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Chapter 92: Chapter 84 You are that Pig_1
"Ah...." Xie Wendong did not expect Tang Qing’s questioning to end all at once. To him, there was nothing too difficult about these three questions. Wasn’t this giving him a chance to show off?
He had previously thought that Tang Qing was going to seize this opportunity to retaliate against him, trying to make him the laughingstock of their classmates. This had given Xie Wendong, keen on getting ready to counteract, a feeling of punching into a cotton ball.
Could it be that Tang Qing wanted to bury the hatchet with him?
But his expression didn’t suggest so, did it?
Xie Wendong was momentarily puzzled by the situation. However, he couldn’t care less about it as long as he didn’t end up embarrassing himself.
The classmates who were ready to watch the drama unfold were equally puzzled. Only a few thoughtful classmates were reflecting on Tang Qing’s earlier questions. They simply refused to accept that things could turn out to be so simple. After all, those few questions they had posed admittedly seemed a little bizarre.
The plot hadn’t even had a chance to unfold fully before it was abruptly brought to a halt. This was something that some of the obsessive classmates found absolutely intolerable.
Wang Yan also noticed this peculiarity. However, the smart girl she was, she instantly figured out the underlying implications of Tang Qing’s previous questions. Once she understood the situation, she smiled lightly. She knew that Tang Qing wouldn’t possibly let Xie Wendong steal the show, insignificant though his performance was.
Now, Wang Yan looked towards Xie Wendong with faint sympathy in her eyes. What a pitiable kid who got himself in a pickle.
Within a minute, a few more people got a whiff of the trap in Tang Qing’s questions. Their eyes turned peculiar as they shifted their gazes onto an elated Xie Wendong. Some of them had already begun sharing their discovery with others.
You are beyond the last one.
So, where do you come from?
You don’t exist at all.
The whole thing is suspiciously perverse.
Or, more appropriately... a trap.
As the discussion among his classmates gained momentum, Xie Wendong gradually came to realize what was happening, his face turning beet red with fury.
The first two questions didn’t matter much. It was absolutely fine, whether he had answered them right or wrong. But when the third question was added, and surprisingly, he had also answered it correctly, that rendered it a sheer mockery. This, combined with Tang Qing’s praise with words like "Not bad" and "Smart", felt like a knife plunging into Xie Wendong’s heart.
This was simply soul-crushing.
Tang Qing didn’t bother to spare a glance towards Xie Wendong, who was seething with rage and throwing him murderous glances.
Tang Qing returned to his seat.
"Old Tang, what just happened? How could you let that guy steal the show?" Li Kai leaned over to ask. He had been ready to watch Tang Qing thrash Xie Wendong in a debate. But to his surprise, Tang Qing not only let Xie Wendong answer a few of his questions properly but also praised his opponent. The abrupt ending of their debate really rattled Li Kais’s brain.
"Well, I might have overestimated your intelligence," Tang Qing said, covering his face.
"You... Wang Yan, do you know what happened?" An exasperated Li Kai quickly turned to ask Wang Yan.
"There’s a logical error in the second question," Wang Yan replied with a chuckle.
"The second one? Isn’t it correct? Surpassing the last means being the best... Oh! There’s really a problem! Haha, that damn Xie Wendong deserves being taught a lesson like this," Li Kai finally managed to digest the situation. Combining the bullying statement on being ’non-existent’, he came to appreciate the hard smack Xie Wendong was being dealt. It instantly washed away most of his grievances.
When the homeroom Teacher Shen Mei noticed the strange atmosphere among his students, she promptly shut down their discussion.
At this point, she also realized that there had to be some form of disagreement between Tang Qing and Xie Wendong. Although she didn’t know any specifics as students wouldn’t typically lay their personal issues bare in front of a teacher, she believed that she just couldn’t let this follow its course and disrupt the unity among her students. After all, Xie Wendong’s father occupies a somewhat high position, and it was a better choice not to offend him.
However, Xie Wendong was too arrogant. The last time, he assumed a commanding tone and asked her to switch his and Tang Qing’s seats. How was that even feasible? For one, your father is not my immediate superior, and secondly, even if he were, I am the homeroom teacher, and you have to respect my authority. Finally, the other party was Tang Qing. The best student of the grade and the hope of the school.
Moreover, even if Xie Wendong really was the child of a city Education Department leader, she would still not be biased in favor of him. The principal of her school was formidable and his father had recently retired from the position of Executive Deputy Director of the Provincial Education Department.
The principal was waiting for the moment Tang Qing would take up the post of Deputy Director of the City Education Bureau. For anyone hoping to offend Tang Qing, unless they were offering that position, the principal just wouldn’t bother. In the provincial education system, there was hardly anyone the principal would fear.
People might have left, but not too far away, hence, the tea hadn’t yet turned cold.
Furthermore, she didn’t much care for Xie Wendong, primarily because his academic performance was awful. If not for his father’s connection, there’s no way he could have been admitted to this school, let alone her class. As for this guy who keeps bringing down the class’s average score, she was not at all impressed. 𝑛𝑜𝑣𝑝𝑢𝘣.𝘤𝑜𝘮
As such, the group dinner came to a ’peaceful’ conclusion amid a relaxing atmosphere. Shen Mei sang the last song for them, surprisingly ending up on a children’s song - Let’s swing the oars. This left everyone aghast, way off their expected ending.
Although the event was now over, its influence was far from over.
Particularly for Xie Wendong, who had just transferred to the school not too long ago and had already embarrassed himself twice in public.
The strange looks he got from his classmates filled him with a sense of contempt and ridicule, particularly as he saw Wang Yan and Tang Qing chatting merrily. Xie Wendong was on the verge of exploding with anger. How could he endure such humiliation from a commoner? He couldn’t bear it.
Even though he currently couldn’t retaliate against Tang Qing, given how his father doted on him, he could vent on Wang Yan’s father’s construction project. When the time came, he mused, they would all come begging to him.
Xie Wendong, dejected by one plan’s failure, plots another, believing that Wang Yan will ultimately approach him. This fills him with great satisfaction.
As far as the deviousness of a minor role like Xie Wendong is concerned, Tang Qing couldn’t care less. With a father who was only deputy level, who had no dealings with his own business, there was nothing about him to be feared. Unintimidated by either the organized or disorganized entities involved, if Xie Wendong were to use familial connections to cause trouble, hah, he’d better pray his father was an honest official.
However, he was worried about Wang Yan’s father.
"Wang Yan, if there are any troubles on your father’s side, tell me. I worry that he might cause problems for your father," Tang Qing voiced his concern.
Back in his previous life, he had no knowledge of a person like Xie Wendong. Seeing the Butterfly Effect happen so suddenly and swiftly was a bit too much for him to take.
"Yes, I understand. By the way, what are your plans for the day after tomorrow? Maybe we can go out and enjoy ourselves," Wang Yan replied cheerfully. Touched by Tang Qing’s concern, she was planning to tell her father about this so he could be prepared. But while she didn’t want to annoy Xie Wendong and his father, she also wasn’t soft enough to be moulded at their will; if they tried anything funny, just wait for the scene they’d created to grow untidy.
"Well, I’m planning to have a meal with my family tomorrow. The day after, I have some other work and may not have time," Tang Qing explained. Tomorrow was New Year’s Day, and Lin Jiaxue’s family was coming for dinner. The day after that, he had to collect payments from clients, provide loans to new clients, and possibly meet with Han Leng if he had time. He’d also be occupied with the disbursement of the remaining loans. Sigh, he was becoming too busy at the beginning of each month.
At this moment, Tang Qing was considering setting up a new company, hiring people to help him negotiate with clients and find those in need of loans. A one-man show was indeed too exhausting.
Yes, that’s it. He needs to settle this before the year ends. Chinese New Year was in two months, and if he still had to worry about loans, life would no longer be liveable.
"Oh," Wang Yan responded, a bit disappointed. But she had nothing to say – after all, it was time for Tang Qing to spend with his family. Plus, running his company unquestionably made him short of time. Just like her father, once you have a business, it really takes a lot of your time.
With her father in her mind, Wang Yan felt both helpless and respectful.
People often think it’s good to be a boss. But being a boss is not as great as it seems, it comes with its share of difficulties. They may have money, but the mental and physical strain is definitely no less than that of an employee, sometimes even more. The absence of rest days, absence of family time and not only do their efforts remain confined to the tiny office, it stretches beyond what employees can see.
The employees can think about switching companies if it doesn’t work out, and possibly negotiate a raise while job hopping. But bosses have no option of backing out.
When a boss fails, it becomes a question of how to feed the family.
To want anything, there is always a price to be paid.
Being born with a golden key just means that your parents have paid the price on your behalf.
When your parents have experienced famine, hunger, failure, confusion, and helplessness, and have struggled to high positions, they have already paid the price for you.
Even if the other party’s father is corrupt, he is doing so at the risk of execution.
Anyone who wants to succeed without paying any price, who expects a pay rise without improving their abilities, who wants money without working,
What’s the difference between someone like that and a robber?
At no time or in no society will rising pathways be open to those with such values.
It’s okay to be poor for a while,
But if your heart is impoverished,
You could end up being poor all your life.
Of course, you can always daydream in your spare time.
...
The year is 2005
January 1st
Saturday
Today is New Year’s Day. Lin Jiaxue arrived at Tang Qing’s place around 9 in the morning. Mr. and Mrs. Lin continued to run their shop. Now business was booming and they had called a young girl from their hometown to help out. With their daughter’s tense National College Entrance Examinations, weekends should be spent resting.
At Tang Qing’s request, all the seasoning for Li Jianguo’s place came from the Lin family’s shop. It was Li Jianguo who personally went to pick up the goods, because his shop was not far from the market. Following Tang Qing’s instructions, Li Jianguo always called Mr. Lin a day in advance to prepare everything. In the morning, he’d directly pick them up and settled the accounts once a week.
Mr. Lin wished all his customers could be as worry-free as Li Jianguo, in contrast to the fussier customers.
Other than that, he would be leveling up today. His interface changed early in the morning, and as soon as it turned twelve, he would become level three. He was eager to see what functions the system would unlock. Tang Qing was full of anticipation.
PS: The second Chapter of the story is about to unveil the functions of the third level. Please watch this space.
Thank you readers - "Brother too lonely", "Morning Love", "My heart is flying in 007", and to everyone who recommended us. Thank you!
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