The Higher Education Department had been unfairly blamed for everything.
Although the Higher Education Department could oversee universities, their role was limited to research guidance and teaching work. Both Hua Qing and Jing University were vice-ministerial level institutions. While their presidents’ administrative rank was vice-ministerial and could only manage school affairs, the Ministry of Education would still take their feedback seriously if formally presented.
By rank, Wang Guangping was equivalent to a vice president. If he weren’t in the Higher Education Department, even Hua Qing’s president wouldn’t spare him a glance.
The Department’s role was special – if they wanted to cause trouble, Hua Qing would have to grudgingly accept it.
But Jing University couldn’t swallow this insult!
Universities naturally competed with each other, especially Hua Qing and Jing University. They competed for key disciplines and funding… historically and in terms of capability, everyone considered them equals.
Why could Hua Qing accept a 5 million donation to establish a scholarship, while Jing University only got 1 million and had to accept it secretly like thieves?
With the big brother taking the lead in the confrontation, Ren University and Beijing Normal also joined the ranks. The Higher Education Department was wrongly blamed, and after receiving complaints from four key universities, the Department head was on the verge of breakdown.
How could such a simple task assigned to Comrade Wang Guangping – merely representing the Department at a donation ceremony – cause such trouble?
The nerve of him, even trying to extort the Hong Kong merchant!
Though the Director also felt this matter should be led by the Higher Education Department, that was just his opinion – just like he thought he should be leading the ministry, yet he was still diligently serving as a director.
People’s thoughts could run wild and free, without constraints.
But actions needed to follow rules!
“Comrade Guangping, now about this… sigh, when handling work, we need to be meticulous and patient, we can’t take a one-size-fits-all approach. Don’t you agree, Comrade Guangping?”
Wang Guangping didn’t want to stay in the Higher Education Department.
The Department didn’t want him either!
He had no experience in educational work, yet loved to meddle.
The tutorial school incident had been glossed over without investigation, and now this?
If the Director had the authority to fire Wang Guangping, he would immediately order him to pack up and leave! He wouldn’t care where Wang Guangping went – if he had nowhere else, he could return to the farm in Ji Province. Perhaps after staying at the farm for so long, Wang Guangping was no longer suited for normal administrative work.
The tutorial school incident was about profit, but what was this about – extorting Hong Kong merchants?
The Director looked Wang Guangping up and down. The man dressed simply and cleanly, not looking like someone with financial problems. For the sake of the Department’s reputation, the Director advised earnestly: “Comrade Guangping, how’s everything at home recently? If you have any difficulties, don’t be shy about bringing them to the Department. We’ll solve what we can, and discuss solutions for what we can’t. One wrong step can lead to lifelong regret.”
Was he dissatisfied with his housing allocation?
Did his children need money to start families?
Or did his spouse need help finding work?
Whether these issues could be resolved wasn’t certain, but it was better than extorting Hong Kong merchants.
Wang Guangping felt so frustrated he could vomit blood.
“Director, my thinking was this: First there was Hong Kong’s richest man donating to build a new university, and now we have Hong Kong merchants donating to universities. Similar situations might increase in the future, and we’ll need management regulations with proper procedures, led by our Department… That was my thought.”
The thinking was correct.
It was rare for Wang Guangping to show such foresight.
If Hong Kong’s richest man came to donate to building universities in the mainland, it wasn’t strange for Hong Kong merchants to donate to universities.
Besides Hong Kong merchants, there would surely be overseas Chinese donors.
After all, with Reform and Opening Up, and Hong Kong’s return date set, everything would develop in a positive direction.
The Director took a sip of strong tea from his cup:
“The thinking is right, but the approach was inappropriate.”
Anyone could express noble-sounding ideas, but if there was nothing to hide, why hadn’t this been brought up for open discussion in the Department?
The Hong Kong merchant was willing to pay an extra 3 million rather than submit – who knew how Wang Guangping had privately pressured him?
Once trust is destroyed, it’s hard to rebuild. Wang Guangping couldn’t handle this matter anymore, and for any slightly important future tasks, careful consideration would be needed before assigning them to Comrade Wang Guangping.
When Wang Guangping left the Director’s office, he maintained a nonchalant appearance.
But inside, his anger was about to burst into flames.
Why did they need Reform and Opening Up? Wasn’t everything fine before?
Cadres like him didn’t lack food or drink then, and they received their proper wages and various benefits.
Once the country’s doors opened, all sorts of demons and monsters could enter – just because they had some money? Little brat, showing off, aren’t you?
Du Zhaohui was vicious, and Wang Guangping wasn’t magnanimous either.
Du Zhaohui’s extra 3 million hit Wang Guangping hard.
These two had now become enemies.
When Xia Xiaolan heard that Du Zhaohui had donated to three more universities, she found the timing and book selections strange. Later, after hearing about this under-the-table struggle from Guan Huie, Xia Xiaolan frowned:
“Vice Director Wang is narrow-minded, but this Young Master Du isn’t easy to deal with either.”
Du Zhaohui’s way of seeking revenge, willing to spend 3 million just to make Wang Guangping spit blood… Xia Xiaolan was incredibly envious!
After all, Wang Guangping started it. Looking at it objectively, Wang Guangping was wrong – just because Du Zhaohui didn’t listen to him, he tried to derail the donation. Did Wang Guangping consider how many people this scholarship could help?
But Xia Xiaolan wasn’t on Du Zhaohui’s side. While it was satisfying to watch him deal with Wang Guangping, Xia Xiaolan hadn’t followed Du Zhaohui’s wishes either. This person acted very impulsively.
Rich, arrogant, and ruthless – if he wanted to teach Xia Xiaolan a “lesson,” it would be hard to guard against.
“You know this Hong Kong merchant?”
Guan Huie noticed something off in Xia Xiaolan’s tone.
If she hadn’t known about the relationship between Xia Xiaolan’s cousin and Wang Guangping, Guan Huie wouldn’t have mentioned Wang Guangping’s situation.
Xia Xiaolan didn’t hide anything and honestly told about Du Zhaohui’s visit. Xia Xiaolan was very independent, and once she made a decision, she rarely changed it. Guan Huie knew her relationship with her birth father wasn’t good, but hadn’t realized it was this bad – if this had happened earlier, Guan Huie would have thought Xia Xiaolan was too cold-hearted. Even after the divorce, the father-daughter blood tie remained. Wanting to see his daughter when injured wasn’t too much to ask, and Xia Xiaolan’s refusal would have seemed wrong.
Guan Huie had become more cautious now. While one could say Xia Xiaolan had a particularly strong personality, calling her cold-hearted or unfilial… she wasn’t that kind of person.
That Hong Kong merchant young man wasn’t good either, actually asking Xiaolan to go to Hong Kong to make films.
Mainland actors could at least claim it was for art, but what kind of things did they film in Hong Kong? Those yellow videotapes came from Hong Kong. Guan Huie spat in disgust:
“What a scoundrel!”
She glanced at Xia Xiaolan, “But how did things get so tense between you and your father’s side? If you’re not comfortable talking about it, never mind.”
It wasn’t that Xia Xiaolan couldn’t talk about it. But talking about Xia Dajun meant talking about Xia Ziyu, and talking about Xia Ziyu meant talking about Wang Jianhua.
This would mean revealing “her” past completely to Guan Huie. Their relationship had just started improving – would Guan Huie accept it?