My Genius Little Girl

Keep a Secret?

As if under interrogation, Key, sitting next to Ervan, now faced Chan and Ethan.

"So, can you tell me from the start why Chan and Ethan's faces look messy and their clothes are like this? Don't you usually wear suits?" Ervan asked Key, his beady gaze alternating between Key and the two bodyguards in front of him.

The two bodyguards had their heads lowered, standing straight in front of Ervan and Key.

"They're lousy, uncle," Key said casually.

Ervan frowned slightly, staring at Key, who looked relaxed, her smile still visible on her face.

Ervan enthusiastically questioned Key about what she had just said.

A grin, her foot tapping the floor, revealed that neither Chan nor Ethan was good at riddles.

Ervan's eyes suddenly widened.

Just because of a game, Chan and Ethan had gotten so messed up like this?

How unexpected!

"Excuse me, Mr. Galen, may I ask how old Miss Key is?" Ethan asked hesitantly, looking at Ervan with pleading eyes.

Ervan reflexively turned his head toward Key, signaling for her to answer him in front of Chan and Ethan.

"Mmm, why are you only asking me now? Uncle Chan and Uncle Ethan should just ask me directly. I'm still young, Uncle. Is my face not baby-faced enough?" Key whispered confidently, ending with a question back, not a direct answer.

"That's right, Miss. That's why we just wanted to confirm whether our suspicions were true or not," Chan said quickly.

Key chuckled softly, while Ervan simply shook his head slowly. He couldn't believe the bodyguard he had hired to guard Key had been completely outwitted by the girl, even looking battered. It wasn't from punches or other physical attacks, but rather battered from a mental battle, that was all Ervan could conclude so far.

"I'm only seventeen. It was my birthday two weeks ago," Key said cheerfully.

Instantly, both Ethan and Chan froze. They didn't realize Key was younger than they thought.

Didn't Ervan tell them that the person they were guarding was a college student, so why was she only seventeen?

Luckily, Ethan and Chan didn't know that Key was a senior. They might have been even more flabbergasted if they knew Key's age and her educational level, which was considered too early for a girl her age.

"You're so young, miss, but why are you asking us such difficult questions?"

This time, it was Ethan who complained to Key. Ethan wasn't particularly intelligent when it came to relationships or using his brain, but when it came to physical combat, Ethan was arguably superior, as he possessed a proven track record in any martial art.

Ervan, increasingly aware of what Ethan had said to Key, burst out laughing.

"That's why you need to start studying again. Don't just rely on your physical strength all the time. And Chan, teach Ethan if you don't understand."

"Tsk, Uncle Chan is also terrible... uncle~," Key said, folding her arms across her chest, not accepting Ervan's previous conclusion.

As far as Ervan could remember, Chan was a fairly well-balanced young man, both in terms of martial arts and intelligence, although not as skilled as Ethan in all martial arts.

Chan, listening to Key's ramblings, nodded his head, admitting that what Key said was true, while rubbing the back of his neck that wasn't itchy.

Ervan, who had only watched the interaction between Key and his two bodyguards, could only narrow his eyes in confusion. He thought his assumption was correct.

But it seems Ervan was wrong this time!

"Excuse me, Miss. I'd like to ask another question. If I may ask, what's your IQ?" Chan asked, still curious about Key, whom he considered extremely intelligent. In fact, Chan was quite impressed with Key.

"Don't worry, my IQ is still below Albert Einstein's," Key said casually, waving her hand.

Ethan and Chan looked at each other. For a moment, they didn't know what Albert Einstein's IQ was; they all knew Einstein was a genius.

Ervan, knowing what Key was referring to, immediately told them that it was 160.

They both swallowed hard.

"And then?" Ethan asked, curious.

"156."

Almost simultaneously, all three of them. Yes, including Ervan, slapped his forehead lightly, while Key, seeing their split-second reactions, was immediately stunned and blinked slowly.

"What's wrong with all of you uncles? Did Key say something wrong?" Key asked with a confused look.

Key is indeed very intelligent, but her childlike innocence still dominates her, which is why sometimes there are things Key doesn't understand.

"Come on, don't think about it," Ervan said, finally deciding to end the endless conversation.

Key took a deep breath and nodded her head slowly.

"It seems like your fear on the phone is starting to fade. I think you remember it when you're stressed, or when you're alone and have nothing to do," Ervan thought to himself.

Afterward, the two bodyguards asked Ervan for permission to guard the area outside, giving Ervan and Key some space.

Ervan naturally agreed and thanked them with a silent mouth movement.

The two nodded their heads slowly and stepped away from Ervan and Key.

"Key... are you okay?" Ervan suddenly asked, confirming what he wanted to say, which had been bothering him for a while.

Key's eyes immediately turned to Ervan, looking at him with a serious expression, as if she were trying to determine whether Ervan was genuinely asking about her or just asking without any other intention.

Key didn't say a word for a long time, just staring at Ervan's face.

If Key thought Ervan was genuinely asking, genuinely wanting to know what was happening to her, then Key finally spoke, beginning with a long sigh.

It seemed like this time, Key was going to say something she had previously hesitated to tell Ervan.

"Before I tell you, Uncle, you have to promise to keep what I say a secret, okay?" Key asked, her eyes far sadder than the cheerfulness she had displayed earlier.

A smile spread across Ervan's face, and a reassuring nod, his voice soft and firm, said "Yes," Ervan had said to Key.

———

TBC