past caring about saving face in front of strangers. He didn’t think there was anything wrong with deliberately wanting to get acquainted with Su Chan, but rather felt it showed his respect for him.H...Chapter 45: Intense Debate

All the Han students were there to accompany Zhang Xiaqiao as well. But after introducing themselves and getting acquainted with about twenty people, they realized that none of them had anything particularly noteworthy to offer; it was just an exchange of information on their departments and some light discussion about academic studies. Li Han and Su Cen, however, got more opportunities to talk.

Xiao Xu wasn't without his own accomplishments either. He discussed philosophy with a girl in a rather mysterious manner until he ended up examining her palm for hand reading by laying his right hand on hers. This amused the girl so much that she giggled, saying, "It tickles."

Su Cen and Li Han were quite impressed; even Zhang Xiaqiao thought this bookish roommate of theirs was usually quiet and laid-back but showed an extraordinary strength today.

"Isn't that the girl who came to our school for a debate competition I actually ran into a familiar face when Ling Luoran entered, Xiao Xu obviously noticed this focus figure and moved closer to whisper, returning to their circle in 602宿舍.

Ling Luoran was dressed in a white T-shirt with fitted休閒褲and light pink運動鞋. This made Su Cen think he had been transported back to high school; if she wore a baseball cap like before, her appearance would be almost identical to when they first met in high school. However, now that she's grown up more maturely compared to then, she looked even better dressed.

When Ling Luoran sat down, Du Dawei introduced her to the others; several international students were clearly interested in this Eastern girl and greeted her enthusiastically hoping for a deeper impression.

Xu Haqing had keen ears and overheard Xiao Xu's conversation. He turned around in surprise and said, "She came here to participate in debate competitions No wonder she’s Du Dawei and Wei Dingding's old friend now studying at the University of International Studies. Given time, more people will recognize her since many know her in Shanghai. It’s no wonder Du Dawei was so excited when mentioning her name. I heard Wei Dingding is very interested in her; do you guys know her too"

"Not just knowing her, she's practically old friends with Su Cen. After the debate competition last time, we even had dinner together," Xiao Xu added.

Xu Haqing looked at Su Cen in amazement.

Ling Luoran sat down on the opposite sofa; clearly very popular among both genders. The guys were aware of her reputation from the University of International Studies while girls wanted to get acquainted with her.

After responding to others' greetings, Ling Luoran scanned the room and surprisingly spotted Su Cen at this end.

Su Cen waved at her; due to several people sitting on sofas in between them, everyone could see their interaction. Wei Dingding noticed a flicker of displeasure on Su Cen’s face but quickly returned to normal.

Since he didn't expect to encounter Ling Luoran here, this meeting was even more surprising for Su Cen. While waving at her, Su Cen intended to stand up but saw Ling Luoran nodding in acknowledgment and then shifting her gaze away to speak with others.

This made him feel quite put on display, drawing some private giggles from a few girls.

Su Cen sat back down on the sofa; it was still warm from his body heat.

Xu Haqing saw Su Cen waving at Ling Luoran and thought they might be close but realized she just politely greeted him after that, revealing they were only acquaintances. He felt Su Cen's previous gesture was too much while Ling Luoran responded coolly. Xu Haqing didn't want to comment as he understood men need their dignity.

An European student learned from Du Dawei about Ling Luoran’s father being a diplomat, quite intrigued and extended his hand for a shake. He spoke in passable Chinese, "I didn’t expect Miss Lin grew up in a diplomatic family; no wonder she has such grace."

This handshake seemed meant to convey professionalism but upon shaking hands, Ling Luoran's face changed, immediately retracting her hand and calmly smiling, “Miss Lin is very beautiful. I have friends at the University of International Studies who will definitely introduce me sometime, then we can enjoy a cup of tea outside."

Others whispered to each other about how foreign students' sunken eye sockets made their eyes appear both deep and attractive.

The student had secretly scratched his palm with his pinky during the handshake. Ling Luoran wanted to react but he quickly stopped short, not overplaying it.

This left Ling Luoran at a loss for how to respond; she looked back at the foreigner who raised an eyebrow as if proving these foreigners were no different from some senior students in their indecent behavior. She was less inclined to talk with him because of that.

She glanced again towards Su Cen, recognizing Du Dawei and seeing Wei Dingding present today made her feel awkward when she saw Su Cen; but thinking about it, why should she feel uneasy around Su Cen who wasn’t particularly significant to her So, she gave him a neutral greeting.

Now noticing Su Cen's gaze, she smiled at him lightly before looking away again.

This made Su Cen think Ling Luoran’s nature was truly hard to tame. She seemed more mature but sometimes did things that were hard to understand.

"My roommate Du Dawei is here serving drinks," Zhang Shanqiao introduced the others around Su Cen.

"This is our first time meeting, this is our first time meeting," Du Dawei kept repeating. He took a sip of the drink and then watched everyone else take a sip too. After that, he turned to Zhang Xiaqiao and said, "Xiaqiao, make sure your friends have everything they need. I'm already happy just seeing all of you here today. This is our first time drinking together; next time we'll be buddies. Have fun."

Although Du Dawei was only going through the motions, what he said still hit the mark.

"We have to go back at ten o'clock," Zhang Xiaqiao reminded him hurriedly.

"Stay a little longer, it's been ages since we last saw each other. You can't just come and then demand to leave straight away. What's the meaning of that"

"Cut it out. It’s already good that I could manage to welcome everyone here today. I won’t make things difficult for you either. Since we need to head back to our dorm, why don't we find another time and have a gathering just among us"

Du Dawei thought about this for a moment before patting Zhang Xiaqiao on the shoulder. "Alright."

Zhang Xiaqiao knew that Su Can and the others didn’t enjoy staying at such gatherings for long. Although Xiao Xu seemed to be having quite a good time with one of the female students from Nan University’s Materials Department, Li Han and Su Can had come along just to accompany Zhang Xiaqiao. Staying too long would only waste everyone's effort and resources, so it wasn’t worth it.

At first, several songs were requested, and a few people sang surprisingly well. After the atmosphere warmed up, some continued singing while others chatted.

Su Can went to the bathroom midway through but couldn't get rid of much alcohol by urinating. Then he heard some commotion at the door as if someone was waiting outside.

Someone then spoke in English from outside the door, "Who do you fancy The third sofa over there. What about her, is she sexy Are her legs long"

"That woman in light blue appeals to me more. I can invite Mingyu out for a coffee and show you proof of my claim. Then you just go back and tell Daniel and Redmond that I bet on it. However, I have to remind Daniel not to set his sights on the girl from the Lin family; there’s little chance he’ll succeed."

Sh*t, openly declaring their intentions regarding Lin Luoran outside his door made Su Can rather annoyed as he opened the door.

The two of them were Japanese and Korean exchange students who had a friendly smile for him when they saw him come out. The Korean one even greeted him.

"Please show some restraint," Su Can said before walking away directly.

The two men paused in surprise, then shot back at his retreating figure.

Su Can sat back on the sofa and thought that these exchange students had come with ulterior motives today. It was rumored that they were from Nan University themselves. But if their female students couldn’t even cater to their own needs within the school, how could they be expected to serve foreign exchange students That seemed rather impractical.

The two Japanese and Korean exchange students returned from the bathroom and sat on this side of the sofa, giving Su Can a glance as if nothing had happened before.

Meanwhile, another group of American and Canadian exchange students were sitting on the other side. They stood out in this environment, with only the Canadian student being rather shy; the others were quite talkative and popular among the crowd. Several students wanted to get acquainted with these exchange students to practice their English, but they rarely got such opportunities. Now it seemed that everyone was flocking toward them.

These foreign exchange students weren’t simple either. They mixed fluent Chinese with English and occasionally made small mistakes, but overall communicated smoothly and confidently.

When chatting about politics or history with the group, they were fluent without any obstacles. Sometimes they’d throw in a witty remark or appropriate gesture that would make the surrounding girls burst into laughter, while their own eyes shone with a cunning gleam like wolves as they looked at these admiring girls.

In many universities around Shanghai, foreigners were active, and quite a few female students preferred to find themselves foreign boyfriends.

Lin Luoran was aware that this happened frequently in her school, Shanghai International Studies University (SISU). The high number of students who went abroad for studies each year also meant there was an increasing trend toward dating foreigners. However, when she started at SISU, several well-meaning senior sisters had warned her about the many "disgusting" characters among foreigners, advising her to be wary of foreign boys in campus with their tongues hanging out.

Knowing that these foreign boys were attending this gathering with a mindset of hunting for romantic interests, Lin Luoran naturally kept her distance from them. But she could see some girls becoming more interested as they chatted further, even showing intentions to make friends privately.

A student from Tongji University joked in English, "Are you getting used to life in China I hope that you can experience the friendliness of Chinese people and appreciate our vast land and profound culture. We hope you will enjoy your stay here so much that you recommend it to your friends."

The Japanese exchange student raised his head and grinned, saying, "China indeed has abundant resources, but you overuse them."

This statement left the male student momentarily speechless and paused everyone's conversation for a moment.

"What do you mean by 'overuse'," the student asked, unprepared for this rebuttal and on guard. "May I ask you to explain

This Japanese student, Go Kei Dairo, had been talking eloquently just a moment ago. Now facing the gazes of the girls around him, he put down his cup and said, "Let's start with football, which is what you Chinese feel most regretful about. Why do you feel that way Why can't you break out of Asia Japan can represent you in this regard, and so can South Korea. But as a country with vast territory and resources, why can’t you break through Is it due to lack of resources or money No, it's because you lack a sense of responsibility, even towards your consumers. To understand the reason, I spent several months at children's palaces in different cities. I was amazed by how excellent your students' ball-handling skills were, but I couldn't help wondering why none of them had ever made it to the World Cup."

This Go Kei Dairo is really arrogant, but there’s no denying that he has the confidence to say such things. Why does he have this confidence It seems from his interactions with Chinese university students and exchange students that he understands how to hit a sore spot in them, making it impossible for anyone to refute him. He establishes authority while also establishing himself.

"If we broaden our perspective on this issue, I heard that participating in the Olympiad can secure admission to Nan Da University and Tongji University as well as other prestigious universities in China. This surprised me because a survey of these students showed that many developed negative feelings towards their studies after university. Furthermore, how many former high-performing Olympians have reached the peak of their field after graduation Instead, they've fallen from grace to become ordinary people. Therefore, Chinese education and students generally lack a sense of responsibility."

Foreigners speaking boldly in their circles can be quite jarring to listen to, but there's no denying what was just said.

The reality that was pointed out is direct. Perhaps it’s harsh, but it is the truth.

"But this applies only to a small part of your population," one girl countered. "Our school has started paying attention to these issues; we've made some mistakes in our education system and have taken many detours, but we're making changes."

“You mentioned your educational system. Let's talk about Japan’s instead. Yes, you’re making changes there too. China is now investing more money and human resources into education than ever before. Modern skyscrapers are popping up everywhere, and I know some university buildings have become landmarks in their cities, but how can a school building be considered a city landmark Is it still just a city or has it turned into a commercial center There's one thing I heard: according to an American survey, the top universities in China have research facilities that match world-class standards. However, none of them rank among the top 200 globally. Why is this International rankings require at least 150 papers per professor, but most professors teaching at your schools can't even publish ten papers on average. Even our Nan Da University, with its so-called top-notch professors, would consider it impressive if they could publish five or six papers a year.

These exchange students are friends of Du David. Listening to this, he quickly tried to divert the topic by saying, "Let's not talk about this anymore, Go Kei Dairo. Let’s discuss other things instead."

Li Han couldn’t help himself and slammed his fist on the table. “What right does a Japanese person have to lecture us Do you think it's noble or virtuous to do so Don't forget that your debt hasn't been repaid yet; after invading our country, you now come out here to grandstand. See if I don’t beat the crap out of you!”

Go Kei Dairo glanced at Li Han with disdain.

Then he stood up and bowed deeply towards Li Han who was ready to fight back. "Regarding modern history, I acknowledge that our country has made mistakes in the past. For this error, I apologize to you. Even if you hit me today, I would fully understand it. As a student here to study history, I face my country's past errors head-on. That’s why we study history and view the world with an evolving perspective. Your country has a saying: ‘He who listens to all sides will be enlightened.’ I think this is very good. If I can't provide different perspectives, you’re welcome to kick me out of today’s gathering. But I won’t apologize for what I said because it's true."

Go Kei Dairo may have said he could take a beating, but subconsciously, he was saying that his words were so powerful that anyone would hit him if they didn't back down from them. If you hit me, I welcome it; this will only make me appear as a hero who speaks the truth.

The other exchange students around him had an indifferent attitude in stark contrast to everyone else's surprised expressions, occasionally glancing at the crowd of Chinese students whose faces turned red and white with embarrassment.

Lin Luoran frowned, while Wei Dingding thought this was Du David’s gathering and didn't want it to escalate. She raised her glass and said, "Alright, let's not argue anymore. This gentleman, please don’t be so emotional. We are adults; we should look at things objectively."

Then she turned to Go Kei Dairo and said, "Have a drink then. What you've said is correct in many ways, but I believe it’s not just foreigners who see this. Many of us have seen these issues too, and improvements will be made."

Go Kei Dairo immediately smiled and replied, "That's right. We should have a drink then. Actually, I tend to speak frankly; please don’t mind me. In truth, I hold great admiration for China’s history and culture."

The crowd finally relaxed after this statement, realizing that what he said was not just blunt but like a sharp sword.

However, many people started to appreciate him because of the last sentence he spoke.

Su Can silently praised this person: if he wasn’t truly upright as his appearance suggested, then he must be an expert at charming women.

"Excuse me, may I ask what your name is" A voice rang out amidst a brief silence.

Lin Luoran looked over and her frown relaxed. She was looking forward to hearing Su Can's response.

"Go Kei Dairo."

Su Can smiled and said, "Oh, Mr Go Kei Dairo. You're studying Chinese history Then which period of Chinese history do you like the most"

Cheng Congcong and others found this amusing: Was Su Can defending his roommate by stirring up trouble

In the midst of everyone's amused expressions, Go Kei Dairo looked straight at Su Can. He knew he wouldn’t be alone anymore because here was another person willing to engage in a debate with him. If you want to discuss history, then I will use my knowledge of Chinese history to defeat you.

"The Yuan Dynasty. The Yuan Dynasty is the age of conquests, where Genghis Khan and Kublai Khan were known as world conquerors. This part of your country's history that has never been properly acknowledged by orthodox historical thought in China is one that surpassed the Han and Tang dynasties, truly rivaling ancient Rome and the Arab Empire in its glory.

Wu Jingdao was sharp with every word.

Xiao Xu, Zhang Xiaoqiao and Li Han fell silent when they saw Su Chen step forward. Although they had great confidence in Su Chen, hearing about Wu Jingdao made them realize that he was still quite a formidable person.

Su Chen smiled as he shook his head, "We do not romanticize our history of conquest because we do not believe in savage and violent behavior. We teach each other to value the culture and history of the nation so that we can remind ourselves that we are descendants of the Han Chinese people. However, this does not mean that China has lacked acts of resistance against invaders with violence.

For example, I heard that there were many people in Japan's top private universities like Waseda University and Keio University who liked to study the history of the Yuan Dynasty."

"Ah, you're right. There are quite a few such people. And they respect those of us here who can speak Chinese," Wu Jingdao said with a smile.

"I wonder why that's so. It's because in the history of the Yuan Dynasty, only Japan was not conquered by Genghis Khan and Kublai Khan, the world conquerors. That's why you feel particularly proud to study this period of history, hoping to fill a sense of national pride for the Japanese people that is quite laughable, like how Koreans try to prove that Li Shizhen is Korean."

The South Korean exchange student, who had been merely supporting Wu Jingdao until then, was stunned on the spot and wanted to protest.

Su Chen wouldn't give him a chance to speak. He continued, "My favorite period of history is the Ming Dynasty. Do you know why"

Wu Jingdao snorted, "What's there to praise about a dynasty where eunuchs dominated politics Wang Zhen, Wang Zhi, Liu Jin, and Wei Zhongxian—none of them were upright officials. Although Zheng He's voyages to the West Ocean could be considered pioneering, he was still an eunuch. Perhaps you should study the Ming Dynasty because it marks the beginning of China falling behind Europe in terms of progress."

Su Chen smiled and said, "I don't research the Yuan Dynasty; I research the Ming Dynasty because I love it. The reason is that the Ming Dynasty overthrew the Yuan Dynasty, while Japan merely dodged a storm and escaped from Mongolian troops' iron hooves. However, the Ming Dynasty completely defeated the Yuan Dynasty! Furthermore, the Ming Dynasty was the only dynasty in Chinese history to resolutely strike against Japanese pirates instead of deluding themselves with rhetoric about friendly Sino-Japanese relations!"

At this point, Wu Jingdao's expression changed because Su Chen directly criticized him harshly and cruelly.

The others breathed a sigh of relief after holding their breath for so long.

"The history of the Ming Dynasty, whether it be naval or land battles in Fujian and Zhejiang, achieved decisive victories against foreign enemies. They truly defeated them thoroughly. I am curious why you claim to face history squarely but choose to forget your own nation's history when talking about it You just mentioned that 'listening to all sides will make one see clearly.' In China, there is another saying: 'shutting oneself up in a room and making a cart' or 'seeing only the tip of a leaf.'

The Chinese do have some flaws, but so does Japan. Although there are many people who adore Korea and Japan in China now, it's more serious in Japan. If Mr. Wu Jingdao has the opportunity to become the prime minister of Japan in the future, perhaps he should change his policies and withdraw American troops from Japan because you want to develop your nation and boost national pride. Why not join South Koreans in posting large posters asking Americans to return home You don't need them to protect your women.

Whoever you love will give you an atomic bomb; why do you love those who can only provide money"

The words made Wu Jingdao's heart race. He couldn't refute these statements about Japan, just as the Chinese students couldn't refute his earlier remarks because they were facts.

Some people began to inquire about Su Chen. The six dormitory members understood implicitly; their leader could match a ten-thousand-ton aircraft carrier in terms of combat power with his mouth.

Wei Dingding saw Lin Luoran smiling approvingly beside her, and she didn't know what was going on.

Cheng Congcong's heart raced. Was this the type of man Tang Wu liked

"You said that was history; fine, let's not talk about it. Let's discuss reality instead. In your country, Japanese people are very familiar with a language—do you know which one It's not Japanese or Tokyo dialects but English. Any foreigner who speaks English can make them quiver in fear.

Japan's current prime minister, Mori Yoshiro, doesn't speak English. However, to show that he does, he has arranged for a program where he greets Clinton with English during the government cooperation meeting in Okinawa. But when Mori Yoshiro mistakenly called 'Chusei' (Dawn) as 'Tosei' (Progress), Clinton thought it was a joke and replied, 'I am Hillary's husband.' Mori Yoshiro quickly followed the program to reply, 'Me too.'

Your prime minister's rhetoric is contradictory and nonsensical. No wonder you, Wu Jingdao, are so impassioned today; I understand."

As soon as he finished speaking, Su Chen drained his glass of alcohol, moistened his throat, and set the cup down with a thud.

The light in Wu Jingdao's eyes turned fierce, but the shock in his heart was indescribable.

Everyone seemed to be awakening from a dream. They stared at Su Chen in astonishment and then gradually began to appreciate him.

The other exchange students weren't good people either. Hearing Wu Jingdao, who was usually eloquent, being refuted so thoroughly made them laugh and join in the fun: "Bravo!" It wasn't related to their own country; it was Wu Jingdao bringing shame upon himself. They were happy to watch from the sidelines without any sense of brotherhood. As long as they felt the pleasure brought by alcohol at this gathering, that would be enough for them.

Su Chen rose leisurely and looked at his watch before smiling at Du Dawei: "It's time to go; we've had a pleasant evening. It's almost ten o'clock."

He invited Zhang Xiaoqiao, Li Han, and Xiao Xu to leave with him and nodded at Lin Luoran, who had maintained her haughty demeanor the entire time before opening the door and leaving.

The moment the door closed, Lin Luoran couldn't hold back anymore and stood up abruptly.

Long chapter; wrote it concisely. A little late but hope you enjoy reading it seamlessly. Zheng and his group left with smiles, leaving those watching them around stunned. If城管 (urban management) were all like this, their quality would truly be commendable!No one could understand what was...