parentshiftbook Chapter 13 Arrival
Chapter 13 Arrival
The next morning.
Su Changming got up very early, washed up early, dressed in a suit and tie, and was fixing his hair in front of the mirror.
After all, it's his first day in office, so he should at least act seriously.
Last night, Ling automatically returned to that gloomy little nest.
She informed me in advance that I needed to undergo a deep sleep, and that I should not disturb her unless necessary.
Su Changming wisely stopped bothering her. Although she hadn't said anything, he could sense the girl's seriousness during the training these past few days, and it was clear that she had taken a lot of energy to prepare.
"You should rest well. Leave the rest to me." Su Changming gently pressed the mark on his chest and murmured to himself.
Nanyang Public School is located in the bustling Xujiahui area, not far from the French Concession.
Su Changming glanced at his pocket watch; it was still early, so he decided to walk.
Stepping out of the villa, the winter morning breeze of Shanghai hits you, carrying the unique moisture of the Huangpu River and the lingering fragrance of perfume from the old Shanghai Bund.
Su Changming, carrying a briefcase, strolled leisurely through the streets of this city, which is known as the "largest metropolis in the Far East".
Along both sides of the street, Western-style garden villas and typical Shikumen alleyways stand side by side.
The dim light of kerosene lamps shone through the windows, and occasionally an early riser would open his door to pour water, the sound of which echoed through the alley.
As we drove through the heart of the taxi district, the morning fog grew thicker.
The roadside vegetable stalls and breakfast shops had already set up wooden planks, and steam rose from the huge steamers, blurring the busy figures of the stall owners.
"Boss, a bowl of soy milk, two fried dough sticks, and a basket of meat buns, please!"
Su Changming spent ten copper coins and sat down at a small square table by the roadside.
As his martial arts training deepened, his appetite also increased day by day.
That huge bowl of steaming hot soy milk, paired with two golden and crispy fried dough sticks, plus a basket of thin-skinned and generously filled meat buns, would have been enough to make you too full to walk in the past.
But now, after eating this whole meal, Su Changming only felt that his stomach was barely full, barely half full.
"Boss, two more baskets of meat buns!"
He hesitated for a moment, then called out again.
Amidst the slightly surprised gazes of the diners and stall owners, Su Changming devoured the two newly arrived baskets of steamed buns in a whirlwind.
Feeling slightly full, he wiped his mouth with satisfaction.
He then picked up his briefcase and continued westward.
As we approached Xujiahui, the road gradually widened, and the number of pedestrians on both sides became sparse.
This area still retains a lot of undeveloped farmland and waterways, with withered reeds swaying gently in the morning breeze.
The occasional crowing of roosters and barking of dogs in the distance added a touch of rural tranquility to this bustling city.
As they walked, the silence was suddenly broken by a rapid, muffled sound of horses' hooves.
Su Changming looked in the direction of the sound.
Not far away, on a side road, a group of people dressed in gray military uniforms were seen hurrying past.
Each person had a black cloth band wrapped around their left arm and a long black strip on their back.
Demon Suppression Division?
Su Changming's eyes narrowed; the one in the lead was an old acquaintance.
Thin and pale, it was Jiang Huai.
Why all this commotion so early in the morning? Could something strange have happened in the neighborhood again?
Although Su Changming was curious, he knew that now was not the time to meddle.
He kept his head down and continued walking forward.
Soon, we arrived at our destination.
Nanyang Public School.
This university, located in Xujiahui, has red walls and tiles, and is shaded by green trees.
As one of the top universities in China today, it brings together young talents from all over the country.
On the school path, a male student with short hair wrote passionately, while a female student wearing a blue blouse and black skirt hurried past carrying books.
A vibrant and upward-looking energy washes over you.
Su Changming took a deep breath and stepped into the iconic Intermediate People's Court office building.
Inside the Academic Affairs Office, the air was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood.
Several elderly professors with gray hair were sitting together, discussing the latest academic journals.
When Su Changming knocked on the door and entered, handing over the appointment letter stamped with a bright red seal, the previously noisy office fell into a brief silence.
Several pairs of eyes, peering through his reading glasses, all fell upon him.
"You... are Su Changming?"
An elderly gentleman wearing thick-rimmed glasses was the first to break the silence.
He looked Su Changming up and down, his tone full of disbelief:
"Su Changming, the author of 'On the Evolution of the New Culture and the Essence of Classical Chinese'?"
Su Changming bowed slightly, his attitude humble:
"Junior Su Changming greets all seniors. That was merely a doodle; please forgive its poor quality."
"It really is you!"
The old gentleman suddenly stood up, strode over, and tightly grasped Su Changming's hand:
"Oh my! Seeing is believing! Judging from the seasoned writing style, I thought the author was at least a learned scholar in his fifties, but I never expected... I never expected him to be such a handsome young man!"
"Yes, they are truly a force to be reckoned with!"
Other teachers also gathered around, their words full of praise.
In this era of transition, young people like Su Changming, who have a profound family tradition of learning, have studied abroad, and still maintain humility, are as rare as pandas.
After exchanging pleasantries, a middle-aged man wearing a Zhongshan suit walked over.
"Professor Su, I am Li Wenyuan, the vice president."
Vice Principal Li smiled and came to Su Changming's rescue, saying, "Colleagues, there's plenty of time in the future. Let's first take Professor Su to familiarize himself with the environment."
As he walked along the corridor leading to the teaching building, Vice Principal Li's expression became somewhat solemn.
"Changming, your arrival this time has truly saved us from our urgent crisis."
He sighed and said in a low voice:
"The class you're taking over is the third-year Class A of the Chinese Literature Department. The original professor in charge, Professor Gu, was extremely knowledgeable, but unfortunately... his health is deteriorating day by day."
"A few days ago, Professor Gu suddenly coughed up blood in class. He was sent to the hospital for examination and was diagnosed with tuberculosis. He had to leave his post to recuperate. The students in this class are all proud and arrogant. It's not easy for an ordinary person to control them."
Coughing up blood?
Su Changming's heart stirred slightly, but he nodded calmly on the surface: "Principal Li, rest assured, I will do my best."
The two walked through the corridor and arrived at a lecture hall on the second floor.
Before even entering the room, Su Changming could hear bursts of somewhat noisy discussions coming from inside.
"...That's utter nonsense! The Great Qian Dynasty did fall, but that was because its fate had run its course, not because of any military failure! How can you put all the blame on the last emperor?"
"Yao, that's typical outdated thinking! The wheels of history keep turning, and the corrupt will eventually be eliminated..."
Su Changming stopped and looked inside through the glass window in the door.
The classroom was packed, and the atmosphere was as lively as a debate.
At the center of the crowd, one person stood out the most.
This is a girl wearing a light blue school uniform skirt.
She stood up, one hand supporting herself on the table, the other holding a textbook. Although only her back was visible, her upright posture and impassioned tone conveyed a stubbornness and pride that refused to admit defeat.
"Xiwei, just say less. Look, everyone's watching." The female classmate next to her tugged at her sleeve.
"Why speak less? Reason becomes clear through debate!"
The girl turned her head, revealing a bright and beautiful profile, with a touch of heroism between her brows.
Su Changming froze abruptly.
Yao Xiwei... Yao Xiwei?
Could this name be his fiancée whom he has never met?
This world... is it too small?
Su Changming felt a throbbing sensation in his temples.
Just as he was trying to calm himself down, another figure in the classroom caught his attention.
He was a foreign youth who stood out among the group of black-haired, yellow-skinned students.
He looked to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with blond hair, deep-set features, and a well-tailored plaid suit. He exuded an elegant British gentlemanly air.
At that moment, he was listening with great interest to the students' debate, occasionally jotting something down in his notebook.
Seemingly sensing the gaze from the doorway, the foreign youth turned his head, his gaze passing through the glass window and landing on Su Changming.
The two locked eyes.
The young man gave him a bright and friendly smile, revealing a set of white teeth, and waved to him through the glass.
That's William.
Vice Principal Li, who was standing next to him, followed his gaze and introduced the situation with a smile:
"Our school has a new biology professor, a British man, but this young man is particularly obsessed with Chinese culture. He speaks Chinese more fluently than I do. Whenever he doesn't have classes, he comes to the Chinese Literature Department to audit classes, and we can't get rid of him."
"Biology professor..."
After hearing what Li Wenyuan said, Su Changming roughly understood.
They're just colleagues!
He smiled back at the other person.
Then Vice Principal Li pushed open the classroom door.
"Ahem, students, please be quiet!"
The noisy classroom fell silent instantly, and dozens of eyes turned to the door.
Li Wenyuan began by introducing, "This is your new Chinese literature professor, Mr. Su Changming. Please welcome him."