Chapter 155 Care from Huizhou

In late October, the wind in Huizhou already carried a noticeable chill.

The leaves on the trees along the roads of the USTC campus began to fall, making a crisp sound underfoot.

Chen Zhuo zipped up his coat, slowly walked out of the school gate, and turned into an Industrial and Commercial Bank of China branch diagonally opposite.

There weren't many people in the bank.

Chen Zhuo walked to the counter, took out the remittance slip issued by the school's finance department and his ID card from his schoolbag, and handed them in along with a filled-out business remittance form.

The female employee behind the glass window was a woman in her thirties.

She casually took the form, glanced at the numbers, and then suddenly stopped.

She looked up and eyed Chen Zhuo standing outside with some suspicion.

The amount on the bill was as high as five figures, and the starting digit was not small.

In 2003, this was a huge sum of money that would take an ordinary working-class family several years to save, let alone the fact that it was in the hands of a child who looked like he had just started junior high school.

"Little student, where are your parents?"

The female employee held the form in her hand, not in a hurry to stamp it.

"It's just me."

Chen Zhuo spoke calmly, pointing to the financial statement inside.

"These are the research labor fees and bonuses issued by the school. The certificates are all here. Please check them."

The female employee examined the receipt stamped with the official seal of Huazhong University of Science and Technology's finance department again. After confirming that everything was correct, her gaze towards Chen Zhuo instantly changed. She became less wary and more surprised, as if looking at a rare animal.

"From the University of Science and Technology of China's gifted youth program, right?"

As she deftly typed on the keyboard, she casually struck up a conversation. Chen Zhuo smiled but didn't offer any further explanation.

The procedures were completed very quickly.

Chen Zhu put the receipt into his bag, turned around and walked out of the bank.

He didn't transfer all the money; he left a small portion in his meal card and bankbook.

At lunchtime in the cafeteria, Chen Zhuo saw the glistening braised chicken legs in the display window and asked the cafeteria lady for an extra one. Back in dormitory 215, Wang Dayong was engrossed in something, while the sound of Lu Jia reciting vocabulary words drifted over from across the hall.

Chen Zhuo casually placed a few cups of hot soy milk and some tea eggs that he had bought on the way on the table, and pulled out a chair to sit down.

I bought it on the way here, and I'm eating it while it's hot.

Wang Dayong didn't even turn his head. He reached out, grabbed a tea egg, and tapped it on the table.

"Thanks, Xiao Zhuo."

Chen Zhuo took a bite of the chicken leg.

A few days later in Zeyang City.

It was already completely dark.

In the staff quarters of the First Machinery Factory, every household was lit with dim yellow lights, and the occasional sizzling sound of stir-frying vegetables and the opening theme of the "News Broadcast" on the television could be heard.

The atmosphere at Chen Jian's home was as heavy as if a trial were being held.

On the old coffee table in the living room, there was a remittance slip from the Industrial and Commercial Bureau that had just been retrieved from the gatehouse that afternoon.

Chen Jianguo hadn't even had time to change out of his work clothes, and was staring intently at the form, his body reeking of engine oil.

Liu Xiuying rubbed her hands together on her apron, lowering her voice as if afraid her neighbors would hear.

"Old Chen, did you count it correctly? How much money is this exactly?"

"I've counted three times."

Chen Jianguo's voice was dry, and he swallowed.

"Five figures."

The couple looked at each other with mutual respect.

Chen Jianguo was an honest technician who worked with steel in the workshop, and Liu Xiuying was also a conscientious person.

They had never seen anyone else's child go to university in another city and send so much money home in their second year.

"Old Chen..."

Liu Xiuying's eyes were a little red, and her voice trembled.

"Xiao Zhuo is all alone out there, where did he get so much money? Did he get tricked into doing something illegal?"

Chen Jianguo suddenly stood up and paced back and forth in the living room twice.

"No, I need to find out."

He walked to the TV cabinet, grabbed the landline, took a deep breath, and dialed the public phone in the corridor of the USTC dormitory. A long, drawn-out tone echoed in the receiver, and Chen Jianguo's palms were sweaty as he held the phone.

At this moment, cold wind was blowing into the corridor of the male dormitory at USTC through the cracks in the windows that were not closed tightly.

The public phone rang abruptly. A passing boy answered it, listened for a couple of minutes, and then shouted towards the end of the corridor, "215, Chen Zhuo! Phone!"

Chen Zhuo was reading a topology journal when he heard the shout. He put down his book, grabbed a thick coat, and walked out of the dormitory. The temperature in the corridor was much lower than inside.

"Hello, who is this?"

"Xiao Zhuo, it's me."

On the other end of the phone, Chen Jianguo's deliberately lowered voice came through, trembling noticeably with anxiety.

Upon hearing this tone, Chen Zhuo couldn't help but slightly raise the corners of his mouth, roughly guessing what it was about.

He leaned against the white wall of the corridor, his tone still as gentle and mild as ever.

"Dad, have you had dinner yet?"

"What do you want to eat! Tell me the truth first."

Chen Jianguo was clearly very anxious on the other end of the line, his voice was extremely low, like a secret agent making a rendezvous.

"What's the deal with that receipt you sent back today? Where did all that money come from?"

Chen Zhuo chuckled softly.

"Dad, would you believe me if I said I sold the equipment in our school's lab?"

The person on the other end of the phone gasped instantly.

"You little brat! Our Chen family has been poor farmers for three generations, honest and law-abiding. How could you do such a thing! You'd better return it to them right now, go to the police station and turn yourself in. I'll plead for you..."

Chen Jianguo was so anxious that he even started speaking in his hometown dialect.

"Dad, Dad, calm down."

Chen Zhuo stopped joking and his voice became calm and serious.

"I'm just kidding. All the equipment in our lab here is huge metal stuff, all bolted to the ground. I'm only twelve years old, I couldn't move it even if I wanted to."

Chen Jianguo was stunned for a moment before realizing that he had been tricked by his son, but he felt a little relieved.

"Then tell me honestly, where did the money come from?"

"Legitimate money."

Chen Zhuo patiently explained.

"I published an article in a journal before. The school has a rule that there is a cash reward for publishing such articles. Another part is the research labor fee approved by the school's finance department for my help in two national key laboratories. It is all legitimate and openly processed through the finance department." There was a long silence on the other end of the phone, and only Chen Jianguo's heavy breathing could be heard.

"You can make this much money just by writing an article?"

Chen Jianguo still couldn't quite believe his ears.

"Knowledge is power."

Chen Zhuo smiled.

"Don't worry about the money, Mom and I. I remember Mom always complained that our old refrigerator was too small and couldn't even freeze any meat for the New Year. Tomorrow, take her to the department store and pick out the biggest one. Save the rest of the money to improve your meals."

There was a sudden silence on the other end of the phone.

After a long pause, he cleared his throat heavily and abruptly changed the subject.

"Alright, I got it. Don't worry about the money."

He paused, his tone still revealing a hint of bewilderment and awkwardness.

"Your mom was just saying the other day that the quilt you took was a bit thin. Winters in Huizhou are damp and cold, so make sure you wear enough clothes. I'll hang up now, I have to go to the workshop tomorrow morning."

Chen Zhuo sensed the awkwardness in his comrade Jianguo's voice. Leaning against the white wall of the corridor, his smile deepened, but he didn't point it out.

"I have everything I need here, but Dad, there's something I really need your help with."

"What is it?"

Upon hearing that there was something important to be done, Chen Jianguo immediately chimed in, as if he had regained his authority as the father.

"If you go to the department store tomorrow, stop by Xinhua Bookstore on the way."

Chen Zhuo spoke calmly, but then his tone shifted, revealing a hint of youthful mischief.

"Pick two sets of challenging practice questions for Zhang Qiang's final year of junior high school entrance exam review. The thicker the better, preferably the kind like the Huanggang Secret Papers or the Haidian Top Schools' Sprint Papers. Deliver them directly to his home."

Chen Jianguo paused for a moment on the other end of the phone.

"Why buy this?"

"Just say it's a gift I bought for him with my first bonus, and he has to finish it."

Chen Jianguo's mind drifted to the image of Old Zhang's son, who was always playful and didn't like studying. He couldn't help but chuckle and scold him over the phone, "You little rascal, if Qiangzi saw these test papers you sent, he'd probably cry."

"Good medicine tastes bitter."

Chen Zhuoyi smiled and said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.