The aftermath

Chen Ying composed himself and slowly walked down from the rooftop.

He might as well quit this lousy school.

He had thought it was a traditional educational institution that upheld traditional teaching and had a guiding ethos. Now it seemed to be nothing more than a breeding ground for thugs.

He would be better off transferring to another school and learning something useful. Whether it was business or Western technology, there was still plenty for him to learn here.

Rather than playing house with these students.

When he returned to the classroom, a teacher had already started the lesson. He had spent so long on the rooftop that he had missed almost two classes.

A lean, clear-featured male teacher was teaching Chinese at the front. He wore a brown shirt, linen trousers, and sandals.

"Everyone, today we'll continue studying 'Record of the Venerable Classics Pavilion.' This essay..."

He noticed Chen Ying standing in the classroom doorway.

"Chen, where were you just now?"

"Me?"

"Come back to your seat. Let's continue the lesson."

The teacher resumed writing on the blackboard.

"This essay is one of Master Wang's more important works. It primarily discusses the importance of classical studies, which also represented a new direction in Confucianism at the time: a shift toward reverence for the classics and textual exegesis..."

Chen Ying entered the classroom and continued listening.

Today would be his last lesson. Afterward, he would transfer to a better school and learn something genuinely useful.

Besides, the mess his predecessor had left him was truly awful.

Deadbeat Ying, you really were a loser. How could someone with the exact same name as me be such a failure?

Forget it. Maybe all those years of resentment brought me here to get some payback for you.

Dealing with Brother Cheng and those thugs had indeed been outside Chen Ying's plans.

Still, those useless fools had allowed him to test his current abilities.

With his fists and feet alone, ordinary people were already no match for him.

Once his martial arts improved further, perhaps he could consider abilities in other areas.

Such as the mysterious powers passed down in his family.

Of course, according to Granny Chen and Wu Jie, he was not currently fit to train in those mysterious powers, because there was still something wrong with his "soul."

But what about the foreigners?

Stones from another mountain could polish jade. If I learned how Westerners used mysterious powers, might that help with my current condition?

Just as Mr. Wen had said.

"This is a Western gun, but that doesn't mean I can't use it. Using it doesn't mean forgetting my roots, either. If foreigners can use it to oppress us, we can use it to fight back against them."

"That's only the outward appearance. When the day comes that we make Western guns better than the foreigners do, and we can brandish our Western guns on their soil, then we'll truly have done right by our ancestors."

Although Wen Ruzhi was an incense master of the White Lotus Sect, his outlook was certainly extraordinary.

Chen Ying wondered what grievances Granny Chen and the White Lotus Sect had had back then that had led them to sever all ties and have nothing more to do with each other.

While Chen Ying's mind wandered, the teacher at the front finished his lesson.

"All right, class dismissed. Chen Ying, please come with me."

The lean, clear-featured middle-aged teacher gave the instruction, and Chen Ying stood up.

"Sir, I happen to have something to discuss with you, too."

They walked out one after the other. The staffroom was on the same floor, and the moment Chen Ying entered, the teachers inside began whispering.

"Isn't that the young master?"

"I heard he was sick. He came back to school today."

"Huh, how come I didn't see him in my class?"

The lean male teacher swept his gaze over his colleagues and led Chen Ying straight to his desk.

He pulled out two chairs and sat in one.

"Please sit down, Chen."

Chen Ying did not know what he was up to, but sat down in front of him.

"Chen, I still need to ask you this: has anyone subjected you to any form of violence?"

Chen Ying looked at the male teacher before him, unsure what to say.

How could you not know whether "I" had been subjected to violence?

"Feng Huimin just told me that certain people called you up to the rooftop. Tongwen Academy absolutely does not tolerate any form of school violence. If you speak up, I will make sure to help you resolve the problem."

Damn it, did the old Chen Ying not even know something as basic as telling a teacher?

"Sir, didn't I come to you before?"

This time, Chen Ying's question was sincere.

"If I remember correctly, we've spoken many times, but you've never once been willing to name those responsible."

"Chen, giving in to abuse will only embolden the abusers. You need to stand up courageously yourself..."

Whew.

This time, Chen Ying let out a long breath.

All right, I think I understand how my predecessor died.

Even without that enemy involved in Western Hunan Corpse-Driving, being this spineless would have been enough to kill him.

"There's no need, sir. I believe I can solve the problem myself."

Chen Ying waved a hand, deciding to end this pointless conversation.

"Sir, may I ask your surname?"

"Mine?"

The male teacher was visibly taken aback, unsure what Chen Ying meant.

"I'm your form teacher. My name is Fang Zhijie."

"Mr. Fang, thank you, but I'm planning to withdraw."

"Chen, giving ground and running away won't solve the problems in your life."

"I'm not leaving because of them."

Chen Ying explained, "It's not that I have anything against you or the school. I simply want a change of environment."

Mr. Fang responded with silence.

"Tongwen Academy is already among the leading Chinese schools in Hong Kong and Kowloon. All your previous schooling has been at Chinese schools like ours. If you want to transfer to a foreign school, they may not recognize your academic attainment, and you'll have to start again in a lower grade."

If this counted as one of the leading Chinese schools, how terrible were the others? And were the Hong Kong and Kowloon authorities really this discriminatory? They wouldn't even recognize equivalent academic attainment. What was the point of attending a school like this, then?

They were practically forcing everyone to vote with their feet, leaving Chinese schools no way to survive.

"Also, foreign schools don't allow Chongwen to appear or be used on campus. Given your current situation, I'm afraid you would find it difficult to adjust."

"Those damn foreigners."

Chen Ying sighed.

"Even so, I'd like to try."

"You can ask your guardian to contact the Education Department about the details. My understanding may be rather limited. But as long as you spend even one more day at Tongwen, I'm still your form teacher, and I have a responsibility to resolve your problems. Even after you leave, you can come to me if you have any difficulties."

"As your teacher, that is my responsibility."

Chen Ying looked at the middle-aged man before him.

Plain, shabby, and seemingly rather old-fashioned.

But his feelings were sincere. He truly had Chen Ying's interests at heart.

"Mr. Fang, you're a good man..."

A voice suddenly interrupted.

"Whether he's good or bad can wait. You're Chen Ying, right?"

A mustached man wearing a white shirt with a bow tie at the collar walked into the staffroom, accompanied by two uniformed officers in green.

They were low-ranking policemen responsible for street patrols in Hong Kong and Kowloon.

"You've certainly made a stir the moment you came back to school."

The middle-aged man pointed at Chen Ying as he spoke to the two uniformed officers.

"This is Chen Ying."

"Director Ma, what's happened? Why have the police had to come onto campus? We at Tongwen aren't in the habit of troubling the police..."

Mr. Fang stood and shielded Chen Ying behind him.

"Officers, my student is still young and does not have full legal capacity for civil acts. I hope..."

"That was the old Tongwen." Director Ma stared at Mr. Fang, poking a finger into his chest. "This is the new Tongwen. We've reached the point where we must change."

"Sir, we're only doing our duty."

The lead officer explained, "My police number is C3746. We received a report that your student is involved in the illegal possession of a firearm. We need to question him."

The other, younger officer looked at Chen Ying and grinned.

"Handsome, we're going to search you now. You can refuse, but then we'll take you to the station."

"Officer, possession of a firearm? Violent assault? Absolutely impossible. I know my student. Chen would never..."

"Go ahead and search me. You can check my desk afterward, too."

Chen Ying smiled.

"Officers, has someone been playing a joke on you? I'm not armed."

One of the officers quickly searched Chen Ying.

"Nothing."

He shook his head.

"Come on. Take us to your seat."

The lead officer spoke.

Outside the classroom, the other students watched in shock as the two officers turned Chen Ying's desk upside down.

All sorts of rubbish flew everywhere, while books and pens were shaken off to one side.

With a clatter, a revolver with a black grip fell out of the schoolbag.

Both officers immediately tensed. The lead policeman started drawing his gun, but fumbled for ages without getting it out of its holster.

"What is this..."

Director Ma's mouth fell open, while Mr. Fang had already turned toward the students outside the windows and shouted.

"Everyone, don't panic. Keep in an orderly..."

Pop.

In a flash, Chen Ying had already picked up the revolver, put it under his chin, and fired.

After a puff of smoke, he aimed it at his temple and fired a second shot.

"It's a cap gun, officer. The barrel's blocked."

As he spoke, Chen Ying fired another shot at his thigh.

"Officer, has someone filed a false report? Is there a law in Hong Kong and Kowloon against students having toy guns?"

"I only came back to school today. Just look at all this rubbish on the floor, and you can tell people like bullying me. Officers, I suspect someone's been deceiving you."

"That's not your concern. What are you carrying this around for?"

The policeman picked up the cap gun and examined it. It was plastic, and the barrel did not even have an opening. It was completely incapable of firing a projectile.

"It's actually for motivation. I really want to join the police force and serve the people of Hong Kong and Kowloon, but my grades are poor, so I bought this toy gun as a daily reminder to myself..."

"All right."

The two policemen looked at Chen Ying.

"I'll write up a statement later. Come sign it."

"Have me sign it. My student is a minor."

Mr. Fang stepped forward and spoke.

"I was here the whole time today, too. Why not let me give the statement?"

"You? Forget it. Get back to class."

The two police officers waved their hands, their enthusiasm gone.