Chapter Thirteen: I Cannot Let Them Down

The joyful yet brief weekend came to an end, ushering in a busy Monday. Early in the morning, as Yang Qing led his two little shadows, escorting Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia to school, Qin Xue arrived at her team with a printed program proposal she had carefully organized on A4 paper.

“Xue Xue, you’re finally here! Here, this is the initial proposal draft we put together over the weekend. Take a look,” one of her teammates said, handing her the document.

Qin Xue glanced at the draft, and a complex look immediately filled her eyes. There were two proposals: one spanned just four pages, the product of collaboration among three top university graduates; the other, a sixteen-page document, was crafted single-handedly by someone with only a primary school education, completed in just three hours.

Was this the difference between genius and mediocrity? In this, Yang Qing was innocent—he wasn’t a genius, the “plug-in” was simply too powerful.

“Alright,” Qin Xue nodded. “I have another proposal here. Why don’t you all take a look and share any suggestions you might have?”

The three team members immediately turned their eyes to her. When they saw the thick stack she handed over, they were stunned, shocked, and utterly incredulous.

Over an hour later, after carefully reading through the entire proposal, the three of them sat in a collective daze, speechless. Qin Xue, who had already finished reading their initial draft more than half an hour earlier, watched their expressions and suddenly smiled.

At last, someone else wore the same look and felt just as she had—she was delighted.

“Ahem, you’ve all finished, right? Please, share your suggestions,” she prompted.

“Suggestions?” The short-haired beauty Li Yuexi shot her a disgruntled look. “Xue Xue, that’s not fair—you set us up to be laughed at, didn’t you? With something like this…” She shook the proposal in her hand, her tone defeated. “What suggestions could we possibly make? Just submit it as is.”

“Exactly, team leader, just hand it in. Your proposal is flawless—disturbingly perfect!” the male teammate added, thoroughly dispirited.

Qin Xue laughed. “I never said I wrote it. I don’t have that kind of ability.”

“You didn’t write it?” Li Yuexi’s gossip senses tingled. “Then who did? Don’t tell me it was…”

“Ahem,” Qin Xue interrupted with a dry cough. “Don’t guess wildly—it was put together by a friend of mine, purely by chance.”

“A friend!” Li Yuexi pressed, unwilling to let it go. “Which friend? Male or female? Someone that amazing—introduce us! I need to pay my respects to such a master!”

“Yes, please introduce us! I want to worship at their feet too!” the male teammate chimed in, hands clasped in earnest.

“A man. I’ll introduce you all someday,” Qin Xue replied with a smile, then turned to the quiet member who hadn’t spoken. “Xiao Rou, you’ve been silent. Do you have any better ideas?”

“Not suggestions, but I do have a question,” Wen Xiaorou shook her head. “Team leader, is your friend very skilled in photography?”

“Photography?” At the mention, Qin Xue pictured Yang Qing’s face and his current life. She shook her head. “No, he’s not.”

“That’s impossible!” Wen Xiaorou insisted. “He must be, I’ll stake my professional reputation on it!”

At that, the other two grew confused. Why would someone on a program planning team claim photography as their profession?

“Isn’t your major planning and management?” one of them asked.

“Well… my grandfather is Wen Yimou,” she replied.

“What! Director Wen is your grandfather? Damn!” The two teammates were floored, reality feeling suddenly surreal.

“Alright, stop looking so shocked—we’re not in the Department of Astonishment,” Qin Xue chided, rolling her eyes at them. She turned to Wen Xiaorou. “Xiao Rou, could you be more specific?”

“Certainly.” Wen Xiaorou picked up the proposal and flipped to a page. “Look here—this layout, and here… and here… There are more than a dozen instances where the shooting setup is subtly embedded in the text. Only someone highly professional in photography could create these, and I suspect he did it unconsciously, which makes it all the more impressive.”

Upon hearing this, the Department of Astonishment was once again in session.

“Team leader, just who is this friend of yours? Go on, give us his real name—I wouldn’t mind being shocked a bit more!” someone pleaded.

“Enough!” Qin Xue massaged her brow, exasperated. “Let me calm down first.”

…

“Goodbye, big brother! Goodbye, Qiu’er, Dong’er!”

“Goodbye, sister!”

At the school gate, after watching the two little ones head inside and disappear into the building, Yang Qing made his way toward the guardhouse.

“Huh? Big brother, where are we going?” Little Qiu’er asked, puzzled.

“Into your sisters’ school,” he replied.

“Really? We’re going into the school? What for?” Qiu’er was excited.

Yang Qing ruffled her hair with a smile. “We have some business. Don’t worry—next semester, you and Xiao Bai will be able to start kindergarten together.”

“Alright, hehe,” she giggled.

At the guardhouse, after contacting Chun and Xia’s homeroom teacher, Ms. Zhang, through the guard, Yang Qing brought the two little ones into the school. They made their way to the teachers’ office, where Yang Qing immediately spotted Ms. Zhang.

“Hello, Ms. Zhang.”

“Hello, Yang Qing. And hello to you too, Qiu’er and Dong’er—aren’t you two adorable,” Ms. Zhang greeted warmly. She had visited Yang Qing’s home a few times for parent-teacher meetings and greatly respected this man, who was her peer in age.

“Hello, teacher,” Qiu’er replied very seriously, her little face solemn.

Ms. Zhang laughed. “No need to be so serious—here, have an apple.”

Qiu’er looked up at Yang Qing for approval.

“Go on, thank Ms. Zhang,” Yang Qing encouraged.

Qiu’er grinned and took the apple, thanking the teacher politely.

“What a sweet and lovely child,” Ms. Zhang praised.

Ms. Zhang smiled, then looked at Yang Qing. “Please, have a seat. Is there something you need today?”

“Yes.” Yang Qing took two enrollment forms from his pocket and handed them over. “I’d like to sign up Yang Chun and Yang Xia for this Young Artists’ Training Class. Could you tell me more about it?”

Ms. Zhang was taken aback. “Oh, certainly. This class is organized by our school as part of a pilot program initiated by the Education Bureau this year, so you can rest assured about its safety and professionalism. Classes take place every Saturday, and during winter and summer holidays, they meet on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. The focus is on piano, painting, dance, and vocal training. As for the fees…”

Here, Ms. Zhang paused, looking at Yang Qing with a sigh. “Perhaps you should reconsider. Although…”

“There’s no need to reconsider,” Yang Qing interrupted. “Since it’s an official school program, I’ll sign them up. Ms. Zhang, may I fill out the forms now?”

“You may, but are you sure you don’t—”

“Teacher, this is something my sisters have been looking forward to. I can’t let them down. I’ll bring you the payment tomorrow,” Yang Qing said resolutely.

Ms. Zhang was moved. “Alright. You’re very responsible. I support your decision. If you have any difficulties, let me know—I’ll do what I can to help.”

“Thank you.”

…

At Yang City Television Station, Deputy Director Zhang Wei had been reviewing the proposal Qin Xue submitted for quite some time.

“Xiao Xue, you’re sure this proposal was done by a friend of yours?”

“Yes. What do you think?”

“It’s excellent—truly outstanding!” Zhang Wei exclaimed. “I can make the decision right now: we’ll use this one!”

“Really?” Although Qin Xue was ninety percent confident, hearing the final word from a higher-up still made her excited.

“Of course. Would I joke about this? Only a fool would pass up such a brilliant plan. You should contact your friend right away and ask him to come in to discuss purchasing the rights.”

“So soon?” Qin Xue was taken aback.

“Speed is of the essence. Go on.”

“Alright, I’ll do it now. But, Director, may I ask how much you’re planning to offer for the buyout? My friend’s circumstances are a bit unusual.”

“Unusual circumstances?” Zhang Wei wasn’t annoyed by her question; instead, he squinted and smiled. “How so? Tell Uncle Zhang. Don’t tell me he’s your boyfriend—if so, I ought to screen him properly for your father’s sake.”

“Oh, come on! I’m off to work,” Qin Xue retorted, embarrassed, and hurried out.

Zhang Wei returned to leafing through the proposal, and the more he read, the more astonished he became.

This is truly a remarkable talent!