Returning to Infancy with my Nemesis - Chapter 18

Finally, the two little kids followed the teacher to the classroom door.

There weren’t many students in the preschool class, and Tang Mian casually counted them; there were probably just over ten. They weren’t all sitting in their seats, but they all looked at them with curious eyes.

Perhaps it was his imagination, but he felt that some of the kids looked familiar, although he couldn’t quite remember who they resembled. Maybe they were people he had encountered in his previous life during middle school, but he wasn’t very familiar with them, or else he would have recognized them at a glance.

Under Teacher Rabbit’s guidance, Tang Mian held hands with Fu Shizhao and introduced themselves to the class.

Despite Fu Shizhao’s initial shyness, he listened closely to Tang Mian and did whatever he was told.

Teacher Tu arranged their seats together, hoping that Tang Mian could help look after Fu Shizhao.

They had barely sat down when Tang Mian received his first chat.

“Tang Mian, does your mom really like eating cotton candy?” The one who spoke was one of the kids who looked familiar to Tang Mian, a chubby little boy who seemed quite outgoing.

Tang Mian blinked his eyes.

His name was indeed like “cotton candy” when reversed, but his mom didn’t really like sweets. They gave him this name simply because she had been fond of sleeping during her pregnancy.

However, he smiled and teased, “It’s because I really like eating cotton candy.”

“In that case, I’ll bring you some cotton candy tomorrow!” The little boy was indeed outgoing; he had only exchanged a few words, and he already wanted to bring cotton candy.

“Sure, what’s your name?” Tang Mian happily agreed.

“I’m Mu Zichen, you can call me Xiaochen. You look really handsome, and I want to be friends with you,” Mu Zichen replied amiably.

Tang Mian, after hearing the name, was momentarily stunned and subconsciously glanced at Fu Shizhao, who was sitting quietly beside him. Fu Shizhao seemed uninterested in this little boy. Tang Mian carefully scrutinized the child for a moment.

Mu Zichen… damn, how could this chubby kid be Mu Zichen? But upon closer inspection, he did look quite similar.

He had a feeling of familiarity with this chubby kid.

But he never expected this person to be a young Mu Zichen.

Mu Zichen was someone he knew very well. His family ran an entertainment company and had propelled many artists to stardom. Despite being a chubby child now, if you looked closely, you could see that he had good facial features, fair skin, and a charming appearance. When he lost weight successfully in adulthood, his face became even more attractive, attracting countless fans. Despite his young age, he had taken on many acting roles through his family’s connections. He was naturally talented in this field, and his performances were flawless.

However, what left a lasting impression on Tang Mian wasn’t his background but the fact that he was Fu Shizhao’s best friend.

In his previous life, after high school, Tang Mian chose the arts and became an art major, while Fu Shizhao remained in the science stream. Mu Zichen was Fu Shizhao’s desk mate, and the two had similar interests and a close friendship. They often played sports together.

Mu Zichen was Fu Shizhao’s best friend, especially after Tang Mian and Fu Shizhao’s relationship deteriorated. When they graduated from university, Fu Shizhao solidified his position in the Fu family, while Mu Zichen continued to work alongside Tang Mian’s family, the Tangs. They remained inseparable and became well-known in the capital as the “brothers-in-arms” who had been through thick and thin since high school.

Tang Mian didn’t like Mu Zichen at all.

Tang Mian disliked Mu Zichen even more than he later disliked Fu Shizhao.

Although he had almost no interactions with Mu Zichen and had never clashed with him in any way, Tang Mian’s aversion towards him ran deep.

During their high school years, whenever he saw the two of them passing by his art studio while holding a basketball, he would keep his gaze firmly fixed on his canvas, deliberately avoiding any eye contact.

It was truly annoying.

Oh, by the way, Fu Shizhao was skilled in music, and Mu Zichen had been learning dance since he was a child. The two of them had even collaborated on performances at the high school’s events. However, during those performances, Tang Mian had remained engrossed in his phone the whole time.

As he stared at the chubby kid who was trying to be friendly with him, the little demon inside Tang Mian’s heart peeked its head out again.

Since Mu Zichen was making an effort to befriend him, why not go along with it? He could even consider taking him as his little follower. This way, he could prevent Mu Zichen from getting close to Fu Shizhao in the future, cutting off all paths for the corrupted version of Fu Shizhao and ensuring that he grew up as a morally upright young man.

With this decision in mind, Tang Mian had a pleasant conversation with Mu Zichen. Their conversation topics quickly progressed from Mu Zichen asking about Tang Mian’s birthday to discussing plans to get him a machine capable of making cotton candy.

Meanwhile, Fu Shizhao, who sat quietly next to Tang Mian, lowered his eyelashes slightly. In his heart, he silently cursed his good friend from the previous life.

He had recognized Mu Zichen at first sight.

In the previous life, the Mu family had always coveted the influence of the Fu family but felt that the Fu family members were ruthless, like bloodsuckers who left no bones behind. So, they maintained a somewhat distant relationship with the Fu family. Fu Shizhao and Mu Zichen had coincidentally become good friends, and, as fate would have it, they had formed a solid bond. Over time, they secured a stable position within the Fu family, and the two families eventually formed an alliance, resulting in a win-win situation.

However, Fu Shizhao had never expected to encounter Mu Zichen this early in their lives, especially in a kindergarten setting. But considering that many wealthy families preferred sending their children to such prestigious private kindergartens, it wasn’t entirely surprising.

What bothered Fu Shizhao the most was that Mu Zichen was directly trying to connect with Tang Mian. Trying to get closer to his little master…

Fu Shizhao let out a cold snort internally.

He saw no reason to continue the brotherly relationship with Mu Zichen from their past life. As Mu Zichen playfully addressed Tang Mian as “Little Cotton Candy” and continued chatting with him, Fu Shizhao could no longer contain himself. He suddenly lifted his gaze, hugged Tang Mian’s arm, and looked at him with a pitiful expression. In a soft voice, he said, “Big brother… Can you talk to me?”

Oh, right. He had also learned acting from Mu Zichen. Back in high school, Mu Zichen had already started acting in plays. Sometimes, he would find Fu Shizhao at the activity area to rehearse scripts. As Fu Shizhao’s art studio was in that direction, he would often pass by and see Tang Mian quietly painting with his brush. Every time, he couldn’t bring himself to refuse the invitation.

With time, his acting skills improved considerably.

Their attention shifted towards Fu Shizhao after he made his request.

Curious, Mu Zichen asked, “What’s your relationship with him? Is he your little brother?”

Tang Mian nodded and held onto Fu Shizhao’s hand, peeled open the candy the teacher had given him at the kindergarten gate, and placed it in Fu Shizhao’s mouth. He then gently ruffled Fu Shizhao’s hair, afraid that he might cry again.

Mu Zichen thought for a moment and nodded in understanding. However, he didn’t initiate a conversation with Fu Shizhao. Instead, he said, “You should spend time with your little brother. He seems quite timid.”

Mu Zichen preferred interacting with more outgoing children. Since Tang Mian’s little brother seemed reserved and didn’t say much, he decided not to push him.

Turning back, Mu Zichen resumed his conversation with Tang Mian.

The candy had puffed up one side of Tang Mian’s cheek, and his eyes were moist as he gazed at Fu Shizhao. Fu Shizhao stuck close to him, being quite clingy.

Tang Mian had never raised a pet in his previous life, but in this life, he had an inexplicable feeling of having a little puppy by his side.