Tang Xiaonan gave another big yawn and shook her head lazily. "There’s no Prince, so I don’t want to learn."

The smile on Old Master Tate’s face froze. This answer was completely unexpected. ’Shouldn’t she be blinking with starry eyes, clapping her hands happily, and saying, "Wow, I want to marry a Prince just like Cinderella"?’

His own daughter had been just like that when she was little, every time she heard the story of Cinderella. The neighbors’ children, his friends’ children—their answers were all identical. ’What little girl doesn’t want to marry a Prince?’

’How can this chubby girl’s thinking be so unconventional?’

"Xiaonan, ’Prince’ is just a symbol. It refers to a boy from a privileged family who is also outstanding himself, understand?" Old Master Tate patiently explained.

’My student absolutely cannot waste her life away like the other girls on Millstone Peak. She has to leave Millstone Peak, even go international, meet exceptional people, and the man she marries will naturally have to be exceptional, too.’

’Just like a Prince in a fairy tale, he must have the family background, the ability, and the looks. Only a man like that would be worthy of my Xiaonan!’

Tang Xiaonan nodded. She understood. All too well.

"It’s good that you understand, Xiaonan. You’re still young, so you might not fully get it yet, but you must remember: when you grow up, you have to marry a Prince. Absolutely do not marry a man who is mediocre and unattractive. Remember that!"

Old Master Tate spoke earnestly, not considering that Tang Xiaonan was only six years old, still a budding flower, and he was already worrying about her future marriage.

Tang Xiaonan’s mouth twitched, and she had to suppress a laugh. ’I can’t believe the old man is so hung up on looks. Of course I want to marry a Prince, but the problem is...’

"Grandpa Tate, what did Cinderella’s dad do for a living?"

"He was an Earl, a noble title from Europe. It’s not a low rank."

"So Cinderella was a noble too, right?"

"Of course. She was an Earl’s daughter. Otherwise, how could she have possibly received an invitation to the Prince’s ball?"

Old Master Tate blurted out the answer, then suddenly paused. Something felt off. Tang Xiaonan looked at him with utmost sincerity, not saying a word. Her silence spoke volumes, leaving the old gentleman to ponder it for himself.

"Grandpa Tate, I’m heading home now!"

Tang Xiaonan skipped away, leaving Old Master Tate still deep in thought. ’That little girl’s gaze was so meaningful. What did I say wrong?’

When Adrian Hawthorne came in, Old Master Tate was still pondering. Unable to figure it out, he recounted his conversation with Tang Xiaonan and asked in confusion, "Why do you think that girl’s reaction was so different from everyone else’s? What did she mean by those questions she asked me?"

"Cinderella’s father was an Earl, and she was an Earl’s daughter. That’s what gave her the right to attend the Prince’s ball. It means she and the Prince were social equals. She wasn’t some commoner plucked from obscurity. Grandpa Tate, how can you believe in fairy tales? They’re all lies."

Adrian Hawthorne scoffed at fairy tales. He had never read them, not even as a child, and certainly didn’t believe in them. ’Only an idiot would believe that stuff,’ he thought. ’Looks like Fatty Tang’s IQ isn’t in the negative numbers after all. The girl is teachable.’

Old Master Tate felt as if he’d taken a critical hit to the chest, leaving him feeling tight and breathless.

’Why do the kids around me have a firmer grasp on reality than I do?’

’One is six, the other twelve, yet they’re both mature beyond their years. Are all geniuses this rational in their childhood?’

"Fairy tales are for children, you know? They’re naturally written to be beautiful. You can’t let kids learn about the darkness of society too early," Old Master Tate explained.

Adrian Hawthorne’s expression grew even more disdainful. "They have to face it sooner or later. Why waste time spinning a fantasy world out of bubbles?"

Old Master Tate...

’That actually makes a lot of sense.’

’But with both of them being so brutally clear-headed, I feel no sense of accomplishment at all!’