Chapter 27 The Old Principal

  Li Sansheng felt that his world and life were basically the same as everyone he met on the street, with no earth-shattering stories or great upheavals, nor had he met any noble people or big shots. He might have been even more ordinary than others in living out his first twenty years, with only bitterness to show for it.

  Li San Sheng thought that from a young age, he hadn't seen any big shots, except for those people he met at Qinling College. The biggest person he had ever seen was the county head who came to visit his primary school in the small town when he was in junior high school. He also saw a group of bigwigs who followed the county head to the school. At that time, as a young child, he didn't know what was going on and only knew that they had to stand in the freezing cold weather, holding plastic flowers borrowed from someone's home, waiting for the county head who was supposed to be a great leader, able to bring peace and justice, protect the country, and serve the people. They waited for two hours, afraid of being scolded by the teacher as bad children. The students, considered the future of the motherland, didn't dare speak or move. Li San Sheng remembered that one student in his class couldn't bear it anymore and cried, but was immediately silenced by the fierce gaze of the teacher and the school's disciplinary director, who had a hairstyle only seen during the Anti-Japanese War. The director, over 1.8 meters tall, seemed to have an aura of power, but in the eyes of the 15- or 16-year-old students, he was more despicable and shameless than any villain in a novel.

  Later, the county head finally arrived in a Santana, looking very pleased with himself. When he saw so many people waiting for him, including many children who looked up to him as a role model, his ego inflated even more, and he began to wave at everyone like a national leader inspecting troops. But before he could even get out of the car, he was surrounded by school leaders, with his hand being tightly grasped by either the principal or vice-principal.

  The teachers who couldn't get on stage could only envy the leaders and the tall figures of the county mayor shaking hands, but they still didn't miss this opportunity. In order to let the county mayor notice them, the teachers made the students who seemed to be idle shout loudly: "Welcome! Welcome! Warm welcome!" They waved their frozen plastic flowers vigorously, and were not allowed to stop.

  Li Sansheng still remembered the time when he and those little rascals in his class who considered making trouble as their main job to bring fun to school, while studying was just a sideline, loudly shouted "Get out! Get out! Hurry up and get out!" amidst the hustle and bustle of the crowd.

  Shouting loudly until the teachers realized something was wrong and turned their heads to look, then smiling innocently and continuing to shout "Welcome! Welcome! Warm welcome!"

  At that time, Li Sansheng thought that if one day he returned to this school again, could he make those landlords who had oppressed him before humble and flattering like the county magistrate on that day, and then he would be very arrogant and not shake hands with them. What a scene it would be.

  It wasn't until later, when I arrived at Qinling Academy and saw the big shots that I had only heard about on TV and in newspapers, that I realized how adorable I was back then. What's more certain is that the less noticeable people always try to make themselves shine, while truly dazzling people will always be watched, no matter how low-key they are, and cannot be ignored.

  Now when Li Sansheng saw the old principal, his first reaction was what kind of official the old principal was, rather than why the old principal came to the student affairs office. Li Sansheng's brain immediately began searching for memories related to the old principal, and it seemed that the old principal's most glorious time was when he was the president of Jiaotong University. If calculated according to the domestic university system and administrative hierarchy, then the old principal was also a high-ranking official at the ministerial level back then, one of the few people among so many universities in China.

  The old principal was supported by a middle-aged man into the student office, stumbling, with white hair, but still spirited and sparkling eyes. The student affairs director Wang Li, who had just been calling Li San Sheng brother, and the beautiful counselor Li Mengqi, who had just scolded Li San Sheng, helped the old principal to the sofa in the office.

  Li San Sheng only felt that the old principal seemed to be looking for him, but Li San Sheng couldn't think of any connection between himself and the old principal. He asked his ancestors from eighteen generations ago, but still couldn't find a reason why the old principal would have a relationship with him. If it weren't for the fact that the old principal had been staring at him since he walked in, Li San Sheng wouldn't believe that the old principal was looking for him even if you killed him.

  "Mark, you go out with Wang Li and Little Li, I'll chat with Yu Zhi for a while." The old principal waved his hand at the middle-aged man supporting him, his voice was not loud, but very thick, possibly due to being in a high position for a long time. Li San Sheng always felt that the old principal had a natural and respectful demeanor, which made people feel solemn and respectful. This might be because the old man had been in such an environment for most of his life, putting people first as a teacher and role model.

  "Three lives, are you thinking about how this old man came here so late at night?" The old principal smiled with his eyes, looking at Li San Sheng more like he was looking at one of his own students, very kind and gentle.

  Li Sansheng felt that he didn't have much distance with the old principal, it was more like chatting with a neighbor's elderly man, very ordinary and down-to-earth, smiling and saying "nothing has ever satisfied the old principal"

  "You little scamp, don't play tricks on me! From now on, stop calling me Old Principal, just call me Grandpa Sun!" The old principal said with a smile.

  Li Sansheng stopped pretending and nodded, calling out "Grandfather Sun"

  "I heard that you have a deep understanding of Go, Chinese chess and Guqin?" The old principal asked with profound meaning, while sizing up Li Sansheng's reaction like an old fox.

  "How did Grandpa Sun know?" Li Sansheng thought that since the old principal could say so, he already understood his own situation. If he denied it again, it would be a bit beneath him.

  From head to toe, Li Sansheng still stood like a child who had done something wrong, while the old principal sat like an old and cunning fox, sizing him up.

  "Haha, young and mature, able to yield and stretch, grasping the timing of the fire with precision that's frightening. Good one, Li Sansheng! You're still pretending with me? If Old Zhao hadn't revealed your secrets to me, I would have really been deceived by you!" The old principal stood up, looking at Li Sansheng with a sudden change in temperament, and said somewhat angrily.

  Li Sansheng was confused by the old principal's words, which seemed to be from a play he didn't know. However, the information revealed in the old principal's words finally made Li Sansheng understand what this strange encounter was all about. Li Sansheng felt that if he wasn't mistaken, he must have an inseparable relationship with the old fox under Qinling Mountain, because everything pointed to that old man from start to finish.

  "Got it." The old principal saw Li San Sheng nodding silently and already guessed that Li San Sheng had figured out the ins and outs of the matter.

  "This old guy, in three years at Qinling Academy, never won a single game of Go or Chess against me, and yet he's managed to sneak up on me again here. I'll fly back and slaughter him, leaving no piece behind!" Li Sansheng cursed, no longer holding back, as he sat down in the chair and took a sip of water.

  "Haha, if I were Old Zhao, I would definitely introduce my granddaughter to you as a girlfriend, but she's not by my side." The old principal said with a hint of sarcasm upon seeing Li Sansheng jumping up and down in anger.

  Li Sansheng couldn't help himself, running back and forth but still unable to escape the old man's grasp under Qinling Mountain. Now, with the addition of a white deer from Bailu Valley, it seems that his future life is doomed to be oppressed, and he can only sigh at his own misfortune in meeting such people.

  "If Old Zhao hadn't said so, I really wouldn't have believed that a freak who could pull down the second place by a full 50 points would actually come to this watered-down private undergraduate college. It's too unbelievable! Li Yu Zhi, can you tell me why you, who could have gone to Tsinghua or Peking University, or at least Nanjing University, Zhejiang University, Jiaotong University or Fudan University, would choose to come here?" The old principal seemed to be taking an interest in Li San Sheng and was eagerly awaiting his response.

  Li Sansheng smiled wryly and looked at the rosary in his right hand with a sense of desolation, saying faintly: "Maybe Yu Zhi is someone who doesn't have big ambitions or ideals, just hoping to spend the college years in a quiet place away from the hustle and bustle."

  When the old principal heard Li Sansheng's answer, he shook his head slightly in disappointment. It was clear that Li Sansheng wasn't telling the truth. The old principal couldn't help but smile at himself - despite being so old, he still had a bit of impatience. People like this needed to be handled with gentle warmth, not high pressure, or it would have the opposite effect.

  "When you have time, come and play a few games of chess with this old man. I'm sure I won't win against you, so consider it as practice for you. In the future, when you can tell others that your defeated opponents include me." The old principal smiled slightly, feeling somewhat relieved.

  "Grandpa Sun is exaggerating a bit, I'm just being a bit unconventional with my swordsmanship," Li San said with a humble smile.

  The old principal just nodded and smiled without saying much.

  Li Sansheng saw that the old man, who was famous all over the world and had a reputation for being as elegant as peach blossoms in China, treated him like his own grandson. He felt slightly moved in his heart, at least he and the old man shared the same idea, hoping to make a name for himself one day.

  Everyone wants to be independent, but once anyone enters this society, who can truly achieve independence, let alone oneself.

  "Listen to Mark, you and your classmates had a fight." The old principal remembered the purpose of this trip. He had been secretly observing Li San Sheng all along. If it weren't for today's incident, the old principal would have continued to observe him. The old principal really wanted to see what kind of fierce young man this Li San Sheng, who had been walking on the edge of a sword for many years without encountering such a situation, would become.

  From the beginning of school, diligently and conscientiously studying, not outstanding or surprising, ordinary and common like all freshmen, following a three-point-one-line routine, to now almost two-point-one-line strong, shuttling back and forth between Jiaotong University and school every day, spending more time in the library, it seems someone said this kid even had a piano duel with someone for a girl inside Jiaotong University, smiling lightly without being arrogant or proud, still just so young.

  Li Sansheng nodded slightly, neither denying nor explaining.

  "He didn't want to explain" but the old principal gave him a chance to explain anyway.

  "It's done and it's done, no reason, willing to accept punishment" Li San Sheng shook his head and said, not wanting the old principal to use his own power to excuse him.

  "Haha, you're really stubborn. It seems Old Zhao said you're quite slick, but it looks like I almost got fooled by you again. Are you trying to set me up and make me fall into my own trap? Li Sansheng, Li Sansheng, you even scheme against an old man like me?"

  Li Sansheng remained silent, and could only sigh that an old fox is still an old fox, and not someone ordinary people can contend with.

  "Alright, just because of Old Zhao's words, I'll let you off this time. Even if you beat up the teacher today, I have to protect you. It's not like you killed someone, it's just a student. Just be more careful next time and don't use so much force."

  After the old principal left, Li Mengqi and Wang Li both looked at Li Sansheng with a look that seemed to be looking at another person, as if the person just now was not Li Sansheng. Li Mengqi did not have any particularly close movements towards Li Sansheng, but Li Sansheng could feel the change in Li Mengqi's attitude towards him. After all, people are selfish animals.

  Li Mengqi dropped a sentence after paying attention not to make such mistakes again, and then took her own bag and left the student affairs office with cat steps.

  After Li Mengqi left, Wang Li, who called Li Sansheng brother and younger brother, patted Li Sansheng on the back and said with a smile: "You little brat, you know the old principal but don't say a word, are you trying to harm me?"

  "What is Brother Wang talking about, this is too embarrassing" Li San Sheng did not deny his relationship with the old principal, it's just that being ambiguous can make things easier for him in school later on.

  "It's settled, I'll handle this myself, and it has nothing to do with you. Otherwise, I won't be able to explain it to the old principal." Wang Li gave Li San Sheng a guarantee, and Li San Sheng thanked him perfunctorily for a few words. The two of them chatted cordially for a few more sentences.

  Li Sansheng felt that life was really bloody, from the student office building he slipped out gloomily, preparing to go back to his dormitory to sleep well and have energy tomorrow to bother Liu Yiran at Jiaotong University.