Douluo Continent: Thunder Roar

Yan Shaozhe put down his teacup and continued, "I know that Ling Yu said some things to you, like 'teaching according to aptitude' and 'understanding principles and guarding one's heart,' which do sound quite reasonable."

He paused, then changed the subject: "But have you ever considered that your previous methods cultivated so many elites, and weren't they all forged under immense pressure? Even Ling Yu, didn't he himself grow through countless battles?"

Yan Shaozhe looked at Zhou Yi with a serious expression: "The way you are now, being gentle to everyone and giving everyone a chance, what will the final result be? Those who truly have potential will not be able to grow without enough pressure; those who should not have stayed in the first place will not be able to seize the opportunity you give them. In the end, what is wasted is the academy's time and resources."

His tone softened, carrying a hint of expectation: "Teacher Zhou, you are an excellent teacher in the Martial Soul Department, and I have always acknowledged that. But being an excellent teacher is not about pleasing students; it's about having real skills, setting high standards, and pushing students to become elites."

Zhou Yi looked at him and remained silent for a long time, until the office fell into a deathly silence once again.

Finally, she spoke slowly, her voice still calm: "Dean Yan, if there's nothing else, I'll head back now."

Yan Shaozhe frowned slightly, his tone carrying a hint of displeasure: "Did you even listen to what I said?"

Zhou Yi walked to the door, stopped, and without turning around, simply said, "I listened."

As soon as she finished speaking, she pushed open the door and walked out, closing the door gently behind her to shut out the atmosphere in the office.

Yan Shaozhe sat behind his desk, staring at the closed door, his expression gradually darkening. He picked up his teacup, took another sip, and realized the tea had long since gone cold.

Setting down his teacup, Yan Shaozhe gave a soft hum, his tone tinged with helplessness and dissatisfaction: "That kid has quite an influence; even Zhou Yi has been led astray by him."

He looked out the window; the sunlight was just right, warmly shining on the old tree in the yard, its branches and leaves lush and full of life.

Suddenly, I remembered that day in the bamboo forest, when that boy faced me with a calm and composed gaze, neither humble nor arrogant.

That kid is actually quite interesting.

But he didn't like it.

……

Inside the clinic, the sounds of laughter and chatter still lingered, a stark contrast to the silence in the office.

Ling Yu was sitting behind the consultation table, flipping through a newly bought illustrated book of medicinal herbs, his fingertips lightly tracing the illustrations on the pages, engrossed in reading.

Light footsteps broke the brief silence inside the room. He looked up and gazed toward the doorway.

Wang Dong'er was the first to step in, carrying an oil paper package. She walked straight to the consultation table, placed it on it, and said casually, "I just happened to be passing by and bought it on the way."

Ling Yu glanced at the oil paper package on the table, then looked up at her, his expression still indifferent. Wang Dong'er felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze, immediately turning her face away and stubbornly saying, "It's nothing good, take it or leave it."

Ma Xiaotao followed him in, glanced at the table, and her eyes lit up: "Oh, roasted chestnuts." She picked one up, quickly peeled it, and held it to Ling Yu's lips, her tone affectionate: "Little Yu, have a taste."

Wang Dong'er, standing nearby, instantly widened her eyes, her tone slightly indignant: "I bought that!"

Ma Xiaotao raised her eyebrows confidently: "I'm feeding him, so what? I'm not taking your food."

Ling Yu looked at the chestnut being offered to his mouth, paused for a second, then reached out and took it, putting it in his mouth and chewing it.

Ma Xiaotao wasn't annoyed at all; instead, she laughed even more happily and picked up another one to peel.

At this moment, Jiang Nannan came out of the kitchen, carrying a plate of freshly cut fruit, the fruit flesh fresh and plump.

"Dr. Xiaoyu, have some fruit to quench your thirst." She gently placed the plate on the table, her gaze sweeping over the playful group, a slight smile curving her lips.

Jiang Wanqing followed behind, carrying a pot of freshly brewed tea and several teacups: "Don't stand there, sit down and have some tea. The tea is still warm."

Sunlight streamed in through the window, warmly bathing everyone in the room in a soft glow.

Ling Yu sat behind the consultation table, his gaze sweeping over the people in front of him: Wang Dong'er and Ma Xiaotao were still bickering over chestnuts, their tone full of childishness; Jiang Nannan was quietly tidying up the snack boxes on the table, a faint smile always on her lips; Jiang Wanqing leaned against the kitchen doorway, her gaze fixed on him, gentle and tender, hiding a hint of warmth that was hard to detect.

The room was lively, with laughter and chatter mingling together, yet it didn't feel noisy; instead, it exuded a rare warmth.

Life seemed peaceful and uneventful, but out of the corner of his eye, he inadvertently glanced in a certain direction outside the window—the direction of the Martial Soul Department's office building.

To be honest, he was a little surprised.

Despite being reprimanded by Yan Shaozhe, Zhou Yi did not rush to change as usual. Instead, she withstood the pressure from Yan Shaozhe and persisted in her current teaching methods.

He knew in his heart that Yan Shaozhe wouldn't let it go so easily, and Zhou Yi would be in trouble sooner or later if she shouldered the pressure alone.

He wouldn't let Zhou Yi face Yan Shaozhe's pressure alone; he had to find a way to help her share some of the burden.

Wang Dong'er leaned closer, glanced at him, and asked with a hint of curiosity, "What are you thinking about? You seem distracted."

Ling Yu shook his head, his expression remaining calm: "It's nothing."

Wang Dong'er pouted, and seeing that he was unwilling to say more, she didn't press him further and turned to bicker with Ma Xiaotao again.

Ma Xiaotao, who was watching closely from the side, couldn't help but chuckle: "When Xiaoyu is thinking, his face looks like someone owes him money, so straight and serious."

Ling Yu ignored her teasing, leaned back in his chair, and turned his gaze back to the window, his thoughts drifting back to the direction of the Martial Soul Department's office building.

For him, Zhou Yi was like an answer sheet.

It took him an entire afternoon of conversation and a real battle to write the first word on this blank answer sheet.

Now, if Yan Shaozhe wants to deny this answer sheet and smear it, he will never allow it.

Ling Yu knew that Zhou Yi was still bearing the burden alone.

She said nothing, showed nothing, and continued to attend classes and grade assignments on time, her expression no different from usual.

But this precisely shows that she was putting on a brave face.

Without compromise, they persisted in their new teaching path, different from the past.

That alone is enough.

Ling Yu withdrew his gaze, a hint of certainty in his eyes; he already knew what to do.

The next afternoon, the teaching building gradually quieted down after class.

Ling Yu stood at the entrance of the teaching building for a while, waiting until most of the students had left, before turning around and walking towards the teachers' office.

Zhou Yi's office was at the far end of the second floor, the door ajar, letting in a sliver of light.

He stood at the door and glanced inside. Zhou Yi was sitting behind her desk, holding a pen in her hand, with a stack of notebooks spread out in front of her. She had her head down, her hair falling down to cover half of her face, so her expression was unreadable. The pen tip was suspended in mid-air, not falling for a long time.

Ling Yu gently knocked on the door.

Zhou Yi looked up, saw it was him, and was clearly taken aback. Her tone was somewhat surprised: "Ling Yu? What brings you here?"

Ling Yu walked in and stood opposite the desk without exchanging any pleasantries.

Zhou Yi put down her pen, looked at him, and got straight to the point: "What is it?"

Ling Yu paused for two seconds, then casually replied, "Just passing by."

Zhou Yi raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smile flashing in her eyes, clearly disbelieving: "Passing by the teachers' offices on the second floor?"

Ling Yu didn't speak, he just stood there quietly.

Zhou Yi looked at him for a while, then suddenly smiled. The smile was very faint, almost imperceptible, but it broke the silence in the room: "Sit down."

Ling Yu sat down as instructed. Zhou Yi pushed the homework on the table to the side, leaned back in her chair, and looked at him: "Speak, what is it?"