Seeing Guo Rui Again

"Yang Sheng?"

Just as Yang Sheng walked into the school, a crisp female voice called out from behind him.

He stopped and turned around, discovering it was Guo Rui, whom he had met just a few days ago.

Yang Sheng remembered that when Aunt Chen had visited his home a few days earlier, she had mentioned that Guo Rui had transferred to Bay City Martial Arts High School.

"It really is you!"

Seeing that the person hurrying along was indeed Yang Sheng, Guo Rui was somewhat delighted.

After all, aside from the best friend who had transferred with her, she barely knew anyone at Bay City Martial Arts High School.

Though her feelings toward Yang Sheng were lukewarm, he was at least the son of her mother's friend. Her mother had also told her not to judge Yang Sheng through a colored lens.

After all, one more friend meant one more source of help.

The two of them had even played together for a time when they were little.

It had simply been too long ago, and those memories had grown hazy.

Yang Sheng politely nodded at Guo Rui.

Guo Rui said, "I went to your class these past two days. They told me you weren't there anymore, so I thought you'd dropped out on your own. Why are you back today?"

Yang Sheng shook his head. "I didn't drop out. I switched classes."

Guo Rui guessed that Yang Sheng had probably been unable to stay in his original class. But even if he changed classes, could that solve the issue of registry status?

"I heard there'll be a test for Lower Registry students in a few days. Are you taking it?"

Yang Sheng nodded. "I probably will."

Guo Rui sighed, thinking that he truly could not escape the fate of being expelled.

She said bleakly, "This time they're clearing out Lower-Registry Commoners. Next time, they might clear out us Lower-Registry Wealthy Households. I really don't know why my mom insisted on having me transfer here."

Just then, the communicator beneath her clothes rang.

When she answered, a breathless female voice came through from the other side.

"Xiao Rui, hurry to the archives office! I found the archives teacher, and she's about to get off work. She's leaving soon! If we can't get our paperwork processed today, it'll be delayed another week!"

Guo Rui panicked after hearing that.

"Li Jing, wait there. I'll be right over."

As she spoke, she started to leave, but then looked back at Yang Sheng and grabbed his sleeve.

"You come with me too. More people means more help. We have to get the transfer paperwork done today. If nothing else, block the door!"

Yang Sheng was dragged and pulled along by Guo Rui all the way to the archives office.

From a distance, he saw a girl with neat short hair tugging back and forth with an administrative teacher from the archives office.

This administrative teacher was the very one Yang Sheng had encountered when processing his class-transfer paperwork.

"Teacher, I'm begging you, please stamp it for us!" Li Jing clutched the administrative teacher's arm, refusing to let her leave.

"Student, let me tell you one more time. The stamp requires the grade director's signature. Besides, I'm getting off work. What do you mean by blocking me?"

"Teacher, we went to find the grade director. He said he could only sign it after you stamped it."

Li Jing had nearly broken down from dealing with the transfer arrangements these past few days.

Bay City Martial Arts High School's administrative system was extremely complicated. She and Guo Rui had both spent a great deal of money and pulled strings just to secure admission slots.

They had not expected that after feeding the tigers above, these little demons below would hold up the process at a crucial point.

As long as the paperwork remained unstamped for one day, they would have no student registration. The college entrance examination was drawing near; if they could not complete their registration within a week, they would be unable to apply for this year's examination. If they wanted to attend university, they would have to wait another year.

The administrative teacher thought for a moment and said, "Your documents need to be in ten color-printed copies. Right now, you've only brought one. I suggest you go to the printing shop outside and make several more color copies. Remember to go to Literary Flourish Printing Shop, on the left side of the school gate."

Guo Rui immediately grew anxious at this.

"We've been to that Literary Flourish Printing Shop by the gate. One color copy costs ten yuan more than anywhere else! What kind of paper is worth an extra ten yuan? I think you have a private arrangement with that printing shop!"

The administrative teacher's expression changed at once.

"I was only making a suggestion. You are free to get your color copies elsewhere; that is not my concern. But watch what you say. Empty accusations are meaningless. Don't talk nonsense without evidence."

"Also, I've looked through all your documents. There are actually many flaws. Otherwise, why do you think I won't stamp them? For example, your household registration address is incomplete, and there are erasure marks in your educational history. Those definitely won't pass. Come back tomorrow."

Li Jing was furious now as well.

Back in Qingzhou, when had she ever suffered this kind of treatment?

At the school she attended in Qingzhou, her father had been the school's largest supplier.

The administrative teachers had always treated her with the utmost courtesy.

This time, because of business matters, Li Jing's father and Guo Rui's mother had come to develop their businesses in Yu Prefecture together.

Business matters had been easy enough to handle, but they had never expected to run into trouble over transferring schools.

A new place meant a new temple to worship. Without enough incense offerings, every road was difficult to walk.

"Teacher, the school rules say work ends at five-thirty. It's only five-ten. Why are you leaving already?"

Li Jing had thought those words would frighten the administrative teacher.

To her surprise, the administrative teacher folded her arms and turned to walk back into the office.

She went to the water dispenser, poured herself a cup of water, and carried it back to her desk before settling down comfortably.

She slowly blew on it and took one sip after another.

"Student, we are very willing to accept your supervision. According to the rules, work ends at five-thirty."

Li Jing held out the file and handed it to her again.

"Can you stamp it now?"

The administrative teacher did not even look at the file.

"Didn't you hear what I said before? There are problems with the documents. Go back and correct them. Also, there must be ten copies, not one fewer. Every copy needs the grade director's signature. Photocopied signatures are not permitted."

Li Jing said, "Do you believe I'll report you?"

The administrative teacher spread her hands. "I work according to the rules and carefully review your materials according to the rules. The rules are what they are. You don't meet the standards. Even if you complained to the heavens, I still couldn't stamp them for you."

Guo Rui said, "What exactly will it take for you to stamp them?"

The administrative teacher said, "I don't want to repeat what I've already said."

Guo Rui trembled with anger.

"You!"

She pointed at the administrative teacher, tears welling in her eyes.

The feeling of being bullied while having no way to do anything about it was truly despairing.

Yang Sheng had watched the entire scene in silence from the side.

He also knew that the school's review process operated on a weekly schedule.

Today was Thursday. If the documents were stamped today, they could be reviewed tomorrow, saving them a week.

If the stamp was delayed until tomorrow, the review would have to wait until the following week.

And next week, registration information for the college entrance examination would be collected. By then, there would likely not be enough time.

Although Yang Sheng disliked some of Guo Rui's manner of speaking.

He was not particularly willing to become too closely involved with her either.

But she was Aunt Chen's daughter. Aunt Chen was friends with his father and had been willing to help him.

Fine. He would help this once.

With that thought, Yang Sheng stepped into the archives office.

He walked up to the administrative teacher, blocking the light streaming in from outside.

The administrative teacher noticed that the light had been blocked and was about to look up and scold him.

But then her eyes met Yang Sheng's.

A smile rested on Yang Sheng's face.

"Teacher, do you remember me?"