Rejecting Me Is Your Loss

"Everyone, stop crowding here. Class leaders, please take your classmates and leave in an orderly fashion, by class."

"Section Chief Ma, please trouble your security department to help manage the students and prevent any crowding."

Director Yao, after realizing Lu Zixue had lied, immediately shouted commands to the surrounding students, driving away the lingering onlookers from the school entrance.

It had to be said that students in this era were very obedient and disciplined. In just a few minutes, they had formed neat lines and left the entrance of County No. 1 High School.

After most of the people had left, he looked at Li Ye with a grim expression, trying to soften his tone as he said, "I will investigate this matter thoroughly. Until it's cleared up, the bicycle will be temporarily impounded at the school. Once it's cleared up..."

"I'm very sorry," Li Ye interrupted. "As I said, you are neither qualified nor have the right to manage this. If you want to investigate, we can go to the X Police Station right now."

"..."

Director Yao glared at Li Ye, his molars grinding audibly.

He could now guess that the Phoenix bicycle belonged to Li Ye, but from the perspective of school administration, he couldn't show weakness to a student, let alone apologize.

This was similar to a company leader; even if they were wrong, they couldn't lose face, otherwise, the entire company would become disorganized and collapse.

So, Director Yao asked himself if he was in the wrong.

But looking at Section Chief Ma's attitude, and Lu Zixue's statement that "the director of the X Police Station is Li Ye's relative," Director Yao knew he couldn't suppress Li Ye today.

Therefore, he put on a stern face and said coldly, "I am very fortunate that I didn't let a troublemaker like you into County No. 1 High School. A student like you is a malignant tumor."

But Li Ye interrupted Director Yao again, saying calmly, "Your rejection of me back then was County No. 1 High School's loss."

"Loss?" No matter how much of a role model Director Yao tried to be, he couldn't help but sneer. "What a joke. I've been teaching for so many years, and I've never seen such an arrogant and conceited student as you."

Li Ye glanced at him indifferently and said, "Don't you see one now?"

"You..."

Director Yao was furious. He was about to use the skills he had honed over the past decade to teach Li Ye a good lesson.

But Li Ye nodded at Section Chief Ma, turned, and rode away on the bicycle.

"Look at this kind of student, Section Chief Ma, why did you introduce him to our school in the first place? Fortunately, I stopped him, otherwise, who knows what would have happened?"

Director Yao pointed at the departing Li Ye and started complaining to Section Chief Ma.

Section Chief Ma endured it for a moment, then said faintly, "Director Yao, that kid's grandfather is in the grain and oil department. I'm just a go-between. If you want to complain, you shouldn't be directing it at me!"

Director Yao was stunned. Recalling the school's logistics staff who had been giving him the cold shoulder lately, he finally understood.

There was a special system in this era called the "Grain and Oil System," and the power of the grain and oil departments was not ordinary.

But Director Yao still believed he was right. Strictly controlling the quality of students and improving the college entrance examination rate of County No. 1 High School was his undeniable responsibility.

Trying to pull strings with me?

No way!

Director Yao sighed and turned around, only to find Lu Zixue still timidly standing behind him.

He immediately became angry and took it out on Lu Zixue.

"Bring your bicycle permit on Monday. If the bicycle is truly yours, I will fight a lawsuit to get it back. If it's not yours, you will write a self-criticism report and submit it to me."

"..."

After leaving County No. 1 High School, Li Dayong looked at the Phoenix bicycle under Li Ye with envy.

Li Dayong's bicycle was his father's old one, rusty, crude, and heavy. Compared to the light and exquisite 26-inch Phoenix, it was like the difference between a poor boy and a rich young master.

It was only because Li Ye was the only male heir in their Li family, and they doted on him, and many people in the family earned money, that they were willing to buy such a "good-looking but impractical" item.

At this time, most people bought bicycles considering practicality first.

In an era where cars were rarely seen on the road, bicycles were important means of transportation, carrying hundreds of pounds for hundreds of miles was common.

Therefore, the 26-inch Phoenix with its light and thin rear seat was truly a luxury item.

As they rode, Li Dayong suddenly realized they weren't heading back to County No. 2 High School and asked, "Brother, are you going home?"

Li Ye nodded. "So many things have happened these past few days. Do you think the family will never know? If I don't go home and explain, who knows what kind of trouble will arise!"

Qingshui County was small. Li Ye's reputation as "Huang Shiren" would likely reach the ears of the Li family soon. With Li Ye's cheap father, Li Kaijian's, hot temper, it was no wonder trouble would arise.

"That's true," Li Dayong agreed. "Uncle Kaijian has a bad temper. You'll need my grandfather to keep him in check."

Li Dayong's father had trained with Li Ye's grandfather for a few days, so Li Dayong addressed Li Ye's grandfather as "grandfather" by seniority.

Li Ye then said, "Then come to my house for dinner today! I'll buy a roast chicken on the way. Grandfather hasn't seen you in a long time either. Let him test your martial arts skills to see if you've fallen behind."

Li Dayong couldn't help but swallow, but he still shook his head. "No, I haven't been home in several weeks either. I miss mom."

A roast chicken cost three yuan at this time, which didn't sound expensive, but an apprentice in a factory only earned twenty-something yuan a month. No one would casually spend money on it.

Li Dayong was used to mooching cigarettes from Li Ye and spending his money without pressure, but going to Li Ye's house for dinner made him feel a bit uncomfortable.

"Alright, I'll treat you another day then."

Li Ye didn't stand on ceremony. He waved goodbye to Li Dayong at the intersection in the west of the city and rode towards the chemical fertilizer plant's dormitory area, following his memory.

The dormitory area of the County Chemical Fertilizer Plant was located in the east of Qingshui County town, not far from County No. 2 High School. By rights, Li Ye could have been a day student.

But ever since a year ago, the original host had stubbornly chosen to live at school.

One reason was that Lu Jingyao was also a boarding student, and the young and naive original host wanted to see the girl in his heart every moment.

The second reason was that a year before, after Li Kaijian resumed his work, he finally married a stepmother for the original host.

It was now the 1980s, and social customs were far from as open-minded as in later generations. Under the poison of old, evil thinking, the original host had developed a very strong sense of resistance towards the stepmother's family who had suddenly intruded, to the point where he often refused to go home for several weeks.

After integrating into the original host's memories, Li Ye couldn't help but curse in his heart, "What a terrible son."

Li Kaijian had been single since his twenties, raising Li Ye and his sister for over a decade while living as a widow. He only remarried at the age of forty, so he deserved the title of "good father" no matter what.

Now that he had resumed his work and his children had grown up, was it wrong for him to find a wife who could provide warmth and comfort?

Wasn't it right?