Chapter Twelve: Going to School, Friendly Teachers, and Unfriendly Classmates

Chapter Twelve: Going to School, Friendly Teachers, and Unfriendly Classmates

The sun was shining brightly, and the birds chirped happily.

Today was Monday, and Lei Cang stood in front of the mirror, adjusting his clothes.

It was time to go to school.

After the not-so-long winter vacation, the school finally reopened.

Lei Cang slung his backpack over his shoulder and walked out the door. Outside, there was a bustling crowd of people, and compared to a few days ago, there were many more young faces among them.

The mayor of this city was from the Far East and had been in power for many years. As a result, despite the city's location being somewhat European, many things and names in this city had a distinct Far Eastern flavor.

For example, the high school Lei Cang attended.

It wasn't called "First High School of XX City" or "Saint XX High School," but "Guanyin Temple Academy."

The academic year was also based on the Far Eastern three-semester system.

Surprisingly, compared to other high schools, this Japanese-style academy founded by the mayor had the best academic results in the city.

Perhaps it was because the faculty at the academy was very strong, and they didn't hide anything during their lectures, saving the students from having to attend cram schools.

This could be considered a miracle created by both financial power and political influence.

Lei Cang stepped into the school gate amidst the crowd.

The boys and girls of seventeen or eighteen years old were generally still in the process of growing, so Lei Cang, who was about 1.8 meters tall, stood out in the crowd. Many girls cast their glances at him, and when Lei Cang noticed them, some would shyly lower their heads, while others, bolder ones, would wave at him enthusiastically and then discuss animatedly with their friends, eventually bursting into laughter.

Teenage girls always seemed particularly lively and proactive, but Lei Cang, who was not yet of age and had to bear the pressure of reality, hadn't put much thought into romance at the moment. As a result, all the flirty glances were thrown away in vain.

Approaching the teaching building, Lei Cang spotted someone facing a similar predicament.

A new young history teacher was surrounded by a group of young girls, who bombarded him with questions. His tall and thin figure appeared quite embarrassed.

As soon as he saw Lei Cang approaching, it seemed like he saw a savior. He hurriedly said, "The one I've been waiting for has arrived," and struggled to squeeze out from the girls' encirclement, leaving a group of disappointed girls behind.

"Hoo, finally escaped." The young male history teacher smiled bitterly.

The neatly managed collar had become wrinkled, and his well-fitted suit was now askew. He even lost a few pages of his lesson plan.

"Old Yang, you still attract girls as much as ever." Lei Cang recognized him and teased.

"If you attract girls so effortlessly, you might as well become an idol. You'd definitely become the world's number one idol."

This young history teacher's surname was Yang, full name "Welt Yang." Like Lei Cang, he was also of mixed heritage, combining the best of both Eastern and Western features. He was tall, with deep and gentle features.

Using the analogy from the slightly older girl in the orphanage who was slightly older than Lei Cang,

"He might be suitable for cross-dressing."

Old Yang didn't refute but just smiled helplessly.

He was a very gentle person, so gentle that he seemed a bit indecisive, often getting caught in awkward situations.

At first, Lei Cang thought he was a new student, so he helped him out. Later, he found out that this man, who appeared only slightly older than himself, was actually a new history teacher.

As they chatted and walked together, Lei Cang was curious about what Walter Yang had been doing during the holidays, as he couldn't reach him by phone.

"I discovered a very interesting relic." Old Yang adjusted his glasses and revealed a gentle smile.

"I got carried away during the exploration, plus my phone didn't work abroad, so I couldn't reply to you in time."

"What did you do during the break? Were you busy writing your work?"

"It's, uh, more or less." Lei Cang replied vaguely.

He couldn't tell Old Yang that he went to make a game and made a lot of money, right?

If they were strangers, it wouldn't matter, but since they knew each other well, saying such things would definitely raise suspicion.

- "You, someone who has never dabbled in programming, suddenly announces that you've made a hit game... Do you think people are fools to be fooled by that?"

"I see." Old Yang smiled slightly, not pressing further and changed the topic.

"Have you been facing financial difficulties recently?"

He knew that Lei Cang not only supported himself but also contributed money to the orphanage. Many times, Old Yang had gently offered to provide some financial support, but Lei Cang always refused.

Although Old Yang looked young, he must be quite old to be a teacher. With his meager salary, it would be tough to support anyone else; he preferred to save the money for his future marriage.

"No, I just received a payment for my work. After deducting the amount for the orphanage, I still have a good sum saved up."

Lei Cang shook his head. They were about to reach the classroom, so they didn't talk much and bid farewell before heading in different directions.

As Lei Cang approached the classroom, he noticed that something was amiss.

There were already quite a few people in the classroom. Through the window, it seemed like an ordinary scene with students chatting, reading, and fooling around. However, Lei Cang's intuition told him that something was wrong.

He narrowed his eyes slightly and took a step back, pushing the half-opened door.

Thunk!

A dirty mop fell from above. If Lei Cang had walked in absentmindedly, it would have hit him on the head.

Lei Cang remained unfazed and walked around the mop, entering the classroom.

His desk was in the third row near the window, the classic protagonist's spot. However, upon approaching his desk, Lei Cang discovered that it was covered in drawings, clearly made by someone. When he pulled out the chair, he found a maliciously placed nail at the back, with the sharp tip sticking out. If one didn't pay attention, it could easily poke a hole in someone's bottom.

Lei Cang placed his backpack on the desk and surveyed the classroom with a calm voice.

"Who did this?"

Before he could continue asking, the culprit couldn't wait any longer and stepped forward.

"What if it were the three of us?"

In a corner of the room, three male students stood up, displaying an arrogant attitude.

Lei Cang frowned.

He knew these three individuals.

The short one was called Takayama Takashi, the one with small eyes who always leered at the female students was called Ose Kohei, and the one clenching his fist was called Okudo Ryota.

As mentioned before, Guanyin Temple Academy was the best high school in this city. The students who could enter this school were either from influential families or students like Lei Cang, who earned their place through merit.

The common trait among the civilians who managed to enter this prestigious school was that they were all elite students in their respective schools...

However, there were some who couldn't resist the temptation of money and fell under the influence of the privileged kids. They were taken out for food, drinks, and entertainment, eventually neglecting their studies. By the time they realized their mistakes, it was too late. They couldn't even pass the basic university entrance exams.

Some people simply never woke up to reality. They went through high school in a daze, graduated without getting into a university, and were abandoned by the privileged kids. Their lives became a waste, and every year during graduation season, there would be news of a few former students committing suicide.

Some others were even worse off. They woke up, worked hard, but it was all in vain. They could only go back to serving the privileged kids like dogs. They were like condemned prisoners before the execution, knowing that they were doomed but couldn't do anything about it, desperately trying to numb themselves.

In Guanyin Temple Academy, there were quite a few such people because the privileged kids enjoyed ruining the lives of others, just like demons in mythology, using wealth to destroy one life after another.

...These were the people who wanted to cause trouble for Lei Cang.

Pitiful and despicable.

Lei Cang sighed silently. Before the three could approach, he took the initiative to walk out.

"I know what you guys are up to. Let's go. We'll talk in the restroom."

The three of them were taken aback. They had caused trouble for many people before, but this was the first time someone took the initiative to talk to them.

After the four of them left, the classroom fell quiet for a moment. Then, everyone continued with what they were doing, and laughter filled the air once again.