"Group Leader Yu, Principal Wu!" Zuo Hong didn't bother to scold Li Chencan but hurriedly came forward to greet them. Indeed, many people in the Empire were not afraid of power, but Zuo Hong was not one of them. On the contrary, she was very eager to gain promotion through flattery.
Yu Feng and Wu Chuan nodded slightly. Wu Chuan was very repulsed by the female teacher in the OL outfit—high school boys were full of energy and had just begun to understand many things. Dressing like that was bad for the students and also inappropriate. In recent years, the Empire had encouraged teachers to wear Hanfu in class, but this teacher not only did not respond to the call but also went against it, which was truly hateful.
However, there was still Li Chencan in their class, which made Wu Chuan feel better.
Yu Feng and Wu Chuan walked into the classroom, where everyone was buzzing with discussion.
Li Chencan's studies had been in a state of collapse for several months, and this time he was likely to occupy the bottom spot in the grade again. Although everyone was unhappy with Zuo Hong, they still felt that the root of the problem lay with Li Chencan—why had he suddenly become so stupid?
However, everyone knew Wu Chuan; he was the principal... but why was he coming to the classroom now?
"Teacher Zuo, you're angry? I could hear your voice from far away," Yu Feng said casually.
Zuo Hong glanced sideways at Li Chencan and said, "It's just some students in the class who are good-for-nothing and have such poor grades but don't strive to improve!"
Hearing this, Yu Feng and Wu Chuan were somewhat repulsed—how could someone speak so poorly of their own students? Zuo Hong also realized she had misspoken but couldn't easily retract her words.
The students in the class were also unhappy with Zuo Hong's comments about their classmates, but they couldn't deny that she had a point.
Only Li Dong's eyes were filled with excitement. A few days ago, he had been embarrassed by Li Chencan at the graduation party, and he had been harboring resentment. Fortunately, Li Chencan's academic performance was still as bad as ever, while he himself was among the top three in the grade, still able to outperform him in academics!
"May I ask who you are...?" Wu Chuan and Yu Feng heard Zuo Hong's attempt to cover up.
Wu Chuan then said, "I saw that someone in your class wrote a very good poem in this month's exam, so I came to take a look... to encourage them. The Empire needs such talents."
"Poetry?" Li Dong's eyes lit up!
He was the best student in the class in Chinese, and he was also the best in ancient poetry. In this month's exam, he had carefully crafted a piece and submitted it, never expecting it to catch Wu Chuan's attention! Li Dong was both surprised and delighted. If he could gain the favor of Principal Wu, a second-level researcher, how much face would he have?
The other students in the class also looked at Li Dong with understanding... they thought he was the only one who could excel in ancient poetry.
Li Dong's face was full of pride, like a peacock spreading its feathers. His eyes were fixed on Wu Chuan on the podium, and pride and anticipation surged within him.
Wu Chuan smiled and said, "Ancient poetry is a treasure of our Chinese civilization, timeless and ever-renewing, and it is also an outstanding contribution to world literature. You must never underestimate ancient poetry." Li Dong's face became even prouder, and the other students looked at him with envy...
"I came here today for a student in your class. The poem he wrote is of very high quality and should be sufficient to be published in a national first-class poetry academic journal!"
There was another uproar. A first-class poetry academic journal was a highly influential poetry magazine nationwide. In the current wave of national enthusiasm for poetry, anyone who could be published in a first-class poetry academic journal was a figure of imagination. Li Dong was even more excited... he never expected his poem to be evaluated so highly. He then glanced sideways at Li Chencan—see, I'm so cool!
Zuo Hong was also full of anticipation. Her nephew had written such a good poem, and she felt proud by association.
At this moment, Wu Chuan smiled and said, "The poem is called 'Evening Return to the Boat,' and it was written by Li Chencan from your class!"
"What?!"
Not hearing the expected name but Li Chencan instead, everyone's eyes turned to Li Chencan and Li Dong.
Oh my God, it was Li Chencan who wrote it! It was Li Chencan who gained the favor and whose poem was good enough to be published in a first-class journal!
Li Dong and Zuo Hong, who had been extremely proud and expectant, fell from the clouds to the ground, their faces turning from pale to purplish-red. In his shame, Li Dong couldn't help but stand up and say, "Principal Wu... did you say the wrong name? It's really Li Chencan?"
"Is he saying the wrong name?" Many people were skeptical.
"How could I say the wrong name?" Wu Chuan, who was happy to see the poem, didn't mind Li Dong's doubt and said directly, "Of course it's Li Chencan, he wrote 'Evening Return to the Boat'!"
Li Dong slumped back into his seat, feeling all his strength drained away.
At this moment, Ye Hanxue, who was next to Li Chencan, looked at him in surprise, as if the once-fallen youth had suddenly become sharp again.
Wu Chuan said to Yu Feng, "Xiao Yu, write the poem on the blackboard."
"Okay." Yu Feng immediately wrote the poem on the blackboard with chalk. The students who saw the poem were stunned, their mouths agape—oh my God, Li Chencan wrote this poem?!
"Apple blossoms are cold and piercing, the smoke on the treetops half envelops the dike..." Many people recited the lines, envying them deeply—how wonderful it would be if they had written this?
Li Dong's face became increasingly flushed. He felt utterly humiliated. Li Chencan could actually write such a poem... he had been in vain, and now he felt everyone was laughing at him. In an instant, his insides were almost trembling.
Zuo Hong's face was also dark.
Everyone in the class applauded for Li Chencan!
For this extraordinary poem.
Amidst the applause, Li Dong's face became increasingly ugly. Suddenly, he stood up and said, "Yes, the poem is good! But I believe it must have been something Li Chencan prepared in advance and submitted!"
Wu Chuan frowned. Even if Li Chencan had prepared it in advance, at least he had written it. Li Dong's accusation was completely baseless!
"If he can write a poem... no, a ci, on a topic I give him, I have nothing more to say!" Li Dong looked at Li Chencan provocatively.
Everyone was in an uproar—who cares about you!
Wu Chuan and the others also felt that Li Dong was being too unreasonable and had nothing to say to him.
Who knew that at this moment, Li Chencan stood up with a smile on his lips, "Sure, you give the topic."
"Are you really daring enough to let me give the topic, and you write it? This is a ci!"
"Of course!"
Li Chencan was resolute.
Everyone in the class was stunned. This Li Chencan was really impressive, daring to write a poem on a given topic. Was he really that confident?
Wu Chuan's face showed a hint of interest. He didn't want to stop him but was more interested in seeing what kind of poem Li Chencan could write.
Seeing Li Chencan's arrogance, Li Dong was furious but also thought he had a way to make him lose face. So, Li Dong said, "Fine! I heard you went to Beidaihe half a year ago, so I'll let you write a ci about Beidaihe! Do you dare?"
Half a year ago, to see a doctor, Li Chencan's family had specially sent him to the capital, and he had seen Beidaihe.
Li Dong's topic was very obscure and given on the spot, leaving no room for prior preparation.
Amidst the expectant or disbelieving gazes of everyone, Li Chencan remained calm, pondered for a moment, and then said, "I'll write it on the blackboard."
"Come up and write it quickly!" Wu Chuan actually used this tone with Li Chencan.
So, Li Chencan came to the blackboard, and the title read: "Waves Wash Sand—Beidaihe!"