President Peng’s new secretary set off for Chengdu with a major task, his mood uneasy all the way.
No helping it, Young Master Peng had a fearsome reputation just like Mrs Peng. The new secretary’s predecessor had been ousted by Young Master Peng’s machinations, so the new secretary was rather intimidated by him.
Good-for-nothing was Young Master Peng’s moniker.
After being a playboy young master for so long, could he truly transform in half a year?
It was not impossible, just that the odds were too slim.
This trip to Chengdu would determine whether Young Master Peng went abroad or not. What if Young Master Peng did not want to go abroad and the secretary ended up forcing him into it? Would he not hold a grudge?
But to fabricate lies in favour of Peng Guoqing was something the new secretary dared not do either. President Peng’s new secretary was not Assistant Qi by Xie Jinghu’s side, who took the boss’s pay yet dared not hedge his bets on the crown prince prematurely.
To keep his job, President Peng’s new secretary swore to record the teachers’ evaluations faithfully, without embellishment or exaggeration, not even altering tone or word order in the slightest. The rest he would leave to President Peng’s own judgement!
The new secretary arrived in Chengdu before Peng Guoqing himself.
Peng Guoqing had no idea his father had sent someone to Chengdu.
This summer holiday had been far too fulfilling for Peng Guoqing!
When Xie Qian went out on business with Gong Sheng, he usually brought Peng Guoqing along. As Xie Qian learned and understood this unfamiliar new field, Peng Guoqing learned too.
In terms of learning ability, Peng Guoqing was naturally far behind Xie Qian.
Where Xie Qian absorbed twelve parts, Peng Guoqing might manage two or three.
But that was already impressive, given Peng Guoqing’s poor foundation.
It was like in studies: a top student found it hard to improve further, while a poor student’s progress came more easily, because the poor student was a blank slate, and any advancement showed up as clearly as drawing on white paper.
Peng Guoqing was not stupid to begin with; he had simply never liked studying since childhood.
Doing business, on the other hand, involved dealing with people, back-and-forth negotiations, clashes between individuals, and Peng Guoqing found it particularly interesting.
When not tagging along with Xie Qian, Peng Guoqing did not idle either; he read books and did exercises in his hotel room. For questions he could not solve, he first called a few teachers, then overstepped by consulting Xie Qian.
Xie Qian sometimes explained in detail to Peng Guoqing, but more often he would outline the key points and let Peng Guoqing figure it out himself.
Xie Tang came to the hotel to find Xie Qian several times and was stunned by Peng Guoqing’s earnest studying. She casually praised him a couple of times, leaving Peng Guoqing elated and even more motivated to study!
Sister Xie Tang had praised him, heh heh heh!
It was hard to say where the burst of motivation came from, but even staying up late left him full of energy. Thinking of Sister Xie Tang’s praise, Peng Guoqing would sneak a grin.
With such “self-management” ability, on the flight back from Shanghai to Chengdu, Peng Guoqing finally got a firm yes from Xie Qian.
“From now on, every weekend, come to my house for tutoring with Wen Ying and the others.”
Peng Guoqing nearly burst into tears.
He had waited half a year for those words.
Half a year of effort.
Half a year without clubbing, no nightlife, no parties or play, not even spending his pocket money, a hard life that finally moved Xie Qian!
Peng Guoqing felt Xie Qian was like a bodhisattva in a temple, while he was the ascetic monk in it. He chanted scriptures daily, kowtowed to the bodhisattva, who tested the devotee relentlessly, finally acknowledging the sincerity and granting the wish. How could the devotee resent the bodhisattva’s dignity? Precisely because the bodhisattva did not manifest easily, at this moment, Peng Guoqing was especially moved.
The thrilled Peng Guoqing immediately climbed the pole, grinning at Xie Qian. “Auntie Zou is not in Chengdu any more, and that big house is just you living alone. Is it not a bit wasteful…”
“First, no one complains about a house being too big. Second, I am not alone; Sister Liu takes care of my daily life. Third, do I even need to say it?”
Xie Qian shut down Peng Guoqing’s little scheme with two sentences.
This was classic overreaching from Peng Guoqing. Just admitted to Xie Qian’s tutoring class, and already he wanted to pack his bags and move in together.
After all, both were away from their parents’ care; they ought to look after each other and keep company.
Being close to the water meant getting the moon first; going in and out with Xie Qian daily, sooner or later he would counterattack and become a core member of Xie Qian’s little group!
Rejected by Xie Qian, Peng Guoqing was not annoyed.
No harm in trying; rejection cost nothing, but if Xie Qian agreed, Peng Guoqing would hit the jackpot!
Peng Guoqing joked along the way, making the flight from Shanghai back to Chengdu far from dull.
When the plane landed, no matter what Peng Guoqing said, Xie Qian had lost the mood to respond.
Chengdu was not Xie Qian’s hometown; he had only lived in the city for two years. He had not yet grown to love spicy food, nor could he speak the Chengdu dialect with its reduplicated words.
Clearly a passer-by, yet stepping onto Chengdu’s soil felt just like coming home.
Here were Xie Qian’s friends.
Outside the airport, Wang Shuang stood by the car, waving.
Today, Wang Shuang had driven himself to pick them up.
Peng Guoqing’s summer had been fulfilling; Wang Shuang was no slouch either. Not only had he interned at Tianjiao for over two months, but he had also used the holiday to get his driving licence.
As for university… Wang Shuang had followed Xie Qian’s suggestion and applied to that Shanghai 211 university, and the admission notice had arrived long ago.
Seeing Xie Qian, Wang Shuang’s excitement had not faded:
“Xie Qian, you did not see it with your own eyes in Shanghai. The day the notice came, my dad went mad with joy. He called all his friends one by one, notified every relative at home, and said he wanted to buy me a gift. If Mum had not stopped him, my dad would have bought me a villa!”
Wang Shuang getting into a 211 university had an impact on his father Wang Jun no less than if Wen Ying, the study slacker, aced into the nation’s top two universities in the future. The shock to parents was the same magnitude.
Fine, Wang Jun was just as thrilled as if his son had got into Tsinghua or Peking University!
No helping it; Wang Shuang’s previous grades had never given Wang Jun high hopes. The Wang family’s highest education level had suddenly been raised to undergraduate by Wang Shuang. How could Wang Jun not be happy?
And this was not Wang Jun throwing money at it; Wang Shuang had earned it himself.
What did that show?
It showed the Wang family’s child was smart, that Boss Wang’s genes were good!
Originally, sending Wang Shuang abroad for gilding would have cost a packet. Now that money was saved, Wang Jun thought to spend it on his son in the form of a “reward”.
Rewards motivated; what if Wang Shuang finished undergrad and then pursued a master’s? That would bring even more face to Wang Jun!
If Mrs Wang had not held him back, the villa in Wang Shuang’s name would have been put down as a deposit right away.
Wang Shuang’s reward shrank from a villa to something else, the price tag much reduced, yet Wang Shuang was happier.
“Xie Qian, guess what my dad is buying me?”
“A car.”
Er.
Wang Shuang choked. “Did Wen Ying leak the news to you?”
Xie Qian looked at Wang Shuang as if he were a fool. “The answer is written all over your face; no need for Wen Ying to leak it. You just got your licence, so you will definitely show off. After suppressing yourself so hard and finally getting into a 211, going to Shanghai for university means letting loose. A freshman cruising in a new car will draw plenty of eyes… Wang Shuang, is that what you want?”
