NOVEL NEXT Chapter 19: A Good Deed
"Uh… good day to you too…"
"Yes, yes, pleasantries out of the way. Just answer the question."
Yan Qincheng was surprised at the urgency in old man Shen's tone.
"Is something wrong? Why ask about the entrance exam so suddenly?"
Old man Shen sighed and replied,
"It's all your fault. I gave some thought to what you said, and I decided to do a good deed for someone as a way to appreciate them."
"I see you still blame others for your insecure decisions… very manly of you…"
"Why you…. It was your suggestion in the first place."
"And where did I mention the entrance exam in my suggestion?"
"Urgh… less questions more answers, missy."
Yan Qincheng suspiciously looked at old man Shen while she replied,
"It's in August. The exam is scheduled to be held in August."
"August… that's roughly four months from now. That's plenty of time."
"For what exactly?"
Old man Shen shot Yan Qincheng a disgusted look as he reprimanded her,
"You unremorseful gossip. If you must know, it's for my new chef. He has had a rough patch up till this point in his life. His life story isn't mine to tell, but I think doing something good for him will push him down the right path, just as he has brought good fortune to my restaurant."
Old man Shen had to admit that he was starting to open up to Zhi Luan. Mostly for his cooking skills, as that would determine the future of his restaurant, but also in terms of character. Zhi Luan had an unyielding spirit that stoked old man Shen's interest. In many cases, old man Shen had deliberately been extremely rude to Zhi Luan, but the latter always clapped back fearlessly, regardless of old man Shen's advantage over him. In essence, Zhi Luan had a reclusive and a tad snobbish character, and when compared to old man Shen, one could say they were cut from the same coat.
"And you think sending him to college is the only way to appreciate him? Don't you think it's a big step for both of you? I mean, have you asked him about it or do you intend to send him to school against his will?"
"I admit it was a spur-of-the-moment plan…"
"It is an uncertain plan, and do you know how true his life story is?"
Yan Qincheng interrupted and continued.
"It's wonderful that you want to go this far for your new employee, but shouldn't you consider some things first? A week is too little to know someone. For all we know, he's still a stranger… you'd be sending a stranger to college. And there's still the point that you haven't told him about it yet…"
"Oh, now you're being logical about things, huh?" Old man Shen looked like he was about to blow a fuse.
Yan Qincheng paused before shaking her head as she spoke up,
"I'm only saying this because you act like you don't care, but you're a big softie on the inside. By the way, I haven't met this new chef of yours yet,"
"He is a busy man."
"Yeah, he is… he's busy slaving away in your kitchen."
"Qincheng…"
Old man Shen glared at her.
"Fine, fine. You need my help since you're telling me about your plans for him. Luckily, we had a board meeting today and I got this…"
Yan Qincheng pulled out a booklet from her bag and explained further.
"This is a brochure prepared for those who wish to enroll in our university. It has detailed information about the courses we offer, our faculties, and our departments. He should go through them to know which one he is interested in. The entrance forms are already out so I'll stop by tomorrow with a copy. I'll let you know if there's anything else."
Old man Shen just stood there in awe as Yan Qincheng explained everything, as though she had expected it. He then laughed heartily,
"This is why I brag about you."
Yan Qincheng rolled her eyes. And at this time, her order was ready.
Later that night, after the restaurant was closed, old man Shen called Zhi Luan into his office. The restaurant was a Storey high with the restaurant on the ground floor. The Storey had about five rooms, but Zhi Luan never went into any room besides the storeroom and his. He didn't even know the old man had an office.
Old man Shen gestured for Zhi Luan to sit and passed him a booklet.
"This is the brochure of a renowned University in the city… and I want you to enroll in it."
"What?"
Zhi Luan was all shades of confused.
"What do you mean enroll in a university?"
"It is important to get a formal education, and I can't bear that you never had one."
"I never said I didn't have a formal education… it just isn't as sophisticated as yours."
"It doesn't sound better when you say it like that…"
"My point is an education is the least of my problems at the moment, and you shouldn't be concerned about it either…"
Zhi Luan wanted to say more but nothing came to mind. He didn't know how the people of this era judged their educational status. In his time, Zhi Luan wasn't the brightest of students, but as he said before, he knew the basics. Every other thing he learned was after he became a cultivator because that required vast knowledge. Sadly, all that wasn't useful in this era.
Zhi Luan massaged his aching head and said nothing. Old man Shen also sighed and tried to sound convincing.
"Look, I know it's no concern of mine and I shouldn't impose it on you. Honestly, I don't know why I want you to do it. I might be your boss, but your life isn't mine to control. It was just something someone said to me… doing a good deed… it sounded like what my wife always told me…"
Old man Shen's tone turned melancholic, but he spoke up again.
"You're still young and you have so much to live for. It'd be a waste to let you work here all day when you should be in school."
"So, what are you saying, are you firing me so I could go to school?"