xiaocheng’s expression. He quickly regained his composure, though, and replied self-mockingly, “Actually, my mother is even more carefree than I am.”

“Your mother skipped school too?”

“She did,” he answered. His mother had escaped even more thoroughly.

The advantage of having a horse, suddenly turned into a disadvantage after losing a major piece, but Wen Xiaocheng remained calm and composed, finally stabilizing his position. He fended off Professor Dai’s fierce attacks and managed to send his small pawn across the river. With a horse, a cannon, and a pawn, he constantly troubled his opponent, chatting all the while without missing a beat in the fierce chess battle.

“Skipping class isn’t good, but when you’re on break, come play with me,” Old Dai said, his tone tinged with a hint of supplication. The old man had grown weary of loneliness.

Wen Xiaocheng couldn’t help but laugh. This old man was truly childlike—a living, breathing old rascal. It was a fair trade: he could bully the old man on the chessboard and have plenty of time to read. The old man’s study was practically a miniature library!

“Why wait for a holiday? Whenever I skip class, I’ll come straight to you. If the teacher wants to contact my parents, you can pretend to be my grandfather and take the scolding for me at school. How about it?”

Old Dai tutted, “You kid, judging by your chess skills, your brain’s definitely sharp. So why don’t you like studying? Are you falling behind? Next time you come, bring your textbooks. I’ll take a look.”

A doctoral advisor to graduate students would have no trouble teaching a middle-schooler.

“It’s not that I’m falling behind. That stuff isn’t hard for me. The real issue is, lately someone’s been itching to beat me up, so I’m just hiding out.”

A few idle words, and taking advantage of the old man’s distraction, Xiaocheng was about to execute the move he’d been planning for some time—a cunning capture. He chuckled inwardly, but kept talking.

“Grandpa Dai, have you hit seventy yet today?”

The old man was caught off guard and absentmindedly replied, “Not yet, I’m sixty-six this year!”

“Oh, so you were born half a cent