10: Chapter 10: Returning as the Top Liberal Arts Student
Inside the office.
Homeroom Teacher Liao Dafu sat in a rattan chair, slowly taking a sip of the wolfberry tea in his thermos.
"You know why I asked you to come, right?" He set down the cup, the bottom clinking softly against the desk.
Lin Mo rubbed his nose, a feigned ignorant smile plastering his face. "Could it be that I've made so much progress recently that you, Old Liao, are planning to give me a scholarship?"
"Less chatter."
Homeroom Teacher Liao Dafu glared at him, though there wasn't much anger in his tone.
"I tell you, kid, you really are something else. Not only did you dare to smoke right in front of the Dean of Students, but you also had the nerve to shift the blame onto someone else. If I hadn't checked the surveillance footage, I really wouldn't have known you were so capable."
"Hehe, that's all thanks to your teaching, Teacher..."
Halfway through the sentence, Lin Mo abruptly changed his tune. "Ah, no, that's not right. It's because my own comprehension is high."
Homeroom Teacher Liao Dafu laughed and scolded, "Get out of here! If it weren't for the fact that this old face of mine still carries a bit of weight, and that you're all about to graduate, there's no way you'd escape a disciplinary action for what you did!"
"Yes, yes, yes. It's all thanks to you looking out for me. I'll keep it in mind."
Lin Mo quickly climbed down the slope, his attitude sincere.
"Alright, enough with the glib talk."
Homeroom Teacher Liao Dafu reined in his smile, his tone deepening. "The reason I called you here this time is that I still want to urge you to reconsider and focus on the liberal arts exam."
He looked at Lin Mo, his eyes earnest. "With your liberal arts grades, getting into a first-tier theoretical academy is a sure thing. There's no need to insist on the martial arts path."
Although Homeroom Teacher Liao Dafu didn't agree with Lin Mo's whimsical theories, it was a fact that the child's liberal arts scores were always perfect.
As long as he could guide him back to the "right track."
In the future, he might very well become a top-tier theoretical master.
However, Lin Mo shook his head without a second thought. "I'm telling you, don't try to persuade me anymore. If I can't get into the Martial Soul Academy, I'd rather go work on an assembly line at a pharmaceutical factory."
"You kid, why are you so stubborn!"
Homeroom Teacher Liao Dafu tapped the table, frustrated. "With that half-crippled Martial Soul of yours, even if you're lucky enough to raise it to level five, if no one carries you during the college entrance exam, you probably won't even touch the minimum admission threshold. Why bother?"
"That's not for you to worry about." Lin Mo stiffened his neck, but his eyes were bright. "Even if I have to smash my way through with my Martial Soul, I must take the martial arts exam. This is my dream."
One was earnestly trying to persuade, the other was stubborn and refused to budge.
After a moment of stalemate, Homeroom Teacher Liao Dafu finally gave in and let out a long sigh.
"Sigh, alright... but you have to promise me that you'll also put effort into the liberal arts exam. Just consider it for the sake of the school having nurtured you for so many years—bring back the city's top liberal arts scholar title."
Seeing that Homeroom Teacher Liao Dafu had relented, Lin Mo immediately beamed. "Aha, that's no problem! I guarantee I'll get you the national top liberal arts scholar title!"
"Good, it's a deal. Don't mess it up on me." Homeroom Teacher Liao Dafu's tone held a hint of being unable to laugh or cry.
Having taught for thirty years, he had seen stubborn students, but he had never seen one as stubborn and slippery as Lin Mo.
Looking at this young and vigorous face in front of him, he suddenly and inexplicably recalled his own youth.
Running wildly on the playground under the setting sun—that was his lost youth.
Leaving the office and returning to the classroom.
A teacher was already distributing protective combat suits to the students.
"Boss, what did Old Man Liao want with you?"
As soon as he returned to his seat, Lu Mengmeng's cute, silly face leaned in with a look of gossip.
Lin Mo pushed her away in disgust. "What else could it be? He's trying to persuade me to take the liberal arts academy exam!"
Lu Mengmeng tilted her head and thought for a moment, her eyes rolling with a clever glint.
"Hey Boss, I think you should really consider it. After you graduate, I'll just hire you as my Martial Soul instructor."
"Right, right, right, Brother Mo, I think that works!" Niu Dachun also brightened up and agreed with a silly smile.
Lin Mo rolled his eyes, speechless.
"You guys are dreaming!"
At this moment, a package was slammed onto the table, interrupting the three of them chatting.
"Your combat suits, two sets each. The cost is five thousand. Hand over the money as soon as possible."
Qin Ran's cold voice reached their ears.
"Okay, Class Monitor, we'll pay immediately."
The three of them replied in unison.
The three of them usually joked around with other classmates, but they didn't dare offend this Class Monitor.
This Qin Ran not only came from a high background, but her Martial Soul was also S-tier; she had long been guaranteed admission to a top-tier Martial Soul Academy.
It was just that she insisted on taking the college entrance exam based on her own strength.
Lin Mo sent his and Niu Dachun's expenses to Qin Ran together.
"Ding!"
"This is for me and Da Chun."
Seeing the notification that the money had arrived, Qin Ran glanced at Lin Mo with a scrutinizing look.
Usually, he wouldn't even pay the one or two hundred in class fees, dragging it out for an entire semester.
Today, he took out ten thousand without blinking an eye.
This made her very curious.
Seeing the Class Monitor staring at him without speaking, Lin Mo blinked. "What's the matter, Class Monitor? Ten thousand for me and Da Chun is correct, right!"
Qin Ran opened her mouth, wanting to remind him about the class fees she had helped cover for the past three years, but in the end, she didn't say it.
Lu Mengmeng, seeing that Lin Mo hadn't helped her pay, quickly spoke up to remind him.
"Boss, m-m-mine..."
"Go away, you're a young lady of the Lu Family, and you want me, an orphan, to cover your expenses? Where's your shame?"
Lu Mengmeng pouted.
So... love really does disappear, huh...
In the end, Lu Mengmeng had no choice but to stingily take five thousand from her small bag and give it to Qin Ran.
It made Lin Mo and Qin Ran's teeth ache just watching.
How on earth are you a wealthy young lady who isn't short on pocket money, yet you act like a total miser?
Lin Mo felt a headache coming on.
...
School let out at noon.
The three of them walked out of the school gate together.
"Boss, should we go check out the Secret Realm entrance today?"
Lu Mengmeng tugged at the corner of Lin Mo's shirt like a little follower.
"Check what? The Secret Realm only opens tomorrow. You should just go home."
Lin Mo shook his body, but couldn't shake off Lu Mengmeng's claws.
"Oh!" Lu Mengmeng pouted.
Lin Mo didn't want to bring Lu Mengmeng along.
He just wanted to ditch her quickly so he could go to the market with Da Chun.
At that moment, a luxury car suddenly stopped in front of the three of them.
The window rolled down, and a bitter-looking, middle-aged handsome face poked out.
His gaze scanned back and forth between Lu Mengmeng and Lin Mo.
Especially when he saw Lu Mengmeng's hand tugging at Lin Mo's shirt, his eyes were practically spitting fire.
"Old geezer, why are you here?" Seeing the middle-aged man, Lu Mengmeng immediately put her hands on her hips and demanded.
"Get in the car!"
"I won't!"
Lu Mengmeng shook her head like a rattle-drum. "I want to go play with my Boss!"
The middle-aged man's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot, staring daggers at Lin Mo, his eyes looking as if he wanted to swallow him alive.
"You are Lin Mo?"
Lin Mo's heart skipped a beat—with this aura, could it be Lu Mengmeng's father?
He quickly let go of the corner of his shirt that was being tugged, squeezing out a standard fake smile.
"Hello, Uncle. I'm Lin Mo, Mengmeng's classmate."
"Classmate?" Lu Mengmeng's father sneered.
"You get in the car too!"
"Me?" Lin Mo pointed at his nose, a bit confused.
Didn't Lu Mengmeng say she had already beaten her father into submission and he wouldn't bother him anymore?
But looking at this situation, it seems he still wants to take me back and beat me up...