without any signs of tension.The Secretariat publicly announced that due to the misunderstanding at Shiyan No. 1 High School, accurate information was not promptly obtained, leading to a lack of commu...Chapter 8: The Radiant Figure

Making a scene by fighting and getting into conflicts undoubtedly garners the most attention, being extremely eye-catching in front of everyone as a passionate and unrestrained event.

But Su Can is not stupid. He's not some character from movies or novels who always has a group backing him up or has martial arts training, or relies on his physical stature to intimidate others into submission wherever he goes.

Zhang Xiaqiao didn't like him when they met in the dormitory on their first day; Su Can knew this. If they weren't at the university cafeteria and if it wasn’t with everyone watching, then perhaps, given his past experiences and a bit of sympathy, he might have stood up for Zhang Xiaqiao if they were somewhere secluded where Zhang was in trouble. But he didn't want to face disciplinary action due to打架（fighting）for someone who didn't like him in the dormitory. He cherished his time at school and his peaceful college life with Tang Wu, and didn’t wish to get involved in these sudden incidents that could disrupt everything.

The Qian Zhongyuan standing before Zhang Xiaqiao and the four other tall guys around him were not empty talkers; they had a high sense of self-esteem, an imposing presence, and a great reputation. Such individuals would certainly have some clout wherever they went to university.

Su Can also knew that charging in to fight wouldn’t make them acknowledge him as their equal; the more arrogant one was, the less likely he or she would be intimidated by another's "aura." The crowd of college students watching the scene unfold in the cafeteria wouldn't follow behind and support him.

As Su Can predicted, within minutes, the school security team appeared at the cafeteria door. By then, it looked rather ridiculous for bookish Xiao Xu to want to charge in and make a show of himself.

A few girls discussed privately, "What’s the background of Zhang Xiaqiao from Room 602 I know Qian Zhongyuan; his father is renowned in academic circles. I heard about them when they were at South University Attached High School. What's the connection between that sobbing girl with tear-stained face and them Could it be a love triangle"

"But I still like the guy with the Shaanxi accent very much; he seems to be called Li Han, right He’s so cool! One against four. Look at our class guys; they can only talk bravely but not act."

“And that bespectacled Xiao Xu is too pretentious and despicable. Where was he during the peak of the fight After everyone else stopped fighting, he starts jumping around like a monkey—people see through such behavior very clearly; it’s odd if such a man can find a girlfriend in college.”

After this clash involving Zhang Xiaqiao, Li Han, Qian Zhongyuan and his companions from Room 602, they were all taken to the school's disciplinary office.

The head of the security department felt quite vexed and lectured them with great care, "You're children of school leaders; you should maintain the reputation of this university. Why do you act just like ordinary students Freshmen tend to have some issues like these at the start, but your behavior isn't typical."

Qian Zhongyuan smiled and said, "Director Gong, it's a misunderstanding. We were merely having fun, arguing over nothing; no big deal, okay" He glanced at Zhang Xiaqiao.

The men behind Qian Zhongyuan also shrugged nonchalantly, which made the head of security even more troubled and said, "I advise you to seriously reflect on this matter. Write a self-criticism within three days, and I'll issue disciplinary notices to your departments. Reflect deeply on what happened."

Qian Zhongyuan and his companions left the disciplinary office arm-in-arm; later, disciplinary notices were issued to each department. The faculty gave them warnings that would not be recorded in their files.

The outcome was also influenced by the family backgrounds of Zhang Xiaqiao and Qian Zhongyuan.

Mr. Zhang sternly criticized his son: "Why did you get into a fight with Qian Zhongyuan at the school cafeteria Now it’s causing quite a stir. But who won"

The father of Qian Zhongyuan also scolded him, saying, “You couldn’t even beat him up; shame on you! Still have the nerve to fight Get out of that dorm and come back home with me; otherwise, you’ll cause more trouble.”

"Did you hear about it The eastern dining hall had a new student fight recently. It’s supposed to be in building 13, on the boys' side. They say it was over a drumstick," said Ruan Sio from Tang Wu's girls dorm.

“What a chicken leg incident causing so much trouble,” combed her hair while looking at herself in the mirror. "It’s irrelevant to me. This afternoon, an upperclassman invited me for Indian curry outside of campus; I didn’t go to the cafeteria."

Tong Tong from Tang Wu's bed smiled and said, "I did yoga this morning before eating, so I happened to be at the scene. The troublemaker is a new student named Qian Zhongyuan; people are talking about him today. His father is the head of the chemistry department, an old scholar. He’s the one who developed 'Asymmetric Industrial Total Synthesis of Biotin,' hailed as a self-developed patent technology leading globally. The project generates over ten billion yuan in value annually; he’s quite renowned in academic circles in southern China. By the way, Tang Wu, didn’t you go to eat at the eastern dining hall"

Tang Wu nodded, "I was there."

"Oh Then you must have seen it; they fought fiercely, and even the campus security team showed up," Tong Tong smiled.

Ruan Sio and Cheng Congcong asked for details. Tong Tong briefly recounted what happened, making them excitedly share this news among freshmen in their dormitory.

"Time’s nearly up; I need to leave now. I have a rehearsal before class tonight. See you back at the dorm after closing time. Wait for me tomorrow evening during the welcoming party," Cheng Congcong checked her watch and hurriedly packed, then paused by the mirror, saying, "Tomorrow morning is the freshmen meeting in the college auditorium Did I remember correctly"

Cheng Congcong was part of the dance performance at the welcoming party. For her, the freshmen gathering was nearly as important; she usually attracted much attention in such gatherings. For Cheng Congcong, her university life would be even more splendid from then on.

Ruan Sio thought that Cheng Congcong was a bit too eager to show off; however, she probably didn’t know the freshmen gathering wasn’t merely a social event.

In the end, several new classes gathered in a large auditorium that can accommodate thousands of people, listening to the school's report about Nan Da University as if attending a lecture. They showed some background slides and summarized things like fostering a sense of collective honor and belonging among students.

However, the form of hundreds or even thousands of people gathering in an auditorium for class was unprecedented in many high schools. This naturally excited and intrigued the newly enrolled freshmen.

When Su Cen returned to his dormitory, Zhang Xiaqiao, Li Han, and others had just been released from the university's security management office. They were gathered together with a scowl on their faces, placing several large bottles of beer on the table.

Sitting around them were people who came over from nearby dormitories. After talking for a while and seeing Su Cen return, they all stood up to let out chairs for him and raised their thumbs at Li Han and Zhang Xiaqiao, saying, "You’ve got some backbone! You gave our floor leader face!" Then they shook hands with Su Cen, introducing themselves as the new dormitory head, Wang Dongjian. He also mentioned that there was a Zhang Dohyun in South Korea but said he thought he looked better and hoped for their help in the future.

The new dormitory head, Wang Dongjian, came over to establish good relations with the newcomer who had made a name for himself recently. When he heard they were from Building 13, he realized they were his floor’s residents and thought it would be great if he could talk about this to girls someday and show off his wide network of connections.

As Wang Dongjian left, Su Cen entered the dormitory and saw a large pile of peanuts and sunflower seeds on Li Han's desk. There were several bottles of beer next to them. Zhang Xiaqiao held one bottle while sitting on a stool by the balcony. It was evening, and the lights in the nearby girls' dormitory building were bright. Zhang Xiaqiao drank his beer with something on his mind.

This boy must have some ambiguous relationship with the girl he met at the canteen earlier today; hence, he was now a gloomy young man. In contrast, Li Han appeared rougher and more uncouth, drinking beer together with bookworm Xiao XU without bothering Zhang Xiaqiao.

However, Su Cen felt that the dormitory's dead atmosphere had completely vanished, and there was more camaraderie among them now. For Zhang Xiaqiao, he finally felt a sense of belonging to the dormitory.

Su Cen thought this was great. Otherwise, if everyone in the dormitory were just focused on their own business, it would inevitably be dull and boring.

"Time for drinks" Li Han held up a bottle of beer and shook it at Su Cen.

"One more," Su Cen smiled brightly as he came over. The unity in the dormitory greatly increased, making him feel better about fitting in. Besides, he quite liked this boy from Shaanxi, Li Han.

Zhang Xiaqiao glanced at Su Cen and then turned his head to look out the window again, continuing to be solemn.

The bookworm Xiao XU felt that his status had greatly improved after today's events in front of Su Cen. He pointed to a stool, "Sit." Then he put the bottle of beer on Su Cen's table and said, "Drink." His words were concise yet straightforward, almost like it was him who had stepped up rather than Li Han.

"Were you at Dong District canteen this afternoon" Xiao XU waited a while before asking as he saw that Su Cen wasn't going to ask about it himself. He and Li Han were discussing tomorrow's freshmen meeting when the urge finally overcame him.

“Uh-huh, why”

"We had a fight. There were five big guys who wanted to beat up Zhang Xiaqiao; we got them taken to the security office." Xiao XU explained.

“So strong,” Su Cen smiled.

“Of course! Mainly because Li Han is tough, didn’t you know Now that 602 dormitory has really made a name for itself.” Xiao XU patted Su Cen’s shoulder proudly as if he had become a belligerent person overnight. "Whoever causes trouble in the future should report to us."

Thinking about it, Xiao XU added, “But you should also be careful of those few guys; they are quite notorious among freshmen. Since you’re in our dormitory, they might make trouble for you. So just try to stay out of trouble and eat and get water with us.”

Deep down, Xiao XU still felt that the fight at the canteen had brought them closer as a trio; without Su Cen around, their dormitory would have been more harmonious.

Li Han draped an arm around bookworm Xiao XU who was trying to exaggerate the dangers, and said, "It's not that serious. Come on, drink."

The guys in 602 were indeed considered quite tough among freshmen now. They had sparked off the first conflict of the new academic year: Zhang Xiaqiao’s clash with Qian Zhongyuan.

Su Cen was still just a harmless young man entering university, and those on his floor wouldn’t even know this boy was part of the dormitory that dared to fight in school unless they saw him enter 602 dormitory.

Visitors from neighboring rooms started coming over as well. In college, it was natural for residents of nearby dormitories to become familiar with each other. Zhang Xiaqiao and Li Han, especially Li Han, became the targets of these visits.

The freshmen orientation took place in the university’s large auditorium.

Nan Da University's orientation can be seen as a place where one can take a quick look at all the new students.

For Nan Da's students, the reporting process was chaotic and crowded. Everyone looked disheveled after their long journey, making it difficult to tell their true quality. Generally speaking, this is the best time for juniors and seniors to observe freshmen.

Once the freshmen are no longer disheveled, having moved into dorms and settled in, they finally enter the auditorium with a more formal appearance. Inspections begin, and those who care about their looks put on new clothes prepared for this occasion. They present an eye-catching sight indeed.

The lecture hall is designed with a central stage radiating outwards like a fan in a stepped classroom, providing excellent sound amplification so that even without a microphone, people at the back can hear clearly.

By now, there are already many people present in the auditorium. Students continue to arrive and some come early seeking good seats.

Tang Wu's roommates are seated in one corner of the southeast. However, Tang Wu has not yet seen Su Cen, while her companions Ran Siou, Tong Tong, and Cheng Congcong discuss which class sections seem more favorable.

Nan Da gathers students from all over China who naturally carry their own confidence, so even chatty girls like Cheng Congcong and Ran Siou are quite refined in private. For example, they might say things like, "Did you see the boy at eight o'clock He looks a bit like Nicki Byrne. The guy on the left has impressive abs but doesn't fit the ideal six-pack ratio."

"Hey, can that journalism student stop swaying her hips so suggestively It's not ladylike and makes her look more like an ostrich."

Such conversations abound, even extending to speculations about the lecturers organizing today’s assembly.

But there is another cluster of people in the auditorium that draws attention:

Zhang Xiaqiao, Li Han, and Xiao Xu's position, along with Qian Zhongyuan and his three friends seated behind them.

Those who know about the cafeteria fight on the first day all look their way. Qian Zhongyuan’s group glares coldly at Li Han; evidently they resent him but don’t mind looking intimidating in unified short haircuts, seemingly unafraid of disciplinary action or another brawl.

Xiao Xu dares not meet these people's eyes, especially after seeing their indifferent demeanor post-fight. He thinks this must be the kind of rivalry that happens in college and keeps reminding himself it’s just normal.

Worse for his image, Qian Zhongyuan pulls out a deck of cards and starts playing at the table, treating the freshman orientation as if he's been around campus for years. He shows no respect to this formal ceremony.

At this time, Su Cen, who had just gotten up from his bed, puts on a set of casual suits prepared specially for coming to school in Chengdu. Smiling at himself in the mirror, he attracts the attention of an upperclassman passing by outside his room. She pauses and smiles brightly upon seeing him: "Very nice! If you add a bow tie, it would be perfect; you could attend a debate right away."

At Nan Da, boys can't enter girls' dorms but girls can freely move around in the boys'. However, all must vacate their rooms before curfew.

The upperclassman is quite beautiful and very confident. After giving her advice to Su Cen, she leaves down the stairs, touching her cheeks thinking about how embarrassed she was seeing a freshman like him; she had seen countless male students behave freely in dorms but blushed when meeting this young man.

When Su Cen enters the auditorium for the orientation ceremony, Tang Wu sees him through the window and her eyes light up.

The moment Su Cen appears, Tang Wu doesn't immediately recognize him.

A casual suit with clean leather shoes, holding a book from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences titled 'Global History' to avoid boredom during the meeting.

This boy shines as he enters the auditorium’s entrance. Tang Wu feels a momentary daze, thinking it's fate that they are in the same university.

Upon entering, Su Cen notices how crowded it is but still spots Tang Wu easily. He smiles at her and sees she has many people around, mostly girls. Inserting himself into their group would be difficult.

Hence, he reluctantly gives up on sitting near Tang Wu and instead finds Zhang Qiao and Li Han's area—this wasn’t because of his sharp eyes but because these people were in the seventh row with an obvious card-playing Qian Zhongyuan nearby.

Strangely enough, while many freshmen had entered before and made some noise, when Su Cen walked in, everyone suddenly fell silent. The few remaining voices quickly quieted down as if worried about their manners.

"Is this the counselor who will give us a lecture He’s quite young." Someone whispered privately.

"This counselor looks good too, quite handsome actually. Although he seems a bit inexperienced, ha ha. I wonder if such a young counselor can handle being teased," Cheng Congcong played with her crystal nails and said with a smile.

Tong Tong frowned and said, "If anyone is going to tease him, it would probably be you, Cheng Congcong."

She was completely oblivious to the rigid expression on Ruan Sio's face.

In the midst of general exclamations such as, "This teacher is so young!"

Su Can was initially taken aback but then looked at Qian Zhongyuan who continued to play cards with an even more dismissive attitude. Su Can had already made up his mind.

He held the book A Global History in his hand and instead of heading towards the students' desks, he turned around and walked confidently toward the lectern.

"Turns out he is really a teacher. I thought he was just another formally dressed student," a female voice exclaimed.

A breath of wind blew through the room.

In the midst of general exclamations such as, "This on-campus teacher is too young!" Su Can placed his book on the lectern and turned to look at the white curtain. Soon after, a projector would project information about the school, its photos, some outstanding individuals, cultural heritage, etc., planting a profound sense of honor in the freshmen's hearts.

But this had nothing to do with Su Can.

The moment Su Can turned around and headed towards the lectern, Tang Wu involuntarily covered her mouth. She wasn’t sure what Su Can intended to do.

Su Can stood in the middle of the auditorium, looking around at everyone's silent faces. He wondered what these young counselors would lecture on.

Then, as he faced everyone’s gazes, he stretched out his arm and pointed a finger at Qian Zhongyuan, saying, "These few students, this is a seminar for the freshmen to meet each other. Look what you’re doing right now. You have two choices: either put away your cards during my lecture or if you think you can give a better talk than me, come over here and do it. Otherwise, leave."

Zhang Xiaqiao, Li Han, and Bookworm Xiao Xu who knew Su Can's identity were silent as the dead.

The entire venue erupted into some commotion; no one expected this newly arrived counselor to challenge them right off the bat.

Qian Zhongyuan, whose father was a top student at this school, could not bear such public humiliation in front of freshmen.

Nanjing University students were very proud and reserved. Therefore, for Qian Zhongyuan, it would be beneath his dignity to put away his cards voluntarily. So he stood up immediately, followed by the three towering boys beside him.

The four of them quickly gathered their chairs and walked out in a straight line down the aisle. They strode deliberately along the walkway with their hands hanging loose at their sides, then strutted arrogantly like big crabs walking out of the auditorium.

This displayed an attitude of fearless defiance towards teachers by leaving without hesitation. At that moment, Qian Zhongyuan felt as if he were a hero being sent off by everyone's gazes.

Everyone was watching this teacher in silence for Su Can to salvage the situation.

Su Can calmly closed the A Global History lying on the table, held it in his right hand, and walked down from the lectern straight towards the student area of the auditorium.

In front of Zhang Xiaqiao, Li Han, and Bookworm Xiao Xu who had already turned expressionless due to shock,

he placed the book.

A while later, an old professor with white hair wearing an English plaid outfit walked in. He strolled confidently towards the lectern facing everyone, "I am honored to be here today to give a speech for your freshmen meeting."

The entire auditorium suddenly fell into silence like autumn leaves falling.

Everyone's gaze shifted to that boy who was calmly sitting at his desk as if nothing had happened before.ed the director of his orphanage pessimistically: 'What’s the point in living if nobody wants me' The director smiled without answering and gave him a stone, saying, 'Take this stone to the market and...