Cultivation: I Have Studied Abroad in the Modern World-Chapter 2 - Modern

He's alive!

These past few days, he hadn't had a full meal at the farm.

Zheng Fa felt very ashamed. After enjoying all kinds of delicacies in this world, eating pig grass leaves was even harder to swallow...

After all, it's difficult to transition from luxury to frugality.

As for the better-tasting foods like cured meat, he had always given them to his sister and mother.

He had enjoyed delicious foods and spices in this world, so it didn't sit right with him to compete with his family for that little bit of meat.

Five years ago, when his father passed away, he cried all night until he fell into a heavy sleep. When he closed his eyes, however, he found himself in this wonderful world.

Since then, every seven days, he would come to this world in his dreams. After another seven days, he would return to the original world, much like the concept of transmigration spoken of in this world, only it was he, a person from another world, who had crossed over to this world, and it involved what was known as "body crossing."

Since then, he would indulge himself in this world for seven days before returning to the Xuanwei Realm—that's what the people of that world called it—where he would nearly starve for seven days.

He had gotten used to it now.

Zheng Fa patted his slightly bulging stomach as he walked out the front door.

He lived in a two-bedroom and one-living room apartment in a teacher's apartment building belonging to Qingshui Middle School. The six-story building was built last century.

Thirty years had made the building seem somewhat outdated, with no elevator to speak of, narrow and dark hallways, rusty iron railings, and even some moss growing at the corners of the staircases.

To others, this house might seem old, and not as good as living in those newer communities, but Zheng Fa was very satisfied with it. Since he was born, the houses he lived in were always made of mud bricks mixed with straw. When he first came to this world, the room's white walls and clear glass made him think he had arrived at Immortal Sect.

Not to mention those common items like electric lights, televisions, cars, and mobile phones of this world.

After gaining a little understanding of this world, he truly believed it might be the Immortal Sect described by the Attendant Student storyteller during market days—where metallic birds flew across the sky, traveling a thousand miles in a day.

A small screen could inform you of what happened thousands of miles away.

Once he learned a bit more, he realized that the people of this realm were all mortals, and their bodies were even more vulnerable than those from his original world.

For generations, Zheng Fa's family were tenants of the Zhao Family, and there was nothing extraordinary about them. In contrast, the Zhao Family was not ordinary; they were a prestigious clan with every family member trained in martial arts. Those of exceptional talent could even enter the fabled Immortal Sect.

However, in this world, forget about cultivation or martial arts; those seemed to exist only in TV shows or as memes.

Yet, Zheng Fa did not look down upon the people of this world. They achieved feats that were likened to miracles in the storyteller's tales, using their mortal bodies; he believed this was even more admirable.

He was now a senior high school student at Qingshui High School, living in an apartment behind the teaching buildings, a mere five-minute walk to the classroom.

As soon as he reached the classroom door, he heard a male student in the first row by the door shout to him, "Zheng Fa, Mr. Chen is calling for you!"

"I got it!" Zheng Fa responded, placed his backpack on his seat, and then heard the boy ask, "What did you do, Zheng Fa?"

Zheng Fa was also wondering and felt a bit nervous.

Mr. Chen was their homeroom and Chinese language teacher.

Being called to the office early in the morning by the homeroom teacher was definitely a dreaded event for any student, even for a transmigrator like him.

Walking into the teachers' office, he pushed open the slightly worn yellow wooden door. Near the closest desk, Mr. Chen's bald head shone brightly in the morning light.

"Mr. Chen."

"Ah, Zheng Fa, come, take a seat!"

Zheng Fa relaxed a bit, seeing Mr. Chen didn't seem to indicate anything bad. He sat in front of Mr. Chen, legs together and hands resting on his knees.

He looked exceptionally well-behaved.

"What are you so nervous about?" Mr. Chen laughed when he saw his posture. "I just wanted to ask you, you're a senior now, which university are you planning to apply to?"

"I..." Zheng Fa didn't expect Mr. Chen to call him in for this; he was at a loss for words for a moment.

"Actually, this is something teachers usually don't get involved in; it's up to your personal wishes, and ordinary students would just discuss it with their families. But your situation is special..."

Mr. Chen didn't finish his sentence, but Zheng Fa understood his point—when Zheng Fa crossed over, he was only twelve or thirteen years old, but his identity in this world was already that of an orphan.

His original parents were teachers at Qingshui Middle School and died in a car accident, which was even more tragic than in the Xuanwei Realm, but the support in this world was much better.

On one hand, Qingshui Middle School, as his parents' former employer, had always offered him assistance, waiving his tuition fees at least, ensuring he didn't have to worry about his education.

On the other hand, the community had always provided corresponding subsidies, and together with the house and inheritance left by his parents, life wasn't wealthy but he was not worried about food.

If he were to compare it to the life of the Zheng Family in the other world, he might as well call this world a blessed nest.

Including Mr. Chen, teachers of the class were aware of Zheng Fa's background, out of either sympathy or fellowship, they usually refrained from mentioning words related to parents or family in front of him.

Because he never interacted with the parents of this world, his heart felt grateful but not very attached. Yet, he understood this little kindness.

Seeing his silence, Mr. Chen had no choice but to continue, "Tell me what you think, and I'll give you some advice."

Zheng Fa was genuinely grateful.

Although Mr. Chen looked a bit rough, he was always responsible. It wasn't even seven o'clock yet, and he was already seated in the office. Zheng Fa knew that Mr. Chen was there almost every morning.

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"I want to study physics," Zheng Fa had thought about university choices.

Perhaps for the youngsters of this world, reading isn't much of a pleasure.

But Zheng Fa cherished it greatly.

When he was young, he attended elementary school for a year. Back then, he didn't love reading, and he even preferred doing farm work over going to school.

However, after his father's accident, he no longer had the means to continue his education, and he began to miss school.

In the village, only Manager Wang's son, Wang Gui, completed elementary school and was later chosen to be the Attendant Student for Seventh Young Master.

The other children in the village didn't have the means for that.

Thus, everyone envied Wang Gui for being able to continue his studies.

Especially Zheng Fa.

Now, having the opportunity to study and even attend the highest institute of learning in the world—university, he naturally yearned for it.

Study physics... Hmm, his best grades were in physics.

Another reason was his innate curiosity about the so-called science.

He had read the history of this world. A few centuries ago, the state of this world was not much different from that of another world.

Even without Immortal Dao and Martial Arts, it seemed even more lifeless.

The world had turned upside down over the centuries, and in his view, the biggest reason was this knowledge called science.

He was filled with longing, admiration, and even fascination for it.

"Physics? Taking the academic path?" Mr. Chen thought for a while, this kid came from a poor family background, perhaps academia is a proper way forward.

"Do you have a dream university?"

"Jiangnan University."

"Jiang University?" Mr. Chen glanced at Zheng Fa: "Jiang University is tough to get into, your current grades... difficult!"

It seems he wasn't very optimistic about Zheng Fa's chances.

But after finishing his conversation with Zheng Fa and watching the student walk away, he showed a satisfied expression.

A female teacher sitting opposite Mr. Chen asked curiously, "Is this the child from the Zheng Family?"

"Yes," Mr. Chen nodded.

The female teacher's face showed a hint of sympathy and surprise, "Wasn't it said that this kid's grades aren't that good? When he entered our high school, it was because he was an orphan of a teacher, and his scores received some consideration."

"This kid, when he first joined the school, really did have poor grades," Mr. Chen smiled rather proudly, "At that time, the other class teachers didn't want him, so he ended up in my class."

"Then getting into Jiangnan University is indeed difficult!" the female teacher nodded.

Jiangnan University, one of the top ten universities in the country, and its physics department is one of its ace programs.

"No, you don't understand this kid. From freshman to senior year, his grades have been continuously going up. He was at the bottom of the class in freshman year, by sophomore year he could manage to get into the middle of the class, and now in senior year, occasionally he can make it into the top ten."

The female teacher was a bit surprised, "He's got such strong momentum? Then perhaps there's hope for Jiangnan University?"

Mr. Chen shook his head, "No, it's a little late. His current scores are at least twenty points away from Jiangnan University's... it's a pity."

...

Zheng Fa was unaware of Mr. Chen's praise and regret for him.

Being alone in this world, he knew too little about the information he could get.

All he could do was bury himself in hard work.

His lunch was, as usual, in the school cafeteria, sitting opposite him was his deskmate and good friend—Wang Chen.

Looking at the food in front of them, Wang Chen's face was full of despair, "Does the chef's family sell eggplants? Why do we have this eggplant and green bean dish every single day?"

Then he looked at a few other dishes.

The water spinach slumped at the bottom of the plate, looking utterly ravaged.

A bristle of hair on the braised pork stuck up defiantly towards him.

"The kitchen staff must be relatives of the principal, right? These dishes from freshman to senior year still taste so bad! They really are true to their original aspirations!" He turned to look at Zheng Fa, "Hang on, come with me to the supermarket to buy some bread later!"

On the other side, Zheng Fa had just poured the braised pork sauce over his rice, stirred it with his chopsticks a couple of times, before shoveling the last mouthful into his mouth.

His expression was one of enjoyment, almost reaching a level of devotion.

After swallowing the rice, he finally lifted his head, looking somewhat puzzled at Wang Chen as if he had just heard him speak, "Why aren't you eating?"

Looking at Zheng Fa's plate, which was even cleaner than one washed with water, then back at his own barely touched food, Wang Chen opened his mouth but couldn't speak, his self-doubt grew.

Is it really that tasty?

He picked up his chopsticks and, closing his eyes, he vigorously took a few bites...

Ugh!