Born in the 1980s, she was remarried and became a stepmother; a cold, rough man doted on her, pinchi

Chapter 164 We are brothers

Shi Ning said with a smile, her voice tinged with nervousness.

Shi An continued, "Today we're going to perform a story about friendship."

Chen Yu nodded and said earnestly, "I hope everyone likes it."

The three began their performance; their dialogue flowed smoothly and naturally, and their pronunciation was accurate. Although a little nervous, they still did their best to perform to the best of their ability.

After the performance, enthusiastic applause rang out from the audience.

"Very good, Shi Ning, Shi An and Chen Yu performed very well."

Teacher Li said with a smile, "The next group, Li Ming's group."

Li Ming's group performed exceptionally well when they took the stage. Their dialogue was not only fluent but also full of humor and creativity.

The students in the audience were captivated by their performance, and applause continued.

Shi Ning, Shi An, and Chen Yu all felt a sense of pressure watching Li Ming's group's performance.

They knew that their opponents in this competition were indeed very strong. The last part was a written test, and the students all answered the questions carefully.

Shi Ning, Shi An, and Chen Yu also worked carefully on each question, not daring to be careless in the slightest.

After the competition ended, Ms. Li began tallying the scores. The atmosphere in the classroom became even more tense as the students anxiously awaited the results.

"Alright, students, the results of this competition are in."

Teacher Li's voice broke the silence of the classroom. Shi Ning, Shi An, and Chen Yu clenched their fists tightly, their hearts filled with tension and anticipation.

"The team that won first place is... Li Ming's team."

Teacher Li said with a smile.

Li Ming's group cheered, their faces beaming with the joy of victory.

"The team that won second place is... Shi Ning, Shi An, and Chen Yu."

Teacher Li continued.

Shi Ning, Shi An, and Chen Yu exchanged a smile, their eyes filled with a sense of relief.

Although they didn't get first place, they did their best, and they were very proud to get second place.

"You guys did a great job."

Teacher Li walked over to them, smiled and said, "Although you didn't get first place, you've made great progress, and I'm very proud of you."

Shi Ning, Shi An, and Chen Yu felt a surge of warmth in their hearts after hearing Teacher Li's words.

They knew that the result of this competition was not important; what mattered was that they learned a lot in the process and that it strengthened their confidence.

On their way home, after the competition, Shi Ning, Shi An, and Chen Yu walked out of the tutoring center together.

The afterglow of the setting sun shone on them, casting a golden glow on their figures.

"Although we didn't get first place, I think we did our best."

Shi Ning smiled and said. Shi An nodded: "Yes, this competition has taught us a lot and made us more united."

Chen Yu nodded, a determined look in his eyes: "Yes, we must continue to work hard and strive for better results next time."

The three of them rode their bicycles together, slowly making their way home.

As soon as Shi An and Shi Ning got home, they couldn't wait to tell Jiang Man and Qin Yishen that they had won second prize in the English competition.

They were still holding the heavy certificate in their hands, their faces beaming with pride.

"Mom, look! We won second prize in the English competition!"

Shi Ning held the certificate high above her head, as if holding a victory flag, her eyes sparkling with excitement. Jiang Man took the certificate, looked at it carefully, and a gratified smile appeared on her face: "Oh my, my Ningning is so amazing, and so is An'an. You two have really brought honor to our family."

Qin Yishen also came over and patted Shi An on the shoulder: "An'an, you usually seem steady, but you really can step up when it matters. Ningning is even more so, her mind works very fast, she will definitely be successful in the future."

Shi An smiled slightly, her eyes showing a hint of weariness that was barely perceptible.

He was under a lot of pressure during the competition, but he kept a calm demeanor so as not to worry his younger brother.

Shi Ning, on the other hand, was very excited. He jumped around the room playfully, humming an unknown tune. "Alright, alright, you two go wash your hands. Mom will make pancakes for you today."

Jiang Man said with a smile, her eyes full of doting affection. She turned and went into the kitchen to get busy.

Qin Yishen followed him in to help, and soon a delicious aroma wafted from the kitchen.

After washing their hands, Shi An and Shi Ning sat down at the dining table, waiting to eat the pancakes.

While waiting, Shi Ning kept chattering about the competition, while Shi An listened quietly, nodding occasionally.

After finishing their meal, Jiang Man and Qin Yishen began cleaning up the kitchen.

Shi An offered to help, but Jiang Man stopped her, saying, "You two go play. Mom and Yi Shen can handle the kitchen."

Shi An and Shi Ning returned to their room. Shi Ning quickly turned off the light and lay down on the bed. Soon, even breathing could be heard.

Shi An was not sleepy. He walked to Chen Yu's room and gently knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Chen Yu's voice came from the room, slightly hoarse.

Shi An pushed open the door and saw Chen Yu sitting at his desk, holding a pen in his hand, with a thick book open in front of him.

The room was dimly lit, with only a table lamp emitting a faint light.

"Still not asleep?"

Shi An asked softly, walked into the room, and sat down on the edge of Chen Yu's bed.

Chen Yu looked up at him, then lowered his head to continue writing: "Well, I haven't finished something."

Shi An was silent for a moment, then said, "Chen Yu, don't take this competition to heart. You've already done a great job."

Chen Yu stopped writing, looked up, and said with a hint of stubbornness in his eyes, "I know, but I still feel like I'm holding you back."

Shi An sighed. He knew Chen Yu's personality; he was strong-willed and sensitive.

Chen Yu's parents died, and he lived with them. Although Jiang Man and Qin Yishen treated him like their own son, there was always a hurdle in his heart.

“Chen Yu, we’re family, there’s no such thing as one of us holding the other back. We’ve already done a great job getting second prize in this competition. Besides, you’ve helped us a lot, so don’t always focus on your shortcomings.”

Chen Yu was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice, "I know, but I still feel like I'm not good enough."

Shi An gently patted his shoulder: "You will get better and better, we all believe in you."

Chen Yu nodded, a hint of gratitude flashing in his eyes.

He knew Shi An was telling the truth, but he still needed time to overcome the hurdle in his heart.

"Alright, get some rest. You have school tomorrow."

Shi An stood up, preparing to leave.

"Peace of mind."

Chen Yu suddenly called out to him. Shi An turned around and saw Chen Yu looking at him with firm eyes: "Thank you, Shi An."

Shi An smiled slightly: "No need to thank me, we're brothers."