Epiphanies of Rebirth 5
by Eques · June 28, 2019
Chapter 5
While National Museum urgently dispatched people to pick up the valuable bronzeware, the pair of siblings in Qunnan Province thousands of miles away were so angry they couldnβt sleep well for several days.
Jiang Xiaoyun couldnβt figure out how to make their scheme work. If things continued like this, all her plans would fall apart.
They had to ensure they would be safe before grabbing the antiquesβfirst, Lin Jingzhe and his mother had to get in touch. However, since that first unsuccessful attempt, they couldnβt find a chink in Lin Jingzheβs armor. The teenager refused to give an inch and was quite cautious: he changed the locks right after the funeral, and every time he went out, he stuck to that Gao Sheng brat. He never gave them a chance to catch him alone.
Section Head Wang called several times over the past few days, growing more and more impatient. He talked about the imminent land division in Qunnan City, implying he was prepared to pass the Jiangs over.
Now that the problem of antiques had to be resolved urgently, let alone Jiang Xiaoyun and Jiang Zhi, even Jiang Qiaqia was anxious. Suddenly, she missed her son so much she even called his school.
But of course, once he learned the name of the caller, Lin Jingzhe refused to come to the phone.
Jiang Xiaoyun was so irascible these days that every little thing made her fly into a rage. She picked a quarrel with everyone she met, hung up in the middle of discussing the situation with her brother, and poured out a torrent of verbal abuse on her husband. It helped let off a bit of steam, but except for that, she could only sit with her arms crossed and simmer with anger.
Jiang Run heard her side of the phone call. βWas it about Lin Jingzhe again, mom?β
βThat little bastard!β Jiang Xiaoyunβs voice was full of hatred. βHe got a couple of useless antiques and forgot all about his family, and even scorned his own mother! What an ingrate!β
Jiang Run sat beside her, his face just as dark. On Monday, after the flag-raising ceremony, the vice-director pushed him out under the red flag and made him apologize to Lin Jingzhe in front of the whole school. The sneers and mocking looks made him wish the ground would open up and swallow him whole. Such a small thing, yet it made him, and the entire Jiang family, lose face.
Lin Jingzhe was a star of misfortuneβevery time he popped up, it brought something bad for them!
If it werenβt for that demerit looming over his head, Jiang Run wouldβve long found an opportunity to give him a beating.
However, his mother and uncleβs discussion indicated that if they got Lin Jingzheβs antiques, theyβd get the backing of some influential people in the provincial capital.
If that really happened, would he need to care about some demerit? He would be able to choose the best university in Qunnan Province if he wanted to, wouldnβt he? Jiang Run pondered for some time, then said to his mother, βSince heβs acting like this, we should stop playing nice, mom. You and Uncle shouldnβt be the ones to do this though. Let me take care of it.β
Hu Yu spent several days studying the books. The longer she did, the more she felt Lin Jingzhe might be on to something. Initially, she was sixty percent convincedβnow she was almost certain.
She dreamt about her students getting into university, so this discovery made her unable to sit still. She prepared a revised curriculum, took the textbooks, and found the school headship.
Unfortunately, they didnβt take her seriously.
Then, Hu Yu contacted the other teachers in charge of a class. However, none of them supported her.
Though the teachers of Classes 2, 3, and 4 were relatively kind, when they saw the textbooks, they were critical. They talked over each other, picking holes:
βLine integrals? Multiple integrals? This is too difficult!β
βThatβs right! Finding arc lengths by integrating? Even I take a long time to calculate it! This is beyond the ability of high school students!β
βYou went a little overboardβthe college entrance exam is right around the corner, now itβs time for reviewing. The students are busy as it is; if we take out this set of textbooks, they will collapse.β
βNo, no, absolutely not.β
Hu Yuβs brows furrowed in a worried frown. βDonβt be in such a hurry to reject them. Take a closer look, and youβll surely change your mind.β
It was to be expected. While they didnβt show it, the other teachers somewhat looked down on the honest and simple Hu Yu. For them, her proposal was like a primary school student trying to instruct college students on how to write their graduation thesisβwho would take it seriously?
Li Yurong mocked her on the spot: βTake a closer look at what? Itβs no wonder Class 5βs grades arenβt going upβinstead of teaching them, their homeroom teacher is busy studying useless things. The whole school cadre spent more than half a year painstakingly compiling the review materials, and you think theyβre worse than some random textbooks bought in Xinhua Bookstore, Teacher Hu? If youβre so capable, why are Class 5βs results the worst in school?β
Li Yurong was a novice teacher who came to the school only a few years ago. While she had neither work experience nor seniority, she had a strong backer. The work benefits and welfare she enjoyed were, naturally, plundered.
The teachersβ quota, training courses in the provincial capital, performance rewardsβ¦ Before Li Yurong came, Hu Yu was the teacher in charge of Class 1. The contradictions between them were well known throughout the school; Li Yurongβs performance in Class 5 was exceptionally perfunctory. However, she was malicious and sharp-tonguedβit was impossible for Hu Yu, a gentle middle-aged woman, to put up a fight. Often, just like now, she could only flush and tear up, humiliated and angry because of Li Yurongβs ridicule, but not knowing how to refute.
The other teachers frowned at Li Yurongβs mean words but said nothing. Teaching might be the noblest profession of all, but it was also an ordinary job. An aged teacher openly shortchanged by the school, or a young and pretty one who received preferential treatment and could enter the principalβs office any timeβit was obvious which they could afford to offend.
Hu Yuβs thin back hunched. Li Yurong sneered and wanted to continue mocking, but a sudden bang startled her before she opened her mouth.
Everyone reflexively turned to the source of the noiseβLin Jingzhe, standing at the door of the teacherβs office with hands in his uniformβs pockets, watching them expressionlessly. He glanced at Li Yurongβs dumbstruck face, and said in a normal tone of voice as if he hadnβt just kicked in the door: βTeacher Hu, itβs time for class.β
The school uniform was loose on his tall, almost too-thin body. It was clearly the ordinary uniform every male student wore but combined with Lin Jingzheβs extraordinary temperament, it made people unable to look away.
Hu Yu wiped her tears, nodded gratefully, and hastily gathered up her textbooks.
Lin Jingzhe stared after Li Yurong for a while longer then also left.
It wasnβt until his delicate face was out of sight that Li Yurong regained her breath. A moment later, her anger flared. βLook at him! What a rudeβ¦β
Unfortunately, she found no alliesβon the contrary, the other teachers were a bit pleased. No one wanted to hear her complaints, so they used the late hour as an excuse and left in a rush.
This period, Li Yurong taught English to Class 5, but when she thought Lin Jingzhe was in that group, she felt even more unwilling than usual. Deciding to let the garbage review by themselves, she picked a few textbooks closest to her and selected some topics at random. Still, before announcing the self-study, she must give Lin Jingzhe a tongue lashing. How dare he look down on her!
Who wouldβve expected that the moment she stepped into the class, before she even opened her mouth, she was almost deafened by the catcalls:
βLi Yurong, get out! Li Yurong, get out! Li Yurong, get out!β
More than fifty students rhythmically slammed their textbooks on their desks, chanting loudly. Li Yurong was so shocked that, for a moment, she couldnβt move.
She stood there, wide-eyed and tongue-tied, until she realized what was going on. Then, she trembled with rage.
Lin Jingzhe sat at the last desk in the window row, a pen in one hand and the other supporting his cheek, looking nonchalant. He watched the commotion, under his deskmateβs Deng Maiβs enthusiastic command, until the other teachers were alerted, and the vice-principal was brought in.
This was the first time a whole class made a boycott in Liyun No. 1 High School. For a teacher, there was no greater humiliation. Even though that humiliation came from a group of students she had never taught seriously, Li Yurong found it hard to swallow. She leaned against the corridor wall and cried until she was out of breath while the bald, potbellied principal tried to comfort her, distressed.
The vice-principal came back bearing bad news: the students refused to yield. He then faithfully reported to the principal that this whole semester, Li Yurong never taught them and only let them study by themselves. He could understand where Class 5βs anger came fromβit was better to have no teacher than to have one like Li Yurong.
Heβd only found out about it a moment ago, and his face instantly became dark. Heβd thought the students were just making trouble, never expecting the real reason to be this outrageous.
His face grave, he chastised: βTeacher Li, how could you act so irresponsiblyβ¦β
When Li Yurong heard she was exposed, she cried harder. The principal couldnβt bear it. βNow isnβt the time to throw accusations around. We should think about how to solve this problem first. Deciding who is to be held accountable is something for later!β
However, βthe law does not punish when the offenders are too numerous.β It was impossible for the school to sanction over fifty students so close to the college entrance examination. The best solution was for Li Yurong to go to class as if nothing happened.
But how could Li Yurong agree? Her voice rose to an ear-splitting shriek: βI wonβt!!! I wonβt go back!!! I refuse to teach that trash even if you kill me!!!β
The headmaster was silent for a moment then let out a sigh. βSince they refuse to have English class, simply let them,β he said to the vice-principal.
βPrincipal, how could this be! The National College Entrance Examination is about toβ¦β The other manβs expression strongly disapproved.
Patting Li Yurong on the shoulder to comfort her, the principal interrupted him impatiently: βYou can lead a horse to water, but you canβt make him drink. Besides, the students in Class 5 are recalcitrant and lack self-discipline. Their grades are horrible. Was there ever a hope they would do well on the college entrance exam?β
He made a unilateral decision, but it was impossible for the vice-principal to oppose it. He watched him support the still sobbing Li Yurong and leave, then exchanged helpless glances with the other teachers, not knowing what to say.
They all knew Class 5 had been abandoned.
However, the children didnβt care about the adultsβ worries. Having realized theyβd succeeded in driving out Li Yurong, the students in Class 5 cheered loudly, celebrating their victory.
Deng Mai made a triumphal round around the classroom, shaking his pencil case like a rattle. Then, he laid on Lin Jingzheβs desk, looking at him with admiration: βDude, youβre awesome.β
Since the third year had started, Li Yurong never gave them new lessons. As soon as the bell rang, she came in, sat at the teacherβs desk on the dais, and announced the self-study. For the whole forty minutes of class, she did nothing else, except for sneering and throwing sarcastic remarks.
Most importantly, she often bullied Hu Yu, Class 5βs homeroom teacher!
The students in Class 5 mightβve had poor grades, but they werenβt stupid. They were well aware of how good Hu Yu was to them, and how much she cared about them. Thatβs why, even though they didnβt like studying, all of them tried their hardest not to sleep in the math class, but to listen attentively.
New hatred piled on old; Class 5βs students had long wanted to drive Li Yurong away. However, they were afraid of the schoolβs punishment and having their parents called and had held back their anger.
But now, they got rid of her by their own strength, and the principal darenβt say a word! They finally got their wish!
Lin Jingzhe pinched Deng Maiβs chin with two slender fingers and pushed his swarthy face awayβthough full of reverence, it was entirely too close for comfort.
Once the news about the boycott got out, the Bureau of Education would have to get involvedβit wouldnβt matter the class involved was the worst in school and often caused trouble. Then, the principal would find he got more than he bargained for.
For someone whoβd long entered the society, the institution of school lost its halo of sacredness, infallibility, and inviolability.
Lin Jingzhe lowered the hand supporting his cheek and took out the English textbook heβd chosen. He threw it on the desk, then reclined languidly in his seat.
βYouβre getting happy too early.β He opened the textbook and turned it around, showing Deng Mai the table of contents. Pointing a finger at him, he drawled, βFrom now on, I will teach English class, and youβre responsible for making the others listen. If anyone disobeys, Iβll take you to the task.β
The morning sunlight penetrated the window and shone on Lin Jingzhe, making his porcelain skin glow. Deng Mai leaned over the desk. He looked up at the other youthβs raised chin and half-lidded eyes, and unexpectedly, a glimmer of genuine loyalty appeared in his heart.
For a moment, Deng Mai just stared in a daze. Then, something occurred to him. He looked around and leaned closer, lowering his voice conspiratorially: βBig Bro, I need to tell you something. Jiang Run from Class 1 got to know several βbig brothersβ in the past few days. Someone once overheard him bragging to a girl heβs gonna ask them to teach you a lesson.β
Lin Jingzhe leaned to the side, avoiding Deng Maiβs face again. His eyebrows wrinkled. Big Bro? Deng Mai was a year and a half older than him.
As for Jiang Run and his βbig brothersββ¦
The so-called βbig brothersβ of Liyun Town were nothing more than a bad jokeβall they did was playing at being gangsters to get some spending money. If they ever met the real deal, they would piss their pants.
Lin Jingzhe was certain the Jiang family was behind Jiang Runβs sudden boldness. Their purpose was obvious, and heβd long planned how to deal with them. He was more concerned about his other childhood friend who hadnβt appeared since his rebirthβZhou Haitang.
Zhou Haitang hadnβt come to school for nearly a week, and Gao Sheng hadnβt heard from him lately.
As he was thinking about this matter, there was a scurry of footsteps in the corridor. Gao Sheng, who was tardy for school today, rushed into the classroom.
He still didnβt know what had happened and looked around for the teacher. Seeing none, he let out a sigh of relief and hurried to Lin Jingzheβs desk.
βJingzhe!β He gasped. His news was grave: βI saw Zhou Haitang at night market on Baima Street last nightβhe became a follower of a powerful βbig brother.β He insisted on inviting us for dinner tonight! Are we going? Itβs a rare opportunity!β
Gao Shengβs honest face was filled with pride at being appreciated by the βreal mafia boss,β but Lin Jingzhe suspected the man simply wanted to get himself some minions.
He took the English textbook and rose, ready to go up on the dais and give his first lesson. The look in his eyes was dark and inscrutable. βIβll go,β he said.
Translator: Eques
Editor: Bet
Thanks for the chapter! ^ ^
Thanks for reading! β€οΈ
Thanks for the update β€οΈ
That stupid Li Yurong deserves it!
β(οΏ£γοΏ£)β
I’m glad their rebellion works out.
Now I wonder how he’s going to save his friends.
This isn’t a face-slapping novel, but all the antagonists will get their comeuppance.
You’ll see next chapter~
You are so good at pushing our hatred level for these trash characters. I want nothing more than seeing them suffer the consequences of their actions in the old face-slapping way but to have the natural course dictate their punishment at a degree relative to their misdeed is sure to be satisfying nonetheless.
Hope the rebellion does not backfire on them.
Thanks for the chapter.
Thank you for reading~
The decisions made in this chapter will backfire on some people.
Thanks for the update
This is so good!! Pls dont drop!!! πππππ
D**mn. This novel is soooo goood…. thank you for translating this, translator sama, bow…
Thank you so much β€
These people are teachers….! How could they act like this? I feel so disappointed even though this is just a book.