The Metropolitan Area was always crowded and busy, unlike Old Factory Street, where the uncles and aunties enjoyed the cool, housewives haggled over groceries, and workers got off their shifts and called out to friends. Here, life felt like a cold forest cast from steel, and the people rooted there scurried about like insects, never finding a moment's rest.
"Ding-dong! Dongfeng Road. Passengers heading to the Youth Palace, please exit in order through the rear doors. Watch your step..."
Qin Shi slung his bag over his shoulder and walked to the roadside. It was time for his weekly shift as an assistant teacher.
Though he had broken through his body's limits and greatly increased his Life Force, at New No. 1 Middle School, that was like going from ninth to eighth rank in the Power of Learning—rising from an ordinary student in Hongzhi Class to a mid-level student in Elite Class.
But as a poor kid from Old Factory Street, he still had to work.
He couldn't afford to give up the free meals at the Youth Palace cafeteria or his salary, which came to a full two and a half thousand a month.
That was Qin Shi's bottom line!
"I need to buy the youngest one a computer, pay for food and lodging once school starts, cover online classes, and pay to register for the Rank-Placement Exam... I have to split every penny in half, or I'll never save up."
Thinking of the "savings" Eldest Sister had left behind, Qin Shi silently did the math.
Ever since he had begun his brand-new life in this world, he had developed a certain obsessive "sickness."
He found it almost impossible to endure watching the balance in his account steadily dwindle without showing any signs of growing.
Whenever it happened, his whole body itched!
"I have to make money and fatten up my wallet."
Under the blazing sun, with temperatures above thirty degrees, Qin Shi strode into the Youth Palace and happened upon Brother Zhang, who had gelled his hair and was grinning foolishly at the air.
"Little Qin, you didn't see it just now. The new Teacher Lin smiled at me—it was a sweet smile. Do you think she might have taken a liking to me too?"
Brother Zhang, you're getting a bit overconfident.
Qin Shi sniffed and caught a whiff of his strong cologne.
"Could be. After all, you're the most outstanding man at the Youth Palace, Brother Zhang.
Since ancient times, fine swords have been gifted to heroes, and jade hairpins paired with beauties. I think if you put in a little more effort, you'll surely sound the trumpet of victory!"
He tossed out a couple of lines of nonsense, figuring that counted as a sincere brush-off.
After escaping Brother Zhang's pestering, he headed to the changing room, changed into casual clothes, and put on a baseball cap.
Little Qin Assistant Teacher was officially on the job!
"Young people really have such energy. Seeing Little Qin so full of life makes us old-timers jealous," said Mediterranean Uncle cheerfully, standing in the second-floor hallway with a thermos in his hand.
"Uncle Wang, you're not that old. You're only a few years younger than my dad. How can you call yourself old?"
Lin Yunqing walked upstairs in low heels. Her long, straight legs beneath her pencil skirt were enough to make anyone's mouth go dry.
She held a file in both hands, her posture poised and composed. Her gaze naturally settled on Qin Shi.
"Little Qin Assistant Teacher's Life Force Development level isn't low.
"Even at New No. 1 Middle School, he'd be one of the top students in Elite Class."
Uncle Wang, who was in charge of the Youth Palace, looked surprised.
"I remember Little Qin telling me his latest Physical Test score was only eight, just barely passing."
Had he improved that much in such a short time?
Lin Yunqing's lovely eyes flickered as she considered when Qin Shi had started working as an assistant teacher.
How many days had it been by now?
How could he have improved so quickly?
"About two weeks ago, his Life Force was only eight. Now, it must be at least twelve."
The more Lin Yunqing thought about it, the more curious she became. Could Little Qin Assistant Teacher be a promising talent secretly cultivated by some Old Martial Arts Faction?
Ordinary lineages absolutely couldn't achieve this.
An increase of four points in Life Force might sound unremarkable.
But even for a wealthy kid with every advantage and resources to spare—
Even if they spent every day at a training gym, hired a personal sparring partner, had a nutritionist plan their meals, and a Meditation Master hypnotize them to sleep—
An investment of that much time and money would still take around two months.
And that assumed the person had good natural talent to begin with.
"Looks like my guess last time was right. That scent on Little Qin Assistant Teacher really came from some secret medicine used for cleansing and conditioning by an Old Martial Arts Faction.
"He completed a physical breakthrough within two weeks—enough to make anyone jealous."
Lin Yunqing's lovely eyes shifted, and her interest only grew.
An Old Martial Arts Faction hidden in Old Factory Street?
Its origins must be impressive.
Perhaps it even had ties to one of the Three Great Sects that had suffered Iron Fist's wrath.
"Little Qin Assistant Teacher..."
Lin Yunqing leaned forward against the railing, parting her lips, which were coated with only a pale lip balm.
"He's like a delicious little snack. If I beat him until he knelt, trampled on the pride he took in being the last heir of the Old Martial Arts, and crushed the last of his hope...
"A cute boy like Little Qin Assistant Teacher would probably cry for a long time, wouldn't he?"
"Did you see that, Little Qin? Teacher Lin smiled at me again!"
Brother Zhang had been organizing the punching bags and mats with Qin Shi, but suddenly grew excited.
"Tell me, should I ask her out to dinner and a movie later?"
Qin Shi didn't look up, focusing on his work.
"Go on, chase after love, Brother Zhang. I'm your strongest supporter."
Brother Zhang hesitated. Yesterday, he'd seen Lin Yunqing's car, the expensive Vast Sea Conqueror.
He'd immediately felt like he was in a different league and couldn't possibly measure up.
"Little Qin..."
Brother Zhang was about to ask Qin Shi for advice when a group of guys in leather jackets and jeans, with hair dyed all sorts of bright colors, stormed into the Youth Palace, looking like a bunch of delinquents.
They waved enrollment flyers and all said they wanted to sign up for Teacher Lin's Martial Arts Class.
"What's going on?"
Brother Zhang was a little bewildered.
The Youth Palace's Martial Arts Classes had basic and advanced courses, and were only for elementary and middle school students.
These energetic young men looked at least sixteen or seventeen. They didn't seem like the target audience at all.
"They're probably here for Teacher Lin," Qin Shi said, glancing outside.
A flashy convertible was parked across the street. A young man in designer clothes and sunglasses leaned against the car door, radiating the sort of tense nonchalance that was hard to miss.
In other words, he was pretending to be suave to attract attention.
"Is this the classic story of a rich young master pursuing a rich beauty?"
Qin Shi was happy to watch the drama unfold. A young, single woman like Teacher Lin, who drove a car worth over a million and had a respectable, leisurely job, was bound to have plenty of suitors.
With that many of them, a few attention-seekers were bound to show up.
"What's going on?"
Lin Yunqing was startled by the commotion and furrowed her brows slightly.
"Some brats are messing around. Don't worry, Teacher Lin. I'll get rid of them."
Brother Zhang puffed out his chest, convinced that he'd seized the perfect chance to play the hero and save the beauty. He strode toward the noisy delinquents.
"Do you even know what kind of place this is? Teacher Lin's advanced class only takes middle school students under fourteen—"
As a graduate of a prestigious university in the Tai'an Metropolitan Area, Brother Zhang had a respectable level of Life Force Development, at least around twelve.
But the moment he approached the delinquents, the red-haired, tattooed guy among them raised a hand and slapped him. The blow was as fast and accurate as a cannon shell.
Smack!
Brother Zhang went flying, glasses and all!
"We're here to take lessons from Teacher Lin. What's it to you, four-eyes?"
The slap had been vicious, swelling Brother Zhang's cheek and making him stagger, nearly falling over.
Qin Shi raised an eyebrow from a short distance away. This "Red-Haired Devil" knew some basic martial arts.
His punches and kicks were crisp, and his movements were clean.
"Little Qin! Call the police, quick! Get these little punks arrested..."
Humiliated in front of everyone, Brother Zhang flushed red with rage and shouted furiously.
The delinquents chewed gum as if they had nothing to worry about, then burst into laughter.
"Four-eyes is losing it!"
"Brother Kun's move was so cool!"
"Nice hit..."
Seeing that the commotion was at risk of turning into a riot, Lin Yunqing tilted her head, her long hair cascading over her shoulder.
"Do you all want to take supplementary lessons in the Martial Arts Class?"
"Yeah! Sister Long!"
The delinquents grinned and called her "Sister Long." In Qin Shi's eyes, the scene inexplicably brought to mind the school beauty from his past life, who had been pestered by thugs from outside school.
"Where's your Brother Long?"
Lin Yunqing didn't get angry. Her voice remained soft and gentle.
The red-haired ringleader, A'kun, pointed out the window.
"Brother Long would like to invite you to a simple meal, Teacher Lin. We hope you'll do us the honor."
Lin Yunqing didn't look away. Her bright eyes curved into crescent moons, as if she were smiling.
"And if I don't, are you going to refuse to leave?"
Red-Haired Kid A'kun stuck his hands in his pockets and tilted his head back, thinking he looked cool.
"Do us a favor, Sister Long. Brother Long saw you once at the International Finance Center, and since then he hasn't been able to eat or sleep. He can't stop thinking about you."
Lin Yunqing smiled even more brightly, her lips curving upward.
"My classes are very expensive."
Red-Haired Kid A'kun shrugged.
"Brother Long has money to spare. As long as you're willing to walk out that door, we'll buy as many classes as you offer."
Lin Yunqing nodded.
"Little Qin Assistant Teacher, please take these gentlemen to pay the enrollment fee. Ten lessons each."
Qin Shi led the punk-looking group to the front desk with a friendly smile. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted the tattoos on their arms: black fists clenched around five fingers.
"Could they be connected to Brother Ze's Righteous Fist Society?"
After they'd completed the enrollment process, Lin Yunqing said, "You hurt my colleague. You'll have to pay his medical expenses."
The red-haired A'kun tossed aside his nonchalant, arrogant expression and pulled more than ten hundred-yuan bills from his wallet, throwing them in front of Brother Zhang.
"Go see a doctor, four-eyes! Next time you want to play the hero, remember to train a little harder!"
Lin Yunqing seemed incapable of anger, maintaining her delicate image as she turned toward Qin Shi, who was doing his best to stay unnoticed.
"Little Qin Assistant Teacher, could you take them to the meeting room? I'll be there shortly."
Is this woman going to use me as a shield?
Qin Shi's heart jolted. If things followed the usual plot, he'd probably get dragged into this, become some imaginary love rival, and be targeted by that Brother Long in every way imaginable.
"Women really are the source of trouble..."
Qin Shi smiled as he served them, while privately plotting that if Teacher Lin made any overly intimate moves later, he'd make a run for it.
He led the group of delinquents into the meeting room. About five minutes later, Lin Yunqing walked in.
The elegant teacher had already changed into a pink tracksuit better suited for exercise. Her low heels had been replaced with running shoes.
"Teacher Lin..."
Qin Shi quickly stood up, ready to run.
"Little Qin Assistant Teacher, hold my glasses for me, and close the door."
Lin Yunqing instructed him.
Before Qin Shi could answer, she handed him her rimless glasses.
Then she faced the group of delinquents and asked with a smile, "Students, please stand up. Class is about to begin."
For some reason, the delinquents, who had been sprawled across the sofa or sitting at the long table, all got to their feet of their own accord.
Red-Haired Kid A'kun stepped forward, still grinning. But before he could say a word, his face tightened!
A fair fist shot out like a tank shell, knocking his head sideways and slamming it into the wall.
Then five fingers dug in, grabbing his red hair and yanking him up before slamming him down hard!
Thud!
Finally, she pinned his head in place, forcing his horrified face against the wall and grinding it along the surface, leaving a vivid trail of blood.
"'Sister Long'? I'll make you call my mother your sister!"
Before you continue