Chapter 17: With Ambition, The Sky Is No Limit
Upon seeing Han Shu’s actions, the other students looked toward them, because they knew that drama was about to unfold. They looked ready to see a show.
Han Shu stopped in front of the two and greeted them with a smile. “It’s been a while, Chen Chuan. I haven’t heard about you recently. What have you been up to?”
Ding Jiao clicked his tongue.
Chen Chuan, on the other hand, was completely at ease. “What else could I have been up to? I’ve graduated, so I have to look for a job or a place to further my studies, no?”
Han Shu hummed and stared at him as he tried to fish for information. “Are you going to stay in Yangzhi City or...”
“Yangzhi City, I guess,” Chen Chuan answered.
Han Shu feigned surprise and gasped. “Aren’t you going to study in a university, considering your grades? You should try applying to one outside the city. Don’t be like me. My grades weren’t as good as yours, so I could only stay in Yangzhi City.”
“That’s about enough, Mr. Third Place. We all know that you got into Black Orchid. Stop flaunting it!” Ding Jiao could not stand him anymore and snapped.
“I’d love to apply to a university outside the city, but I don’t have the money. Even if someone were willing to sponsor my studies, I’d still need someone influential to refer me. Besides, it’s not that easy to stay in Central City,” Chen Chuan answered.
“That’s true.”
Chen Chuan’s words resonated with the other students.
Strictly speaking, those who could study in First High School came from middle-class families. They were richer than lower-class families, but studying in Central City was only a beautiful dream for them.
After the Algae Sap Revolution, vast urban centers were set up all across the globe, and the Great Shun Republic’s urban center was Central City. Big companies and corporate giants gathered there, so their biotechnology level was far higher than that of the surrounding cities. Central City was a completely different world from any other place. Without a referral from someone with significant social status, forget about studying there—even gaining a foothold there was impossible.
The three students in Class Four who were recommended by the school to go to Central City were an example of those who got referrals from people in Central City. First High School was actually the one who needed these students, not the other way around, because their existence and their subsequent successful application to universities in Central City meant that First High School would continue receiving future recommendation quotas. In truth though, without a powerful family and certain social status, even a recommendation from the school did not mean anything. The universities in Central City would not accept it.
Han Shu then saw the flyer beside Chen Chuan’s hand and cried out in surprise. “What’s this?”
He grabbed the flyer and took a look. An excited look appeared on his face, as if he had figured something out. He brandished the flyer in his hand. “Are you thinking about learning martial arts?”
Chen Chuan did not deny it and smiled at him. “Learning martial arts is pretty good.”
Han Shu’s eyes sparkled, and he laughed. “Are you actually going to? You’re going to join a martial arts school to become a fighter? You... have some interesting ideas. Heh.”
The other students also gave Chen Chuan strange looks.
While learning how to fight from martial arts schools was a potential career choice for those at the bottom rung of society, most of the students in First High School did not regard it as such.
Their parents taught them that those who learned from martial arts schools were all thugs, and most of them joined gangs to do crimes. The luckier ones got to fight in tournaments, but they ended up with all sorts of chronic aches and pains once they got older. Some of them became action stars, but most of them ended up as no more than background characters or stunt doubles. They earned little money, while they often got injured or died. Practically none of them managed to become successful.
In the students’ eyes, joining a martial arts school was the same as becoming a member of lower-class society. Since Chen Chuan had good grades, they could not understand why he would make such a choice.
Ding Jiao got worked up and slammed his fists on the table before rising to his feet. “Mr. Third Place, what on earth are you saying? Chen Chuan’s uncle is a captain at the Constabulary. If he’s going to work somewhere, it’s going to be there. Why would he join a martial arts school? Isn’t that right, Chen Chuan?”
Han Shu hummed in feigned puzzlement. “But doesn’t he have a cousin? Chen Chuan, are you going to fight over your uncle’s position with your cousin? That isn’t very good, is it?”
“What the hell are you saying, you—” Ding Jiao got so worked up that he was about to start cursing up a storm. Chen Chuan immediately stood up to stop him.
He looked at Han Shu and said, “I’ve always liked martial arts. I’m just doing what I like and not bothering anyone. Is that a problem?”
Han Shu squirmed under Chen Chuan’s calm gaze. He noticed that Chen Chuan had become much taller, which made him feel a head shorter than he was. Feeling less confident, he took a step back, but still said sarcastically, “It’s nothing. A pretty good choice. It’s a good match for you. I hope you succeed.”
“I hope so too,” Chen Chuan replied.
Han Shu thought that Chen Chuan was being stubborn and huffed. He left the table with Ding Jiao glaring at him.
“Han Shu, over here!” Someone immediately beckoned him over.
Han Shu instantly felt as if he had regained his composure. He gave that student a reserved nod before going over.
The student said, “Ignore them, Han Shu. You’re working at Black Orchid now. Even the people working at the municipal government have to show you respect. Some people can make a fuss and yell at you now, but when we step out into society, they’ll see the difference between you and them.”
Han Shu nodded. It was true. He had gotten into Black Orchid Co., and a bright future awaited him, while Chen Chuan could only be a thug or act like a clown in front of the camera. How could someone like that possibly compare to him?
He pretended to be gracious and said, “Honestly, I pity him. After all, he had such good grades in school. What a waste of all those years spent studying. Ah, forget it. Let’s not talk about this anymore. Since this is our graduation party, let’s just have fun.”
Since practically everyone in the class had arrived, the class representative gave some perfunctory remarks before everyone started eating, and the atmosphere became lively once again.
When Ding Jiao saw that no one was looking over, he whispered, “Bro, are you seriously going to learn martial arts? You were lying to him, weren’t you?”
Chen Chuan patted Ding Jiao’s shoulder. “I do like martial arts, but that doesn’t mean that I can only join a martial arts school to learn...”
As they spoke, the voices around them gradually faded, and a delicate girl with a ponytail walked over. She wore a short jacket with blue-and-white floral patterns and a long, ankle-length, black skirt. Behind her was a retainer and two bodyguards.
She carried herself with an imposing air, and everyone around her fell silent. They only watched her without saying a word. Some of the girls timidly greeted her, but she just nodded at them in response.
Ding Jiao saw the girl as well and motioned at Chen Chuan to attract his attention. “Hey, Meng Shu’s here. Aren’t you going to talk to her? I heard that her family is from Central City. Considering your relationship with her...”
Meng Shu ignored everyone else and went straight to Chen Chuan’s table. She looked at him coolly and said, “Chen Chuan, I have something to say to you. Come with me.”
Judging by her tone, she was not going to take no for an answer. Ding Jiao immediately fell silent. Chen Chuan alone remained at ease. He said, “I’m talking to a friend. Why don’t you grab a chair and sit with us?”
Ding Jiao took a look at them before standing up. “No, no. Have fun talking.”
“It’s all up to you now, buddy,” he whispered to Chen Chuan.
Meng Shu cast a glance around them, and the students who sat closer quickly stood up to move away.
The retainer brought over a chair that had been previously unoccupied before wiping it carefully with a handkerchief. Then, he pushed it over to the table and respectfully motioned for Meng Shu to sit in it.
Meng Shu walked over, smoothed out her skirt, and sat down all prim and proper.
The two sat across from each other under the sky with stars just beginning to emerge. The table separated them, and they looked like a perfectly symmetrical painting.
The surrounding students all listened in; they wanted to hear the conversation between Chen Chuan and Meng Shu. Ding Jiao even leaned forward so half of his body was on the table. He was terrified of missing even a single word.
Chen Chuan grabbed a drink and offered it to Meng Shu. “Want some?” When he got no answer, he poured himself a cup.
Meng Shu looked at him and said, “I know that you got into Martial Valor University.”
Martial Valor University?
That Martial Valor University?
Chen Chuan got into the Martial Valor University?
Her words immediately caused a stir. Ding Jiao was stunned for a second before he cried out in surprise, “Martial Valor University? Holy cow! You’re amazing, Chen Chuan!”
Han Shu whipped his head around and stared at Chen Chuan in surprise. He fervently hoped that Chen Chuan would deny it.
Chen Chuan guessed that the Constabulary had leaked the news. Since word about it got out, he did not intend to deny it. “You’re well informed. I can’t hide anything from you.”
Han Shu’s expression stiffened, while the students around him started talking among themselves.
“So Chen Chuan was talking about learning martial arts in Martial Valor University! I knew it! He had such good grades, so how could he become a thug?”
“That’s right. That’s Martial Valor University we’re talking about. He’s amazing. We can all walk with our heads held high now.”
“By the way, do any of you have Chen Chuan’s number?”
Learning martial arts from Martial Valor University and from a martial arts school was not the same at all. Once someone entered Martial Valor University, as long as their academic performance was decent, most of them would end up working with the government or as high-ranking employees of various companies. If nothing else, their connections alone would be far beyond what ordinary people could hope to match, so if they had a classmate who graduated from Martial Valor University, they would have a reason to feel proud.
Meng Shu ignored the ruckus around them and said coolly, “You’re not suited for that place. You should be a company manager, a high-ranking lawyer, executive officer, or the butler of a powerful family. You should be getting yourself a job that requires you to use your head, not your fists.”
Chen Chuan took a sip of his soda. “I think it suits me just fine.”
“You’ve always been outstanding, so I’m not surprised that you managed to get into Martial Valor University, but you can’t possibly pass the follow-up exam. This experience will not be helpful to you, but will harm you,” Meng Shu said.
Chen Chuan just smiled.
Meng Shu took out a beautiful card. “I’m returning to Central City at the end of August. Come find me with this card.”
She then stood up and left without saying anything to anyone else. Her retainer and bodyguards left with her.
Chen Chuan did not look at the card. Instead, he put his arms behind his head and leaned back in a relaxed fashion. His eyes were trained on the sky, and he felt as if the vast night sky was hugging him. The noise around him faded away, and his second self moved to stand behind him, unseen by anyone.
Chen Chuan smiled and said, “You don’t understand the real joy of this.”