222: Chapter 20: Survivor of a Great Disaster Isn’t Necessarily Fortunate 222: Chapter 20: Survivor of a Great Disaster Isn’t Necessarily Fortunate This was the first official meeting between Wang Yunxiao and Li Mumu, and the impression they left on each other was not particularly good.
One was a rich lady who, despite having some home training, liked to spend money like water and had a tendency to throw minor tantrums.
The other was an average-looking street ruffian, exuding an air of the Jianghu world.
Of course, the most significant issue was that Wang Yunxiao had made Jiang Yinyin cry.
Wang Yunxiao had only intended to scare her a bit, to see if he could pry some information related to Mr.
Tong out of her.
But he failed to consider that Jiang Yinyin was just a twelve-year-old child, not even necessarily twelve by the lunar calendar.
At that age, how could a normal child have such strong mental defenses?
Having their lollipop taken could make them cry for a long time, so a couple of harsh words from Wang Yunxiao were enough to terrify Jiang Yinyin into wailing, with snot bubbles and all.
Therefore, it was only natural for Li Mumu to glare at him angrily.
Looking as if she might pounce and bite at any moment, Wang Yunxiao had no choice but to beat a hasty retreat.
After that episode, he didn’t see Li Mumu for quite some time.
After all, there was hardly any common ground between their living environments and social circles.
It was like discovering a cute and soft-looking girl sitting beside you on a plane only to realize, with a deep sense of morality, that it would be shamefully improper to strike up a chat and ask for her WeChat without any legitimate excuse.
Although you might have already dreamt up a 100,000-word romantic novel in your mind, and even picked out a name for your second child, the fate that brings you together only lasts one hour and forty-six minutes.
Once off the plane, you become strangers.
Mu Yuming really did bring Jiang Yinyin to Qinghe Middle School the next day, only to unexpectedly discover that the principal was an old acquaintance of his, even a senior of sorts.
Principal Zhou had interacted quite a bit with his father while studying abroad in the Federation and had even held him in his arms.
Seeing this former Yale University master of economics, the third generation White Paper Fan of the head office at the Four Seas Commerce Guild, a man said to have returned to his home country wielding a gun in one hand and a bomb in the other, fighting for the President, now attired in a scholar’s robe and eyeglasses, educating students in a school, Mu Yuming felt his worldview about to explode.
It gave him a sense of anachronism, like Lin Daiyu sheltering from the snow in the Mountain God Temple, or Constable-in-Chief Lu getting drunk and tearing up the White Paper Fan.
What’s this now…
has he been demoted?
Did you awkwardly confess to the President in private and get rejected, or did you accidentally break her glass cup?
Otherwise, why would it come to this!
If he had thought about how to “have a chat” with the principal before coming, after meeting Principal Zhou in person, all that was left was to stand and take his scolding.
“You youngster, having grown up drinking ‘foreign ink,’ and with a new government already established in the country, I can’t believe you managed to bring back these feudal thoughts.
You’re impressively capable, aren’t you?”
Faced with Principal Zhou’s sarcastic remarks, Mu Yuming didn’t dare to argue and could only nod in agreement: “Sir, your lesson is well taken.
Your student is dull and has disappointed you.”
“I’m not disappointed.
How could I have the capacity to be your sir?
It’s just a wonder if your father would jump out of his grave seeing you like this now…
Hmm, probably not.
He was just like you, with the same kind of useless temperament incapable of making any significant impact.”
Principal Zhou poked at his conscience with a glee smile on his face.
“What plans do you have after returning to the country?”
Seeing that Principal Zhou had finally moved on to another topic, Mu Yuming quickly replied, “I’ve just settled down and don’t have any concrete plans yet.”
“Planning to follow your father’s example and remain low-key all your life, are you?”
“I’m of meager abilities…”
“Do you know how to get into real estate?”
Mu Yuming didn’t dare say he didn’t know.
The real estate industry in Saifu City had been booming for decades; even locals who hadn’t eaten pork had seen pigs run.
He could tell others that he was incompetent and uninterested, but he estimated he’d get a beating if he said that in front of Principal Zhou.
“Sir knows, there is some foundation in my family, but I can’t play with such big business.”
“You might not have money, but Huang Shisan isn’t short of it, right?”
Mu Yuming suddenly fell silent.
“What, you think that just because I’ve been back in the country for so many years, I should know nothing about overseas affairs?”
Principal Zhou said with a smile, “Businessmen, well, they talk business.
As long as there’s money to be made, nothing else is an issue.
Just so happens that I need to expand the school campus and have already secured the plot of land next to it.
You can submit a report back home; ask her for a sponsorship fee, and I’ll give the project to you.
How about that?”
Mu Yuming shook his head, “I’m not a confidant of Young Master Huang.
She wouldn’t feel at ease handing over such a large construction project to me, even if she were interested.
She would definitely send someone else from overseas.”
“If you don’t even have the courage to attempt it, who will consider you a confidant?”
Principal Zhou said meaningfully, “Tianmen is not like Saifu; don’t imagine Tianmen City to be very big or important.
If you can’t show any value as a pawn, they won’t hesitate to discard you in the future.”
Mu Yuming gave a bitter smile, “Sir is right.
Ever since I started a family and had a wife and daughter, I’ve found myself becoming weaker and more useless.
I always feel satisfied with what I have now and dare not take risks anymore.”
Principal Zhou looked at Mu Yuming earnestly, “If our generation doesn’t do as much as we can, the responsibilities on the shoulders of our descendants will only be heavier.”
Mu Yuming was silent for a long while, then raised his hand to adjust his glasses.
“Sir’s reprimand is well taken.
I know what to do now.”
Jiang Yinyin, in the end, didn’t choose to return to school to continue her studies.
Instead, she took her textbooks and bedding, planning to self-study at the Mu Family’s during her spare time, and then come back to school for the final exams.
It was a result that all three parties were not satisfied with but could still accept; a mutual compromise in the end.
From her personal standpoint, such a choice was indeed not blameworthy, but it also meant that she had used up all her connections at the school.
Her classmates wouldn’t stand up for someone who didn’t attend classes anymore, and Principal Zhou had done his utmost; it was not possible to utilize more resources just for her.
For a twelve-year-old child, it would be too difficult to understand such complexities, and no one wanted to trouble her.
One could only say it was her fate.
Wang Yunxiao originally didn’t care much about this either, until one day during class, Nurse Liu suddenly said, “Once a person’s lifeline is cut, even if reconnected, it cannot be restored to its original state.
The root bone and fortune will be affected — although these metaphysical statements have no scientific basis, it is better to believe they might be true.
Life is your own; do not, because you know more, recklessly squander it without any fear.”