To welcome the leaders (crossed out)… oh no, the parents coming to visit, this year’s sports day and Mid-Autumn Festival gala would be held on two consecutive days, and the notoriously frugal Principal surprisingly splurged a huge sum.
Not only did he spend lavishly to refurbish the entire stadium, but he also rented a set of professional stage equipment.
— What delighted the Principal even more was that a local piano shop with keen eyes (or perhaps just lots of money) took notice of their sports day’s promotional power and generously paid 500,000 yuan in sponsorship.
That very professional stage equipment was also provided by the same piano shop.
The little old man nearing sixty and on the verge of retirement had no idea about the price differences between stage equipment, nor did he know that the set he rented for less than 50,000 yuan would cost at least ten times as much even at a discounted price on the market.
But there was one thing the Principal knew better than anyone: this meticulously prepared grand event could not allow a single accident, especially no major incident that would tarnish his reputation before retirement.
— When he learned from the security guards that a suspicious person had sneaked into the school, the Principal’s anxious heart leapt into his throat.
He had no time to consider whether his rash action was dangerous; by the time he came to his senses, he was already standing in the corridor of the teaching building, face to face with that so-called “suspicious,” “shifty-eyed” dangerous man described by the security.
The man pulled his black mask up a bit higher on his face; his dark sunglasses hid his obscure expression, making him look even more dangerous.
“May I ask what business you have here?”
The Principal’s expression did not relax in the slightest. His brows furrowed deeply as his eyes darted back and forth across the man, especially focusing on the right hand tucked into the man’s pocket.
In an instant, countless images flashed through the Principal’s mind: a seemingly harmless villain wielding a sharp knife breaking into the school to kidnap students; a ruthless bandit from distant America with his freedom gun, opening into a barrage of unstoppable shots.
The Principal’s breathing grew rapid; the last bit of clarity barely allowed him to recognize the man’s expensive clothing brand.
This outfit must have cost tens of thousands at least; someone who could afford these clothes surely wasn’t a desperate kidnapper, right?
Thinking this, the Principal felt somewhat relieved but still dared not let his guard down, staring intently at the man, afraid he might do anything abnormal and endanger himself or the students.
The security guards hiding behind a pillar not far from the man made an “OK” gesture to the Principal, which eased his nerves a bit. Gaining some courage, he asked, “You… who are you?”
Lin Shen found the little old man before him inexplicably strange.
Although he sponsored the school’s stage equipment under the piano shop’s name, he had never met the Principal personally and therefore did not recognize the old man’s identity.
Still, he patiently answered in a friendly tone, “I’m a parent here to attend the sports day.”
Perhaps the Principal and his entourage of security guards were simply too conspicuous.
Hearing this, the Vice Principal, responsible for coordinating with parents, hurried over, hoping to back up his Principal and resolve the situation swiftly.
Compared to the short, stout Principal with his beer belly, the Vice Principal— wearing a white shirt and suit pants, looking elegant and handsome in his forties or fifties— better fit Lin Shen’s idea of “leadership.”
Out of respect for school leadership, Lin Shen removed his sunglasses and mask, showing a friendly smile in the Vice Principal’s direction: “Hello, Principal. I am Lin Shen, parent of Lin Yuan from Class 2-9. I was invited to attend the sports day. Thank you for the school’s care for my younger brother over the years.”
He then extended his pale, slender hand, resembling that of a pianist.
Principal: “……”
Vice Principal: “……”
In an instant, the Vice Principal’s mind raced through over twenty years of work, wondering if the Principal was looking for a reason to give him trouble.
Sweating profusely, the Vice Principal said, “Um, Mr. Lin, this is the Principal of Second High School, and I am the Vice Principal.”
Lin Shen: “……”
As the atmosphere grew tense, the security team, dumbfounded by Lin Shen removing his sunglasses and mask, finally snapped out of it and let out a perfectly timed short exclamation.
The Vice Principal silently gave mental praise to this very perceptive guard and quickly put on a concerned expression, his tone unusually urgent: “Zhao Dabao, what’s wrong?”
The guard wanted to say he wasn’t Zhao Dabao, but under the Vice Principal’s intense gaze, he had no choice but to accept this temporary name, nervously yet excitedly explaining, “Principal, Vice Principal, this is Lin Shen! The Film Emperor Lin Shen!”
Lin Shen had hidden himself so thoroughly to avoid his identity causing chaos and disrupting the school event, as well as to shield his brother’s spotlight.
Now, he only removed his mask out of respect for the school leaders, secretly hoping that although he was famous, middle-aged educators (the Principal and Vice Principal) and the janitor wouldn’t recognize him.
But who could tell him why these guards suddenly appeared out of nowhere?
Not to mention how embarrassing it was to be mistaken for someone else.
Sorry, little brother, your big brother has caused trouble again.
Lin Shen silently shed a tear of sorrow.
Looking at the Principal, although he didn’t know exactly who Lin Shen was, he clearly understood what the title “Film Emperor” implied.
What? A student’s parent is a Film Emperor?
As for Lin Shen’s popularity, that wasn’t on the Principal’s mind— just look at that face, the aura, the manner of speaking (?), a Film Emperor couldn’t not be famous.
This was worthy of making headlines in the local newspaper… no, maybe even trending on short videos and social media hot searches!
The small conflict instantly evaporated completely at this moment.
The Principal’s gaze at Lin Shen became so eager it was like looking at a golden egg-laying phoenix, itching to grab Lin Shen’s hand and start singing “We Are Family.”
“Oh, so you’re Lin Yuan’s parent…” The Principal racked his brains but still couldn’t figure out who this “Lin Yuan” was, only vaguely saying, “A student in Teacher Rui’s class, an outstanding one at that. No wonder Mr. Lin’s…”
Lin Shen caught the hint immediately: “You mean my younger brother.”
“Your younger brother is truly exceptional; our teachers here all like him very much.”
“Really?” Although a bit regretful his identity was revealed, Lin Shen still showed a happy expression hearing the school leaders praise his brother. “I really appreciate the school’s nurturing of my brother.”
“Mr. Lin, you’re too kind.”
After some meaningless mutual compliments, Lin Shen changed the topic: “Could you please tell me how to get to the stadium?”
Because the class was small, there were fewer parents visiting compared to other classes.
To better organize the parents watching the competitions, Rui Hang had already notified the Parent Group to gather at the stadium first and arrange designated viewing areas.
But in response to Lin Shen’s question, the Principal kindly said, “Mr. Lin, why should you squeeze in with everyone else?”
Lin Shen: “I don’t…”
But the Principal gave him no chance to refuse. Quick as a flash, he grabbed Lin Shen’s hand, his face blooming into a radiant smile: “The stands have a great view. Why don’t you come with us to the stands to watch the opening ceremony?”
Afraid that refusal might cause trouble for his brother later, Lin Shen, whose intelligence seemed to lower whenever it came to dealing with Lin Yuan, had no choice but to anxiously and reluctantly walk hand in hand with the Principal toward the sports field.
……
Lin Yuan covered his phone on the table and let out a faint sigh.
“My brother hasn’t made a sound again.”
Yu Zhi, standing beside Lin Yuan, casually asked, “Has he arrived at school already?”
“About ten minutes ago, he asked me how to get to the stadium. I told him maybe he could come find me in the classroom first, but he probably didn’t see the message because he hasn’t replied till now.”
“Maybe he’s already at the stadium meeting Teacher Rui,” Yu Zhi suggested.
“Probably,” Lin Yuan said uncertainly, sighing again, unable to hide his worry.
It was his brother’s first time attending a school event as a parent, and he was someone who couldn’t be casually exposed. Now suddenly there was no news, so Lin Yuan couldn’t help but feel anxious.
“The school isn’t that big; even if your brother got lost, where could he possibly go?” Yu Zhi comforted him, gently patting Lin Yuan’s hand back. “Stand up and show me.”
Lin Yuan was used to obeying Yu Zhi’s requests without question. Without hesitation, he stood up. The larger movement made the soft armor pieces on his body emit a crisp sound.
“Not bad, though it’s really hard to replicate Parnaki’s armor one-to-one,” Yu Zhi said as she held Lin Yuan’s arm and helped him turn around, her gaze tender as if looking at a family junior. “The fabric fits perfectly. Yaya and Jiajia really put their hearts into it.”
Lin Yuan’s outfit was primarily black and white. Although the colors were similar to Rui Hang’s attire, the style was completely different.
As a Guardian Knight and Evangelist of the ‘Goddess of Calamity’ Sanctuary, Lin Yuan’s outfit looked like a black-and-white, elegant evangelist robe at first glance.
But upon closer inspection, the black parts were not fabric patches but composed of numerous tiny, fish-scale-like metal plates connected together.
Back in Parnaki, those metal plates came from actual dragon scales.
Softer than metal yet stronger, even enchanted swords found them hard to slice through, and they naturally carried the dragon’s intimidating aura.
Across all of Parnaki, this was a piece of armor worthy of being called ‘Legendary Armor’— not to mention it bore the Blessing bestowed personally by the ‘Goddess of Calamity.’
This soft armor was neither bulky like a warrior’s plate armor nor dull and rigid like a cleric’s robes.
Its sacredness was blended with a sense of sleekness; the black armor didn’t feel aggressive but rather approachable, and on Lin Yuan, it looked incredibly graceful.
Yu Zhi had seen this style countless times in Parnaki over the centuries.
She should have been tired of it by now, but seeing it again on Earth, it felt familiar, and memories came flooding back along with the familiar appearance.
Before she could voice her nostalgic thoughts, Su Mingya, who was responsible for coordinating with Rui Hang on the event’s schedule, hurried into the classroom, clapping her hands: “Is everyone ready? We’re about to head to the stadium!”