He Ziyu’s gaze fell on the satchel slung across her chest, and he changed the subject, “Are you going out?”
Xu Ning smiled, “Oh, my sister specifically asked me to invite you. We made a lot of good food at home. Professor He, would you like to join us?”
The moment the last sentence left her lips, Xu Ning regretted it.
She didn’t know why her mind had gone blank and she’d blurted out the invitation.
He was a renowned professor, and with his excellent family background, what delicacies hadn’t he tasted? She was sure he’d find her invitation laughable.
“Professor He is so busy, he probably doesn’t have much time. I…”
“It’s perfect timing. I’ve been feeling a bit of heartburn from the school cafeteria food these past couple of days.”
Xu Ning stared at the smile on his face, momentarily stunned and unable to react.
He Ziyu raised an eyebrow, “Or is the invitation just a formality?”
Xu Ning grew flustered, “No, no, it’s not just a formality.”
He Ziyu laughed heartily, “Then what are you waiting for?”
Xu Ning had no choice but to brace herself and lead the way.
Halfway there, He Ziyu excused himself to run an errand. When he reappeared, both his hands were full, laden with several bags of items.
Xu Ning’s face flushed, “Professor He, why did you buy so much? I genuinely wanted to treat you to a meal.”
He Ziyu replied, “It’s already a bit presumptuous to visit for the first time, and it’s better to be overly polite than not. Surely you don’t want me to feel awkward during dinner?”
Hearing his words, Xu Ning couldn’t help but laugh, “This is the first time I’ve seen you like this, Professor He.”
He Ziyu asked, “Like what? Tell me.”
Xu Ning responded, “I can’t quite explain it. It’s like… we’re not in a teacher-student relationship like in class, but more like classmates.”
He Ziyu said, “I’m not that much older than you all. You just think of me as too old.”
Without realizing it, they arrived downstairs at Xu Ning’s home.
The neighbors, uncles and aunties, saw her bringing a man back. Moreover, the man was tall and handsome, which immediately piqued their interest.
They were all well aware of the situation with the Xu family. Two of their children had developmental issues, and a few years prior, the family had been so poor they could barely put food on the table.
However, this second daughter, Xu Ning, had been intelligent since childhood. After the college entrance examinations were reinstated, she had even gotten into university.
A medical university! After graduation, she would be assigned a job in the public sector, working as a white-coated professional.
Her two younger siblings had also started working and earning money. Old Mr. Xu could finally see the light after all his hardship.
“Xiao Ning, have you found a boyfriend? The young man is quite good-looking. Is he a classmate?” asked an elderly auntie with white hair, her eyes narrowed.
Startled, Xu Ning waved her hands repeatedly, her face flushing all the way to her ears.
“Auntie Wang, this is our professor. He’s a medical expert specially invited from the capital by the province.”
“Oh my, a professor!” The others immediately cast looks of astonishment and admiration.
“And a medical expert, he must be incredibly skilled.”
“So, is this a home visit? We watched Xu Ning grow up. Her character is unimpeachable. We’ve been neighbors for decades, and we’re not lying. Professor, let me tell you, although this child looks thin and small, she gave up her work assignment to become a sent-down youth in the countryside to take care of her sick brother. Her ideological awareness is exceptionally high.”
“That’s right. She’s always been a good student. She didn’t need any financial help from home for university tuition. Instead, she tutored to support the family and her younger siblings. You must accurately understand the situation; this child has been through a lot. Please ensure she’s assigned a good job.”
The neighbors assumed He Ziyu was there for some sort of background check. Although things had loosened up considerably compared to previous years, there might still be special requirements for hospital positions.
Therefore, everyone enthusiastically offered their insights.
It was He Ziyu’s first time encountering such enthusiastic neighbors. He couldn’t help but whisper to Xu Ning, “I didn’t realize you were held in such high esteem by everyone.”
Xu Ning felt so embarrassed she wished she could disappear into the ground. But the neighbors meant well, and any further explanation would only make things worse. So, she decided to let them continue.
“These neighbors have watched me grow up. Please don’t mind them.”
He Ziyu shook his head, indicating he didn’t mind. After greeting the neighbors, they went upstairs together.
The Xu family lived in a small room of just over twenty square meters. Standing at the entrance, one could see the entire home.
However, despite its small size, the room was meticulously organized.
Mr. and Mrs. Xu were cooking in the makeshift kitchen that had been partitioned off. A square table was placed in the room, with a bunk bed next to it.
Xu Anan, seeing her sister had brought a guest, quickly fetched stools for them to sit.
He Ziyu had never been in such a small room before in his life. The entire space was open and not even as spacious as their living room.
But he showed no signs of discomfort, which allowed Xu Ning, who had been on edge since they entered, to unconsciously relax.
Upon hearing that He Ziyu was Xu Ning’s university professor, the Xu family welcomed him warmly.
When He Ziyu left the Xu residence, he was practically leaning against the wall.
…
One day, two men unexpectedly arrived at the factory. Their attire was ordinary, but to everyone’s surprise, they immediately placed an order for thirty thousand yuan worth of winter clothing.
This was a significant order. Zhao Xingwang dared not make the decision alone, so he invited them to Nan Haitao’s office. Chen Lishu was also invited.
“We were introduced by a friend, and we’ve also surveyed several other clothing factories. Your styles are the most innovative, and after a brief discussion with your staff, the prices also seem reasonable. We want to order a batch of winter clothes to make a significant profit before the end of the year.” said a tall, thin man in a formal tone.
“However, our funds are limited, so we can only pay a deposit of one hundred thousand yuan.” added another man.
Before they could say anything, the other party seemed ready to pay and place the order, which caught them by surprise. “Do you mean you’ve chosen to place your order with our factory?”
The two men exchanged glances and then nodded in unison, “Yes.”
“May I ask when you would like the delivery?”
The tall, thin man pondered for a moment, “Naturally, the sooner the better.”
The other man added, “After all, the New Year is fast approaching. Delaying too long will affect our ability to make money.”
Nan Haitao looked at Chen Lishu. Neither of them had expected things to go so smoothly.
The other party had even skipped the bargaining stage.
While they were confident in their brand, they hadn’t anticipated such a situation.
Chen Lishu replied, “Your order volume is quite large. The earliest we can estimate is about half a month.”
The tall, thin man stated, “Ten days. Ten days at the most. No more.”
Chen Lishu and the others suddenly understood. It turned out they were in a hurry to place the order, which was why they hadn't been too strict with the pricing.
When signing the contract, the other party immediately paid a deposit of one hundred thousand yuan.
“Those two guys clearly look like they’re foolish with money. Carrying a hundred thousand yuan as if it were just ten yuan,” Zhao Xingwang remarked with a sigh as the two men left.
Nan Haitao replied, “Since they’ve paid the deposit, we just need to complete the order on time.”