Good Youth in the New Era!

Song Chengkai had suffered greatly recently. 

From that incident, he also got into a car accident and hurt himself. Once he finally recovered and got back to his feet, he was subjected to comprehensive grounding from his family.

The most unbearable thing for him was being dragged out by his grandfather all day long to drink tea and write words with a bunch of old geezers, to call by the glorified name of refining his mind.

He could take being bored to death, but the key was that everyone could still give him a lecture.

To think that he, Song Chengkai, who people still need to address as Young Master Song outside of the house, was now being treated like a grandchild every day. 

In short, there was only one word that could describe these days: Bitter.

The only thing that gave him some comfort in his suffering was that he heard that Ren Xingliu was even worse than him. Not only was he punished, but he was also forced to go on a blind date. Although that guy would definitely not give in, it was enough for him…

The only thing that gave him some comfort in his suffering was hearing that Ren Xingliu was even worse off than him. Not only was he punished with sanctions, but he was also forced to go on blind dates. Although that guy would definitely not give in, he was still suffering…

Song Chengkai gloated while regretting not having the opportunity to sneak out and find Ren Xingliu, just so he could ridicule him in person.

He didn’t expect the opportunity to come so suddenly.

Song Chengkai was originally very depressed today, but his grandfather took him out of bed early in the morning and said that he had made an appointment with some chairman of the Provincial Calligraphy Association today and was going to meet friends through writing in the manor.

Originally, Song Chengkai was feeling very depressed today, because his grandfather dragged him out of his blanket burrito, saying how he had made an appointment with the chairman of the Provincial Calligraphy Association today, and the meeting was at the resort with his other calligraphy friends.

His grandfather insisted he must come along to learn. 

Song Chengkai’s head grew bigger just hearing it. It was clear it was the same battle again, a gathering of old geezers. It was hard to say if this stay would last a day or longer, and he might even get tested at the end.

So, as soon as they arrived, he used an excuse of not feeling to hide in the corner listlessly.

Although Mr. Song hated that his iron couldn’t become steel, with outsiders present as well as an esteemed guest, it wasn’t a place to say more, so he let his grandson be.

Earlier, Song Chengkai was secretly on his phone, but when he heard the familiar voice, he was in disbelief. 

It was really Ren Xingliu, he didn’t believe it. As soon as he saw the other person, he instantly came back to life.

He had finally run into Ren Xingliu!

In an instant, grudges from all periods surged inside.

It was this person that made him lose face in front of Pei Xianzhi, caused him to injure himself and got him to be a grandchild the longest time!

He gritted his teeth the next moment, because it didn’t feel right to go overboard in front of these elders, he resorted to show a provocative expression.

He believed that Ren Xingliu could definitely read his gaze and understand his message.

With this person’s nature, he would definitely retaliate in a defiant manner.

Moreover, the other party should be even more eager to reunite with him and conclude their unfinished business. 

Because this was Ren Xingliu he was talking about.

Someone so arrogant, impulsive, and brainless.

Thus. at the moment when he called out the other person by name, he had already prepared himself for the other party to instantly change his face and start a confrontation.

All signs indicated that another war would break out between them, and then—

What?

What was with Ren Xingliu’s expression?

Ache, regret, and gratification? There was even a trace of…kindness?!

For a second, Song Chengkai wondered if he had spent too much time with these old men that he was seeing the same elderly affection expression on Ren Xingliu’s face??? 

How could this be possible?!

Just as Song Chengkai began to doubt his mental state, Ren Xingliu instantly opened his mouth and said—

Remember to drive with care next time.

Song Chengkai: “???” 

Wasn’t this the same thing these old men have been telling him the last few days?

Who am I, where am I, what am I doing?

Grandfather, look what you’ve done to me! You have caused me to go insane!!! 

…

It was precisely Song Chengkai’s impulsiveness, and his prone to anger that caused the huge mess in the first place, resulting in the following incidents.

That was why he was afraid that Song Chengkai was going to pick a fight.

It wasn’t because he was scared of the other person, but more because it was tiring. He ate enough bitterness and really wasn’t in the mood to dwell on the past grudges.

Besides, it was impolite to make a scene with seniors present! 

To his surprise, Song Chengkai knew the drill. After greeting him, he didn’t continue to provoke.

Instead…he looked to be daydreaming?

Was this an aftermath of the car accident?

Too bad, even if Song Chengkai was behaving well, his grandfather’s face looked grim. 

Mr. Song, like everyone else, was worried that his grandson’s impulsive behavior would embarrass him in front of others. However, Song Chengkai surprisingly stayed…in a daze from Ren Xingliu’s words?

Wasn’t this even more embarrassing?

There was none of the young blood nature at all!

Mr. Song was so frightened that he could no longer pretend to be calm. He threw away the pen in his hand, glared at his grandson angrily, then looked at Mr. Ren and the others coldly, and said, “Have you finished speaking? If nothing happens, just Let’s go quickly.” 

Mr. Song felt so irritated inside that he couldn’t pretend to be calm anymore. He threw the brush in his hand and glared at his grandson with anger, chiding, “Are you guys done talking? Hurry and leave if you three have nothing better to say.”

It was rare for Mr. Ren to be in a good mood. He really didn’t want to argue with the Song family at first, but when Mr. Song said this, he was not so easy to deal with. He immediately sneered and said, “It’s a joke. Whether we want to leave or stay, I’ll tell you.” What’s the matter?”

Being in a rare good mood today, at first, Mr. Ren didn’t want to argue with the Song Family. However, when Mr. Song said these words, he was no longer keen on being so amiable. He instantly sneered and countered, “That’s a funny joke. What does it matter to you whether we want to leave or stay?”

“Of course it matters.” Mr. Song said with a haughty expression, “We’re conducting elegant matters. What use can you provide by staying here other than disturbing our aesthetic mood?” 

The two of them were opposed to each other with equal harshness, with neither yielding. The scene turned tense instantly.

The other hastily smoothed things over, “Alright, we’re all friends. Let’s just say less on that.”

“It’s not every day for Mr. Ke to be present, so let’s not bring up the unpleasant past.”

In the middle of the conversation, an old man, who had been standing quietly in the corner of the table, also stepped forward, saying with a smile, “What’s going on?” 

As soon as he spoke up, Mr. Song’s expression eased a bit.

Mr. Ren’s tone also softened greatly, “It’s a rare occasion for Mr. Ke to be here, sorry for making you see this joke.”

The old man said politely, “No way.”

Listening to the conversation, Ren Xingliu realized what was going on.

It turned out Mr. Ke was Ke Fangsong, the honorary chairman of the Provincial Calligraphy Association, who was also a fairly well-known calligrapher.

Ke Fangsong was invited to Ling City for two days. With this news, many calligraphy enthusiasts invited him to a gathering through their special connections.

It was no wonder that these old masters were being so courteous to him.

Don’t be fooled by this. Each of them was very influential in Ling City, and when it came to money and status, none of them would yield to anyone, but it was a different story when it came to the art world. 

Art was not something that could be measured by money.

Mr. Ke may not be on par with them in terms of wealth, but he was a real celebrity in the art world, and naturally, he carried a touch of higher status.

Ke Fangsong didn’t know the grudge between their two families, but at this age, they both like to be peacemakers. When he saw this, he said: “It is said that it is better to resolve enemies than to end them. If there is any misunderstanding, just let it go. There is no need to be so angry.”

Ke Fangsong didn’t know the details about the grievances between the two families. However, at this age, he preferred to be a peacemaker. So, in this situation, he said, “It’s better for foes to be reconciled than to contend with each other. Any misunderstanding can be clarified, there’s no need to get so angry.” 

As soon as he voiced out, the others also nodded in agreement. “Yes, yes, there’s no need for that.”

Someone who had always been on good terms with the Ren family took advantage of the opportunity to give Ren Xingliu a hand and said with a smile: “After all, it’s just a matter between children. It just so happens that Xingliu and Chengkai are both here today, so why don’t the two of them just talk about it? Let’s shake hands and make peace here, let’s forget about it, we are all young people, and we can have more interactions in the future——”

One of them, who was usually good friends with the Ren Family, took advantage of the situation and gave a hand to Ren Xingliu, saying with a smile, “Ultimately, this is a small matter between children. Since Xingliu and Chengkai are both here, why don’t the two of you shake hands and make peace? Let’s lay this matter to rest. Both of you are still young, and the two of you are bound to have more interactions in the future—”

Before he could finish speaking, Mr. Song glared with his eyes and interrupted, “Enough, the past is the past, but don’t be so quick to judge on their future interactions.”

As he spoke, he reached out to stop Song Chengkai, saying neither too salty nor too bland, “Although Chengkai is not the most mature tool, at least he is a child who listens. I don’t want him to get influenced by some bad habits.”

As soon as he spoke those words, the atmosphere turned awkward.

The key was that it was difficult for everyone to refute, mainly because they themselves weren’t willing to let their juniors in the family mingle with Ren Xingliu as well.

For real, they were feeling headache for the Ren Family just hearing what kind of brat Ren Xingliu had been over the years. Wv2z4R

Everyone looked at each other, while Mr. Ren’s face was turning red from anger. Just as he was about to make a scene, Ren Xingliu spoke up first.

He looked displeased and argued, “Old man, that’s a prejudice claim!”

At first, Ren Xingliu planned to be a good grandson and stayed as quiet as a chicken, but it appeared now was not the time to remain silent.

He acknowledged all the bad deeds he had committed in the past. But for the past few days, he had been minding his own business, keeping out of trouble and working diligently as a good socialist youth. 

But he couldn’t let the previous stigma continue to follow him.

Therefore, he chose to stand up bravely against everyone’s doubts.

Mr. Song didn’t think he would dare to speak up. He furrowed his brow and challenged, “What do you want to say?”

Song Chengkai on the side couldn’t help but sneered. Fortunately, he was frightened by Ren Xingliu in front of him, thinking that this person had changed his gender, but in the end he was still as frustrated as before.

On the side, Song Chengkai couldn’t resist sneering softly. It was on him, for nearly being intimidated by Ren Xingliu earlier. He thought that this person had changed, but this guy was in fact the same as before, unable to keep calm.

Wrong, he should say the other person would still act regardless of the law and of a natural morality, to actually brute force his way through in front of so many elders. He was going to get what was coming…

“I have changed my mind.” Ren Xingliu raised his head and straightened his chest and said with integrity, “Since the car accident, I have deeply realized my mistakes. During this time, I have been cultivating myself and correcting my mistakes. I hope everyone will not misunderstand me again. Already.”

“I have already washed my heart and renewed my face.” Ren Xingliu said as he stood tall with his chest out, then he continued with a serious face, “Since the car accident, I have acknowledged my wrongdoing. During this time, I have been cultivating my heart and nurturing my character. Now that I have reform and started afresh, I hope that everyone will no longer see me in the wrong light.” 

He carried a resolute gaze, and he spoke in a firm tone, with seriousness written all over his face.

Mr. Song was stunned at this moment: “…”

Song Chengkai’s reaction was much greater: “……??”

Other people present also exchanged a look, with a hint of doubt on their faces. 

Was this really the same brat from the Ren Family?

Leaving aside whether his claim was true or not, his attitude alone was much more elegant than the Song Family’s performance.

Only Bai Juanqiu chuckled softly and lightly rubbed the back of Ren Xingliu’s hand with his fingers, giving him a look that spell, well said.

Having received the support, Ren Xingliu’s eyes were filled with more determination.

Being in the dark about the inside story, Ke Fangsong wasn’t as surprised as others. He burst into laughter and praised, “Not bad, very good. It’s very commendable to have this level of awareness at such a young age.”

He wanted to calm down the incident, but it was rare for this young man to have the courage to admit his mistake, so he changed the subject, “When it comes to cultivating one’s moral character, the most important thing is to be able to calm down. Calligraphy like this is the best way to cultivate emotions. Since you have this mentality , why not try to practice calligraphy…”

He had the intention to mediate the matter, but it was rare for a young man to admit his mistake. He took the opportunity to shift the topic, starting, “Speaking of cultivating one’s heart and nurturing one’s character, the most important thing is to be able to stay calm. Calligraphy is the most effective way to strengthen one’s mentality. Since you have this good intention, why don’t you give calligraphy a try…”

He actually said this in an attempt to smooth the current situation, but deep down, there was a hint of mockery. 

As one should know, not many young people are interested in this skill nowadays.

Yet, Ren Xingliu nodded and said in agreement, “It’s quite a handy skill. I used to work on my calligraphy.”

Of course, this ‘used to’ was during the Sheng Dynasty.

In that era, there was no hard pen, so he had to write with brushes. 

At first, he specially practiced several different calligraphy styles in an event where the military message was to be intercepted by the enemy.

Then when the world entered peace, with nothing better to do, he began to cultivate some hobbies to pass the time, as well as avoid suspicion.

At that time, there wasn’t much entertainment, so the things he could amuse himself with were very limited.

Not only calligraphy, but he had also pretty much dipped his toes into all sorts of ancient pastimes. 

Ke Fangsong found this shocking and asked, “You have practiced calligraphy?”

Ren Xingliu nodded and told the truth, “For a period of time.”

“That’s very good.” Ke Fangsong warmed up to him instantly. He only brought it up offhandedly, but he didn’t expect the other party to really learn it.

In the midst of his great joy, he immediately pulled Ren Xingliu towards the table and encouraged, “Come here, we have everything, brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones. Come show everyone what you can do.” 

Mr. Song was already very unhappy to start with, now adding this development to the mix, he scoffed coldly.

He had been dragging Song Chengkai to attend these cultural gatherings the past few days, hoping to get some culture into his grandson and also to show him off.

Today, because of Ke Fangsong’s visit, he even hauled his grandson out of bed early in the morning.

What ended up happening was Ke Fangsong didn’t say one kind word to Song Chengkai the whole time, and instead, praised Ren Xingliu. 

Mr. Song was feeling ashamed, inwardly cursing this yellow-mouthed brat for improving slightly, having learned how to speak beautiful words.

What was least expected was how brainless the brat was, blowing this kind of fragile cow skin, known to pop right away.

Seeing Ren Xingliu was pulled to the table by Ke Fangsong, Mr. Song smoothed the wrinkles on his face, and he chimed in cheerfully, “Yes, you should write something for everyone to evaluate.”

The others knew what Mr. Song had in mind the moment they heard that, and for a moment, they found this somewhat laughable. 

Mr. Ren glared at him angrily, but the conversation wasn’t chosen by the Song person, so there was nothing he could say.

He could only check on his grandson and said with a frown, “Why don’t we just forget about this…”

Others might not be sure, but he knew what Ren Xingliu was like usually. When did this kid ever have an interest in such a refined hobby?

Sadly, this child was still too short-tempered, not able to stay calm when provoked. 

Having no calligraphy skill was nothing, but to talk so big, it was inviting the Song guy an opportunity to taunt later.

He intended to put a stop to this, but Ren Xingliu had already picked up a brush.

Seeing the anxiety on Mr. Ren’s face, Mr. Song added more fuel to the flame. “Why stop him if the kid wants to show off. Are you afraid of him embarrassing himself…”

Before he could finish speaking, a sudden exclamation came from besides, “Good handwriting!” 

Mr. Song was puzzled, he paused mid-sentence as well to turn his head to look, then: “?”

On the snow-white rice paper, Ren Xingliu had just finished writing one character.

But this single character alone was already stunning enough.

The brush moved like a slithering dragon, with vigorous hooks, and fine strokes.. 

Just from a single glance, it showed the effort put into this skill, and it wasn’t not a result from one morning and one evening.

Never mind Mr. Song, who only had the intention to see the kid making a fool of himself, everyone else was also stunned for a moment.

While Ke Fangsong continued to cheer, “Keep going, keep going!”

Ren Xingliu took the good advice, dipped his brush in the ink and continued. 

As he wrote down character by character, the surroundings gradually quieted down.

One single reason, the characters were just too beautiful.

These elders have been immersed in this hobby for years, so their handwriting wasn’t to be underestimated, and they also have the ability to appreciate others’ skill. For a moment, they were mesmerized.

Even Song Chengkai, who knew nothing of calligraphy, was also speechless at this moment. 

If he wasn’t mistaken, what Ren Xingliu wrote should be…

Prosperity, democracy, civility, harmony…

No, everyone is obviously a famous loser in Lingcheng, and they were racing and fighting together a few days ago. Why, in the blink of an eye, this man not only secretly integrated into the lives of the old men, but also memorized the core socialist values?

No way, the two of them were clearly notorious wastrels in Ling City. They were even racing and scuffling a few days ago. How did this guy not only secretly integrate into these old men’s style of living, but also memorize the Core Socialist Values in the blink of an eye?