The Young Uncle of the F1 in the Elite Academy - Chapter 3

The morning passed quickly.

Jiang Xing ordered a scholarship student from his class to go to the conference room and fetch a chair to temporarily replace his broken one. As for the glue on his desk, it was fortunate that the school uniform had long sleeves. Jiang Xing managed a clever escape, sacrificing a ruined uniform to save the skin on his arms.

The school teachers were well accustomed to such incidents. However, seeing that the victim this time was Jiang Xing, a look of slight surprise appeared on the instructor’s face. Jiang Xing tried his best to hide his embarrassment, acting as if nothing had happened.

Nevertheless, his clothes remained stuck to the desk by the adhesive. When he finally stood up, a sharp ripping sound echoed clearly through the classroom, shattering his facade of dignity. The teacher saw this and hesitated for a long while, unsure whether to intervene.

In the end, Jiang Xing acted as if it were a non-issue. He shrugged his shoulders and said disingenuously, “I accidentally spilled glue on it myself.”

The teacher felt relieved. He was glad that Jiang Xing intended to handle the matter personally without requiring interference. The affairs of the students in this school were not things a common teacher could resolve. Jiang Xing would never snitch to an authority figure, and even the scholarship students knew better than to do such a thing.

The half-day went by in a flash.

Throughout the morning, no one in the room dared to breathe too loudly. The disadvantages of small-class teaching were glaringly obvious at that moment. In a vast classroom with only a dozen students, any action taken by an individual was extremely conspicuous.

Song Xingqiu sat toward the back on the right side, giving him a nearly unobstructed view of everything happening in the room. The others stole several glances at him, thinking they were being subtle, only to find that Song Xingqiu remained focused on the teacher at the podium. He was seriously taking notes and paying attention to the lesson, showing no interest in anyone else.

Only one student stared too intensely. When Song Xingqiu met his gaze, the student hastily shrunk back and turned his head away, not daring to look at Song Xingqiu again.

The more Song Xingqiu acted this way, the less the others dared to use their phones to log into the school forum to gossip about him. If Song Xingqiu had appeared angry or even slightly conceited, they could have at least gathered some information from his expressions. However, aside from those two shocking outbursts earlier, he had done nothing outrageous or attention-grabbing. It was as if his earlier behavior had been a mere accident.

They could not fathom his depth.

Most importantly, the Song family owned Aikeseluoniya Academy. Who knew if Song Xingqiu had the authority to use a backdoor to see the real identities behind anonymous forum accounts? At that moment, they finally remembered the fact that Song Xingqiu was, indeed, a member of the Song family.

Students only dared to send messages to their friends during the breaks, spreading the tales of Song Xingqiu’s deeds within small, private circles. Finally, the morning classes ended, and the lunch break arrived. Until the afternoon classes began, they had enough free time to avoid being in the same space as Song Xingqiu. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Song Xingqiu’s front-row neighbor had been sitting on pins and needles all day. Previously, he only found Jiang Xing, who sat behind him, annoying. Today, he found himself missing the days when Jiang Xing was the one behind him. Compared to Song Xingqiu, Jiang Xing was not that detestable or difficult to endure. The moment the bell rang, the student in the front row stood up and fled.

The teacher of the final period reminded everyone, “Student Song Xingqiu just transferred here today. Student Song probably does not know where the cafeteria is yet. Is there a classmate who can take him there and help him get familiar with the campus?”

The teacher’s reminder was purely out of goodwill. He was well aware of the absolute hierarchy within the school, but he clearly remembered that Song Xingqiu was also a child of a wealthy family and a relative of F1. He was the same kind of person as most students in the class. On the surface, at least, these people were usually friendly to their own peers. The game was only fun if everyone played together.

The teacher had no idea about the undercurrents surging between Song Xingqiu and his classmates. After the teacher finished speaking, the expressions of everyone in the class froze. They wondered who would ever want to lead this bringer of calamity around the campus.

They thought about how Song Xingqiu had been living in the Federation without supervision. Perhaps he had long ago become addicted to something illicit or had turned mentally unstable.

Song Xingqiu acted as if he did not perceive the awkward atmosphere that had practically materialized in the room. He nodded, agreeing with the teacher’s suggestion. “Yes, I do not know where the cafeteria is.”

He looked toward Jiang Xing, who was the first to stand up and had planned to slip out the back door. Song Xingqiu reached a conclusion and said, “Let this classmate take me there.”

As he finished speaking, he turned and walked toward Jiang Xing. Jiang Xing’s breath hitched. His entire body felt pinned to the spot, unable to move, and the hair on his arms stood on end. Song Xingqiu stopped directly in front of Jiang Xing and looked at the name tag on his uniform. Jiang Xing’s heart skipped a beat, and he barely suppressed the urge to reach out and cover the tag.

“Jiang. Xing.” Song Xingqiu read the name out syllable by syllable.

Jiang Xing’s brain roared like a drum and his scalp tingled. He felt like a prey animal targeted by Song Xingqiu with nowhere to hide. Even though this guy was half a head shorter than him and looked frail and thin, his aura was terrifyingly oppressive. He wondered if Song Xingqiu had killed someone while in the Federation.

Jiang Xing wanted to cry. He regretted being the one to stick his neck out earlier. Now, he was stuck with Song Xingqiu, and no one else would save him.

Sure enough, seeing Song Xingqiu single out Jiang Xing, everyone else breathed a sigh of relief both openly and secretly. Compared to the whole class suffering together, sacrificing Jiang Xing was clearly more cost-effective. Furthermore, some people showed looks of malicious joy. Jiang Xing was no ordinary person, and few held any genuine affection for him. He had stepped up earlier specifically because he was the mastermind behind Song Xingqiu’s welcome ceremony. Song Xingqiu had not wrongly accused him.

The reason was simple: Jiang Xing was one of the three main lackeys surrounding F1. Since Song Xingqiu happened to be in his class, Jiang Xing had to make a statement as F1’s subordinate. Behind Jiang Xing’s actions, there was undoubtedly the support of F1.

F1 did not know what had happened in the classroom and could not help. Now that they were going to the cafeteria, F1 would be there too. When the two met, no one dared to imagine how intense the scene would be.

Song Xingqiu’s sudden outburst today had frightened the students, causing them to lose their basic judgment for a moment. But after calming down, they still believed Song Xingqiu was an outcast marginalized by his family. His behavior toward Jiang Xing was merely a reflection of his lack of upbringing and education. He was nothing but a paper tiger.

Everyone felt at ease again. They all believed that once Song Xingqiu reached the cafeteria, his luck would run out.

Jiang Xing thought the same. He was counting on F1 to stand up for him at the cafeteria. That was the only thing that had given him the courage to endure the morning classes. What he never expected was that before F1 could help him, he would be held hostage by Song Xingqiu once more.

Jiang Xing wanted to say no firmly, but when he remembered Song Xingqiu’s terrifying strength and that strike that felt like it was meant to kill him, the word remained stuck in his throat.

Song Xingqiu walked forward a couple of steps and noticed Jiang Xing had not followed. He turned to glance at him. Song Xingqiu did not even raise an eyebrow; he just looked at him, and the alarm bells in Jiang Xing’s mind began to ring frantically again.

Jiang Xing did not know why he felt this way. Usually, F1 did not give him a good attitude either. Perhaps he was just used to it, but Jiang Xing actually felt that Song Xingqiu was more terrifying than F1. Song Xingqiu’s pressure was not as outward, crude, or obvious as F1’s; it was more restrained. He did not need to rely on external power; he could make Jiang Xing feel afraid with just a single glance.

This time, Jiang Xing did not hesitate for a second. He took two steps and walked beside Song Xingqiu to lead the way. This was a situation he could not control. He wanted to see if Song Xingqiu could still be this arrogant and tough once they ran into F1.

Song Xingqiu was unaware of Jiang Xing’s inner monologue. Even if he knew, he would not care. As he followed Jiang Xing to the cafeteria, he occasionally cast several ambiguous glances at him. This made Jiang Xing feel uneasy, wondering what Song Xingqiu was up to.

Song Xingqiu was thinking that Jiang Xing truly deserved to be one of F1’s three main lackeys. Just look at how he led the way. He did not walk pompously in front, leaving Song Xingqiu with only a view of his back and blurring the line between superior and subordinate. Nor did he walk foolishly behind, making it unclear who was leading whom. Instead, he walked just to the front right of Song Xingqiu, his body slightly turned so that Song Xingqiu could see his face at any time. His waist was slightly bowed in a perfectly sycophantic curve. In this way, he did not overshadow the person he was leading, yet he guided the way perfectly.

The expression on his face was a mix of terror and fawning. Jiang Xing had intended to maintain a cold expression, but the moment his eyes met Song Xingqiu’s, he habitually flashed a flattering smile. He was the most perfect lackey imaginable.

Their duo attracted many gazes. Many people who initially gave them a casual glance were startled into a small commotion once they recognized Jiang Xing’s face.

“Is that Jiang Xing?” “It really is him!” “Who is that person next to him?” “He looks like Song Wenyue.”

It could not be helped. One could not blame them. Jiang Xing’s posture was too classic and it easily created an illusion. At first glance, it really did look like Song Wenyue and Jiang Xing were out dominating the streets.

Hearing this, Jiang Xing turned his head sharply and glared at those people. He wondered why their mouths were so loose. Fearing trouble, the onlookers hurried away.

“It is not Song Wenyue.” “It is someone I have never seen before.” “Could it be the uncle?” “But didn’t they say Song Wenyue hates him?” “Be quiet and lower your voice. Do not let them hear you.”

Jiang Xing rolled his eyes internally. He had heard everything. He stole a glance at Song Xingqiu. Song Xingqiu’s expression remained unchanged as if he truly had not heard a thing.

Song Xingqiu had heard it, of course, but he did not care. He was thinking about something else. Before coming here, he had re-read the book and investigated the family backgrounds of several main characters. Jiang Xing’s family was not ordinary. Although they were not in the top tier like F4, they were definitely wealthy.

Among the three main lackeys, Wu Hongzhou, Jiang Xing, and Xue Chengyi, both Jiang Xing and Xue Chengyi’s families held shares in the group. Although they did not have actual power, they were well-off, and their status in school was not low. Wu Hongzhou’s family was unique, being new money in technology that had only gained fame in the last couple of years. They were genuine industrialists. With an unstable foundation, it was perfectly logical for Wu Hongzhou to cling to the support of the Song family’s next-generation leader.

To outsiders, they were respectable, wealthy families, yet in this school, they voluntarily became someone’s servants and relished it. Perhaps they were born with some special preference. Song Xingqiu had heard many rumors about the private fetishes of the wealthy. Thinking about Jiang Xing, a tall, robust guy nearly 1.9 meters tall, enjoying being on a metaphorical leash, Song Xingqiu could not help but look at him twice.

Jiang Xing felt uneasy being watched by Song Xingqiu, but he still had to maintain a fake smile. Fortunately, Song Xingqiu quickly looked away. Until they reached the cafeteria, Song Xingqiu did nothing out of the ordinary. Jiang Xing breathed a sigh of relief.

The cafeteria of Aikeseluoniya Academy did not have physical tiers for different classes; everyone ate in the same hall. As a noble academy, the variety of food was incredibly rich. Cuisines from all over the world could be found here. If students wished, they could even pre-order meals.

As an institution, the academy would naturally not put discrimination and exclusion on display openly. However, this equality for all actually made the class conflicts and differences even more acute.

Song Xingqiu entered the cafeteria. It featured an atrium design, allowing him to see the second floor from where he stood. With a single sweep of his eyes, he realized the students had already consciously categorized themselves.

The second floor was the dining area for the highest-tier students. The space was the most open, the view was the best, and the seating was spacious. Whether looking down at the first floor or at the scenery outside, it was effortless.

Next was the eastern section of the first floor. There were a few scattered service windows adjacent to large floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the school lake. The interior was furnished with sofa booths to ensure maximum comfort for the diners. Most of the young masters and ladies of the academy chose to eat there.

At the far western side of the cafeteria, where the entrance was located, the seating was closest to the windows. The tables were long, rectangular ones typical of ordinary school canteens, arranged tightly and in a very cramped manner. Aside from eating quickly, it was difficult for anyone to do anything else in such a noisy environment. This was the lower-class zone. Those who ate here were scholarship students or those being marginalized and bullied.

Furthermore, the lack of separate dining areas meant everyone’s meals were on full display. Besides enrolling children of the nobility, Aikeseluoniya Academy invited the most outstanding students in the Empire every year to enroll as scholarship students. Not only were their tuition and fees waived, but the academy also provided them with generous scholarships and a monthly meal allowance.

The meal allowance provided by the academy would be enough for any other school’s students to eat very well. But at Aikeseluoniya, scholarship students could only afford the cheapest items in the cafeteria with that money. Pre-ordered meals had nothing to do with them. Even with a month’s worth of allowance, they could not afford a single daily meal of the F4 members.

If the cafeteria were segregated, the scholarship students would eat together, and the elite students would eat together. The two groups would be apart, out of sight and out of mind. Eating together seemed fair, but it was actually a public execution. Specifically, scholarship students sat at the entrance where foot traffic was heavy. As people came and went, everyone could see what they were eating and how they were eating. The embarrassment of the scholarship students served as an indispensable appetizer for the noble students.

The lower zone, second-class zone, and special zone were clearly drawn. Invisible rules were sometimes more terrifying than visible ones. With just one look, Song Xingqiu had taken in the entire situation.

When Song Xingqiu entered the cafeteria, he had already attracted many eyes. News of F1’s younger uncle transferring to Aikeseluoniya had long been circulating everywhere. Many were curious about what kind of person he was. Regarding the rumors that F1 could not stand this uncle, people had heard them over twenty times. No one said it openly, but everyone had already tacitly agreed that after Song Xingqiu entered the school, his treatment likely would not be any better than that of a scholarship student. It might even be worse.

Legend had it that Song Xingqiu had gone abroad at a very young age and had spent nearly ten years studying in the Federation while neglected by the family. F1’s father, the current head of the Song family, loathed this younger half-brother. Everyone believed that once the elderly father died, Song Xingqiu would be completely expelled from the Song family.

The fact that he was only allowed to return and attend Aikeseluoniya for one year near adulthood was not a good sign for Song Xingqiu himself. The reason Aikeseluoniya was so authoritative in the Empire was due to more than just strong teaching staff. The most important point was that the Empire’s future leaders would all emerge from this school. Graduates would hold the lifelines of various industries in the Empire.

These special students needed to establish their personal networks and get to know the people who shared their world in advance. Noble children rejected by Aikeseluoniya were not invited by the creators of the Empire’s rules. Such people were not qualified to sit as equals with them. To those who considered themselves the owners of the Empire, Song Xingqiu was not one of their kind.

F1’s father had long since firmly controlled the family business and Song Xingqiu had been eliminated from the game long ago. In the future, the best he could hope for was to live a quiet, wealthy life on the fixed assets gifted by his father. This was the fundamental reason why everyone dared to look down on him.

The scholarship students did not understand these intricacies. They were simply curious about what kind of person F1’s uncle was. Meanwhile, the students on the second floor and the eastern area of the first floor looked at Song Xingqiu with disdain. The news that Song Xingqiu had intimidated his entire class through pure force had not yet spread widely. They still thought he had been given a welcoming lesson.

Seeing Song Xingqiu now, neatly dressed and calm, they were greatly disappointed. They thought this guy had quite a backbone since he was not scared off and still had the strength to come to the cafeteria. They wondered if he still did not recognize his place and wanted to struggle a bit more. They had seen too many such people while fighting in the center of power since childhood.

What they found puzzling and strange was why Jiang Xing was standing next to Song Xingqiu and why he had come to eat with him. Then they quickly figured it out. Jiang Xing, as one of F1’s three lackeys, happened to be in the same class as Song Xingqiu. He bore the responsibility of monitoring him and leading the bullying. F1 probably had Jiang Xing escort Song Xingqiu because he feared he might run away.

“He sure knows how to act,” someone commented on Song Xingqiu’s placid attitude.

“He is a member of the main Song family, after all. He cannot just crumble in half a day like those scholarship students,” another said with a laugh.

“He is just putting on a front for now. I wonder how much longer he can hold out. This makes it more interesting. I was afraid he would call home to find his father right away. That would be so boring.”

“A father is only useful if he actually cares. Will his father really look after him? If they truly saw him as a person, they would not have sent him to the Federation back then.”

In the corner of the eastern area, people discussed him secretly, yet their gazes swept over him brazenly. Some people occasionally glanced toward the second floor, eager to see the reaction of the F4 members.

“Are all three of them here today?” someone asked curiously. The three referred to the F4 members, excluding the Student Council President who was away in the Federation for an educational visit.

The second-class area was far from the entrance, so Song Xingqiu could not hear their conversation. However, from their excited expressions, he could roughly guess what they were saying. Feeling the gazes falling upon him, Song Xingqiu withdrew his eyes and stepped toward the spiral staircase leading to the second floor.

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