C19 The Little Brother Asked Me to Pretend to be Rich

"So that's the situation. What exactly are you trying to prove by telling me all this?" Zhang Heng inquired.

Despite the academy's decline, it really had no bearing on Zhang Heng. Moreover, why should he pretend not to be wealthy in front of others?

Zhang Heng was somewhat perplexed. The deterioration of the academy didn't concern him personally. He was simply invited to attend, and the success of his spell-crafting would be up to him.

"These are just some of the unspoken rules here on campus. You're probably not familiar with them yet," Guo Yuan explained.

Anyone listening to Guo Yuan would quickly grasp the situation.

Zhang Heng moved closer to Guo Yuan. With no other chairs available, he sat down on his own bed and ventured a question, "Does this school discriminate against the poor?"

"You're not wrong. But it's not just that. They look down on those with low cultivation levels as well. Of course, they also disdain the poor, but most people have come to accept this as normal," Guo Yuan elaborated.

Indeed, this was a common occurrence in many places.

But since Guo Yuan had never experienced poverty, she hadn't faced such unfairness. While the academy did look down on the poor, interactions were mostly indifferent. People kept to themselves, resulting in few outright conflicts. Besides, with Guo Yuan's reputation as a tough character, nobody was willing to cross her.

"Doesn't the school do anything about this?" Zhang Heng questioned.

"What's there for the school to manage? Whether or not you make friends with someone else?" Guo Yuan retorted.

Truly, life was different across social classes. For the well-off, purchasing desires were indulged without a second thought, while those less fortunate weighed each potential buy. Such was their disparity.

"I get it now," Zhang Heng acknowledged.

Guo Yuan nodded with satisfaction, then added, "I'm glad you understand. I was worried you might not be able to come to terms with it."

"I really can't accept this. Who I choose to befriend, whether they're poor or rich, is my own business. Why should I have to pretend?" Zhang Heng was still feeling confused.

It was his choice, after all. He had no desire to play the part of someone else, nor did he want to pretend to be wealthy when, in reality, he didn't have any money.

He then fixed Guo Yuan with a piercing look.

"Is it because I'm not wealthy that you feel embarrassed?" Zhang Heng asked.

But then he reconsidered. It seemed unlikely. After all, Guo Yuan had just asked Zhang Heng to be his big brother, so why would he be concerned about his financial status?

Guo Yuan grew even more nervous upon hearing Zhang Heng's question.

"No, no, how could I ever think that of you? I just think it's better if you don't mention it. It'll make things easier for you at this school," Guo Yuan explained.

Zhang Heng remained silent.

Misinterpreting the silence as anger, Guo Yuan became even more anxious. "Do whatever you want. I can't imagine anyone here daring to bully you!"

Indeed, everyone at the academy knew Guo Yuan.

Even those who didn't know him personally were surely aware of his family's spirit mines. Crossing Guo Yuan could lead to unpleasant consequences down the line.

"Do I look like someone who's afraid of being bullied?" Zhang Heng retorted.

Guo Yuan, now convinced that Zhang Heng was upset, quickly apologized. "Oh, I'm sorry, I misspoke. Please, don't hold it against me. After all, I'm still your junior brother!"

Zhang Heng found the situation increasingly amusing.

So he decided to feign anger and ignore Guo Yuan.

"Hey, you can't be serious! You just took me under your wing yesterday, and now you're ignoring me?" Guo Yuan lamented.

At that moment, Guo Yuan was overwhelmed with regret. He had meant well in speaking to Zhang Heng, but he hadn't intended to offend him. And to think, he had worked so hard to earn the position of Zhang Heng's junior brother, only to upset him on the very first day.

Guo Yuan was at the point where he felt like kneeling down to apologize.

"Look, I'll do whatever you want, I'll even kneel. Just please, don't tell anyone else," Guo Yuan pleaded urgently.

Zhang Heng found the mention of kneeling rather amusing.

"Just a while ago, you were all high and mighty, swearing you'd never kneel. Now, you're upset and suddenly ready to kneel and say sorry? You're quite the character," Zhang Heng mused to himself.

He decided to voice his thoughts, "Earlier, when I suggested you kneel, you refused. Now you're offering to kneel and apologize?"

Guo Yuan, a bit sheepish, managed a smile.

"Can you really compare the two? Back then, it was in front of a crowd; there was no way I could kneel. Plus, I was on the verge of kneeling when you yourself told me not to. Now, it's just between us, and if you ask me to kneel, I'll kneel."

Observing Guo Yuan's smug look, Zhang Heng found him increasingly entertaining.

"What's the difference, really?"

"There's a huge difference. Kneeling in front of a crowd would spread like wildfire, and where would that leave me?" Guo Yuan declared with conviction.

"And you're not worried I might tell others?" Zhang Heng challenged.

"How can you compare the two? Before, it was in front of a crowd, but now it's just you. Besides, I trust you're not the type to spread it around," Guo Yuan argued.

Zhang Heng let out a laugh, "Well, you can't be too sure."

Guo Yuan, confused about what Zhang Heng meant, paused and then a sense of alarm set in.

"Seriously? You would tell people?"

"What if I did?"

Seeing Guo Yuan's anxious face, Zhang Heng felt a playful urge.

"In truth, if I kneel just for you, say what you will. It really doesn't matter to me," Guo Yuan said nonchalantly.

In reality, it wasn't a big deal to Guo Yuan.

Besides, kneeling before his elder brother wasn't a disgrace, and even if Zhang Heng decided to tell others, they were likely to doubt it anyway.

If people found out about the nature of their relationship, they might assume they were just fooling around.

That's why he wasn't bothered about Zhang Heng sharing the story of his kneeling.

"Oh? I get it," Zhang Heng said with a smile.

Kneeling in public could tarnish the reputation of someone who was, at the very least, a gang leader. However, kneeling in private shifted the dynamic entirely.

Guo Yuan wasn't a gang leader; he was merely Zhang Heng's subordinate.

With this perspective, it made sense why Guo Yuan could kneel before Zhang Heng.