Chapter 7: The Scheme

Chapter 7: The Scheme

After hanging up, Qin Zhe quickly left the dormitory and headed to the faculty office building.

Compared to the world he originally came from, Haicheng University’s overall layout hadn’t changed much, though many areas had been repurposed.

For instance, the Martial Arts Arena Qin Zhe had visited before was an indoor stadium in the previous world.

The faculty office building, fortunately, was one of the few areas left unchanged, so Qin Zhe was quite familiar with the route as he walked there.

It didn’t take long before Qin Zhe found the Student Affairs Office on the third floor.

At that moment, the office door was wide open, and even before he approached, Qin Zhe saw the minister seated on the sofa, eyes closed, seemingly resting.

Two middle-aged men sat on the opposite sofa, chatting amicably.

Among them was a balding middle-aged man Qin Zhe recognized as Liu Botao, the Director of Student Affairs.

Besides Gu Ming, Qin Zhe hadn’t seen many familiar faces these past few days, and Liu Botao was one of them.

Seeing the minister’s usual cold demeanor with eyes shut, Qin Zhe couldn’t help but think silently: “The Ice Queen title is well-earned!”

The Student Affairs Director wielded considerable power, yet the minister acted as if he didn’t exist.

Did he have no shame?

Standing at the door, Qin Zhe knocked.

“Minister, Director Liu, I’m here.”

The three inside turned their heads upon hearing the sound, and Liu Botao spoke first.

“If you’re here, then come in quickly! What are you standing there for? Close the door!”

Startled by Liu Botao’s harsh tone, Qin Zhe was puzzled.

He figured he hadn’t offended the Student Affairs Director before—why such hostility now?

At that moment, the minister spoke.

“Director Liu, watch your tone. Qin Zhe isn’t here to be interrogated but to negotiate. You may be a teacher, but that doesn’t mean you can bark orders at students.”

Her cold voice was as commanding as ever.

Liu Botao opened his mouth but said nothing.

Seeing this, Qin Zhe inwardly gave the minister a thumbs-up and happily stepped inside to sit beside her.

Having the minister’s backing felt good!

“All right, Qin Zhe has arrived. Mr. Zhou, if you have anything to discuss with him, you may begin now.”

The minister spoke calmly, then added,

“Let’s skip the pleasantries; make it quick—I’m very busy.”

“What do you mean by that, Qingzhi?” Liu Botao couldn’t help but ask sternly.

“Mr. Zhou is a member of our university’s board. Regardless of your nature, you should at least show some respect when speaking!”

So Zhou Wentong’s father was on the Haicheng University Board of Directors?

No wonder Liu Botao was so aggressive from the start—he was trying to curry favor!

Qin Zhe raised an eyebrow and glanced at the middle-aged man named Zhou but said nothing.

It was clear Liu Botao wanted to flatter Zhou Wentong’s father; Qin Zhe knew better than to interrupt and risk being targeted.

“Director Liu, ease up. I’ve always admired Miss Qingzhi’s straightforwardness. Besides, she isn’t wrong—this matter is your overstep.”

The middle-aged Zhou smiled amiably, smoothing things over, then turned his gaze to Qin Zhe.

“You must be Qin Zhe, right? Let me introduce myself—I’m Zhou Wu, father of Zhou Wentong. I brought you here mainly because of my unworthy son.”

Leaning back on the sofa, Zhou Wu continued slowly.

“A few days ago, my son lost a duel with you at the Martial Arts Arena. Being outmatched isn’t a big deal—it’s natural for young people to clash when they don’t see eye to eye.”

Just as he finished, Liu Botao couldn’t resist butting in.

“That’s true, but Qin Zhe, you really shouldn’t have forced Zhou Wentong to make that unnecessary bet!”

“Unnecessary bet?”

Qin Zhe blinked, recalling Zhou Wentong’s earlier threat to abandon his cultivation and drop out if he lost the duel.

He hadn’t taken that seriously then…

At the time, he only wanted to earn some spirit stones, not push Zhou Wentong into a dead end.

One must always leave room for future encounters.

Such simple wisdom was not lost on Qin Zhe.

The fact this matter had escalated to the Student Affairs Office surprised him.

Thinking carefully, something felt off.

Zhou Wentong had made the bet himself—how had it turned into Qin Zhe forcing him?

Just as he was about to explain, Zhou Wu suddenly pulled a delicate ring from his pocket and placed it on the coffee table between the two sofas.

“What’s done is done; I don’t wish to pursue it further. I understand young people can be reckless, but ruining someone’s life over a petty matter is unacceptable. Inside this storage ring are one hundred medium-grade spirit stones. I hope Qin Zhe will forget about the bet with my son, as if nothing happened.”

One hundred medium-grade spirit stones?

Qin Zhe’s eyes widened, immediately drawn to the ring on the table.

A storage ring!

This was a high-end item, rumored to be owned only by wealthy, advanced cultivators.

Setting aside the ring itself, a hundred medium-grade spirit stones were a devilish temptation for Qin Zhe!

Just one medium-grade spirit stone Zhou Wentong had dropped that morning was considered a fortune by him—what did a hundred mean?

Moreover, with the emergence of innate essence conversion, Qin Zhe’s need for spirit stones was practically limitless.

In the Dragon Nation, daily life primarily used the common currency, Dragon Coins.

But for cultivation-related purchases, spirit stones were almost exclusively required.

To convert potential points, Qin Zhe needed vast amounts of spirit stones to buy heavenly spiritual items like the Azure Spirit Fruit, making poverty a genuine concern.

Yet, faced with these one hundred medium-grade spirit stones, Qin Zhe merely glanced at them without much emotion.

Having navigated the social underbelly for many years in his past life, Qin Zhe was all too familiar with schemes where people put others in a bind—and had suffered plenty of losses when naive.

Sure enough, before Qin Zhe could speak, Liu Botao suddenly stretched out his pudgy hand to press down on the storage ring.

“Director Zhou, how can you do this? It’s just a bit of youthful scuffling—there’s no need for you to trouble yourself or waste money!”

After speaking, Liu Botao looked righteous.

“Qin Zhe, you can’t take these hundred spirit stones! Zhou Wentong was seriously injured in your duel and is still in the hospital. Director Zhou is just worried about his son. Don’t be foolish! Our school regulations strictly forbid greed for unjust gains—violators face expulsion!”

“Director Liu, haven’t you played this act enough already?” Qin Zhe tilted his head oddly, then looked at the minister beside him.

“Minister, these two are escalating things to the point of expelling me. Won’t you say something to help?”

“If you know Director Liu and Director Zhou are putting on a show, why take it seriously?” The minister’s crimson lips parted slightly, a trace of annoyance flickering in her clear eyes.

“I’m taking charge of this matter. Your bet with Zhou Wentong is null and void. Director Liu, Director Zhou, I have work in the Discipline Inspection Department. Qin Zhe, let’s go.”

Without giving the two men a chance to reply, the minister rose and headed out of the office.

Seeing her leave without hesitation, Qin Zhe quickly stood and followed.

A Student Affairs Director and a university board member were not people he could afford to offend now! Best to slip away quietly.

(End of chapter)