Jiang City Airport.
The wind and snow had just eased.
Compared to Vermilion Bird Academy, Jiang City was farther north.
So during every winter break, you could still see snow.
A military transport plane touched down steadily on the runway, and the ramp slowly lowered.
Su Zhan followed Wang Mingyuan down the gangway.
The biting wind hit them head-on and somehow sharpened their spirits.
At the airport exit, a bright red banner flapped in the wind.
“Warmly welcome Vermilion Bird Academy’s SSS Awakened One Su Zhan back to his hometown!”
the principal of Jiangcheng No.3 High School, sporting a receding hairline, stood at the front.
Behind him were more than twenty student representatives in neat school uniforms.
When they saw Su Zhan appear, the students immediately raised the bouquets in their hands and shouted in unison, “Welcome back, senior!”
Su Zhan thought to himself: of course.
He knew this sort of scene would happen when he returned.
The principal hurried forward in three quick steps, his face beaming: “Student Su Zhan, you’ve finally come back!”
He gripped Su Zhan’s hand and turned to the teachers and students behind him, announcing loudly, “This is the pride that left our No.3 High School! This year’s only SSS-ranked awakener in southern Daxia!”
The students erupted in awed whispers.
Several younger underclassmen stood on tiptoe to get a better look at this legendary senior.
Some brandished their phones, snapping photos nonstop.
Others held out notebooks, hoping to get an autograph.
Wang Mingyuan stood to the side, watching Su Zhan being swarmed by the crowd, a faint smile at the corner of his mouth.
Su Zhan awkwardly handled the enthusiastic teachers and students.
Out of the corner of his eye he noticed several media vans parked by the school gate, their flashbulbs blinking incessantly in this direction.
“Principal, this is too extravagant…”
Su Zhan said quietly.
He meant it was too high-profile.
“It’s deserved! Of course it’s deserved!”
The principal’s face flushed with pride. “Ever since news of your five consecutive wins at the Vermilion Bird Academy exchange meeting spread back, our school’s reputation has skyrocketed! Right now, next year’s applicants have already doubled!”
As he spoke, he looked at Wang Mingyuan, stepped forward warmly, and clasped his hands.
“Teacher Wang, I didn’t expect you to have been hiding your talent.”
The principal said respectfully, “But you were truly wasted at our school before; now that you’re back at Vermilion Bird Academy, that’s where your skill really matches.”
“There’s no need to say that. Your school is great, Principal. But you don’t have to worry about me—go chat with him.”
Wang Mingyuan waved off the compliment and pointed to Su Zhan: “I’m following my student, so please don’t mind me.”
His manner remained gentle, the same with everyone.
No matter the other person’s status, awakened or ordinary.
“Haha, your presence graces our humble school! Since you insist, I won’t keep you then.”
After speaking, the principal released Wang Mingyuan’s hands and made a welcoming gesture toward Su Zhan: “Come, the school prepared a welcome ceremony for you; Jiang City leaders are coming too!”
Snow began falling again, but the lively atmosphere was undiminished.
Su Zhan felt helpless and told the principal in a low voice, “I already said beforehand—I'll come to the school just to put on a show for one day. I can do speeches and all that, but only for one day.”
“Don’t worry, I know that.”
The principal waved a hand. “Student Su, you must prepare your speech and everything. You’ll be speaking in a little while.”
“All right.”
Su Zhan nodded.
One day, a speech, five hundred thousand in hand—there was no job that paid him that much.
Under the admiring gazes of underclassmen,
Su Zhan and Wang Mingyuan followed the principal into a car.
The other students boarded the school bus.
Su Zhan and Wang Mingyuan sat in the back seat.
The luxurious stretched black sedan drove smoothly along Jiang City’s main road.
Su Zhan sat on the soft leather seat, his fingers tracing the refined wood grain on the armrest.
The cabin was exaggeratedly spacious; the rear even had a small bar and an ice bucket.
A thick cashmere carpet lay underfoot, and the roof above them glittered like a starry sky.
“Principal, is this your car?” Su Zhan asked casually.
Hearing this, the principal immediately waved his hand: “Student Su, don’t say that lightly. I live on a tiny fixed salary—how could I afford such a high-end car? This is the school’s official vehicle, used to receive important guests.”
Su Zhan nodded and didn’t pursue the matter, but his eyes scanned the interior.
A half-pack of the principal’s habitual cigarettes lay by the driver’s seat; a safety charm hung from the rearview mirror.
Wang Mingyuan discreetly pushed his glasses.
The car took a turn.
The principal, familiar with the route, reached into the glove compartment for a bottle of mineral water, twisted it open, and took a sip.
Su Zhan and Wang Mingyuan exchanged a glance in the rearview mirror and both let their mouths twitch into knowing smiles.
Well, on paper it was school property.
But who really drove this car in private?
So hard to guess.
Outside the window, Jiang City’s streets flashed past.
The principal chattered away about the school’s recent changes.
Su Zhan’s mind drifted to the upcoming speech.
That five hundred thousand reward would buy him a decent supply of cultivation materials.
At the gate of Jiangcheng No.3 High School, people packed the square until it was impassable.
Thousands of teachers and students had surrounded the school entrance.
Looking from afar, Su Zhan felt a twinge of admiration.
These high schoolers weren’t on winter break at all.
When he’d asked the principal about that earlier—he was on break, so why wasn’t the school?
The principal had explained: since they’re in high school and their studies are intense, even if they don’t become awakeners they still have the college entrance exam. They should keep a backup plan.
So the school offered flexible classes out of consideration for academics.
Extra tutoring was voluntary and paid, never forced.
But judging by how many students showed up, their “voluntary” contributions looked pretty earnest.
The black sedan slowly drove into view.
The crowd instantly erupted into deafening cheers.
“Senior Su! Over here!”
“Ahhh it’s really him! Even better than in the livestream!”
“Senior, I like you!”
A girl with a ponytail screamed.
A nearby teacher shot her a glare.
As soon as the car stopped, a dozen student council officers rushed forward and fumbled with the doors.
Su Zhan had just stepped out when a cacophony of voices flooded his ears.
“Su Zhan! Do you remember me? I was your deskmate in tenth grade—Zhang Wei!”
“You were his deskmate? Then why are you still at school now?”
“Hey, failed awakening. Didn’t do well on the college entrance exam either. Anything wrong with repeating a year?”
“Everyone, stop arguing. Senior definitely remembers me! Senior! I brought you water at last year’s sports meet!”
The principal stood on the steps, flushed with pride, holding a megaphone. “Quiet! Quiet! Let our school’s pride say a few words!”
The crowd quieted down.
All eyes focused on Su Zhan.
He cleared his throat, about to deliver the polite lines he had prepared, when a childish voice called from the rear:
“Senior! How did you beat those monsters?”
“Yeah, tell us about the match details!”
“I heard you can stop time—true or not?”
Questions came at him like a barrage.
Looking at the adoring faces in front of him, Su Zhan suddenly found it amusing.
Back when he was dragged through online abuse and exposed by Doberman,
these people didn’t look anything like this.
Sure enough, when you succeed, everyone around you wears a smile.