Chapter 80: I Can Do What You Can Do (Zhou Xie’s Perspective) part 1
“Floriman Academy truly lives up to its reputation as a world-class institution. That was like witnessing a miracle!”
“If I were ten years younger, I’d fight tooth and nail just to get in.”
“I really want my son to attend. I wonder if there’s any way to make that happen.”
…
Amidst the applause, voices of envy rippled through the venue. The atmosphere was electric.
Wen Rong maintained his smile as he walked down the stage. Zhou Xie’s eyes were uncontrollably glued to him, noticing with surprise that Wen Rong’s arms were stiff as wooden boards, moving mechanically.
Zhou Xie couldn’t suppress the twitch at the corner of his mouth; he suddenly had an overwhelming urge to smoke.
However, as Wen Rong moved, Zhou Xie’s gaze shifted across the tiered seating to see the Principal’s ashen face. His smile vanished instantly.
Standing beside the Principal was a gloomy-looking Wang Sichen.
The goal of salvaging the school’s reputation had been achieved, but Wen Rong had dropped a bomb without warning. The Principal was furious, and so was Wang Sichen.
Zhou Xie knew that feeling all too well—the feeling of a situation spiraling out of control.
Wen Rong would certainly face punishment from the Principal next. In fact, he was in danger. Given Wang Sichen’s personality, he would never let Wen Rong off the hook.
Zhou Xie rubbed his fingers together, contemplating how to protect Wen Rong.
“May I sit next to you?”
The soft voice startled him. He didn’t show it on his face, merely glancing upward instinctively.
Wen Rong had circled around and come to his side.
Zhou Xie was surprised. He had assumed Wen Rong would immediately run to the Medical Building to see Zhang Jincheng. After all, he had done everything he could here.
“Can I sit here?”
Zhou Xie tipped his chin, gesturing for him to sit.
“You shouldn’t need my computer anymore. Can I have it back?”
“Mn.”
Wen Rong didn’t wait for him to hand it over. He reached out, unplugged the cable connecting it to the large screen, and lifted it himself.
His fingers were slender, his skin pale against the dark notebook, and they were trembling as he moved slowly.
Zhou Xie thought, He must have steeled himself with immense resolve before walking onto that stage. He still hasn’t recovered from the adrenaline.
Thinking that Wen Rong absolutely couldn’t die of fright right here, Zhou Xie was preparing to offer a few words of comfort to his subordinate when the Principal’s voice rang out, introducing himself.
Zhou Xie looked over and locked eyes with the Principal. The look was a command: get on stage now.
Forced to stand, Zhou Xie whispered a warning to Wen Rong, “Don’t run around. You are in danger right now.”
Wen Rong tapped the keyboard with two fingers, peck by peck, without raising his head. “Don’t worry about me.”
“…”
Zhou Xie didn’t have time to say more and hurried onto the stage.
Clap, clap, clap, clap.
The brief applause was merely for atmosphere, nowhere near the thunderous ovation Wen Rong had received.
Zhou Xie walked to the Principal’s side, waiting for the introduction. “This is the Student Council President of Floriman Academy, and also the son of President Zhou, Zhou Xie. He is fully responsible for the incident between Wang Allen and Zhang Jincheng. He can brief everyone on the current investigation.”
Being dragged on stage last minute was a common occurrence. Zhou Xie’s mind spun quickly, fabricating a speech to placate the media.
Below the stage, hundreds of media outlets raised their cameras, resembling pairs of glowing laser eyes in the darkness.
Zhou Xie had been accustomed to remaining calm under flashing lights since he was twelve, yet he felt inexplicably nervous.
He was nervous on behalf of the Wen Rong from a few minutes ago.
Back then, Wen Rong had hooked the microphone, forcing a calm demeanor while making jokes.
His handsome face held no aggression; the flow of his muscles was smooth, as if drawn by a single brushstroke. Viewed from the side, his brow, nose, lips, and chin connected in a distinct, undulating line.
While vaguely relaying the “investigation results” to the crowd, Zhou Xie thought, Wen Rong’s face is truly exquisite. Celestial skin draped over rigid beast bone, creating a temperament that is both clean and distant. If someone dreamed of a figure in the mist, they would likely look like Wen Rong.
No wonder Leon and Shi Ye were—
Zhou Xie’s gaze naturally swept toward Wen Rong’s direction, but he was surprised to find empty air.
He was just there typing a moment ago.
The auditorium fell into a sudden silence because Zhou Xie had stopped speaking.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Zhou Xie scanned the hall, a moment of panic appearing on his stern face.
“Zhou Xie?”
The Principal’s confused voice snapped Zhou Xie back to reality. He quickly wrapped up the topic and yielded the position to the Principal.
It wasn’t until he stood off-stage and was intercepted by Li Ao that he realized he had lost his composure.
Zhou Xie lowered his voice. “Where is Wen Rong?”
Li Ao: “Cousin, why did you come down so suddenly?”
Zhou Xie crooked his finger at a security guard. As the man approached, he bypassed Li Ao to meet him.
“Did you see Wen Rong?” he asked immediately.
The guard glanced toward the exit. “He went out carrying a computer just now.”
“Didn’t you send someone to follow him?”
The guard was stunned. “Was… was I supposed to?”
Zhou Xie turned and walked toward the exit. Li Ao chased after him. “Cousin, where are you going?”
“I need to find Wen Rong. He’s in danger. Wang Sichen won’t let him go.”
“Wang Sichen is on stage. I just saw his secretary and bodyguards are all down below, not moving. Wen Rong should be fine.”
Zhou Xie lowered his eyes in thought, but still ordered, “Have the security company look for Wen Rong right now. We absolutely cannot let him end up like Zhang Jincheng.”
“Understood.”
Only then did Zhou Xie feel somewhat reassured.
He couldn’t go back on stage now, so he stood to the side, preparing to use this opportunity to see if there were any other “man-made disasters” that needed handling.
He opened the Student Council group chat and was instantly drowned in a tsunami of messages.
[President, is what Wen Rong said on the forum true? Was Zhang Jincheng really victimized at school?]
[President, is the school really unsafe?]
[President, a large group of students is heading your way. They’re all clamoring for an explanation from the Principal.]
Zhou Xie knew something big had happened, but he didn’t expect it to involve Wen Rong again. He subconsciously turned off his screen, hoping these messages were hallucinations born of exhaustion.
But his body reacted instinctively.
The sensation of being tormented by Wen Rong surged up again—irritation, pain, difficulty breathing.
“Cousin, what’s wrong?”
Zhou Xie squeezed his eyes shut, suppressed his inner reluctance, and steeled himself before turning his phone screen back on.
His hands were trembling.
On the Black Dove Forum, a post with a red “HOT” tag floated at the top of the homepage.
Poster: Wen Rong.
The posting time was ten minutes ago. Which meant that while he was telling Wen Rong not to run around, Wen Rong was typing these very words.
[Leading the era, changing the world? No! Floriman Academy’s true purpose is to suppress talent and halt the era’s development.]
Let us applaud and celebrate Floriman Academy’s 400th anniversary. It has successfully used the title of a world-class institution to persecute over a hundred thousand students over the last 400 years, and it will continue to persecute millions more. It will exist alongside the Federation like a cockroach.
Alumni reading this, hold your anger for a moment and answer a few of my questions:
- You worked hard for 18 years and came to Floriman Academy full of ambition—intellectual ambition, social value, or wealth. Did you succeed? If you didn’t succeed, please answer the second question.
- Have you ever tried to create something, only to have your application rejected by the Student Council without reason? If yes, please answer the third question.
- Did your creation appear on the market shortly after under someone else’s name? If yes, please answer the fourth question.
- Have you ever thought that if you had been allowed to continue your project, the successful person would have been you? If yes, then let this editor tell you: It’s useless! Don’t even think about it!
Being a piece of trash is your destiny. Because once you stick your head out, your death date arrives. This world-class institution is not safe.
This morning, during Floriman Academy’s 400th-anniversary celebration, gathered with celebrities from all walks of life and with security triple the usual level, a student was still harmed on campus.
This student is Zhang Jincheng.
His hands were destroyed just as he achieved some success. He is currently being resuscitated in the operating room.
So, this editor reminds all alumni:
Do not work hard! Do not stick your head out! Do not hope for success!
Floriman Academy exists to suppress us.
Crash—
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