Chapter 197: All the Hard Work Paid Off
"So, what do you think? Is the New District any different from the Old District?"
Tang Qinru asked with a smile as Lin Yi sat down with them in the private room.
Lin Yi turned his head and glanced out the window.
The streets below were bustling with people, creating a lively scene.
The golden evening sun bathed the streets, giving him a long-absent sense of security.
Lin Yi nodded lightly. "The only difference is that it’s safer here than in the Old District, I suppose."
"That’s right. Security in the New District is top-level. There’s no place for demonic beasts to survive, and variant beasts can’t sneak in. Even violent criminals and other delinquents can’t last here!"
"In reality, the biggest difference between the New District and the Old District is the guaranteed security and a more stable life."
"And it’s precisely for this reason that people from the Old District are desperate to get in, fighting tooth and nail for a chance to come here."
Tang Qinru chuckled.
Lin Yi found no issue with her explanation.
You could even say that the people who actually make it to the New District are the elite of the elite.
Every year, at least a million students from the eighteen cities in the Old District participate in the Martial Arts Exam.
But not even one in ten of them actually gets accepted into a Martial Arts University.
The students who receive an acceptance letter are the lucky ones.
They can bring their families to the New District to start a new life.
They enjoy stability, prosperity, and all the Martial Arts resources provided to them.
Their futures are also incredibly bright.
Even after graduating from university, they can find a job in the New District.
The monthly salary is quite substantial.
It’s enough for a family to live comfortably for a lifetime.
But those who fail can only waste their lives away in the Old District.
They don’t get a second chance; they can’t even retake the year.
They can only be slowly buried by time, left to wither under the wind and frost...
The competition is fierce, and reality is cruel.
Suddenly, the phone of Qin Zhaoxue, who was sitting next to Lin Yi, rang.
She quickly picked it up and glanced at the screen. "It’s a call from Captain Chu!"
Hearing the two words "Captain Chu," Tang Qinru’s expression immediately soured.
Qin Zhaoxue just smiled and answered the call.
"Hello? Captain Chu, yes, we’re back. Uh-huh, right now... I’m having dinner with Sister Qingru. Okay, I understand."
After a few brief sentences, Qin Zhaoxue hung up.
"What did Chu Zhengxiong want?"
Tang Qinru asked, her tone unfriendly.
Even after all this time, she still hadn’t forgiven Chu Zhengxiong.
It almost made Lin Yi want to laugh.
’Looks like you really can’t get on a woman’s bad side,’ he thought. ’Once you do, they might hold a grudge for life.’
Just like Tang Qinru right now. Ever since the time Lin Yi got injured, she hadn’t forgiven Chu Zhengxiong. Even hearing his name was enough to make her hostile.
"Captain Chu said I should get some rest and that I don’t need to report to the bureau tomorrow. He also told me to take Lin Yi on a tour of the school to get familiar with the campus."
"Oh, right, Lin Yi, Captain Chu wanted me to tell you that he’s been a bit busy lately and can’t come to see you for now.
Once he’s past this busy period, he’ll come to the school to find you himself!"
After Qin Zhaoxue relayed the message, Lin Yi nodded with a smile.
"Brother Chu must have a lot to deal with now that he’s back. Let him focus on his work; he doesn’t need to worry about me."
Hearing this, Qin Zhaoxue nodded with a smile.
Tang Qinru, however, frowned, looking like she wanted to say something.
But the words died on her lips, and she swallowed them back down without saying a thing.
Just then, there was a knock on the door of their private room.
The door opened, and a server brought in their dishes one by one.
Tang Qinru said with a smile, "Xiaoyi, let’s eat first. After we’re done, I’ll take you to my place."
"Okay, thank you, Sister Qingru!"
Lin Yi nodded politely, picked up his chopsticks, and began to eat.
...
"So this is the New District?"
Wei Nan and his parents had also arrived.
A business van had taken them directly to the temporary accommodation arranged by the university.
It was a hotel that looked very high-end, from its facade to its interior decor.
The driver’s service was also impeccable.
He didn’t just drop them off and leave.
Instead, he went inside to personally handle their check-in and then carried their luggage from the van into the hotel.
Looking at the magnificent decor,
Wei Nan couldn’t help but be a little surprised.
"I’d heard before that the Martial Arts Universities treat their students well, but I never expected it to be this good!
They even put us up in such a luxurious hotel on our very first day?"
Wei Nan couldn’t help but marvel.
His parents, too, were stunned by the surroundings.
Back in the Old District, they had never stayed in such a nice hotel.
Now, they were basking in their son’s glory. The treatment was far better than they had ever imagined.
"Excuse me, are you student Wei Nan?"
Just then, a member of the hotel staff walked over.
Wei Nan was taken aback for a moment, then quickly nodded and said, "Yes, that’s me!"
"Hello, I’m from the hotel staff. I’ve already checked you in. Please follow me."
"Thank you!"
It was rare for Wei Nan to be so polite.
He then picked up his suitcase and followed the staff member toward the elevator.
The staff member led them into the elevator, up to their floor, and finally to their room.
Opening the door revealed a two-bedroom suite with a spacious living room.
The decor and furniture inside left nothing to be desired; it had everything.
"Oh, right, miss, let me ask you—how long is this room booked for?"
Wei Nan asked, hurrying after the staff member as she was about to leave.
"There’s no time limit. It’s for you until you move out.
But you don’t need to worry. All expenses are covered by Xingwu University. You can just stay here with peace of mind!"
After the staff member finished speaking,
Wei Nan was completely dumbfounded.
’A hotel of this scale can’t be cheap. And a suite like this won’t have a low price, either.’
’Isn’t it at least three to five hundred a day? Maybe even more...’
’The daily cost is so high. What if we stay for ten days, half a month? That would be a huge sum.’
This gave Wei Nan a whole new understanding of Xingwu University... Opulent.
He had never heard of a university treating its students this well.
Being picked up and dropped off by a private car was one thing.
But to also provide accommodation, and in such a luxurious hotel at that...
And especially for free, without charging a single cent...
When he closed the door and returned to the room to see his parents,
Wei Nan, a young man over 1.8 meters tall who looked like half a black tower,
had bloodshot eyes. His voice choked as he said, "Mom, Dad, come on, hit me!"
"Huh?"
Hearing his son say this, Old Wei was completely baffled.
"Are you losing your mind?"
"Dad, just hit me. I need to see if I’m dreaming.
This all feels so unreal. Things this good only happen in dreams, right?"
"Just hit me and see if it hurts. Hurry up..."
SLAP—
Following Wei Nan’s shout,
Old Wei subconsciously raised his hand and smacked him across the face.
Instantly, a fiery, stinging pain made tears stream uncontrollably down Wei Nan’s face.
Seeing this, his mother shoved Old Wei aside.
"What are you doing? Why did you hit him so hard?"
"Son, are you okay? Don’t scare me. Does it hurt? Let Mom rub it for you..."
Wei Nan shook his head repeatedly. "Mom, I’m fine, I’m fine! HAHAHA... It’s not a dream! It’s all real! It’s all real! I’m gonna go call Lin Yi..."
After saying this, Wei Nan acted like a madman,
laughing and crying at the same time as he ran toward one of the bedrooms.
The moment the bedroom door closed, the couple looked at each other.
Then, as if infected by Wei Nan’s emotions,
their eyes also began to turn red, and tears slowly blurred their vision.
In that moment, they seemed to understand what Wei Nan had just been feeling.
Their bitter days were finally over. They had made it.
His mother nestled into Old Wei’s embrace, tears streaming down her face.
...
They were in the middle of their meal.
Lin Yi’s phone rang. He picked it up and glanced at the screen.
It was a call from Wei Nan.
"Hello? What’s up?"
Lin Yi answered the call, keeping his voice low.
In response, a peal of laughter from Wei Nan erupted from the phone...
"What is wrong with you? Say something!"
There was only laughter from the phone, no words. Lin Yi’s heart sank, and he started to worry.
After a long moment, the laughter gradually subsided.
Wei Nan finally spoke. "Lin Yi, you’ve arrived, right? Did they take you straight to a hotel? Holy shit, Xingwu University is loaded, isn’t it? They actually arranged a hotel for us and said we can stay as long as we want, no time limit!"
"I heard the Martial Arts Universities treat you well, but I never imagined it would be this good.
It was worth it! I spent eighteen fucking years training day and night in Martial Arts, and now I’m finally seeing the rewards!"
"It was so worth it, all that hard work..."
Wei Nan’s voice choked up over the phone.
Finally, only intermittent sobs could be heard.
Lin Yi didn’t say anything, just held the phone and listened quietly.
He understood Wei Nan and why his emotions were running so high.
The truth was, Wei Nan shouldered far more pressure and hope than Lin Yi ever did.
Lin Yi had wanted to get into a Martial Arts University simply to escape his original family.
To choose a different path for himself.
But Wei Nan carried the dreams of his late brother and the hopes of his parents.
Ever since his brother’s accidental death, he had pushed himself relentlessly every day.
He hoped that by passing the Martial Arts Exam, he could fulfill the expectations of his brother, his parents, and himself.
Now that this goal was achieved, his whole body had relaxed,
leading to this emotional breakdown...
The only thing Lin Yi could do now was be there for him.
To let him vent all the emotions that had been building up inside him over the years.
Once he cried it all out and let it all go, he would be okay.
Tang Qinru and Qin Zhaoxue were both looking at Lin Yi with strange expressions.
Lin Yi, however, just listened silently to Wei Nan’s sobs.
After a long while, when Wei Nan had finally vented his emotions,
he said in a choked voice, "Which hotel are you at? Let’s meet up and grab a bite. I’m starving!"
"Um... I’m actually eating right now, with Sister Qingru and Sister Xue. Why don’t you come over?"
Wei Nan: "..."