Chapter 22 - 21: Laughing Proudly as I Walk Out the Door

Chapter 22: Chapter 21: Laughing Proudly as I Walk Out the DoorPower and money are forever the passkeys to society! And within the microcosm of a school, the Principal holds the greatest authority! So what if Jiang Shu has achieved Qi Blood Sensing! If the Principal really wants to discipline him, he’ll have no choice but to quietly accept his punishment! "Jiang Shu has caused such a stir; the Principal himself has come." "Wang Han really hit the nail on the head. Jiang Shu is going to be punished this time." "Wang Han is indeed insightful. Besides, Jiang Shu was in the wrong to begin with, taking a joke seriously and then throwing away Wang Han’s book without apologizing in time. Serves him right!" "I’m not sure about that. Did you just see Jiang Shu lift the desk? With such strength, could he have made progress in Martial Arts, achieving a small success in Horse Stance and Qi Blood Sensing? If he has such strength, the school might just give him a warning, just for show." "Oh please, how could that be possible? Do you know Yao Zhenghao from Class Nine next door? That freak who’s always first in the school sports meets. He’s still one step away from Qi Blood Sensing. Jiang Shu’s physical education grades are okay, but compared to Yao Zhenghao, there’s a huge gap. How could he possibly be faster than him in Martial Arts practice? It’s most likely just some technique he picked up off the internet." "True. If Martial Arts training were that simple, then every Martial Arts Student would be able to get into an undergraduate program." Whispers spread among the classmates—a torrent of sympathetic and regretful gazes directed at Jiang Shu. Everyone thought that Jiang Shu’s fate was sealed this time. As for Wang Han, sipping hot water, he felt an all-encompassing sense of relief! He closed his eyes, as if, in the next moment, he would see the Principal step onto the podium and publicly announce Jiang Shu’s misdeeds, issuing the severest warning! The Principal’s arrival, the students’ whispers, and Wang Han’s smugness—it all came too fast. Xu Shuhui, whose heart had just settled, felt it rise again! She looked towards Jiang Shu. But even now, Jiang Shu remained calmly seated, unruffled. It wasn’t that he was certain the school wouldn’t discipline him, but rather that he was confident that even if he left, he could establish himself in this world through Martial Arts! Practicing Martial Arts means harnessing great power within oneself, taking control of one’s destiny, and responding to all changes! Zhang Taining saw everything from the doorway. After hearing Yan Dehou’s account, he glanced over the surveillance footage, immediately stood up, and came over to see Jiang Shu for himself—this steadfast Martial Arts Student, a shoo-in for a key university and aiming for the School of Learning! The School of Learning! He had dreamt countless times that one of his students would be admitted to the School of Learning. The School of Learning—a place that, within the entire Ji City district, only students from the First High School could typically aspire to! That during his tenure, Fifth High School would rise several ranks, surpassing the fourth and third high schools of Ji City! And now, this dream was about to materialize before his eyes! Although Jiang Shu had only achieved Qi Blood Transport so far, wasn’t there still three months until the college entrance exam? The school could definitely give him plenty of time, ample resources. Even if there was only a glimmer of possibility, he had to fight for it, to try! With excitement surging like a tide, Zhang Taining’s gaze immediately locked onto the youth in the fifth row, third seat from the back of the classroom. Hair flowing past his ears. A handsome visage. Under the school uniform, his physique wasn’t as bulky as he had imagined but appeared exceptionally proportionate. Even now, when the atmosphere in the classroom felt like the calm before a storm, like a catastrophe was imminent, he remained unperturbed, sitting as upright as a mountain. Such a state of mind. No wonder he has made progress in Martial Arts. As a Principal, Zhang Taining had seen many people, and he could tell at a glance that Jiang Shu was different from the other students. He stepped into the classroom, following Yan Dehou towards Jiang Shu. "Principal Zhang!" Seeing the Principal actually approach, Wang Han abruptly stood up and called out loudly, his expression filled with the excitement of someone anticipating justice being served. "The one next to me is Jiang Shu! He’s the one who threw away my textbooks and test papers! The evidence of his guilt is right there, next to the trash can!" "Principal Zhang, it’s not like that..." Xu Shuhui bit her lip and stood up. In her mind, Jiang Shu speaking out was actually his way of trying to help her. Otherwise, he could have reacted emotionally when Wang Han took up desk space much earlier. Why wait until Wang Han claimed she had a crush on him? Jiang Shu had stood up for her when she was in trouble, and now he was about to face punishment from the school. How could I do nothing? If only I hadn’t messed up that major question on last semester’s final exam, my grades would have been firmly in the top ten of our year. The Principal might listen more closely to me, a top student... Adulterers, Wang Han cursed silently. He sneered and pointed to the surveillance camera. "Xu Shuhui, trying to defend Jiang Shu is useless; the surveillance footage has recorded everything! Do you dare claim Jiang Shu didn’t throw away my textbooks and test papers?" "We’re all third-year high school students; don’t you understand what textbooks and test papers mean to us?" "What are your intentions, standing up and speaking now?!" "Principal Zhang, as everyone can see, a student like this in our Fifth High School will only tarnish our school’s reputation!" The more Wang Han spoke, the more animated he became, completely oblivious to Zhang Taining’s slightly furrowing brow. "Hmm." Zhang Taining responded to Wang Han with an emotionless "Hmm" and took no further action. He stood before Jiang Shu and watched as Jiang Shu also rose. His normally stern face suddenly broke into a smile: "You must be Student Jiang Shu." "You know, you don’t have to take a leave of absence to concentrate on your Martial Arts training. Our school has vacant dorm rooms, and if you feel communal living would disturb your rest, you can have a private room. Furthermore, our school’s gymnasium is about to acquire new fitness equipment, which you’ll be able to use anytime." "If you face any difficulties, please don’t hesitate to bring them up. As Principal, I truly hope all students can feel at home here. Jiang Shu, please consider it carefully. Our school is definitely prepared to support you fully." While saying this, Zhang Taining reached out his hand towards Jiang Shu. His tone carried no hint of a principal’s authority; it was as if he were speaking to an equal. It was as though he had never heard Wang Han’s words. As their hands clasped, the air stilled. Sunlight streamed in, making the dust motes on the desks dance. Wang Han’s eyes bulged as if he had seen a ghost. He stood still, like a wax statue. A pen slipped from a classmate’s hand. CLATTER. It landed on the floor. No one had expected the Principal’s opening words to be an attempt to retain Jiang Shu, not an announcement of disciplinary action! To prevent Jiang Shu from taking a leave of absence, he had even offered a private room and the purchase of new equipment for the gymnasium. Could Martial Arts Students who had achieved Qi Blood Sensing really receive such preferential treatment? "Thank you for your concern, Principal. I’ll consider it carefully," Jiang Shu replied. Jiang Shu had not expected Principal Zhang to value him so highly. It could be said that if he returned to school, he would enjoy the best treatment available: a private room, freedom to manage his own time, plus a vast gymnasium and a wide array of fitness equipment for his training. The conditions are very tempting, but... I can have free time at home too, and spend more time with my parents. Why return to school and create more entanglements? Jiang Shu was neither humble nor arrogant, but his words already carried a hint of tactful refusal. Zhang Taining was taken aback. Jiang Shu is even more resolute than I imagined. However, this wasn’t a big problem. It would be best if these offers could keep Jiang Shu in school. Even if Jiang Shu still decided to take a leave of absence, it wouldn’t prevent him from remembering this favor. After all, up to this point, Jiang Shu was still a student of Ji City’s Fifth High School. "Jiang Shu, class is about to start. Let’s not disturb the other students. Please come to my office for a chat," Principal Zhang invited with a smile. "Mr. Zheng Yanbo, the gentleman who came to give a lecture today, is also in my office. He’s very interested in you and said he’d like to meet and chat with you." "Okay," Jiang Shu readily agreed. He was indeed very curious about the Martial Arts Realm and cultivation methods on Xuanxing. Zheng Yanbo would likely be the first professional in the field he could meet at his current stage. If he could gain some insights from their conversation, it would be a small, unexpected joy after the recent event. The second hand on the classroom clock moved steadily. In the entire classroom, only the sound of Jiang Shu and Zhang Taining’s friendly conversation could be heard. One was a high school senior, only eighteen years old, ordinary in studies, with just four months of Martial Arts training. The other was a high school principal who had passed the age of forty and had long established a solid foothold in society, his status a ceiling that ordinary people couldn’t hope to reach in their lifetime. Despite the stark difference in their statuses, they conversed at this moment like old friends who had transcended age. Everyone stared, stupefied by this scene. Even with reality before them, they felt as if God had played a colossal joke on them. Amidst the shocked, speculative, incredulous stares, Zhang Taining and Jiang Shu left the classroom, their laughter fading into the distance. Though the two had left, the classroom remained silent. Until the bell signaling the end of class broke Wang Han’s silence. "On what grounds does Jiang Shu get this treatment!" Wang Han blurted out angrily. "Even if he has achieved Qi Blood Sensing, that only meets the threshold for exam-free admission into an ordinary university! Our school might have fewer students getting into key universities, but are we really short one undergraduate student? Why coddle him?!" "Can Martial Arts Students do whatever they want just because they practice Martial Arts?" "Mr. Yan, I refuse to accept this!" Wang Han’s face grew increasingly contorted. He jumped up as if he were the one being oppressed by tyranny. The students’ gazes in the classroom converged on Yan Dehou. They too wanted to know the real reason. Does Jiang Shu have some special background? Impossible. They’ve been classmates for over a year; everyone has a rough idea of each other’s family situation. Is it because Jiang Shu achieved Qi Blood Sensing? That shouldn’t be it either. Qi Blood Sensing at most guarantees entry into an undergraduate program. It’s plausible he might gain Mr. Yan’s favor, but for the Principal to personally extend an invitation like this... that’s inconceivable. Watching the curious, expectant, shocked, and puzzled faces in the classroom, Yan Dehou finally couldn’t hold back, sighed, and said in a low voice, "Jiang Shu has achieved Qi Blood Transport. The Principal believes he has a very high chance of making a push for an academy before the college entrance exams." Jiang Shu actually has a chance to attend an academy! Yan Dehou’s voice wasn’t loud, but it struck the more than forty underage students in the classroom like a clap of thunder, their young hearts reeling from the impact. In their middle and high school years, most students don’t have a clear understanding of societal power and wealth. Academic performance is their primary measure of worth. The level of a university is one of the key criteria they use to judge whether they have a promising future. The top students in the class were all striving to get into key universities. And now, Jiang Shu—one of them, who had always been average in grades, inconspicuous in class, who had switched to become a Martial Arts Student in his final semester and was thought likely to end up in a vocational college due to slacking off—had actually achieved Qi Blood Transport, was a shoo-in for a key university, and was even contending for an academy spot! How could they believe it? Even if the person saying this was their form teacher, Mr. Yan Dehou! The sound of sharp, unsteady breaths rose and fell throughout the classroom. Looking at the empty seat before her, Xu Shuhui glanced at Wang Han, who was still standing dumbly beside her own desk, her earlier indignation completely gone. She only felt pity for Wang Han. Wang Han had kicked up a fuss, adding fuel to the fire. But from the very beginning, Jiang Shu hadn’t taken Wang Han seriously at all. With the talent to achieve Qi Blood Transport in less than four months of Martial Arts training... how could he possibly end up in a vocational college? How could he possibly have no future? He wasn’t even a Martial Artist yet, and he could already converse with the Principal as an equal. And what about me? Even if I became first in the year, would I dare to speak to Principal Zhang like that? Xu Shuhui couldn’t help but shake her head. Neither she nor any of her classmates had probably ever truly understood Jiang Shu. She turned her head and looked toward the classroom door, recalling once again the moment when Jiang Shu stood up in front of Principal Zhang. He hadn’t defended his actions. He hadn’t pointed out the inaccuracies in Wang Han’s statements. Faced with the accusations and provocations from Wang Han and many other classmates, he had remained indifferent. His true response was the sound of his cheerful conversation with the Principal as they walked out the door! The foolish wife of Kuaiji spurned her husband, Zhu Maichen; I too now bid farewell to home and journey west to Qin. Laughing, I look to the heavens as I depart—how could one such as I be a mere weed-dweller!