Xia Xiao slapped her forehead, realizing she had forgotten that a chicken only has four legs - two thighs and two drumsticks.
Although Beibei and Xiao Shu were sensible, few children disliked chicken legs, and in her family, everyone loved them, including Shitou.
The aunt smiled, "There are frozen chicken legs in the fridge, I’ll go cook them."
Xia Xiao shook her head, "No need."
She turned to Shitou, Beibei, and Xiao Shu, "Today, let your younger siblings have the chicken legs. Grandma will make some for you tomorrow, is that okay?"
"Okay, Grandma, I want two," Beibei nodded obediently.
Xiao Shu held up three fingers to Xia Xiao, "Grandma, I want three."
Xia Xiao smiled and nodded her head. Shitou also nodded, but he was more interested in fried chicken legs, the spicy kind, although he knew better than to say it out loud in front of his younger siblings.
Now, while the grandsons and granddaughters were still young, Xia Xiao didn’t let them eat fried foods, which was something Shitou hadn’t tried yet and so he longed for.
Sometimes Shitou wished he could grow up faster, to eat more delicious food and do more things, unlike now being a child, where everything was inconvenient.
Zheng Xianghong and Gao Guoqiang watched their great-grandchildren bustling about, their faces brimming with joy, thoroughly enjoying the scene and delighted just watching their great-grandchildren’s plump little faces as they ate.
After finishing the meal, Shitou took Gao Jiaxing by the hand to see the computer.
Gao Jiaxing knew Shitou could even crack passwords, which shocked him more than it had Xia Xiao. Shitou had once again reshaped Gao Jiaxing’s understanding of the word "genius."
Although his sons and daughters were also very capable during their studies, and prominent figures at their schools, this grandson was clearly even more exceptional.
While Gao Jiaxing was shocked, he was also very pleased; after all, having such a capable grandson, how could he not be happy?
But Gao Jiaxing also understood why those people in the shadows wanted his grandson. Such a genius mind was coveted by everyone.
However, Gao Jiaxing still reminded Shitou, and was also worried about Shitou accidentally exposing himself and getting caught, so he thought of the specialists in the army, saying, "When you have your summer break, I’ll take you to the army to see things for yourself."
"Okay," Shitou happily agreed.
His hacking skills were self-taught through trial and error.
In the Genius Youth Class, they had already been using computers and learning deeply, but hadn’t yet reached the level of cracking passwords, which might require training from specialized personnel.
Shitou looked forward to guidance from experts in the field. With the future of cybersecurity becoming ever more sophisticated, Shitou was extremely interested and fond of it.
"Grandpa, could we build the top floor? I want a private laboratory."
As soon as Shitou mentioned it, Gao Jiaxing agreed, "Alright, I’ll arrange for someone to fix the rooftop."
Gao Jiaxing was always ready to fulfill Shitou’s requests, so the next day, people came to the Gao family’s rooftop to work on it. It was entirely covered with reflective glass, clear from the inside out, but not see-through from the outside.
Moreover, with just a press of a button, the roof’s glass could be opened, allowing everything on the rooftop to bask in the sunlight.
There was also a balcony, where Shitou planned to plant some flowers and intended to grow some bougainvillea on the rooftop.
Once the top floor was completed, Shitou’s summer break had arrived.
The Genius Youth Class had a summer break, but the homework assigned was very extensive. Despite this, Shitou still clung to Gao Jiaxing and went off to the army.
Because Gao Jiaxing had decisively eliminated a faction of the Black Sect, and even exposed a chain of related people, causing some to fall from power, it gave a new realization of the Gao family to some people.
Gao Jiaxing wanted this exact effect, to make an example out of someone as a warning to others.
The people from the shadows ceased their movements, but the Gao family didn’t lower their guard. However, since it was the summer break, Shitou went to the army, and Feiyang and Li Min also took Beibei to the army base where they were stationed.
Li Min followed her husband, being in the same unit as Feiyang, so Beibei could often see her parents.
With Shitou and Beibei gone, Xiao Shu felt a bit lost, but fortunately, Huanhuan, Lele, Jianjian, and Kangkang were there, and Ye Jia, whose work was now relatively more flexible, allowed her to arrange her schedule more freely and spend more time with the children.
As for Feiteng and Yu Jialin, they had become frequent flyers. It wasn’t that they hadn’t thought of keeping their children with them, but their busy schedules left no time for caregiving. Hiring nannies wasn’t something they trusted, so it was better to leave the children at home.
They also considered Gao Guoqiang and Zheng Xianghong—if they took all the children away, Gao Guoqiang and Zheng Xianghong would be even lonelier at home, so Xia Xiao’s grandchildren didn’t accompany their parents.
Ye Jia spent more time at home, so the younger generation was mostly tutored by Ye Jia, who was talented in many areas and proficient in several foreign languages, and was also very patient. It could be said that there was no one among Xia Xiao’s grandchildren who didn’t like Ye Jia, even Shitou was very fond of staying with Ye Jia.
Feiyue, Feiyi, and Li Manzi were also frequent flyers, everyone busy traveling around, sometimes unable to gather even once a month.
With Shitou not around, Xia Xiao really wasn’t quite used to it, but besides working, she had to look after the grandchildren and keep an eye on Gao Guoqiang and Zheng Xianghong.
Now, Zheng Xianghong and Gao Guoqiang were aging even faster. Although they weren’t suffering from any particular illnesses, their movements were getting more limited by the day.
People inevitably go through the stages of birth, aging, illness, and death. Zheng Xianghong and Gao Guoqiang took it in stride, but it was somewhat hard for Xia Xiao and Gao Jiaxing.
Knowing that Zheng Xianghong and Gao Guoqiang were over ninety years old, they greedily wished for their long lives. Although the spring still worked, it wasn’t as miraculous as before. Xia Xiao could feel it, and guessed in her heart that perhaps as she aged and eventually passed away, the efficacy of the spring would also fade, and the space would disappear.
Moreover, Xia Xiao and Shitou were researching the spring. Gaoxia Group had also established a biotechnology company, and Mei Ziran Skincare was one of its brands. Xia Xiao intended not just to develop personal care products but also cosmetics.
Now, Gaoxia Group had recruited many talents, and because of the Gaoxia Group’s renowned name, Xia Xiao had no shortage of useful people.
Each company under Gaoxia Group had clearly defined responsibilities, and the organizational structure was continuously being optimized. Xia Xiao planned to go public next year, filing for a stock exchange listing and public stock offering.