Chapter 337 The Competition
Aaron went to the kitchen and asked the staff to pour the hot ginger tea with brown sugar into a thermal mug and then instructed Frederic, "Remember to remind Dr. Smith to drink it."
"Okay," Frederic obliged, nodded and then drove with a few others to the competition venue.
The math competition for middle school students was taking place at a prestigious high school in Lindwood City.
Once they arrived, Frederic parked the car and led Nora and the others following the signs into a auditorium.
The students participating in the competition and their accompanying family and friends had all gathered there.
Nora looked around and noticed that besides the chaperones, almost all the competitors were high school students, except for a few whose youthful faces suggested they might be from middle school.
The competitors each had a youthful look to them, and all seemed very proud. Since, only the brightest students could participate in such a competition.
"Grandpa Gordon, let's go inside."
Nora glanced at the time. With half an hour until the competition started, she took Samantha by the hand and led their small group further inside.
"Grandpa Gordon, please take a seat." Alex brought over a plastic stool for Jacob to sit on.
"What a good kid." Jacob sat down with a pleased expression on his face.
"Mommy, you sit here." Billy brought over another plastic stool.
"Thanks, Billy." Nora smiled her thanks and placed Samantha on top of it. "Samantha, you sit. Mommy's not tired, I'm fine standing."
Samantha giggled, perched on the stool swinging her little legs and looking around curiously.
The triplets were striking in appearance, and their presence naturally drew attention.
A middle-aged woman came over to chat with Nora. "These three kids are so cute. Are they triplets?" she asked.
"Yes," Nora smiled.
"Who are they here with for the competition?" the woman asked.
Nora responded with a smile, "They aren't accompanying someone else; the brothers are here to compete themselves."
The woman's face registered surprise. "Them? Are you joking? How old are they?"
Nora just smiled and didn't answer.
After all, if they weren't her own, she'd have a hard time believing it, too.
"Auntie, my mommy isn't kidding. My two brothers are geniuses," Samantha proudly declared with her childlike voice.
The woman was skeptical, "Really? This is the first time I've seen such a cute prodigy."
Several people nearby overheard their conversation and started sizing up Alex and Billy with curious stares. Some were doubtful, while others seemed indifferent.
At that moment, a group made a grand entrance into the classroom.
Nora looked over and saw a few burly men escorting a young boy of about ten years old.
The young woman said, "Samantha, mommy, did you see? That little boy is the son of the famous Turner family from Lindwood City. He's a prodigy as well. Last year, at only eleven, he competed in a math contest and took home second place!"
‘Really?’ Nora's gaze landed on the little boy surrounded by bodyguards.
The boy was slightly chubby, robust, but had a rather fine-looking face. Probably accustomed to being coddled, he exuded an arrogant air, appearing as though he considered others beneath him.
"Make way," one of the bodyguards demanded sternly, his face void of emotion, as he parted the crowd of chattering people.
Seeing the formidable entourage, the bystanders quickly stepped aside to let them pass.
The young boy made his way in, looking around for a seat. He was the last to arrive, and by now, there were no empty seats nearby.
His eyes settled on Samantha, and with a slight tilt of his chin, he commanded, "Move over."
‘How rude and arrogant!’ Nora's eyebrows knitted slightly as she glanced at Jacob.
Jacob squinted his eyes, his expression darkening.
Just then, Samantha, the one called out, instinctively began to stand up to offer her seat. But she was immediately stuck by Alex's hand.
"Are you a senior citizen? Why should my sister give up her seat for you?" That retort hit the mark.
Jacob nodded in approval, remaining silent for the moment, curious to see how the children would handle the situation.
The young boy was taken aback, staring at Alex incredulously.
He had never been talked back to his whole life, always getting what he wanted. Who would dare to confront him like this? And it was just a kid?
"Who is this little brat, thinking this is a daycare? Move it! I'm here to compete, and you dare to take up space?" the young boy said.
Samantha, now recovered from her initial shock, looked up at him and said in her childish voice, "I'm here with my two brothers to compete in the contest. Why should I give up my seat for you?"
The young boy frowned as he scanned the room, "Who are your brothers?"
"Them!" Samantha pointed at Alex and Billy.
The boy was taken aback once more, and scoffed, "You mean to tell me these two little kids are here to compete in the math contest today?"
"Kid, you're not exactly towering over us," Billy shot back.
The young boy choked, scrutinizing him and Alex before taunting, "Do you think this math competition is some kind of joke? Like it's just about adding one plus one? Better scurry back to your preschool and stop getting in the way here."
Billy rolled his eyes dramatically. "Who's getting in the way? Let me tell you, our IQs are nearly two hundred. If you don't believe it, why don't we have a little showdown right here?"
At this remark, the young boy scoffed with disdain. "You want me, a genius, to compete with you?"
Billy tilted his chin up, deliberately provoking and said, "Are you scared?"
The young boy felt provoked. "Who's scared? I’m just worried you’ll start bawling after you lose!"
"We'll see who cries! Are we competing or not?" Billy challenged.
"Fine, let's compete!" the boy exclaimed.
Alex, with a cool expression, said, "There's got to be stakes. How about this, whoever loses has to bow out of this math competition?"
Hearing this, the young boy furrowed his brow, with a hint of hesitation in his eyes.
Alex stared at him and taunted, "Scared?"
"Me? Scared? No way! Who’s going to make the problems?" He was convinced of his own genius; losing to a couple of preschool-aged kids was unthinkable!
"How about I come up with a problem?" A middle-aged man made his way through the crowd of spectators, pushing his glasses up on his nose with interest.
"That's Chairman Lee from the Lindwood City Math Society." The astonished woman came to her senses and covertly briefed Nora.
Nora nodded, acknowledging the information.
As for her sons challenging the young Turner scion, she thought it was unnecessary, but the boy was so arrogant that it seemed right he learned a lesson.
It was time for him to understand that there is always someone better. She only wondered if her sons could teach the brat a lesson.
Chairman Lee procured paper and pencils for the trio, and then posed a problem.
The surrounding onlookers held their breath, watching the unfolding scene. Nora, too, was nervous, watching her sons as they studied the problem earnestly.
Only Jacob sat relaxed, as if the outcome was already clear to him.
The two kids, with solemn expressions, pondered the question briefly before starting to write their answers.
The young Turner, however, was still frowning, desperately trying to think.
Just as he finally figured out how to solve it and was about to write down his answer, Alex and Billy had already finished.
"Done," they said, one after the other.
The young Turner, who was just about to write, stared at them, wide-eyed and incredulous.
"Have you already solved it? You must have guessed blindly!"
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