Chapter 298: I Want to Go Too
To call Director Tian a meddlesome instigator would be an understatement. The moment he left the top leader’s office, he headed straight for the night school.
Principal Chen was currently preening his hair in front of a mirror. His previously barren scalp was now showing a scene of thriving prosperity.
Of course, this was only partial.
The vast majority of the region still maintained its natural, desert-like state.
Principal Chen carefully ran a comb through his hair, muttering under his breath, “The road ahead is long and obstacles abound, yet I will seek high and low…”
From outside the door, Director Tian’s voice called out, “Old Chen! Old Chen, you in there?”
Principal Chen hurriedly shoved his little comb into a drawer and went to open the door.
“Old Tian, how do you have so much free time today?”
Director Tian wore a deeply meaningful smile. “Old Chen, I came to tell you a piece of excellent news.”
Principal Chen asked curiously, “What excellent news?”
Director Tian leaned back on the sofa. “Pour me a cup of tea first. Let me wet my whistle before I tell you.”
Principal Chen laughed and cursed him under his breath, but he still poured Director Tian a cup of tea and brought out a small dish of roasted peanuts.
Director Tian took a sip of tea, shelled a few peanuts, and ate them before finally speaking. “I just came back from the top leader’s office. An County’s booths for the Guangzhou Fair have been finalized!”
Principal Chen was instantly overjoyed. “Really?! To tell you the truth, even though Little Su spoke with such absolute certainty, my heart was still in my throat. Now I can finally put my heart back in my stomach.”
Director Tian clicked his tongue. “Old Chen, this is where you fall short compared to me. I have unconditional trust in Little Su. I was never worried about the Guangzhou Fair booths for even a single second.”
Principal Chen: “…”
Who was the one guarding against Little Su like she was a thief, terrified the young girl would steal your seat as factory director?!
Seeing Director Tian’s punchable grin, Principal Chen knew the man had more to say. He asked, “Aside from this, is there something else?”
Director Tian leaned back on the sofa and let out a sigh. “Old Chen, to be honest, I almost don’t have the heart to tell you. But a man has to face reality, so I decided to tell you anyway.
“For this Guangzhou Fair, An County was given a total of six accompanying personnel slots. County Chief Lu, our top leader, must go, and he’s the team leader.
“Old Hu, Old Feng, and I are the number one leaders of the three factories, so we certainly can’t be absent.
“As for Little Su, it goes without saying—she definitely has to go.
“Calculating it like this, there is only one slot left.
“There has to be someone to run errands and handle chores, so this slot will most likely be given to County Chief Lu’s secretary or his deputy in charge of the economy.
“Therefore, Old Chen, you can only stay behind to hold down the fort in An County this time.
“But don’t worry, I’ll bring you back some local specialties from Guangzhou when the time comes, and I’ll tell you all about what I see and hear along the way…”
Principal Chen’s face instantly darkened.
I even tasted the gossip from Shanghai and the capital. How can I miss out on the gossip from Guangzhou?!
However, Tian the Miser was right. That last slot really wouldn’t fall to him.
He was just the principal of a night school; there was genuinely no plausible reason for him to go to the Guangzhou Fair!
What would he do, run over there to teach foreigners how to start night schools?!
Principal Chen’s mood instantly plummeted to rock bottom, just like the day he first discovered his crown was going bald!
Director Tian had originally felt a bit of schadenfreude, but seeing Principal Chen look so dejected, he couldn’t quite bear it anymore.
“Ahem, Old Chen, actually, you don’t need to be too upset. Although you can’t go this time, there will bound to be opportunities in the future!
“Besides, we can’t just abandon the home front for the game. With you staying in An County, we can all rest easier, right?!”
While Director Tian was chattering away, Principal Chen blurted out out of nowhere, “Your personnel configuration won’t work. You don’t have a translator! How can you do foreign trade business without a translator?!”
Director Tian froze. “We have Little Su! It’s not like you don’t know—Little Su’s English is incredibly fluent, rattling on like a machine gun!”
“But she only speaks English, and the people coming to the Guangzhou Fair don’t all speak English. I speak Russian; I can serve as your translator when the time comes. So, you have to bring me along!”
Director Tian said, “…Well, the few of us also speak a bit of Russian, and County Chief Lu’s Russian is absolutely top-notch. It seems we don’t really need you.”
Principal Chen straightened his spine. “Not only do I speak Russian, but I’ve also recently taught myself some English. Although I can’t compare to Little Su, I can still handle simple price inquiries and negotiations at the Guangzhou Fair.”
Director Tian replied, “…County Chief Lu’s secretary also seems to know English. Old Chen, stop struggling. The reason you’re giving fundamentally won’t hold water.”
Principal Chen wilted.
Even the two newly grown tufts of hair on his head drooped.
Director Tian instantly felt a bit guilty, feeling that he shouldn’t have made this trip.
No matter what, Baldy Chen got along quite well with him. Seeing him look so heavily defeated left his own heart feeling rather uncomfortable.
“Ahem, Old Chen, actually, there might still be room for flexibility. Why don’t you go beg Little Su? That girl can come up with an idea with a mere roll of her eyes. Maybe she can help you secure the slot.”
In reality, Director Tian only said this to comfort Principal Chen; he felt that Su He bound to be powerless as well.
Principal Chen’s eyes, however, lit up. He immediately wanted to go find Su He.
Director Tian was somewhat speechless. “Old Chen, is it appropriate for you to look for Little Su in the dead of night?
“I already agreed with Little Su that she’ll come to the food factory tomorrow morning to discuss improving the instant noodle flavors. Just come over then.”
Thinking it over, Principal Chen realized he was right. Although the prior rumor storm had passed, they still had to be careful.
Early the next morning, the moment Su He arrived at the food factory, she was called into the factory director’s office.
The moment she stepped into the room, Principal Chen said, “Little Su, last night I had a dream. I dreamt of the scene when we went to Shanghai.
“Back then, the two of us, one old and one young, ventured out into Shanghai together. Although I didn’t render you any massive assistance, we can still be considered teammates who shared both joys and hardships…”
Su He: “…”
I’m already this exhausted during the day, can’t you let me relax at night?
Well, look at that. Not only are the members of the old Su family running into my dreams to bounce around, but now you, an old man, are joining in on the fun too!
“Principal, don’t play the emotional card with me. Just spill it, what is it?”
Before Principal Chen could speak, Director Tian, that meddlesome instigator, blabbed the whole story.
Principal Chen looked at Su He with an intensely eager gaze. “Little Su, bringing an outsider is bound to be inferior to bringing someone familiar. If an outsider is shoved into our team, it won’t be convenient for speech or handling matters. It would be better to bring me.
“I’ll go serve as your translator. Not only do I speak Russian, but I’ve also been teaching myself English ever since we came back from Shanghai…”
Su He could visibly tell that Principal Chen desperately wanted to go.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have discarded his usual dignified elder demeanor entirely!
This matter was indeed somewhat difficult to handle.
The excuse of being a translator wouldn’t hold water; she had to find a reason that the top leader would have no choice but to accept.
Seeing her fall into deep thought, Principal Chen hurriedly and eagerly poured her a cup of tea, and even reached into the product display cabinet behind Director Tian to pull out a jar of canned peaches…
Director Tian: …You sure know how to use my flowers to present to your Buddha!
