Chapter 8: The Teacher’s Concern
Wang Hai paid Zhang Yu no more attention for the rest of the gym class, treating him as if he were thin air and offering no further instruction or guidance.
Following Wang Hai’s lead in isolating him, the other students also subconsciously kept their distance from Zhang Yu, as if an invisible dead zone had formed around him.
“That old Wang is so… How can he be so petty?”
But things had already come to this, and there was nothing Zhang Yu could do, so he simply lay back down on the ground to rest.
In the blink of an eye, class was over, and everyone gradually headed for the cafeteria.
After the others had left, Zhou Tianyi walked over to Zhang Yu and shot him a thumbs-up.
“You’re a real warrior. Have you bought accident insurance yet?”
Zhang Yu slowly climbed to his feet, dusting off his pants.
“What’s there to be afraid of? Give me some time. Once my cultivation base improves and my scores skyrocket, plenty of teachers will be lining up to protect me.”
He glanced confidently at the Feather Book in his palm; his physical strength had already risen from 0.83 to 0.84.
This improvement was achieved without any injections or medicine, let alone any dietary supplements, but solely through training with the Thirty-Six Body-Strengthening Forms.
He imagined that as the level of his Thirty-Six Body-Strengthening Forms increased, his physical strength would improve at an ever-faster rate.
Just the thought of it made Zhang Yu marvel again at his own terrifying potential.
Seeing the suddenly confident expression on Zhang Yu’s face, a curious Zhou Tianyi asked, “Did you find a new source for meds? If you’ve got the good stuff, don’t forget your brother.”
Zhang Yu clenched his fist and smiled. “My friend, I’m all-natural body tempering!”
Outside the training room, Bai Zhenzhen’s cheeks were flushed from her intense body tempering. Sweat dripped from her forehead, and steam rose from her entire body.
Knock, knock, knock!
She knocked on the door and said cooly, “Zhang Yu, are you done striking poses? I’m starving. Let’s hurry and get something to eat.”
The trio hurried to join the throng at the cafeteria. They were late, and from a distance, they could see a huge crowd of people queuing in front of the main entrance.
However, as students of the model class, Zhang Yu’s group of three had the privilege of priority entry and could use the VIP channel to get their meals directly.
The three of them walked into the cafeteria under the mixed gazes of the students from other classes.
How could he describe the feeling?
If Zhang Yu had to describe it, it was like a scene from a novel where the chosen geniuses of the inner sect slowly enter the Grand Immortal Pavilion to dine under the envious, jealous, or covetous gazes of the outer sect handymen.
As soon as they entered the cafeteria, Bai Zhenzhen said, “I’m taking a dietary supplement today, so I’m eating on the second floor.”
The so-called dietary supplements were meals cooked with ingredients rich in Immortal Dao elements and fortified with various medicines. They could effectively strengthen one’s constitution, replenish the body’s energy after strenuous exercise, and increase the efficiency of both body tempering and breathing exercises.
Dietary supplements offered countless benefits for studying the Immortal Dao, but the only reason Zhang Yu wasn’t partaking at that moment was that it was too expensive. Simply far too expensive.
A single meal cost several hundred at a minimum, and it was normal for those with rarer ingredients to cost thousands. Even the old Zhang Yu, with a mountain of loan money, couldn’t bear to eat it every day, to say nothing of the present Zhang Yu.
Watching Bai Zhenzhen walk up to the second floor alone, Zhang Yu could feel that the cafeteria’s first and second floors represented another clear dividing line, much like the one between the queuing students outside and his own position inside.
But a sliver of doubt crept into Zhang Yu’s mind.
Doesn’t Zhen say she was broke? How can she afford to go to the second floor?
…
Not long after lunch, Zhang Yu, who was in the middle of his lunch break, was summoned to the teacher’s office.
A middle-aged man sipped his tea and glanced at Zhang Yu, who stood before his desk.
“Teacher Wang Hai told me what happened,” he said.
The man’s name was Su Haifeng; he was not only the class advisor for the model class but also the head of the first-year grade.
He looked at Zhang Yu with an expression of disappointment and said, “Do you remember what you told me during your interview?”
When the original Zhang Yu had interviewed for Songyang High School, Su Haifeng had been the interviewer sitting in the center.
Hearing Su Haifeng’s words now, Zhang Yu was taken aback for a moment. Although he had his predecessor’s memories, he couldn’t recall every detail in an instant.
Su Haifeng sighed. “I still remember you said you wanted to get into a prestigious university.”
“In gym class, you don’t buy medicine, you don’t get acupuncture, you lie on the ground slacking off, and you talk back to the teacher. Is this the attitude of someone who wants to get into a prestigious university?”
Listening to the criticism, Zhang Yu was at a loss for how to explain himself. He couldn’t very well say that he was too poor and useless to afford medicine and acupuncture, and that because his potential had been unlocked, he had been slacking off in gym class.
Sensing Zhang Yu’s silence, Su Haifeng sighed again. “Zhang Yu, your performance these past three months has been quite good. I know you’re a good kid.”
“Has something happened with your family recently?”
Zhang Yu looked up in surprise. Feeling the concern in the man’s gaze, he found it hard to believe.
In this insane school, there’s actually a teacher who cares about students?
He thought for a moment before saying softly, “Yes, there was a bit of a disagreement with my family.”
“I’ll do my best to sort it out and get back on track quickly.”
Although he felt the man’s concern, Zhang Yu could only give a perfunctory answer for now. In a while, when his results improved, he wouldn’t have to explain these complicated matters to his teachers.
But Su Haifeng frowned as if in dissatisfaction and said irritably, “Is there anything you can’t tell your teacher?”
“Are you having financial problems at home?”
“Calls from the loan platforms… the debt collectors have already been calling the school.”
“What?” Zhang Yu’s head snapped up. “They called you, sir?”
Su Haifeng nodded grimly. “If they hadn’t called me, I would never have known you owed so much money. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I…” Zhang Yu began.
He truly hadn’t considered what good telling the school would do. Especially given the atmosphere at Songyang High School, he figured that their knowing would only make his situation worse.
But Su Haifeng let out a long sigh and looked at Zhang Yu with a kindly expression.
“I know the school can be rather strict at times, and you’re afraid to tell us when something goes wrong.”
“But you must remember that we are your teachers. How could we not help our own students?”
With that, he pulled a document from his drawer and handed it to Zhang Yu.
“This is the financial assistance plan for students in need that I specially applied for on your behalf. Go on and sign it.”
Reaching out for the document, Zhang Yu looked at Su Haifeng, deeply moved.
“Teacher, thank you.”
He realized he had been wrong about the teachers at this school yet again.
Zhang Yu thought to himself, While there are scoundrels like Wang Hai, there are also kind-hearted elders like Teacher Su.
Su Haifeng smiled, waved his hand, and passed over a pen.
“Go on, sign it.”
Zhang Yu lowered his head, his gaze sweeping across the document. Then he froze.
Su Haifeng chuckled. “What is it? Hurry and sign. I’ll try to get it submitted for you before I leave work.”
Zhang Yu’s voice was low. “Sir, this appears to be a debt restructuring contract. Did you give me the wrong document?”
Su Haifeng laughed heartily. “Why are students in need? Isn’t it because of debt? By restructuring the debt, we are helping the student in need. This is the financial assistance plan.”
Zhang Yu scanned the contract’s contents. In essence, all of his outstanding debts would be consolidated, and the school would then loan him the money to pay them off.
From that day forward, the school would be his creditor.
Zhang Yu did a quick calculation of the restructured debt. After all the convoluted procedures, the various interest rates, principal amounts, service charges, and hidden fees… it seemed the total had swelled to over a million.
“Some debt restructuring! This is just taking on new debt to pay off old debt.”
He roared inwardly, “So the class advisor is a loan shark, too.”
“Is this how they operate? Are there any normal teachers left in this wretched school?”
Suppressing his rage, Zhang Yu let out a breath and said, “Teacher, on second thought, I think I’ll pass. I can pay this money back myself.”
Su Haifeng persuaded him earnestly, “How can a boy like you possibly repay such a large sum? Just sign it. The school will take on this burden for you.”
“Don’t worry, the school’s repayment plan is very flexible.”
“No, thank you, sir. Really, I don’t need it,” Zhang Yu said.
After refusing several more times, Zhang Yu simply tossed the contract down and fled the office.
Watching his retreating figure, Su Haifeng raised his teacup and blew gently across its surface.
A moment later, he picked up his vibrating phone. “He refused,” he said.
“Mm, I’ll try again in a while.”
“Don’t worry. He’s a poor kid… once he can no longer stand the collection agencies’ tactics, he’ll come to us to borrow.”