Translator: hoenimochi, Rin Editor: Slumber
Three years later.
After winning the National Science and Technology Progress Award, Lu Yong’s company’s industry had grown by leaps and bounds. Under Shen Wenqiu’s investigation and suggestion, they acquired several small companies and carried out the strategic integration of the industrial chain of waste battery cobalt products. They also cooperated with several government agencies and large enterprises to build a mineral recycling industry line with industries such as electronic waste, scrapped automobiles and scrap steel recycling, rare metal industrial waste recycling, and scrap metal recycling as the core. ①
In the second year, the company’s net profit rose by one-third and doubled in the third year. This year, looking only at the financial statements, the profit was already four times compared to the year that Shen Wenqiu joined the company. The net profit this year was 300 million.
It could be said that the performance was soaring.
After ten years, Lu Yong had accumulated a lot of money. In just a few years, he had rushed from the upstream of the industry to the leader in one breath. He was already a well-deserved leader. Last year, the old president retired, ready to live his life, and he no longer wanted to work hard. After re-voting, Lu Yong was directly elected as the new president of the new National Waste Energy Recycling Association with an overwhelming number of votes.
He himself had won a lot of various awards in the past two years and was awarded as this or that. His junior high school, high school, university alma mater, and the government of his hometown all used him as a model for publicity.
His university alma mater also invited him to be an honorary professor and participate in activities. If he was free, he could hold one or two sessions for his juniors.
Lu Yong readily agreed. He would be happy to give lectures, and if he could coax a few more juniors, it would be a good thing if they were also willing to join the industry. His only worry was whether he would be too boring to listen to or he would make it seem boring and tiring and instead discourage other aspiring youths from turning away.
In the end, Shen Wenqiu wrote the script. Shen Wenqiu specially added several joking paragraphs for him. Lu Yong read it seriously, which made the hall burst into laughter, while he himself was slow to respond and only realised after a few sentences. He stopped and couldn’t help laughing, so the students below laughed again.
Lu Yong also explained to them in a good manner, “This manuscript was written by my secretary because what I wrote was very boring. I don’t want to bore you guys. I have read it many times before, but I didn’t realise that this part would make people laugh.”
Shen Wenqiu sat in the first row and looked at him, almost dying of laughter, and took the lead in applauding him.
They gave speeches twice, and the results were very good. The seats were full. Shen Wenqiu felt that it was because Lu Yong spoke well, and Lu Yong felt that it was due to Shen Wenqiu’s writing that was compact and interesting. As a result, campus recruitment in the past two years had been smoother than in previous years, and many good seedlings had been recruited. That made Teacher Ding very happy.
Now, the two people had a clear division of labour in the company.
Shen Wenqiu had completely gotten used to his work. He managed the company’s finances, kept an eye on national policies and trends, contacted major companies, expanded business, and expanded customer outreach. In this regard, Shen Wenqiu’s brain were much better than Lu Yong’s scientific research brain.
This way, Lu Yong was able to dedicate more time to personally focus on research, as well as participate in various activities. Lu Yong often felt that if Shen Wenqiu weren’t there, even if he could reach a higher point at this time, he probably wouldn’t be able to.
In fact, he preferred to keep his head down and work. He never thought about taking the initiative to apply for awards before. He wanted to run the company smoothly. He felt that the time was not right, and he also thought that he was not qualified. It was just because of the arrival of Shen Wenqiu that catalysed his future plans.
Shen Wenqiu, as the vice president, did a good job. Lu Yong gave him dividends and shares with the normal preferred treatment in the industry—this was given after careful consideration by Lu Yong. It didn’t seem to be enough if he only granted them to him according to the normal standard, but if he gave too much, it didn’t seem like he respected Shen Wenqiu’s labour and instead made him seem to be relying on the back door.
Shen Wenqiu now thought about himself four years ago and found it difficult to imagine it. At that time, he was rotten to death. He owed more than 100 million yuan, he didn’t want to pay it back, and he spent all his time playing games and gambling. When Lu Yong first hired him, he received an assistant salary of 4,000 to 5,000 yuan a month, and he still didn’t think he could repay all his debts by working in his life.
But now, in fact, even if Lu Yong didn’t help him pay it back, he seemed to be able to pay it off after working for ten years or so.
He had even paid off most of the debt left by his father. It was like a dream—everything seemed so incredible.
This year was in time for the centennial anniversary of their high school alma mater.
The school contacted and invited Lu Yong, as a successful alumnus, to go back to school to participate in school celebration activities, to be interviewed by the school newspaper, and to say something to the children to encourage them to study for the college entrance exam.
Lu Yong happily said to Shen Wenqiu, “We can just go back and have a look.”
Shen Wenqiu nodded. In fact, he was still a little nervous in his heart. His life had a lot of ups and downs, and now he was barely getting along properly. There was also a lot of black history. In those two years, going to the police station was like going home, and he almost went astray and never recovered.
Speaking of which, Shen Wenqiu and police officer Zhang, who often arrested him at that time, were still friends, and they contacted each other occasionally. The other party knew that he was working hard and no longer gambling, and he was very happy for him.
Every detail of life was worth being grateful for.
He had been arrested so many times, always lying and acting like a scoundrel. Officer Zhang patiently persuaded him again and again and even tried to help him find a job. When he said he still had a proper friend, Officer Zhang didn’t laugh or look down on him. He contacted Lu Yong immediately and took the trouble to explain the situation to him.
He was later released on bail, thanks to Officer Zhang.
In retrospect, he actually first gave the phone number to make trouble. Shen Wenqiu felt ashamed. When he went back, he invited the officer to two meals.
Officer Zhang told him some stories about his old gambling friends. It was only three years ago, but two of them died. One died suddenly at home. He had been dead in the rental house for more than a week and his body had stunk before he was found. The other one was a drug, pornography, and gambling addict—there was nothing separating those. Seven or eight others were missing, which was despairing enough.
Shen Wenqiu didn’t contact those people again. Some old gamblers wanted to contact him, although he didn’t know why, and even came to pester him.
When he encountered such a thing, Shen Wenqiu would go to Lu Yong and talk to Lu Yong worriedly. Lu Yong would always answer a few words indifferently, “En, I see. I’ll have someone talk to them.”
Lu Yong didn’t take it as a big deal.
What kind of person was Lu Yong? He handled it properly and quietly each time.
As long as he knew about them, those people would silently disappear and never appear in Shen Wenqiu’s life again. Shen Wenqiu didn’t hide it from him—it would have been better to let Lu Yong deal with it.
National Day.
The two returned to their alma mater in their hometown together to participate in the school celebration activities, but Lu Yong was the one who took the invitation letter. Shen Wenqiu was shy to come forward and did not intend to reveal that he was also a graduate or that he was still with Lu Yong working as an assistant by his side. He tried to keep a low profile and reduce his existence.
They had not returned to their alma mater for more than ten years.
Their alma mater had changed a lot from what they remembered. New teaching, science, and technology buildings had been built along with indoor gymnasiums. There were more enrollments and classes, and so on. The school building they used to use was obviously old, but students were still using it, so it was not time to tear it down.
Lu Yong and Shen Wenqiu arrived early this time. They were free recently, so they were two days ahead of schedule. The activity had not yet started, but they planned to visit the school first.
The students were in class, and the bright sound of reading wafted from the windows.
Shen Wenqiu suddenly had the illusion of dreaming back to his student days.
This path had not changed. Like before, they had walked side by side countless times, joking and laughing while walking. It was here that Lu Yong talked with him about his future dreams many times.
Shen Wenqiu looked around and felt that no one was around. He secretly took the initiative to hold Lu Yong’s hand in a quiet place sheltered by plants.
It could be said that the two had been together for more than three years, and they had done all the shameful things. Lu Yong could still have red ears because of such innocent hand-holding.
Lu Yong asked, “Aren’t you afraid of being seen?”
Shen Wenqiu said, “I’ll just quietly hold you for a while… I always wanted to hold your hands when I was in high school…”
They both slowed down.
They were enjoying the temperature of each other’s palms. Their palms were sweating and sticking together with their fingertips tingling.
After more than ten years, their invisible secret love for each other had finally blossomed and they could be a loving couple.
Light filtered through the gaps in the leaves, and mottled leaves fell on them.
They didn’t let go until the sun was setting and in full view.
They then went to the classroom where they used to study.
On the fifth floor, there were the aged floor tiles and stairs. The stairs were inlaid with non-slip metal strips, and the words “built in 2000” were engraved on them. The strips were brand new when they were studying, but it had been a long time now.
The students were in class, and they just looked in the doorway just in time.
Shen Wenqiu said in a low voice, “When classes are dismissed, we’ll come again. I want to sit in our old seats.”
Lu Yong said, “Okay.”
As soon as his voice faded, the recess bell rang suddenly.
The two did not intend to meet so many students head-to-head, so they turned around and left only halfway through.
A middle-aged woman with glasses, grey hair, and a serious face approached. When a student ran over, her eyebrows shot up, and she scolded aloud, “How many times have I told you?! Don’t run around in the hallway!”
Then the two sides saw each other and couldn’t help but slow down, staring at their faces and frowning slowly.
Shen Wenqiu said hesitantly, “…How are you, Teacher Dong?”
Lu Yong said more firmly, “Teacher Dong, long time no see.”
She was their high school chemistry teacher and their homeroom teacher. What a coincidence.
Teacher Dong was stunned for a while. Like an iceberg melting, he smiled amiably and asked in surprise, “Lu Yong? Shen Wenqiu?”
“You guys are back? Why are you so early? Just in time, let’s go and sit in my office. I’ll make you two cups of tea.”
The author has something to say:
①From information
There are still some backstories to the plot, so I will continue to write.
