Chapter 118: Smiles Do Not Vanish, They Only Shift!

"Are you serious? This guy has never even been to school. He probably doesn't even know how to write his own name!"

"Calling him illiterate is giving him too much credit; it’s more like he hasn't even finished nine years of compulsory education!"

"I just don't get it. Jiang Yunqi is beautiful and talented—why would she fall for a low-class street bum like him?"

The jealous pack, already united in their spite, spared no effort in belittling Chu Fei. It was as if by doing so, they could somehow reclaim a sense of superiority.

Jiang Yunqi felt a surge of indignation at their malicious words, but she had no way to refute them. Facts were facts, and she could only look at Chu Fei with an apologetic expression. If it weren't for her, Chu Fei wouldn't be suffering such humiliation.

Chu Fei, however, the person at the center of the storm, didn't seem to care at all.

"So what if I've never been to school?" Chu Fei asked, cutting straight to the point. "Is your entire life contained within a textbook?"

Such high-level sarcasm was lost on these students, who had yet to be hardened by the realities of the world. Although Chu Fei hadn't been "hardened" by society either, he often gave society a hard time, which, for all intents and purposes, was close enough.

"Stop pretending to be cultured!" Wang Yang sneered. "You’re just a piece of trash who’s never stepped foot in a school. Do you really think you’re fit to sit in the same classroom as us university students?"

"Grandpa... Professor Wang, just kick him out already!" The other jealous onlookers began to clamor as well, demanding that Chu Fei get out and stop being an eyesore.

Finally, Wang Hai stepped in to take control of the situation.

"I have never been opposed to people from outside the university sitting in on my lectures," Wang Hai said, looking at Chu Fei. "But if you are only here to stir up trouble just to chase after a young lady, I can’t find any reason to let you stay."

"Please leave. Don't disrupt our class, or I’ll have to call security."

This was a blatant slap in the face. If he were kicked out like this, it wouldn't just be Chu Fei who lost face—Jiang Yunqi and Luo Man would be humiliated along with him.

"Did you hear the professor? Get lost!" Wang Yang added insult to injury, even spitting on the ground. The others looked on with schadenfreude, waiting for Chu Fei’s pathetic exit. They were certain today’s events would spread throughout the entire school. Under such pressure, they didn't believe for a second that Jiang Yunqi would stay with this clown.

Jiang Yunqi couldn't help but speak up. "Professor Wang, Chu Fei hasn't interrupted the lecture or caused any trouble. What right do you have to kick him out?"

"Exactly! From start to finish, he has just been sitting there quietly listening to the lecture," Luo Man added, defending him.

The two women’s intervention, however, did not help. Instead, it only made the men resent Chu Fei even more. They were all men—why did the goddess speak up for him and not them? They felt a burning need to destroy him.

"He was listening to the lecture?" Wang Yang laughed. "Are you kidding me? Does an illiterate moron like him even know what advanced mathematics is? I bet he can't even recite the multiplication table!"

The remark drew raucous laughter from the crowd. Even Wang Hai merely glared at Wang Yang without stopping him. Clearly, he, too, categorized Chu Fei as some sort of social outcast.

"Who said I don't understand advanced mathematics?" Chu Fei looked at Wang Hai. "Give me a problem. If I can't solve it, I’ll leave."

"But if I do solve it, he has to run naked around the campus. How about it?"

Chu Fei could have easily wiped the floor with these two idiots, but that would be uncivilized, unsatisfying, and would only cause trouble for Jiang Yunqi. He preferred a more interesting approach.

"Overestimating your own abilities!" Wang Yang said with disdain. "You, solving a problem? Stop trying to be the center of attention!"

The others felt the same. They all knew Chu Fei was uneducated; how could he possibly solve one of Wang Hai’s math problems? It was like asking an infant to take the college entrance exam—the result would surely be a zero.

"You talk too much. Are you taking the bet or not?" Chu Fei was losing patience. Maybe he should just beat them up after all?

"I'll take it!" Wang Yang sneered. "But if you lose, you have to run naked too. Deal?"

A peacock spreads its tail to attract a mate, and men show off for the same reason. Things had reached this point, and Wang Yang wouldn't back down. Besides, he didn't believe for a second that someone who had never been to school could solve a math problem.

The students were excited by the prospect of such a thrilling wager. Only Luo Man looked at Jiang Yunqi with concern.

"Qiqi, has Chu Fei really never been to school?"

"I think so. He told me he lived on Longming Mountain since he was little..."

"Then we’re doomed! You have to talk him out of it!"

Jiang Yunqi grabbed Chu Fei’s hand. "Um... why don't we just forget it? Wang Hai is Wang Yang’s grandfather; he’s definitely going to make things difficult for you!"

"Don't worry. I’ll turn the tables for you." Chu Fei gave her hand a firm squeeze.

The overwhelming sense of security in his words gave her instant confidence. As she watched Chu Fei’s back as he stepped up to face the challenge, Jiang Yunqi suddenly turned to Luo Man.

"I think I know why I like him."

"Huh?" Luo Man asked, confused.

Jiang Yunqi said earnestly, "I love the pride he exudes when he’s in a crowd—he looks like he fears nothing in this world. In my eyes, he glows. Whenever he appears, the world lights up. I love that about him. I love him to the point of madness."

*The boy I love came down from the heavens.*
*He accidentally overturned the candle flame,*
*Igniting the twilight that filled my eyes.*

Luo Man: "..."

*Sir, are you seeing this? The way they kill people has changed!*

"Why did you stop talking?" Jiang Yunqi frowned.

Luo Man looked miserable. "I want a sweet romance too, okay? Why don't you just blow me up so you two can hear the bang!"

Seeing Chu Fei walk up to him, Wang Hai said with dissatisfaction, "Young man, are you looking down on mathematics?"

"What does this have to do with math?" Chu Fei replied with calm composure. "I’m just looking down on you."

He meant that, given Wang Hai’s level, he was incapable of posing a problem that could stump him. The crowd thought Chu Fei was being far too arrogant. Wang Hai was a titan in the field of mathematics; how could he dare to look down on him?

"Fine! Let me see just how capable you really are!" Wang Hai, furious, wrote down a notoriously difficult problem. It was several times harder than the previous one. Even Wang Yang found it headache-inducing, let alone the students below.

"Even an average professor wouldn't be able to solve such a difficult problem, right?"

"Professor Wang is being a bit of a bully!"

"Well, that kid was so arrogant. Now he’s going to fall flat on his face!"

Chu Fei ignored the jealous onlookers. He picked up a piece of chalk and began to work. His movements were fluid and effortless, completed in one breath.

The way he started made Wang Hai’s eyes widen. He took a long sip of tea from his thermos, wiped his glasses, put them back on, and stared at Chu Fei’s unconventional approach. Soon, he was completely bewildered, and then, he began to marvel at the solution.

The smile on Wang Yang’s face began to fade. No, it didn't disappear; it shifted onto Chu Fei’s face.

Within a minute, Chu Fei finished writing with a flourish, like a swordsman sheathing his blade without a drop of blood on it. He smiled at the stunned Wang Hai. "How’s that? Neat enough for you?"