Chapter 133: The Grace of a Mentor

Stepping together onto the green artificial turf, Lin Yu felt a shift in the other’s attitude. He still didn’t have a shred of affection for Zhang Yang, but the deep-seated loathing he once felt had softened; the urge to fight him to the death had vanished.

This wasn't out of cowardice or fear, but rather a realization that there was no point in living a life of constant, life-or-death conflict. He wasn't living in some fantasy world where one killed for treasures; there was no need to make an enemy of the whole world. He genuinely felt that keeping a low profile had its merits.

"Actually, Lin Yu, although we’ve had our unpleasant moments, I don't believe any knot in this world is truly impossible to untie. Don't you agree?" After walking side-by-side for a while, Zhang Yang, radiating the quintessential aura of a wealthy scion, spoke up suddenly.

"I think the political scene in Bincheng is about to enter a period of great upheaval. During such a sensitive time, there’s no need for us to keep fighting over trivial matters. Relatively speaking, both you and I are far too high-profile right now. It would be easy to bring negative consequences upon our fathers," Lin Yu said, his hands in his pockets, eyes fixed ahead. He was speaking the truth; he was too famous now, and as the saying goes, things turn into their opposites when they reach an extreme. He had to be careful.

"What is your take on this shift?" Although his father, Zhang Kailai, held a high position, Zhang Yang was looking at the political situation as if through a veil of mist. He knew, however, that because his father was a key figure in the Jia Quan faction, he was very likely to be implicated.

"When it comes to officialdom, I don't understand it, nor do I want to. But I believe that crises and opportunities are mutually dependent and always coexist. Your father's situation is no different." Lin Yu knew what the other was worried about—nothing more than Zhang Kailai’s political career.

"You’re quite close to Mayor Wang Kezhou. Do you find him easy to approach?" Zhang Yang pressed.

Lin Yu smiled and shook his head, replying mysteriously, "We are all just ordinary people." In truth, Lin Yu had never even met the mayor, but he felt no need to open up to Zhang Yang, so he feigned mystery.

"I understand!" Having received an ambiguous answer, Zhang Yang acted as if he had grasped the deeper meaning. Lin Yu was thoroughly impressed by this young master; he didn't even know what his own words were supposed to mean, yet Zhang Yang had managed to derive profound implications from them. Perhaps this was the unique sensitivity of a phlegmatic personality, Lin Yu mused; he found it quite amusing.

"This time, consider me in your debt." After a moment of silence, Zhang Yang added, "A word of advice: that restaurant your family opened across from the First High School has been doing very well lately. A certain leader of the Northeast Gang has taken notice. Those people use many underhanded tactics, so you should be careful."

"Thank you for the warning. I'll find a way to handle it." Thinking of the Northeast Gang that Lin Lie had mentioned earlier, Lin Yu felt a pang of worry for his mother.

"How about I pull some strings and do some groundwork for you? You know, my father's political influence is still intact. Those people will give me some face, at least." Seeing Lin Yu’s concern, Zhang Yang offered, hoping to use this gesture to close the distance between them.

"No need. When soldiers come, we use generals to block; when water comes, we use earth to dam. I have my own way to solve it. If there’s nothing else, I’m going back to class." Lin Yu could naturally see the other’s intention, but maintaining a distance where they didn't provoke each other was his bottom line.

"Fair enough. With your father's current status, they likely wouldn't dare do much. But be careful of the hot-headed ones; some of those guys are quite loud and act without regard for consequences." Zhang Yang warned, but seeing that Lin Yu’s expression remained relaxed, he said no more.

Lin Yu responded with a lukewarm acknowledgement.

Glancing back inadvertently, he noticed an unremarkable, portly old man at the edge of the Purple Bamboo Grove. The old man was leaning on a dark brown cane, scolding a group of "illegal trespassers" in a continuous stream.

"Isn't that Principal Xie Shi?" Looking closer, Lin Yu realized the stout man in the grey windbreaker was none other than his school’s principal. He was quite familiar with this venerable old man, as he had been his father Lin Tiancheng’s homeroom teacher in high school. Hearing the old man’s booming voice, Lin Yu began to worry; he feared his 'Principal Grandfather' might get so angry it would affect his health. After all, he was a man in his sixties—he shouldn't be getting so worked up.

With this in mind, Lin Yu turned to Zhang Yang, who was also looking toward the edge of the bamboo grove. "I'm going to go calm Principal Xie down. You go ahead."

"You go on. I have something to attend to, so I'll be off." Zhang Yang said, looking slightly flustered, before breaking into a sprint toward the school gate at a speed fit for a hundred-meter dash. Clearly, he had no desire to face Principal Xie; otherwise, he wouldn't have abandoned his group of hangers-on and thugs to run off alone.

Lin Yu jogged across the deep green soccer field and the dark red rubber track, reaching the old man. He smiled and said, "Principal Xie, please don't get so worked up! They’re just here to catch up with me, not to cause any trouble. Let them leave."

"Catch up with you? And who might you be?" The old man stopped, leaning on his cane. The wind picked up slightly, rustling the bamboo grove and easily tousling the few remaining strands of the old man’s grey hair.

"Haha, Principal Xie, I'm Lin Yu, the son of Lin Tiancheng. Do you remember my father? When I enrolled three years ago, my parents and I had a meal with you." Lin Yu explained with a smile. Facing a man who had been a teacher at the First High School for twenty years and an administrator for over a decade, with students across the nation, Lin Yu felt a sense of reverence.

Upon hearing this, Principal Xie Shi pondered for a moment before remembering. After a while, he waved at the group of scions and thugs, signaling them to leave immediately.

Once they had vanished, the old man looked at Lin Yu. "Little Yu, your grades have improved quite a bit lately; I’m very pleased. When you entered the First High School, I let you in purely for your father's sake. Otherwise, with those grades of yours, I would have been worried you’d hold back the other good students."

*Wasn't it for the sake of the hundred thousand yuan?* Lin Yu thought to himself, but he didn't voice it. Instead, he bowed respectfully to the old man. "Thank you for looking after my father back then. Without you, my father would certainly have dropped out of high school and never achieved what he has today!"

"That’s a small matter. The point is, I liked your father as a boy. He was hardworking and ambitious; you could tell he would go places. If his grades hadn't been up to par back then, I wouldn't have given him a second look. It’s a harsh thing to say, but that’s just how it is." Principal Xie accepted the bow with a calm expression, making no move to help the boy up.

"A favor as small as a drop of water should be repaid with a gushing spring. My father has always taught me to keep your kindness in my heart." After saying this, Lin Yu bowed again. "Thank you for protecting me so many times, Principal. Without you, I don't know how many times I would have been expelled for fighting."

"I protected you for your father's sake. This has nothing to do with you. You don't need to thank me," the old man replied firmly.

"Haha, but I’m the one who benefited in the end," Lin Yu smiled at the eccentric old man. He knew from his father that Principal Xie had never married or adopted children, forced to spend his later years in solitude. Perhaps because of this, even after reaching the mandatory retirement age, he refused to step back into a secondary role, intent on dedicating his entire life to education. Lin Yu felt that only the phrase "devoted until the very end" could describe this elderly man in the twilight of his life.