Chapter 1373: He Is Right

Military training lasted over twenty days, filled with drill formations, marching exercises, and live-fire shooting. Every day consisted of high-intensity collective living; leaving the unit without cause was forbidden, a truly militarized existence. Thus, Wang Yan had little interaction with students from other departments, remaining within the Fine Arts Academy's own small turf, where a group of young people frolicked and laughed together.

During the military training, thanks to his good attitude and solid capabilities, he won numerous honors including the school's Model of Internal Affairs, Outstanding Individual, and First Place in the Military Competition, becoming the Fine Arts Academy's star during the training period. Leveraging these many honors, he secured a guaranteed spot for the academy's scholarship quota.

At a highly political university like Beiqing, no honor is given freely; each carries a certain weight of value. Especially the various scholarships, their value is substantial. For they represent not merely the tangible reward of money, but also the recognition forged over a century behind them, an absolute proof of comprehensive strength.

Whether it is genius-level academic performance, powerful family connections, or a combination of both, all of this constitutes strength.

The day military training ended was intentionally scheduled on a Friday, allowing for two days of rest to alleviate the tension and exhaustion from training, before beginning true university life and studies.

After lunch, everyone returned to the dormitory. The brothers let out an "Ouch!" and collapsed onto their beds.

The little fatty, Sun Zhenxing, lay sprawled across Zhou Guosheng, while Zhang Hai occupied a lower bunk alone, his neck pillowed against the wall, slouching in a lazy, Ge You-esque posture.

"It wasn't easy, but it's finally done," Zhang Hai sighed. "It has to be you, Third Brother; you're truly awesome. The three of us are nearly dead from exhaustion, yet you became a model soldier."

"It's understandable," Wang Yan said with a smile, holding his Hongtashan cigarette in his mouth. "The three of you come from good families and haven't participated in much labor. I've been working since childhood and practiced some martial arts, so my adaptability is a bit stronger."

Zhou Guosheng, mimicking a Beijing local, exclaimed, "Oh my, my good Third Brother, you are truly too modest! How can you say you only practiced 'a bit' of martial arts? Even the instructor couldn't beat you, hey~"

"Damn it, copying me again!" Sun Zhenxing retorted in annoyance, launching a tickle attack, and the two began roughhousing.

A month had passed, and everyone got along very well, having become quite familiar, spending their days laughing and making noise, very lively. In fact, it wasn't just the four of them; their relationships with other classmates in the photography major were also quite good.

Photography is a small major; this year's cohort admitted only thirteen students, seven males and five females. With so few people, they got along reasonably well. Small cliques were inevitable, but overall peace was maintained. After all, they were all children from wealthy families, so sycophancy and exclusivity were also unavoidable.

Although Wang Yan was the poorest, his professional skills were solid and he was easy to get along with, maintaining good relationships with basically everyone in his major. The best relationships, of course, were with the few in his dormitory.

After joking with them for a while, Wang Yan idly fiddled with his battle-scarred Nikon F3 camera and a Seagull panoramic camera, attaching lenses, loading film, and separately taking out a few rolls of black-and-white and color film.

Seeing his actions, Zhou Guosheng asked, "Going to take photos?"

"I'm getting the itch; since I'm idle anyway, I'll go out and shoot the campus. I haven't had time before."

"Then count us out, brother; I want to take an afternoon nap," all three stated their position, absolutely refusing to go out.

"Sleeping won't make you a photographic artist," Wang Yan said with an amused shake of his head.

"But one must sleep before making art; I'm about to fall apart from exhaustion."

After a few more jokes, Wang Yan hung two cameras around his neck, stuffed several boxes of film into his bulging pockets, and swaggered out the door to take photos.

Beiqing is the name used in this story, but in reality, it is a blend of Tsinghua University and Peking University, with minor geographical alterations and modifications to landmark buildings.

However, even with these modifications, Wang Yan did not feel very unfamiliar, after all, he was quite familiar with it.

Under the curious gazes of passing students, he strolled unhurriedly, occasionally stopping, hugging his camera to switch angles in search of the best light and shadow, waiting patiently for someone to wander into his lens.

What he loved most was humanistic documentary photography; he liked having people in whatever he shot. Even when photographing landscapes, he wanted to wait for someone to walk into the frame; he liked to highlight the various relationships between people and their environments, and between people themselves.

At the same time, he also liked that kind of inadvertent candid shot, because it felt very natural. People tend to deliberately act when facing a lens, whereas candid shots avoid that unnaturalness.

Strolling along, he recorded the demeanor of Beiqing's students, also encompassing the scenery within the school, shooting all the way until he reached the library. He sat cross-legged on the side of the library, adjusting his camera, waiting patiently for a suitable person to appear.

Shortly after, his shoulder was gently tapped.

"Hey! Wang Yan? Is it really you?" Xiao Qianxi asked with some surprise.

"Oh my, it's been a month, hasn't the great beauty been well?" Wang Yan looked up at her. "As expected of natural beauty; after a month of sun exposure, you haven't tanned a bit. Look at my good sister here; she's at least eight shades darker."

"I really want to beat you to death." Xu Lin, knowing she was the target, immediately clenched her fist and punched him, gritting her teeth.

Wang Yan laughed heartily, "It's not just you who got dark; Xie Da Qiao also tanned a little bit. And this lady..."

Xie Da Qiao rolled her eyes speechlessly; she had never seen anyone speak like this.

Xiao Qianxi smiled and introduced, "This is Wang Ying; she's in our dormitory."

"Hello, I'm Wang Yan; as you can see, I study photography," Wang Yan greeted. "When I dropped Qianxi off at her dormitory and left previously, you happened to arrive, bringing two burly men carrying several large boxes. Your family has considerable strength; are you interested in shooting a set of personal portraits? I will absolutely bring forth everything I've learned in my life, guaranteeing your satisfaction."

"No thanks, no need," Wang Ying said, folding her arms, maintaining her cool persona.

"Good sister, didn't you show her my work?"

Seeing Wang Yan looking at her, Xu Lin said, "We did; she even said they looked good."

"I see, so it's saying one thing but meaning another; she's just shy," Wang Yan nodded with understanding, smiling warmly at Wang Ying.

Wang Ying was the type who rejected verbally but accepted physically; seeing Wang Yan staring straight at her, her ears immediately turned slightly red, her gaze drifted, and she avoided making eye contact with him.

She pursed her lips lightly, "They look good, sure, but I just don't want you to photograph me, is that not allowed?"

"No problem, the money is in your pocket after all," Wang Yan laughed, then continued, "You guys were planning to stroll around the library, right? You probably have nothing urgent, so there's no rush. We've gathered here from all corners of the land, and since school has just started, these days ahead will surely be constantly recalled throughout our lives.

How about this: today I'll show some style, also to save face for my three great beauties and my good sister; I won't charge, I'll shoot two rolls for the four of you, letting our wealthy young ladies see the results first. Afterwards, you can come to me for a high-end custom personal portrait session, letting me earn some meat. Comrades, any objections?"

"I object!" Wang Ying raised her hand first.

"Objection overruled! Come on, let's take two shots here by the library first, then we'll go to Weiming Lake or other landmark spots."

Wang Ying curled her lips but ultimately did not voice any objection.

"Great, I'm happy if it doesn't cost money," Xu Lin clapped her hands.

"I say, good sister, did you promote me?" Wang Yan scanned the surroundings and asked Xu Lin.

"Absolutely; we ran through our entire dormitory building. Just you wait; they'll be looking for you in these next two days. Leave your dormitory phone number later so we can stay in touch and schedule a time then."

"Let's get rich together."

"Wait, are we shooting or not?" Wang Ying asked, looking very disdainful.

"Isn't this finding the angle?"

Wang Yan waved his hand, remaining seated, and said, "Like this: go to the library entrance, stand in a staggered formation, some in front, some behind, and lean out as if talking to each other. Start from right there at the entrance and walk towards me; don't look at me, ignore my existence. Go ahead."

The few of them did not doubt Wang Yan's ability, after all, they had seen every photo he had left behind; immediately following his instructions, they went to the library entrance and began walking in Wang Yan's direction.

"Don't say it, but him sitting there really does have a certain artistic, casual, and unrestrained aura," Xu Lin gave her good brother a high evaluation.

Xiao Qianxi showed a look of reminiscence, "He seems to have always been casual and unrestrained. I thought I would feel awkward seeing him again, but unexpectedly, I feel nothing of the sort."

"Qianxi, don't tell me you've fallen for him?" Xie Da Qiao's eyes sparkled with gossip.

"How could that be? It's only been such a short time; I don't know anything about him yet. I can only say we get along very well."

"Then you better be careful," Wang Ying snorted. "Haven't you heard? No man is a good thing, and those involved in art are even worse. They righteously find countless reasons to mask their infidelity in relationships. I think he's no good person."

"Surely not? I feel he's quite sincere," Xie Da Qiao said somewhat uncertainly. "Don't you guys feel that?"

"No need to apologize, not even a little. Just be careful, all of you."

"All of you? No way, could he actually be interested in me?" Xu Lin was somewhat bewildered; she knew her own worth clearly, and she didn't like men anyway.

Wang Ying continued her fabrication: "It's art; who knows what his tastes are."

"Hiss..." Xu Lin imagined that scene, which wasn't very beautiful, then suddenly realized, "I say, Young Lady, you seem to know quite a lot?"

"What kind of look is that? Even if one hasn't eaten pork, hasn't one seen a pig run? There's much more you don't know."

Xiao Qianxi listened quietly to their discussion, smiling.

She was a person with strong convictions and would not let what others said affect Ji De Xiang Fa...

Thus, the four of them walked along chatting and laughing, while Wang Yan snapped two photos.

"How is it?" Xie Da Qiao asked curiously.

"Passable, but still unnatural." Wang Yan stood up, smiling as he said, "What were you all talking about just now? It seemed quite lively."

"Don't go prying blindly," Xu Lin said. "It's a secret; don't you understand?"

"I understand secrets, but I feel you weren't discussing any secret; rather, you were bad-mouthing me, especially you, little rich girl; surely nothing good was said."

"Congratulations, you got it right." Wang Ying gave a proud snort. "I said you're no good person and told Qianxi to be wary of you."

"Qianxi won't listen to your slander; I think you want to get me, fearing I'll fall for Qianxi and that Qianxi will reject me, so you can have such an excellent man as myself all to yourself."

Wang Ying was stunned, even pausing for a moment, before giving a thumbs-up: "You're invincible; truly shameless."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"No need to take it as such; it is a compliment."

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it!" Wang Ying glared fiercely at Wang Yan, then turned her head away, refusing to look at him.

Meeting Xie Da Qiao's gaze just then, Wang Yan raised an eyebrow and called out, "Let's go, comrades; change locations, move to the next spot. This time, come singly, or form your own groups if you prefer."

With that, he walked ahead to lead the way.

Xiao Qianxi said, "I saw you receiving commendation; Outstanding Individual in Military Training."

"It's nothing; just obeying orders and following commands."

Xu Lin leaned in: "Hey, Wang Yan, speaking of military training, I heard someone from your Fine Arts Academy beat up an instructor?"

"What do you mean 'beat up'? It was a sparring match." Wang Yan shook his head with amusement. "Three people make a tiger; good sisters, rumors stop with the wise. If an instructor had truly been beaten, the school would certainly have issued a notice."

"Wang Yan, could it be you who sparred with the instructor?" Xiao Qianxi recalled the scene of Wang Yan easily lifting her heavy luggage with one hand in each, holding them level.

"I have a rudimentary knowledge of fist and foot techniques," Wang Yan nodded modestly.

"Really?" Wang Ying was somewhat unconvinced.

"Believe it or don't; want me to practice here? Don't even think about it." Amid Wang Ying's disdainful pout, Wang Yan added a twist, "Unless you treat us to a meal."

"Don't even think about it! We acted as your models; do you know what appearance fees cost? You should be the one treating us to a meal."

Wang Yan looked again at Xiao Qianxi: "Qianxi, doesn't she know I'm very poor?"

Xiao Qianxi shook her head, recalling carefully: "Xu Lin and Xie Da Qiao know; Wang Ying never asked, so I didn't say."

"Little rich girl, it doesn't matter if you don't know. Then please open your eyes and take a good look at this Iraq war-damaged version of a camera of mine; do you know how hard it is for a child from a poor family to pursue art? And you still want me to treat you to a meal? Won't your conscience hurt?"

"Wait, what does whether my conscience hurts have to do with whether you're poor or not? Don't pin labels on me."

"I've already suffered financial loss today; shooting two rolls of film for you and developing them is enough to feed me for two days. We're mere acquaintances; I've been truly generous. Do you have the nerve to take advantage of me?"

"What's there to be ashamed of?" Wang Ying firmly refused to pay. "My money didn't come from the wind."

"I have a solution."

"What solution?"

"Is that your suitor?" Wang Yan nodded toward the distance.

Following Wang Yan's gaze, Wang Ying saw a yellow sports car parked in the distance; a man, dressed flamboyantly in a small suit and large leather shoes, hands in pockets, was walking toward them.

"Don't talk nonsense; that's my friend."

"In my observation, this friend of yours is quite extraordinary, possessing the makings of a big shot. Look at this peacock-like flamboyant attire, look at this strutting posture, the audacity to drive a sports car on a campus of this caliber—eight out of ten times, he got in through connections; he doesn't worry about food or clothing, all just to obtain a respectable educational background for inheriting the family business later. His purpose in coming to university is obvious: to chase girls.

As for the three great beauties of our Room 213, apologies, good sisters; I'm an honest person and cannot speak against my conscience."

Why did Xu Lin wave her hands with a smile, looking as though she had exhaled deeply in relief?

Ignoring the young man's donkey-kicked train of thought, Wang Yan continued, "He definitely wants to show off in front of Qianxi and Xie Da Qiao; me tagging along for a big meal shouldn't be a problem, right, little rich girl?"

"No problem." Wang Ying even laughed.

"Qianxi, Xie Da Qiao, you two pay attention. I see neither of you is vain; best not to develop feelings with this lad. Take whatever the little rich girl said about me earlier, multiply it by ten, and apply it to this guy; it'll definitely fit. Hmm... good sisters, also stay alert; this fellow might just prefer someone as unique as you."

Thus, Qianxi, Xie Da Qiao, and Xu Lin all turned their heads in unison to stare at Wang Ying.

Wang Ying hadn't expected that the words she had casually spoken earlier, whose applicability to Wang Yan remained to be seen, would absolutely apply to this flamboyant fellow approaching. She hadn't realized Wang Yan was so accurate in judging people.

She exhaled deeply: "What he said is correct!"

Wang Yan said with a smile, "I bet his first sentence will be, 'Wang Ying, what a coincidence...' "

?? Daily thanks to the good brothers who generously donate, cast monthly votes, recommend votes, and silently read for their strong support!

? (End of Chapter)