Chapter 166: He Forbade Me to Mention It
When Adrian Lancaster shot to fame on the show *The Tower of Wit*, Jane Lancaster was in a vegetative coma.
He never would have imagined that his own perfect escape from that scandal had actually been thanks to Jane Lancaster.
’Does that mean Sylvan doesn’t admire me at all? How is that possible? What’s so bad about me?’
Adrian Lancaster gritted his teeth. He refused to believe that Sylvan didn’t have even the slightest appreciation for his talent.
"You’re so close with Sylvan and Cecilia Nash. Don’t tell me you also graduated from the prodigy class?"
"No."
Adrian Lancaster breathed a sigh of relief. ’I knew it. How could that be possible?’
’You’re sighing in relief a little too soon~’
"I didn’t graduate from the prodigy class. I graduated from First High, just like you," Jane Lancaster said, watching him with great interest. Her tone shifted. "But I was in the prodigy class, in the same one as Sylvan and Cecilia Nash."
Alvin Lancaster was so shocked he shot up from the sofa. "Really?"
’Oh my god, is my sister really that incredible?’
Adrian Lancaster froze, and a shadow fell over the face his fans had countless times praised as "god-tier."
"Jay, don’t tease your Third Brother. What’s really going on?" Julian Lancaster’s expression was grave. He had a faint premonition that things were about to spiral out of control.
Jane Lancaster said, "It’s just like I said. I was in the prodigy class, but I dropped out midway and didn’t graduate."
Adrian Lancaster stared at her intently. "Was it because you failed a later test?"
’If that’s the case, it would make sense. After all, the ones who get in are a bunch of monsters whose intelligence is almost demonic. It would be normal for her to not keep up.’
"No, I dropped out voluntarily. The teachers couldn’t do anything about it." Jane Lancaster thought for a moment. The helpless expressions of those teachers seemed to appear before her eyes, as clear as yesterday.
For a moment, she couldn’t tell if it was her own memory or the original owner’s.
She composed herself and said in a calm tone, "The class was supposed to move to Solara, but Dad wouldn’t let me leave him."
That wasn’t entirely surprising. Back when he was destitute, Timothy Lancaster had refused to send his daughter to the countryside, so it wasn’t strange that he wouldn’t let her go to Solara.
But Alvin Lancaster still found it a great pity. ’Wasn’t the old man being selfish?’
’If he truly doted on his daughter, he should have done everything to lift her up, not use his fatherly love to hold her back.’
’If my sister had gone to Solara back then... maybe she’d be as accomplished as Sylvan by now.’
Compared to the reality of his sister only starting university at twenty-one, how could it not be a source of regret?
A slight sting pricked Adrian Lancaster’s heart. ’So that’s how it was. How ridiculous. To think that Father’s deep love could also become her obstacle.’
He suddenly remembered something. "Jasper Sterling is also very close with Sylvan, and he’s always called you ’senior.’ Don’t tell me he was in that prodigy class too?"
Jane Lancaster said, "Yes. But he joined three months after I did, which is why he calls me ’senior.’"
Alvin Lancaster had a sudden realization!
That finally solved the mystery. He had been wondering why Jasper Sterling, who was clearly older than his sister and in a higher grade, would still call her "senior." So that was the reason!
Julian Lancaster took off his glasses, wiped them, and by the time he put them back on, his gaze had regained its composure.
"You’re so capable, you don’t need your family to worry about you at all. As your older brother, I’m very relieved. But you should have at least told me."
Adrian Lancaster chimed in, "Our older brother pulled a lot of strings and worried himself sick over getting you into university."
’Are they trying to use this against me, to condemn me? Sorry, but you’ve got nothing on me.’
Jane Lancaster said softly, "I’m sorry, Big Brother. It was only after seeing Sylvan and Cecilia Nash that I remembered about the prodigy class."
Adrian Lancaster’s tone was laced with sarcasm. "You’re not trying to say your three years in a coma affected your memory, are you?"
’What about before the coma, then? Why did she never mention it?’
’It would be normal if she didn’t want to tell me and Second Brother, but why keep it a secret from her doting oldest brother?’
Jane Lancaster gave him a look, as if she wanted to say something but was holding back.
Adrian Lancaster frowned. "What? Is there some hidden reason?"
Only then did Jane Lancaster say with feigned helplessness, "Dad wanted me to forget about the prodigy class. Besides, dropping out midway isn’t exactly something to be proud of, so he forbade me from ever mentioning it."
’If you absolutely must blame someone, go talk to your old man!’
’Timothy Lancaster used love as an excuse to chain his daughter to his side, but he was afraid of being condemned if people found out, so he forced her to hide her brilliance and become mediocre.’
’How is that any different from those parents in remote villages who secretly tear up their children’s university acceptance letters? They do it out of feudal ignorance, but Timothy Lancaster is just purely selfish.’
Adrian Lancaster’s eyes turned cold. "Nonsense! Father would never do something like that!"
He wouldn’t allow anyone to slander his father!
"Chase, that’s enough! Stop talking!" Alvin Lancaster couldn’t watch anymore.
Compared to his sister, who had been very restrained, his aggressive younger brother was coming off as rather unlikable.
Besides, what was wrong with Chase? He used to be cold and aloof, but at least he cared about his sister. Why had he been so prickly lately?
Alvin Lancaster took a deep breath and said with a smile, "So our Jay is this incredible. That’s a good thing! Your second brother is happy for you."
He didn’t care what anyone else thought; he felt for his sister and could completely empathize with her.
In his eyes, Timothy Lancaster was just that domineering, unreasonable, and tyrannical. Nothing he did would be surprising.
Julian Lancaster was silent for a moment. "Alright, it’s late. Jay, you should go get some rest."
Just like every other time, he was letting his sister off lightly for her mistakes, showing her infinite tolerance and indulgence.
Jane Lancaster stood up and glanced at Julian Lancaster.
’He was all ready to call me to account, and now he’s just backing down? Why not question me a little more?’
’After all, I deliberately ruined the banquet he worked so hard to organize, made him lose face in front of his partners, and destroyed his chance to befriend Sean Grant.’
Alvin Lancaster glanced subconsciously at Julian Lancaster. ’Impossible. Big Brother would never get angry.’
’It’s just a banquet. How could it be more important than our sister?’
Julian Lancaster’s eyes were hidden behind his glasses, his gaze exceptionally clear.
’Setting aside the matter of the banquet, she still hasn’t clearly explained where her perfect pitch for color and her talent for restoring ancient paintings came from.’
’Did she forget, or was she deliberately deflecting? He was inclined to believe the latter.’
’She must have brought up the prodigy class on purpose to obscure the matter of her perfect pitch for color and her restoration talent.’
’The person standing before him was definitely not his real sister.’
* * *
News of what happened at the Lancaster family’s university acceptance banquet spread quickly.
Sylvan and Cecilia Nash didn’t hide it either, directly stating that they were once classmates with Jane Lancaster in the prodigy class.
It was just that Jane Lancaster, due to family reasons, hadn’t been able to go to Solara and had chosen to drop out instead.
Many people were surprised. The eldest daughter of the Lancaster family, who everyone had thought was a lost cause, had suddenly given them all a small shock.
Back then, many people had a grim outlook for Jane Lancaster, guessing that even if the comatose girl woke up, her mental capacity would be greatly diminished.
Besides, Jane Lancaster had lost three years of her life and was only starting university at her age, while top students among her peers, like Luna Morgan, had already completed their university courses long ago.
Even the First High alumni group chat, which had been quiet for a long time, erupted with discussion as everyone began to gossip.