When Tang Xiu arrived at the classroom, most of his classmates were engrossed in their studies as they plough through pages after pages of past-year paper, while a hand full of them were reciting out loud their textbooks. A tense atmosphere filled the entire classroom.
As the final-year examination was only three months away, their main class teacher and subject teachers emphasised on the importance of this examination time and again. With wave after wave of weekly and monthly test given to the year three students, this bunch of seventeen years old youth can’t help but feel nervous.
Seeing the eye-catching countdown number for the final-year examination on the blackboard and all his classmates studying intensely, Tang Xiu felt that he did not fit in with this world.
“Since I’m here just to fulfil my mother’s wish and not here to really study, I need not be too bothered about my surrounding.” Tang Xiu quickly retracted his gaze as he walked to his desk.
What Tang Xiu didn’t expect was that just when he stepped into the classroom, all his classmates that were initially busy doing their revision stopped what they were doing and turned to look at Tang Xiu.
Those looks were filled with despise, ridicule, disdain and loathe which Tang Xiu could not discern the reason for it.
“Tang Xiu, we don’t welcome you here, get out!” Suddenly, a tall and skinny youth with a face filled with despise pointed his finger and ordered Tang Xiu with a broken gong-like voice which resounded throughout the classroom. (TLN: gong = a metal disc with a turned rim, like those big round disc that produces a “gong” like sound when you hit them, like the ones you see in historical Chinese shows)
Feeling the strong hostility coming out from the tall and skinny body, Tang Xiu’s gaze turned cold as killing intent surfaced out from his body.
The tall and skinny classmate was called Yang Jian and he was a member of the class revision committee. He was always opposing Tang Xiu because he resented Tang Xiu for scoring better than him during the entrance exam, and when Tang Xiu’s academic performance deteriorated, Yang Jian grabbed the chance to ridicule and suppressed him.
“Tang Xiu, we don’t welcome you here, get out!”
“Tang Xiu, we don’t welcome you here, get out!”
“Tang Xiu, we don’t welcome you here, get out!”
Before Tang Xiu had the chance to question Yang Jian, a clamor resounded throughout the classroom as wave after wave of perilous loud shouts caused Tang Xiu to freeze momentarily while still at the entrance.
Just when he wanted to clarify exactly what was going on, a loud “clang” sound echoed throughout the class. When Tang Xiu looked over, he saw that a fat guy at the last row had smashed his chair onto the table.
The strength that the fatty had used was simply too great that the classroom tremored slightly. After the loud smashing sound, the uproar abruptly stopped and the classroom became dead silent as the classmates who were actively bashing Tang Xiu seemed as if they were strangled by the neck.
“Its just Tang Xiu’s grade being a little bit poorer and its not his intention to be like this, is there a need to go against him?”
“Tang Xiu is my tablemate and I have seen him put in so much effort in the past one year. I dare to say that Tang Xiu is the most diligent in his studies out of everyone here, if not for the car accident one year ago all of you here would not even have the chance to be able to catch up to his silhouette, so what qualifications do you all have to reproach him.”
“This matter aside, so what if Tang Xiu’s grades is not good, its not as if whatever you all say counts, he can come and go whenever he wants to so its none of your business!” The fatty indignantly defended Tang Xiu after seeing that everyone was looking at him.
Fatty was very plump and had a height of over 1.8 meters, his tummy was so round that it looked like a lady who was pregnant for 10 months, and his already small eyes were compressed by his fats on his face that made it look like a straight line, unable to see his eye ball.
It may be that fatty’s stature had given everybody a huge pressure or that his murderous fierce look was too intimidating, because the whole class was startled by him.
“Yuan ChuLing, what rights do you have to be so arrogant? The reason why our class’s average marks is the last in the cohort is all because of two of you being such a disappointment. As the saying goes, a piece of rat feces spoils the whole pot of congee, furthermore our class has two rat feces, that’s why its hard to raise our average marks even if we want to.” Yang Jian retorted back unconfidently after being silent for so long.
“Yang Jian, who is the rat feces, I dare you to say it again!” With a “clang” sound, Yuan ChuLing kicked over the table and glared at Yang Jian with his eyes seemingly wanting to devour him as he yelled back.
Yuan ChuLing’s action had frighten Yang Jian as his face became deathly pale and avoided making eye contact with Yang ChuLing.
“Yang Jian, its not that I want to pick on you but even if your grades are exceptionally well, a useless scoundrel like you would only be fated to work for others once you step into society, and you actually think that you are that great just because your grades are good. If me your grandpa wishes to deal with you then its just a lift of a finger to me.” Seeing that Yang Jian had admitted defeat, Yuan ChuLing did not bother with him anymore and gave a cold smirk before seating down after arranging back his chair and table.
Not sure if its because of the wear and tear from the long years or that Yuan ChuLing’s previous action being too violent, but the initially strong chair was actually damaged. So when Yuan ChuLing sat on the chair, a “kacha” sound could be heard and he fell onto the floor with his hands and legs dancing wildly in the air and a heart-tearing, lung-splitting shriek was produced.
With Yuan ChuLing making such a scene, the tense and silent atmosphere disappeared in an instance and there was even someone who could not resist laughing out loud.
Even Tang Xiu himself almost burst out laughing, but thinking back on how Yuan ChuLing had stood out to speak up for him, he forced back his laughter and walked towards Yuan ChuLing to pick him up from the floor.
On the other hand, most of the people that was on Yang Jian’s side did not dare to laugh because they did not want to anger Yuan ChuLing who had an extremely intimidating temper.
“Are you all done? If you’re done then shut up!” Just when everybody’s attention was focused on Yuan ChuLing, a cold voice resounded from the front of the classroom.
Upon hearing the imposing voice, the classroom became dead silent in an instance and even Yuan ChuLing stopped screaming in pain.
During this time Tang Xiu had a face filled with shock when he saw that the chair on floor was perfectly undamaged and that Yuan ChuLing was even unharmed.
As if seeing through what Tang Xiu was thinking about, Yuan ChuLing gave Tang Xiu a few wink. If not for Tang Xiu’s soul returning back which improved his eyesight, the wink that Yuan ChuLing gave from his seemingly straight-line eyes would have been a waste of effort.
“This fatty is actually a genius.” Seeing the winking expression that Yuan ChuLing gave, Tang Xiu immediately understood the reason why Yuan ChuLing fell and can’t help but praise his high EQ. (TLN: EQ = emotional quotient, which also means emotional intelligence)
Yuan ChuLing only wanted to go against Yang Jian and not the whole class, but his actions previously was too arrogant which may easily cause the rest to detest him. But after acting out his slapstick self-torture performance, the effect of Yuan ChuLing’s arrogance and despotic actions had clearly been dissolved, and the favourable impression that he brings to the rest of the class would also be fresh in their minds.
“The whole school could hear your argument, even if you don’t feel ashamed, I feel ashamed. Do all of you still have the image of a student?” Seeing that he had successfully intimidated the sixty over students in his class, Hu QiuSheng’s expression soften slightly.
He took a look at everyone in the class, causing the students to panic as they all lower their heads in guilt. Only Tang Xiu, Yuan ChuLing and Yang Jian had their chest held up without being intimidated by Hu QiuSheng.
Hu QiuSheng had a look of disgust as he cast his sight from Tang Xiu to Yuan ChuLing, and when he lay his eyes on Yang Jian a smile appeared, “Yang Jian, what exactly happened just now, why did the class made such a big ruckus?”
“Teacher, Tang Xiu did not attend last night’s self-study session and was even late for the morning self-study session as well so I just told him off a bit, but after that Yuan ChuLing went to smash the chair and kicked the table, and even started criticising us that no matter how good our grades are we will only just be an employee working under someone. Furthermore he still said that dealing with us would only be a lift of a finger to him……” Yang Jian became very confident having the main class teacher backing him up, giving Tang Xiu and Yuan ChuLing a side glance and started explaining the situation, adding oil to fire as well.
Hu QiuSheng did not like Tang Xiu and Yuan ChuLing in the first place, so when he had finished listening to what had happened the expression on his face when he looked at Tang Xiu and Yuan ChuLing was filled with even more disgust.
“Tang Xiu, the results for last month’s monthly test are out and do you know how much you got? 37 marks!” Hu QiuSheng’s eyes locked onto Tang Xiu as he started reprimanding Tang Xiu.
“Its 37 marks, and the total marks for the test is 750 marks but you actually got 37 marks, you are the first in the cohort if we count the ranking backwards, do you know how how many people laughed at me because of this? If not for your mother kneeling down and begging me several times, do you really think that I will let you stay in this class?” Hu QiuSheng scolded Tang Xiu loudly.
“Every time you assure me that you will work hard and score better on the next test, but every time when the result comes out you are always the lowest in the cohort, and your results are getting worst and worst each time!”
“Tang Xiu, I have already send in a request to the principal to have you expelled or at least have you switched to other class, our class is never going to continue having you here or else I will quit my post as the main teacher of this class!”
……
Hu QiuSheng was roaring when he said those words, his facial muscles were warped up and his eyes turned blood red as if Tang Xiu did an unpardonable crime.
When facing Hu QiuSheng’s scolding, Tang Xiu’s lips trembled for a brief moment. He wanted to explain himself but gave up on that thought after he observed Hu QiuSheng for a while and stood on the spot quietly, letting Hu QiuSheng reprimand him.
However Yuan ChuLing who was standing beside Tang Xiu had his face turned totally red as if he had suffered a huge humiliation. His body kept on fidgeting while his mouth opened up a few times wanting to defend Tang Xiu, but he was suppressed back by Hu QiuSheng’s imposing manner and was not able to speak up.
After scolding Tang Xiu non-stop for about 10 minutes, Hu QiuSheng’s pent up anger had almost subsided and following that, he cast his eyes onto Yuan ChuLing.
When he saw the indistinct mocking smile on the corner of Yuan ChuLing’s mouth, Hu QiuSheng choose to ignore his existence before criticising other students that were not performing well. Only when the bell for the end of morning self-study session rang did Hu QiuSheng stop his scolding and left hastily.
Although Hu QiuSheng had left, the classroom still had an intangible heavy atmosphere. Other than a few students who needed to go to the toilet, majority of them were busy revising.
TLN: Hi guys, sorry for the wait! Finally rushed finished the translation for this chapter ><