Chapter 347 - "How the Steel Was Tempered" excerpt! (1/2)
At night.
Zhang Ye returned home.
The moment he walked in, Mom gave him a displeased look. ”You even have the nerve to come back? Other people had a gala for primary and secondary school students which had nothing to do with you, but why must everything not lack you? Do you feel uncomfortable being too free? You don't feel good if you don't stir up some trouble everyday? Son, I'm really impressed by you. Your mother's heart isn't good. Stop giving me surprises all the time. We are in an aging society, and there are so many old people in society, but you sure were good. You scolded all of them in one breath. You even included your father and I!”
Zhang Ye smiled and said, ”Who did you hear that from?”
”Is there a need to hear? I saw it on the internet” Mom huffed and puffed.
Zhang Ye exclaimed, ”You sure are getting better at using your cellphone. You are moving well with the times.”
Mom said, ”Don't try changing the subject. Let your father scold you to see if you are deserving of it!”
Dad looked at his son and ignored his wife. ”Is it alright on the school's side? Would it affect your career at Peking University?”
”I don't know. It's hard to say.” Zhang Ye took off his coat. ”I'm now resigned to fate. I leave it to do as it pleases, for I'm not in the wrong. I did what I had to do as a teacher. For the children, sacrificing myself leads to the benefit of everyone.”
Mom stared at him. ”You’re still in the mood to jest!”
”Enough from you.” Dad said to Mom, before saying to his son, ”Little Ye, we know you are well aware of things. We don't understand your job, nor do we bother about it. We know you can handle it well.”
Zhang Ye acknowledged. ”Thanks Dad.”
Mom was speechless. ”The two of you are of the same heart!”
Dad said, ”Stop nagging. Hurry up and prepare food for our son. Nagging all day won't solve anything, right? Hurry, I'm hungry too.”
Mom snorted angrily before throwing her hands up and walking to the kitchen.
Once Mom left, Dad nudged his chin towards the kitchen and whispered, ”Ignore her. She's suffering from menopause.”
Zhang Ye laughed. Since dinner was not ready yet, it would take at least half an hour before he could eat. Hence, he returned to his room and closed the door. He switched on his computer and checked the effects of his speech.
The internet was also bustling.
”Aiyah, hey! Aiyah, hey!”
”Wife, come and take a look! Teacher Zhang is scolding people again again again again again again again again!”
”Husband, I'm coming! Teacher Zhang really scolded people again again again again again again again again?”
”A few days ago, he declared war on the entire literary world. Great, it's just been a few days and he has declared war again? This time it's on the older age groups?”
”Hahaha! What good news!”
”Face-smacking Zhang is back in action! Everyone, be careful!”
”Teacher Zhang's scolding increases in scale every time!”
”It's not scolding. Didn't you hear the original version of the closing speech? It's mainly to teach the children!”
”Right, how can you say he is scolding people? The 'old' mentioned was just a metaphor. It's just an a.n.a.logy! This speech's intention is to educate, and not derisive!”
”That's right, although Teacher Zhang is notorious, and has quite a bit of 'stains' on record, this 'Ode to Young China' is really not scolding!”
”Did you hear the original speech?”
”I only saw the textual version.”
”I suggest that everyone to listen to it. The power delivered through text is too weak. It lacks the punch. Zhang Ye's pa.s.sion when he made the speech, especially those last few words, must be listened for it really f**king makes your blood boil! That literary talent is really defying of the heavens! I heard this finale's closing speech was a.s.signed to Teacher Zhang at the last minute, so that he could save the situation. He did not have any preparations beforehand, and expressed himself on the spot!”
”Impossible!”
”Are you sure?”
”F**k! He could do it so well even while doing impromptu?”
”It's true. I heard about it too. When the Peking University's President couldn’t come at the last minute due to some sickness, there was only about ten minutes left to inform everyone else. No one wanted to do it since there was no script. So they thought of Teacher Zhang Ye, a person who never uses a script during his programs or cla.s.ses, to let him do the speech. They really found the right person. Teacher Zhang really does not need scripts. Such a large prose with obscure meanings, yet is so orderly, poetic and logical. It was even educative and highly impactful. Zhang Ye is Zhang Ye! Awesome!”
”That's right, that's so empowering!”
”My magnificent Chinese youth!”
”Today, I have once again witnessed the quality of Zhang Ye's speeches!”
”Teacher Zhang has always had such a level. I'm not surprised about this, but what I'm worrying now is about those sentences about old people. It might cause quite serious effects!”
The official gala's video posted by Peking University did not have Zhang Ye's closing speech, but the reporters present were not to be trifled with. The moment they returned, they uploaded the missing parts on their own television stations or official newspaper websites. Following that, it had gone viral once again over the internet!