As those words fell, Director Wu let out a deep sigh. "You're still too young, child. You can't put up with the slightest injustice."
"I understand that you want fairness, but when you reach my age, you'll realize that this world was never fair to begin with."
"Xu Ren, don't let your emotions get the better of you. Think about your future."
"My future? Does that so-called future mean swallowing this and bargaining with Wang Jianming for benefits?" Xu Ren was beside himself with anger, his voice trembling slightly. "I won't make that trade. I'll earn my future myself!"
Director Wu gave a scoffing chuckle, somewhere between mockery and disdain. "There's an old saying: a teacher for a day is a father for life. We don't even know whether this is true, yet you're making baseless accusations against your teacher? If word gets out, forget about it affecting your job prospects. You might not even be able to graduate."
"You..."
Xu Ren tried to speak, but Director Wu cut him off. "Xu Ren, you can't be so rigid about everything. Just imagine: if you were offered a position at the university, or recommended for admission to a doctoral program, a poor kid from the countryside like you would have a truly bright future."
Listening to those threats disguised as advice, Ji Ting lowered his eyes, his memories suddenly dragging him back into that small, airless room.
"Child, insisting on making this so difficult won't do anyone any good."
"You're an orphan with no family or connections. If Dean Zheng hadn't made an exception to admit you, would you have achieved what you have today?"
"It's only a set of data that hasn't even been tested in practice. Does it really matter so much whether it belongs to you or someone