Chapter 09: The Rise and Fall of Lineage, a Decade in an Instant

After three years of silence, the strikingly handsome Lang became famous, his reputation overshadowing even the school beauty and eclipsing the school heartthrob. The once arrogant sports department was collectively brought down, leaving them in disarray, which became a popular topic of conversation in the dormitory at night. However, the negative consequences were also significant. Fame can be a double-edged sword; as Lang's notoriety grew, so did the exposure of his past embarrassing moments. The influx of various social misfits, coupled with his history of being detained at the police station during high school and the fact that his father was a police officer, led to a series of seemingly contradictory and inexplicable circumstances. This naturally prompted more associations among listeners. The result of these associations was that Lang was categorized by those around him—children of officials, wealthy heirs, and the less fortunate—into a new category that did not fit any existing ones: the 'black second generation'.

In fact, it is not that serious; it is just that back in the day, I was one of the railway children who, along with Shuai Lang, stole iron and steel to earn some pocket money. When it comes to group fights, it would be hard to find anyone more skilled than this bunch.

It seems to be the same as two years ago, once again proving one thing: genuine products are simply more effective than counterfeit ones

Originally, when students fought and had physical conflicts, the worst that could happen was a stern reprimand from the school's security office, along with a disciplinary record and a couple of medical expenses. Those with a bit of family background might not even have to bear a disciplinary record. Many special recruits in the physical education department were completely unafraid of this; they didn't even bother with the basic post-fight reconciliation, treating it as a trivial matter.

It has been proven that sometimes counterfeit goods can be more effective than genuine ones. While most of the graduates are still unemployed, the one holding a fake certificate, Shuai Lang, has already started working. His first job was as a stock clerk in a supermarket. With a fake certificate, Shuai Lang felt guilty, so he worked diligently and was appreciated by his boss. After three months, when Shuai Lang resigned due to low wages, the boss was reluctant to let him go and earnestly tried to keep him, but without a salary increase, Shuai Lang ultimately decided to leave. Later, he sold newspapers, medicine, and insurance, distributed advertisements, and engaged in various other sales promotions. He became increasingly adept at his work. Except for spring, when it was harder to find jobs, he was busy during other seasons. In summer, he sold products for various beverage brands, earning more as he sold more. When autumn arrived and schools reopened, he teamed up with friends who had also dropped out of high school to venture into the printing business, selling educational materials in suburban, county, and rural schools. As for winter before the New Year, there was no need to worry about a lack of work; shopping malls, markets, and wholesale centers were bustling with sales. As long as one was willing to be exploited, there would always be someone willing to hire them.

... ...

Driven to desperation and summoning great courage, Shuai Lang indeed spent 150 yuan to obtain a fake certificate, nervously presenting himself at the talent market to deceive others. He could even manage to forge credentials from prestigious institutions like Peking University and Tsinghua University, but he feared that he might not resemble the required profile, raising suspicions among others. Naturally, he would never dare to approach reputable companies with established names, fearing exposure; instead, he sought out jobs as salespeople, drivers, and other positions that did not place much emphasis on academic credentials.

It is not to disrespect this master, but rather to describe Shuai Lang's life by imitating the format of this classic cliché. For example: Shuai Lang was single last year, and he is also single this year; another example: Shuai Lang was unemployed last week, and he is still unemployed this week; yet another example: the boxed lunch eaten yesterday at noon, and the boxed lunch eaten today at noon... Such statements can describe many situations. It is not necessary to use this cliché to illustrate; life is indeed a repetition of such trivialities, and in the end, it all amounts to little of substance. This seems to indirectly support why "ge li" has become a popular term, as the reason is quite evident: the sense of powerlessness in reality is too strong, making life feel dull.

The memories of my youth are quite simple; it was either about fighting with someone or getting beaten by my father when I returned home. Life was certainly not as dull as it is now

As he walked briskly, the image of the junior with her long braid and delicate features flashed through his mind, while he hummed the song about a girl named Xiaofang with her thick and long braid. He passed by Guomei Electronics, then the Anyuan Mall, and continued past the Zhongzhou International Hotel. When Shuai Lang saw the large golden characters of the old Zhongzhou Huimian Restaurant, the image of the junior in his mind temporarily vanished, replaced by the steaming Huimian, the glistening elbow meat, and the slices of beef sprinkled with a layer of red chili sauce. Paired with two liang of white liquor, that was truly beautiful, even more so than a beautiful woman.

There is a literary master who once wrote a classic piece of nonsense: One tree is a jujube tree, and another tree is also a jujube tree

It is uncertain whether this can be considered as knowing shame and then gaining courage, but the education of experiencing hunger has proven effective. At the very least, in the past two years, I have not seen Shuai Lang getting into fights or causing trouble. At the very least, Shuai Lang, with great determination, returned to school to participate in several make-up exams. It goes without saying that he certainly did not perform well in the exams, but Shuai Lang, who has become increasingly adept at navigating social relationships, managed to cultivate some connections. Before each exam, he would shamelessly invite substitute teachers to dinner and karaoke, or directly offer some benefits. Fortunately, in this day and age, there are not many overly principled individuals. After countless smiles and a significant amount of hard-earned money from part-time jobs, he finally obtained his diploma after two years of perseverance. He no longer has to sneak around with a fake certificate, anxiously searching for a job in the talent market.

It is not that I was driven away; rather, I truly have no face to enter the house again

If ten years ago, that is, the year of graduating from junior high school, I had managed to get into a key high school, perhaps my life would have changed. However, the reality is that my innate abilities were indeed lacking, and I barely managed to enroll in a suburban school, No. 17 Middle School, which, like myself, is of an unremarkable type.

Shuailang did not think much and had a boxed meal for lunch, as his appetite had returned in the morning. He straightened his collar and swaggered into the restaurant at https://www.hetushu.com

However, it is indeed real, something that was painstakingly obtained by hand. Even if it is not useful, it is still a diploma from a prestigious university, isn't it? Shuai Lang carefully put the certificate back into his shoulder bag, and while tidying up, he chuckled self-deprecatingly, secretly thinking that whether it is true or not, they should go together to the talent market in the development zone tomorrow to try their luck. After everything was in order, he glanced at the talent market where he had been hanging around for two years. It was nearly five in the afternoon, and the market was about to close. Job seekers were leaving one after another, and the crowd was no longer as packed as it had been in the morning. On the long steps on both sides of the entrance hall, men and women were scattered, flipping through the job-seeking guides distributed by the market. Many people, like Shuai Lang, had come in the morning and lingered until closing time in the afternoon, relying on boxed lunches to get by. If one looked closely, the expressions of the majority of those leaving remained largely unchanged from when they arrived—some sighed, some shook their heads, some looked bewildered, some pouted, and some muttered curses under their breath. What were they cursing about? Most likely, they were cursing those recruiting units for being blind to their talents, treating these exceptional individuals with such arrogance.

At this moment, Shuai Lang felt somewhat uneasy. He had spent the entire afternoon wandering around the job market. After submitting his resume and exiting the job market's lobby, he took it out once more, examining it carefully in his hands. This was the first time he was seeking employment with a genuine diploma, yet the feeling was not particularly good. He was unsure whether it was due to the harsh employment situation or the significant mismatch between his personal development and the secretarial profession. At several booths he applied to in the afternoon, he was directly rejected upon seeing his major. Moreover, his gender did not align with the requirements for the secretarial positions, leaving Shuai Lang quite frustrated and, after that, a bit embarrassed. This was the first time he was seeking employment with a genuine diploma, yet the feeling was not particularly good. He was unsure whether it was due to the harsh employment situation or the significant mismatch between his personal development and the secretarial profession. At several booths he applied to in the afternoon, he was directly rejected upon seeing his major. Moreover, his gender did not align with the requirements for the secretarial positions, leaving Shuai Lang quite frustrated and, after that, a bit embarrassed.

The certificate was obtained in November of last year, and at this moment, the graduation certificate is in Shuai Lang's hands, featuring a textured steel seal with a very smooth feel, which indeed feels more substantial than a fake certificate.

That day, it was the day when I was first rejected by my father and returned to school, the day when all the graduates of the school celebrated wildly, throwing books, basins, and toothbrushes all over the ground, and then weeping and bidding farewell at the school gate. Handsome Lang quietly climbed over the wall from the playground with his bedding and luggage, lying on a bench in Zhongzhou Park for a night, reflecting deeply and making the most manly decision of his life: no matter what, I will earn my own money.

So it is what it is; the school is not devoid of good students. If only one had studied diligently back then, striving for improvement, perhaps one could have gained admission to a respectable first-tier university or a popular major. However, reality often defies expectations. The Seventeenth High School in the suburbs, located near the western railway area, has a majority of students, including Shuai Lang, who are children of railway workers. This group of railway children, when gathered together, is wilder than a band of guerrillas climbing freight trains. They form cliques, such as the "Brothers" and the "Library Gang," engaging in fights, skipping classes, smoking, and drinking. They band together to steal scrap iron and steel from the railway work area to make money. They have learned everything they shouldn't have, yet they have failed to grasp the essential subjects like language, mathematics, foreign languages, and the sciences. If it weren't for his father, a railway police officer, sending him back to his hometown in Xinyang for an additional year of tutoring and paying tens of thousands of yuan in extra tuition each year for him to attend the expanded enrollment program at Zhongda University, his educational journey might have ended at high school.

The subsequent developments were unexpected; no one anticipated that the seemingly unremarkable Shuai Lang had a wild temperament that could not hold a grudge overnight. In less than two hours, he somehow gathered over thirty young men, half of whom were still wearing railway uniforms. They did not even use the main entrance, instead climbing over the wall during the lunch break to storm into the school and directly into the dormitories, chasing the twenty or so male students from the Physical Education Department out to the playground, causing chaos throughout the school. Even the campus security could not stop them. As for the leader from the Physical Education Department, he was eventually found in the restroom, beaten severely while being stuffed into a sack. He spent half a month in the hospital and ultimately could not clarify who had attacked him. The group of assailants dispersed in a frenzy, and while the security office managed to intimidate the students, the matter was essentially left unresolved, with investigations only beginning the day after the incident. This fight was neither too big nor too small, and both sides were at fault. Although the school was concerned about its reputation and did not make the incident public, it still investigated several key culprits afterward. Shuai Lang naturally bore the brunt of the scrutiny, although he adamantly denied having gathered social youth. However, everyone knew he was the instigator. Fortunately, his father, leveraging his position as a police officer, managed to navigate the situation, allowing Shuai Lang to avoid expulsion and remain at the school under observation.

Looking at these junior students and the friends who are unemployed like himself, it easily reminds Shuai Lang of the time he foolishly wandered around here, even feeling that he was not as good as them back then. However, after two years of experience, he finds these concerns trivial. In this place, where commerce is so developed, as long as one is not extremely lazy, not hopelessly foolish, and does not prioritize face over sustenance, finding a job is still quite feasible.

The father-son relationship was never very good; the father disapproved of his son, and the son found it even more displeasing to see that his father had remarried and had a stepmother. Without saying a word, he turned and left.

Indeed, today is a good day. As Shuai Lang felt the hard cash in his jacket pocket, he couldn't help but recall the events of the morning. That year, he had climbed over the school wall and spent the night on a bench in the park. This morning, while passing by, he was moved by the memories and decided to sit for a while, unexpectedly stumbling upon a great fortune. He walked along, feeling pleased as he touched the money. In fact, even if he couldn't find a job today, he still gained a lot. The money in his pocket was secondary; the key was the impression he made on that junior girl. Reflecting on his outstanding performance today, Shuai Lang felt a sense of pride. By the afternoon, he had made up his mind to find a time and a reason to ask her out, to develop things slowly. Thinking of this, Shuai Lang touched the diploma in his bag. This worthless certificate had indeed played a role; at the very least, today he had used his status as an alumnus to get closer to the junior girl and even managed to get her phone number. In the past, Shuai Lang would have been too embarrassed to mention that he graduated from Zhongda.

After all, the money comes easily, so let's indulge in it

If at this moment, Shuai Lang were to feel ashamed and strive to improve, it would not be too late. His father's expectations were not high; if he could graduate peacefully, spend some money to arrange a job, and start a family, then the father's task in this life would be complete. However, who could have known that Shuai Lang, who was forcibly pushed into university, ultimately would not amount to much? Although he did not become worse later on, he also did not improve. As he approached graduation in his fourth year, his character flaws erupted all at once. He failed four or five courses and could not pass them no matter what, resulting in insufficient credits, and ultimately he did not even obtain his diploma. Although he eventually did receive it, it was a full two years later than the normal graduation time. In the end, he still did not amount to much; although he did not become worse, he also did not improve. As he approached graduation in his fourth year, his character flaws erupted all at once. He failed four or five courses and could not pass them no matter what, resulting in insufficient credits, and ultimately he did not even obtain his diploma. Although he eventually did receive it, it was a full two years later than the normal graduation time.

Without lingering any longer, I headed straight to the talent market and entered Zhongzhou Avenue. Taking a leisurely stroll back in the evening, I pondered whether the dozens of resumes I submitted today would bring some surprises and opportunities. I felt there was still a possibility, especially since I had chosen the role of a salesperson. This job has a low base salary and high demands, which generally deters newcomers, but for someone like me who has some experience, it is not a problem. The other two categories I considered were warehouse management and delivery roles. These jobs offer even lower salaries, and not many people are willing to take them. I still believe there is a possibility, particularly with the salesperson role. I do not intend to work long-term; I just want to find a place to stay for a couple of months. When summer arrives and the shipments of beverages start flooding into Zhongzhou, those agents will still need experienced hands like mine for distribution. After all, many of my former classmates have secured jobs in the railway sector, and being familiar with the freight station makes things easier. By then, good days will come.

I remember that it was during my first year of middle school when my parents got divorced. If they hadn't divorced that year, and if my father hadn't been a railway police officer who was rarely home, perhaps I wouldn't have become the person I am today. However, there were many students like him who were boarders in middle school, so it doesn't quite make sense to attribute my later lack of success to that. It's better not to mention it.

If that year I had graduated normally like an ordinary person, perhaps life would have been different. However, I did not obtain my diploma, and this made Shuai Lang feel embarrassed for the first time in his life. He had not considered looking for a job, but he certainly could not explain this to his father. If his father could barely tolerate the usual scuffles, this time, failing to graduate would likely lead to his father's complete despair. That year, when he arrived at the doorstep, Shuai Lang felt a deep sense of shame for the first time; previously, he had not felt ashamed, only a bit afraid. His father, a police officer, had a very straightforward approach to discipline: kicking with his leather shoes, whipping with a belt, and when angry, handcuffing his son to the heating pipe and withholding food, which was about the level of treatment for a suspect. Because of his overwhelming shame, that day Shuai Lang actually hoped his father would beat him again, even if it was a severe beating. Perhaps he held onto a glimmer of hope that after the beating, his father would still use connections to help him, spending some money to retrieve his diploma. However, that day, it seemed as if his father had aged suddenly, lacking even the strength to be angry. He simply stood coldly at the door and said, "What are you back for?" Because of his overwhelming shame, that day Shuai Lang actually hoped his father would beat him again, even if it was a severe beating. Perhaps he held onto a glimmer of hope that after the beating, his father would still use connections to help him, spending some money to retrieve his diploma. However, that day, it seemed as if his father had aged suddenly, lacking even the strength to be angry. He simply stood coldly at the door and said, "What are you back for? Do you still have the face to come back? I have raised you for over twenty years, and you expect me to take care of you in your old age?"

Accompanying this decision are necessary conditions: if the certificate is not provided, I will handle it myself

In fact, Shuai Lang's life was not originally like this. If we were to go back three years, five years, or even further back in time, his life would not be so dull... If it were possible to redesign the past using hypotheticals, perhaps it would not be like today...

Fame comes quickly, but infamy comes even faster. Within the university community, selfishness, narrow-mindedness, materialism, vanity, ostentation, and plagiarism are all acceptable behaviors. However, it seems difficult to accept an alternative figure who not only can confront others directly but also engages in underhanded tactics behind their backs as an idol. After all, the quality of earning respect through brute force is outdated and not something that many possess.

... ...

From the suburbs to the city, from high school to university, life has opened a new chapter for this once troubled youth. If one works hard during university, it should not be a waste of time. Although this school is not particularly prestigious, it does not lack opportunities for civil service exams, graduate school entrance exams, or TOEFL tests for studying abroad. However, the old saying "It is easier to move Mount Tai than to change one's nature" has once again proven true. After a year of peace in university, a shocking brawl broke out in the second year, triggered by a quarrel among students in the cafeteria. A male student from the Physical Education Department hit a male student from the Chinese Department with a bowl of rice. It was said that both were pursuing the same girl and had a previous grudge. The male student from the Chinese Department, unable to bear it, brought a group of talented classmates to the dormitory to reason things out. When literary talents encountered athletic types, the outcome was no different from a scholar meeting a soldier. The group from the Chinese Department was directly kicked and dragged out by the burly guys from the Physical Education Department. It was later reported that a handsome student who was watching stepped in to mediate a few words, as the Secretarial major also belonged to the Chinese Department, and he had to say a few words for his fellow classmates. One cannot allow such a disgrace to literature, can one? Not only did he not persuade them, but the simple-minded guys from the Physical Education Department, who only recognized strength, completely disregarded this small figure. As he spoke, a slap came flying. The handsome student, being one of the outstanding underachievers, could not tolerate such an insult and directly engaged in a fight. The outcome was predictable; like many who acted bravely but were outnumbered, the handsome student was held down and beaten by several members of the Physical Education Department.