CH 21

After the audience applauded enthusiastically, the host immediately moved on to the award ceremony. “Now let’s invite Ms. Xiang, the general manager of the Gu Huafeng Corporation, to present the awards to the three contestants.” 

There was nothing new about the awards—trophies, certificates, and flowers. Shen Shao looked at the woman who shook hands with him. She wore a casual but professional dress, and her hair was permed in a popular style. She looked only about thirty years old, and she embodied the domineering big sister energy of a working woman.

“The competition was wonderful. My son watched the entire live broadcast on TV for the past two days.” Xiang WeiLan smiled at Shen Shao. “I hope to see more exciting things from all of you in the future.” She’d been watching from backstage for a while and had a good impression of Shen Shao.

“Thank you.” Shen Shao bowed politely. He knew the general manager of the Gu Corporation was being polite, but it was still a flattering thing to say.

Xiao Ji held his trophy with a slightly stiff smile on his face. Others might not have heard of Xiang WeiLan, but he knew exactly how much power and financial resources she represented. In the capital, thousands of upper-class women held Xiang WeiLan in high esteem. That was the reason he had to be polite and courteous on the surface, no matter how much he hated Gu NingZhao.

Who was it who decided to make his family inferior to others? Someday, sooner or later…

After Xiang WeiLan presented the awards and took a group photo with several of the students, she left the stage with a gracious smile. The assistant waiting below took out a jacket and put it on her shoulders, and then whispered, “General manager, the car is ready.”

“OK.” Xiang WeiLan nodded. She sighed to herself as she looked back at the three students who remained on stage while reporters snapped pictures. If her son had been willing to participate in the competition, she knew he would have been standing there.

Meanwhile, Peng County erupted into a storm after Shen Shao appeared on TV.

Peng County was a small place. Being on TV wasn’t something that many people ever thought about. Not to mention that Shen Shao participated in such a big competition and actually won the championship!

“Mom! Come and see, it really is Shen Shao!” Yang HongQiang was now in his final year of senior high school. He usually didn’t spend much time watching TV, so he didn’t know about the live broadcast on Saturday. After he heard other people talk about it, he sat down in front of the TV early on Sunday morning to confirm whether the Shen Shao they mentioned was the Shen Shao he knew.

His family was well-off, and they’d recently bought a large color TV. When Shen Shao appeared on the screen, Yang HongQiang recognized him at a glance.

He could hardly believe his eyes. Although Shen Shao often contacted him by phone, Shen Shao didn’t return to Peng County too often. During the past three years, they didn’t have many opportunities to meet.

Then he saw Shen Shao on TV, standing on stage in the type of school uniform you only see on TV dramas, answering questions with quiet confidence. He was even more dazzling than the Shen Shao he remembered. It was like discovering that someone you thought was from an ordinary but prosperous family was, in fact, the son of the richest man in the world.

But the Shen Shao he remembered had always been like that, earnest and serious. Before most people were paying attention, he’d already climbed to a higher peak. Just like when he was ranked first in his grade, then first in the county, and then was quietly admitted to Furong No. 3 High School. Now he was on TV, winning first place in the national mathematics league, with the manager of a famous corporation showing up to give him an award. It wasn’t that Shen Shao had changed, but his status had already reached a level that most people his age couldn’t equal.

“Shen Shao is amazing,” Luo Qiong said. She’d watched the competition conscientiously next to her son, and didn’t even miss the commercials. When the program was over, she sighed. “We’ve finally produced a big talent here in Peng County.”

Yang HongQiang nodded with pride. “My buddy is awesome. He was so decisive in the final round. It was incredible!”

“OK, take a look at Shen Shao, now look at yourself. As his friend, can you look him in the face with how hard you study?” Luo Qiong slapped Yang HongQiang on the back. “I’m not asking you to go to the same school as Shen Shao, but at least do as well on the exam as other people.”

Although he was slapped with “parental affection”, Yang HongQiang’s excitement was undiminished, and he threw himself into his studies. He figured that with Shen Shao’s grades, nine out of ten he’d probably go to Hua U or Jing U in the capital. After all, those were the two most famous schools in China.

As for him, maybe he could consider a school that was affiliated with Huaguo University or Jingcheng University?

Shen Shao had no idea that his appearance set off waves in Peng County. After the competition was over, he and the group from his school attended a farewell banquet held by the organizer.

Most of the dishes served at the banquet were specialties of the capital, and they tasted delicious. Shen Shao enjoyed the meal and ate a little more to pad his stomach.

“This time, the school allocated some activity funds for you. Tomorrow we’ll spend a day in the capital. Don’t miss out if there’s anything you want to eat or buy,” Vice Principal Yao said with a smile. “Next time you come to the capital, it’ll be at your own expense.”

Shen Shao won the championship in a televised broadcast, which was a great credit to the school. In the past few years, their No. 3 High School experienced straight defeats at the hands of Jingcheng No. 1 High School. Today, after several consecutive years, they finally reversed course. All of the teachers and students of the school felt a little proud. If they encountered Jingcheng No. 1 High School at other tournaments in the future, they’d have more confidence.

“I’m going to buy some roast ducks,” Zeng Ping said, pushing back his glasses. “Before I left, my mother told me not to bring back anything else, just get a few Peking roast ducks.”

“Food is the first necessity of the people. I’ll buy some roast ducks too.” Zhang Li turned to look at Shen Shao. “Shao Ge, what do you want to buy?” After the competition, Zhang Li quietly viewed Shen Shao somewhat like a Jianghu boss. Whenever she called him “Shao Ge”, Shen Shao felt like Zhang Li was using it as his Jianghu name.

Shen Shao didn’t have parents, but there were some people close to him, so he nodded. “I’ll buy some roast ducks, too.”

“OK, since you’ve already decided, go back to your rooms and get some rest. We’ll start early tomorrow morning.” Vice Principal Yao was elated. When he looked at Shen Shao, he thought everything about the boy was impressive. He couldn’t help but wish Shen Shao was his own son.

When Xiang WeiLan returned home, it was already late at night. She felt a little tired and rubbed her eyes. When she looked up, she saw a young man standing on the stairs. She looked closer and said with some uncertainty, “NingZhao?”

Gu NingZhao came down the stairs, poured a glass of milk, and handed it to Xiang WeiLan. Then he sat down to the side and looked at her.

“I went to the award ceremony today. That’s why I had to stay a little later.” She looked at the wall clock. It was already eleven at night, so she sat down beside Gu NingZhao and asked with concern, “Why aren’t you asleep yet? Don’t you have school tomorrow?”

Gu NingZhao shook his head. The corners of his mouth moved, as if he wanted to say something to Xiang WeiLan, but in the end, he just stared at her handbag and didn’t speak.

“What’s the matter?” Xiang WeiLan sensed that something wasn’t right with her son. “Is something wrong?”

“No. Good night.” Gu NingZhao stood up, then turned and went upstairs. Xiang WeiLan felt confused. What was the matter with her youngest son?

Early the next morning, Shen Shao and his group took a bus to visit the ancient imperial palace buildings in the capital. Although a lot of the site wasn’t open to the public, there was more than enough for a lengthy stroll.

In particular, a lot of people were amazed to see the jade ornaments and antiques in the palace museum. They wished they could put their hands inside the exhibition cabinets and take these treasures home with them, to display them by the head of their bed and appreciate them in detail every day.

“Everything’s so beautiful,” Zhang Li said. She couldn’t hide her excitement as they walked out of the exhibition hall. “And it’s all so valuable.”

Zeng Ping was speechless for a moment. “Why do you only care how much money it’s worth? It’s about culture and traditional craftsmanship. Do you even get it? So vulgar.”

“What’s the matter with being vulgar?” Zhang Li asked indifferently. “Who in this world isn’t vulgar.”

When Shen Shao heard them argue, he chuckled, then looked at his watch. “It’s past two in the afternoon. Are you guys hungry?”

Zeng Ping decided that he was too dignified to argue with an ignorant schoolgirl, so he went along with Shen Shao’s change of topic. “I’m pretty hungry.”

Zhang Li, meanwhile, thought she shouldn’t lower herself to argue with a bookworm like Zeng Ping. She looked to the side and said, “I see a restaurant over there. Should we get some dinner?”

“OK, what do you guys want to eat? It’s my treat today,” said Vice Principal Yao. He smiled when he saw the quarrel between the young people was over. “Let’s go. We’ve just about seen enough. We can shop after dinner.”

After the meal, when Shen Shao was window shopping on the sidewalk, he saw a lot of posters advertising the World Cup. He was a little startled to realize that the men’s World Cup would start in two months. If he remembered correctly, this World Cup would be exciting, accounting for three spots on the list of the top ten biggest upsets in the history of the men’s game. It was a rare achievement.

“Shao Ge, are you going abroad to watch the tournament?” Zeng Ping saw Shen Shao looking at the World Cup poster. “Some of my relatives run a travel agency. If you’re interested, I can ask if they have any package tours for the World Cup.”

Shen Shao smiled and shook his head. “No need. I was just looking at the posters. I’m not planning to go to Simi Country.”

It was true that he had a general interest in football, but he was mostly wondering if he could make some money by predicting the outcome of the matches.

In his previous life, he paid a lot of attention to this tournament because the Chinese team participated in the final. He had vague memories of the results of many of the games. But it seemed like in this country that type of for-profit gambling wasn’t allowed?

Maybe, after the college entrance exam, he could think about traveling abroad?

TL Notes:

quiet confidence – 胸有成竹 – have a well-thought-out plan, stratagem, etc; a well-regulated mind; get it all together; have a card up one’s sleeve; self-assured, purposeful, determined

Food is the first necessity of the people – 民以食为天 – Food is the God of the people. (idiom); People view food as the primary need. / Food first, ethical niceties second

Jianghu – 江湖 – “rivers and lakes” – all corners of the country / the milieu in which wuxia adventure stories take place (cf. 武俠｜武侠) / (in late imperial times) the world of traveling merchants, itinerant doctors, fortune tellers etc / remote areas to which hermits retreat / section of society operating independently of mainstream society, out of reach of the law / demimonde / (in modern times) triads / secret gangster societies / the underworld

Shen Shao felt like Zhang Li was using it as his Jianghu name – from 沈邵都觉得张莉在叫江湖扛把子 – Shen Shao felt like Zhang Li was calling him a Jianghu gang leader – The original seemed repetitive

World Cup – 世界杯 – The 2002 FIFA World Cup was hosted by South Korea and Japan and was the first to take place in Asia. The tournament had several upsets and surprise results (Wikipedia)

football – 足球 – AKA soccer

Transliterated names, places, and titles—new in this chapter:

Ms. Xiang – 向女士 – Xiàng nǚshì

general manager – 经理 / 总经理 – Alternatively: director, managing director / CEO

Gu Huafeng Corporation – 顾氏华风企业 – Alternatively: Gu Clan/Family Huafeng Company

Xiang WeiLan – 向卫兰

Hua U – 华大 – Seems to be an abbreviation of Huaguo University

Jing U – 京大 – Seems to be an abbreviation of Jingcheng University

Huaguo University – 华国大学 – AKA China University

Jingcheng University – 京城大学 – “Capital City University”, probably a reference to Beijing University, the leading university in China

Simi Country – 思密国 – Most likely refers to South Korea (思密达 – sī mì dá – slang, used at the end of a sentence to mimic Korean speech (loanword from Korean verb ending “seumnida”)