Chapter 7: Open Robbery

Vomiting blood.
Did I really scold her to the point of vomiting blood?
Chen Yun was momentarily stunned, and then checked Hao Mei's stats. Everything else was a question mark, but her HP had decreased by a quarter.
Good grief, his skill at chewing people out was this overpowered. It seemed that in the future, before fighting humanoid monsters, he could afford to spend a while verbally abusing them first.

Amidst the astonished gazes of his classmates, Chen Yun pulled a primary health restoration potion from his inventory slot and poured it straight into Hao Mei's mouth. Her HP instantly returned to full. Afterward, Chen Yun took out the pink item, the Time Reversal Talisman, which he had thought he wouldn't need, and silently chanted: "It's a waste to use this item on such an occasion, but I have no choice. Activate."
"Player Chen Yun has used the Time Reversal Talisman. Everyone, everything, and the entire field of view have been reset to 10 minutes ago."

The scene shifted instantly. Everyone and everything in the classroom went back to 10 minutes ago.
Hao Mei was gone, and the classmates were excitedly cutting loose.
"What games are we playing? Sing it again, Chen Yun!"
"It sounded way too good. Once is nowhere near enough, at least ten times!"
"Haha, I recorded it. I'm going to put it on single-track repeat all night."
"Chen Yun, didn't you say you wrote several songs? Give us another one!"

Chen Yun looked at the seething crowd below, recalling everything that had just happened, and said with a slight smile at the corner of his mouth: "No more singing. We'll have a chance later. An annoying person is about to come over shortly. If you don't want to get chewed out, everyone quiet down and study on your own." With that, Chen Yun returned to his seat.

The classmates looked at each other in bewilderment. Just as they were about to ask, they saw someone they detested walking past the door—Hao Mei.
Hao Mei wore a puzzled expression. Just outside, she had heard the classroom sounding like a vegetable market, so why was it dead silent the moment she stepped inside?
Suspiciously, she took a glance around. Seeing that the classmates were all quietly reading and doing problems, she could only leave feeling depressed.

Chen Yun looked down and smiled. Perfect. He had vented his anger, and nothing went wrong. Simply wonderful!
"Chen Yun, how did you know that shrew was coming?" Gong Yanhao asked curiously.
"Because I just came back from the future," Chen Yun said mysteriously.
"Pfft, if you don't want to say, fine. Stop spouting nonsense," Gong Yanhao scoffed, ignoring Chen Yun.

Just after it had quieted down for a moment, a female student walked in from outside the classroom and shouted from the doorway: "Which one of you is Chen Yun? The Dean of Students wants you to go to the Dean's Office to see him."
"I am, I'll go right now." The Dean of Students is looking for me? Strange, why would a big shot like him want a lagging, bottom-of-the-class student like me?
Chen Yun thought as he walked, and before long, he arrived at the entrance of the Dean's Office.

"Knock, knock, knock."
"Come in."

The Dean's Office—this was a place that students both loved and hated.
To top-performing students, it was no different from a podium for receiving awards; coming here always meant good news. To those who didn't do well in their studies, it was a nightmare. In his past life, Chen Yun was a regular here. The Dean of Students had a bizarre quirk: he loved to patrol. If he didn't circle every single class under his jurisdiction eight or ten times a day, it would practically be a sign of the sun rising from the west. Therefore, Chen Yun sleeping in class: caught; zoning out: caught; whispering in private: caught; cheating on exams: caught; studying independently: caught. He had completely become the Dean of Students' primary fishing target.

"Could it be that some trouble came up last week and he's ready to settle scores after the harvest?" Chen Yun muttered to himself, pushing the door open and walking inside.
In the Dean's Office, besides Director Feng the Dean of Students, Chen Yun also saw Teacher Li Zhoumin. A wave of doubt arose in his heart: what is this about? Does Director Feng need to drag in an audience member just to chew me out?

"Chen Yun, come, come, come. Sit down and let's talk," Director Feng greeted him very warmly.
Sit down and let's talk? This dynamic is all wrong! Could it be he's learned some new tricks? Chen Yun didn't dare sit all the way down; he perched on the edge with half his butt, ready at any moment to turn tail and run if the situation went south. After all, the psychological shadow Director Feng had cast over him was simply too massive. He had even had his parents summoned here once. That day, that second, Chen Yun had even entertained thoughts of suicide. Much like that song: that day you made my parents come, that day I wished I were dead.
"Chen Yun, don't be nervous. I asked you here today to discuss something with you," Director Feng asked with a smiling face. "Want some water? Shall I pour you a cup?"

"No, no, Director, just tell me whatever you need." There's a problem, absolutely a problem! This was clearly a weasel wishing a happy New Year to a hen—with malicious intent. Chen Yun raised his vigilance to the maximum.
"Hehe, Teacher Li, you can explain it to student Chen Yun." Director Feng looked at Li Zhoumin. "This task is extremely important. It concerns the honor of our school and allows for no mistakes."

Hearing this, Li Zhoumin frowned. The old bastard doesn't have the face to play the bad guy himself, so he's making me do it. I won't fall for your trap. You're too shameless; how is this any different from outright robbery? I'm in the music circle myself. A classic, wonderful song like this—one with the status, value, and commercial potential to be passed down for decades—is something anyone with eyes can instantly recognize. I remember Chen Yun saying he wrote more than one song; if they are all at this level, he is truly a super potential stock. No way. Morally, personally, and from the bottom of my heart, I am utterly opposed to this. I won't offend you, but I won't help you either. Organizing his thoughts, Li Zhoumin spoke up.

"Student Chen Yun, the Lanyun Municipal Education Commission is preparing to organize a city-wide campus singer competition. This is a recently issued notice requiring every middle school to have at least two contestants. Our school has already decided on one contestant, but the other contestant hasn't found a suitable competition song yet. Today, Director Feng heard the song you sang and felt it was very good..." Li Zhoumin stopped talking right there.

Director Feng was watching the fun from the side when Teacher Li suddenly went silent. Hey, what's going on? You just reached the climax, why are you mute now? Hurry up and speak, keep going! Director Feng made frantic faces and winked at Li Zhoumin, but Li Zhoumin pretended not to see.
Director Feng grew furious; this was a blatant refusal to obey his command! Fine, if you won't say it, I will. Chen Yun has always been terrified of my fierce reputation, so the moment I open my mouth, he'll definitely agree. Once this matter is over, just you wait and see how I deal with you. Director Feng glared fiercely at Teacher Li, then instantly shifted his expression, looking at Chen Yun with an amiable face.

"Student Chen Yun, I hope you can donate this song to the school to participate in this city-wide competition. Your song has a lofty concept, beautiful melody, and is even an original composition. I believe it will certainly win a high ranking in the competition. When the time comes, the school won't forget you. I will also praise you at the year-end school-wide assembly. This is a huge honor, what do you think?"

Sure enough, he harbored no good intentions! Chen Yun understood now: they wanted to use his song to build political achievements for these leaders! He had seen too many examples of such daylight robbery; he never expected to run into it himself one day.
"Director Feng, I can authorize that contestant to use this song, but my condition is that the host must announce my name as the author during the roll call."
"That won't do. If that were the case, I wouldn't have had to call you over here. The school's intention is for you to hand over the ownership of this song to a professional music teacher at the school. Do you understand what I mean?" Director Feng finally exposed his true objective.

Chen Yun's expression changed, and Teacher Li Zhoumin beside him also changed color. Wasn't it agreed beforehand that it would only be used for the competition? How did it turn into demanding the copyright ownership of the song? Too shameless, is there no shame left? How is this any different from a bandit?
"Director Feng, you can't do this." Before Chen Yun could speak, Li Zhoumin piped up: "Song usage rights and song ownership rights are two completely different things, worlds apart."
"Teacher Li, this is the school's decision, you need to keep that in mind!" Director Feng coldly glanced at Li Zhoumin. "This concerns the school's honor!"