Chapter 31: What Are the Benefits of Learning Classical Poetry?

When it came to classical poetry, Zeng Yi clearly had little interest. He propped up his language textbook to hide his round face and whispered to Li Sicheng, “Man, you really are something. You actually dared to hit Cheng Haoyu. You know he’s got a reputation as a real troublemaker among the first-year students.”

Li Sicheng chuckled and replied, “The guy came right up to bully me. What was I supposed to do—just stand there and let him hit me? I couldn’t just offer up my face, could I?”

“That’s true,” Zeng Yi nodded, then kindly warned him, “But you better be careful. I heard that Cheng Haoyu has a cousin who runs with a rough crowd—he's got some real pull. Once, someone went up against him, and he called in a bunch of guys to beat them up outside the school gate. Thing is, Cheng Haoyu’s smart about it. He always picks nighttime, outside the school, and by the time the teachers hear about it and get there, they’re long gone—no way to catch them.”

Li Sicheng frowned slightly. “Even if they can’t catch anyone, the school should know Cheng Haoyu’s behind it. Don’t they do anything about it? No punishment?”

“It’s not that the school doesn’t care—it’s that they can’t do anything. You have no idea how cunning Cheng Haoyu is. Whenever there’s a beating, he never shows up himself—just watches from afar. Everyone knows those guys are with him, but without proof, there’s nothing the school can do!” Zeng Yi explained.

He might have been chubby, but he was remarkably well-informed.

“So that’s how it is.” Li Sicheng suddenly understood. Yet, even after hearing about Cheng Haoyu’s background and his notorious ways, there was no trace of fear on his face.

Zeng Yi shared a few more rumors about Cheng Haoyu, then yawned, glanced up at the eloquent language teacher on the podium, and muttered in boredom, “Tell me, what’s the point of us modern folks learning all this old poetry anyway? It’s not like we’ll ever introduce ourselves with something like, ‘Good sir, may I know your noble name? I am most honored to meet you.’ You do that and people will think you’re nuts!”

Li Sicheng couldn’t help but laugh. He shook his head and said, “You’re being too extreme. Classical poetry still has its uses.”

“Oh yeah? Like what?” Zeng Yi asked, curious.

Li Sicheng smiled and explained a bit, but as luck would have it, the language teacher on the podium noticed them.

This teacher, refined in appearance and exuding the air of a true scholar, immediately paused his lecture and called out their names, questioning, “You two aren’t paying attention—what are you chatting about back there? This poem, ‘The Hard Road to Shu,’ isn’t just required memorization, it’s a key exam topic! If you don’t listen, how will you answer the questions?”

“Mr. Liu, I was just complaining that learning classical poetry was pointless, but Li Sicheng told me there’s good reason to study it,” Zeng Yi admitted honestly, revealing the topic of their conversation.

“Oh?” The language teacher, Liu Qide, was intrigued. “And what did Li Sicheng say to you?”

Since his very first day as a language teacher, he’d fielded endless questions about the usefulness of learning classical poetry. After all, most ordinary people just spoke in plain language. If someone went around quoting ancient texts all day, either their head wasn’t screwed on right, or they had a serious case of literary pretension. Either way, it wasn't normal.

This had always been something of a headache for Mr. Liu. Now, hearing a student say that studying classical poetry was necessary, his curiosity and anticipation were instantly piqued.

Zeng Yi waggled his head as he replied, “Li Sicheng said that if you master classical poetry, there’s at least one real benefit. When you witness some awe-inspiring scenery, you won’t be limited to just exclaiming ‘Whoa!’ or ‘So cool!’ or ‘That’s awesome!’ Instead, you’ll instantly recall lines like, ‘Oh, how perilous and high! The Road to Shu is harder than climbing to the sky!’ or ‘The setting sun and solitary wild geese fly together; the autumn waters share a long, vast sky.’”

Liu Qide’s eyes lit up. “Yes, Li, that’s well said. The words may be unpolished, but the reasoning is sound. The poems that make it into our textbooks are cultural treasures. They may seem useless, but they elevate our taste and widen our horizons. This kind of growth may not be visible, but it is real nonetheless.”

Now, Liu Qide looked at Li Sicheng with new appreciation. In his mind, this newly transferred student was firmly labeled as ‘talent with potential.’

“Exactly! I think Li Sicheng’s got a point. When you see a beautiful view and can recite poetry that fits the scene, it’s way classier than just saying, ‘Whoa, that’s awesome!’ And if there happen to be a few cute girls around, your cool factor goes through the roof!” Zeng Yi was rarely praised by teachers; even though the compliment was for Li Sicheng, he felt he’d basked in the glow. Excited, he blurted out everything on his mind.

The class fell silent, and then burst out laughing.

But Liu Qide’s face darkened. Pointing to the door, he said sternly, “Go stand in the hallway and listen to the lesson from outside!”

Zeng Yi knew he’d gone too far and didn’t argue—head hanging, he trudged out to the corridor and obediently stood by the window to listen. His dejected look sent the class into another round of laughter, and even Liu Qide couldn’t help but shake his head with a smile.

Amid the laughter, Tan Xiaoxiao nudged Lin Siyu with her elbow and asked curiously, “Hey, Siyu, what’s the story with this ‘big liar’? First it was linear algebra, now it’s classical poetry… He sure knows a lot.”

“I have no idea who he really is,” Lin Siyu replied, shaking her head. Yet, almost without realizing it, her curiosity about Li Sicheng was growing stronger and stronger.

“Seriously, if this guy wasn’t such a fraud, with those looks and brains, I’d totally go after him myself. What a shame… A handsome guy, but alas, a rogue!” Tan Xiaoxiao sighed dramatically, shaking her head.

Lin Siyu rolled her eyes and said, “You perv, wipe the drool from your mouth before it drips!”

When the four morning classes finally ended, the students poured out of the classrooms, heading for the cafeteria from all directions.

Nanshan High School was nestled among hills and water—one of the top environments in Yong City. The downside, though, was its remote location, out in the university town on the city’s outskirts, some distance from downtown.

As a result, apart from the few students who lived nearby and could go home for lunch and dinner, most ate both meals in the school cafeteria. After all, going home was too rushed and too much trouble; eating at school was just easier.

“Sicheng, quit dawdling—come with me to the cafeteria! You have no idea, everyone in our school is a foodie. If you’re even a little late, all the good dishes are gone!”

As soon as the bell rang, Zeng Yi dragged Li Sicheng out of the classroom. For someone like him, nothing was more important than a good meal!