Chen Nan quietly sat down. Li Nanchao looked at him, but the words he had been brewing in his heart left him unsure which sentence should come first.
For this meeting, he had truly made thorough preparations, as though dealing with an unreasonable lover.
What he had to say needed to be stern, yet he could not hurt the other party too deeply. He needed Chen Nan to realize the severity of his own problems while also feeling the goodwill behind it all.
Thus, the proper measure of these words was difficult to grasp.
With sternness in his gaze, he said, "Chen Nan, you've been getting a little out of line lately. You should know that mastery comes from diligence and is ruined by play. Even if you're a genius, if you don't put your heart into cultivation, you'll still waste yourself away.
"The academy has poured all its efforts into nurturing you, yet you're so unmotivated. Who can you possibly face with a clear conscience?
"Besides, you promised to bring glory to the academy. As a man, one's word is as precious as life itself. If you keep this up, are you planning to break your promise?
"Throwing yourself away like a broken jar—don't you feel ashamed before heaven, earth, and your own conscience?
"I'm not trying to put pressure on you. I only want to stop you from wasting yourself. Let me tell you, Chen Nan, if you haven't reached Level Fifteen by this September's assessment, then as principal, I will have to punish you severely.
"The academy has invested so much in you; there must be some return. When the time comes, you'll have to compensate the academy at market price for the resources poured into you.
"You were the first to break faith, so don't blame