The moment Li Yundong and Su Chan walked into school the next day, he was stunned to notice that wherever he went, people stared at him, pointing fingers and whispering behind cupped hands.
As soon as they entered the classroom, the students who had been chatting fell instantly silent, their gazes snapping toward Li Yundong in unison.
“Hahaha, the big star is here!” Class monitor Sun Li burst out laughing, pointing at Li Yundong with undisguised glee.
The classroom erupted. Like a surging tide, the students rushed toward Li Yundong, thrusting their notebooks and scraps of paper forward. “Big star, sign it quickly!”
“True Master Li, take me as your disciple, hehe! Of course, you have to sign first!”
Li Yundong jumped, genuinely surprised that these students were still so animated after just one night. He waved his hands, putting on an affected air. “Alas, I have always emphasized keeping a low profile, but you people insist on showering me with flowers and smiles. How am I supposed to bear such attention?!”
The students roared with laughter. Sun Li joined in, loudly inciting trouble while pointing at him: “Hey everyone, he’s being a diva! What should we do about this diva?!”
The classmates, eager for chaos, jeered back, “Tear off his clothes, pull down his pants, throw away his shoes!”
Sensing trouble, Li Yundong made a move to bolt, but then he saw Kris and John, along with the other students participating in the international university exchange program, approaching.
Compared to his overly enthusiastic classmates, Li Yundong was more apprehensive about facing these two foreigners. After all, he had severely embarrassed them, causing them quite the spectacle, and that truly wasn't right.
“My dear brothers and sisters…” Li Yundong quickly turned back, clasping his hands in supplication. “Hear me out, everyone! I promise I’ll handle all the autograph requests. But right now, the foreigners are here—we can’t let outsiders see our silliness! We are all of the same root; why should we rush to hurt one another?”
The crowd cheered their assent. Some of the bolder girls, while sneaking glances at Li Yundong, giggled knowingly. “Perhaps you meant, ‘Why the rush to intertwine?’”
Only when Li Yundong finally settled into his own seat did he let out a long breath. Su Chan, beside him, asked with clear confusion, “Why are they all asking for your signature?”
Li Yundong paused to consider. “Well, some people think you’re a star, or perhaps you have the potential to be one. They ask for an autograph mainly to show off to others, and secondly, so they can sell it later when you actually become famous.”
Su Chan’s eyes widened. “Signatures can be sold for money?”
“If I become a huge star later, of course, they can be sold,” Li Yundong replied.
Su Chan giggled. “Then I want an autograph too!”
Seeing her innocently cute demeanor, Li Yundong couldn’t help but smile. “What would you want an autograph for?”
Su Chan laughed mischievously. “I want lots and lots of your autographs! Then I’ll be a very rich person someday!”
Li Yundong burst into laughter, affectionately ruffling the little girl’s hair. “Silly, too many signatures aren't worth much! Besides, my signature isn’t worth a penny right now!”
Su Chan pouted, instantly deflated. “Is that so?”
Li Yundong’s heart melted at her cuteness. He leaned in close and whispered, “If you really want one, I’ll only sign for you. Then the signature you hold will be worth a little something!”
Su Chan’s gloom instantly cleared, her face lighting up with joy. She quickly asked, “Really?”
Li Yundong fought back a smile. “Truer than pearls! But do you have any paper or a notebook for me to sign?”
Su Chan had only come to accompany Li Yundong to school and was empty-handed. She immediately showed a look of distress. “I don’t have anything! What should we do?”
Li Yundong leaned down and whispered into Su Chan’s ear, “I can sign on you…”
Su Chan’s ears tingled from his breath, and a wave of softness washed over her. She giggled. “Stop it, you’re so shameless!”
Li Yundong and the little girl were growing closer, and words he previously wouldn’t dare say now flowed easily and boldly. Just as he was about to tease her a little more, someone suddenly slid into the seat beside him with a whoosh.
Li Yundong turned to see Kris glaring at him, her expression sour. A few others sat down behind him as well. John’s head poked over, and he grinned at Li Yundong, saying cheerfully, “Chi fu!”
Li Yundong shook his head and sighed. “You two really have patience. You’re heading back to the States in a couple of days—why bother? Why not leave yourselves with some pleasant memories? Tiannan City University has its own scenic spots, you know. You should go see those instead, okay?”
John had been vaguely listening to Li Yundong babble away in Chinese, not understanding a single word. He finally caught the last word, “,”—how could he not understand that? Ignoring whatever Li Yundong had said before, he nodded his head vigorously like a rattle drum to acknowledge his presence. “*, !”
John’s antics made Li Yundong roar with laughter. Kris suddenly whipped her head around and snapped at John, “Kou bi! (Shut up!)”
John instantly recoiled, his face a picture of hurt grievance. He turned to Kris. “Kris, what did I do to offend you now?”
Kris retorted, “This guy is trying to find ways to chase us away. He finds us annoying!”
John immediately adopted a look of deep sorrow and pain, shouting at Li Yundong, “Chi fu, what you’re doing deeply hurts my soul! I sincerely and solemnly wish to become your disciple!”
Unfortunately, Li Yundong didn’t understand a single word of his heartfelt declaration. Only after Kris translated did Li Yundong consider it for a moment and reply, “Since you feel you are sincere, then I will be equally sincere in telling you: I can only teach you if you learn Chinese and settle down in China. Otherwise, it’s absolutely impossible!”
Kris had come to find Li Yundong today partly because, as international exchange students, they needed to sit in on some Tiannan University lectures. On the other hand, after returning to her lodgings the previous night, she had thought it over and over, feeling utterly unwilling to concede. Since childhood, she had never been treated with such disdain!
The apprenticeship was secondary; the most important thing was to reclaim her dignity!
Americans are naturally free-spirited, but the national character of the world’s number-one superpower had ingrained in them an arrogant mentality of ‘I am the best in the world.’
Hearing Li Yundong’s response, Kris was so angry she forgot to translate, shouting directly at him, “You have no sincerity at all! You are sabotaging the friendship between our two nations!”
Well, that was escalating quickly; what a heavy accusation to pin on someone!
Li Yundong, whose tongue was just as sharp, sneered. “Listen, whether or not you want to be my disciple is your business. Whether or not I want to take an apprentice is mine. Your country might be mighty, but it’s not mighty enough to force me to accept you as students, is it? Don’t bring up international friendship; it sounds truly disgusting! Your country hasn’t exactly been short on breaking its promises!”
Some of the exchange students from the University of Pennsylvania, who understood Chinese, immediately interjected to mediate. “Kris, forget it. Don’t force it. Maybe they really do have such rules.”
“Yeah, Kris. I heard that Chinese masters are indeed very particular when taking on disciples.”
These people kept advising her. Kris, known as the China expert at her university, specializing in Chinese language, literature, and ancient history—earning her the moniker ‘Venus of Wisdom and Beauty’ in the International College—knew the weight of their words.
Kris took a deep breath, her anger gradually subsiding, but a stubborn glint appeared in her eyes. She lowered her voice and declared, “I will not give up. Sooner or later, you will accept me as your disciple! And him too!”
Kris pointed toward John sitting in the row behind.
Li Yundong thought this foreign girl had the temperament of someone from Hunan—stubborn to the point of being unreasonable! She was pursuing something she knew was impossible!
Li Yundong smiled. “Alright then, let’s wait and see! I’m curious how you plan to make me accept you as a teacher.”
John genuinely wanted to become his disciple because he truly loved all forms of martial arts in the world. Especially after seeing Li Yundong knock someone down with a single punch in mid-air, he was as hooked as an addict seeing their drug and was unwilling to give up the chance to learn.
As for Kris, her initial request was merely a casual remark, but now that remark was taking on a serious dimension as the stubborn streak in the foreign girl flared up!
Li Yundong stopped paying attention to the foreigners. With a sweep of his peripheral vision, he saw Zhou Qin and Ding Nan enter the classroom.
Ding Nan spotted Li Yundong immediately, nudged Zhou Qin gently with her elbow, and gestured toward Li Yundong with her eyes.
Zhou Qin also saw Li Yundong. A soft look flashed in her eyes, and she gave him a slight nod, acknowledging him.
This gesture would be utterly ordinary for anyone else, but coming from Zhou Qin, it was earth-shattering.
Those in the classroom who knew this usually cold and reserved girl were so shocked their mouths could fit a fist. “Zhou Qin actually initiated a greeting?”
“Has she taken a liking to Li Yundong too?”
“I heard she’s having a birthday party today. Were you invited?”
“No, but the class monitor, Sun Li, was invited, and I heard most of the attendees are handsome guys and beautiful girls.”
“Tsk tsk, I really wonder what her birthday party will be like.”
Amidst the students’ hushed chatter, the teacher arrived, and the classroom gradually quieted down.
Finally, when the noon class ended, Li Yundong practically fled the classroom like a prisoner on parole, pulling Su Chan along. Since they had afternoon classes, they couldn't go home for lunch, so they headed straight for the cafeteria.
The moment they stepped into the vast dining hall, all eyes immediately turned toward the pair.
One was the current blazing star of Tiannan University; the other, the universally acclaimed 'perfect girlfriend' among the male students. A couple like that couldn't help but attract attention.
Although Su Chan was usually carefree, she felt extremely self-conscious under the scrutiny of so many eyes in the large cafeteria. She tugged at Li Yundong’s sleeve. “Why are they looking at me?”
Li Yundong replied, “Because you are too beautiful, that’s why they are looking at you.”
Su Chan instantly brightened up. “Really?”
Li Yundong laughed. “Fake!”
Su Chan’s face fell. “Hmph, annoying!”
The two bought their meals and sat down. No one dared to approach their table—not because they didn’t want to, but because the auras emanating from Li Yundong and Su Chan were too intense.
Li Yundong looked around. Seeing no one daring to come within five meters of him, he suddenly felt a desolate sense of isolation, like snow falling in an empty world. He sighed deeply. “So this is what it feels like to be a celebrity!”
The moment the words left his mouth, he heard a girl nearby snicker. “Li Yundong, you really have some thick skin!”