Chapter Seventy-Four: The Elementary School Student Showing Off His Toys

Chapter Seventy-Four: The Elementary School Student Showing Off Her Toy!

Before he used the gene serum, Captain America couldn't even pass the military recruitment; Spider-Man, before being bitten by the spider, was just a weakling who couldn't get up after being beaten. Only after their mutations did they don the flamboyant costumes that made them memorable, embarking on their journey of good deeds.

Dean Jiao Yuheng not only refrained from blaming him for fighting, but earnestly advised him to restrain his fist for now—only so it could strike more powerfully in the future. This left Tang Zhong both excited and deeply moved. Before entering the office, he had prepared himself mentally for being thrown out by the dean.

He even considered whether he should proactively request the dean to expel him. He knew he wasn't someone who would bow to others, and causing constant trouble for the dean made him uneasy and filled him with guilt.

“I understand what you mean, Professor,” Tang Zhong nodded. “That’s how I see it as well.”

“Pfft—” Dean Jiao choked on his tea again.

He pulled out a tissue, wiped his mouth, and said, “If you think that way, why do you keep getting into fights?”

Tang Zhong smiled. “I didn’t expect they’d provoke me before I’d built up enough strength—”

“All right.” Dean Jiao waved his hand. “Clearly, your energy is too abundant. If I don’t find something for you to do, it won’t work.”

He stood up, went to his desk, and brought over a stack of books, setting them in front of Tang Zhong. “These are a few psychology textbooks I’ve selected for you. Read them carefully and submit a reflection each week. Don’t be perfunctory. I’ll know from your reflections if you’ve really read them.”

“I won’t be perfunctory,” Tang Zhong nodded. To be perfunctory with the professor is to be perfunctory with oneself. Besides, he was genuinely interested in psychology now.

“It’s late. Go home and rest.” Dean Jiao waved him off.

“Professor, you should rest early too,” Tang Zhong said with concern. “Because of my issue, you’re still in the office so late. I’m truly sorry.”

“Being a teacher is like being a parent. Wanting to be responsible for your child—it’s never easy,” Dean Jiao waved him away.

As Tang Zhong walked down the stairs with the books in his arms, his phone rang from his pocket.

He tucked the books under his arm, fished out the phone, and saw Bai Su’s number displayed.

He was puzzled—why was she calling at this hour? Was there another notification for tomorrow?

“What is it?” Tang Zhong pressed the answer button and asked.

“Oh my, why so fierce? I’m scared,” Bai Su teased. She deliberately mimicked A-Ken’s tone, but sounded much less awkward than A-Ken himself.

“A-Ken, if there’s nothing important, I’ll hang up now,” Tang Zhong pretended impatience.

“Hey, wait, wait. It’s me, Bai Su.” Bai Su quickly revealed her identity, realizing after she spoke that this sly guy could never have failed to recognize her voice. He must have done it on purpose.

“Go on. What is it?” Tang Zhong’s lips curved into a smile.

“What’s wrong? Feeling down?” Bai Su asked cheerfully.

Tang Zhong raised an eyebrow. “What do you know?”

“Don’t be so sensitive, okay? I’m not having you followed—I have friends at Nanda. Just a little inquiry and I know everything,” Bai Su explained.

“So why did you call?” Tang Zhong asked.

“Sigh. You must have forgotten what I told you before,” Bai Su sighed. “Keep a low profile. You must stay low-key at school, or your identity could easily be exposed—”

“I understand,” Tang Zhong replied. “What’s happened isn’t what I wanted.”

“I know you’re not someone who takes losses lying down,” Bai Su began to comfort him. “I heard the people you clashed with today are quite influential?”

“They probably are,” Tang Zhong gave a wry smile. Bai Su’s concern was ambiguous—whether for him or for fear that exposure would ruin her plans, she had thoroughly investigated what had happened at school.

“Is it dangerous?” Bai Su asked.

“I’ll be cautious,” Tang Zhong replied. He knew the cripple would likely seek revenge. For them, reputation was everything.

“Mm,” Bai Su responded.

“If there’s nothing else, I’ll hang up.” Tang Zhong prepared to end the call.

“Tang Zhong,” Bai Su hesitated, but finally said what she wanted, “Why not meet with her? It would be good for you—”

“It’s late. Rest early,” Tang Zhong firmly hung up.

This lobbyist was truly unqualified.

How could Tang Zhong agree to meet her now? Lost a fight and now seeking reinforcements?

He called Hua Ming and learned they were still eating barbecue and drinking beer on Academy Road, so he carried his stack of books and headed over.

Hua Ming was the first to spot Tang Zhong, waving and shouting, “Second Brother! Hurry up! You’re late. Three cups penalty!”

Tang Zhong raised his beer and drank a cup, then looked at Hua Ming and said, “How many cups should you be penalized for hiding your identity from us?”

Liang Tao and Li Yu, who had been listening and laughing, suddenly turned serious, focusing their gaze on Hua Ming.

Tonight’s events had made them realize Hua Ming’s background wasn’t ordinary. Though full of curiosity, they had held their questions in.

Unexpectedly, Tang Zhong came straight to the point, making them eagerly await Hua Ming’s explanation.

“Hiding my identity? What identity?” Hua Ming feigned ignorance.

“If I heard right, you should be called Qian Ming?” Tang Zhong smiled.

“Yeah, I heard it too. That guy called you Qian Ming—” Liang Tao chimed in.

“Pffft. You’re the one surnamed Qian. How tacky is that?” Hua Ming protested angrily. “‘Hua’ suits a refined, poetic, gently melancholic, slightly fresh, slightly cute, wind-like man like me—tell me, is there any romance drama where the male lead’s surname is Qian?”

“So what’s your story?” Liang Tao asked curiously. “You seem pretty awesome. Come on, confess, or you’ll suffocate us with curiosity.”

Hua Ming rolled his eyes and pointed at Liang Tao. “Haven’t I said it before? I’ve told you countless times—I’m extraordinary, a big shot—but you never believed me, so what can I do?”

Everyone was speechless.

Hua Ming had indeed said so, and often. Whenever idle, he’d tell everyone how heroic he was, how any girl favored by him was blessed for eight generations—everyone dismissed it as nonsense.

“See? All stunned, aren’t you?” Hua Ming was delighted by their expressions. “Why do people call me Hua Wuqie? Because I have no flaws. Lying is absolutely impossible for me.”

“I always thought you made that nickname up yourself,” Li Yu whispered.

“Do you think I’m that shameless?” Hua Ming retorted. “Am I capable of such tasteless things?”

The three nodded in unison.

Hua Ming was utterly defeated. “I told you, my nickname is Hua Wuqie—call me whatever you like in the dorm, but in public, use my nickname. Now you know, my background is formidable. Follow the boss and you’ll eat well, follow the boss and you’ll get the girls.”

“Was Instructor Li Tieshu kept here by you too?” Tang Zhong asked with a smile.

“I made a phone call,” Hua Ming admitted.

Tang Zhong nodded. That made everything understandable.

“It’s actually true?” Liang Tao exclaimed. “I thought you were joking. So it’s real—you don’t even like him, right?”

“I was afraid someone I liked even less would come,” Hua Ming replied.

“I always thought Second Brother was the most mysterious in our dorm, but it turns out it’s you—” Liang Tao chuckled. “Come on, a toast for the brothers of 307.”

“Cheers!” Their glasses clinked together.

Barbecue, beer, brotherhood.

The four laughed and played, leaving in high spirits.

“Guan guan cries the ospreys, on the river islets. Graceful and fair, the lovely maiden. Gentlemen seek her,” Hua Ming staggered ahead, swaying his hips, reciting lines from “Guan Ju.”

“Longing, awake or asleep, thinking of her. Leisurely, turning and tossing,” Liang Tao had his arm around Li Yu’s shoulder, drunk and swaying.

“Third Brother, you skipped a line,” Hua Ming called out.

“Which line?” Liang Tao slurred.

“I am a wolf from the north, roaming the boundless steppe, the bitter north wind blows, endless yellow sand sweeps—” Hua Ming shouted, answering irrelevantly, his thoughts wandering who knows where.

Tang Zhong strolled behind.

He had arrived last, drank the least, and now only he and Li Yu were relatively sober.

The moon hung high, tree-lined paths, drunken brothers, off-key singing—

This scene struck Tang Zhong as beautiful beyond words. His heart was calm and peaceful.

“Hey—hey—” someone called behind him.

At first, Tang Zhong didn’t realize it was for him, lost in his thoughts and smiling as he walked.

Quick footsteps approached.

Tang Zhong spun around abruptly, startling Qiu Yihan so much she took two steps back.

Her hand was raised, about to pat Tang Zhong’s shoulder. Now, interrupted, it hovered awkwardly, unsure whether to land or retreat.

“It’s you?” Tang Zhong asked in surprise.

“I was out shopping with classmates, just got back,” Qiu Yihan pointed to three girls standing not far behind her. “Saw you and wanted to say hi.”

Her delicate face was radiant with delight, her nostrils flaring with a touch of pride.

Like a charming elementary school student, showing off to adults the toy her teacher had just rewarded her with.