A Paranoid Alpha Childhood Friend is Acting Spoiled Again - Chapter 7

This was a reason Bai Xiaozhu had never considered. She had always assumed Tang Mo’s lack of progress was simply due to a lack of effort. She had hired the best piano teacher in City B; she believed that with enough focus, even a pig could learn to play. This revelation was truly unexpected.

“Madame Bai, the Eldest Miss is actually very smart. She likely just needs a more relaxed environment,” the tutor noted, keeping her advice concise. “She’s still very young, so we don’t need to push too hard. Based on today’s situation, Madame Bai, I actually have a suggestion: perhaps let Miss Xixi study alongside her. It might yield twice the result with half the effort.”

Bai Xiaozhu’s biggest fear was that Tang Mo’s attention would be divided. At such a young age, children are easily swayed by temptation. If Tang Mo were from an ordinary family, she’d let her run wild and play to her heart’s content.

But Tang Mo was not ordinary.

If she didn’t build a solid foundation now and work harder than the rest, she wouldn’t be able to keep up with the children in this social circle when she grew up. Falling behind meant being marginalized and ridiculed. Bai Xiaozhu was doing this for Tang Mo’s future.

“Teacher Zhao, I will give that suggestion serious thought. As long as it helps Momo learn, anything is possible.”

Just then, Bai Xiaozhu’s phone rang. It seemed to be something urgent at the office. She gave a few quick instructions to the tutor and hurried downstairs.

Once Bai Xiaozhu was gone, Tang Mo’s tense nerves finally relaxed. She excitedly lunged at Nuo Fanxi. “I—I thought Mommy wouldn’t let you come. This is so great!”

Nuo Fanxi hugged her back, patting her shoulder comfortingly. “How could she not? Godmother promised me! Besides Momo, she loves me the most. And didn’t I say I’d keep my promise? Did you forget, Momo?”

Tang Mo was so moved she nearly cried. With red-rimmed eyes, she pulled back, wiped her face, and nodded vigorously. “Xixi is the best!”

Actually, many children of relatives and family friends often came to visit Tang Mo. They would bring her treats and try to coax her with toys when she was sad, but Tang Mo simply didn’t like them. She always felt those children didn’t truly want to play with her; they had their own hidden motives. Tang Mo hated that.

Only Nuo Fanxi was different.

Nuo Fanxi had no ulterior motives. She just wanted to play, and if she made a promise, she kept it. She wasn’t just “humoring” her.

“Of course, because we’re the bestest friends in the whole world!” Nuo Fanxi seemed to remember something. She told Tang Mo to wait and scampered downstairs.

Ten minutes later, Nuo Fanxi returned, huffing and puffing with a small backpack. She sat next to Tang Mo on the clean floor and unzipped the bag in front of her and the tutor. The contents were revealed instantly.

—It was a treasure trove of snacks that children love.

“I know Godmother usually doesn’t let you eat snacks, so I specifically brought these from home. Take whichever you like, Momo.”

Tang Mo was strictly supervised by Bai Xiaozhu. Forget snacks—even her regular meals had requirements. She could eat, but never too much. If she were caught sneaking food, Bai Xiaozhu would lecture her and ban all treats for an entire week.

This was why Tang Mo’s favorite thing about school was being around Nuo Fanxi; she could eat the snacks Nuo Fanxi brought without her mother knowing.

Tang Mo picked out her favorite “Wang Zai” milk cookies, but then remembered her mother was home and silently put them back.

“What’s wrong, Momo? Don’t you like these?” Nuo Fanxi remembered that Tang Mo usually loved whatever she brought.

Nuo Fanxi was puzzled. She wondered if the snacks weren’t as good as the ones her parents had picked out last time. But after observing Tang Mo glancing nervously at the tutor and the door, Nuo Fanxi realized what was going on.

She reached into the backpack, pulled out the most expensive-looking snack, and stood up. She walked over to the tutor and offered it with both hands.

The tutor was caught off guard. Although she had taught many children who liked her and shared treats with her, most students viewed her as a strict authority figure and would never dream of inviting her to share their favorite snacks. Moreover, Nuo Fanxi wasn’t even her student, and they had only just met.

This was a genuinely flattering moment for the tutor.

To talk on the girl’s level, the tutor knelt down and asked gently, “Is this really for me?”

Nuo Fanxi nodded. “Yes! It’s for you, Teacher! My teacher at school, Teacher Li, says good things should be shared. However…”

Nuo Fanxi glanced toward the door, then stood on her tiptoes to whisper into the tutor’s ear: “However, pretty Teacher Sister, can you keep a secret for me?”

Ah, so the snack isn’t free, the tutor thought. The phrase “there’s no such thing as a free lunch” immediately came to mind—even if the “lunch” was a tiny snack.

“And what secret do you want this ‘pretty teacher sister’ to keep?”

Nuo Fanxi said, “Teacher Sister, you might not know, but Godmother doesn’t allow Momo to eat these snacks. If Momo eats them, Godmother will be very angry and scold her. Then she won’t let Momo have treats for a week! So, Teacher Sister, can you please not tell Godmother that I brought snacks for Momo today? Please?”

It turned out the snack was a bribe.

The tutor was more surprised by the child’s intelligence than the bribe itself. At such a young age, Nuo Fanxi already understood the concept of a “fair trade” to get what she wanted.

“Hmm… to keep such a big secret, are you only giving me one snack?”

Nuo Fanxi immediately turned and pulled several more bags out of her backpack. “Then… is this enough, Teacher Sister?”

The tutor found her adorable and couldn’t help teasing her. “What if I say it’s not enough?”

The backpack wasn’t very big, so Nuo Fanxi only had about a dozen bags of snacks and a few drinks. Having already given half to the tutor, she was worried.

Nuo Fanxi lowered her head, hesitating. “But… Teacher Sister, I only have a few left. If I give you more, Momo and I won’t have anything left to eat.”

Tang Mo walked over, hearing the conversation. She took Nuo Fanxi’s hand and timidly tugged at the tutor’s sleeve. Her voice was soft and sweet. “T-Teacher Zhao, please don’t tell Mommy. Xixi only brought them to make me happy. If Mommy finds out, she’ll scold Xixi and won’t let her come visit me anymore. So, Teacher Zhao, please don’t tell? If Xixi’s snacks aren’t enough, I have lots and lots of pocket money. Would pocket money work?”

Now it wasn’t just snacks; it was a cash bribe! They really were best friends—their instinct to bribe the adults was perfectly in sync!

The tutor, of course, couldn’t take their money. Even if Tang Mo tried to give it to her, she wouldn’t dare. Bai Xiaozhu paid her very well; if she became greedy and got caught, the consequences would be dire.

“I don’t need the Eldest Miss’s money. I can keep your secret, but you have to promise me one thing. If you can do it, I’ll act as if the snacks never happened. How about it?”

Nuo Fanxi and Tang Mo exchanged a look. Tang Mo nodded without hesitation. “Tell me, Teacher! I promise!”

The tutor had been under a lot of pressure lately. She understood Bai Xiaozhu’s high expectations, but Tang Mo was simply too young to grasp complex musical concepts as fast as an older child. This had led to Bai Xiaozhu’s dissatisfaction and several private “talks” about the lack of progress.

The tutor had tried everything, but you can’t force a five-year-old to master scores that even adults struggle with. She couldn’t very well tell her employer to “chill out.” She was under contract and couldn’t afford the penalty fee for quitting, so her only hope was that Tang Mo would suddenly find a way to learn better.

“Look, you did so well today, which proves you’re very smart, right? So, can you promise me to study hard and not let Madame down? Can you give me that guarantee?” The tutor then turned to Nuo Fanxi. “And if you can do that, I’ll tell Madame to let Miss Xixi come over every weekend to play. How about that?”

Tang Mo’s eyes lit up instantly. “Really?! If I study hard, you can get Mommy to let Xixi come over every weekend?!”

The tutor patted her head and nodded. “Of course. When has Teacher Zhao ever lied to you? As long as you work hard, the snacks and the weekend visits are both a deal.”

Tang Mo was overjoyed. Although she saw Nuo Fanxi at school, most of that time was spent in class. They only had a few minutes during recess before the butler whisked her away at the end of the day.

But weekends were different. There was no school, meaning they could spend much more time together.

If Nuo Fanxi could come every weekend, Tang Mo wouldn’t have to spend her time staring blankly out the window. She could have Xixi by her side while she studied. She wouldn’t have to be lonely anymore.

“Okay! I promise!”

The tutor reminded Tang Mo to keep track of the time. They had fifteen-minute breaks for every thirty minutes of study, and ten minutes had already passed. Bai Xiaozhu could come back for a surprise inspection at any moment.

Before Nuo Fanxi arrived, Tang Mo had no concept of time. She would just stare at birds outside the window, wondering why they had wings and wishing she could fly to Nuo Fanxi’s house. Or she would slump over the piano, wondering why her mother wouldn’t let her friend visit.

But now that Nuo Fanxi was here, time felt like it was flying.

However, Tang Mo wasn’t sad. Even though it was time for class, she was happy because Nuo Fanxi would be right there next to her.

“Xixi, do you want to hear me play the piano?”

Nuo Fanxi, currently chewing on a milk cookie, nodded enthusiastically. “Momo is going to play for me?! Yes, yes! Does that make me Momo’s very first audience member?”

Tang Mo leaned in for a tiny nuzzle. “Yes!”