Chapter 510 | Chapter 511 | Chapter 512
Chapter 510: The Apprenticeship Ceremony
Sheng Wanyan let out a sigh of relief. It was good that Uncle Hu didn’t mind.
Uncle Hu had weathered all kinds of great storms in his life; how could he not know what was on her mind?
She was a child who deeply valued loyalty and affection, and he regarded her as one of his own. How could he possibly be unhappy to see her secure a brighter future?
If anything, he wished Sheng Wanyan would learn as much as possible so that she could catch the eye of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and be recruited ahead of time.
With her lingering worries put to rest, Sheng Wanyan threw herself into a highly enriching and packed academic life.
As she studied the learning plan Professor Zhao had personally drawn up for her, she noticed how incredibly detailed it was. It was obvious he had put an immense amount of thought into it.
Professor Zhao had probably started preparing it a long time ago. Sheng Wanyan smiled helplessly and began her studies according to the schedule.
Since Gu Tingxiao wasn’t returning to Bingcheng until the middle of next month, the household could be completely left in his care for the next few weeks.
With the family of three dividing their labor and working in harmony, the day of the formal apprenticeship ceremony arrived in no time.
Professor Zhao attached great importance to this event, inviting many of his old friends and former students. By the time Sheng Wanyan’s family of three arrived, the Zhao residence was already packed with people.
Professor Zhao lived in the Peking University faculty residential compound. His children, who were all prominent talents in the translation and diplomatic circles, had rushed back the moment they heard their father was taking in a close-door disciple.
No one had expected that at Professor Zhao’s advanced age, he would still manage to find a close-door disciple who perfectly suited his standards.
Previously, everyone assumed he would just leave it at that, destined never to have a close-door disciple in this lifetime. Whenever younger generation members with excellent language talents came to recommend themselves, he would always turn them away with polite, official platitudes.
Yet, out of nowhere, he had suddenly notified everyone to attend an apprenticeship ceremony, announcing he finally had a close-door disciple.
What’s more, it was a young woman. Everyone was astonished beyond words.
For such a monumental occasion, Professor Zhao’s old friends and students naturally treated it with the utmost seriousness. A close-door disciple was effectively considered part of the immediate family.
Sheng Wanyan carried a generous assortment of apprenticeship gifts. When they arrived at Professor Zhao’s quarters, quite a few people were already standing in the courtyard.
The moment Senior Mother Zhao saw her arrive, she walked over with a warm smile to lead her inside. Sheng Wanyan had visited once or twice before and was already very well-acquainted with Senior Mother Zhao.
“Wanyan, quick, come inside, come inside.”
“Senior Mother.”
Senior Mother Zhao was a deeply affectionate elderly lady. Her pastry-making skills were exceptional, and every time Sheng Wanyan visited, she couldn’t resist eating a few extra pieces.
“Are these your husband and daughter?”
“Yes. This is my husband, Gu Tingxiao, and our daughter, Gu Jinsheng—her nickname is Yi Yi.”
“Hello, Great-Grandma~”
Yi Yi balled her little hands into fists, placed them over her chest, and greeted her politely, looking incredibly adorable.
“Oh my~ Good, good, good, what a good child.”
Senior Mother Zhao reached out to gently pinch Yi Yi’s chubby little cheek. The texture was wonderful!
Sheng Wanyan handed over the gifts she had brought: “Senior Mother, these are the apprenticeship gifts I brought. Please accept them.”
Hearing that they were the formal apprenticeship gifts, Senior Mother Zhao did not decline. These were standard protocols.
“Good, good, you are very thoughtful.”
“Come, Great-Grandma made some delicious pastries. I’ll take you over to have some, okay?”
Senior Mother Zhao bent down and took Yi Yi’s little hand, looking exceptionally delighted. She simply adored children; a house full of children was the only way a home could feel lively.
“Okay~”
Yi Yi very obediently held her hand and went off to eat pastries. Professor Zhao’s great-grandchildren had also returned, so Yi Yi would have company.
“Go on inside and take a seat. Your master is in there.”
“There are some old friends inside too; go introduce yourself.”
“Don’t worry about the child, she’s safe with me.”
Senior Mother Zhao held her hand and offered a few reassuring words. Sheng Wanyan smiled and nodded.
When Sheng Wanyan stepped into the house, she found a group of elderly individuals seated inside. The eyes of these seniors were filled with profound shrewdness and intelligence.
These were all former diplomats who had once thoroughly dominated the international stage.
“Master.”
Sheng Wanyan walked over to greet him. The moment Professor Zhao saw her arrive, he immediately stood up to introduce her to everyone.
“Come, come, come, let me introduce you all. This is my close-door disciple, Sheng Wanyan.”
Everyone looked at her with analytical, evaluating gazes. Sheng Wanyan greeted the elders in a perfectly poised, poised and generous manner.
“Hello, respected elders. I am the junior, Sheng Wanyan. I look forward to your kind guidance and instruction in the future.”
“Wanyan?!”
Before anyone else could speak, a voice filled with utter disbelief rang out from the crowd.
Sheng Wanyan looked over. To her surprise, it was Grandma Gu.
Grandma Gu could not believe her eyes. Her third grandson’s wife was actually the close-door disciple her old friend had just taken in.
“Grandma.”
Sheng Wanyan quickly went over to support her. Grandma Gu’s heart filled with boundless pride and emotion; her third grandson’s wife was truly too outstanding to have actually caught the eye of her old friend.
“You two… know each other?”
Professor Zhao looked between the two of them. Grandma Gu hurriedly introduced them to the rest of the room.
“Look at me, I forgot to introduce them.”
“This is my third grandson’s wife, and that over there is my third grandson.”
The moment Grandma Gu spoke, not only was Professor Zhao stunned, but every single elder seated in the room was thoroughly surprised.
“What! This is your family’s granddaughter-in-law?”
“Yes! She belongs to my family!”
Grandma Gu held her head high with immense pride, her tone dripping with boasting and showing off.
The crowd looked at one another in amusement. She’s your own granddaughter-in-law, so why didn’t you take her in as your own close-door disciple instead?
Now look at this. The close-door disciple of the former Minister is the granddaughter-in-law of the former Deputy Minister.
This was truly a double blessing, a wonderful twist of fate that their paths could cross so perfectly even after retirement.
“Oh! Talk about a wonderful coincidence!”
Senior Mother Zhao, who was playing with the children nearby, couldn’t help but exclaim in amazement upon hearing how beautifully fate had aligned them.
“Old sister, we’re going to be even closer from now on.”
“Exactly, isn’t this a double blessing for our families?”
Grandma Gu and Senior Mother Zhao were lifelong friends, having been classmates and university roommates in their youth.
The two old sisters had practically never drifted apart. Senior Mother Zhao had married Professor Zhao, and Professor Zhao and Grandma Gu had been colleagues.
Now, Sheng Wanyan had become Professor Zhao’s close-door disciple, and a close-door disciple was cherished just like one’s own child.
“Hahahahaha! Good, good, good, a double blessing indeed.”
Professor Zhao was overjoyed to learn this news. This was perfect; they were all one family now. It could be said that this child’s future prospects were completely secure.
“This is the third boy of your family? He’s grown so much.”
“I remember when he was little, he was just a tiny little turnip head.”
Senior Mother Zhao felt deeply sentimental upon seeing Gu Tingxiao. When he was a child, he often followed Grandma Gu to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but she hadn’t seen him since he grew up.
She had only heard that he joined the military and rarely returned to the Capital.
“Yes, this is Old Third.”
“The two children share a beautiful fate.”
Senior Mother Zhao smiled as she spoke. She could tell that this grandson of the Gu family truly cherished and protected her old man’s close-door disciple.
Even if they hadn’t married back then, they still would have eventually met through the connection between Professor Zhao and Grandma Gu.
This was fate—destiny written in the stars. People who were meant to be together would always find their way to each other sooner or later.
Professor Zhao pulled Sheng Wanyan along to introduce his children and students. He had four children—two sons and two daughters.
“This is my eldest son, Zhao Yuzhong; my second son, Zhao Yuxin; my third daughter, Zhao Yuer; and my fourth daughter, Zhao Yushuang.”
Professor Zhao’s four children belonged to the same generation as Father Gu. If they went strictly by family hierarchy, Sheng Wanyan would have to address them as Uncles and Aunts.
Chapter 511: Yi Yi Has a Leak
“They all work in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and government departments. In the future, if you ever need anything from them, don’t be polite.”
“Just call them Senior Brother and Senior Sister; there’s no need for so much formality.”
“This is Sheng Wanyan. From now on, she is my close-door disciple, which makes her your Little Senior Sister.”
Professor Zhao introduced her to his four children. The four children were all of a mild temperament, especially Zhao Yuzhong and Zhao Yuxin, who both worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Zhao Yuzhong was the current Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Zhao Yuxin was a director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
They gave off a very gentle impression, yet they carried a rigorous, disciplined aura about them.
Zhao Yuer and Zhao Yushuang—one working in a government department and the other in the translation department—exuded the elegant temperament of intellectual women.
“These are my four grandsons, their wives, and my two granddaughters and their husbands. They are of the same generation as you.”
“In the future, you young people can communicate and spend more time together.”
Professor Zhao had four grandsons and two granddaughters. Zhao Yuzhong had two sons and a daughter, and Zhao Yuxin also had two sons and a daughter.
The eldest grandson (Zhao Minxin) had entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the second granddaughter (Zhao Min) worked as a translator at the Academy of Sciences; the third grandson (Zhao Minren) was also in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the fourth grandson (Zhao Minzhou) and fifth grandson (Zhao Minnan) didn’t have such grand ambitions and both became university foreign language teachers.
The youngest granddaughter (Zhao Miner) was a year older than Sheng Wanyan and was a college student who had been admitted to the French major at Tsinghua University.
“And these five are all your senior brothers.”
Including his own four children, Professor Zhao had a total of nine students under him. That meant she had nine senior brothers and sisters; it was a massive clan.
“You already know your First Senior Brother, Second Senior Brother, Third Senior Sister, and Fourth Senior Sister.”
“This is your Fifth Senior Brother, Sun Wenge, who serves as the director of academic affairs for the Foreign Languages Department at the National Defense University.”
“Sixth Senior Brother, Wu Jianjun, who serves as the deputy group leader in the translation department of a government branch.”
“Seventh Senior Brother, Zhou Bin, who works at the embassy in Country M, serving as the head of the embassy.”
“Eighth Senior Brother, Qian Xuenong, who works at the embassy in Country E, serving as the head of the embassy.”
“Ninth Senior Brother, Shen Jidong, who works in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, holding the position of a group leader.”
Professor Zhao introduced every single one of them in meticulous detail. Among this group of senior brothers and sisters, she was practically a junior in age.
Every one of them was in their forties or fifties; even the youngest, Ninth Senior Brother (Shen Jidong), was already 40 years old.
They were all elders to her, which made her feel a little…
But she was the close-door disciple. Logically speaking… these senior brothers and sisters actually had to show deference to her, because she was the one inheriting the entirety of Professor Zhao’s mantle and knowledge.
Sheng Wanyan instantly felt a bit embarrassed. Being a close-door disciple was just too… awesome.
Zhao Yuer (Professor Zhao’s third daughter) stepped forward with a smile and took Sheng Wanyan’s hand. She looked highly gentle, yet her sharp gaze swept over everyone in the courtyard.
“From now on, we finally have a Little Senior Sister. Dad has finally secured a close-door disciple, so none of you better dare bully her.”
“If anyone bullies Little Senior Sister, this old lady will slice off… your reproductive organs.”
Zhao Yuer’s personality completely contradicted her appearance. She looked like an intellectual, independent woman, but her temper had been explosive from childhood to adulthood.
“Third Senior Sister, we wouldn’t dare.”
“I don’t care whether you dare or not. If any junior from your households offends Little Senior Sister, I will thrash them without hesitation!”
After Zhao Yuer (Professor Zhao’s third daughter) finished speaking, she threw them a chilling glare, and none of the crowd dared to talk back to her.
Even at their current age, they were still terrified of her; they had been thoroughly whipped into shape by her in their youth.
Zhao Yuer didn’t care about their reactions. Now that she had put the warning out there, if anyone still dared to disrespect her, she would resort to the stick.
Professor Zhao then introduced his old friends to her, and next came the formal apprenticeship ceremony.
Sheng Wanyan knelt on the ground. Seated in the primary seats were Professor Zhao and Senior Mother Zhao, with Professor Zhao’s old friends seated on either side and the senior brothers and sisters standing along the flanks.
Eldest Senior Brother (Zhao Yuzhong) carried two cups of tea over and handed them to her. Sheng Wanyan took them up and offered the tea to Professor Zhao and Senior Mother Zhao.
“Master above, please Master and Senior Mother accept your disciple’s apprenticeship tea.”
“Good, good, good.”
Professor Zhao was incredibly emotional. To have finally encountered a close-door disciple who perfectly suited his heart at this advanced age—he was indescribably thrilled.
He took the cup she offered and drank it down completely. Senior Mother Zhao looked at her affectionately and took two small sips.
Senior Mother Zhao was advanced in years; if she drank too much tea, she wouldn’t be able to sleep at night, so fulfilling the protocol was enough.
The two of them handed her the red envelopes they had prepared. Professor Zhao also presented a fountain pen. It looked exceptionally polished, yet it was obvious it possessed a very long history.
“This is the fountain pen that Master has used for all these years. This pen has accompanied me for decades, witnessing all the experiences of my life. From now on, you are my sole close-door disciple. Use it to continue signing equal treaties for our motherland.”
Professor Zhao had never intended to take multiple close-door disciples. Having one who could master his knowledge thoroughly to serve the country was more than enough.
“Your disciple will remember.”
What Professor Zhao had prepared wasn’t just this single pen; there were also several welcoming gifts for the close-door disciple.
There was a jade pendant carved with the surname Zhao, red envelopes, and fountain pens—all items that carried profound significance to Professor Zhao.
Sheng Wanyan accepted them with both hands, and the simple apprenticeship ceremony drew to a successful close.
The household was incredibly lively as everyone stayed behind for dinner. Just like that, Sheng Wanyan made her appearance before these heavyweight figures, leaving a deep impression on them.
Even Yi Yi received quite a few red envelopes—all welcoming gifts from the elders—and the smile on her little face hadn’t faded for a second.
Seeing her look exactly like a little cat that had successfully stolen a treat, Sheng Wanyan found it highly amusing.
“So many, so many pennies~”
“Yi Yi has so much money~”
Yi Yi went to dig out all the money she had saved over the past two years, dumped them all onto the bed, and began counting.
“One, two, three, four… twenty… twenty-five…”
Counting them bill by bill, Yi Yi still only knew how to count them one by one, but Sheng Wanyan knew exactly how wealthy she actually was.
This little girl’s money was already more than the total savings of an ordinary family, adding up to over 1,000 yuan.
Just the gifts she received at her birth and full-month celebration alone amounted to several hundred yuan. Coupled with the New Year money from the past two years, she was completely a little lady of wealth.
Yi Yi was now two and a half years old and had begun to grasp the meaning of money; she knew money could be used to buy meat and candy to eat.
Therefore, she was exceptionally protective of her money, needing to count it every now and then.
“Little money-grubber.”
Gu Tingxiao looked at his daughter, who was wealthier than he was: “…”
It was truly a bitter feeling; their family hierarchy was plain as day.
“I’m richer than Daddy!”
Although Yi Yi was small, she was very clear about the household status, and she unhesitatingly began stabbing her old father right in the chest.
“A third of your money was contributed by me.”
Gu Tingxiao snapped back at her testily. His private stash of money, aside from being spent on buying things for his wife, had all ended up in this girl’s hands.
Yet here she was, stabbing him right in the heart. She truly was a leaky little cotton jacket.
Chapter 512: One Month’s Earnings from the Clothing Store
Yi Yi stared at him with her bright, watery eyes, let out a sigh that seemed far too mature for her age, and handed a bill with the smallest denomination over to Gu Tingxiao.
“Here~”
Gu Tingxiao stared at the one-fen note in her hand and fell silent. Sheng Wanyan watched on, holding back her laughter.
“Thank you.”
Gu Tingxiao accepted it expressionlessly, the feelings in his heart known only to himself.
“You’re welcome~”
Yi Yi clapped her hands in a highly generous manner, gesturing for him to help pack away her money.
Sheng Wanyan laughed so hard she rolled around on the bed. This daughter of theirs truly had quite a leak in her jacket.
Gu Tingxiao packed the money back into the box without a single expression, and that one-fen note officially entered his pocket.
Seeing the old man look like this, Sheng Wanyan decided it was best to increase his allowance slightly, lest he lose face completely in front of his daughter.
Gu Tingxiao’s monthly allowance was raised from ten yuan to fifteen yuan, instantly elevating him to the rank of a wealthy married man.
A week passed by, and the news of Sheng Wanyan becoming Professor Zhao’s close-door disciple quickly spread throughout the school.
Her classmates all looked at her with envious gazes. That was Professor Zhao’s close-door disciple!
“Wanyan, you are incredible!”
Wei Lili’s mouth hung open in shock, and the other girls in the dorm nodded in agreement. She truly was incredible.
“Wanyan’s grades are always perfect. Wasn’t it only a matter of time before Professor Zhao took notice of her?”
Sheng Wanyan scored full marks on every single test. Her excellence was plain for everyone to see.
“You all are very capable as well.”
Sheng Wanyan’s words were entirely sincere. In this era, not a single person who managed to pass the national examination and get into university lacked true ability.
“We’re heading to Yi Yi’s General Store after class to buy a few things. Do you want to come along?”
Hearing Liang Fanghua’s words, Sheng Wanyan raised an eyebrow. Her family’s general store had become this famous already?
“Count me in! I want to buy that shampoo.”
“The girls from the next class bought it and said it smells fantastic.”
“I’ll go too, I’ll go too.”
Lin Meili raised her hand while holding her melon seeds. She was a regular customer there, and the snacks sold at the shop perfectly suited her tastes.
“Me too. I need to buy a few notebooks.”
“I’ll go and browse around as well.”
Liu Na and Gu Shumin also wanted to go. They absolutely loved hanging out there after classes ended.
“Count me in too!”
Zheng Lingling also wanted to buy that shampoo. This particular shampoo was the latest trend among the female students; who wouldn’t want to smell fragrant?
“Jiahua, are you going?”
“I… I won’t go.”
Li Jiahua pulled at the corners of her mouth. Her food expenses for the month were almost completely depleted, and she still had to pay back Liang Fanghua for the dress. Where would she find the extra money to buy these things?
Although she also liked browsing through that general store, the items inside were quite expensive. Especially that shampoo and such, which cost a whopping 3 yuan a bottle.
Three yuan was enough to cover her food expenses for half a month; she couldn’t bear to spend it.
“What about Wanyan?”
“I won’t go. I still need to pick up my child.”
Gu Tingxiao had taken the nutritional supplements she prepared for the two elders back to the military compound today and wouldn’t be back anytime soon. She had to fetch Yi Yi herself.
“Alright.”
Everyone knew she rarely went out socialising, always needing to head straight home to cook and look after her child, so they had grown used to it.
Sheng Wanyan pulled out the canvas tote bag she had made for Wei Lili. Wei Lili was ecstatic upon seeing it.
She truly hadn’t expected Sheng Wanyan to actually make one for her, and she felt incredibly excited the moment she saw it.
“Ahhhhh! Wanyan, you really made one for me.”
Wei Lili hugged the canvas bag and planted several kisses on it. She had always loved this bag, but she had been too embarrassed to trouble Sheng Wanyan for it.
“Yes. I didn’t have the time before, but since I happened to have a few free days recently, I put it together for you.”
Wei Lili saved a seat for her every single day. Every time Sheng Wanyan arrived just on the dot, she was always able to sit in the best position to study and learn.
Wei Lili was warm-hearted, but that didn’t mean Sheng Wanyan could take her efforts for granted.
“It’s too beautiful! I love it so much!”
Wei Lili immediately slung it over her shoulder, causing the surrounding female students to look on with immense envy.
“How did you make it? Student Sheng Wanyan, can you teach us?”
They were too embarrassed to ask Sheng Wanyan to make one for them, but they could certainly learn how to do it themselves!
“Of course. The patterns on it are actually embroidered.”
Hearing this, the group instantly deflated. Embroidery wasn’t a skill many of them possessed; basically, only the older generation knew how to embroider nowadays.
Most people were already content with having enough to eat and wear; who would explicitly go out of their way to learn embroidery to cultivate these artistic sentiments?
“Ah? Embroidery?”
Sheng Wanyan nodded with a smile. Seeing their reactions, a plan began to form in her mind—it was almost time to open her clothing store as well.
When the time came, selling canvas bags, hair scrunchies, hairpins, and small accessories in the clothing store would likely bring in a handsome profit.
Since almost no one knew how to embroider, they could only stare at Wei Lili with eyes full of envy.
They also wanted to help save a seat for Sheng Wanyan; was it too late to start now?
Basking in everyone’s envious gazes, Wei Lili slung her new bag over her shoulder and headed off to the general store with her dorm mates.
Sheng Wanyan picked Yi Yi up and headed home. Along the way, Yi Yi eagerly shared all the interesting things that had happened during her dance class today.
Her little hands gestured wildly as she spoke; it was plain to see that she thoroughly adored it.
Sheng Wanyan listened to her sharing with endless patience. In the future, when the country opened up a bit more and the construction industry developed, she could set up a private dance studio just for Yi Yi right inside their house.
A mailman from the post office delivered a letter from Bingcheng. It was sent to her by Xu Guihua.
The clothing store in Bingcheng had already been open for a month and a half, and business was incredibly booming. In the letter, Xu Guihua detailed the clothing store’s current situation and its earnings from the previous month.
On average, they could sell 50 pieces of clothing a day. On a good day, they could even sell 100 pieces.
The prices of the clothes weren’t considered cheap; even the most ordinary set cost around 25 yuan. However, the styles were entirely unmatched by anything found outside.
Yet even so, there was no shortage of customers, and the university students especially adored them.
After deducting employee wages, commissions, and overhead costs, the net profit for the very first month reached a staggering 20,000 yuan. And this was just the profit from their initial kickoff month.
Now that their brand recognition was established, the customer base down the line would only grow larger, which had thoroughly shocked Xu Guihua.
Holding an 80% stake, Sheng Wanyan was entitled to 16,000 yuan, while Xu Guihua received 4,000 yuan.
In accordance with their profit-sharing ratio, each of them left 10% of their funds in the store as working capital. Two thousand yuan was more than enough to handle a single shop’s operational turnover.
In an era where the average monthly wage was around 30 yuan, this was an astronomical sum of money.
Earning this much money had given Regiment Commander Fang quite a shock; his wife had earned his entire lifetime’s worth of wages in a single month.
How could he not be shocked half to death?
He was absolutely terrified that his wife would begin to look down on him, so he could only desperately try to shoulder the household chores at home.
Xu Guihua planned to come over in two months to report these matters to her in person and ask for her input. Sheng Wanyan naturally had no objections.
Bingcheng was massive; it was impossible to rely solely on the customer base from the university area. The industrial factory areas were also gold mines for making money.
Inside the envelope was also a money withdrawal slip. Sheng Wanyan penned a reply, detailing the situation over here in the Capital and listing a few key matters that required close attention.
