The most pitiable figure was not actually President Peng, played like a fiddle by his drama queen wife, but Peng Guoqing, who yearned to return to the capital for the new year.
No one in the Peng family came to Peng Guoqing’s rescue; the Pengs resolved to accommodate Teacher Liang’s winter holiday tutoring plan, and this year, the whole family would spend the new year in Rong City.
“… this is too much trouble.”
Cold sweat trickled down Peng Guoqing’s neck and into his collar.
The Peng family numbered quite a few from top to bottom; since Grandpa and Granny Peng were coming, the rest would follow suit.
So many people could not simply be crammed into a hotel; President Peng had Bai Secretary come ahead to make arrangements.
Bai Secretary was prudent in her work, always proper in speech and deed, never overstepping; even with Madam Peng’s radar-like perceptiveness, she detected no ill intent in Bai Secretary, so her job was quite secure.
Peng Guoqing disliked those secretaries with ulterior motives; Bai Secretary’s propriety was a rare thing, so he spoke to her with considerable courtesy.
Hearing Young Master Peng’s sigh, Bai Secretary felt a warm glow in her heart.
“It is no trouble; this falls within my duties, as it should.”
With so many Pengs, lingering in Rong City for the new year meant days on end; Bai Secretary had to arrange suitable lodgings, consider varying dietary preferences, and perhaps carve out a day or two amid the gatherings for a Rong City tour; every aspect demanded thought, and it was indeed rather tedious.
Having taken the wage, one must fulfil the boss’s tasks; though tedious, Bai Secretary harboured no complaints.
If it were not tedious, how would her skills shine!
Taking pay for work was only right; beyond that, to earn the young master’s understanding made Bai Secretary’s gaze upon Peng Guoqing most gentle: who says Young Master Peng is a spoiled rake; is he not plainly kind-hearted?
The “kind-hearted Young Master Peng” had no inkling of Bai Secretary’s imaginings; he fretted for her fatigue, but truly worried for himself!
“You do not understand; the whole family making such a fuss to come to Rong City for the new year; if I fail to get into a 211 university, will my father not have me killed? Love and duty go hand in hand; now I let the whole family brim with hope, willing to indulge me; when I disappoint them, their indulgence becomes grounds for my father to punish me! You know how my father is with me; he does the bare minimum of fatherly duty.”
“…”
Bai Secretary wished to defend President Peng, but opened her mouth and found she had nothing to say.
For Bai Secretary too felt President Peng fell short.
Loving a child was not merely about giving money.
President Peng was indeed busy with work, but he was hardly the only one in the world so occupied; if everyone could shirk child-rearing with “work busyness” as excuse, why have children at all!
An employee could not badmouth the boss, so Bai Secretary gathered her words and comforted: “Once Young Master Peng enters a 211 university, all will be joy.”
Peng Guoqing rolled his eyes.
“I want that too!”
“Then I wish Young Master Peng every success.”
Bai Secretary had visited Teacher Liang personally; Teacher Liang brimmed with confidence, so Bai Secretary deemed it no great issue.
Peng Guoqing clutched at this like a drowning man at straws.
“Yes, yes, yes; and Teacher Liang; Teacher Liang will surely help me…”
This winter holiday, Xie Qian had no time to watch over Peng Guoqing; only Teacher Liang could save him!
Peng Guoqing reopened the “winter holiday plan” he had loathed facing; at first he fretted, but as he read on, he chuckled aloud.
A schedule utterly devoid of free moments; following this plan for the holiday was akin to imprisonment, with not a scrap of time for Peng Guoqing’s own whims.
But that was for the best.
Let the whole family witness his efforts.
If he strove so and still failed the exams, could they blame him?
It must be poor genes from his parents.
Peng Guoqing reckoned his mother sharp as a tack; if he lacked brains, the fault lay squarely with his father, heh heh!
Thus thinking, Peng Guoqing felt the world lighten; while Wen Ying and Li Mengjiao still “holidayed”, he plunged eagerly into Teacher Liang’s winter tutoring plan.
Whether one studied subjectively or passively, Teacher Liang could tell.
Peng Guoqing’s foundations were poor indeed, but his attitude was earnest.
Teacher Liang gazed at Peng Guoqing, head buried in questions, her eyes full of kindness.
So what if 474 marks?
Young Master Peng would one day make the whole family gape in wonder!
Teacher Liang, stuffed full of Madam Peng’s brainwashing, brimmed with pity for Peng Guoqing; and having invested much effort in this slag student, the bond between teacher and pupil ran particularly deep.
…
The Pengs had not yet arrived in Rong City, yet even Wen Ying and the others felt Madam Peng’s lavishness.
Madam Peng had Bai Secretary bring gifts for her son Peng Guoqing’s circle of friends, with different presents for boys and girls.
Wang Shuang was a rich second-generation too, off to university in the magic city; by rights, he had seen the world, yet unboxing Madam Peng’s gift left him utterly stunned.
Madam Peng knew Wang Shuang loved basketball and sent him a pair of AJs.
AJs had not suddenly boomed a decade hence; from 1984 until their official retirement in 2003, Jordan had dominated the NBA court, a superstar and the basketball king in the hearts of Wang Shuang’s generation of post-80s youth.
Rich second-generations like Wang Shuang, who fancied basketball, had begun collecting AJs years prior; much of his pocket money had gone to shoes.
Later… well, later he had no pocket money left, and Wang Shuang’s hobby was grudgingly reined in.
Thus, Wang Shuang owned more than one pair of AJs.
Why then the shock?
Because Madam Peng’s gift bore Jordan’s signature!
“I cannot accept this; it is too valuable!”
Wang Shuang pushed back with real pain; Bai Secretary smiled: “But these shoes are in your size, Wang; if you decline, we truly cannot offer them to another.”
Wang Shuang checked; indeed they were.
No way to refuse now.
Yet something felt off.
Bai Secretary’s manner brimmed with sincerity; she said Madam Peng chose this gift to thank Wang Shuang for encouraging Peng Guoqing.
Without the wager to enter the same magic city 211 university, Peng Guoqing would lack his present zeal, head to the beam and stock to the thigh.
“No, no, no; it is mainly Teacher Liang and the others tutoring him, and Xie Qian; thank them…”
Even with Wang Shuang’s thick skin, he could not accept such gratitude outright; Peng Guoqing’s progress owed little to him.
“They are they; Wang’s merit is no less indelible.”
Bai Secretary was altogether too eloquent; after Wang Shuang half-heartedly accepted amid her urging, he suddenly realised: shoe size was no bar to AJ ownership; a signed pair by Jordan would not be worn for basketball by any fan!
It would be enshrined regardless, size be damned.
Too late now; returning an accepted gift would be a slap in the face.
Wang Shuang’s thoughts turned from his gift to Xie Qian’s.
What might Madam Peng have prepared for Xie Qian?
Given Xie Qian’s aid to Peng Guoqing, the gift for him must surpass even signed Jordan shoes in value!
