Chapter 18: Called Upon in Class

Fortunately, Elder Ye reacted in time and reached out to catch Chen Ping, preventing him from collapsing onto the floor.

"Is he... drunk?" Li Feng asked uncertainly, rising to peek at Chen Ping’s cup, which was still more than half full.

Elder Ye supported Chen Ping and listened carefully to his breathing for a moment. Once he confirmed the boy was merely asleep, he let out a sigh of relief. "He is drunk. He’s still young; he can’t hold his liquor."

"True..." Li Feng started, but Li Yang cut him off.

"Splendid! That retort earlier was truly brilliant! I recall you mentioning that this child has only just begun to learn his characters?" Li Yang looked at the sleeping Chen Ping with a glint in his eyes.

Li Feng nodded in agreement, but Elder Ye pulled the boy closer, his expression guarded. "Li Qizhi, you old scoundrel, you aren't thinking of snatching him away from me, are you?"

"He has only been reading for a few days, yet he can compose such verse..."

"That is non-negotiable!" Elder Ye interrupted sharply. "I already told you—he is to be my closing disciple!"

Li Yang tried to continue his persuasion, but Elder Ye was having none of it; he scooped up Chen Ping and prepared to leave.

Li Feng hurried after them. "Elder Ye! Elder Ye! Please, mind your health!"

"My health is perfectly fine!"

Afraid the two men would catch up, he even broke into a light jog while carrying Chen Ping. Li Feng, hesitant to pursue, watched as Elder Ye hurried away even faster, fearful of them closing the distance.

"Old men are just like children; pay him no mind."

***

By the time Chen Ping slept off the effects of the wine, it was already the next morning.

He clutched his forehead, still dazed and trying to recall how he had returned to the academy, when he heard movement beside him.

"You’ve woken up at just the right time."

Ye Chongwen said as he dressed, "Hurry up. I reckon the instructor is already at the academy gates."

Hearing this, Chen Ping flipped out of bed and began pulling on the clothes laid out on the headboard, not forgetting to ask Ye Chongwen how he had returned the day before.

"Naturally, you were brought back by someone. I heard that you collapse the moment you touch a drop of wine," Ye Chongwen teased, feigning the look of someone who had caught him in a scandal.

Chen Ping defended himself with logic: "I’m just young right now. You wait and see how I pour drinks for you in the future."

"Then I shall wait and see." Ye Chongwen grabbed his books and headed for the door. "Hurry, don't be late."

"Coming!"

Upon entering the classroom, Chen Ping immediately noticed that the instructor sitting at the desk was none other than Li Yang, the man who had been reciting poetry and drinking with Elder Ye the day before.

The students here were mostly of similar age to Chen Ping. For this first lesson, Li Yang did not lecture on anything overly profound; he simply explained the basics of poetry and then asked everyone to practice matching couplets.

Starting with simple pairs like "sun" and "moon," or "heaven" and "earth," the difficulty increased as he added more characters. Most students could manage two-character phrases, but once they reached three or four, the number of voices answering dwindled to a handful.

Li Yang was completely different from the relaxed man at the dinner table the day before. As a formal instructor, he commanded respect. Although Chen Ping dared not be insolent, his typical student habits took hold.

A growing desire to avoid being called upon engulfed him. No matter how Li Yang looked at him, Chen Ping pretended not to notice, even burying his head and feigning deep thought, while inwardly screaming, *Please don't call on me, please don't call on me!*

It was Murphy’s Law: what you fear most is what happens.

Li Yang called Chen Ping’s name directly. "The Clear Summer Palace in the human world—what is your couplet?"

The moment Chen Ping heard the prompt, he was already spiraling. Everyone else was getting single characters or simple words; why did the difficulty level suddenly spike for him?

The sympathy in the eyes of his classmates was almost palpable. Chen Ping lowered his brow, staring fixedly at the back of Ye Chongwen’s head directly in front of him.

*Brother, save me!*

Alas, Ye Chongwen’s back had no eyes. His own eyes were shining as he stared at Li Yang for a long time, full of envy for Chen Ping—why hadn't he been the one asked?

With no help at the critical moment, Chen Ping had to rely on himself. Recalling the prompt, he answered uncertainly, "The... the Vast Cold Palace in heaven?"

"A decent retort." Satisfied with the answer, Li Yang let him off the hook and turned to find a new target.

Chen Ping finally exhaled.

Watching as Li Yang picked a few more students who failed to provide an answer, Ye Chongwen’s eagerness to participate became increasingly restless. However, because Li Yang had his back turned, he never saw Ye Chongwen’s enthusiasm and called on Chen Ping again instead.

"You tell me, how should this one be matched?"

Chen Ping faced another challenge. He had managed the first two, but this last one—*The oriole chirps in the spring garden*—left him completely stumped.

With no other choice, he lowered his head to Li Yang. "This student is untalented... I do not know how to answer."

Facing the man’s look of disbelief, Chen Ping silently looked away. He really didn't know; even if he had known in his previous life, it had long since faded from his memory. After all, the peak of a student’s wisdom is only found in high school.

Since the student had admitted he didn't know, Li Yang could not force him. Yet, in his heart, he felt Chen Ping’s ability shouldn't be limited to this. Recalling the earlier scene and looking at Chen Ping’s clear, intelligent eyes, he couldn't help but wonder: did he perhaps need to be half-drunk to perform?

No sooner had he finished the thought than Li Yang immediately dismissed such an absurd notion.

After class, as the students dispersed, Ye Chongwen turned to look at Chen Ping with eyes full of envy. He had wanted to be called upon by the teacher, but throughout the entire lesson, the instructor hadn't asked him once.

Chen Ping could not empathize with Ye Chongwen. Facing his envy, Chen Ping remarked, "If only I could trade places with you, how wonderful that would be."

Ye Chongwen agreed fervently, "If only that were possible."

"What would be wonderful?" Elder Ye had just walked in and heard Ye Chongwen’s voice.

His sudden appearance so startled Ye Chongwen that he didn't even dare to pick up his books; he stood up, ready to bolt.

"Stay put." Two nonchalant words from Elder Ye froze Ye Chongwen in his tracks. "Where are you heading?"

"Nothing, nothing at all." Like a mouse seeing a cat, Ye Chongwen waved his hands repeatedly. "I was just... I didn't want to disturb you two."

Elder Ye gave a cold snort. "Disturb? You, boy, are worried about disturbing me? I tell you, today, you are going to stand right here and listen."

The words were blunt, but Ye Chongwen acted as if he had no temper, doing exactly as Elder Ye commanded. Chen Ping felt it was a bit excessive, but since the person involved didn't seem to mind, he found it difficult to say anything.

"Today, I want you to act as a witness. By the way, I recall you and Chen Ping share the same room, yes?"

Ye Chongwen nodded. "Just as we planned."

Elder Ye nodded in satisfaction. "Excellent."

"What kind of riddle is this?"

Having listened for a while, Chen Ping was still at a loss, standing there in a state of utter confusion.