TYAM Chapter 63

Kinda long rant, feel free to skip:

Sorry for the late updates, my work has been hectic. Long story short, my country’s economy is getting even shittier (thanks govt), and my job is cutting personnel. Well, I’m one of them… 

So!

Now I have more free time because I’m still searching for my next job. Because of that, I spent a lot of time translating and have finished quite a number of chapters. If you have extra money to spare and want to help me, please donate to my ko-fi! I’m lowering the donation-to-bonus chapters requirement until 11 Jan. So every 1 ko-fi ($3), I’ll post 1 bonus chapter. Thank you for reading this long note~

---

When August arrived, the first round of student registration for Buwang Education officially kicked off with an aggressive advertising campaign. They plastered full-bus ads on four major bus routes and bought golden airtime slots on three prominent radio stations.  

The idea was simple: whether parents were commuting by public transportation or driving their own cars, they couldn’t possibly miss the announcements.  

Having spent too much time in the marketing trenches of 2027, Jiang Wang deeply understood the art of persuasion in advertising. Make it passionate, make it unforgettable.  

“Mom, I want to go to Tsinghua University!”  

“Don’t worry, honey. Mom has signed you up for Buwang Education’s Gold-Level One-on-One program! Expert coaches will design a personalized plan just for you—you can do it!”  

“Dad, I failed again… I only got 40 points this time.” 

“Don’t worry! Dad’s got your back. I signed you up for Buwang’s Foundation Class. With our professional teachers and multi-dimensional teaching methods, early birds catch the worm — Buwang Education will help you rise!”

The ad’s punchy lines and the well-chosen voice actors resonated so much that commuters in the Luhu District found themselves unconsciously repeating:  

“Mom~, I want↘ to go↗ to Tsinghua University!!”  

Damn, is this ever going to end?

This was his first time opening a tutoring business in the provincial capital, and he felt a mix of excitement and trepidation. To secure success, he didn’t hesitate to allocate extra funds for promotions:  

“The boss has personally given out  a 100,000 yuan scholarship—hit your target, and take home a cash prize!”  

“Win an iPod Classic, a luxury trip to Sanya, a PSP, or even exclusive autographed celebrity photos. If you dare to improve, the rewards are yours!”

Behind the scenes, however, the 20 elite teachers were still in the mid-to-late stages of training, with some details yet to be finalized.  

Ji Linqiu, now the head of the high school division, and Duan Zhao, in charge of the middle school sector, had become the backbone of the operation.  

Though Teacher Ji specialized in English and Teacher Duan in mathematics, both demonstrated exceptional leadership and earned widespread respect among the team. 

They oversaw everything from teacher training protocols to textbook development, ensuring that materials were precise and on point, tailored to memory optimization and key exam topics.  

Jiang Wang, having sat through countless meetings with the teachers over the past year, had inadvertently absorbed a substantial amount of knowledge.

Despite never attending college himself, his insatiable curiosity and sponge-like learning ability allowed him to pick up the fundamentals of elementary, middle, and high school curricula.  

He often sought help from the teachers when he struggled with a concept, unintentionally making them tremble in fear, believing they were being tested by the boss. Consequently, they explained even the most basic topics with painstaking detail.

Meanwhile, Jiang Wang was genuinely engaged.  

‘Science is so fascinating, I should set up a little lab at home.’

---

The hotline for registrations, promoted in the ads, was manned 24/7. Customer service staff underwent rigorous training, received generous bonuses, and were subject to random call audits to ensure a consistently warm and professional tone.  

The result was class slots were snatched up in no time, leaving Jiang Wang marveling at their success.  

“I should rent the 8th floor too,” Boss Jiang mused, clearly in awe. “We’ll have floors 6, 7, and 8—perfect for the words ‘Admissions Office.’”  

Around the same time, the fifth edition of “The Golden Twelve Volumes” was finalized. The widely acclaimed study material was now ready for mass printing and distribution, offered at a substantial discount to partner schools.  There was a baseline of 30% discount, and if the order was large enough, the discount would be bumped to 40%. This was all purely for building reputation.

He was not in a rush to make money now. 

Although some schools are difficult to contact, thankfully, connections are something to build overtime. In just a year, Jiang Wang has established contacts with many provincial and municipal key junior and senior high schools, and his source of supply has expanded greatly.

Jiang Wang wanted the entire city, province, and eventually the nation to associate their company’s name with excellence. 

Once their reputation was firmly established, selling textbooks would be akin to printing money.  

Over time, Ji Linqiu became something of an unofficial second-in-command. 

Jiang Wang frequently sought his advice on tough decisions, and during Jiang’s business trips, Ji Linqiu independently handled numerous challenging tasks.  

Sometimes he was so busy that he forgot to rest, and when he was so tired that his brain was deprived of oxygen, he would lie down on the recliner and massage his head slowly.

“Jiang Wang, what do you think life will be like decades from now?”  

Jiang Wang, typing an email, didn’t pause to think. “A hundred times more convenient. A hundred times more exhausting.”  

The contradictory answer piqued Ji Linqiu’s curiosity. “Why do you say that?”  

“In another 10 or 20 years, many of the things you have now will be condensed into one product altogether.”

Jiang Wang swiveled his chair and gestured to Ji’s iPod and the gaming console on his desk.  

“These won’t exist anymore. No one will carry MP3 or MP4 players. A mobile phone will do it all.”  

“In the future, you’ll press a few buttons, and a taxi will arrive. No more standing in the cold, waiting endlessly.”  

“You’ll eat whatever you crave, and delivermen can deliver it to your door even at 2 AM. Milk tea and coffee will taste even better than now.”  

“And the best part… If I miss you, I can video call you. No long-distance fees, no roaming charges. Wherever you are, I’ll see your face and hear your voice.”  

Ji Linqiu stared at him, a flicker of emotion crossing his eyes.  

“Isn’t that wonderful?” Jiang Wang added, his smile lingering.

Ji Linqiu listened, his eyes glimmering with curiosity, and asked, “Why would life feel more exhausting?”  

Jiang Wang lowered his head, pondering for a moment before answering truthfully, “Because when people are too close to each other, they end up draining and exploiting one another.”  

He suddenly realized he might have spoken too definitively. Glancing up to gauge Ji Linqiu’s reaction, he quickly added, “I read it in a sci-fi novel—no idea if it’s true. Some people even predict that in 20 years, we might have cables plugged into the backs of our heads. Who knows?”  

Ji Linqiu didn’t confirm nor deny the idea, taking his time before replying softly, “I really enjoy talking to you. You make everything sound so interesting.”  

Jiang Wang pressed his lips together, momentarily stunned by Ji Linqiu’s candid remark. He found Ji Linqiu unbearably adorable like this.  

How could he like him this much?  

---

The month of August flew by in a whirlwind.  

The youngest member of their family, Peng Xingwang, barely realized that before the new school year even began, he had already finished learning the third and fourth-grade curricula. He was like an unwitting extra in a martial arts[mfn]OG Chinese: Hong Qigong, Xiaolongnu, and Jinlun Fawang. All three are famous wuxia films[/mfn] film, trained rigorously by masters before he even knew it, now glowing with an academic prodigy aura he hadn’t noticed.  

When the first day of school arrived, he nervously held the hands of his two older brothers as they walked him into his new school, marking the start of a brand-new chapter in his life.  

Despite their busy schedules, Jiang Wang and Ji Linqiu made it a priority to pick him up together after school every day during the first week. 

They knew a young child in an unfamiliar city would need extra care to feel secure.  

Over time, the two older brothers noticed a problem Peng Xingwang hadn’t voiced himself:  

In the entire family, Peng Xingwang was the only one who didn’t seem like a “city kid.”  

It was a subtle yet distinct issue.  

Jiang Wang, having spent years navigating the complexities of urban life, and Ji Linqiu, with his experience studying in Beijing, exuded a natural air of confidence and sophistication.  

By comparison, Peng Xingwang came across like a little quail freshly plucked from a countryside coop. 

His speech carried traces of the local Hongcheng City accent, and his curious, wide-eyed demeanor gave him the unmistakable air of a rural child.  

Being a “city kid” wasn’t about appearances alone. It was an intangible but instantly recognizable vibe, something locals could discern at a glance.  

Ji Linqiu, ever observant, noticed the child seemed cheerful in their presence but would retreat into a quiet, dejected state when alone in his room.  

After a few days of observation, Jiang Wang decided to sit Peng Xingwang down for a “family meeting” in the living room.  

“Alright, spill it. What’s troubling you?” Jiang Wang, ever direct, grinned in a heroic manner. “Tell us so we can either help you or laugh at your expense.”  

Peng Xingwang sat on the couch, fidgeting for a moment before mumbling, “I’m fine, really. Nothing’s wrong.”  

Ji Linqiu cleared his throat gently.  

The boy’s resolve wavered. “It’s just… sometimes I can’t understand what the teachers are saying.”  

Jiang Wang raised an eyebrow.  

“And… sometimes I don’t know how to join their conversations.”  

Back in Hongcheng City, as the nephew of a bookstore owner, Peng Xingwang had been the go-to kid for the latest in comics, novels, and pop culture. He was always the star of the conversation in his old class.  

But now, the stark contrast in environment was overwhelming.  

What began as a hesitant admission soon turned into a full-on venting session.  

“They’re all playing Red Alert and Pokémon! I don’t even know what level Bulbasaur evolves at!”  

“The math teacher gives us extra Olympiad problems for fun, and the kids who solve them get chocolate candies. I haven’t gotten a single one!”  

“They don’t watch the cartoons on satellite TV. They’re all talking about Naruto! I don’t even know which channel is airing Naruto!  

“I—I don’t know anything!” Peng Xingwang’s voice cracked as he rubbed his eyes, choking back tears. “I flipped through the TV at home like ten times, but I still can’t find Sailor Moon or Naruto!—”  

The two older brothers exchanged a look before silently moving to console him.  

…indeed, the troubles of a child were often entirely outside the realm of adult consideration.  

“We should find some time to teach you Yuhan Mandarin,” Jiang Wang mused. “As for Pokémon, your big brother here is an expert—FireRed, LeafGreen, Pearl, XY, Sword and Shield—I’ll teach you all of it.[mfn]…Jiang Wang, your time-traveler is showing up. This is 2006/2007, Diamond and Pearl is barely released in Japan!![/mfn]”  

“Olympiad math isn’t hard,” Ji Linqiu added thoughtfully. “I’ll give you thirty minutes of practice every day. Once it clicks, you’ll solve them all. As for watching Naruto, that’s online. I’ll teach you how to use the computer.”  

Peng Xingwang froze for a few seconds, staring at them.  

After a deep breath, he looked at them like they were entirely new people.  

“Big Brother… you… you know how to play Pokémon!?”  

Jiang Wang scoffed. “Kid, I was breeding 6IV shiny Pokémon when you didn’t even know what a Pokéball was.”  

“Brother Linqiu, you know math!?”  

Peng Xingwang was utterly incredulous. “You can do Olympiad problems?!”  

Ji Linqiu finally felt the urge to spank the boy.  

“Who told you English teachers can’t do math?”  

At just nine years old, Peng Xingwang had no concept of finance or business. He never understood why everyone treated his two older brothers with such respect.  

It wasn’t until today that he suddenly realized—  

‘My two brothers are gods.’

‘Absolutely! Gods!’