Chapter 11: Thick-Skinned and Black-Hearted

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Li Xiuyuan accompanied Wang Zhiyuan and his assistant Xu Lin all the way to the hotel entrance before feigning reluctance and saying, “Teacher Wang, you’ve come such a long way and haven’t even had a bite to eat. It wouldn’t be right to let you go like this...”

Wang Zhiyuan paused in his tracks. Honestly, he had wanted to head straight back, but since Li insisted on a meal, he might as well eat something.

It wasn’t even work hours yet! These youngsters have such thick skin—whether praise or criticism, they just let you have it all. What chance do others have?

“Li Xiuyuan, you’re naturally suited to working within the system. I have high hopes for you,” Wang Zhiyuan said as he left with Xu Lin.

Li Xiuyuan’s face was all smiles as he mumbled, “Thank you for your kind words.”

“Xiaoyuan, who were those two just now?” Zhang Qiuhe appeared behind her son, Li Xiuyuan, curious and still wearing her apron.

“God of Wealth,” Li Xiuyuan replied with a grin.

Without waiting for his mother to ask more, he strolled out of the noodle shop. Someone who actively comes to hand over money—who else but the God of Wealth?

With this fifty thousand yuan, he needed to plan carefully. Working within the system was stable, yes, but relying solely on a salary meant a frugal life.

If you insisted on getting rich, though, you’d better be prepared for a tough body and possibly a stint behind bars.

Otherwise, there were few ways to make money within the system. One was writing books and earning royalties—that was allowed.

Another was stock trading. Civil servants were permitted to trade stocks and earn income from it. Other side jobs were strictly prohibited. Of course, later on, ride-hailing jobs were allowed...

But now it was 2005, the year marking the biggest bull market in the country’s stock history. In his previous life, Li Xiuyuan hadn’t traded stocks but had heard people talk about it.

He didn’t know much, just one stock—China Shipbuilding.

Before the money even arrived, Li Xiuyuan had already decided how to spend it: put all fifty thousand into China Shipbuilding and ignore the rest, expecting to make a hefty profit by 2007 at the peak.

By then, he could improve his parents’ living conditions. His parents, at their age, running a noodle shop and working from dawn to dusk to earn a hard living, deserved better.

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Li Xiuyuan pondered as he returned home and began drafting detailed notes on his interview experience. Of course, he put in effort—after all, the advice was worth fifty thousand yuan. He meticulously summarized many aspects.

For example, answering techniques, interview attire, preparation before the interview, choice of hotel, breakfast on the day of the interview, pacing answers—these were all details that could determine the interview score.

That evening, after Zhang Qiuhe and Li Jianguo returned home, they saw the light still on in Li Xiuyuan’s room. Zhang Qiuhe knocked and urged him to rest early.

“All right, Mom, I’ll rest soon,” Li Xiuyuan looked up and smiled at his mother.

Zhang Qiuhe nodded and left. In the bedroom, Li Jianguo asked his wife, “What’s Xiuyuan up to?”

“Not sure, probably writing or drawing. Seems he’s studying hard—still wants to become a civil servant,” Zhang Qiuhe answered.

She didn’t disapprove of her son’s civil service ambitions but didn’t want him to feel too much pressure.

Li Jianguo nodded. “If he wants to study, let him. It’s good to have a focus. Otherwise, I’d worry he’d lose heart after a setback. Having a goal is good. He seems to be in decent spirits lately.”

Husband and wife encouraged each other, proud of their son. Yet, having lived in a county town so long, they understood well the gap between life inside and outside the system.

Meanwhile, Li Xiuyuan, still furiously writing in his room, was unaware of his parents’ late-night talk. He worked until after midnight, finally finishing his interview notes.

He even signed his name with flair before going to bed.

The next morning, after breakfast, Li Xiuyuan called Wang Zhiyuan. This time, instead of meeting at the noodle shop, he went to the hotel where Wang was staying.

Primarily because there was a cash transaction today, and Li didn’t want his parents asking questions they couldn’t easily answer. This kind of deal was like doing business with no capital.

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For his cautious parents, who were timid and worried, it was better to keep them in the dark. Once the results came out and before starting work, he could explain everything.

In the hotel room, money changed hands. Li Xiuyuan counted the cash loudly while Wang Zhiyuan leafed through the interview notes Li had provided.

Next to them was Wang’s assistant, Xu Lin, who now looked at Li Xiuyuan with curiosity. Gone was the confusion she had shown at the noodle shop the day before. Wang had explained everything to her afterward.

Xu Lin never expected this boy, several years younger than herself, to be so clever—able to make money while avoiding all risks.

Just yesterday, she asked if he understood it all, but in reality, she was the one who didn’t.

She couldn’t fathom what kind of upbringing had made Li Xiuyuan so shrewd and calculating.

“Teacher Wang, if there’s nothing else, I’ll be going now,” Li Xiuyuan said after packing the fifty thousand yuan, bulging in a folder he had brought along.

Wang Zhiyuan smiled and nodded politely, seeing Li Xiuyuan to the door and saying they should keep in touch. But it was just a courtesy. Li Xiuyuan promised that if Wang ever visited Huangyuan County again, he would treat him to noodles.

Wang smiled with a hint of insincerity and watched Li leave.

“Boss Wang, how can this boy be so crafty?” Xu Lin asked.

“Heh, thick-faced and hard-hearted. Some people are just born for this kind of work,” Wang sighed. “We’re different—we only make small money. Next time we meet, he might already be a leader.”

Xu Lin shook her head in disbelief. “Impossible. After all, he’s from an ordinary family, working in a small county. He might be stuck in a junior position for ten years or more.”