CH 27

Xiao Yu became alert when she heard someone looking for Liang Huihui. Could this middle-aged couple be the reinforcements sent by that scumbag Li Yifan?

Maintaining a smile on her face, she asked, "May I ask who you are?"

"We're her parents."

Xiao Yu was taken aback for a moment, then looked them up and down, smiling as she said, "Please have a seat here, Uncle and Auntie. Let me check for you."

Leading Liang Huihui's parents to the sofa in the lounge area, she also brought them a pot of lemon water. Back at the front desk, she sent a message to Liang Huihui to come and take a look. Qi Sheng walked into the hotel from outside, glanced at the couple in the rest area, and then walked over to the front desk with a smile, "I'm here to do a consumer follow-up on the robot."

Qi Sheng had arranged to follow up with them today. Xiao Yu knew he was coming but still couldn't help but be surprised, "Mr. Qi, are you starting work this early?"

"Yes, after the follow-up, I'll be going back to the lab to work," today's follow-up was mainly to understand the consumers' usage and see if there were any issues or suggestions for optimization. If the robots had any problems, they could also make adjustments on-site for the consumers. Qi Sheng thought that they were the best in the industry and that consumers wouldn't go wrong buying their robots.

He looked again at the couple sitting in the rest area and asked Xiao Yu in a low voice, "Who are those people? They don't look like tourists."

Xiao Yu replied in a hushed voice, "They say they are Liang Huihui's parents, but I'm not sure if it's true."

As soon as she finished speaking, Liang Huihui hurriedly walked over from the direction of the restaurant. When she saw the couple sitting on the sofa, she quickly walked over to them, "Dad, Mom, why are you here?"

Father Liang snorted impatiently and looked at Liang Huihui, "If we didn't come, wouldn't you go crazy?"

Liang Huihui pursed her lips and sat down across from them, "Dad, Mom, I'm still at work. How about you wait for me in the employee dormitory?"

"What's wrong? Are you afraid of embarrassment? How did you treat Xiao Fan when he came to find you?" Father Liang sat firmly on the sofa, showing no intention of moving, "We'll talk here so that your colleagues can hear it too."

Liang Huihui sat on the other side; her father played the role of the bad cop, while her mother played the good cop, "Huihui, we know about you and Xiao Fan. Xiao Fan indeed made a mistake and he has admitted it to us. But think about it, do you have no faults at all?"

Liang Huihui glanced at them and replied, "Of course, I have faults. I shouldn't have given him that money!"

"You're just being short-sighted!" Father Liang angrily slammed the sofa, "You're just a service staff, how high can your salary be? What's that little money you gave him? When Xiao Fan starts working, do you think he can earn more than you?"

Hearing him say this, Liang Huihui's expression wasn't as good as before, "What does it matter if he earns more than me? It would be good enough if he can return my money!"

"Hey, you two, stop arguing," Mother Liang stepped in to mediate, "Huihui, you're just talking nonsense. You and Xiao Fan have been together since high school, for so many years. Both of our families assume that you will get married in the future. After you get married, his earnings will naturally be related to you."

"Mom, I think you're thinking too much," Liang Huihui sneered, "He used my money to pursue other girls. What about when he starts working? Won't he find more mistresses? Even if he has money, he'll spend it on those mistresses!"

"Huihui, don't be so impulsive. Xiao Fan came to us crying and apologized when he came that day," Mother Liang held Liang Huihui's hand and tried to persuade her earnestly, "He promised us that he won't do it again. Can't you give him a chance to change? I know you're angry now, so all you see are his flaws. But think about his good side, back then, when his mother was sick, he took care of her while studying. What a filial child, right? Weren't you attracted to him because of this?"

Hearing this, Liang Huihui also remembered Li Yifan's past actions. Her eyes slightly reddened, and she said to her mother, "Mom, people can change. If he can cheat once, he can cheat again. Yes, he's filial, but that's to his mother. There's only one mother, but there are many women."

"Why are you so stubborn?" Father Liang angrily took over the conversation again, "Just think about it. With just a high school diploma, what can you do in the future? Do you plan to be a service staff for your whole life? The fact that Li Yifan is willing to come and apologize to us shows that he still cares about you! Getting married to him is better than being a service staff for your whole life, isn't it?"

Liang Huihui looked at him and said, "Even if I'm a service staff for my whole life, I'm self-reliant!"

"You!" Father Liang was agitated and stood up from the sofa; Mother Liang pulled him and advised him to speak properly. Qi Sheng walked over and sat next to Liang Huihui, "Uncle, Auntie, sorry for interrupting. I just overheard a bit from the side, and I feel that you're thinking about this matter too pessimistically."

Father Liang, seeing a stranger approach, suppressed his anger and looked the person up and down, asking, "Who are you?"

Qi Sheng smiled and said, "My surname is Qi, I'm a friend of Liang Huihui."

Father Liang and Mother Liang, observing his refined appearance and sophisticated demeanor, remained silent for a moment. Qi Sheng smiled and said to them, "Why do you assume that Liang Huihui will be a service staff for her whole life? At her age, she should be studying at university. Also, people her age have infinite possibilities for the future. They are in the best stage of their lives."

Father Liang and Mother Liang, who were not well-educated people and rarely interacted with such individuals, were a bit taken aback by Qi Sheng's words. He seemed to make a lot of sense, leaving them momentarily speechless. However, Father Liang quickly found a counter-argument, "You said it yourself, that's someone who has gone to university! What about Huihui? Her high school grades were poor. How can she compare to Li Yifan, who's about to take the postgraduate entrance exam? I just don't understand why a high school student like her dares to look down on others?"

Liang Huihui wanted to say something, but Qi Sheng held her back and spoke to Father Liang, "Uncle, when we evaluate a person, we shouldn't just focus on their education. Diligence, progress, bravery, kindness—are all excellent qualities in a person. Liang Huihui is your daughter, you know her strengths better than I do."

Father Liang pursed his lips, showing signs of calming down. After a moment of silence, he asked Qi Sheng, "Can you make a living with all that you said?"

Qi Sheng smiled and replied, "Indeed, when we look for jobs, employers may value education more, but that's not a problem. Perhaps you're not familiar with our country's policies, but our country has always encouraged continuous education and improving one's qualifications. Many universities have special programs for adult education. As long as one passes the adult university entrance examination, they can continue studying on university campuses."

Liang Huihui was taken aback. She never knew that she could continue studying at a university. Her parents also seemed surprised; they had never considered such an option and were a bit stunned.

Father Liang glanced at Qi Sheng and said, "Mr. Qi, right? I can see that you're an educated person, and what you said may be valid, but not everyone is like you, suited for studying. Huihui had poor grades, that's why she started working after high school. Can she start studying again now? Is it worth it?"

"Of course," Qi Sheng said confidently, "It's never too late to study."

Perhaps because Qi Sheng's words were too overwhelming, for a moment, no one said anything. Zheng Baozhu, who had been standing nearby for a while, walked up with a smile and greeted Father Liang and Mother Liang, "Hello, Uncle and Auntie, I am the owner of this place."

Father Liang and Mother Liang stood up when they saw the owner approaching. Apparently, they didn't expect the owner to be such a young and attractive person, so both of them were a bit stunned. Zheng Baozhu smiled and invited them to sit down, "I understand what worries you, Uncle and Auntie. Some elders always think that getting married is more important than education. This mindset may take some time to change. But it's okay. Even if Huihui gets married one day, Li Yifan isn't the only man in the world. There are plenty of men who are better than him. Why can't Huihui choose someone else? I know what you want to say – you think Huihui only has a high school education and is a service worker, so it's hard to find someone better than Li Yifan, right? Then, as long as Huihui becomes better herself, won't she have better options? So we should still support Huihui to pursue her education."

Father Liang and Mother Liang: "..."

After a moment, they straightened themselves up and composed themselves.

Mother Liang looked at Liang Huihui sitting across from her and asked, "Do you still want to continue studying? You know our family's financial situation; we can't afford to send you to university…"

"Mom, I'm already working now, and I have a salary," Liang Huihui interrupted, "Even if I decide to continue studying later, I can earn the tuition myself."

Father Liang glanced at her, "So, you really plan to continue going to university?"

Zheng Baozhu playfully called him, "Uncle, there's nothing wrong with studying. I know you're worried that if Huihui doesn't achieve much in her studies, she won't be able to find anyone better than Li Yifan when she decides to get married. But that's not true, Uncle. Remember before, Huihui only knew boys from your town, and the most remarkable one was Li Yifan, right? But now, Huihui knows our Dr. Qi too."

As she said this, she pointed at Qi Sheng sitting on the sofa.

Father Liang and Mother Liang immediately looked in that direction.

"…"

Qi Sheng suddenly felt uneasy.

"Dr. Qi, as in he has a Ph.D.?" Mother Liang asked, a bit taken aback. While they knew that this person was undoubtedly an educated man, they didn't expect him to have such a high level of education.

Zheng Baozhu continued, "Yes, he works in the nearby Science and Technology Park. He even recently bought a house in the High-End Talent Community!"

Qi Sheng: "…"

He understood now; Miss Baozhu is sacrificing himself to convince Liang Huihui's parents.

The way Father Liang and Mother Liang looked at him changed compared to just now. Zheng Baozhu didn't stop there; she also pointed at the delivery robot placed at the front desk, "Look, that's the delivery robot we developed with Dr. Qi. He is today for a consumer review."

"Oh, you're already using robots for delivery?" Mother Liang looked at Qi Sheng with excitement in her eyes, "Dr. Qi is so excellent; he should already be married, right?"

"Heh, they are researchers. How could it be that easy for them to get married?" Zheng Baozhu leaned in and whispered to Mother Liang, "He and his friends haven't settled down yet either."

Qi Sheng: "…"

She's truly squeezing out my last remaining value. :)

Father Liang and Mother Liang exchanged pleasantries with Qi Sheng for a while but didn't mention Li Yifan again.

"We should get going now," Mother Liang took out some local specialties from her bag and handed them to Liang Huihui, "These are some local specialties we brought for you and your friends. You especially love this beef; your father bought it for you yesterday."

Zheng Baozhu stood up with them and courteously suggested, "Uncle and Auntie, are you in a hurry? How about having lunch before you leave?"

"No, it's alright. We have some matters to attend to back home; we don't want to delay any longer," Father Liang said, picking up his bag and heading toward the exit. Liang Huihui followed to see them off.

In the hotel's rest area, Qi Sheng was still sitting on the sofa, watching Zheng Baozhu scanning the local specialties, "I truly admire Miss Baozhu. I now understand how you've built your business so successfully. It's all thanks to your eloquence and persuasiveness."

"You're flattering me," Zheng Baozhu waved her hand modestly, "Some older generations have fixed mindsets that are difficult to change. Debating with them here won't be useful. We're not trying to make them agree with these viewpoints today; we just want them to support Huihui in continuing her education. So, we need to persuade them using their own ways."

"Well said. You truly are a promising entrepreneur," Qi Sheng said with a smile, "So, you sacrificed me for this purpose, right?"

"Well, uh… Haha, it's just that you happened to be here," Zheng Baozhu handed him a bag of local specialties, "It's all about fate. Here, try some local specialties from Huihui's hometown."

Qi Sheng held the bag and continued smiling, "If it were Qu Zhi who was here today, would you have sacrificed him too?"

Zheng Baozhu said, "Of course! But I guess Huihui's parents wouldn't have been interested in him. I don't want to bring harm to Huihui."

"Heh!" Speaking so much, isn't she just reluctant?!

As they were chatting, Liang Huihui returned. Seeing her, Zheng Baozhu asked, "How did it go? Did Uncle and Auntie trouble you again?"

"No," Liang Huihui shook her head, "But they said that if I want to continue studying, I have to pay for it myself. They won't help."

"It's alright. If you really want to study, I'll have the restaurant schedule your shifts so that your salary remains the same, but you'll have more time to prepare for exams and save some money. By the time the new university year starts, you'll have enough for tuition, and during vacations, you can work here part-time."

Liang Huihui felt touched, "Thank you, Miss Baozhu."

Zheng Baozhu smiled and said, "These are just minor things. The important thing is for you to think carefully about whether you want to continue studying and if so, what major you want to pursue."

"Yes, I'll give it serious consideration!"

Qi Sheng stood up, "You guys continue chatting, I'll go on with the follow-up."

"Wait," When Liang Huihui saw that he was about to leave, she instinctively stopped him. Qi Sheng turned back and asked, "What's wrong? You're not trying to take back the bag of local specialties, are you?"

"No, no." Liang Huihui felt a bit embarrassed and handed the bag of beef over to Qi Sheng, saying, "This... this is delicious, you should try it."

Qi Sheng looked at the beef in his hand and smiled, "Not bad, you know how to show gratitude. Helping you today wasn't in vain."

Qi Sheng waved the bag at them and went back to his work.

Since Liang Huihui's situation was resolved, Zheng Baozhu returned to her room to prepare for the audition. The hotel location that Gao Boyun sent was near the Film and Television City, and on the day of the audition, Zheng Baozhu had eaten in advance and drove over by herself.

When Qi Sheng and Qu Zhi came to have lunch, Zheng Baozhu had already left. Qu Zhi had been staying in the lab for a while and even had his meals brought to him by Qi Sheng. Today was an exception. They ordered three dishes and a soup; Liang Huihui brought the dishes over to serve them.

Qu Zhi looked around and asked Liang Huihui, "Where is Zheng Baozhu?"

"She had something to do today, so she left already," Liang Huihui replied.

Qi Sheng teased Qu Zhi, "Are you missing Miss Baozhu?"

Qu Zhi glanced at him but didn't respond. Liang Huihui placed the last dish on the table. Qi Sheng looked at it and exclaimed, "We didn't order this dish."

"This dish is a gift from me to you," Liang Huihui put away the tray and smiled at them, "I have already made up my mind. I want to continue my studies at the university and study Business Administration. After graduation, I can come back and help Miss Baozhu manage the hotel! I know Miss Baozhu has been busy with other things. Since she is helping me achieve my dreams, I also want to take care of the hotel well, so that she can pursue their dreams without any worries!"

Qi Sheng, holding the chopsticks, listened to her passionate words, and then said, "It's a good idea, but you have to pass the entrance exam first. If you get in, you have to graduate successfully, and after graduation, you'll have to compete with others for a job."

Liang Huihui: "......"

Qu Zhi looked at Qi Sheng and said to Liang Huihui, "Don't mind him. Since you've made up your mind, give it your all. As long as you have no regrets, that's what matters."

"Yes, thank you, Mr. Qu! I'll do my best!" Liang Huihui carried the tray with enthusiasm and left. Qi Sheng served himself a bowl of rice and sighed, "Rare, Old Qu, you can actually speak like a human."

Qu Zhi said, "Well, at least one of us should speak like a human."

"Uh..." Qi Sheng pushed the bowl of white rice toward Qu Zhi and changed the topic, "You weren't there the other day, you didn't see Miss Baozhu's persuasive skills; it was quite impressive. Miss Baozhu is genuinely good; bosses like her are like national treasures."

"En," Qu Zhi responded vaguely. Since the last gathering, he hadn't seen Zheng Baozhu again.

He wondered what she was busy with.