CHAPTER 72: CHAPTER 71: THE OLD MAN WHO CARES ABOUT SAVING FACE

Take me to find Su Jingchen, I want to meet the principal of Qingquan Academy.

When Jiang Lin brought Yu Xiaolian to Mingxiang Pavilion, the shopkeeper Hai thought Yu Xiaolian was there to see Zheng Yuanfeng, and quickly said Zheng Yuanfeng wasn’t in the shop at the moment.

Yu Xiaolian waved her hand, "I’m not looking for him!"

The shopkeeper Hai was puzzled, as Yu Xiaolian would always excitedly run to the owner’s room every time, so why not this time?

Yu Xiaolian searched the whole lobby and finally spotted a young man in white and an old man with a white beard in the northwest corner.

Even though she didn’t recognize the principal of Qingquan Academy and had never seen Su Jingchen in person, she instantly recognized that the young man in white was Su Jingchen.

Don’t ask why, just because he’s good-looking.

It seems Su Jingchen’s asthma has improved, and now he doesn’t need to wear a mask when going out.

Oh, that perfect profile!

What kind of divine looks are these?

Perhaps Yu Xiaolian’s gaze was too intense, as Su Jingchen noticed it. When Su Jingchen turned to look at her, for some reason, a thought flashed through Yu Xiaolian’s mind.

Absolutely stunning!

This guy is exactly her type!

Such unique beauty, unmatched in the world!

He’s so young, just a boy, what will he look like when he grows up?

This is someone who will make countless young girls scream!

"Come here!" Su Jingchen waved at her.

Jiang Lin nudged Yu Xiaolian once, twice...

Yu Xiaolian finally snapped out of it, realizing she had been staring at Su Jingchen in a daze.

Oh god, Yu Xiaolian wished she could find a hole to crawl into with her embarrassment at that moment.

"Next time you go out, you better wear a mask," ultimately Yu Xiaolian shamelessly shifted the blame to Su Jingchen.

Su Jingchen lightly pressed his lips as he introduced Jiang Lin and Yu Xiaolian to Bai Shixi, the principal of Qingquan Academy.

Bai Shixi had an academic air about him, with a long beard of mixed black and white, and high cheekbones that made him look excessively thin, while his bright eyes seemed to see through everything in one’s heart.

"Since your friend is here, let’s meet another day, I’m leaving now."

"Wait!" Yu Xiaolian stopped Bai Shixi from leaving, "Principal Bai, I have something I want to talk to you about."

Bai Shixi smiled as he looked at Yu Xiaolian, "You have something? Want to talk to me?"

"Yes, I have something to talk to you about!" Yu Xiaolian nodded, "Can we talk in private?"

Bai Shixi glanced at Su Jingchen, seeing him silent, he became curious about what the young girl wanted to discuss with him alone, and smiled at Yu Xiaolian, "Alright."

Yu Xiaolian said to Jiang Lin and Su Jingchen, "You two wait for me for a while!"

She asked the shopkeeper Hai to arrange a private room for her and Principal Bai, and served jasmine tea.

"Principal, please have some tea!" Yu Xiaolian smiled as she poured a cup of tea for Bai Shixi.

Bai Shixi smiled and looked at Yu Xiaolian, "Do you know, young lady, how much a pot of tea costs at Mingxiang Pavilion?"

Yu Xiaolian nodded, "I know."

The price was set by her and Zheng Yuanfeng, how could she not know?

"To be honest, the owner of Mingxiang Pavilion, Young Master Shanyue, is my brother. I’m here to disturb you today at his request."

"Oh?" Bai Shixi’s gaze shifted slightly, "I wonder what business you siblings have with me?"

"Here’s the thing, we heard that Qingquan Academy and the Women’s Virtue Academy are hosting a poetry and book exchange. My brother and I would like to offer free gifts as prizes for the top students from your academy for this event." Yu Xiaolian voiced the plan she had already formed in her mind.

Bai Shixi listened calmly to Yu Xiaolian’s words, seemingly unaffected by her proposal.

Is he not interested in free benefits?

Looks like Zheng Yuanfeng was right, this Bai Shixi doesn’t know how to be accommodating.

Just as Yu Xiaolian was pondering how to persuade Bai Shixi, he spoke, "And then?"

Yu Xiaolian was confused, "And then?"

Bai Shixi didn’t beat around the bush, "What’s in it for you?"

There’s no such thing as a free lunch, Bai Shixi has lived long enough not to believe someone would give away things to the academy for nothing.

Let alone as Young Master Shanyue is a businessman, driven by profit, why would he do something unprofitable?

Yu Xiaolian understood and openly stated, "We’ve just imported some expensive household items from Western traders. Since the audience in Yangcheng is limited and unfamiliar with these items, I thought the academy’s event would be a good opportunity for promotion."

Bai Shixi furrowed his brow, "Promotion?"

"Yes, promotion is another word for advertising."

Seeing Bai Shixi remain silent, Yu Xiaolian added, "It means introducing good products to the interested audience, they get to use good things, and we get to make money."

Bai Shixi pondered for a moment, "Sorry, our academy isn’t a place for your business dealings. I can’t agree to this."

Seeing Bai Shixi about to leave, Yu Xiaolian quickly said, "If you’re interested in some advertising fees, Principal, we can negotiate."

Yu Xiaolian never expected that her words would anger Bai Shixi, who then accused her of being vulgar for trying to bribe him.

Yu Xiaolian was so infuriated by the stubborn old man that she thought if the path through Bai Shixi didn’t work, she’d just take another approach, and stopped talking nicely.

"Yes, I’m vulgar. If you’re not, why don’t you give me money instead?

Remember, money isn’t everything, but you can’t do without it.

I just want to advertise, I’m not forcing you to commit crimes against morality, and offering you advertising fees is insulting?

Then you’re quite lucky to be insulted this way! If this is considered insulting, every poor person would want to be insulted like this.

For being the principal of Qingquan Academy, if you’re so rigid, the academy must be struggling!"

Bai Shixi’s beard twitched in anger, clearly infuriated.

But trying to retort, he realized that arguing with Yu Xiaolian, just a child, would be undignified.

Moreover, he found that although Yu Xiaolian’s words weren’t pleasing to the ear, they made some sense.

Although Qingquan Academy is the best in Yangcheng in terms of teaching quality, the tuition barely covers the monthly salary for a few teachers, leaving not much extra.

The Women’s Virtue Academy may have high tuition, but that money never reaches him, it goes directly into the national treasury.

The academy is in disrepair, every month it’s either a desk breaking, a chair breaking, or the wall collapsing and the roof leaking.

Every month, Bai Shixi and his wife, Teacher Wan, have to use their own salaries to subsidize the academy.

Many wealthy merchants want to bribe their way to get their not-so-bright sons into the academy, but Bai Shixi refuses all he can.

If you can’t get accepted, you can’t just pay your way in, absolutely impossible.

There are also some bribes he can’t refuse, but those are usually for bribing the County Magistrate in Yangcheng, and he doesn’t get a single penny from it.

Bai Shixi inherently looks down on students who can’t pass the scholar exam but purchase a supervisor status with money. (Supervisors are also referred to as donation supervisors, i.e., scholars purchased with money.)

Some students who do get in want better accommodations and subtly inquire if Bai Shixi needs funds, but Bai Shixi, a prideful old man, would never admit he needs money.

This is about frugality, plainness, and cultivating a spirit of perseverance and hard work in you.

The boys in the male academy are easier to deal with.

The girls in the female academy, on the other hand, even complain about their creaky wooden beds when trying to sleep, which is a real headache.

Clearly, the male academy students can cope with three-legged tables, why do the girls have so many issues?

Thinking of his wife’s recent complaints about their dwindling savings, Bai Shixi hesitated.

Previously, he couldn’t bring himself to accept the money gifted to him, but surely the advertising fee doesn’t count as a gift?

Bai Shixi thought it might be best to just agree with the young girl.

But he couldn’t leave, nor could he stay, as the girl had stopped him from leaving earlier, yet now that he was standing there for ages, she wasn’t making any effort to keep him.