Damn it, I'm surrounded by childhood sweethearts-Chapter 630 - 440. Strange Comparisons_2

Even though Xu Qingfan didn't bring anything with him, Xiao Fan definitely treated this place like his own home, loving it even more!

So it goes to say, when someone truly likes you, no matter what you do, they only have two options: to like and to like even more.

Xu Qingfan, as expected, got pulled to the small balcony by Xiao Lijian to practice calligraphy again.

"Quick, come see this piece of calligraphy Grandpa wrote!" Xiao Lijian held up his proud work, casting an expectant look at Xu Qingfan.

Xu Qingfan got the hint in a second, and immediately delivered a rainbow of flattery.

"Wow, wow, wow!"

"This calligraphy is simply incredible!"

"Indeed, indeed!"

He flipped the piece of calligraphy over and over, then bent down to inspect the desk that Xiao Lijian usually used to practice his writing.

Xu Qingfan's words were nebulous, and Xiao Lijian, equally confused, refrained from asking further to maintain his seniority.

Deeming the timing right, Xu Qingfan explained, "Robust and powerful, penetrating the paper, I used to think the phrase 'penetrating' was an overstatement by later generations."

"Only after seeing the characters you wrote today did I realize that I'm the frog in the well, ignorant of the vast sky outside! I've been so ignorant!"

The flattery might not have been the most ingenious, but paired with Xu Qingfan's expressions of surprise, shock, and then immense excitement, who wouldn't be befuddled?

"Hahaha!"

"You've noticed, eh? My hand just can't stay idle, always practicing, and that's how it turned out!"

Xiao Lijian stroked his beard, feeling just like Bole might have when he found his exceptional steed.

"Grandpa, you are incredibly skilled. In today's restless society, in the future, very few will be able to calm their heart and practice calligraphy like you do!" Xu Qingfan wasn't just blowing smoke—Xiao Lijian's calligraphy truly had reached a master's level.

Xu Qingfan's writing was nothing but a soulless imitation, a tad better than those from quick-learn calligraphy classes.

Back then, everyone praised his writing mainly because he was just in first grade, taking his age into consideration.

Now, so many years had passed, he had been marking time, while Xiao Lijian was improving every moment.

"Hahaha, as I age, all I can do is write, unlike you young ones with so many things to do."

Xiao Lijian's eyes narrowed into slits, Xu Qingfan's words had flattered him in just the right way.

"Grandpa, teach me how to write!"

If all the previous words were just flattery, this final request from Xu Qingfan was the coup de grâce.

"Good, good, good!" Xiao Lijian said 'good' three times in a row.

Having achieved skill in calligraphy, he was indeed looking to pass on his knowledge!

"Young man, in this spot you need to hook and press firmly!"

"Here, you need to constrain the stroke, this way, doesn't the character look more imposing?"

An old man and a young man practiced calligraphy on the balcony; five girls sat on the sofa watching TV, yet their attention was constantly on them.

"Brother Fan is amazing, he even can cheer up my grandpa, who's always on my back to practice calligraphy every day; it nearly drives me crazy!" Xiao Ruawen, hugging a pillow and leaning on Xia Xiaoxiao, complained softly.

"My grandpa also really likes Brother Fan," Zhang Yiyi recalled her high-ranking grandfather, who was always stern with her but smiled kindly in Xu Qingfan's presence.

"Hehe~ My mom and dad like him too!" Lin Wanning was smiling and clueless that Lin Qiaoshan had already begun to be wary of Xu Qingfan.

Xia Xiaoxiao, after glancing at everyone, spoke in an even tone, "Sometimes, I feel like Xu Qingfan is the one born to my mom and I'm just an extra from topping-up phone credit."

Wu Lingyu bit her lower lip softly and said, "My family also likes Brother Fan."

A curious competition +1.

The five maintained an unspoken agreement, keeping a brief silence.

"Dinner's ready, everyone go wash your hands first, Wenwen come help Mom serve the dishes," Zhao YueMin came out of the kitchen, breaking the deadlocked silence among them.

"Okay!"

"Auntie, you sit down and rest for a bit, we can serve the dishes just fine!"

The five girls immediately stood up, making their way to the kitchen.

"How could that be, you are guests, let Auntie do it..." Zhao YueMin hadn't finished speaking when her own daughter pressed her down into a chair, and she could only smile and say, "The fruit is in the fridge, Auntie has washed it clean."

Soon, Xu Qingfan also escorted an excited Xiao Lijian to the dining table, where the girls had already served everyone half a bowl of soup.

"So sweet, Auntie, can you write down your soup recipe for me? I want to make it for them in the future," Xu Qingfan said after finishing half a bowl of soup and passed his bowl to Xiao Ruawen to get rice.

"Of course, Auntie can't quite explain it all right now, you come to the kitchen later, and I'll tell you," Zhao YueMin replied, before suddenly changing the subject:

"But auntie also has a question for you, Xiao Fan, you wouldn't deceive your aunt, would you?"

Xu Qingfan was prepared and said with a smile, "How could I? I may not have many strengths, but if there's one, it's my...." ƒrēenovelkiss.com

"Thick skin!" Xiao Ruawen helped him finish.

Xu Qingfan glared at her and took the rice she passed to him.

"Anyway, as long as you know I wouldn't deceive anyone, Auntie." He instantly switched expressions when he looked at Zhao YueMin.

"Mm, then Auntie will ask, ha. We all listened to the song that Wenwen sang for the National Day, and the lyrics were really good, no wonder your Chinese grades are so high, Xiao Fan."

"Of course, they're good, CCTV even broadcasted it!" Xiao Ruawen proudly chimed in.

However, after Zhao YueMin glared at her, she immediately sat up straight.

"And I also heard from Wenwen that the copyright fee for the song sold for one hundred thousand yuan?" After she finished speaking, the atmosphere in the room seemed to drop a few degrees instantly.

In a moment, everyone's gaze was fixed on Xu Qingfan, ready to hear how he was going to... (not) explain.

"Mm." Xu Qingfan nodded as if it were only natural.

"Actually, it's not just this song, but also those I sang before, all of which I packaged and sold to Haowei Cloud company."

"And the copyright fee wasn't one hundred thousand; it was actually one million!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the three elders' eyes widened.

"What?"

Xu Qingfan gestured with his hand for them to calm down first.

"Haowei Cloud is the company owned by Yiyi's mother."

Suddenly brought into the conversation, Zhang Yiyi nodded in confusion, "Mm, it's our family's company."

This "family," naturally included Xu Qingfan as well.

"Auntie, please let me finish first." Seeing Zhao YueMin about to ask, Xu Qingfan interrupted.

"I just said I didn't have many strengths, but Auntie, with your discerning eye, you've seen that my lyrics are pretty good. Anyway, the songs that Ruan Wen sang are actually really popular on the internet."

"You may not know this, but Ruan Wen has over five million followers on Weibo."

Zhao YueMin was so confused by his winding explanation that she almost forgot what she wanted to ask.

"So, a copyright fee of one hundred thousand really isn't much."

"Originally it was one million, and I offered to split it fifty-fifty with Ruan Wen, but she insisted that she was just singing, not doing as much as I did, and only agreed to take ten percent."

"That's why I only gave her one hundred thousand. She didn't even want to take that at first, but I forced her to take it."

"I know this isn't fair to Ruan Wen, and if you think it's too little, Auntie, I'll go to the bank after dinner and transfer the four hundred thousand to Ruan Wen!"

Zhao YueMin understood, but Xiao Ruawen was confused.

[Is that so? Did I have amnesia?]

"No need, no need. One hundred thousand is already a lot. Ruan Wen just sings, she can't ask for so much!" Zhao YueMin waved her hand repeatedly, afraid that Xu Qingfan might misunderstand.

For this matter, Zhao YueMin even specially consulted Xiao Ruawen's cousin, who was the one with the explosive hairstyle.

According to her cousin, "Is she Wang Fei or Na Ying to expect one hundred thousand just for singing a song?"

Having heard Xu Qingfan's explanation, Zhao YueMin finally felt relieved.

"Really not necessary?" Xu Qingfan seemed unconvinced and continued to ask.

"Not necessary, not necessary!" Zhao YueMin kept shaking her head.

Xiao Ruawen looked at Brother Fan gratefully and pouted coquettishly, "I said I was worth one hundred thousand, but you wouldn't believe me, Mom!"

"It's because Xiao Fan's songs are well written, what does it have to do with you, anyone else could sing it and make it popular." Xiao Lijian knocked on the table, and Xiao Ruawen had to sit back down, feeling wronged.

"No, Ruan Wen sings very well. If I were to sing, I would definitely be accused of disturbing the peace." Xu Qingfan spoke up to ease the situation.

Laughter erupted among the crowd, but only Xiao Ruawen forced a smile.

However, she had to admit that without Xu Qingfan's songs, if she were to rely purely on covers, she would probably only end up as a bar's resident singer.

Suddenly, she felt someone kick her foot under the table. Looking in the direction of the kick, she found Xu Qingfan watching her.

Xu Qingfan said nothing, but Xiao Ruawen read a lot from his expression: Don't listen to them, you're great!

[Brother Fan...]