The Work-Study Students' Inferiority Complex

"Where are the new work-study students?" Mo Hen walked in through the dormitory door.

He was in his thirties, a teacher at Nuoding Academy, and he also managed this work-study student dormitory.

"We are." Li Yue, Xiao Wu, and Tang San stepped forward.

Seeing the teacher arrive, Xiao Wu immediately shyly slipped out of Li Yue's embrace.

"My name is Mo Hen. Just call me Teacher Mo." Mo Hen had no issue with two children hugging each other.

Work-study students were like that. It was even possible for them to have children at school, and he was already used to it.

There had been female work-study students before who had escaped poverty after latching onto wealthy students. It was actually a good thing for them.

The new work-study students consisted of two girls and one boy. Mo Hen did not know which were Xiao Wu and Tang San, so he said to Li Yue, "Li Yue, you three are the new work-study students. From now on, you'll be responsible for cleaning the garden south of the training grounds. Ten Copper Soul Coins a day. You must clean it every day, and clean it thoroughly. Otherwise, your wages will be deducted, or you may even lose your status as work-study students. Do you understand?"

Li Yue nodded indifferently. His family had money, so he did not care about being a work-study student.

Tang San and Xiao Wu listened very carefully. They were both genuinely poor.

Mo Hen did not care either and continued, "I won't say much else. Tomorrow is the opening ceremony, and classes officially begin the day after tomorrow. Get some proper rest. Wang Sheng, you're the oldest here. You know all about the work-study students' duties, so look after the newcomers."

"No problem, Teacher. I'll take good care of Brother Yue and the others," Wang Sheng quickly agreed.

Who here needed his care? His position as the boss had just gone from current to former. Still, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Being the boss of the work-study students came with far too much pressure.

After Teacher Mo left.

Li Yue said to the work-study students, "Help us with mine, Little San's, and Xiao Wu's duties. Split the wages among yourselves. As for Little San and Xiao Wu's money, I'll make it up to them."

"Brother Yue, what are you saying? It's only right that we help you clean. Sister San is your brother, and Sister Xiao Wu is the boss's wife. It's only right that we help them too."

"Exactly, Boss. You look out for us, so doing these little things is only natural. You should take those wages too."

The work-study students all tried to persuade their new boss. After all, being the boss of the work-study students was no easy job. They were bullied terribly, and their boss had to stand up for them.

Hearing the work-study students call her the boss's wife, Xiao Wu blushed but did not deny it.

After all, they would be sleeping together at night. Wouldn't that make her something like Li Yue's wife? Humans seemed to need a wedding to become husband and wife, though. They would have to make that up later.

"Alright, no need to say any more. I'm happy today. Since I've become the boss of Seventh Dormitory, I can't give you nothing."

It happened to be mealtime.

Li Yue said, "None of you have eaten yet, right? My treat today. Even if you've already eaten, come have some more."

"How could we let the boss treat us? We should pool our money and treat you to a meal instead." The work-study students were deeply moved.

Their new boss actually wanted to treat them to a meal. How could poor students like them have ever received such treatment? All the bosses they had met before had been poor too.

"Come on, come on. Stop talking nonsense."

Li Yue was not annoyed by their fussing. Though they had no money and were all poor students, at least they had good attitudes and knew how to be grateful.

Once he made it big, every one of these little brothers would become high-ranking officials. After all, if every noble were executed, perhaps not a single innocent person would be killed by mistake.

Since nobles were all pigs and dogs, why not let those close to him take their places? If he did not like them, he could just kill another batch.

Along the way, they saw many students heading in the same direction. Clearly, they were all going to eat.

When they arrived at Nuoding Academy's cafeteria, they found it quite spacious. The first floor alone could seat three hundred people. It served fixed cafeteria dishes cooked in large pots, and the food tasted average. The second floor allowed students to order individual dishes, freshly stir-fried by the chefs in small woks. The food was delicious, but expensive.

"Isn't this that bunch of mud-legged peasants?"

An unpleasant voice rang out.

Li Yue and the others looked up. On the stairs leading to the second floor, some upperclassmen were mocking them.

Well, well. His favorite part, showing off and slapping faces, had finally arrived. His previous life had been truly boring. Hardly anyone had come looking for trouble.

Seeing Li Yue look up, another upperclassman spoke. He noticed Li Yue's fine clothes and handsome appearance. Li Yue was obviously a child from a wealthy family, probably someone who had been sweet-talked by the work-study students.

"You at the front, are you a new student? Don't mix with those poor wretches. Come over here, and I'll treat you to a meal."

"Uh..." Li Yue was speechless. The emotions he had just worked up were interrupted just like that.

He really wanted to show off and slap someone in the face, but some people were like awls in a bag. Just standing there made their sharp tips immediately show.

"I..." Li Yue had just opened his mouth.

"The one beside you is your girlfriend, right? She can come too," the upperclassman continued.

Li Yue was interrupted again and felt even more speechless. The guy was so enthusiastic that Li Yue almost felt too embarrassed to curse at him.

"Brother Yue, go with them," the work-study students all urged.

They felt that they were not on the same level as Li Yue. Even though he was also a work-study student, he was simply different.

Even wearing the same school uniform, they looked like ragpickers who had picked up clothes others did not want, while Brother Yue looked like a student from an elite academy.

"Let's go together," Li Yue said. "I said I'd treat you to a meal."

"Brother Yue, the food upstairs is too expensive. You're spending far too much."

"Yeah, yeah, eating on the first floor is fine."

"And the second floor is full of wealthy students. They'll look down on us. The teachers eat there too, which is pretty scary."

The work-study students were extremely uneasy. It was not only because the food on the second floor was expensive and wealthy students ate there, but also because teachers were there. They did not want to go upstairs.

"Forget it." Li Yue had a good impression of this group. "Then we'll eat on the first floor. I'll stay with you."

He turned to Tang San and handed her a Gold Soul Coin. "Little San, go order a few meat dishes from the second floor. No rabbit meat. Bring them down to the first floor."

Li Yue and the others found seats in the first-floor cafeteria and bought some food.

Before long, Tang San returned carrying several meat dishes on a tray. One plate of chicken legs had been given by the Master.

Tang San said, "This plate of chicken legs was given by Teacher. Brother Yue, Teacher said for us to wait for him after we finish eating."

"I understand." Li Yue nodded. "Let's eat first. Everyone, share this plate of chicken legs."

"Ah, was it the Master? The Master really is a good person."

"Brother Yue, Sister San, your teacher treats you so well."

After hearing that the chicken legs had been given by the Master, the work-study students softened toward him. Since they were eating his food, they felt that he was actually not bad, not as terrible as the rumors claimed.