The Card Apprentice

Ever since seeing the Two-Hoop card-store fantasy card billboard, Chen Mu lost interest in other fantasy card billboards. He was a little unclear as to why they fell so short, since a few of them were on storefronts that weren’t any smaller than the card-store he’d just been at.

But Chen Mu had gained a lot, at the very least having learned about what could be called a real fantasy card advertisement. In his eyes, those billboards depicting hot women weren’t really advertising fantasy cards.

He was learning, but reality was cruel.

Chen Mu had no way at that time to make anything which was up to the same standards as that fantasy card billboard. He still planned to make a fantasy card billboard for Uncle Hua, though of course it wouldn’t be one of those hottie billboards.

After strolling a bit, he had already mostly finished his mental plan for making the billboard for Uncle Hua. All that was left now was to make it; he probably needed three days to finish it.

* * *

“Tingyi.” A loud and clear voice sounded from behind Zuo Tingyi. He stopped to turn around and look, where a tall young fellow was chasing after him, running like the wind. This was his good friend, Hong Tao.

“Haha! I’ve finally caught up with you, you rascal!” Hong Tao took a sudden stride forward and hooked Zuo Tingyi around the neck with his arm. The skinny Zuo Tingyi was immediately pulled forward in a stumble.

“Easy! Careful with my appearance!” Zuo Tingyi said in a low voice, knitting his brows with annoyance.

With a look of utter indifference on his face, Hong Tao said, “Come on! Whatever your appearance, I say you are a sham. One word: fake!”

Hong Tao was 1.8 meters tall, with a trim and fine figure, fully filling out the school uniform, in addition to being handsome and open, brimming with a sunny smile, and very popular in the school. Add to that his having a straightforward and chivalrous temperament, it all made him one of the most estimable people in the school.

Zuo Tingyi’s figure looked rather wimpy in comparison, though the buttoned-up school uniform made him seem a little more elegant and graceful. And given that card-masters have a unique intellectual refinement, he was more popular among women than Hong Tao.

“Article ninety-one of the Eastern Wei Academy code: ‘students should pay attention to their appearance when out in public.'”

“Article sixteen of the Eastern Wei Academy dress code: ‘on days when classes are in session, students must be dressed in the school uniform to enter the school, and the outfit must be neat and clean, particularly with regard to the collar, buttoning up, and such matters.'”

Zuo Tingyi stood back up with his ironed school uniform, expressionless, and recited the characters one by one, with his gaze falling onto Hong Tao’s wide-open collar.

“Alright, alright, I surrender!” Hong Tao begged forgiveness at once. Once Zuo Tingyi had joined the school’s disciplinary office, he became the first student in the history of the school who was able fluently to recite all seven hundred and twenty-two articles of the school code by heart, no matter how long or short. He wasn’t afraid of Zuo Tingyi hauling him in for discipline, but rather of his droning recitation!

“Hey, look, isn’t that Xin Yi?” Hong Tao looked quickly, to change the subject..

Not far away was a girl with a pink clip stuck in her hair, with two little dogs following her. In one hand she was holding a popsicle, while in the other she had a glossy Taoist magazine.

Zuo Tingyi’s expression went back to normal, and as he lifted his foot to start walking forward, Hong Tao jumped to keep up with him so the two could walk along side by side. Zuo Tingyi made a sound while pointing with his head, “Are you interested in her?”

“That’s over with.” Hong Tao shook his head right away: “I wouldn’t dare – do you know who her brother is? The chief of Eastern Shang-Wei City guard. Haha, last time when ‘Allah’ Gong wanted to get her attention, it resulted in him being taken right over to the guard office, where he sat staring for five whole hours, reportedly emerging as a shadow of himself.” Hong Tao clucked in wonder.

“Well, he deserved it.” Zuo Tingyi disdainfully said through his nose. He had always felt quite disdainful toward ‘Allah’ Gong’s kind of rich playboy. Zuo Tingyi came from a prestigious family, while although ‘Allah’ Gong’s father was a rich and powerful person, he was ‘nouveau-riche’ in the eyes of an honorable family like Zuo Tingyi’s. But the guy was discreet and had never committed any offenses in front of Zuo Tingyi.

“Have you heard that the Star Academy has someone who wants to come to our school for a while?” Hong Tao asked to sound him out.

Zuo Tingyi looked at him somewhat astonished. “You get your news quite quickly!” Because of the teachers’ affection for him, Zuo Tingyi was basically one step ahead in knowing the important news of the school. And because of his position in the disciplinary office – which was involved in all aspects of the school administration – he was a lot better-informed than most students.

“Hehe, so I do.” Hong Tao boasted, following with a resentful look, “You’re not being a very nice guy, withholding such a big piece of news as this.”

Zuo Tingyi explained, “I only just heard a short while ago as well. The school is demanding that we ruthlessly clamp down on school discipline, to keep up our appearances in front of outsiders.”

“How long will it be? What should we do while they’re here?”

“Over a month, and I’m also not clear on why they are coming, just that it’s something to do with an exchange.”

“And how strong would you say the students from Star Academy really are? They’re really raising expectations!” Some passion flashed in Hong Tao’s eyes, then he abruptly leaned his head in: “Tingyi, are you thinking of going to Star Academy?”

Zuo Tingyi stopped, cocked his head and pondered for a while, then shook his head saying: “I don’t know, since although Star Academy has slipped a little these last few years, it’s still one of the six leading academies. Its foundations are so deep that they are beyond comparison with ordinary schools. But anyhow, their coming this time has nothing to do with recruiting students.”

“Possibly. From my point of view, nine times out of ten it has something to do with recruitment. It’s already been many years since Star Academy has pursued any exchanges with other schools. If it isn’t about enrollments, then what is it about?” Hong Tao took a little exception. If it was really the way he thought it was, then it was a big opportunity for him. Zuo Tingyi understood his good friend’s strengths. Hong Tao’s true strengths were a lot greater than the ones he normally showed.

“Then why would they pick our school?” Zuo Tingyi got right to the heart of the matter, ‘drawing blood on the first prick.’

Yes, if it’s because of enrollment, then why would Star Academy pick Eastern Wei Academy? There are far and away more schools that are much stronger than Eastern Wei Academy, and they had never come around to Eastern Wei Academy.

“Hmmmm” Hong Tao was at a loss for words.

“I don’t know if those coming this time are students from the inner academy or students from the outer academy.” Zuo Tingyi said very slowly.

“It had better be the inner academy. The outer academy is far less interesting.” Hong Tao tossed his earlier question to the side, catching the drift of what Zuo Tingyi was saying.

Zuo Tingyi looked at Hong Tao derisively, “I’m only afraid that the students from the outer academy won’t be able to match the so-called ‘aces’ from our school.” He enunciated the words “so-called ‘aces'” very distinctly, mouthing them one at a time.

Hong Tao gave a couple of forced dry laughs, “Tingyi, this is all your ambition to rise to someone else’s level, and to put out my prestigious fire.”