Chapter 32: What Are You Telling Her For? p2
Meanwhile, Guo Lin from the Municipal Sports Bureau had gone directly to South Lake Mansion, using the address and phone number that the school, or rather, Lin Jiawen, had given him.
When he saw that the home address was South Lake Mansion, he was stunned.
Everyone in Yunhai City knew that the families who lived in South Lake Mansion were not short of money. He immediately hesitated. Everyone knew that practicing sports was hard. For students who were not good at studying, a sports specialty could lead to a good future.
For children from poor families, practicing sports was also a good way to reduce the family’s expenses.
Zhou Wanfeng was from a wealthy family, and she was a girl. Her parents would probably not agree.
Guo Lin had hesitated for two days after getting the address. He still had the handwritten record of the 800m race from the sports center. He had also seen her drag a boy across the finish line. The boy was being pulled by her, not pushing her, but being a hindrance. Even so, her speed was still very fast.
This showed that her explosive power was very strong. He had seen it when she ran the 1500m. Zhou Wanfeng’s stamina was excellent. She was completely different from the other students, which showed that she usually exercised.
Guo Lin would not be mistaken. He had seen many people in his life, and Zhou Wanfeng was the kind of seedling he wanted. He wished he could recruit her into the track and field team for special training right now.
He was definitely not wrong. Zhou Wanfeng was someone who could win a medal at the National Games. At such a young age, her calm and sharp eyes, her strong mentality, were all innate talents of a great athlete.
Not wanting to regret missing out, Guo Lin still took the address and went to South Lake Mansion.
Lin Jiawen had already told her family about this.
After hearing this, Yang Yijun frowned slightly. “She got over 700, fourth in the entire grade?” After confirming it on the phone, she immediately broke a fingernail.
Yang Yijun pursed her lips. Jiawen had said that the monthly exam paper for Shuangshu Model Middle School this time was from outside, and it was not easy.
“Could it be that the ancestral grave of the Zhou family in Dongshan has good feng shui?” Yang Yijun couldn’t help but mutter to Auntie Zhang. “It’s strange. Zhou Zhiru came to Yunhai City and made a fortune. He took over a dilapidated and bankrupt appliance factory with a lot of debt, and he managed to turn it around and make it bigger and bigger. And this little one, before she even enrolled, Jiawen gave her a test paper that she couldn’t even understand. How long has it been, and she can get fourth in the entire grade? She even participated in a sports meet and was spotted by a coach from the municipal sports bureau?”
Yang Yijun picked up her teacup, but put it down without taking a sip. She rubbed her fingers, a sense of frustration welling up in her heart. “It’s really strange. How did all the luck and opportunities go to the Zhou family?”
“Maybe the junior high school knowledge is simple?” Auntie Zhang tried to comfort her.
“Simple? Jingya studies until late every day. She’s lost weight since school started. And even with all that studying, she only got into the top six in her class,” Yang Yijun knew that Jingya was in a key class, a class of top students. Even her homeroom teacher, Tian Youye, had said that if Yun Jingya maintained her grades, she would have no problem getting into Yunhai City No. 1 High School.
No matter how uncomfortable she felt, when Guo Lin came to visit, Yang Yijun still received him warmly, introducing herself as Zhou Wanfeng’s grandmother.
“Coach Guo, I’m sorry. Wanfeng’s father is busy with work and is usually not at home during the day. My daughter is not very interested in studying. You can just talk to me about the child’s affairs,” Yang Yijun said, taking Guo Lin’s business card.
Guo Lin looked around as he entered the house. He had mentally prepared himself, but now, seeing the courtyard design and the furnishings in the house, he was wavering again.
He tried his best to compose himself and decided to try anyway. Guo Lin said, “Ms. Yang, I have been in the sports industry for twenty years and have coached many athletes, who have won many awards, big and small. The outstanding ones have been recruited into the national team. I’m not bragging, but in the sports field in Yunhai City, I do have some authority and reputation. To be honest with you, I want to train Zhou Wanfeng. It’s no exaggeration to say that I think I can take her to the National Games and win a championship. With her talent, she should be able to get into the national team. And to be even bolder, she might even have a chance to participate in the Olympic Games.”
Yang Yijun lowered her head and drank her tea, at the same time slightly shocked. She had never expected Coach Guo to think so highly of Zhou Wanfeng.
The tea in her mouth turned bitter, and the bitterness swirled between her teeth.
“Auntie Zhang, go and make a pot of flower tea,” Yang Yijun instructed Auntie Zhang, pushing her teacup away. She looked up at Coach Guo with a smile. “Does this child, Wanfeng, really have such great talent? To be able to get into the national team?”
Guo Lin nodded. “As long as you entrust her to me, I can get her to the National Games. As long as she can win an award, she will basically be recruited into the national team. I will not be mistaken. She has the qualities that an athlete should have. With a little training, she will definitely shine.”
Guo Lin’s eyes sparkled. He seemed to be able to envision the scene of Zhou Wanfeng standing on the podium in the future.
“That child usually likes to exercise. She gets up in the morning and goes for a run, about five kilometers. When she comes back, she practices boxing in the backyard. I didn’t expect her to have such a talent. If she can really win a medal at the National Games, that would be amazing.”
“Zhou Wanfeng runs five kilometers every morning?” Guo Lin was even more certain that Zhou Wanfeng was the seedling he wanted.
Yang Yijun nodded. “Every day, without fail. You can ask Old Dong in the yard if you don’t believe me. Speaking of which, this child is very persistent. She should also like sports,” she said, glancing at Coach Guo.
“Ms. Yang, you don’t object to Zhou Wanfeng practicing sports? To be honest, practicing sports does delay one’s studies,” Guo Lin said, his face filled with anticipation.
“What’s there to object to? Aren’t there many champions who go back to university to study after they retire? I just don’t know, she’s currently at Shuangshu Model Middle School. If she wants to practice sports, does she have to transfer to a sports school or some kind of professional track and field team?” Yang Yijun asked, pretending to be curious.
Guo Lin was very familiar with these procedures. “It’s very simple. It’s just a matter of going through the transfer procedures. You apply to the current school for a transfer contact form. After it’s filled out, you give it to me, and I’ll send it to the municipal education bureau’s basic education department for approval. There will be a transfer report form and a transfer certificate receipt that will be given to the current school for their records.”
“Oh, it doesn’t sound too troublesome. Coach, if a child has talent, we as parents will definitely not delay their development. There are three hundred and sixty trades, and every trade has its master. If she can participate in the Olympic Games in the future, that would be amazing for our family,” Yang Yijun said, continuing to chat with Guo Lin.
Guo Lin wished he could introduce all the champions he had coached one by one to prove his ability. At the very least, after talking to Zhou Wanfeng’s grandmother, Guo Lin felt that there was still hope.
After Guo Lin left, Yang Yijun directly overturned the teacup on the table.
“The Olympic Games? Even if the Zhou family’s ancestral grave is really smoking, the opportunity should be left for Chengbin,” Yang Yijun said, her heart filled with frustration.
Auntie Luo in the kitchen had made the flower tea. Auntie Zhang rolled her eyes and brought it out.
The kitchen auntie frowned and whispered, “This Miss Wanfeng in our family is really amazing. She might be an Olympic champion in the future.”
“Old Mistress, the flower tea is ready,” Auntie Zhang said, placing it on the table.
Yang Yijun clutched her chest and stood up, waving her hand. She didn’t want to drink it. “Call my son-in-law later and tell him to come back early from work. Tell him I have something to talk to him about,” she said, turning and going back to the Go room, wanting to be alone.
It was completely dark when Zhou Zhiru finally came home.
Zhou Zhiru wanted to set up a research and development team. He had recently read a lot of foreign materials. The future trend of home appliances would be widespread, and their functionality would be very different.
The functionality of the appliances in the neighboring countries was more advanced than theirs. Zhou Zhiru wanted to recruit some people from there. The company’s existing products still had many shortcomings, and he also understood that if the company wanted to develop, it had to constantly develop new products. This kind of research and development technology was the core of a company.
As he was thinking, he walked into the first floor and saw Auntie Zhang waiting for him. Only then did he remember the phone call he had received today.
Without even changing out of his suit, he walked into the Go room.
Zhou Zhiru had not understood Go before, but he knew a little now, and he could see that the Go board was in a mess.
“Mom, what did you want to see me about?” Zhou Zhiru’s voice was very gentle, just like the impression he gave. Some people were naturally likable, and their good looks were a great advantage.
Yang Yijun reached out and messed up the Go pieces, then looked up at Zhou Zhiru. “Yuxiang Pavilion is losing money. What do you think?”
Zhou Zhiru sat down and, after loosening his tie, thought for a moment. “What can I think? Mom, you should know that Dad and I had different opinions from the beginning. I didn’t agree with him opening branches so quickly. But it’s true that they made money by opening branches at the beginning. Opening Yuxiang Pavilion into a chain was something that Dad and Second Uncle had always agreed on. Now that they’re losing money, they must be thinking of a way to recover.”
Yang Yijun’s eyes were cold. “I’ve been thinking about what you said when they were opening the branches, and the more I think about it, the more it doesn’t seem right. You must have proposed a ridiculous idea at the time, and the Yun Haisheng brothers directly rejected it, and even scolded you for your poor judgment. Later, when they were opening the branches, you did give your opinion, and looking at it now, everything you said has been proven right.
Yang Yijun stared at Zhou Zhiru and asked tentatively, “Did you… did you do it on purpose at the time? First you made a ridiculously wrong proposal to make everyone think you were incapable. It was probably when you were right, you deliberately said the wrong thing, and when you were wrong, you said the right thing. No one adopted your proposal, and the branches were opened one by one. Now that your words have been proven right, you can wash your hands of it. After all, you had tried your best to persuade them, but no one listened to you.”
“Mom, I’m not a god. How could I have known what would happen a few years later?” Zhou Zhiru said with a smile, denying it. He then reached out and picked up the Go pieces, arranging them neatly on the board one by one.
“But didn’t you predict that the market for your Changfeng Electrical would turn around in a few years?” Yang Yijun stared at Zhou Zhiru.
But Zhou Zhiru was not in a hurry. “Mom, the restaurant industry and the appliance market are different. Dad and Second Uncle have been in the restaurant business all their lives. Their ideas and vision are not something I can see through.”
“But you had Chengbin take the Yun surname so that he could inherit Yuxiang Pavilion. If it continues to lose money, there won’t be much for your son to inherit,” Yang Yijun reminded him heavily.
“Mom, if you need my help, I will not hesitate. I remember that you lent me the initial funds and helped me with my connections. I also remember how good you and Dad have been to me all these years. Even if you went to see a lawyer from the Hongshan Law Firm, and a friend told me about it, I’m not worried.”
He paused and then continued, “I love Yun Lan. I will not divorce her in the first place, and Yun Lan also loves me. She will never ask for a divorce. Mom, Yun Lan and I have a child, and it’s a son. I’m strict with Chengbin because I’m raising him as my heir. It’s always been the son who takes over the father’s business. Of course, I also want him to inherit the Yun family’s business. That’s why you proposed to have Chengbin take the Yun surname in the first place. But for so many years, Dad has only seen Yun Jue from Second Uncle’s family. They’re also getting old. Mom, you should make plans early. If I take the initiative to mention it, it will inevitably make people think that I…”
Zhou Zhiru had a helpless look on his face. There were some things he couldn’t mention. If he did, it would make people think too much.
Yang Yijun was taken aback. She hadn’t expected him to know that she had seen a lawyer. Her expression was a little unnatural. She explained, “I saw a lawyer because Yun Lan has to ask you for money every month. She doesn’t have any money of her own. I thought it was a little strange.”
“Mom, there’s a reason why I didn’t put the money in Yun Lan’s hands. At that time, there was something. Yun Lan had a friend named Yinghua who kept inviting her and encouraging her to invest in a project. Yun Lan treated her as a friend and invested a little. But later, that friend wanted Yun Lan to invest another sum. Mom, you know that Yun Lan is soft-hearted and can’t resist being pestered, so she invested a large sum again.”
Yang Yijun’s brow furrowed unconsciously. She did remember that Yun Lan had a friend named Yinghua.
“Yun Lan invested several sums behind my back. By the time I found out, it was already too late. That friend had fled abroad. It was from that time that I took over the money. But Mom, you can ask Yun Lan. I’ve never questioned her about the things she wants to buy. In fact, I’ve bought many insurance and financial products with Yun Lan as the beneficiary. I’ll bring the original documents back tomorrow. Mom, you can keep them for me. Yun Lan is the type to trust people easily. I’ll definitely trust you to keep them,”
Zhou Zhiru said sincerely.
Yang Yijun was half-convinced, but Yun Lan did have that kind of personality. She put on a relieved expression, but she hadn’t let go of her suspicions. She asked, “How much liquid capital do you have? Take it out and let your dad use it. If you pay now, it will be easier to talk about things later.”
Zhou Zhiru was silent for a moment. “Mom, to be honest, I can’t take it out. I want to set up a research and development department at the company, which requires a batch of advanced equipment and hiring some people from abroad. This requires long-term investment and a constant injection of money, but it will take a long time to see results. So I can’t touch this money.”
With that, Zhou Zhiru looked at Yang Yijun’s grim face and added, “If you really need money, you can mortgage the house at Ziyuan Court, or sell it.”
Yang Yijun looked at Zhou Zhiru with a blank expression. She saw that his brow was furrowed, and he had a difficult look on his face. It was true that he was unwilling to pay, but he was willing to mortgage or sell the house. For a moment, Yang Yijun couldn’t tell if he was being sincere or just acting.
“In the end, you’ve rejected me one by one. How can I be at ease like this? Yun Lan is foolish, and the children are still young. I have to think more for them.”
Zhou Zhiru nodded. “You should. I understand.”
“You understand? If you really understand, then transfer Zhou Wanfeng to a sports school,” Yang Yijun said. Nothing had gone her way. Yang Yijun had to force Zhou Zhiru to take a stand.
“A sports school?”
“She participated in a sports meet a few days ago, and a coach from the municipal sports bureau took a liking to her. He said she’s an outstanding talent who can get into the national team, and might even participate in the Olympics. He was very confident. I had someone ask about that coach. He has indeed coached several National Games champions, and a few of his students have entered the national team. She also likes sports, and exercises and runs every day. This might be her life’s opportunity. If she can win an Olympic championship in the future, she can even advertise for your company’s products,” Yang Yijun said, not mentioning that Zhou Wanfeng had scored 707 on this monthly exam, fourth in the entire grade.
She then handed Guo Lin’s business card to him.
Zhou Zhiru took it and glanced at it, then looked up and said, “I didn’t expect her to have such luck. Fine, I’ll contact this Coach Guo and ask about the transfer process.”