Chapter 12: The Disappointing Wang Lingling

“I can’t be bothered to talk to you. If you don’t study hard for this exam, I’ll have Xiang Liling tutor you next time. Don’t end up in a different class from us when we get sorted in the third year of middle school.” Nan Shuang was genuinely concerned for her good friend.

“Don’t, I beg you, spare me.” Her grades were the same regardless, there was nothing to tutor.

“I think Nan Shuang is right. Don’t run around after class anymore; I’ll write problems for you.” Yu Qian, who had been reading the whole time, couldn’t listen anymore. She closed her book and looked at Wang Lingling.

Don’t let Yu Qian’s habit of constantly reporting Wang Lingling’s name fool you; the two of them actually had a pretty good relationship.

“Haha, I think that’s a great idea.” Nan Shuang laughed when she saw the look of pure misery on Wang Lingling’s face.

“Count me in, I’ll give you math problems,” Xiang Liling added.

Wang Lingling wanted to die right then and there. Truly.

For the first time, she regretted having a top student as her best friend and desk-mate.

As soon as the bell rang, the teacher walked in with long strides.

The midterm exam was considered a major test. The school had issued notices early, and everyone had prepared well in advance.

“Quiet. The exam begins.” The teacher didn’t waste any words.

He immediately began handing out the test papers.

Elsewhere.

Wen Hao and Liangzi also began looking for targets to offload their goods.

Don’t underestimate this small county; this was Tong County, a place with a well-developed industrial sector.

There were no fewer than three large factories in this small county.

At this time, factory workers were the definition of wealthy.

The two first went to a factory belonging to an old customer, where they sold four watches.

The expensive, high-end kind.

After that, they were introduced to other factories by their customers.

The two were very good at socializing and had built a great relationship with the old man at the gate.

The old man knew a little about what they were doing, but he didn’t care much. As long as he was taken care of, why would he bother with their business?

Besides, there were plenty of people doing this, not just the two of them.

They sold a few more, and by the end of the day, they had moved over a dozen watches.

After that, of course, it was a matter of old customers introducing new ones.

School let out early for the midterm exams, and when Nan Shuang returned, her father was already waiting at home.

“Dad, I’m back.”

“Let’s go, Dad is taking you to meet your teacher.” Wen Hao had rushed back just in time.

Why call the old man “teacher”?

Because he refused to take on apprentices, saying that being a teacher was enough.

A teacher who cost one hundred yuan a month—truly expensive.

“Alright, I’ll put my schoolbag away and come right out.” Nan Shuang went inside, put her bag away, and came out to follow her father to see the old man.

The old man’s surname was Zhang, a very common name, but his martial arts level was definitely higher than Nan Shuang’s.

He was currently at the early stage of Dark Jin. Of course, he had been stuck at this level for many years, unable to advance even half an inch.

Due to some events from years ago, he had returned to his hometown to retire.

Otherwise, with his dedication, he wouldn’t have ended up in such dire straits.

Taking on a student for a mere one hundred yuan.

A martial artist who reaches the Dark Jin stage has a lifespan of at least a hundred years. He was only eighty-five this year and in great health; he had at least another twenty years of life left.

“Old man, we’re here.” Wen Hao held a gift he had just bought from the supply and marketing cooperative.

The first time he came empty-handed was one thing, but now that he was officially bringing his daughter over, he couldn’t show up empty-handed.

“You’re here, so you’re here. Why are you shouting?” The old man walked over to open the door, looking quite displeased.

As the door opened, his eyes immediately landed on the young girl standing next to Wen Hao.

Full of vitality and blood energy, a second-level martial artist. He never expected the young girl to have such talent.

It seemed he had misjudged her this time.

However, he was still capable of guiding her.

“Come in.” He gave Nan Shuang a casual glance, then turned and walked into the courtyard.

The courtyard seemed to have been cleaned today; in Wen Hao’s eyes, it was much tidier than yesterday.

“Leave the things, and you, leave.” The old man said to Wen Hao.

Hearing this, Wen Hao was overjoyed; it proved the old man had accepted Nan Shuang.

“Right, right, right, I’m leaving now.” He hadn’t intended to stay long anyway.

“Remember to pull the door shut on your way out.” The old man was not the least bit embarrassed about ordering people around.

Listening to the footsteps fade away, the old man circled Nan Shuang. “Little girl, why didn’t you tell your dad you knew martial arts?” Her blood energy was sufficient and steady, showing she had her own cultivation method.

Nan Shuang hadn’t expected her father to actually find her a master.

“Hello, Teacher.” Nan Shuang didn’t intend to answer that question.

“Fine, I won’t pry into why you hid it from your father, but you must follow my rules if you want to be my student.” The old man wasn’t the type to go around breaking other people’s secrets.

“Please tell me, Teacher.” Nan Shuang was very respectful.

“First, you are not allowed to use what I teach you to harm others.”

“Second, you are not allowed to bully the weak.”

“Third, you must not use martial arts to endanger the country’s safety or property.”

The old man had served his country in his youth; this country was very important to him.

There is no home without a country; he respected his motherland.

“Yes, I have noted them.” Nan Shuang was not bad by nature; she certainly wouldn’t go out of her way to harm people or endanger the country.

Seeing her obediently agree, the old man nodded with satisfaction. “Of course, if someone tries to persecute you, you don’t need to endure it.”

A martial artist must have the spirit of a martial artist; one cannot lose their backbone.

“Yes.”

Next, the old man tested her foundation. He could see that while she had internal energy, she lacked external physical conditioning—in short, she was all flash and no substance.

Aside from using brute force, she didn’t know a single technique.

The old man was a capable person and began to design a training regimen for Nan Shuang.

“For the first week, just focus on physical training. You have a good foundation, don’t waste it.” The old man had her practice the routine once to familiarize herself, then told her to go home and practice it. After all, coming to him in the early stages wouldn’t be of much use.

Nan Shuang felt the old man’s prowess during the assessment, and she was very obedient.

She also knew the old man was genuinely training her.

After dark, Wen Hao brought over some food and drinks, shared a meal with the old man, and then took his daughter home.

On the way home, Wen Hao kept telling Nan Shuang to study hard so she could use it to protect herself in the future.

Her father’s painstaking efforts moved Nan Shuang deeply. She swore that in this life, she would definitely protect this fatherly love.

From then on, Nan Shuang went to school every day and practiced the physical training method the old man taught her.

The old man didn’t notice that she had cultivated internal energy; he only knew her blood energy was extremely vigorous. If he knew she had already cultivated Jin, he would have been shocked beyond measure.

But it was a pity that Nan Shuang didn’t know how to use it.

The results came out on the third day.

Her grades were exactly as she had expected: in the top ten of the class, sitting right at ninth place.

The teacher was very happy with these results, but no one was particularly suspicious because everyone had seen how hard she had been studying lately.

Wang Lingling, on the other hand, was at the bottom of the class as usual.

The teacher didn’t even bother with her.

He couldn’t even be bothered to speak to her.

“Starting today, you’re doing problems every day.” After glancing at her test paper, Yu Qian said coldly.

Xiang Liling was even more direct. She pulled a new notebook from under her books, filled with problems she had written for Wang Lingling.

“You aren’t leaving until you finish these today.” Xiang Liling placed the notebook in front of her with a cold face.

Wang Lingling was stunned.

However, she didn’t dare to resist at this moment, because the teacher was standing on the podium.

As for Nan Shuang, she was just watching the show.

My dear readers, please get those votes moving; a new book needs your care.

(End of chapter)