Wang Guangping felt his job placement deviated greatly from expectations. When Zhou Cheng heard the other party was confirmed for the Ministry of Education’s Higher Education Department, he also felt it was a deviation. Though they couldn’t make the changes too obvious – while they’d managed to derail Wang Guangping’s original job placement, Zhou Cheng’s influence didn’t extend far enough to decide job arrangements for someone of Wang Guangping’s rank.

While Zhou Cheng was exerting effort, others were also at work. With some stirring up trouble behind the scenes, Wang Guangping ultimately ended up at the Higher Education Department.

Wang Guangping didn’t want to go to the Ministry of Education, and Zhou Cheng equally didn’t want him there. For Wang Guangping, the Education Ministry was a retirement post, while Zhou Cheng worried he might cause trouble for his wife Xiaolan, who was set to attend Huaqing University… But then Zhou Cheng laughed at himself – Wang Guangping would have had enough trouble establishing himself if he’d been willing to be manipulated by Xia Ziyu, he wouldn’t have lasted until returning from the farm.

It was like in his family – if Xiaolan gave constructive suggestions to her father Zhou Guobin, he would consider them. But if Xiaolan went to Zhou Guobin complaining about Xia Ziyu, asking him to deal with a female college student, Zhou Guobin likely wouldn’t give her any face at all.

Since the Wang family couldn’t make waves anytime soon, Zhou Cheng didn’t need to worry about them.

Wang Guangping’s job would most affect Wang Jianhua’s future assignment.

Now Xia Ziyu definitely wouldn’t let go of Wang Jianhua – even though that tutoring class, relying on Wang Guangping’s official convenience, might expand significantly – Zhou Cheng didn’t want to see this happen.

What about separating Xia Ziyu and Wang Jianhua?

Zhou Cheng felt they suited each other well and hesitated to break them up.

He didn’t need to act – given the Wang family’s style, with Wang Guangping returning to work in the city, it was uncertain if Xia Ziyu could even survive this phase. Zhou Cheng decided to wait and see. While Wang Guangping’s position could help develop Xia Ziyu’s tutoring business, if Wang Guangping got involved, they could use the tutoring business to deal with him in return.

Wouldn’t his wife prefer to see Xia Ziyu and the Wang family in chaos?

Zhou Cheng smiled coldly – he hadn’t forgotten anything Xia Ziyu had done!

…

In mid-August, a registered letter arrived at Qijing Village.

Chen Qing’s acceptance letter had arrived.

University of International Business and Economics – rural folks didn’t understand this school’s reputation, they just knew Chen Qing had gotten into a key university in Beijing!

This year Qijing Village produced two university students at once. Though under Xia Xiaolan’s provincial top scorer glory, Chen Qing’s achievement seemed less dazzling, but Chen Wangda had high prestige. Compared to Xia Xiaolan’s unfamiliarity with villagers, Chen Qing had grown up before their eyes. His acceptance letter was cause for celebration throughout the village.

The Chen family held a grand feast to celebrate Chen Qing’s admission to the key university.

Gong Yang, who supervised construction in the village daily, was also invited to drink. The fine arts graduate from Commercial University had worked under the sun for over a month, tanned as dark as Chen Qing. Similar in age, they’d grown familiar as Chen Qing helped at the construction site daily.

Learning Chen Qing got into the University of International Business and Economics, Gong Yang was happy for him. Regardless, studying economics surely had better prospects than studying art – maybe one in a hundred art students could succeed, transitioning seamlessly from poor student to struggling artist! Gong Yang was different from other art students – he’d gotten into university, and after graduating from the Fine Arts Department, the state would assign him work. Poor artists without degrees could only fend for themselves, but Gong Yang would have a stable income.

He might not be very wealthy, but he definitely wouldn’t starve.

Of course, the work assigned to Fine Arts graduates differed from economics students like Chen Qing!

After “moonlighting” for Liu Yong and Xia Xiaolan, Gong Yang’s old views were challenged – his annual salary from state-assigned work might equal what he earned from one guesthouse renovation design. Supervising house construction for Xia Xiaolan would surely bring another payment. If such “part-time” work earned this much, what about full-time… In September when school started, Gong Yang would begin his senior year, meaning internships and future job assignments.

What made him uncertain now was the household registration.

If Liu Yong’s “Yuan Hui” could solve the household registration, that would be perfect.

With registration he could truly leave his rural roots; without a work unit accepting his registration, he couldn’t count as urban or be allocated housing.

Plus, would private companies like “Yuan Hui” last as long as state units?

Gong Yang had already chosen money over artistic pursuit.

Now he faced new choices.

After Chen Qing made him drink some baijiu, the lightweight Gong Yang couldn’t help speaking the truth: “You like Miss Xia, don’t you?”

Working without pay, helping under the sun daily, always asking about Xia Xiaolan – Gong Yang wasn’t stupid, he’d long seen Chen Qing’s feelings. Though Gong Yang hadn’t met Zhou Cheng, after returning to Commercial University, Zhuo Na had kindly explained, fearing he’d be bewitched by Xia Xiaolan.

Someone like Xia Xiaolan must already have an excellent match.

Gong Yang had become close friends with Chen Qing, both being rural youth. He felt that while Chen Qing’s choice of Beijing University revealed his intentions clearly, his hopes with Xia Xiaolan were very slim.

Chen Qing didn’t deny it, but asked in return: “Why do you call Xiaolan ‘Miss Xia’?”

“She’s employing me to build a house – she’s my employer, of course, I call her Miss Xia. You heard right, this house is Miss Xia’s, not her uncle’s.”

Call her junior? They weren’t even from the same school!

Use her name? He was taking payment from her. The two outsiders following Xia Xiaolan called her “Miss Xia” – Gong Yang felt this title particularly appropriate. While Chen Qing would be a catch among local girls, he didn’t measure up to Xia Xiaolan. Villagers thought Liu Yong made money doing business outside, naturally assuming the house construction money came from him, but with more contact, Gong Yang saw Xia Xiaolan controlled the clothing store business and made decisions about renovation projects – who the real boss was needed no explanation.

Even her uncle Liu Yong relied on Xia Xiaolan to make money.

Plus Xia Xiaolan had gotten into Huaqing University.

With such conditions, she was beyond Chen Qing’s reach.

Chen Qing understood Gong Yang’s meaning. The house’s frame and main structure were complete – cement dried quickly in summer, and Gong Yang was working on interior decoration. All told, they’d invested twenty thousand yuan, with Gong Yang saying several thousand more needed to finish.

All this money was raised by Xiaolan?

Chen Qing’s feelings became very complex. After a while, he replied glumly: “When I first knew her, she wasn’t like this…”

When he fell for her, she wasn’t yet so outstanding. He hadn’t liked her because she became excellent – from when Xia Xiaolan returned to Qijing Village with Liu Fen, she’d caught Chen Qing’s eye.

“I’m still going to the University of International Business and Economics!”

Chen Qing suddenly declared loudly.

He wasn’t after Xiaolan’s money – he would earn his own in the future!