Chapter Fifty-Seven: A Beauty's Thoughts

Today, Qin Luo did not leave the house, staying in his room to learn about computers. After attending two classes at the Medical University in the morning, Lin Huanxi spent the afternoon at home, acting as his computer teacher.

Undeniably, Qin Luo was a genius in medicine. However, in terms of computer skills, he was the epitome of a novice.

To this day, he still couldn’t understand how his computer had gotten infected. He was the only one who had used it; no one else touched it. How could it be infected? Who was behind it?

As a skilled doctor, Qin Luo understood that every effect had a cause. If a person were poisoned, it must be because someone had administered the poison or because they had accidentally ingested something harmful.

But what about a computer virus?

It wasn’t until Lin Huanxi patiently explained the situation that Qin Luo finally understood. Eyes wide with disbelief, he asked, “We’re so far apart, and yet someone can still poison it?”

“Viruses spread through the internet. Wherever there’s a network, there could be a virus.”

“How do I know if I’m infected?”

“Install antivirus software. If a virus invades, the antivirus will alert you and prompt you to delete it.”

“So, after installing antivirus, I’ll never get infected again?” Qin Luo asked, delighted. This thing was like the legendary miracle cure from the martial world.

“More or less. But try to avoid those kinds of websites.”

“I just clicked by accident,” Qin Luo explained awkwardly.

“Better think about how you’ll explain this to your students,” Lin Huanxi said.

“I’ll just say I caught a virus. I’m sure they’ll understand,” Qin Luo replied with a smile.

Just then, the phone on the table rang.

The caller ID showed Wang Jiujiu’s number. Qin Luo wondered why she was calling at this hour.

As soon as he pressed the answer button, Wang Jiujiu’s voice came through, “Teacher Qin, are you close with Xiao Ze Yuan?”

“Xiao Ze Yuan? I don’t know her.”

“You don’t know her? Then why did you promote her? I thought you two were good friends.” Wang Jiujiu laughed gleefully on the other end.

“I didn’t promote anyone,” Qin Luo replied, confused. When had he ever advertised for someone else?

Unable to listen any longer, Lin Huanxi gently closed the door and slipped out.

Hearing Qin Luo’s earnest tone, Wang Jiujiu’s laughter stopped abruptly, as if choked.

“Teacher Qin, do you really not know who she is?”

“I really don’t. Judging by the name, she sounds Japanese? I’ve never interacted with any Japanese, not even among my patients.”

“All men have interacted with her.”

“But I truly haven’t.”

Defeated by Qin Luo’s sincerity, Wang Jiujiu said, “Xiao Ze Yuan is the woman in the picture you sent us in your message.”

“—” This time, it was Qin Luo who nearly choked.

“Teacher Qin, you’re out of touch. Find someone to give you a proper lesson,” Wang Jiujiu teased.

“Haha, my computer just caught a virus, that’s all. It’s not what you imagine.”

“Oh, I’ll pretend to believe you then. Otherwise, you’d be too embarrassed. What kind of teacher sends students that kind of website?” Wang Jiujiu laughed so hard she was breathless.

“Student Wang Jiujiu, is there something you needed?” Qin Luo asked thick-skinned, planning to hang up as soon as she said no.

“Of course there is. Teacher Qin, why didn’t you come to school today?” Wang Jiujiu finally became serious, dropping the jokes.

“I’ve been dismissed by the school. What would I do there?” Qin Luo replied with a bitter smile.

“But we all came.”

“You’re students; attending classes is what you’re supposed to do. No matter who teaches the course, you should go,” Qin Luo said.

“We came to listen to your lecture,” Wang Jiujiu said angrily.

Qin Luo fell silent. The students’ determination exceeded his expectations.

“You didn’t come, so Mr. Zhu, who previously taught ‘Selections from the Inner Canon,’ came instead. He said students unwilling to listen could leave, and we all walked out. Li Guang broke his leg playing soccer yesterday, but two boys carried him out to join us. It was hilarious,” Wang Jiujiu giggled.

“Sigh. You don’t need to do that. You’re students, and as long as you learn something, it doesn’t matter who teaches you,” Qin Luo said, moved.

“Teacher Qin, don’t try to persuade us. We’re adults; we know what we’re doing. When you didn’t come before, we called Mr. Zhu ‘Mother Zhu’ and dubbed his class ‘Mother Zhu’s lullaby.’ Some even went to his class specifically to sleep, hoping he’d put them to sleep. What could such a teacher possibly teach us?”

“What did the school say about your protest?”

“The school? I don’t care what they say. We’ll only attend classes when you’re brought back.”

“Wang Jiujiu, don’t encourage everyone to skip class,” Qin Luo said sternly. He worried this protest was orchestrated by Wang Jiujiu, fully aware of her influence among the students.

“Qin Luo, don’t abandon us,” Wang Jiujiu insisted stubbornly. “We’re waiting for you to return. Goodbye.”

Without giving Qin Luo a chance to reply, she hung up.

Smoke filled Director Guo’s office. For the sake of his image, Director Guo had gone out of his way to ask Mr. Zhu for a cigarette.

“Director Guo, I think one dismissal isn’t enough. We need at least a dozen,” Mr. Zhu said, slouched on the sofa, blowing smoke rings as if this would dispel his frustration.

“A dozen isn’t enough. We’ll need forty or fifty,” Director Guo replied, face dark.

Startled, Mr. Zhu sat up, saying, “Director, that’s too much. We’d have to take responsibility for that.”

“Nonsense. Of course I know there’s responsibility. Whether it’s a dozen or dozens, I’ll have to bear it all. What difference does it make?” Director Guo snapped. Old Zhu really wasn’t thinking straight, unable to grasp the irony in his words.

Seeing Director Guo angry, Mr. Zhu became more respectful. “So what now? The students won’t listen to me, and I can’t teach. You’ll have to find someone else.”

“I’m thinking of teaching them myself. I refuse to believe these students are so formidable,” Director Guo said, crushing his half-smoked cigarette into the ashtray.

*******************************************

In a spacious and luxurious office, Wenren Muyue lounged in a swivel chair, her head tilted toward the door, gazing lazily through a floor-to-ceiling window at the city’s glittering lights.

“Moth brows, snowy willow, golden threads—smiling, fragrant, she passes by. Searching for him a thousand times in the crowd, and suddenly, at the dim lights, he’s there.” Unconsciously, such lines spilled from Wenren Muyue’s lips.

“Miss, what did you say?” Ma Yue, holding a folder and reporting work, looked at her in surprise, unsure if she’d heard correctly.

“Nothing. I just suddenly remembered a line of poetry. Continue,” Wenren Muyue replied, not bothering to turn her face toward Ma Yue.

“Triumphant Group has agreed to sell us the land, but their requested price is five percent above our offer.”

“Give them three percent.”

“Yes. The Nine Heavens Garden, our joint project with Jincheng Boya, is complete, with a thirty percent reservation rate.”

“Tell the marketing department to increase the ad budget. Sales must reach seventy percent within three months.”

“Negotiations with Boeing are deadlocked. The US government intervened, citing potential national security leaks, and refused to provide the core technology for private jets.”

“Buy it. Buy the technology—and buy their congressmen as well.”

“Yes. I’ll have people keep working on it,” Ma Yue said, gazing at Wenren Muyue’s profile, hesitating as if about to say something.

“Anything else?” Wenren Muyue asked.

“That’s about it.”

“It either is or isn’t. I dislike vague words like ‘about,’” Wenren Muyue said.

“Yes, Miss. There’s one more thing to report—Qin Luo has encountered some trouble.”

Wenren Muyue tapped her toes lightly on the floor, her chair turning so she finally faced Ma Yue with her stunning beauty.

“What happened?” Wenren Muyue asked.

“He was dismissed from the Traditional Chinese Medicine College at the Medical University because he doesn’t have a teaching certificate,” Ma Yue reported concisely.

Wenren Muyue covered her mouth and laughed softly.

At that moment, her beauty was beyond compare.

“Miss.” Ma Yue was surprised, unsure why Wenren Muyue suddenly laughed.

“What do you think he’s doing all this for?” Wenren Muyue asked, looking up.

“I don’t know,” Ma Yue answered honestly. A man who had refused to inherit billions, only to become a teacher and then get dismissed—perhaps no one would believe it. “Miss, should I call the Ministry of Education?”

She knew her mistress wanted Qin Luo to owe her a favor.

“No need. If he can’t handle something so trivial, he’s unworthy of the sixty-five points you gave him.”

“Understood. We’ve drafted a preliminary plan for your meeting with him. What is your expected goal, Miss?”

“Goal?” Wenren Muyue smiled and shook her head. “This isn’t a business investment. I want to meet him simply to find out what kind of person he is.”

Wenren Muyue rose from her chair and walked to the window, gazing at the myriad lights outside.

Some women make you feel that no one in the world could bear to treat them badly.

Yet this woman could never receive the kindness she yearned for.

If a woman meets such a man, is it her fate to fall for him, just once?