Being Shut Out by Me Was Your Loss

"Don't crowd around here. Class monitors, lead your students out class by class, in order."

"Section Chief Ma, please have your Security Department put in some effort and guide the students so there's no stampede."

The moment Director Yao realized that Lu Zixue had lied, he immediately began shouting orders at the surrounding students, driving the still-unsatisfied gossiping crowd away from County First High School's gates.

It had to be said that students in this era were obedient and disciplined. In just a few minutes, they had formed orderly lines and left the entrance of County First High School.

Once most of the people had gone, he finally turned to Li Ye with a grim face and tried to soften his tone. "I'll get to the bottom of this. Before the matter is cleared up, the bicycle will be temporarily held by the school. Once it's been investigated—"

"I'm sorry," Li Ye cut him off. "I'll say it again: you have neither the standing nor the authority to interfere in this matter. If you want to investigate it, we can go to X Police Station right now."

"."

Director Yao glared at Li Ye, his back teeth grinding with a creak.

By now, he could already guess that the Phoenix bicycle belonged to Li Ye. But from the standpoint of managing students at the school, he could not show weakness before a student, much less apologize.

It was like a company leader: even if he was in the wrong, he could not lose his authority. Otherwise, the entire company would become loose and scattered, then collapse.

So when Director Yao searched his conscience, he felt that he had done nothing wrong.

But seeing Section Chief Ma's attitude, coupled with Lu Zixue's claim that "the chief of X Police Station is Li Ye's relative," Director Yao also knew that there was no way to pin Li Ye down today.

He therefore stiffened his face and said coldly, "I'm very glad I didn't let a black sheep like you into County First High School. A student like you is nothing but a malignant tumor."

But Li Ye interrupted Director Yao once more and said flatly, "Shutting me out back then was County First High School's loss."

"Loss?" No matter how much Director Yao tried to set an example as a teacher, he could not help sneering. "What a joke. I've taught and educated people for so many years, yet I've never seen a student as arrogant and conceited as you."

Li Ye gave him a bland glance. "Now you have."

"You—"

Director Yao flew into a rage and was just about to use the skills he had honed over more than a decade to give Li Ye a proper lesson.

But Li Ye merely nodded to Section Chief Ma, turned around, swung onto his bicycle, and rode away.

"Look at that kind of student! Just look at that kind of student! Section Chief Ma, how could you have introduced him to our school back then? Good thing I stopped him. Otherwise, who knows what would have happened?"

Director Yao pointed at the departing Li Ye and began venting at Section Chief Ma.

Section Chief Ma endured two sentences before saying gloomily, "Director Yao, that kid's grandfather works in the grain department. I'm just the one who made the connection and ran errands. If you want to complain, you shouldn't be taking it out on me!"

Director Yao froze. Recalling the school logistics staff who had lately been giving him sour looks, he finally understood.

This era had a special system called the Grain and Oil System. The grain department's power was no ordinary thing.

But Director Yao still believed he was not wrong. Strictly controlling the quality of incoming students and raising County First High School's advancement rate was his unshirkable responsibility.

Trying to pull strings through me?

No way!

Director Yao sighed, then turned around and discovered that Lu Zixue was still standing timidly behind him.

His anger immediately flared up, and he seized Lu Zixue as an outlet for it.

"Bring your bicycle certificate on Monday. If the bicycle really is yours, then even if I have to file a lawsuit, your teacher will get it back for you. If it isn't yours, write a self-criticism and hand it to me."

"."

After leaving County First High School, Li Dayong looked at the Phoenix bicycle beneath Li Ye and was full of envy.

Li Dayong's bicycle had been handed down from his father. It was rusted, crude, old, and heavy. Compared with the light and refined 26-inch Phoenix, the difference was even greater than that between a poor boy and a young master from a wealthy family.

Only because Li Ye was the Li family's sole male descendant, cherished beyond measure, and because there were many people in the family earning wages, had they been willing to buy such a "pretty but impractical" thing for him.

At this time, most people bought bicycles with practicality as their first consideration.

In an era when you could spend an entire day on the road without seeing a single car, bicycles were important means of transport. It was commonplace to carry several hundred jin and travel over a hundred li.

So a 26-inch Phoenix with such a light, narrow rear rack was truly a luxury item.

As the two rode along, Li Dayong suddenly realized they were not heading back toward County Second High School. He asked, "Brother, are you going home?"

Li Ye nodded. "So much has happened these past few days. Do you think the family will never find out? If I don't go home and explain things, who knows what kind of mess will break out?"

Qingshui County was only so big. Li Ye's reputation as "Huang Shiren" would probably soon reach the Li family's ears. Given his nominal father Li Kaijian's fiery temper, it would be a miracle if he did not cause trouble.

"True," Li Dayong agreed with a nod. "Uncle Kai Jian has a bad temper. You need to have my advisor keep him in check."

Li Dayong's father had once trained under Li Ye's grandfather for a few days, so by seniority, Li Dayong called Li Ye's grandfather advisor.

Li Ye added, "Then come eat at my place today! I'll buy a roast chicken on the way. Grandfather hasn't seen you in a long time either, so he can test whether your kung fu has slipped."

Li Dayong could not help swallowing, but he still shook his head. "No, I haven't gone home for several weeks either. I miss Mother."

At this time, a roast chicken cost three yuan. It did not sound expensive, but an apprentice who had just entered a factory only earned a little over twenty yuan a month. Under normal circumstances, no one could bear to eat one.

Li Dayong had no pressure about mooching cigarettes off Li Ye or spending his money, but going to eat at Li Ye's home made him feel a little uncomfortable.

"Fine. I'll treat you another day."

Li Ye did not stand on ceremony. He waved goodbye to Li Dayong at the intersection west of town, then followed his memories and rode toward the Fertilizer Factory dormitory district.

The county Fertilizer Factory dormitory district lay in the eastern part of Qingshui County. It was actually not far from County Second High School, and in theory, Li Ye could easily have commuted from home.

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

First, because Lu Jingyao was also a boarding student. The young and ignorant original owner had wanted to see the girl in his heart at every moment.

Second, because a year earlier, after Li Kaijian had resumed work, he had finally found the original owner a stepmother.

It was now the 1980s, and social customs were far less open-minded than in later generations. Poisoned by outdated thinking, the original owner had developed intense resistance toward the stepmother's family that had suddenly squeezed in, to the point that he often refused to go home for weeks at a time.

After merging with the original owner's memories, Li Ye could not help cursing inwardly, What an unfilial son.

Li Kaijian had been single since his twenties. He had endured more than ten years of lonely widowhood while raising Li Ye and his sister to adulthood, and only at forty had he taken another wife. No matter how one looked at it, he deserved the title of "good father."

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

Wasn't it only natural?