Term began.
For Zhu Yun, who had returned two weeks early and been working until the moonlight grew hazy each night, the start of term didn’t feel like much of anything at all.
Maybe having classes would mean she could relax a little?
The automotive company project was finished, and the workspace was currently in a resting phase.
She was sitting in class when her phone buzzed — a bank notification, informing her of a change in her account balance.
The boss really was reliable. He never held back wages.
Zhu Yun looked up. She was sitting toward the back and could see the entire classroom from here. Li Xun hadn’t come to this class. The teacher had taken attendance before the lesson — his bad luck.
Nobody dared answer for Li Xun. His distinguishing features were too obvious — the whole class would see straight through it.
After the lesson, someone came to find Zhu Yun in the classroom. It was the C language class representative from the second cohort.
“Teacher Lin wants you to come to the office.”
“…Oh.”
What for? Term had only been on for three days, and his class hadn’t even started yet.
“It’s probably good news,” the class representative recalled. “Teacher Lin looked happy.”
Zhu Yun had no idea what to make of this. She picked up her bag and headed to the office. From some distance away, she could already hear the sound of Old Teacher Lin in the grip of barely-contained fury —
“What am I supposed to say to you — what do you think you’re doing, you impossibly inconsiderate —!”
Zhu Yun’s feet slowed. This was him looking happy?
She approached slowly. The door was not fully shut. She peered through the gap.
Well, well.
Wasn’t that their top scholar himself.
Only Old Teacher Lin and Li Xun were in the room. Li Xun had clearly reached the outer limits of his patience, but out of some residual deference to Teacher Lin, he could not simply leave. He was leaning against the desk, staring fixedly at the potted plant on the adjacent table.
Zhu Yun knocked gently.
Both of them turned. Li Xun came back to life instantly — he shot out a long arm and reeled Zhu Yun in.
“Her.” Li Xun deposited Zhu Yun squarely in front of Old Teacher Lin.
Zhu Yun attempted to reclaim sovereignty over her own body. Li Xun’s hand had closed around the back of her neck, and she could not move an inch.
“Send her.”
Send her where? Let go of me first.
Even Teacher Lin came to her aid. “Take your hands off her. You and your grabbing.”
Li Xun released her, and apparently decided he had no further reason to stay. He made to leave. Teacher Lin stepped forward and shut the door.
“You stay right there!”
After some further back and forth, Zhu Yun finally understood what was happening.
The class representative from the second cohort had been right — it really was good news. The software they had built for Blue Crown had won first prize in the National University Student Technology Innovation Award.
“I genuinely cannot —” Li Xun looked deeply pained. His hand went toward his pocket, and Zhu Yun knew from the gesture exactly what he was reaching for. She kicked him in the ankle. Li Xun glared at her.
We are in a teacher’s office. Could you show the slightest restraint?
“…” Li Xun appeared to receive Zhu Yun’s unspoken communication. He withdrew his hand.
“It’s just attending an event. How much of your time can it possibly take?” Old Teacher Lin was still working on Li Xun.
Li Xun tilted his chin at Zhu Yun. “Send her.”
“You all have to go! And Gao Jianhong too — the three of you as a team!”
Zhu Yun blinked. As a team for what, exactly?
Li Xun made to turn around again. Teacher Lin physically turned him back.
“At the event you’ll meet outstanding students from all over the country — the exchange alone is worth your while. And it’ll be good preparation for the mid-year computer security competition. What an opportunity. How can you not see that?”
A competition?
What competition?
Could someone please explain this to her.
“Not interested.” The great gentleman Li Xun was not about to extend anyone any face.
Old Teacher Lin stared at him in disbelief, then rounded on Zhu Yun. “Did you hear that? Did you just hear what he said?! Does he think they’re guaranteed to win if they go?”
Zhu Yun: “Not necessarily —”
Li Xun: “Correct.”
Teacher Lin’s face went thoroughly red. He threw back his head and roared: “Li Xun! Do not let that head of yours get any bigger!”
Zhu Yun hurriedly handed over the tea mug and tried to smooth things over.
“Teacher, don’t get upset. Let’s talk it through calmly.”