Chapter 32

As soon as Principal Zhang Yaolin finished speaking, a tall, thin man in his forties with the air of a leader stepped forward from among the middle-aged men and women. Speaking in imperfect Mandarin, he smiled and said, "Diwan High School has always aimed to cultivate elite talents with ability and a sense of social responsibility. It calls on the younger generation not only to study diligently, but also to understand how to create value for society. I understand this deeply, because I myself was fortunate enough to attend Diwan High School in my youth. Although I studied here for less than a year, I was still deeply drawn in by its charm."

Zhang Yaolin smiled, looking even prouder and more composed. As an educator who had devoted his life to teaching, nothing was more pleasing than hearing someone praise his school and his students right in front of him.

After smiling, Zhang Yaolin introduced Li Rongxiu and the others one by one. The middle-aged men and women who were introduced stepped forward with smiles, treating them like adults as they shook hands and exchanged greetings. Only then did Li Rongxiu learn that they were an inspection delegation made up of personnel from departments responsible for environmental pollution and treatment in the Brown Sea Area, as well as operators in Brown's marine industry.

After the "Cinderella Open Auditions" ended that day, Li Rongxiu and the others had decided to strike while the iron was hot. At the livestream venue following the "Cinderella Open Auditions Finals," they directly held a charity donation ceremony for pollution in the Brown Sea Area. They announced that the production team's donation of 2.5 million, together with the accumulated 5.75 million in Cinderella audition registration fees, for a total of 8.25 million Imperial currency, would be donated directly to the relevant departments in charge of marine pollution and treatment in the Brown Sea Area. On the very day the Above the Elite production team's charitable donation was received, the relevant Brown Sea Area departments also routinely expressed their gratitude in interviews to the Above the Elite production team, its investors, and Diwan High School.

Li Rongxiu had originally thought the matter was over. He had not expected that during PE class, they would suddenly receive a call from the principal's office. They were told to immediately put aside their schoolwork and report to the school's VIP reception room, where they were to join Principal Zhang and Diwan High School's administrators in receiving the delegation from Brown, which had come at Wancheng's government's invitation.

During the conversation, Li Rongxiu and the others also learned that Brown's government had organized this business and political delegation to travel all the way to Wancheng not only to present them with a banner in gratitude for the helping hand extended by the Above the Elite production team, but more importantly because they had been invited by Wancheng's government to discuss continued cooperative projects with Wancheng's government and business community concerning the sustainable development of marine ecology.

Of course, after Principal Zhang Yaolin learned that this blond, blue-eyed "leader," Tony Wandemulin, had also attended Diwan High School, he immediately and warmly invited him to attend Diwan High School's Centennial School Anniversary celebration. The middle-aged man readily agreed. He said, "I am deeply honored to be a specially invited guest of Diwan High School. I also hope that my arrival can bring a little inspiration to these lovely younger students."

The scene of the two men standing in the VIP reception room, shaking hands and smiling, was faithfully recorded by the reporters and cameras beside them.

"...This is the most boring kind of political show!" After leaving Diwan's administrative building, the hot-tempered Xin Mengmeng could not help venting her frustration. "I think they didn't come today to thank us for our charity donation at all... Or rather, their biggest purpose definitely wasn't to give us a banner. Yet we stood around stupidly in that reception room for so long that we didn't even get lunch."

"Hey, you can't put it like that, can you? They did invite us to lunch. You were the one who was afraid of feeling awkward at the dinner table, so you turned them down. Didn't you see the look the principal gave us when you refused? It was like we were disobedient children." Zhou Ruixin glanced at Xin Mengmeng and frowned.

"You said it yourself—it was a dinner party! Listening to them make hypocritical, loaded remarks while eating, aren't you afraid you'll get indigestion?" Xin Mengmeng shot a furious look at Zhou Ruixin, who always liked to oppose her, then snorted and turned to Li Rongxiu. "Xiu Xiu, don't you think I'm right?"

Seeing Xin Mengmeng's indignant expression, Li Rongxiu merely shrugged unconcernedly. "No matter what, I think those Brown officials and businessmen are pretty decent. The fact that they remembered to send us a banner is better than no response at all, or just offering a few verbal thanks. You have to understand, at this crucial point in the Centennial School Anniversary competition, every honorable achievement is a bargaining chip for us to surpass our competitors. Besides... didn't Principal Zhang say he would invite them to the Centennial School Anniversary celebration? As an invited guest for the Centennial School Anniversary, Tony is qualified to vote for Top Student. Who do you think he'll vote for then?"

Xin Mengmeng still pursed her lips in dissatisfaction after hearing Li Rongxiu's words, but she quieted down.

Seeing this, Li Rongxiu continued with a smile, "My brother often tells me that the difference between running a small business and managing a century-old enterprise is that the former tends to chase immediate gains, seeing only the short-term wins and losses while overlooking long-term development. I think we handled this matter very well... Look, when we first thought of holding an audition fundraiser, it was only to promote the movie a little and make things difficult for the Chi family. But now? After the auditions, our movie has been promoted throughout Wancheng and even the Empire. Its popularity was gradually fading after the auditions ended, but then Brown came to give us a banner. Once those interviews make it onto television and newspapers, I'm sure everyone will remember our movie again. Isn't that great?"

Looking at everyone, who had completely calmed down, Li Rongxiu continued smiling. "If we work a little harder from here on out, maybe we can even win Mr. Tony's friendship. Then that can earn us extra points in the school anniversary competition... Things are developing so perfectly and smoothly. Good news puts people in high spirits. I think we should eat something nice to reward ourselves. What do you think?"

Seeing Li Rongxiu's smiling expression, the young playboys exchanged looks. The frustration they had felt from being overlooked and left standing around the entire time seemed to fly away with a series of little pops. They smiled and looked at their expensive watches. "After standing around like murals for so long, of course we want a good meal. Unfortunately, lunch break is about to end. If we don't want to be late for the first class this afternoon, we can only grab something from the cafeteria."

"But the principal's office requisitioned us starting from fourth period this morning, didn't they? As compensation, I'm sure the principal won't have any objections to extending our lunch break. Otherwise, we have the right to accuse the Diwan principal and the academic affairs office of illegally employing child labor!"

Chapter 32

After enjoying a lavish lunch, Li Rongxiu and the others returned to school during third period that afternoon. They waved briefly to one another in the teaching building corridor, then Li Rongxiu returned to class with his follower, Zhao Qijun. The teacher had already learned from colleagues in the academic affairs office what had happened during lunch break, so he did not ask too many questions about where they had been. He merely waved at Li Rongxiu and Zhao Qijun from the doorway, signaling for them to quietly return to their seats.

Just as Li Rongxiu sat down, the phone in his pocket vibrated. He instinctively looked up at the teacher's platform—the teacher was currently facing away from the students as he wrote on the blackboard. Without betraying any reaction, Li Rongxiu took out his phone and looked down. It was a text from Shen Yujun. It simply read, "Congratulations. Meet in the dorm after fourth period?"

Li Rongxiu's lips curved slightly. He directly replied, "Okay," then put his phone into his schoolbag and began listening to the lesson attentively.

Shen Yujun looked at the text reply on his phone and fell silent for a while. His long index finger brushed back and forth over the word "Okay" on the screen several times before he put the phone away. He sat patiently in his seat, waiting like a statue. It was not until the bell ending fourth period rang that he slowly rose and silently walked out of the classroom.

A student who had been keeping an eye on Shen Yujun's movements quickly stood up and followed behind him. Shen Yujun seemed to notice someone tailing him, but he paid no attention. He continued forward at his unhurried pace, passing through the thick stream of people in the corridor, crossing the athletic field, and heading toward the less populated dormitory area.

The student following Shen Yujun watched in surprise as his back disappeared through the entrance to the A-District Dormitory Building. Both startled and excited, he called Shen Zongming. Shen Zongming gave a cold laugh after receiving the call, muttered a curse under his breath, and led a group of followers toward the dormitory area.

But by the time Shen Zongming arrived with his people, Shen Yujun had already gone upstairs. Given the strict enforcement of the Diwan School Regulations, Shen Zongming naturally could not step into that higher-standard area without an A-District Dormitory Building access permit or an invitation from the dorm's resident. He could only wait outside the dormitory building with a suffocated expression. Then he saw Zhao Qijun carrying KFC takeout, along with Li Rongxiu strolling over with a relaxed air.

What did enemies look like when they met? Seeing red only happened to the weak. For the strong, nothing showed superiority better than acting calm and at ease before an enemy.

So when Li Rongxiu saw Shen Zongming, whose face had turned red and whose eyes had even reddened, along with his group of hangers-on in front of the dormitory building, Li Rongxiu only curled his lips carelessly. He ignored Shen Zongming's bull-like stance and passed straight by the group with an attitude of complete disregard.

"Stop!" Shen Zongming's face darkened to a livid shade. He turned to look at Li Rongxiu's retreating back, seeing that Li Rongxiu had not acknowledged him at all, and said in a low voice, "That fatherless bastard Shen Yujun is nothing more than a dog raised by the Shen family. The Shen family pitied him, so we gave him a bowl of food. That's all. Don't think that taking him in as your follower means you can insult the Shen family. Upstarts will always be upstarts. Don't dream of stepping on the Shen family's head. Back then, the Shen family nearly forced the Li family out of Wancheng, and we aren't afraid of you now either!"

After a pause, Shen Zongming deliberately adjusted his suit jacket and raised his brows. "Or maybe... people from the Li family are just this self-degrading, only liking to mix around with losers like Shen Yujun?"

Li Rongxiu paused slightly. The next second, he turned around and looked at Shen Zongming with pity, shaking his head with a sigh. "Now I finally understand why the Shen family has made such poor business decisions these past few years. It's probably because your Shen family never understands the situation. And besides..."

Li Rongxiu handed the KFC bag in his hand to Zhao Qijun, then stepped forward with a smile. "No matter what my personal preferences are, they can't compare with the Shen family's fondness for being losers. And you even love proudly showing off in front of others just how successfully you've become losers."

Li Rongxiu was referring to the schemes Shen Yujun had secretly set in motion. But to Shen Zongming, it sounded like Li Rongxiu was deliberately mocking the Shen family. Shen Zongming angrily stepped forward and reached for Li Rongxiu's collar. Li Rongxiu grabbed his arm with a backhanded move and exerted force. The next second, Shen Zongming felt the world spin as his whole body was heavily thrown to the ground. After his abdomen struck the ground, pain erupted through it.

Shen Zongming cried out in pain and rolled around on the ground without any dignity, clutching his stomach with both hands. Li Rongxiu withdrew the right leg he had used to kick Shen Zongming, then bent down with mild distaste to adjust his trouser cuff. Only after the crease in his right pant leg was as flawless as the one in his left did he straighten up.

Seeing Zhao Qijun standing nervously before Shen Zongming's followers, who had gathered around them, his arms stretched out to block them, Li Rongxiu gave a cold smile devoid of any warmth. "Careful. There are cameras in front of the A-District Dormitory Building. What I just did to Shen Zongming can still be called self-defense. But if any of you dare to make a move now, I guarantee that every last one of you will be expelled from Diwan. Even your families won't be able to remain in Wancheng—unless you actually imagine that the Shen family, already unable to look after itself, would be willing to offend the Li family again for people like you."