Rebirth: Slice-of-life Cultivation Chapter 1686 - 919: Origins

Bai Yuxia went quiet.

Chen Siyu felt heartbroken and enraged. Her heartbreak came from never sharing those resources herself, while her deskmate had secretly grasped them all...

Doesn't this count as betrayal too?

Her eyes full of sorrow and voice laced with a sigh, she said, "Yuxia, what do you watch every day? Let me see your phone!"

Just then, Bai Yuxia sat meekly in her chair, her lemon-yellow fluffy jacket looking cozy and plush, but seeming to stain her innocent spirit.

"Why check my phone?" Bai Yuxia's ears flushed hot, but she held steady; that was her unbreakable self-control!

Chen Siyu pushed forward fiercely, "Hand it over or not?"

To show her purity, Bai Yuxia decided to pass the phone.

Xue Yuantong leaned in fast, eager to glimpse Bai Yuxia's hidden secrets, but Bai Yuxia's browser history lay totally blank, without a single trace.

Not like Tongtong, whose browser brimmed with height-growth tips.

Chen Siyu refused to accept it, "No way!"

Amid the shock on the two girls' faces, Bai Yuxia stayed mute, her poise cool and steady.

Setting doubts aside, Chen Siyu proclaimed boldly, "Clear browser doesn't make you innocent."

A slight smile curved Bai Yuxia's lips, "Slander."

Jiang Ning piped up, "Siyu's spot on—you used incognito mode."

Bai Yuxia: "..."

Laughter rang out in their cozy nook, as if cut off from the world, while fellow classmates raised their concerns.

"Mr. Shan, you're pulling our leg about Africa, right?" Tang Jing pinched her nose, radiating contempt.

Most folks see Africa as shadowy, filthy, reeking, disordered, and rife with illness. Tang Jing wanted no link to Class 8.

Meng Gui hammered it home, "Mainly dark!"

Cui Yu lounged back with a snicker, "Dark where? Haven't they stayed that way for ages?"

Hu Jun examined closely, "Not fully dark—gotta be some whites mixed in."

Duan Shigang bellowed from across, "Here's the quiz: what's their whitest feature?"

Lu Qiqi, picturing store goods, shot back, "Teeth?"

Cui Yu jumped in, "Nope! The owners!"

Chen Qian nudged his glasses up, answering with scholarly zeal, "To be exact, it's the cotton they clutch."

Ma Shicheng fired back, "Chen Qian, off base—the cotton ain't theirs."

"So I nailed it, huh?" Cui Yu fought to stifle his grin, viewing the scene as utter nightmare.

The class exploded in guffaws.

Right then, class monitor Xin Youling lifted his hand, "Mr. Shan, we'd gladly welcome a domestic transfer student. But those foreign students you mentioned? Most classmates won't agree, be it language gaps or culture clashes. Any fights could wreck exchanges and even strain ties between nations."

Having been coerced into Mr. Yan's setup, Shan Qingrong expected this pushback.

He'd readied his rebuttal, calling out, "Classmates, why welcome foreign students from non-African lands?"

Guo Kunnan blurted eagerly, "It shows our school's openness, boosts its fame, and honors the leaders!"

Duan Shigang and Liu Chuandao clapped, "Spot on, spot on!"

Newcomer Gong Jin, catching those words, just smirked and pegged their wits as bottom-tier.

Dong Qingfeng spoke next, starting with rejection, "Guo Kunnan, that view's too narrow."

Then he expounded smoothly, "Their origins first: study abroaders hail from elite local families. Educated here, they return home friendlier to us. They'll back us globally and ease our local trade."

"Recent years saw foreign students here for a decade-plus, back in Ai Country as top dogs now. It's top-down strategy, grooming influencers. They'll study abroad anyway—better with us than Westernized."

To wrap up, Dong Qingfeng summed, "Overall, I'm neutral. But class monitor's words sway me to back him."

Finishing, he glanced back with a grin at Xin Youling.

Cui Yu grumbled under breath, "Bastard."

Meng Ziyun called out from the side, "Bastard!"

Hearing Dong Qingfeng's comments, Gong Jin felt a measure of admiration: 'He shows decent skill, though it's rather limited.'

Chen Qian set aside his English test paper and straightened his black-rimmed glasses. "Qingfeng, that's the perfect scenario you're painting. Yet plenty haven't come back; they opted to stay put. On top of that, those relaxed entry policies grant them massive salaries, and they wind up marrying locals anyway."

"Plus, the media's full of bad stories about them. How do you judge that kind of special treatment?"

Dong Qingfeng didn't bother debating. Unable to counter, he shrugged indifferently, "An insignificant sacrifice in the grand scheme."

Ma Shicheng shook his head. "Whose interests are getting sacrificed?"

Dan Kaiquan got straight to the point, rising to declare boldly, "I oppose!"

Noticing his close buddy's move, Guo Kunnan sprang up on impulse and thrust his hand high: "I also oppose!"

Shan Qingrong remained at the lectern, absorbing the students' heated debate without a word. He powered on the multimedia PC and slotted in his prepared USB drive.

In 'My Computer,' he located the USB, selected a video file, and pressed play.

The screen flickered to life, displaying a girl introducing herself. Her Chinese was choppy but passably clear: "Hello, friends from China..."

The girl filled the display. Her features stood out sharply, reminiscent of a Uyghur. Long, thick lashes bordered her lively blue eyes, and remarkably, her skin tone was a light yellowish-white.

Dan Kaiquan, fresh from his argument, gaped in astonishment: "No way, she looks whiter than Brother Nan in that video?"

The swarthy yet roguishly handsome Guo Kunnan reeled in surprise. He whipped out a mirror, muttering, "So who's actually the dark one?"

Chen Qian clarified: "It's perfectly normal. Folks often picture all Indians as dark, but high-caste ones can have pale complexions."

"Still, this girl must be mixed, yeah? She's got Asian ancestry," Chen Qian wondered.

Once the video wrapped up, Shan Qingrong paused briefly before inquiring, "Who approves, who opposes?"

The stunning exchange student's charm led Guo Kunnan to plop back down.

Shan Qingrong overlooked the trivial everyday students. His gaze shifted to Xue Yuantong instead, awaiting her take.

Xue Yuantong held her tongue. If she were that dark-skinned, she'd never agree—it was downright frightening.

Shan Qingrong comprehended.

Based on the details he'd checked, her grandfather started as a citizen, headed to Singapore for trade, put down roots, wed a woman from Ma Country, and sired two sons. One son traveled to Africa for business and took as wife a local warlord's daughter, from whom she was born.

Shan Qingrong reflected: 'Old Yan mentioned she was raised amid warfare. En route here, her vehicle allegedly endured artillery fire. May she keep her impulses in check once in Class 8.'

'Regrettably, Yu Zhou Fourth Middle School's only a standard high school, not a military one. Otherwise, she might study up and head back to the front lines...'

Shan Qingrong had frequently encountered reports of military academy grads returning to command conflicts in small nations.

With the exchange student topic resolved, Shan Qingrong shared study guidance: "Second semester of sophomore year proves critical. It bridges high school stages, much like a mid-distance sprint from the blocks..."

Shan Qingrong continued: "Stay focused. Your group claimed the longest winter break I've ever overseen."

Cui Yu beamed with contentment: "Feels great, at last getting some real perks."

Having issued his directives, Shan Qingrong departed the classroom—plenty awaited him at term's outset.

...

The class-ending bell tolled, sparking the students back to vibrant energy.

From the back row, Yu Wen bellowed, "Why yield to her? If she doesn't fear offending me, why should I fear offending her?"

Catching the subtle dig, Lu Qiqi seethed quietly and swore to grab the seat by transfer student Gong Jin next lesson, determined to claim him swiftly.

Front-row Pang Jiao unleashed a savage glare to bully Song Sheng.

Song Sheng fired back a steely stare without hesitation. After tangling with Pang Jiao, his soul felt cleansed. Invincibility coursed through him now!

Song Sheng strutted boldly into the hallway.

The chilly gust stirred heroic fire in his chest, fueling his urge to proclaim his supremacy.

Glancing about, he found no one to share with.

His gym partner Qiang Li had abandoned him right when it mattered most.

Song Sheng pledged to demolish him at their next gym clash!

Yet, visions of tomorrow failed to ease his present solitude.

Loneliness enveloped Song Sheng, like seizing a championship trophy with no spectators in sight.

Would such a win even matter then?

Right as boredom set in, a straightforward and genuine silhouette slipped into view unnoticed.

Song Sheng spotted the upright Class 8 student, Dan Xiao.

Before words could escape his lips, Dan Xiao flashed a thumbs-up: "Song Sheng, you’re amazing, actually daring to face Pang Jiao. Most people wouldn’t dare!"

Dan Xiao's arrival swiftly banished the void haunting Song Sheng’s heart.

His round face and tiny eyes narrowed in smug delight even more: "Her? Just a paper tiger!"

Dan Xiao turned grave: "No, Pang Jiao is terrifying, but courage is the greatest tribute to humanity. Congratulations, Song Sheng!"

Song Sheng’s ego ballooned from the acclaim, filling him with greater glee: "Of course, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. I thought about giving up, haha. If I had, I’d probably face ridicule."

The mere idea made Song Sheng tremble now; thank goodness he hadn’t yielded.

Dan Xiao spoke with deep sincerity: "No matter what choice you make, I won’t ridicule you. Dare to confront Pang Jiao shows courage; admitting you can’t face her is also a demonstration of courage!"

These words prompted Song Sheng to gaze at Dan Xiao intently, elevating him instantly from mere classmate to cherished friend.

Song Sheng clapped his shoulder warmly: "Dan Xiao, how about I take you to the gym on weekends from now on!"