Chapter 51 Full Support for Competitors

Lu Zaixue said, "Our current problem is that the precision of the products we manufacture falls short of the requirement, yet our technicians are unable to pinpoint the cause. Only someone like Mr. Cheng, who is proficient in both machinery and electronics, can identify the issue. We can pay Mr. Cheng a consultation fee per visit; as long as the problem is resolved, Mr. Cheng may name his price."

Cheng Shi replied, "Very well. However, it is getting a bit late today. Tomorrow is the weekend, and my shop won't be taking any orders from state-owned factories anyway. I will come over tomorrow."

Lu Zaixue offered, "Wonderful, I will come to pick up Mr. Cheng tomorrow morning. I apologize for disrupting your plans—shall I give you a ride for a stretch?"

Cheng Shi checked his watch and realized it was too late to catch a bus. "Alright. Thank you."

Cheng Shi picked up his bag, put the cat inside, and said to Cheng Yongjin, "Dad, I am stepping out for a bit."

Zhang Ziqiang had spent the better part of the day leafing through the Yellow Pages until he was dizzy, and he was eager to go out for a stroll. He followed Cheng Shi into the back seat and asked, "Where are you heading? I'm coming too."

Cheng Shi answered, "To see a friend about something."

Zhang Ziqiang inquired, "Male or female?"

Cheng Shi replied, "Female."

Zhang Ziqiang pressed, "Is she pretty?"

Suddenly recalling Zhang Ziqiang's attempt to chat up Mo Xiaoxi last time, Cheng Shi said, "You're not coming. Go back to reading your Yellow Pages."

Zhang Ziqiang insisted, "I'm going anyway."

Sitting in the passenger seat, Lu Zaixue couldn't help but chuckle.

Only then did the two men remember they were in someone else's car.

Cheng Shi smiled awkwardly at Lu Zaixue. "I'm sorry you had to witness that."

Turning around, Lu Zaixue said, "Not at all. Having a friend like that is rather nice."

Zhang Ziqiang stared at Lu Zaixue with a goofy, infatuated grin. "Miss Lu looks even prettier when she smiles."

A faint flush warmed Lu Zaixue's face, and she turned back around.

Cheng Shi gave Zhang Ziqiang a discreet nudge in the waist, signaling him to stop talking nonsense.

Zhang Ziqiang hurriedly wiped the smile off his face and muttered, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean any harm."

Lu Zaixue nodded gently. "I know. It's fine."

The atmosphere turned somewhat awkward.

Caramel climbed out of the bag and scrambled onto Lu Zaixue's lap, settling down.

Cheng Shi protested, "Hey, hey, hey, Caramel, come here. How could you..."

How could this little creature be so overly familiar?

Not everyone is fond of cats.

Lu Zaixue smiled at Cheng Shi once more. "It's alright, I keep a cat myself. It probably smelled the scent on me."

The way Lu Zaixue stroked Caramel with her slender, fair fingers resembled an ice rose retracting all its thorns, melting gently into water under the warmth of the sun.

Caramel's tawny fur gleamed golden in the sunlight, appearing all the softer and warmer.

Cheng Shi said no more, quietly appreciating the picturesque scene.

Lu Zaixue dropped the two of them off at the entrance of the First Municipal High School, confirmed the time to pick Cheng Shi up the next day, and drove away.

Zhang Ziqiang asked Cheng Shi in astonishment, "Are you sure this is the place?"

Cheng Shi replied, "Mn."

Zhang Ziqiang accused, "You—you—you couldn't have brought me here just to court a girl and beat me up in front of her, could you?"

Cheng Shi gave him an exasperated look of utter disappointment. "Is there anything other than such nonsense in your head? You were the one who insisted on coming along."

Students were pouring out of the school gates.

Upon catching sight of Cheng Shi, the girls blushed, covered their mouths in amazement, whispered among themselves, and even took a detour just to get a good look at him.

Standing beside Cheng Shi, Zhang Ziqiang waved enthusiastically like a peacock trying to catch the girls' attention.

Meeting his gaze, the girls instantly dropped their expressions and rolled their eyes.

Zhang Ziqiang muttered resentfully, "They're all so superficial. Not a single one appreciates inner beauty."

After a moment, he lowered his voice and asked Cheng Shi, "Tell me, do you ever regret not finishing high school?"

Cheng Shi responded, "Well, I did regret it somewhat when I was young. Later on, I realized that while that walled enclosure provides systematic learning, time is simply too short relative to a person's long life, and what is taught is often impractical. The skills that genuinely allow you to earn a living and support yourself are all self-taught outside those walls or learned from the people around you."

Spotting Cheng Shi, Mo Xiaoxi's eyes widened in pleasant surprise as she ran over with quick, dainty steps.

Feeling a twinge of guilt, Zhang Ziqiang hid behind Cheng Shi.

Running toward Cheng Shi in the sunlight, even the strands of Mo Xiaoxi's hair seemed to be glowing.

Zhang Ziqiang thought to himself with a silent sigh: How pretty, she looks just like a pure white jasmine flower.

Mo Xiaoxi greeted him, "Brother Shi, why are you here?"

Cheng Shi told her, "I came to let you know that I've moved."

The light in Mo Xiaoxi's eyes dimmed.

Feeling a pang of sympathy, Cheng Shi quickly added, "It's not far, just at the textile mill. I brought Caramel with me too; if you ever want to see it, just come to my place."

He fished Caramel out and handed it to Mo Xiaoxi.

"You've gotten fat. Brother Shi is taking such good care of you." Mo Xiaoxi hugged Caramel, planted a kiss on it, and said to Cheng Shi, "It was a stray I picked up to begin with, and my mom always hated it. It's wonderful that you were able to take it in."

Cheng Shi reassured her, "Don't worry, I won't let it go hungry or cold. Are you free to leave now? I'll walk you back."

As he moved, Mo Xiaoxi finally noticed Zhang Ziqiang standing behind him and stepped back in fright.

Embarrassed, Zhang Ziqiang nodded and greeted her, "Don't be scared, my name is Zhang Ziqiang. That day I acted like a fool, and I'm sorry for startling you. I'm working at Cheng Shi's company now."

Indeed, whatever goes around comes around.

What goes around truly comes around instantly.

Yet Mo Xiaoxi only focused on the detail she wanted to hear, asking Cheng Shi in delightful surprise, "Brother Shi has started a company?"

Infected by her radiant smile, the corners of Cheng Shi's mouth curved upward as well. "A small machinery company. Just starting out."

Mo Xiaoxi declared, "I knew Brother Shi could do it."

She danced and skipped around Cheng Shi in circles.

Zhang Ziqiang felt purely like a sidekick to Cheng Shi—superfluous and pathetic—and began to regret tagging along.

Cheng Shi turned back and hooked his arm around Zhang Ziqiang's neck. "This is my sales manager."

By now, Mo Xiaoxi was no longer afraid of Zhang Ziqiang at all. She peeked at him, her watery eyes curving into crescents as she smiled. "I wouldn't have guessed Brother Ziqiang is so capable."

Zhang Ziqiang puffed out his chest. "Of course."

Watching Mo Xiaoxi disappear into the machinery plant, the two turned and began walking home.

In the glow of the setting sun, Zhang Ziqiang suddenly raised his hand as if injected with adrenaline and roared, "I've decided, I'm going to hustle for clients starting tomorrow!"

Passbyers were so startled they turned around to glare at him.

Cheng Shi remarked, "You're out of your mind. Tomorrow is the weekend, nobody's working, and you certainly know how to pick a time to get ambitious."

Zhang Ziqiang leaped up and draped his arm over Cheng Shi's shoulder, clinging to him like a monkey on a utility pole. "Then assign me some tasks."

Cheng Shi replied, "Figure out your own weekend. I'm not paying you overtime. You can go chase after your secret crush if you like."

Zhang Ziqiang protested, "No, no, no, I want to be diligent. Give me some advice so I can accomplish something constructive over the weekend."

Cheng Shi instructed, "Organize your client list, then go to the Xinhua Bookstore and buy a few books on sales, such as Peter Senge's *The Fifth Discipline*, published just this year, or Jerome McCarthy's *Basic Marketing*. Though I'm not sure if you'll be able to find them."