Teacher and Student Reunited

When he drove the Jiade car onto the plaza in front of Wuyi Academy, Chen Chuan glanced over and saw students bustling in and out in great numbers. It was late July now. Counting the days, tomorrow would be the registration date for the school's Class A student re-examinations. Looking at those students filled with hope, he could not help but recall himself two years ago. Wishing them well on their exams in his heart, he gradually slowed down, came to a stop at the gate, and held up his identity card. The security guard at the gate seemed to recognize him. Having once served in the military, the guard could not help but salute him before gesturing for him to pass. Chen Chuan nodded back and drove into the school. Truth be told, during his time studying at Wuyi Academy, aside from his very last departure, he had almost always entered and exited through the side gates. Driving straight through the main entrance this time gave him a completely different feeling, at once familiar and foreign. Turning past the auditorium building ahead, he drove toward the administration building. As he passed Spring and Autumn Lake, he could not help glancing across at the dormitory building opposite. Senior Wu had probably graduated by now, while Feng Xiaoqi, Luo Kaiyuan, and Wei Dong had one final year left at Wuyi. Not knowing whether they were at school right now, he figured he could drop by the dorms later to check. Yes, and he could visit the dorm supervisor while he was at it—though he could not get the man a pension raise just yet. Arriving below the administration building, he parked in the lot out front and stepped out of the vehicle. Looking up at the steps ahead, he adjusted the brim of his cap and walked up. Because registration for the re-examination was tomorrow, quite a few prospective examinees were inquiring in the main lobby of the administration building, along with several teachers on duty. When Chen Chuan walked in, all of them froze. The applicants could not tell much, only sensing an imposing aura about him that compelled an instinctive hush, but the teachers immediately recognized the Disposal Bureau uniform. Just last year, numerous teachers connected to the former principal had been transferred or taken away outright by the Disposal Bureau, so their first thought was: had the Disposal Bureau come to make arrests again? Looking closer, however, they noticed differences. Aside from variations in the uniform cut, Chen Chuan's epaulets bore a silver sword—the emblem of the Center City Disposal Bureau. Center City Disposal Bureau? The teachers were startled. Center City rarely dispatched personnel to regional Wuyi academies. Had something else happened? And yet... this person looked somewhat familiar... Most of the teachers had seen Chen Chuan before, but he was slightly taller than last year. Moreover, as he walked toward them, the invisible presence radiating from him made their hearts tremble as fellow fighters. Some were also afraid of getting entangled in official business, so they all stayed rooted in place, none daring to step forward and ask questions. Chen Chuan did not know these teachers personally, though he had crossed paths with one or two in the past. As he crossed the lobby, he gave them a polite nod before heading up the stairs. Only after he had passed did the tension in the room ease. Several teachers exchanged glances and questioned one another, but none had any clue. Chen Chuan went straight up to the sixth floor and walked over to the Logistics Office. Following the corridor to the doorway, he saw Cheng Zitong on the telephone inside. It seemed he had a mountain of tasks on his hands; no sooner had he answered one line on his desk than another began ringing, all concerning tomorrow's registration and the upcoming re-examinations. Chen Chuan waited a short while until he heard the sound of water being drunk. Only then did he approach, knock on the door, and say, "Teacher." Cheng Zitong looked up, his face instantly lighting up with delight. He stood up from behind the desk. "Xiao Chuan, you're here! I figured you'd be arriving around now. Come in, come in, take a seat! Ah, this uniform looks sharp—really sharp!" Chen Chuan had stayed in touch with Cheng Zitong by phone all along, but after more than half a year apart, he saw that his teacher's face had grown even rounder and rosier. He must have been eating well these days. When welcoming Chen Chuan, Cheng Zitong instinctively moved to close the door, but on second thought, he lowered his hand and left it open. He then carried a kettle over to the sofa, remarking with feeling: "Ah, haven't seen you in over half a year, and you've changed quite a bit! Xiao Chuan, your whole spirit and presence are different. And these clothes... hiss... don't tell me..." He was an experienced man after all. Once the initial joy of reuniting with his prized student settled, he caught on to certain clues, though he still felt somewhat uncertain. Chen Chuan took off his peaked cap, set it on his lap, and looked at Cheng Zitong. "Teacher, I haven't had the chance to tell you yet. A couple of days ago, I broke through into the third limit and became a third-limit fighter." Cheng Zitong froze for a second, then flushed with intense excitement. He slammed his palm down, snapping one corner of the side table shorter with a loud crack. "Xiao Chuan, you reached the third limit?!" Chen Chuan nodded. "Good! Good! Wonderful!!" Cheng Zitong stared at him for a long time, suppressing the surging emotions in his chest before finally sitting back down. "You've only been in Center City for a little over half a year, haven't you? But when I think about it, it makes sense. Xiao Chuan, your talent is extraordinary; I've never seen anyone with greater talent than yours. You were always faster than others, and you've stayed in the Second Limit for so long. It was about time you entered the third limit. To others it might seem early, but for you, it's just the natural harvest of solid groundwork." He chuckled emotionally. "What luck I have! To teach an outstanding student like you, I have no regrets in this life." Ever since Chen Chuan sparred with those juniors, calls from Center City had trickled in one after another, hinting or outright asking to send their own youngsters to train under him. That had brought immense honor to his name, and from that day on, his appetite had grown considerably. Chen Chuan stood up, picked up Cheng Zitong's cup—which had spilled a bit of water—refilled it, and handed it back. "To receive Teacher's guidance was my good fortune as well." Cheng Zitong laughed and took it. "Xiao Chuan, you haven't changed a bit." His smile faded slightly. "It couldn't have been easy for you in Center City, could it?" Chen Chuan replied, "It was alright. I managed fine." "Well, you've pulled through. As a third-limit fighter, there's nowhere you can't go. So many people stall out here, but with your talent, Xiao Chuan, you should be able to climb further." As if recalling something, Cheng Zitong sighed. "The higher you go, the harder it gets. People who go decades without making a shred of progress are everywhere. It's not that some don't want to—they simply can't." Chen Chuan pondered for a moment and said, "Teacher, does the third limit involve some sort of secret?" Cheng Zitong said, "I've heard some things, but nothing concrete. No need to rush. When the time comes, someone will come tell you. Even if you don't want to hear it, they'll seek you out to let you know. Just wait. Only when you make your choice, watch your step carefully and don't fall into any pits." He thought about it. "As for my second uncle, you can ask him about what you don't understand. My second uncle knows a lot and is willing to guide capable youngsters. I'll put in a word for you later." Chen Chuan nodded. "Thank you, Teacher." "No need to stand on ceremony with your teacher." Chen Chuan acknowledged. He took the bag he had brought along and retrieved a few items from it. "These are some things I brought back for you from Center City..." "Look at you! It's enough that you came; why bother bringing gifts..." Chen Chuan took out a notebook and handed it over. "These are some of the urban legends I encountered and handled in Center City, all written down here. The information I gathered and compiled is in there as well." Cheng Zitong's eyes lit up. This was his one true indulgence. He took it deftly. "Ah, since it's your heartfelt thought, I can't refuse! Good, this is wonderful!" Just as he said this, the phones on the desk rang again—two at the same time. Cheng Zitong went over to answer and put the receivers down only after a while. Chen Chuan said, "You must be very busy right now, Teacher?" Cheng Zitong said, "You can say that again! Tomorrow is re-examination registration, and the exams themselves are less than a month away. All kinds of preparations have to start right now. This year is different from the past—recommended students have been eliminated, so there are even more applicants than usual. The higher-ups are taking it very seriously, and the whole school is in motion. My Logistics Office is swamped with countless details." Chen Chuan said, "Then I won't disturb your work any longer, Teacher. I'll be staying in Yangzhi for a month. When you have free time, I'll come visit again." Cheng Zitong said, "I won't mince words with you either. You just got back to Yangzhi, so get some good rest. Once I'm free, the two of us will sit down and have a proper talk." Chen Chuan agreed and put his cap back on. "Teacher, I'll take my leave then." "Go on." Cheng Zitong stood up and patted him on the shoulder. "Don't linger here with me. The world out there is vast." Chen Chuan bade Cheng Zitong farewell and departed. In high spirits, Cheng Zitong returned to his desk. After working busily for a while longer, he finally found a moment to rest. As he drank water, an idea suddenly struck him. He chuckled, picked up the receiver, and dialed a number. A moment later, the call connected. "Hello, Senior Brother? It's me! I'm coming to your place for dinner today—make sure to prepare extra, alright?... Well, don't I have a hearty appetite? The rice at your house just tastes better! That's settled then, I'm hanging up!" *** After stepping out of the Logistics Office, Chen Chuan had initially thought about dropping by to see Teachers Bian Feng and Yue Hong to say hello. However, passing by the Admissions Preparation Office, he found it empty. Supposing they were busy outside, he dropped the idea. Heading out, he walked leisurely along the tree-lined path encircling the lake, facing the gentle breeze blowing across the water as he made his way toward the dormitories. When he stepped inside, he saw several students gathered around. These were prospective students who had come to inquire about the re-examination; they did not even know the school's teachers yet, let alone him, but seeing his uniform, they instinctively lowered their voices. An older student was helping the dorm supervisor answer questions and distribute materials. Sensing the sudden change in atmosphere, he looked up, froze momentarily, and then turned excitedly to the supervisor beside him. "Senior Chen! Teacher, it's Senior Chen!" The dorm supervisor caught sight of Chen Chuan as well, his eyes immediately falling onto the epaulets on his shoulders. He suddenly chuckled. "Student Chen, you've risen fast enough! Looks like there's hope for my pension raise after all."