Chapter 32: What kind of nonsense is this! He Chen, you are clearly just prejudiced against the wealthy!

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“I’m heading back first.”

He Chen did not try to stop Ruan Liuzheng from staying for evening self-study. He merely called out to her before leaving.

The national college entrance examination was the decisive battlefield of life, the one where people strove to leap through the Dragon Gate.

Putting in extra effort during senior year was the right thing to do.

If he had not gained a cheat ability—and one as extraordinary as this—he would certainly have worked hard to endure this year as well.

Ruan Liuzheng waved for him to hurry up and go.

If he stayed any longer, who knew what sort of confrontation might erupt once Teacher Li returned?

Though she felt that He Chen’s retorts had been entirely logical, she also knew that his manner could easily give people the impression that he was picking a fight and bullying others with his sharp tongue.

More importantly, as a model student, she simply did not have the emotional fortitude to withstand such stimulation all the time.

Under the gazes of everyone present, He Chen left Class Two of Senior Three. When he reached the stairwell, he thought for a moment, then turned toward Class Thirteen of Senior Three.

It was a liberal-arts class.

Lin Miaomiao’s class.

“He Chen, you came to see me!”

The moment he arrived, Lin Miaomiao—who had been “voluntarily” staying for evening self-study and was sitting at her desk, her eyes wandering aimlessly around the room—spotted him. She ran out in delight.

“Mm.” He Chen smiled. “I’m not staying for evening self-study, so when it ends, take care of Ruan Liuzheng and come back with her. At least you’ll have some company.”

“Sure, leave it to me!” Lin Miaomiao slapped her tablet and readily agreed. Then she said enviously, “You have it so good. Aunt Ruan never restricts you. She supports everything you do. I want to go to bed early, get up early, and exercise too.”

“You’d better obediently stay for evening self-study and stop entertaining wild ideas. Otherwise, Aunt Wang will personally help you exercise.” He Chen teased her before taking his leave.

Lin Miaomiao watched him go. She was just about to complain to her best friend Deng Xiaoqi when Deng Xiaoqi picked up her schoolbag and called out, “Miaomiao, I’m off to class,” then hurried out of the classroom, leaving Lin Miaomiao unable to say a word.

Her best friend Deng Xiaoqi was preparing for the arts entrance examination. Cultural subjects were not particularly important and were easy enough to pass, while her specialized subjects required her to spend money taking classes outside school. Thus, she had a perfectly legitimate reason not to stay for evening self-study.

“He Chen.” Deng Xiaoqi paid no attention to her best friend’s envy. She lengthened her stride and quickly caught up with He Chen before slowing down.

“You’re not staying for evening self-study?”

“Mm. It conflicts with my schedule,” He Chen explained.

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“I see.” Deng Xiaoqi had only asked out of formality. When He Chen stopped to answer, she examined him intently and finally asked the question she most wanted to ask:

“He Chen, with your looks and natural advantages, why don’t you take the arts entrance examination? That person who could get into the Beijing Film Academy just by showing his face could do it, and I think you’d have an even better chance!”

“I don’t care what you think. I care what I think!” He Chen laughed. “I have absolutely no interest in becoming an actor or a celebrity.

“Besides, the entertainment industry has long been a cesspool. With my temperament, what do you think would happen if I went in there?

“And if they found out that you were the one who encouraged me to enter, it wouldn’t do you any good.”

“...”

Deng Xiaoqi was speechless.

By now, everyone could claim to know what sort of person He Chen was. No matter how unpleasant Iron-Rod Li might be, he was still a teacher devoted to educating others. He possessed at least some principles and a moral bottom line, yet He Chen had still verbally battered him until he was utterly humiliated.

If He Chen entered the entertainment industry, the spectacle would be so outrageous that Deng Xiaoqi would scarcely dare watch.

More importantly, the entertainment industry was the very center of the spotlight. With He Chen’s looks and temperament, he would probably trend every day. He would not even need any actual work; his sharp tongue alone would be enough to make him a major celebrity.

Of course, he would also offend most people beyond repair.

If they learned that she had planted the idea of becoming a celebrity in He Chen’s mind, she might as well banish herself from the entertainment industry for good.

“I was only joking,” He Chen said with a sigh. “The real reason is that the arts entrance examination is a track for children from wealthy families. Kids from poor families like us can’t afford to play on it.”

Although Aunt Ruan was a professor at a prestigious university and earned a decent income, supporting two children through private high school on her own was still difficult.

Otherwise, she would not have rented an ordinary apartment instead of moving into Scholarly Elegance Garden, the college-exam residential complex where Qiao Yingzi and Huang Zhitao lived.

The rent there was fifteen thousand yuan a month for a small two-bedroom apartment.

By contrast, the neighborhood where He Chen and the others lived, just across the street, cost half as much. That was why Lin Miaomiao’s family and Qian Sanyi’s family had chosen it.

Lin Miaomiao’s family was poor. As for Qian Sanyi’s family, his mother refused to take money from her unfaithful husband and chose to earn a living and raise their child on her own.

The required score for cultural subjects in the arts entrance examination was very low. Anyone who was not a complete fool could usually pass. But specialized subjects required classes outside school. A single lesson could cost a poor person half a month’s wages. How could they possibly afford it?

“With your advantages, you’d only need to study casually. If you don’t want to hire a teacher, I can help you with your specialized subjects...” Looking at He Chen’s face, Deng Xiaoqi acted on impulse. She no longer cared whether the entire entertainment industry would resent and exclude her in the future. All she wanted was to have more contact with He Chen now.

“You still don’t understand...” He Chen looked at her enthusiasm and shook his head. He was unsure whether he ought to make himself even more direct and explicit.

“Then explain it to me! I want to hear your thoughts!” Deng Xiaoqi studied the arts, after all, and possessed a keen eye for reading people’s expressions. She made the request in a coquettish voice.

“Whether someone has money isn’t reflected only in whether they can afford to pay for specialized classes.” Seeing her like this, He Chen decided to speak plainly.

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“What matters more is the road they will take in the future.

“For the sons and daughters of wealthy families, studying the arts is merely a stepping stone. Whether they enter the entertainment industry to indulge in a life of pleasure while making vast sums of money, or obtain a university diploma and have their families arrange a secure position for them—a complete express ride to success—it is all effortless.

“But for children from poor families, even if their parents tighten their belts to support a child with good looks, life will only become more painful if that child is not psychologically prepared.

“Once they have witnessed a world of luxury and excess, they will no longer be willing to live an ordinary life. Yet without capital, when faced with all kinds of threats and temptations, what choices do they have besides selling their bodies and dignity?

“Since ancient times, beautiful women have often met tragic fates. That is an objective reality, regardless of their personal wishes.

“Why do those great families regard acting as a lowly profession and oppose their children appearing in public? Because they fear that their children will be exposed to too many eyes and attract the attention of wicked people.

“In The Dream of the Red Chamber, the impoverished young nobleman Liu Xianglian enjoyed performing onstage as a guest actor, and Xue Pan set his sights on him as a result. That is a classic example.

“There is nothing new under the sun.

“Now look at all of you preparing to take the arts entrance examination. You know your own family circumstances best. Wang Yidi from Class Two has a father who is the chairman of a listed company.

“Which one of you comes from a poor family?

“Forget about entering the entertainment industry. Haven’t you noticed that even most of the music teachers at school are wealthy people who do not care about drawing a regular salary?

“The arts entrance examination goes hand in hand with the children of the rich.

“The path of studying the arts is not prepared for wealthy second-generation heirs—it is prepared for wealthy second-generation heirs.

“An arts student is an artist in body as well. Those with money sell their art; those without money... well, everyone understands.

“It is not an absolute rule, but it is a widespread phenomenon reflected in countless individual cases.”

Deng Xiaoqi’s expression immediately became somewhat unnatural.

It was not only because He Chen’s blunt truths had struck at her dreams. More painfully, he had brought up her family and hit far too close to home, exposing the unspeakable darkness behind her glamorous aspirations and her family’s polished exterior.

Fortunately, He Chen did not continue.

Someone nearby interrupted instead. “What kind of nonsense is that? In my opinion, some people are obviously just jealous of the rich!”

The two of them looked up and saw Ji Yangyang standing with his hands in his pockets, casting a disdainful sidelong glance at He Chen. His expression suggested that he had finally seen through the truth.

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