Chapter 1: A New World

Of course, having transitioned to a different time and space, Master Cheng did not share the same sentiments as Cheng Jinzhou in the academic world. Accompanied by a stern gaze, he asked once more, "Can you recite it?"

The old gentleman looked over from a distance and gently cleared his throat

The forgetful children burst into laughter again. Usually, they would not dare to laugh like this at the legitimate son of the family; even if a prestigious family declines, the status of the legitimate son is enough to look down upon others. For most people, the gap between them can only widen from the moment of birth.

If not to smile at this moment, then when else shall we?

The original owner may have been overly pampered, delicate and weak, languishing in illness. At the age of eleven or twelve, they weighed less than seventy jin, slender and long like bamboo half-eaten by a panda, ultimately replaced by the soul of Cheng Jinzhou. Now, the body has improved somewhat, barely able to attend this private school.

The exterior of the house is adorned with elongated blue-green paving bricks, each approximately the length of an adult's arm. Despite being marred by rain stains, not a single piece shows signs of surface flaking, reflecting the care taken during the kiln firing process in years past

Cheng Jinzhu, who already detested attending school, could hardly remember much of the basic content. As he fell behind in his studies, he became increasingly unwilling to read the texts that praised and extolled virtues, merely lying on the desk to pass the time

Cheng Jinzhou sat by the window at https://m.hetushu.com, absentmindedly playing with the jade ring on his hand while gazing at the upward-curving eaves on the right side, as if counting the patterns on them

The sour grapes mentality did not comfort Cheng Jinzhou; as he was preparing to feign attentiveness in class, a flash suddenly appeared before him, and a book materialized in front of him, as if the ring were also emanating light, seemingly supporting the book in mid-air

Cheng Jinzhou, who had read countless novels, originally fantasized that this was a so-called storage ring. Unfortunately, despite exerting tremendous effort, he was unable to place even a single item inside; it seemed merely to be an empty space for daydreaming.

Despite the abundance of strange and peculiar things on this continent, even within the Cheng family, there are numerous items that exceed his understanding. However, the legendary storage ring remains merely a legend. If only he could possess one, he would have no worries at all

If I had known earlier, I would have conducted more experiments back then. With a Doctor's degree in theoretical physics, leaving the laboratory as an assistant, I ended up achieving nothing. Cheng Jinzhou gently patted his forehead, and the cool jade ring significantly improved his mood

Upon closer inspection, the surface of the戒面 seems to be shrouded in layers of mist resembling a *图* book, flowing with a mercury-like viscosity, evoking a sense of ancient mystique. If one were to completely cover their finger over that mist, they might momentarily enter a magical space, merely the size of a laptop, yet entirely empty within.

What they are reading is the Three Character Classic of this era. It is entirely different from the version that begins with "At the beginning of man, nature is inherently good," yet it is considerably more challenging, having incorporated a great deal of historical content, and can already be considered a mid-level textbook

In the 21st century, Cheng Jinzhu had a father and a mother who were both well-known in the academic world. Therefore, despite having poor performance in high school, he still managed to enter university; although his undergraduate studies were not impressive, he continued on to graduate school, where his advisor was a renowned professor—Cheng's mother attempted to educate him one last time. As for his doctoral advisor, he was a student of Cheng's father, a certain unfortunate newly appointed professor. If all goes well, in another year, he too will be able to guide and potentially mislead other undergraduates.

Cheng Jinzhu shook his head honestly, extended his relatively fair and tender little hand, and looked up to say: "I forgot"

The seaside in October is truly a refreshing season. The willows have lost their graceful form, while the pines begin to reveal their stature. The phoenix trees extend their large leaves, densely overlapping in front of two rows of tiled houses, allowing only a few gentle rays of light to filter through from beneath the window frames

Only the good parts are to be discussed. On Cheng Jinzhou's epitaph, it can indeed be inscribed: He dedicated his entire life to the field of education

However, being able to attend a private school is not necessarily good news for Cheng Jinzhao, who is occupied by his physical condition. Of course, it is indeed much better than the initial state of being bedridden due to illness

What a pity. Cheng Jinzhu said softly while rubbing the ring.

Cheng Jinzhu looked up in confusion, swaying his head along with the crowd, his left hand still rubbing the ring, and pretended to mumble as if reading: "I see this is just a place to hold two books; it really has become a storage ring, yet it is still worthless. Could it really hold books?"

Having traversed to this place for several months, he still has not adapted to this seemingly strange society, let alone this small body he now inhabits

He was still in a daze when Old Master Cheng slowly opened his eyes and said, "What, can't you recite even a single line?"

Cheng Jinzhu shrugged helplessly—he was still somewhat accustomed to the habits he had before crossing over—sighing inwardly: no matter where he went, he could not escape the fate of being educated by his teacher

Cheng Jinzhu gritted his teeth and sat back in his chair, hearing a group of little brats mocking him nearby, feeling furious inside: God knows, I, a doctoral degree holder in theoretical physics from a prestigious university, have been sent back to elementary education, and what’s even more infuriating is that I am not competitive at all

In the same classroom as Cheng Jinzhu, all are members of the Cheng family, with ages ranging from 10 to 12 years old, all of comparable ability, reciting: "In the year of Jia Shen, the benevolent king rises. Qi, Dou, and Lü, the sun, moon, and stars..."

Please take a seat, and do not hesitate to ask if you do not understand. Today's homework should be memorized, and you can recite it to me tomorrow. If you are unwell and need to rest, it is even more important to catch up on your studies. As he spoke the last sentence, the old master showed a hint of warmth; he understood that this young man from the Cheng family was frail and often ill, spending five out of ten days in bed. However, as the legitimate son, failing to learn at a young age is indeed a problem.

The vermilion eaves tiles have mostly been damaged, yet the tiles on top remain firmly locked in their original positions by the tile pegs and tile rings. The flat tiles lie on the roof as if they were robust men exposing their bellies on the beach, with slender and delicate cylindrical tiles lying between every two robust men, or conversely, a robust man lying between every two slender cylindrical tiles

The classroom was so small, and while others sat up straight, Cheng Jinzhou's posture became increasingly conspicuous

Stand up and begin reciting from 'The esteemed family, looking up to your grace...'. The old master, holding a ruler, stands with his eyes closed beside Cheng Jinzhou and the books.

Looking at the ruler that measured the width of his small wrist, Cheng Jinzhou felt a bit intimidated. Cheng Laofuzi was a genuine member of the Cheng family, having achieved academic success and held an official position. After returning to his hometown, he taught the younger members of his clan and was greatly respected by the elders. When he wielded the ruler, he never considered the identity of the other party; that small tender flesh of his would swell for two days after just one hit

The old master cast a sidelong glance at him, then turned to look around, and the classroom immediately returned to a state of complete silence.

This book seems to have appeared out of thin air

Cheng Jinzhu! The old master did not allow him to shirk his duties; with a single stern shout, it resonated like the tolling of a sacred bell.

Looking back at the desk, the open "Three Character Classic" lies sprawled, sleeping in a disheveled manner, with two pages of grass paper as pristine as ever. The surrounding classmates seem oblivious to the book suspended in mid-air, their gazes sweeping past him without pausing for a moment.

This ring was originally his; when he was at home, he wore it on a string around his neck. After an inexplicable journey through time, it became his only source of comfort

Zheng Jinzhou had a feeling reminiscent of university life, lazily lifting his head, his casual voice eliciting laughter from the children

The old master raised the ruler without any mercy, his right hand lifted at a 45-degree angle, delivering two well-trained strikes in succession. Throughout his life, he had delivered more blows than the hymns sung by the priests in the sanctuary, each strike precise and powerful