"He didn't come for the exam?"
Li Nanxing was slightly startled!
"Yes, he took sick leave during the exam."
Yang Hua couldn't mention Xiang Beifei without getting angry.
Li Nanxing frowned, "Wasn't he supposed to take the Liangzhou University exam? How could he not show up for the exam?"
"Principal, are you joking? With his grades, he still wants to get into Liangzhou University?"
Because the principal was present, Yang Hua refrained from saying more unpleasant things about Xiang Beifei.
Now that graduation was approaching, he was too lazy to bother with Xiang Beifei. Since Xiang Beifei didn't show up for the exam, there was no issue of him holding anyone back.
"Did he attend class today?"
"He did. I just saw him. I was about to ask him some questions. Principal, are you looking for him for something?"
Yang Hua was puzzled, not understanding why the principal would look for Xiang Beifei.
"It's nothing important, you're busy, I won't disturb you."
Li Nanxing left the office and went to Xiang Beifei's classroom.
Xiang Beifei sat at his desk, one hand propping up his chin, staring blankly out the window.
The banyan tree outside the window shaded the summer breeze, accompanied by the light chirping of cicadas, creating harmony.
Li Nanfeng saw Xiang Beifei's figure and heaved a slight sigh.
This kid, does he look rather melancholic?
Indeed, anyone whose first system task was to get into Liangzhou University would not have it easy.
"Xiang Beifei, come out for a moment," Li Nanxing called out.
Xiang Beifei came back to his senses, shifting his gaze from the banyan tree with some surprise.
The other classmates in the room fell silent upon seeing the principal's sudden visit, but when they realized he was actually there for Xiang Beifei and remembered Xiang Beifei had skipped the exam, they felt a bit of schadenfreude.
Being called out by the principal was never a good sign.
"Come take a walk with me."
Li Nanxing walked ahead with his hands clasped behind his back, walking along the tree-lined path of the campus.
Xiang Beifei followed obediently behind.
Li Nanxing sat down on a bench under a tree, looking at Xiang Beifei with slightly furrowed brows.
"You said you wanted to take the Liangzhou University exam, so why didn't you take this mock exam seriously?"
Xiang Beifei thought for a moment and said, "I had an emergency that day, so I took leave."
"What emergency could be more important than an exam? You couldn't possibly have gone to do a system task. I remember your system's first task is to get into Liangzhou University!" Li Nanxing said.
Xiang Beifei kept silent, just lowering his head and pondering.
Li Nanxing thought Xiang Beifei avoided meeting his eyes out of guilt and heaved a sigh.
"I know what you're thinking," he said.
Xiang Beifei looked up, his eyes filled with confusion as he gazed at Li Nanxing.
Li Nanxing continued, looking at Xiang Beifei's expression, "Do you feel that the first system task is too difficult, that you cannot possibly get in, so you've given up on yourself and didn't dare to take part in the mock exam?"
Xiang Beifei was somewhat astonished.
Li Nanxing spoke earnestly, "For an N-level Awakener to apply to Liangzhou University, there certainly is difficulty. Your grades weren't good to begin with, and then your system issued you an outrageous task. It's natural to feel hopeless, but that doesn't mean you should give up on yourself!"
"You don't have to explain anything. I know that you must be feeling disheartened, even desperate. I understand how you're feeling right now," Li Nanxing said gently.
"You must have been under a lot of pressure these days, haven't you?"
"It's quite normal to feel great pressure. Anyone whose first system task was to get into Liangzhou University would definitely feel it. Over the past month, you've probably been so stressed you couldn't eat or sleep, constantly doubting whether you could really get into Liangzhou University. That's normal, many N-level Awakeners go through stages of self-doubt."
"It's okay that your foundation is weak, but improving grades doesn't happen overnight. It's only been a month since your system issued the task, and you haven't persisted long before you're beating a retreat. How can this be acceptable?"
Li Nanxing patiently advised.
"You have to remember one thing, N-level Awakeners are not useless! When you feel like you can't keep going, think of our Liangzhou's Governor Shang Tianxiong. He's an N-level Awakener, yet his achievements are comparable to those of an SR-level Awakener! But do you think he got into Liangzhou University on his first college entrance exam?"
Li Nanxing was serious and earnest, slapping the armrest of the chair, his voice ringing strong:
"No! He repeated a year four times!"
He couldn't get a word in edgewise.
"You've only been preparing for a month and face a little setback, and you're already disheartened and unwilling to even take the exam. With this attitude towards studying, how can you get into Liangzhou University? You've got to pull yourself together! Don't be defeated by setbacks that easily."
Li Nanxing raised his voice again:
"Failure is not scary! What's scary is giving up before you even try!"
"If talent is insufficient, diligence will compensate!"
"Where there's a will, there's a way!"
"Without enduring the cold that penetrates your bones, how can you smell the fragrance of plum blossoms?"
Li Nanxing earnestly instructed Xiang Beifei, explaining with logic and stirring with emotion.
Why does it always feel like something is not quite right?
"Why don't you defend yourself a bit?" Li Nanxing asked.
All the words have been said by you, what can I add?
Seeing Xiang Beifei silent, Li Nanxing continued, "I once read a novel called 'Fight to the Death in the Firmament', an extremely stirring novel. I really like a line from it, 'Thirty years in the east, thirty years in the west, do not belittle the young for being poor!' I give this line to you, hoping you will forge ahead and prove yourself to the world with an N-level talent!"
Xiang Beifei's eyes widened: "..."
'Fight to the Death in the Firmament'?
Just listening to the name of this novel—
Even the firmament meets its demise.
Terrifying to such a degree!
"The headmaster reads these kinds of novels?" Xiang Beifei asked.
"I like to study various literatures, whether it's classical literature, online fiction, biographies, league chronicles, the contention of a hundred schools of thought... Every type of literature has its significance. What books you read isn't important, what matters is learning some principles from them afterwards."
Headmaster Li Nanxing, after all, had awakened the "S-level Confucian Saint System", had the temperament of a Confucian Scholar, and studying various literatures was his favorite thing to do.
Xiang Beifei nodded thoughtfully.
It seemed to make a lot of sense.
"The reason why I'm telling you so much is because you are Xiang Tianxing's son. I believe the old saying, 'A tiger father does not have dog sons.' If you can't get into university this year, there's always next year, the year after, and the year after that... If you want to measure up to an expert like Shang Tianxiong, you have to be prepared to strive for four years!
You can't miss any opportunity to test yourself. Only by taking simulated exams can you know what areas you need to improve upon, understand?"
"I understand, headmaster, I'll work hard,"
"Mm, good, go back to class now,"
Xiang Beifei bowed politely to Li Nanxing and then left.
Watching Xiang Beifei's retreating figure, Li Nanxing felt some emotion.
"It seems impossible for him to get into university this year, but I hope I've managed to awaken him! Keep up the effort next year."
As a headmaster, he felt it was his responsibility to guide this young man.