JOS Chapter 130

A Lesson

 

The commotion over there seemed unable to reach any conclusion, and before long, the crying gradually faded away.

 

Only then did Zhang Yangyang finally remember he was still on a phone call. He let out a muffled “Hello.”

 

Jiang Feng asked, “What happened?”

 

Sure enough, Zhang Yangyang replied with lifeless despair. “I brought my laptop out to print my thesis, and while I was talking to you on the phone, a kid spilled milk tea all over my computer.”

 

Jiang Feng asked, “Did you save it?”

 

“I only saved the third draft, but this was my fifth draft! My English material translations are the only copy!” Zhang Yangyang couldn’t vent his anger and could only let out a long sigh, saying helplessly, “I’m taking it to get repaired. You better come back quickly – I’m not covering for you anymore, you handle your own work!”

 

Jiang Feng covered the phone and moved it away a bit.

 

This was displaced anger.

 

Jiang Feng hung up the call. The little Mountain God was beside him, tilting his head up to look at him.

 

Jiang Feng patted his head and said, “I’m going back.”

 

The little Mountain God hesitated for a moment, then waved at him.

 

He asked, “Can I call you?”

 

Jiang Feng replied, “Yes.”

 

The little Mountain God waved vigorously. “Bye-bye!”

 

Jiang Feng and Yama walked down the mountain together, with the little Mountain God following them step by step. When they reached the boundary, he stopped, climbed onto a rock, and said politely, “Bye-bye. Let me see you off a bit more.”

 

Yama said, “…At this point you should say ‘I won’t see you off anymore.'”

 

“Let me see you off.” The little Mountain God waved, “Dad, you go ahead. I’ll wait for you.”

 

Jiang Feng walked quite far, then looked back to see the little Mountain God still standing on that rock. Seeing them look over, he waved even more enthusiastically.

 

His shoulder-length hair fluttered in the wind, his small hands raised high above his head, gazing steadily at them.

 

Yama said, “Let’s go.”

 

When the two finally disappeared from sight, the little Mountain God wistfully grasped his own hands. After being lost in thought for a while, he climbed down and went up the mountain to find Zong Ce.

 

Zong Ce was having little ghosts go out to buy things when the little Mountain God came in and directly took her phone.

 

Zong Ce immediately got angry. “What are you doing? You’re just like your dad – why do you always take my things? Taking without asking is stealing! Stealing in the Underworld means getting both hands chopped off!”

 

The little Mountain God hid in the corner and said, “I can call him now.”

 

Zong Ce’s temple vein twitched. “Didn’t he just leave?!”

 

“Then teach me first. Can I call this afternoon? Or should I wait until tomorrow? Or maybe the day after tomorrow? If he gets unhappy, I can also call just once a week.” The little Mountain God shouted at the phone, “Hello? Are you there? Hello?”

 

“What’s there to teach about this? When he calls you, you just answer.” Zong Ce went over to pull him, “Give me back my phone.”

 

The little Mountain God turned around, holding the phone between his neck and ear. “Hello, Dad, mm-hmm, it’s me.”

 

Zong Ce thought he had actually called, so she forcibly turned his head and pulled the phone out partway. She discovered that even the screen saver wasn’t on, and immediately made a scoffing sound.

 

The little Mountain God held the phone with both hands. “Don’t laugh at me. Why are you laughing at me? I just want to make a phone call.”

 

“What kind of pretend play is this?” Zong Ce sternly educated him. “You’re not a child anymore. You’re an old demon that’s thousands of years old – you need to learn to grow up on your own!”

 

The little Mountain God said, “I am growing up on my own.”

 

He looked at the phone, then held it to his ear again, saying, “I’m talking to Dad more now, so when he calls, I won’t talk so much.”

 

Zong Ce was momentarily speechless, her eyes flickering. She stopped fighting him for the phone and sat to one side, saying, “He’s not your real dad. He’s a Judge – he doesn’t have children.”

 

“I know.” The little Mountain God opened the phone’s main interface, pointing and tapping on it, saying, “But I still call him Dad.”

 

Zong Ce said, “If you hadn’t met him, life might have been much easier. Cultivation requires a pure heart with few desires.”

 

“I don’t want that,” the little Mountain God said stubbornly, puffing out his cheeks, “I don’t! I still want Dad – he’s all alone.”

 

Zong Ce silently took back her tablet and continued playing games.

 

The little Mountain God tugged at her sleeve, pointing somewhere. “I want to become the master of that mountain peak. I want to cultivate.”

 

Zong Ce: “……”

 

Damn it, did Jiang Feng dump her here just to be a babysitter?

 

****

 

Jiang Feng returned to school and went directly to find Zhang Yangyang.

 

Zhang Yangyang found the thesis topic and database for him, telling him to read through it once and memorize it to deal with the advisor’s signature.

 

“Hey, are you writing your thesis yourself or finding someone to ghostwrite it?” Zhang Yangyang said, “A senior is short on cash – a thousand yuan per paper, guaranteed to pass plagiarism checks. Two-day delivery. Do you need it?”

 

Jiang Feng said, “No need.”

 

Zhang Yangyang slapped his leg. “I knew it. Fellow penny-pinchers of the world – a thousand per paper, I could write ten by hand right now. How could I possibly let someone else make that money?!”

 

A roommate laughed mockingly. “You don’t need to write ten by hand – finish this one first.”

 

Zhang Yangyang said in anguish, “Lately I really… am I cursed by Tai Sui? No, I’m cursed by brat kids. What kind of fate do I have? What’s going on?”

 

The roommate nearby said, “Sigh, forget it. I thought you’d gotten used to bad luck by now.”

 

“The problem is it’s too infuriating. He caused trouble then cried, didn’t even apologize. I’m the one who wants to cry, okay? And he’s even a faculty family member. The guardian told me to let it go – he’s just a kid. I haven’t graduated yet, so I can’t argue with him.” Zhang Yangyang gritted his teeth, “Screw that kid. That little brat is definitely scheming! I bet when he gets a bit older, he could pluck the sun and moon with his bare hands. His parents are educated too – how did they raise him like this?”

 

The roommate said, “Who didn’t have those times?”

 

Zhang Yangyang said, “Though I probably was a brat when I was little, I only tormented my own family. And I got plenty of beatings. Every time I did something wrong, my mom apologized faster than me, then gave me a good thrashing, making me apologize to others with genuine tears.”

 

The roommate snickered. “So that’s how you got beaten stupid?”

 

Zhang Yangyang flew into a rage. “I’ll beat you!”

 

Jiang Feng asked, “What about now?”

 

“The computer’s being repaired, I’ll check the situation tomorrow. I told my advisor about it, but he hasn’t signed for me yet.” Zhang Yangyang said, “And what about your thesis? You haven’t gone to see your advisor even once – I think you’re going to be in trouble.”

 

A roommate said, “It doesn’t really matter if Jiang Feng doesn’t get his diploma, right? This major isn’t even relevant to what he does.”

 

Zhang Yangyang asked, “Are you going to make food delivery your main job in the future? Or become a Taoist priest? You can’t possibly work nine-to-five like us, right?”

 

The roommate asked, “Does food delivery… require a degree from A University?”

 

Jiang Feng felt confused about his future for the first time.

 

…How refreshing.

 

Zhang Yangyang clutched his chest and said, “We graduates, it’s not easy.”

 

The roommate said, “Just take the graduate school entrance exam – after graduate school you can study for three more years.”

 

As they were talking, another roommate came in from outside. He threw the materials in his hand onto the desk and started taking off his clothes while cursing. “Holy sh*t, this is absolutely ridiculous.”

 

Zhang Yangyang asked, “What happened?”

 

“All the bikes downstairs got kicked over. They were arranged neatly, then some kid came by and had to kick them. Damn, they all fell over like dominoes. I was parking my bike there and almost got hit.” He glanced over and said, “Hey, Jiang Feng, you’re back?”

 

Zhang Yangyang chuckled. “I feel somewhat relieved now. Looks like I’m not the only unlucky one.”

 

The man held up his paper thesis and showed off. “But my advisor already signed for me~”

 

Zhang Yangyang stood up and said, “Let’s eat, let’s eat. Last few times eating at the cafeteria – eat once, have one less chance. Let’s go, let’s go.”

 

The group put their arms around each other’s shoulders and happily went to the cafeteria for dinner.

 

Jiang Feng got his food first and chose a seat to sit down. Before long, an elderly woman in her sixties sat down in the upper right corner with a seven or eight-year-old boy.

 

The boy was well-dressed and held a big blue water gun, constantly fidgeting with it.

 

Zhang Yangyang quickly walked over, pulled Jiang Feng aside to complain. “That’s him, that’s him! Let’s sit farther away.”

 

Seeing how externally troublesome the kid was, Jiang Feng naturally stood up.

 

The group had just changed seats when the boy raised his water gun and squirted a bit on the nearby seats. Finding it boring, he then aimed the water gun at passing students.

 

Those students saw this and frowned, consciously walking around him. The boy laughed proudly, shouting “pew pew pew” while his grandmother caught him and spooned some food into his mouth.

 

Zhang Yangyang complained. “Did elementary school get out this early? Why bring him to the school?”

 

The roommate said, “Sigh, forget it.”

 

After more than ten minutes, the campus bell rang. Though senior students had more flexible schedules, at dismissal time, the underclassmen would create a rush. The cafeteria immediately became lively.

 

That child kept running around wildly in the crowded area, using his water gun to terrorize everyone.

 

Some students got their clothes wet and wanted to get angry, but the child’s grandmother followed behind him, quickly saying, “Oh, he’s just a child, don’t mind, don’t mind.”

 

Zhang Yangyang clutched his chest and comforted himself. “Life will teach him to be human. I firmly believe that day will come.”

 

As soon as he finished speaking, an angry shout erupted behind them.

 

Zhang Yangyang looked down and felt something had flown to his feet. He picked it up and found it was a black camera lens.

 

“What the hell?”

 

The cafeteria was crowded, and all eyes turned toward the commotion.

 

The man who had shouted grabbed the boy by the collar, furious. “Where do you think you’re running?”

 

The woman quickly came over, prying at the student’s fingers. “Let go! What are you doing? You’re scaring the child!”

 

The student pushed forward and pointed. “Can you manage your kid? What’s he doing? Not running around and making noise in public places is basic etiquette, you know? Didn’t you see there were things on people’s tables? Treating a water gun like a real gun – this is a school, not an amusement park!”

 

The woman said, “He doesn’t understand! How can you talk like that? Is this the kind of character university students have?”

 

Her attitude clearly enraged him, and the student’s tone became increasingly harsh. “He doesn’t understand, but don’t you understand either? What’s the use of me having character? Do you have any? Can you understand when I speak to you with character?”

 

The roommate excitedly grabbed Zhang Yangyang’s hand. “Your crow’s mouth really works!”

 

Another roommate chimed in.  “Keep going, keep going!”

 

The three chanted in unison: “Valuable! Valuable! Valuable!”

 

Jiang Feng: “……”

 

Some students retrieved the camera that had fallen far away and handed it back to the male student.

 

Under everyone’s gaze, the woman found it hard to back down and said stubbornly, “I’ll compensate you, isn’t that enough? How can you talk like that?”

 

The student said, “Fine, you want to compensate? Go ahead, compensate. I just bought it – over thirty thousand, with receipt. Cash or transfer?”

 

The woman was shocked. “How can a camera be that expensive?”

 

“There are plenty like that.” The student said, “Hundreds of thousands, even millions – you should be grateful I don’t have money to that extent yet.”

 

The woman immediately stopped talking, and the boy turned to hug her and started crying.

 

The woman comforted him. “Oh, don’t cry baby, it’s okay, it’s okay.”

 

“Why are you crying!” The student wasn’t someone to be bullied easily and was truly angry, immediately taking out his phone. “Does crying mean you don’t have to pay? Damaging other people’s property!”

 

“Whooo——“

 

Zhang Yangyang’s eyes filled with tears, moved beyond words.

 

“Did you see that, Jiang Feng? This is heavenly justice, karma is real!”

 

Jiang Feng: “……”

 

Zhang Yangyang was elated. “Life’s surprises come so suddenly. A man’s happiness is just that simple!”

 

“I never said I wouldn’t pay. Why are you being so fierce? Who are you trying to intimidate?” the woman said, “Let me contact his father. His father is a professor at the school. His mother is too. Which college are you a student of?”

 

The student said, “Even professors have to pay. I don’t believe A University professors are above the law. If he can afford to lose face like this, I’ll accept the loss.”

 

A classmate nearby tugged at his sleeve. “Negotiate compensation properly, don’t be impulsive. The other party is still a minor. If you make a scene and they refuse to pay, you can’t do anything about it. We’re all from the same school.”

 

The woman sent a text message to someone, then started shifting blame. “Who brings valuable items out carelessly like that? This happened because you didn’t take good care of it yourself. He just walked around with his toy. Today’s university students have no sense of responsibility at all – they want people to compensate for everything.”

 

“How can my DSLR compare to how precious your grandson is? You bring such a precious item out too, don’t you? So if I beat him up, would that also be because you didn’t take good care of him and I wouldn’t be responsible?” The student sneered, “Besides, I’m rich and I like bringing it. I have even more expensive ones – as long as you’re willing to pay, I can break them for your entertainment.”

 

Someone actually applauded nearby.

 

“Brother, are you from the debate team? We really need you.”

 

Zhang Yangyang’s joy overflowed. “A University really has hidden dragons and crouching tigers!”

 

The roommate said, “Hidden money and crouching money!”

 

Zhang Yangyang: “Use more force!”

 

Jiang Feng: “……”

 

As both sides were confronting each other, a man in a suit hurried over, pushing through the crowd.

 

The boy immediately rushed to him, complaining, “Dad, he bullied me, hit me and scolded me!”

 

The teacher looked up at the student. “What’s going on here?”

 

Seeing a school teacher, the student restrained his temper somewhat. Disdainful of the child’s false accusations, he clicked his tongue and said, “Teacher, he was running around and making noise in public, and my DSLR that was on the table got smashed. As for his accusations, everyone here isn’t blind.”

 

The teacher looked around and could tell from everyone’s faces that his side was in the wrong. He patted his son’s head. “Stop crying!”

 

The boy looked up and started howling.

 

The teacher said helplessly, “Mom, why weren’t you watching him?”

 

The woman muttered, “Boys being mischievous is normal, isn’t it?”

 

“Holy sh*t, that’s your advisor!” Zhang Yangyang poked Jiang Feng, “Your advisor dad is here!”

 

A roommate added, “He doesn’t have professor rank yet. He’s just an associate professor.”

 

The teacher’s attitude was obviously much better, saying, “So, student, how do you want to resolve this?”

 

The student said, “I don’t really want him to pay, but I’m really angry now. I just bought this DSLR not long ago and loved this camera so much. Not only was it broken, but there wasn’t even a sincere apology – just constant blame-shifting. I can’t swallow this insult.”

 

The man, after all, had to teach at the school long-term and didn’t want his reputation affected by such a trivial matter. He said pleasantly, “Can it be repaired? If it can be repaired, I’ll pay for the repair costs. If it can’t be repaired, I’ll compensate the full amount. Would that be acceptable?”

 

The student said, “It’s not about the money. I want him to apologize first. If he apologizes, I don’t need him to pay.”

 

“Payment is still necessary,” the man said, “I just don’t know much about DSLRs. Where should this thing be repaired? Official service center?”

 

Zhang Yangyang whispered in Jiang Feng’s ear, “Official service centers are all rip-offs. Do you know anywhere that repairs these things cheaper?”

 

When Jiang Feng was delivering food before, he was indeed quite familiar with various shops. Especially around the antique street area where capable people gathered – he had heard about many things. He nodded. “There should be.”

 

Zhang Yangyang stuffed the lens into his hands, hinting: “The thesis signature, brother – go, Pikachu!”

 

Then he pushed him out.

 

Jiang Feng handed over the lens.

 

The lens was already broken with cracks. The student had just finished using it with his club for event photography and hadn’t put it back in the camera bag.

 

This lens alone was expensive – at least five thousand yuan or more.

 

The student thanked him and took it, continuing to check if his camera body was damaged.