A Startling Success (Part 2)

The scene of everyone coming up to congratulate him left Zhang Hupan feeling a bit disoriented, a mix of amusement and exasperation. After all, was it really worth celebrating that someone who could supposedly fly and burrow underground had won a 1500-meter race? Liu Feifei tugged at her clothes, gazing up at him with adoration, while Liu Xizhen smiled and gently dabbed at the sweat she'd deliberately worked up on her forehead with a tissue. Hu Zhiming and the others offered their heartfelt congratulations, but upon seeing Liu Xizhen's affectionate gesture, they glared at him with murderous intent, letting out cold chuckles. All of this made Zhang Hupan feel that this race, or rather, this performance, had been worth it.

Since Zhang Hupan had many events, after a short rest, he went on to participate in the long jump and high jump competitions. Of course, under the expectant gazes of the crowd, especially Liu Feifei's hopeful eyes, Zhang Hupan lived up to expectations and secured a series of first-place finishes. It's worth mentioning that the beautiful Scottish woman, Cindy, also came to watch later and joined Hu Zhiming's cheering squad. A group boasting two top beauties, one Chinese and one foreign, plus a cute little girl – not to mention the five guys like Hu Zhiming, who were practically negligible – the sensation they caused was immense. Wherever they passed, people couldn't help but turn their heads. As the object of the beauties' favor, Zhang Hupan's fame soared even higher, though he was also left with countless invisible wounds from the envious glares of the other male students. For Hu Zhiming and the others, being with beauties for the first time in their lives, and two at that, they were beaming with pride. The crowd's gazes, which they interpreted as envy (with the two beauties being the flowers, of course), were seen by them as admiration, making them even more arrogant and conceited, wishing the competition would last until the end of the semester.

Having swept almost the entire competition, Zhang Hupan, a freshman from a remote mountainous area, instantly became famous within the Environmental Science department. As people who didn't know Zhang Hupan scrambled to ask who he and the cheering beauties were, Zhang Hupan, Liu Xizhen, Cindy, and of course, the five persistent lecherous comrades who wouldn't leave, were at a restaurant called Drunken Fragrance House near the school to celebrate Zhang Hupan's achievements that day.

Liu Xizhen, showing affection by association, didn't put on an icy demeanor towards Hu Zhiming and the other five. Instead, she exuded feminine charm and tenderness. As for the Scottish beauty Cindy, being from a so-called developed country, she was even more uninhibited, radiating charm freely. Consequently, Hu Zhiming, Li Yong, and the other five put on quite a show, showering her with flattery, their behavior utterly ridiculous. Despite Zhang Hupan's frequent glances signaling them, they remained oblivious, their taste buds seemingly dulled. Even more infuriatingly, Liu Xizhen winked at Zhang Hupan with a half-smile, making him so embarrassed he wished he could disappear into a crack in the earth. He almost wanted to slam the table and disown them. As for Cindy, since the five were her students anyway, Zhang Hupan didn't feel the need to be ashamed of their behavior in front of her.

The old saying, "Truth is stranger than fiction," truly holds. It so happened that Zhang Hupan, dining with two beauties at Drunken Fragrance House for the first time, ran into Zhao Liya, who was also dining there with classmates.

Zhao Liya pretended not to notice Zhang Hupan's table. Others might not have noticed, but who was Zhang Hupan? He was a legendary figure, almost like an immortal. Zhang Hupan clearly saw Zhao Liya's glance in his direction, even catching the fleeting surprise and inexplicable resentment in her eyes.

Seeing Zhang Hupan happily smiling with a woman on each arm, Zhao Liya felt a pang of bitterness and even resentment towards him. In reality, Zhang Hupan was merely sitting between the two women, but in Zhao Liya's eyes, it was no different from having them on either side.

As a proud daughter of heaven, Zhao Liya not only possessed stunning looks but was also the daughter of the CEO of China's Zhao Group. She was always surrounded by admirers and sycophants. Only Zhang Hupan, despite sitting at the same table with her for so many days, had never given her a proper look. Zhao Liya had always believed it was a blessing from his past lives to be seated with her, yet Zhang Hupan remained completely indifferent, showing no attempt to curry favor or please her, as if she were a block of wood beside him. This led Zhao Liya to repeatedly lose bets with her roommates about when Zhang Hupan would finally surrender to her. Now, seeing him laughing and dining with two beauties, it was clear as day that she couldn't compare to them. The proud Zhao Liya couldn't stomach this insult and had already mentally lambasted Zhang Hupan countless times. Watching Zhang Hupan sit there, beaming and charming everyone, Zhao Liya felt a knot in her stomach, as if something rightfully hers had been snatched away. The meal was tasteless, and she quickly finished. As she left, Zhang Hupan's table was still lively, enraging Zhao Liya, who shot him a fierce glare. The poor Zhang Hupan couldn't fathom how he had offended her, having always acted cautiously and respectfully towards this young lady.

The next day, the same scene repeated itself at the school stadium. Zhang Hupan, with extremely restrained movements, won championships in all six events he participated in. An astonishing performance that broke the departmental record left all the senior students and teachers of the Environmental Science department dumbfounded, becoming one of their favorite topics of conversation. It also ignited the competitive spirit of the upperclassmen. After all, losing to a freshman was incredibly embarrassing; if they couldn't reclaim their honor next year, they might as well find a secluded spot and end it all.

Of course, the happiest were Hu Zhiming and the other four. With Zhang Hupan's meteoric rise, they not only set aside their pre-competition anxieties but also often acted as if they were the ones responsible for his success, feeling smug about their foresight in discovering a hero. They frequently told Zhang Hupan that they deserved credit for recommending him, extorting several free meals from him. Zhang Hupan was so frustrated he couldn't speak, unable to reveal that he was a master of masters who disdained participating in such competitions.

What made the five happiest, however, was meeting the two beautiful women. Of course, they had known the Scottish beauty before, but that acquaintance was limited to polite greetings during class. It was nothing like their current friendly interactions. Cindy, who had been in China for only a few years, didn't have many friends in the country. She genuinely considered the five lively fellows her international friends, and the five seized every opportunity, using the excuse of practicing their English to frequently bother Cindy. Of course, to communicate better with Cindy, the five diligently practiced their English, and before long, each of them could speak almost perfect British English. To please the Scottish beauty, they focused on British English! Cindy, seeing the seemingly unbudding iron tree finally bloom, believed her consistent guidance had played a significant role. As a qualified teacher, Cindy was naturally delighted and mingled freely with them, unaware that the true catalyst was her own proud figure and charming appearance, which stimulated their male hormones, leading to their vigorous efforts. Of course, whenever they went out with Cindy, Zhang Hupan was always included. For an international beauty like Cindy, he wouldn't be foolish enough to miss out on the fun.

Life continued in a routine manner. Zhang Hupan still attended classes, frequented the library, and worked at the bar in the evenings. On weekends, he would spend time with Liu Xizhen and her daughter, taking them on outings. Zhang Hupan's relationship with them had become as close as family. Whether intentionally or not, whenever Liu Xizhen was with him, she dressed particularly youthful and alluring. Sometimes, she would inadvertently reveal a bit of her proud figure in front of Zhang Hupan, or deliberately brush against him, always causing Zhang Hupan's heart to race and a certain part of him to stir. Despite this, Zhang Hupan enjoyed the thrilling sensation. Being with Liu Xizhen and the others brought him a sense of warmth and joy he had never experienced before.

Time flew by, and it was already November. By this point, Zhang Hupan finally felt as though he had glimpsed the tip of the iceberg of human civilization. Having worked part-time at the bar, Zhang Hupan intensified his studies of wine culture and music. He now knew how to mix various cocktails. Although he hadn't practiced practically, his ability to mix cocktails was a level above Shangguan Yun. As a master of the Nascent Soul Stage, he had this confidence. As for those fancy moves, they were no challenge for Zhang Hupan; he could control thousands of bottles without moving his limbs, performing tens of thousands of tricks.

If mixing drinks was driven by Zhang Hupan's curiosity, then music was purely his passion. Soaring in the realm of music brought him profound joy. Although Zhang Hupan had understood the essence of music before, he didn't know how to express that feeling. Now, through his exploration of music, he had mastered the means to manipulate every note, enabling him to compose songs that resonated deep within the soul. As for musical instruments, once Zhang Hupan understood their structure and principles of sound production, they were no longer a problem. The technical skills involved were merely child's play for someone as powerful as him, capable of controlling his Primordial Spirit and mental energy.

Zhang Hupan had long surpassed the stage of vague understanding in subjects like physics and chemistry, already ahead of his classmates and able to comprehend some cutting-edge literature. He had also gained a certain understanding of Chinese history. As a descendant of China, Zhang Hupan was proud of his country's brilliant past but felt a deep shame for China's backwardness in modern times. He was even indignant that the cultivation world remained indifferent to the events unfolding in the secular world. Of course, like all patriotic Chinese, Zhang Hupan harbored immense hatred for the heinous crimes committed by the Japanese in China. Especially after hearing about Japan's repeated attempts to whitewash its invasion and its brazen visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, Zhang Hupan almost felt like flying his sword to Japan and bombarding the Yasukuni Shrine with his Five-Thunder Technique. (To be continued)