Chapter 178: Soochow University

After discussing official business with him, Mother Lei asked about the few youngsters who always followed Lei Dongchuan. After discussion, they all felt Fang Qi wasn’t bad.

Lei Dongchuan said: “Actually, they each have their own skills, Old Fang is more steady. In the future, you can entrust more matters to him. Sun Xiaojiu is reckless, doesn’t understand some things, and you have to pull his ear and shout once before he knows how to do it… Du Ming? Du Ming isn’t bad. Mom, you want to keep Du Ming for use in Baichuan?”

Mother Lei said: “Du Ming isn’t bad, but he’s a bit young, inconvenient for running some business errands. Besides, after finishing university, it’ll be at least four years later. The car dealership business over at your Uncle Du’s is also doing well, so it’s not certain what arrangements there will be.”

She thought for a moment, and asked again, “What do you think about leaving Fang Qi to manage that branch store?”

“Sure, Old Fang is capable, he can definitely handle it.”

“Then let him stay…”

“But let’s agree first, Mom. When I need people later, you have to return Old Fang to me.”

Lei Dongchuan wasn’t straightforward, carrying a bit of reluctance as he said, “He’s more flexible than Sun Xiaojiu, and more useful than Du Ming. If I really want to do some work in the future, I’ll still need him.”

Mother Lei nodded with a smile: “Alright, as you wish.”

The Baichuan Hypermarket in the city had many people, so a separate department was established for it. Mother Lei held several posts concurrently and transferred Fang Qi under her to be the head of that department. From then on, when people saw Fang Qi, they had to call him ‘Manager Fang’.

Lei Dongchuan personally informed Fang Qi of this good news. Upon hearing it, Fang Qi was stunned for a good while, pointed at himself and asked:

“Me?”

Lei Dongchuan smiled and said: “Right, from now on we have to call you Manager Fang.”

Fang Qi slightly furrowed his brows. His first reaction was worrying about the situation at the fish pond, hesitating:

“If I come over to the city, the management of the fish pond…”

Lei Dongchuan said: “Rest assured, I’ve already arranged it. I’ll have Sun Xiaojiu and the others take turns going. Can’t let you do all this hard and tiring work alone.”

Fang Qi smiled a bit, he actually didn’t find it hard.

The period working at the fish pond could be said to be his most leisurely time. He had plenty of time to study, and could act according to his own thoughts as he pleased. Lei Dongchuan truly gave him the maximum freedom within his capability.

Lei Dongchuan took him out and bought him two suits to hold up appearances. He didn’t let Fang Qi pay, rushing ahead and saying:

“I’ll do it.”

Before Fang Qi could even take out his wallet, Lei Dongchuan had already signed and taken the clothes on the other side.

Fang Qi asked: “Boss, I got my salary, I can buy these clothes myself…”

Lei Dongchuan stuffed the bags into his hands, and smiled: “No need, the counters here are all Auntie Dong’s. She deposited money here for Zimu. To get something, you just need to sign directly to charge it to the account. Take it, consider it a promotion gift from Zimu and me.”

Fang Qi held the heavy bags in his hand, smiled, and nodded: “Alright.”

Lei Dongchuan walked him out of the mall gate, and added:

“Oh right, Old Fang, forgot to tell you, your previous salary from the fish pond will be issued as usual. After all, you set up those breeding equipment. Together with Baichuan here in the city, you’ll be paid double salary.”

Before Fang Qi could speak, Lei Dongchuan patted his shoulder like a good brother, laughing and saying, “From now on, the work clothes here will be covered by the unit. Old Fang, treat yourself better, don’t be too frugal.”

Fang Qi had many things he wanted to say, but when they reached his lips, he couldn’t speak them out. [Read on RanaTranslations🌸] He could only nod and agree.

Lei Dongchuan: “How is the debt repayment at home going? Anything you need help with?”

Fang Qi paused for a moment, then suddenly smiled. His expression relaxed slightly, and the sense of distance he maintained also drew closer. He shook his head and said:

“There’s still some, but there’s no rush. I’ll do my best. Boss, you are a good person, our whole family thanks you.”

Lei Dongchuan scratched his chin, feeling slightly unnatural:

“Hey, why say these things? It’s not a big deal. Whatever difficulties there are, brothers shoulder them together, getting through it is fine.”

“Mn.”

Fang Qi drove him back. When he conversed with Lei Dongchuan again, he had a bit more liveliness than usual.

He looked at the backseat from the rearview mirror, and spoke:

“With just you alone in the car, it truly feels a bit unnatural.”

Lei Dongchuan said: “Yeah, normally at this time I’d be picking up Zimu to go to Grandpa He’s place. Today is Wednesday, right?”

He thought for a moment, shook his head and smiled, “Wednesday is for eating steamed fish, he likes steamed ones the most.”

Fang Qi smiled and said: “Zimu has a light taste, but his mouth is very picky. Don’t know if he’s eaten well these past few days.”

Lei Dongchuan’s mouth twitched, but it still didn’t curve up.

He couldn’t smile, nor could he laugh.

His brother had only been gone for a few days, but he felt like a year had passed. Whatever he did every day, he couldn’t muster up the energy. Thinking of him day and night, he had already dreamed of the little friend several times.

Every time in his dreams, the other party would say, ‘You can see me as soon as you open your eyes’… It was all fake. After opening his eyes, even the person in the dream was gone.

Lei Dongchuan looked out the car window, slightly furrowing his brows.

His heart was entirely filled with that little liar.

Pingjiang City.

Bai Zimu followed Master He all the way to Baohua Silver Building. Master He was tightly guarded and blocked by two disciples. When getting out of the car, seven or eight people swarmed up, shouting all sorts of things, and some were even about to cry. Master He had a terrible headache and waved his hand saying:

“Move aside—”

Lu Ping stepped forward without hesitation and supported Master He’s arm, blocking the others and saying:

“Make way, let Master get out of the car first!”

Ma Jie didn’t snatch the initiative, so he very cleverly went over and led Bai Zimu to walk behind. Sure enough, Master He had barely taken two steps before he turned his head to look for someone.

“Where’s Zimu?”

“Grandpa, I’m here.”

Bai Zimu stepped forward, took the old man’s arm, and supported him forward all the way.

Master He held Bai Zimu’s hand. His rough and old hands trembled slightly. Bai Zimu leaned close to his ear and whispered something. The old man looked at him, shook his head and said:

“No need. We’re already here, where is there a reason to flee before battle? Let’s go, accompany Grandpa in to take a look.”

Baohua Silver Building was located on the most bustling old street. The white-painted screen doors, which were rarely opened normally, were specially opened today. Many people stood on both sides. Some wore formal suits, while others still wore apprentice aprons. Everyone was neatly dressed in clothes that best manifested their status, standing quietly at the door waiting for the old man.

Master He walked very slowly. He was old in years, his hair and beard completely white, and needed the support of his grandson beside him to step onto the stone stairs and cross the high threshold.

The moment the old man walked over, everyone at Baohua Silver Building bowed and paid their respects to him.

Master He liked quietness, so none of them spoke. [Read on RanaTranslations🌸] They just stood there quietly waiting for him to walk over. Those with lower seniority stood slightly further back, while the few middle-aged men in their forties and fifties standing in front already had tears in their eyes. When the old man came over, they mumbled and called out “Master”.

Master He recognized the few disciples, and pushed them up:

“What are you doing? There’s no need for this…”

“It is needed. Master wouldn’t let us go to Dongchang to pick you up. Now that you’ve come home today, we must at least welcome you—”

“Master, you don’t know how long we’ve been looking forward to this day.”

“Yes, Master, look at you, I have white hair now. When you left back then, I wasn’t even as tall as the stone screen at the door!”

……

The few disciples followed him in. They were clearly all master craftsmen who could take charge independently in their respective fields, but in front of Master He, they were all like children. Talking all at once, they spoke of their own matters over the years. Some said their appearance had changed, while others said they had won awards—not to claim credit, but just looking eagerly at their master, waiting to hear a word of praise from the old man.

Master He walked to the main hall and was respectfully invited to sit on the grand armchair in the main seat.

Bai Zimu stood behind him, somewhat curiously looking at the uncles sitting all over the room around him. [Read on RanaTranslations🌸] The youngest looked about forty, while the older ones looked nearly sixty. But in front of Master He, they were all like the most obedient students in school, sitting with their backs straight, deeply afraid of being outshone by the person next to them.

Because Lu Ping was the person in charge of Baohua Silver Building, he was able to sit on the grand armchair on the other side. However, he didn’t dare to overstep his bounds, only sitting on half the chair, showing a respectful attitude towards his master.

Ma Jie snatched the chair on the old man’s right hand. After sitting down, he was particularly perceptive, calling a young apprentice over to fetch a stool for Bai Zimu. He moved aside slightly and said amiably:

“Come, come, Zimu, you sit here, next to Uncle Ma, hehe. Don’t be nervous, returning to Baohua Silver Building is just like returning to your own home!”

After Bai Zimu sat down, Master He held his hand and first introduced him to everyone:

“This is Zimu. I presume Lu Ping has already told you, he is my grandson.”

Everyone hurriedly said yes. There were also impatient ones who hastily took out prepared gold jewelry from their pockets and were about to go forward and give it to Bai Zimu:

“Heard Senior Brother Lu mention you long ago, but never got to see you. Zimu, I am your Uncle Guan. First time meeting, I don’t have anything good to present. Take this pair of pure gold Ruyi to play with, don’t disdain it!”

Once one person spoke, the others also scrambled to step forward.

Master He blocked them, only able to let them sit back first. After letting Bai Zimu pay his respects to all the uncles, only then did he accept the gifts.

On the wooden tray covered with red velvet, large and small gold ornaments of various styles were so numerous they had to be stacked up. The master’s masterpieces, rarely seen normally, were now scattered on a tray like they didn’t cost money. Bai Zimu just held it in his hand for a short while before his arm felt a bit unsupported; such a large tray of gold was indeed quite heavy.

Before things were even finished in the main hall here, the sound of firecrackers suddenly exploded outside, closely followed by a series of over a dozen roaring salutes!

Master He was startled, and asked: “Lu Ping, what’s going on?”

Lu Ping hurriedly stepped forward, leaned close to the old man’s ear and said:

“Master, it’s the people in the building, won awards—”

The sentence was heard intermittently amidst the sound of firecrackers. Master He only heard a few words without beginning or end, and asked twice before finally hearing clearly. It turned out that a few young juniors in Baohua Silver Building won awards in a competition, and one of them even won a silver award internationally.

Lu Ping had an honest and sincere face as he said:

“Wanted to celebrate for them earlier, but they just returned from abroad and had jet lag. Waited a few days, and coincidentally, you came back. Just thought today is a good day, so we celebrated together. Master, you won’t be angry, right?”

Master He: “…”

This was clearly celebrating Master He’s return. The few disciples were so happy they couldn’t find north, finding an excuse themselves to set off firecrackers!

However, it was a rare joyous occasion, and also the glory of the younger generation. Master He thus turned a blind eye, letting them be.

Lu Ping was still considered steady, but Ma Jie rolled up his sleeves and personally went to set off two strings of firecrackers in front of the building, grinning from ear to ear.

The other disciples couldn’t bear to leave their master for even half a moment. Wherever Master He went, they followed. However, probably feeling it wasn’t good for all of them to surround him, every time only one or two people went over, completely depending on whose actions were fast to snatch the lead.

The youngest disciple, seeing the old man return, didn’t forget to complain amidst his emotion, feeling wronged:

“Master, I’m the most skilled at polishing golden beads, but Second Senior Brother snatched my work. Third Senior Brother rushed to stuff two apprentices over, even the chef was sent by Mr. Gu. I didn’t get a single spot…”

Ma Jie cut a watermelon and brought it over. Passing by, he stuffed a mouthful of watermelon into his junior brother’s mouth, and said cheerfully:

“Come, come, eat melon.”

“Wu!!”

Bai Zimu sat on the side, his eyes curved into crescents as he smiled.

Lu Ping looked at Master He. Seeing the old man also smiling, his heart breathed a sigh of relief, and he suggested:

“Master, it’s rare for you to come back once, do you want me to take you out for a stroll these two days? Pingjiang City is still the same old way these years, but the new district over there has changed quite a bit.”

Master He asked about the location of the new district, sighing with emotion:

“I remember that side used to be a patch of rice fields, and farmland.”

Lu Ping nodded with a smile: “Right, in the past you took me to work over there, the first time I ate white rice was also there.”

Speaking of this evoked the old man’s memories. After discussing for a moment, he nodded and agreed.

Lu Ping arranged a banquet in an outside restaurant to wash away the dust of the old man’s journey. Knowing Master He liked quietness, he only called the master craftsmen and fellow apprentices in the building over. A few elderly people sitting together, talking about the past, felt quite emotional.

After eating the welcoming banquet, the car didn’t return to Baohua Silver Building, but drove straight to the new district.

The old man sat in the car, his gaze looking out the car window, somewhat dazed.

Bai Zimu accompanied him on the side and called out ‘Grandpa’. Master He held his hand, patted it, and said softly:

“Nothing, Grandpa just remembered some past events. In a flash, quite a few years have passed.”

Lu Ping echoed a few times, then coughed lightly, his eyes looking at the front row.

Ma Jie sitting in front understood, smiled and spoke:

“Master, look, the land here seems empty, but it’s all divided, going to build factories and buildings! Also, over there on the right, heard the city wants to divide that patch into some university town, quite a few schools are moving over. There’s also Soochow University—”

He emphasized the last few words, and after a moment, asked seemingly unintentionally, “Zimu is in the third year of high school now, right? Do you have any university you want to attend?”

Bai Zimu blinked his eyes.

This topic transition was too stiff, he didn’t even have time to react.