Chapter Seventeen: Wei Xiaofan Slandered

Chapter Seventeen

Seeing that in his past life, someone named Wei Xiaofan had indeed gone through that period with him, Wei Xiaoping became excited. Yet, because he could not comprehend what he and Wei Xiaofan and those others were doing in his previous existence, a sense of disappointment and melancholy crept in.

Most people, after death, when reincarnated or transported to another realm or world, do not recall their past experiences; even if they do, it is only a rare few who remember. What’s more, Wei Xiaoping had already been reincarnated or transported twice, so it was only natural that he could not remember what he had experienced in the life before his previous life.

Therefore, when Wei Xiaoping found himself in the Netherworld’s All-Things Transmigration Consultation Office, looking at the life before his previous life, it was even more incomprehensible to him.

He wanted to find a ghost with experience in such matters to help him interpret what he could not understand, and to explain it to him.

Wei Xiaoping turned, intending to ask Luo Zhifu and Yang Zhijin if they understood the things from his previous existence.

“Brother Luo, Brother Yang, can you tell what they are doing in my past life?” he asked.

“Turn it around and let me see!” said Luo Zhifu.

After watching the footage that Wei Xiaoping had replayed, Luo Zhifu shook his head. “My previous life was in a different time and space from yours, so I can’t understand it either.”

“Yang Zhijin, help General Wei take a look. Maybe your past life was in the same world and era as General Wei’s, so you might be able to understand!” Luo Zhifu suggested.

Yang Zhijin, standing nearby, glanced at the screen and said, “General Wei, what a coincidence! Your previous life was indeed in the same world as mine!” He spoke with excitement. “I’ve checked my own previous existence before. I too lived in that world, just in a different place.”

Wei Xiaoping cried out, elated, “Really? Then can you understand what these people are doing in the footage?”

“They’re in class, a physics class,” Yang Zhijin replied.

“In class? What does that mean?”

Yang Zhijin laughed, thinking General Wei Xiaoping was truly clueless, not even knowing what a class was.

“‘In class’ means imparting knowledge to others; it’s a process of teaching someone to master something.”

“Oh, so it’s like when I didn’t know how to use this magic sphere to check my history, I asked you, and you taught me—would that be considered a class?”

“Haha, you could put it that way!” Yang Zhijin laughed, thinking Wei Xiaoping was quick to grasp the idea.

“Wonderful, Brother Yang!” Wei Xiaoping shifted to the right. “How about you sit down and watch my past life with me, and help explain the parts I don’t understand. Would you?”

“Well—” Yang Zhijin looked at Luo Zhifu. “I’m afraid not, since Brother Luo and I are on duty. We were just guiding you here, but—Brother Luo, you decide!”

Luo Zhifu, standing nearby, said, “Since General Wei can’t comprehend his own previous life, and Yang Zhijin’s past life was in the same world and space, let’s help him thoroughly. You can stay here as General Wei’s interpreter. As for the gate, I can manage on my own for a while.”

“So, Brother Luo, you agree to let Brother Yang stay with me?” Wei Xiaoping asked, excited.

“It’s only right! But, General Wei, he can’t stay too long—if a supervisor comes to check and Yang Zhijin isn’t at his post, there could be trouble. So, don’t keep him for too long.”

“I understand, Brother Luo. I won’t hold Brother Yang up for long, don’t worry!”

“Then, Yang Zhijin, stay here with General Wei for a while. I’ll return to my post. The gate can’t be left unattended for too long. If a supervisor comes and we’re not there, that would be bad. General Wei, after you finish, remember to sign the IOU!”

With that, Luo Zhifu departed.

He had considered charging Wei Xiaoping again for keeping Yang Zhijin with him, but realized he’d already taken enough today and feared another fee might arouse suspicion.

With Luo Zhifu’s approval, Yang Zhijin moved closer to Wei Xiaoping, and together they watched.

Wei Xiaoping pressed a few buttons to adjust the playback speed to medium, then watched attentively with Yang Zhijin.

“Wei Xiaoping, Wei Xiaofan, do you know why you’re being made to stand alone?” the woman addressed as ‘teacher’ asked sternly.

Wei Xiaofan nudged Wei Xiaoping under the desk and whispered, “Xiaoping, we did get up—why is ‘plank-face’ punishing us alone?”

Wei Xiaoping whispered, “You and I both forgot—it’s our turn for duty today!”

“Oh, we really did forget! That’s why she’s punishing us,” Wei Xiaofan muttered.

“Wei Xiaoping, Wei Xiaofan, answer my question!” the female teacher demanded.

“Teacher, we forgot today was our turn for duty!”

“Why don’t you ever forget to eat? Why do you never forget when class ends?” she scolded.

“Teacher, it’s not time for lunch or the end of class yet,” Wei Xiaofan replied.

A burst of laughter erupted from the class.

“She’s mocking us, Wei Xiaoping,” Wei Xiaofan whispered.

Wei Xiaofan’s cheeks flushed. “My mind’s muddled—I’m always being called a pig, as if I only ever think about food!”

“It’s your duty today, and you didn’t even know? What were you doing? From afar, I saw the classroom was in chaos, people chasing each other around, about to start class, and you—what were you doing?” the teacher said.

“Teacher, we were previewing the physics lesson!” Wei Xiaofan answered.

“Really? Then tell me, Wei Xiaofan, what are we learning today?”

“The balance scale!” Wei Xiaofan replied.

“What is a balance scale?”

“It’s a tool used to measure mass.”

“Hmm, looks like you really were previewing! I misjudged you. And you, Wei Xiaoping—were you also previewing the lesson?”

“Yes, teacher!”

“Then do you know how to use a balance scale to weigh things?”

“A balance scale has two trays—one for the object being weighed, the other for weights. When weighing, you place the object on the right tray, the weights on the left. To balance the scale, you keep adding weights to the left tray until the lever holding both trays is level. Then you count the weights on the left; their mass equals the object’s mass. By calculating the weight on the left, you know the weight of the object.”

“Excellent answer—comprehensive and clear!” The teacher tapped the textbook in her right hand against her left palm. “Wei Xiaoping, Wei Xiaofan, sit down. Classmates, did you see? Did you hear? This is what real previewing looks like, a model of earnest study. How many of you can preview as seriously as Wei Xiaoping and Wei Xiaofan? None! From afar, I saw you all clustered in twos and threes, making a racket, not knowing what you were doing. Have you seen how students in other classes behave? Do you know that, without teachers supervising, their classrooms are so quiet you can hear a swallow, the sound of breathing, even a gulp? But you—oh!”

At that moment, a boy stood up and pointed at Wei Xiaofan. “Ms. Li, Wei Xiaofan is lying! He was reading extracurricular books, not previewing. He’s a liar!”

Wei Xiaofan saw it was the class big shot, Li Bufan, whose father owned a real estate company. Li Bufan was the richest, had the worst attitude, and was the poorest student—always arguing with teachers.

“Li Bufan, don’t slander us! We were truly previewing!” Wei Xiaofan said angrily.

“Slander you? Wei Xiaofan, you think too highly of yourself. I barely have enough blood for myself—why would I waste it on you?”

“Li Bufan, have you had enough? If Wei Xiaofan wasn’t previewing, could he answer so accurately? But you—look at your test scores; when are you not dragging the whole class back?” Ms. Li pointed at Li Bufan, then at the other frequent underperformers.

“My grades are poor, I admit—I’m not gifted, but I follow the rules. The school says no extracurricular books in class; you’ve said it yourself. Yet you ignore Wei Xiaofan’s rule-breaking because he gets good grades! You’re biased—I don’t accept it!”

“Everyone is equal before the rules! As a teacher, I never favor anyone, regardless of their grades. Wei Xiaofan, were you really reading extracurricular books?”

“Teacher, not only does Wei Xiaofan read extracurricular books in class, but the books he reads are those—those…” Li Bufan pretended to be serious.

“What kind of books?” Ms. Li pressed.

“The kind—how should I put it—the kind with bare arms and legs!” Li Bufan feigned embarrassment.

The boys in the class burst into laughter, some girls hiding their faces behind their books.

“Li Bufan, if you keep this up, I’ll send you out!” Ms. Li shouted, exasperated.

“I’m not joking. Before you arrived, I was watching Wei Xiaofan closely. He was reading that book, now it’s hidden under his textbook—see for yourself!”

“Wei Xiaofan, to prove your innocence, please move your textbook,” Ms. Li said, displeased with Li Bufan, then turned to Wei Xiaofan.

Wei Xiaofan moved his physics textbook, revealing a book underneath.

On the cover, a girl in a short skirt and short sleeves sat on a park bench reading.

The title: “A Collection of Physics Test Questions for Middle School Students.”

“Li Bufan, is this your so-called ‘bare arms and legs’ book? Look closely and answer me!” Ms. Li raised Wei Xiaofan’s book, questioning Li Bufan sternly.

Li Bufan looked, his nerves tightening. In his mind, he thought: This isn’t right! This can’t be the book—how could it possibly be this one?!