Lu Yanzhao was actually quite tempted after hearing her out.
But he couldn’t make the decision himself. Especially since Yu Xiaxing had repeatedly warned him before going to bed that morning never to renew the contract.
After thinking for a long while, he said, “President Zhong, you should go directly to our Board Director Yu. I can’t make this decision.”
“Understood.” Zhong Wenxin naturally knew she needed to speak with the person in charge.
Still, running major matters past the executive assistant first would make it easier to handle the details later.
Lu Yanzhao continued, “And let me warn you in advance: our Board Director Yu places great importance on the dignity of her students. Qizhi humiliated us so badly last time, so I doubt she’ll agree to renew the contract easily.”
A trace of worry appeared in Zhong Wenxin’s eyes, but she remained determined. “Don’t worry. I’ll do whatever it takes to renew the contract! I’ll go to Shengde and see her tomorrow.”
Lu Yanzhao said, “She probably won’t be at school tomorrow, and there’s a good chance she’ll keep her phone turned off all day.”
Zhong Wenxin: “…”
She felt as if some scumbag was toying with her. First, he dangled hope in front of her. Just when she thought there might be a chance, he poured cold water all over it.
Lu Yanzhao took out his phone. “I can give you her brother’s number. They’re very close. You can contact him and have him take you to meet Board Director Yu…”
“Thank you so much!” Zhong Wenxin immediately took out her own phone and wrote down Yu Zheng’s number.
Afterward, Lu Yanzhao emphasized once again, “You really made her furious. I’m helping you behind her back now, which goes against what she wants. Whatever you do, don’t tell Board Director Yu that I was the one who suggested this. Don’t betray me.”
Zhong Wenxin nodded. “I understand. The only reason she’s so angry is that she puts her students’ dignity first. I’ll go see her in person tomorrow. Whatever conditions she demands, I’ll agree to them!”
—
The following evening.
Yu Xiaxing had indeed taken the day off. She had taken Diandian hiking and fishing in the mountains for a little rest and relaxation.
It wasn’t until around four or five in the afternoon that she finally came back down from the mountain.
By then, she had returned to the Yu residence.
As soon as she entered the living room, she saw a short-haired, capable-looking middle-aged woman sitting on the sofa.
Yu Zheng was seated opposite her, apparently in the middle of a conversation.
Assuming the woman was one of his business partners, Yu Xiaxing was about to go around them so she wouldn’t interrupt.
But Zhong Wenxin noticed her at once and immediately stood up.
“Board Director Yu, you’re finally back.”
Yu Xiaxing turned around. “You’re here to see me?”
Zhong Wenxin hurried over and took her hand. “Board Director Yu, I finally get to meet you in person. You’re truly so young and accomplished! Oh, right—I’m Zhong Wenxin, the current person in charge of Qizhi.”
Alarm bells instantly went off in Yu Xiaxing’s mind.
Why had she come at a time like this? What terrible luck!
Yu Xiaxing quickly pulled her hand free.
Zhong Wenxin didn’t seem to mind and continued, “I came here uninvited today because I hope we can renew our contract with Shengde.”
Yu Xiaxing: “…”
No way. No way. No way!
She turned cold and rejected her outright. “Impossible! First, you gave me a humiliating contract to disgust me, and then you sent someone in charge to pretend to be sincere. What is this—hit me first, then offer me a sweetener?”
“Not at all.” Zhong Wenxin immediately said, “Board Director Yu, the previous contract was Qizhi’s fault. I sincerely apologize to you.”
“…”
Yu Xiaxing had been all ready to continue tearing into her, but the other woman admitted fault so quickly that she didn’t even know what to say next.
Zhong Wenxin continued, “Board Director Yu, we certainly don’t intend to settle this with a verbal apology. This is our new contract. Please look it over first. If you’re not satisfied, tell us what other conditions you have, and we’ll meet them all!”
Yu Xiaxing’s first instinct was, of course, to refuse any discussion and throw her out.
Then she glanced at Yu Zheng beside her.
He was still sitting there watching. What if he accidentally mentioned all this while chatting with their grandfather later, and their grandfather accused her of deliberately slacking off?
Even if Yu Zheng didn’t let anything slip, the evaluation committee would conduct a follow-up interview later.
If they asked why Qizhi hadn’t renewed the contract and the other side answered, “Board Director Yu refused to communicate,” it would make her look far too obviously as if she were intentionally trying to fail.
Since she couldn’t throw Zhong Wenxin out directly, she would simply demand something outrageous.
That way, Zhong Wenxin would curse her rotten luck and walk away!
Then it wouldn’t be that Yu Xiaxing didn’t want to renew the contract. It would be that Qizhi’s apology hadn’t been sincere enough!
“Sit down and let’s talk.” Yu Xiaxing walked over, sat on the sofa, and accepted the new contract. She began reading.
Zhong Wenxin sat down as well, waiting nervously.
Yu Xiaxing scanned the document. The humiliating clauses were gone, and the compensation Qizhi was offering consisted of providing Shengde’s strongest team with an escort and support all the way to the finals of the competition…
After finishing it, Yu Xiaxing began adding conditions based on the new contract.
“If we renew the contract, I have one requirement: when Shengde students enter Qizhi’s laboratories, they must not undergo any additional screening. As long as they meet the basic safety training standards, all resources must be open to them!”
Zhong Wenxin said, “Agreed!”
Yu Xiaxing paused, then continued raising the stakes. “It’s not enough to support just the team. If our students make it to the national competition, you’ll cover all the expenses as well!”
Zhong Wenxin understood. Wasn’t she merely talking about material costs, registration fees, travel expenses, and accommodations? How much could that possibly be?
Students who made it to the national competition would already have tremendous publicity value. By then, companies all over the world would be fighting to spend money on them!
“Agreed!” Zhong Wenxin said.
Yu Xiaxing continued racking her brain. “Among the educational materials your father gave me, there are also methods for sparking the interest of students who aren’t interested in science. In the future, our school may arrange for students like that to go there for practical experience. Will you accept them too? They genuinely have no interest in studying at all. They come to school every day just to coast.”
This time, Zhong Wenxin truly hesitated.
But then she thought about it again. When her father founded Qizhi, he had taken even these underachieving students into consideration.
Now that she had taken over, why shouldn’t she carry out her father’s vision?
So she agreed as well. “Agreed! When the time comes, I’ll invite my father back to teach these children personally. He’s a retired professor from Pu University, so the students’ parents will certainly be very pleased!”
Yu Xiaxing: “…”
Wait, what? Why had Qizhi suddenly become so spineless?
Previously, they had even looked down on students who were merely weak in one subject!
I liked you better when you were arrogant and unyielding!
Yu Zheng and Yu Xiaxing had both experienced that humiliation together, but seeing how accommodating Qizhi was being now, most of his anger had already dissipated.
He leaned over and whispered to his sister, “That’s enough, that’s enough. You should stop while you’re ahead. Besides, it’s not only them who need you—you need them too… I know you want to fight for more benefits and greater resources for the students and the school, but you still have to complete your renewal assignment.”
Yu Xiaxing shot him a glare.
“…”
Yu Zheng didn’t understand.
He couldn’t figure out why his sister didn’t want to renew the contract. Wasn’t she worried about it herself? There were less than six hours left before the results were announced.
Every time Qizhi agreed to one of her demands, she immediately proposed another, even more outrageous one.
If this continued and she actually drove Qizhi away, she would receive a yellow card too!
His sister really did place her students’ dignity above her own interests.
She would rather suffer a setback herself than fight for greater resources for the students.
After thinking it over, he said, “Sis, I think President Zhong’s apology really is sincere. Why don’t you make one final demand? If President Zhong can meet it, then renew the contract. Otherwise, who knows what the evaluation committee will write in your assessment? Second Brother was already labeled as deliberately slacking off last time.”
Zhong Wenxin nodded repeatedly as well, looking at Yu Xiaxing expectantly.
Yu Xiaxing was silent for a moment, then came up with a particularly ruthless demand…
