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墨書 Inktalez
The wise may have their lapses, let alone Hu Ruoyun, who was far from being a sage.
He never expected to find himself at the center of a scandal.
It was past seven on October 2nd when he returned to the dormitory. The other four roommates were already there, watching as Hu Ruoyun entered and turned their attention to their leader, Zhao Jinpu.
Zhao Jinpu surveyed the group and cautiously asked, “Third Sister, did you go home these past few days?”
Hu Ruoyun replied, “I did.”
Zhao Jinpu continued, “With the holiday, was it easy to get a ticket home?”
Hu Ruoyun said, “A friend drove me…”
Cui Shuigen couldn’t hold back any longer. “Boss, let me ask! Brother San, whose car were you in? Was it a guy or a girl driving? Who else went back with you?”
Hu Ruoyun was a bit confused. “It was a female classmate from the Evening News, sister Lai. My sister and I went back together. What’s going on with you all?”
Cui Shuigen ignored Zhao Jinpu’s warning glance. “There’s news from the journalism department saying you’re being kept by a rich woman, that all your money comes from her. She even came to pick you up yesterday…”
Only then did Hu Ruoyun remember that when he got into Liu Ru Yan’s car that day, he had seen Jie Bing and several guys walking by. Not wanting to acknowledge them, he pretended not to see.
Damn it, how could such filth lie beneath such a polished exterior?
Hu Ruoyun cursed under his breath, “He’ll eventually pay for his character!”
He then pulled out some Niu Tun Da Huo Shao from his bag and distributed one to each person.
Niu Tun Da Huo Shao has a history of over 300 years and is renowned alongside Daokou Roast Chicken. “The dough weighs half a pound and is folded into eighteen layers; filled with lard inside and brushed with soybean oil outside; turned eight times in the oven until the oils blend; golden brown and crispy, a delightful treat for friends.”
In the area around Niu Tunji (now Niu Tun Town), which borders Yuan and Fengqiu counties, this little poem describing Niu Tun Da Huo Shao has long been used by storytellers as an opening line to attract audiences. Niu Tun Da Huo Shao is a uniquely flavored local delicacy.
Legend has it that two hundred years ago, Niu Tunji served as an official post station on the road from Beijing to Kaifeng. Officials passing through would dismount their carriages and have the shopkeepers prepare Niu Tun Da Huo Shao for them to enjoy before taking some along for later—this contributed to the prosperity of Niu Tunji.
Niu Tun Da Huo Shao resembles a large baked pancake but is bigger than regular ones; it looks like a meat pie but is crispier than those. It is round like a cake with a color resembling purple copper, bulging in the middle with distinct layers. Known for being large with plenty of meat inside, crispy on the outside yet tender within, fragrant without being greasy, it is favored by diners for its convenience.
That day, Hu Ruoyun and Mao Jie accompanied Liu Ru Yan to try Ba Li Ying's zhuang mo and Niu Tun Da Huo Shao. Liu Ru Yan particularly enjoyed the latter so much that she bought twenty more to take back to Jiangcheng for her family and friends to taste.
After learning that Mao Jie was Mao Na’s brother, they became even more friendly.
They didn’t return to Annan County City until late afternoon. Upon arriving at Mao Na’s house in Chengguan Town to pick her up, Mao Jie eagerly invited Liu Ru Yan upstairs. Mao Weiguo and Zhang Xiuzhen were home as well; after chatting for a while and discovering that Mao Weiguo was the county chief of Annan County, Liu Ru Yan felt even more determined to do something in Annan.
This delay meant they returned to Jiangcheng quite late.
On Monday morning, it was Counselor Teacher Zhou's class. After the lesson, Teacher Zhou called out to him, "Hu Ruoyun, come to my office for a moment."
Hu Ruoyun followed Teacher Zhou to the office. Once the door was closed, the usually kind and approachable Teacher Zhou wore a stern expression: "You are all adults now, and normally the school could turn a blind eye to such issues. But you are different; you are still the Secretary of the class's Youth League! What kind of influence does this have?"
Regarding what his roommates had said yesterday in the dormitory, Hu Ruoyun initially intended to ignore it, but he never expected it would reach Teacher Zhou.
This was truly a case of wanting peace but being caught in the storm.
Hu Ruoyun asked, "Teacher Zhou, may I ask where you heard those rumors about me?"
Teacher Zhou replied, "It was that Jie Bing who transferred out of our class. He specifically came to report this matter to me, claiming he saw a woman pick you up from downstairs at your dormitory!"
Hu Ruoyun was almost amused by Jie Bing's foolishness: "Teacher Zhou, did you ask him how he determined that the woman who picked me up must have an improper relationship with me? First of all, the person who picked me up is a classmate from Jiangcheng Evening News, Lai Wen. She just returned from abroad, and until yesterday, we had hardly met more than a few times. Moreover, she wasn't the only one; my sister was also with us when we returned to Annan!
Secondly, you can call my roommates over to ask why Jie Bing transferred majors and moved out of our dorm!
Thirdly, I didn't want to pursue this matter initially. But since it has reached you specifically and likely spread to more people, it has affected my reputation. Now, I formally request that you and the school investigate this matter. If the investigation finds that I indeed engaged in inappropriate behavior contrary to university student regulations, I am willing to accept any punishment from the school.
However, if I am being maliciously slandered, I also request that the school take serious action against those spreading rumors. Isn't his mother in law? She should know what legal responsibilities his actions entail!"
Teacher Zhou had initially been skeptical about such rumors but felt compelled to speak with Hu Ruoyun after Jie Bing's report. However, Hu Ruoyun's demeanor suggested he was not lying! If the rumors were false, then Jie Bing had serious issues.
Next, from leader Zhao Jinpu to Cui Shuigen, Teacher Zhou called each of them in turn. The truth became clearer and clearer. Teacher Zhou grew increasingly angry: what kind of mentality did this Jie Bing have? It was one thing to repay kindness with malice; it was another to fabricate lies and harm others!
Everyone has a protective instinct for their own; especially when it comes to someone like Hu Ruoyun, whom they regard as a good student.
Teacher Zhou reported the situation directly to the department head Liu Mingzhi, an old-fashioned man who had experienced special times and despised petty behavior. He immediately arranged a meeting with Jie Bing's counselor and demanded that they represent the Chinese department in delivering a stern reprimand and require him to write a formal apology as a warning for others!
Jie Bing's mother brought his father along for support when they were confronted by Zhao JiaqI from the Student Affairs Office. The Law Teacher firmly responded: "You work in law; can you tell us what legal responsibilities come with 'fabricating facts and defaming others'?"
mother Jie argued: "Our Jie Bing is still just a child!"
The Law Teacher replied: "According to his records, he is already over 18 years old and should bear civil legal responsibility!"
With no other choice, mother Jie had to accept the school's disciplinary decision against her son and formally apologize to Hu Ruoyun. This time, including leader Zhao Jinpu, no one suggested forgiveness.
The ignorant may be fearless but must pay for their ignorance and fearlessness.
So children, remember that while the world is vast, only at home do your parents exist...
The end of the universe is not within your sight.
People are like this; once comparisons arise—whether they are in fire or boiling oil—if they see someone in a worse situation than themselves, they find solace.
Some people eagerly await the moment when others stumble and fall, hoping they might even knock out a couple of front teeth in the process.
There are many paths to success: some come from strong families, some are self-made, and others simply have good luck. However, most of those who fail tend to have a loose tongue. As the saying goes, it takes three years to learn how to speak and thirty years to learn how to keep quiet, and there's not a shred of doubt about that.
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