Chapter 339 - Why are you blindly ordering me around? (1/2)

Friday.

It was noon time.

When he reached Peking University, Zhang Ye headed straight for the canteen in his car. There were many places to eat on campus, but he did not go to those fanciful higher end eateries and instead came straight to the School 1’s canteen. It was cheap and the food tasted alright, though this place was well known for it’s pork shank.

There were many people inside.

As it was right about lunchtime, the few windows all had long queues.

“Look!”

“It’s Teacher Zhang Ye!”

“Teacher Zhang, good afternoon!”

“You are here to have lunch too? What are you doing here at School 1’s canteen?”

“Right, hee hee, you are such a big shot. Why would you eat with poor students like us?”

When he walked into the canteen, many students who knew him had greeted him. There was no teacher student ceremonies to observe and it felt very endearing. After all, Zhang Ye was not the traditional type of teacher. He was a host who had diversified into teaching. He could even be considered a comedian of sorts due to his Talk Show, and so everyone’s perception of Zhang Ye was much more familiar, unlike the other teachers and professors who they would behave very well when they saw them. Zhang Ye didn’t have the air of a lecturer about him.

Zhang Ye smiled, “How am I a big shot? The salary for this month has not be issued yet. If I don’t save a little, I might not even be able to pay my rent.”

“You still need to pay rent?”

“Teacher Zhang is claiming to be poor!”

Quite a number of students nearby burst out laughing.

Zhang Ye then went to line up properly since there was no distinction between the student and teacher’s queue.

When the student in front of Zhang Ye turned around, he received a shock, “Heavens, it’s Teacher Zhang. Go ahead first!” He gave way.

Zhang Ye waved his hand and smiled, “I’m not going to add threes. Thanks.”

The words “add threes”, which meant cutting in line, was Beijing slang.

After more than ten minutes, it was finally his turn. Zhang Ye ate simply. He only wanted a platter of a.s.sorted dishes. “Sir, two bowls of rice, a portion of Kung Pao chicken, and a portion of fried eggplant.”

The attendant took a look. “Hey, it’s Teacher Zhang. Sure, I’ll give you a bit more.”

“Thank you very much.” Zhang Ye did not stand on ceremony. He then carried the stainless steel tray to look for a spot to sit.

The canteen was not small, but it could not hold that many people. There were already no empty tables. There wasn’t even a place to sit. Many students were standing behind people who were about to finish eating.

“Teacher Zhang! Here!”

“No! Over here! Over here!”

“I have a spot here!”

“Teacher Zhang, come sit with us!”

“Let us squeeze a bit! Make s.p.a.ce for Teacher Zhang!”

This all depended on each person’s popularity. Many Peking University students were trying to vie for him, as they wanted Zhang Ye to sit with them desperately. Zhang Ye was not the only teacher who came to School 1’s canteen. There were also quite a few teachers who liked the food or preferred the cheaper food here, but for them, after they got their food, no one would ever offer them a seat. Either they packed it away and went back to their office to eat, or they would wait around to see if their own cla.s.s’ students would offer them a seat as other cla.s.s or department students did not recognize them. What’s more, teachers and students were getting harder to distinguis.h.!.+ Some students had old faces, while some teachers looked rather young. It was no longer easy to recognize who was the teacher and who was the student, so how would you know when to offer a seat?

But for Zhang Ye?

Dozens of people were shouting for him!

When those other teachers saw, they were rendered speechless, “……….”

Your mother! We are all Peking University teachers, why is there such a difference in treatment?

Zhang Ye could only accept their hospitality as he could not refuse those few Year 2 girls’ pulling at him. So he joined them over at a table by the window as the seven or eight of them squeezed together to free up a spot for him. Zhang Ye definitely could not refuse now, so he sat down to eat.

“Teacher Zhang, how old are you?”

“What is your horoscope sign?”

“Are you married, Teacher Zhang?”

“Will you come over to our History department next year to teach a cla.s.s?”

The few girls kept chattering away noisily, but it was rather interesting.

Zhang Ye smiled as he chatted with them, leisurely eating. He liked to interact with the students, just like how he liked to interact with the audience while doing a program.

After having his fill, Zhang Ye left the canteen. As the canteen was quite near the Chinese department, he did not drive back and instead just walked over. As a result, a bunch of students, around 18 of them, suddenly followed along and flanked him as they started chatting.

Around the Chinese department.

Downstairs at the office building.

Su Na had also just returned from her lunch. When she turned her head and saw Zhang Ye’s situation, she was amused. After Zhang Ye made it to the office building’s corridor alone, she said, “Teacher Zhang, you are really popular. You’ve only been here for a few days and you’re already mixing with the students. They aren’t even students from your cla.s.s. Seems like every student from every department in Peking University already knows you. Unlike me, I’ve been here for 2 years now and it seems like there are some students from my own cla.s.s that still do not know who I am.”

Zhang Ye laughed, “Well, that’s because of my profession’s advantage. If you were a host and have done a few shows, everyone would know who you are too. Besides, Teacher Su, with your conditions, you would definitely do better as a host than me if you were to try.”

Su Na smiled, “I’m not as capable as you.”

They chatted and laughed on their way back to the office. Someone was waiting for Zhang Ye.

“Teacher Zhang.” It was his “Appreciation of the Cla.s.sics” cla.s.s representative, Senior Song. She was carrying a stack of a.s.sessment papers, “I’m here to submit the a.s.signments.”

Zhang Ye nodded, “Thank you, has everyone submitted their work?”

Senior Song put down the a.s.sessment papers, “It’s all here, not a single one is missing.”

“Sure, then go back and quickly prepare for your other exams.” Zhang Ye said.

When cla.s.s representative Song went off, Zhang Ye sat down and started grading the a.s.signments one by one. To him, this was his first time doing something like this, so he took it very seriously.

This one’s fine.

That one’s good too.