Era of Mist

In the teacher’s office, Shi Tiexin and Jia Guangsu sat opposite each other, staring at one another.

Shi Tiexin didn’t speak, because he had no idea why Old Jia had called him out. He’d been keeping a very low profile lately and was sure he hadn’t caused any trouble. He was very confident on that point.

Meanwhile, Old Jia was scrutinizing Shi Tiexin.

He had originally planned to chew him out the moment he arrived, to give him a sharp wake-up call. He was, after all, the great Electric Old Jia, and right now he was fully charged. How could he not unleash a special move? But after sitting down face-to-face with Shi Tiexin, he changed his mind. Looking closely, he realized Shi Tiexin’s condition was very different from what he had imagined.

He’d imagined Shi Tiexin would be a resentful delinquent, rebellious and wicked from his eyes to his very bones. A boy who needed the full force of a teacher’s iron fist of grace to be beaten back onto the righteous path.

But looking at him closely now, that... wasn’t the case at all.

Shi Tiexin’s current appearance—how to put it?—his spirit seemed even better than before. Back when he’d been dropped from Class 3 to Class 7, while you couldn’t say he was full of resentment, his morale had definitely taken a hit. He had been sullen back then, withdrawn, with a kind of repressed frustration as if enduring a great humiliation. It was unpleasant just to look at him.

That was until two days ago, when he had roared in class and been sent straight to the trash class.

But who would have thought, this Shi Tiexin wasn’t like that anymore. As a math teacher, Old Jia wasn’t great with descriptions, but he felt that not only had Shi Tiexin not sunk into despair, he actually seemed to have a vigorous, upward-striving drive.

This spirit didn’t seem like an act.

’What’s going on? Could it be that this kid really hit rock bottom and bounced back?’

’But I recently heard this kid isn’t paying attention in class and isn’t doing his homework. He seems to be slacking off completely.’

’Could it be... that he’s started hanging out with the hooligans in the trash class, decided to just let himself go since things are already bad, and found a new purpose in life? Is he preparing to set off on a whole new journey to vie for some ridiculous title like the ’Four Celestial Kings’?’

’It’s possible, it really is!’

’No, I can’t let that happen! I have to awaken him with the iron fist of a teacher’s grace!’

"Ahem, Shi Tiexin..." Old Jia chose his words carefully, deciding to lay some groundwork first. "You need to understand something. To survive in this world, you must have your own skills. There are many paths you can take, but of all of them, the easiest, the widest, and the most reliable is just one: study hard."

Shi Tiexin was bewildered.

’Study hard? I know that. Of course I have to study hard!’

’If I don’t study hard, how will I cultivate my mind arts? If I don’t study hard, how will I master my power? If I don’t study hard, how will I pass the lesser provincial exam?’

’But why are you telling me this? I’m still waiting to go back and practice my calligraphy!’

Seeing Shi Tiexin seemed a bit distracted, Old Jia’s tone grew heavier. "Right now in the newspapers, a lot of media outlets are hyping up theories like ’you can succeed without studying’ or ’Jinghua University graduates end up working for illiterate bosses.’ I’m telling you, all this anti-intellectualism is complete bullshit!"

"Sure, an illiterate person can become a boss. But even if he does, can his ability to learn and his rate of improvement compare to a top student from Jinghua University? Can his grasp of the times, his analysis of information, his predictions for the future of society, or his emphasis on product R&D even come close?"

"Maybe he got lucky with the times, seized an opportunity, and made some money. But he might be the boss today and gone tomorrow. A top student, on the other hand, has learned real skills. Once they have some experience, they can immediately strike out on their own. Why would they need an illiterate boss breathing down their neck?"

"Besides, how many illiterate people ever become a boss? Jinghua University is the place that produces the most millionaires and billionaires!"

Shi Tiexin’s eyes widened at his words.

’Oh, Old Jia, now that you put it that way, I’m even more motivated!’

’I’m going to use knowledge to change my destiny! I’m going to become a millionaire, a billionaire!’

’Don’t stop me! I need to go back and practice my calligraphy right now!’

Seeing that Shi Tiexin seemed somewhat moved, Old Jia decided to strike while the iron was hot. "Do you know what the university acceptance rates are for the different class levels?"

’Acceptance rates? No idea.’

Shi Tiexin immediately shook his head.

Old Jia didn’t expect him to know and began reeling off the numbers. "The elite classes have a 95% acceptance rate into first-tier universities. Honestly, if it weren’t for a few people choking on the college entrance exams, it would be 100%. To break it down further, over forty students get into Jinghua University every year. A good number get into other top institutions too. All told, about a hundred students enter the most elite universities, and the rest go to ’ordinary’ first-tier ones."

’Wow, impressive. They’re all superstars.’

"The key classes aren’t bad either. About 30% get into prestigious universities each year. If you include them, the overall acceptance rate for first-tier undergraduate programs is around 80%."

’Ah, my apologies. They’re all top students.’

"In the regular classes, about 20% can struggle their way into a first-tier undergrad program. Around 60% can get into a second-tier one. That leaves the bottom 20%. At another high school, they might not be considered so bad, but here at Fengming First Middle School, they’re hopeless trash that can’t be helped! And you know where that trash ends up? The vast majority of them are in the trash class."

"Do you know what ’trash class’ means? A trash class, of course, is a place for trash. Have you ever seen a garbage can? You just throw all the fruit peels and wastepaper in there. The trash class is the same. Whether it’s students who aren’t good enough academically or those with bad habits, all the miscellaneous junk gets tossed into the trash class."

"And you should know, garbage cans get emptied regularly. The trash class does too!"

’Mhm, survival of the fittest. Not bad, not bad.’

’But what does any of this have to do with me?’

’Teacher Jia, I’m in a hurry to get back to my calligraphy practice!’

Seeing Shi Tiexin’s absentmindedness, Old Jia erupted, his voltage skyrocketing. "Shi Tiexin, don’t think you can just fool around in the trash class and get a high school diploma. I don’t know about other high schools, but at Fengming First Middle School, every single diploma we issue represents a high-caliber member of society! You want to coast by here? Impossible! By the second or third year, the trash class will expel a portion of its students!"

"Look at you! You used to be the First Guard Champion Scholar, and now look at the pathetic state you’re in! You don’t listen in class, you don’t turn in any of your assignments—what is this? Huh? Are you dissatisfied with the school’s decision?"

"You can be dissatisfied, but this way of expressing it is just childish and brainless! If you have any guts, you’ll study hard and fight your way back! In the pathetic state you’re in now, I’ll tell you what, I regret ever signing you!"

’Signing me?’

A memory surfaced, and Shi Tiexin suddenly recalled that it was this very same Old Jia who had come to negotiate the terms and sign him after the middle school entrance exams. Come to think of it, Fengming First Middle School had given him some particularly generous conditions, and it was Old Jia who had helped fight for them.

’He’s a good person!’

"Staring at me? What are you staring at me for, you got a problem with what I said?" Old Jia, not knowing what Shi Tiexin was thinking, saw his wide eyes and widened his own in return. "I’m laying it all out for you today. If you keep messing around in this pathetic state, I’ll look down on you, you coward!"