All Good Novel
Chapter 32 - Don't worry, let's listen to what Beijing Academy has to say!
Chapter 32: Don’t worry, let’s listen to what Beijing Academy has to say!
Zhao Ruimin was so shocked by Gao Feng that he felt like marrying him right away.
“Brother, brother, let’s not dwell on it. A good man has a good youth. It’s time to serve the country! Come on, bring out that contract.”
Gao Feng happily held Zhao Ruimin’s hand and said, “Brother, it’s a letter of intent to enroll!”
Zhao Ruimin playfully stuck out his tongue and remarked, “Yes, that’s right. Let our kids sign it now!”
This suggestion made Zhao Xing uneasy.
Why make it so formal?
Yet, as long as his father was happy, other considerations could take a back seat. However, signing the letter of intent wasn’t something Zhao Xing could agree to hastily. Seeking assistance, he turned to his mother. Though Qin Yulian didn’t fully grasp the intricacies of the situation, she understood her son and swiftly caught on.
“Old Zhao, you’ve had a bit too much to drink. Come on, let me help you to the bathroom.”
“I’m not drunk! Who said I was drunk?!”
“Hmm?”
Qin Yulian raised her eyebrows and promptly pinched her husband’s waist.
“Hiss.”
This unique skill swiftly sobered Zhao Ruimin.
“Hahaha, brother, I’ll head to the bathroom first.”
Watching his parents leave for the bathroom, Zhao Xing quickly said, “Mr. Gao, I’ll go and check the situation too. I’m sorry.”
Seeing this, Gao Feng nodded with a smile, “It’s alright.”
In the bathroom, Qin Yulian scolded Zhao Ruimin for agreeing to such a significant matter without consulting their child.
“For such a big matter, our child didn’t even get a say, and you agreed to it all. How could you? After a bit of drinking, you don’t even remember your last name. Zhao Ruimin, do you want to court disaster?”
At the dinner table, Zhao Ruimin spoke grandiosely, but facing his wife, he was meek, nodding and smiling.
“People aren’t so courteous. You’re just inviting trouble! You can’t sign the letter of intent right now.”
“Well, my wife is right.”
Zhao Xing smiled and didn’t say anything more. His mother had already handled it, so there was no need for further persuasion. He returned to the box.
Seeing Zhao Xing return with a quick smile, Gao Feng understood that Zhao Xing’s opinion mattered in this matter. So he engaged in a sincere conversation with Zhao Xing.
“Zhao Xing, honestly, it would be best if you join the First Military Academy. The military has better resources and connections than other prestigious academies. I know more about you than they do. Your level of secrecy has been elevated, and they don’t even understand your true value. Moreover, you know the Ashes of Soul are in my possession. If you enter the First Military Academy, I, Gao Feng, will do everything I can to support you!”
Facing Gao Feng’s sincerity, Zhao Xing was moved. He also expressed his concerns candidly.
“Director Gao, I appreciate your intentions. It’s genuinely exciting. However, the military isn’t a place where one can come and go freely. There will likely be orders in the future that I have to follow, potentially putting you in a difficult position. Please allow me a few days to think it over.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
Gao Feng wanted to say more, but at that moment, Zhao Ruimin and Qin Yulian entered, discussing settling the bill. Gao Feng couldn’t let them do it. If Zhao Xing’s parents paid, his efforts would be in vain.
After a prolonged back-and-forth, Gao Feng ended up treating them to a meal. After dinner, when they returned home, it was already night. Gao Feng saw the family upstairs and then accompanied Guan Ya back.
Upon entering the house, younger brother Zhao Ming, excited to see his parents, soon broke into tears while chatting.
“Wow, Mom and Dad, brother, is there anyone like you?! You go to a fancy meal, and you don’t take me with you! It seems there’s no room for my fiery talents in this family!”
Zhao Xing touched his nose, feeling a bit embarrassed for forgetting his younger brother.
“Xiao Ming, I promise to take you with me next time!”
“Hmph, you did it on purpose! Tomorrow, I’ll take my parents and not you!”
“Where do you want to go? Are you still causing trouble?!”
Zhao Xing playfully grabbed his brother’s neck and shook it. Laughter filled the room as the two brothers enjoyed their time together.
…
For three consecutive days, the admissions officers from the five esteemed academies exerted their utmost efforts to win over Zhao Xing. Gao Feng relied on emotional tactics, urging Zhao Ruimin to join him at the nearby night snack stand during idle moments. However, despite Gao Feng’s efforts, Zhao Ruimin, persuaded by his wife, could only offer words of encouragement without making a decisive choice.
The head of the Magic and Martial Arts Academy, Nie Hai, approached Principal Yang Tianming, while Lu Yuanwei, representing the Beijing Academy, directly approached Guan Ya. Both parties sought to gather more information about Zhao Xing, hoping to use their influence to sway him.
Wang Min from Xingchen Academy took a more assertive approach. At noon that day, he directly called Zhao Xing’s home, identifying himself as the admissions teacher of Xingchen Academy. Wang Min explained that Zhao Xing had passed the special recruitment process, emphasizing the urgency of the situation. He pressed Zhao Xing’s family to act promptly, highlighting the limited quota for the Extraordinary Academy’s special recruitment.
Listening nearby, Zhao Xing couldn’t help but find the situation amusing. Despite the apparent urgency, Wang Min’s approach seemed somewhat pushy, as if reluctant to reach the threshold of this special recruitment. Zhao Xing comforted his mother, saying, “Mom, don’t worry, let’s hear what Beijing Academy has to say.” Qin Yulian quickly apologized and hung up the phone.
The Xingchen Academy instructor on the other end regretfully hung up the phone. Wang Min, feeling puzzled, remarked, “Director, don’t be fooled. What’s going on?”
Zhao Xing was aware of his value and had received guidance from someone higher up. The higher-ups seemed to be privy to certain information, but the admissions tutors were left in the dark. With no authority to inquire, they could only attempt to recruit Zhao Xing, an impossible task.
Wang Min expressed his bewilderment, “After so many years of recruiting work, I have never seen such a situation. Even my boss can’t find out the details. I really saw a ghost.”
His subordinate asked, “Director, what should we do now?”
Wang Min waved his hand and said, “There’s no other way. We can only reveal our cards. Come to the door to discuss the specific conditions.”
The talent in question had surpassed their expectations. The current scenario wasn’t about enticing candidates to join. Instead, they found themselves in a position where they had to plead for acceptance. The prestige of the academies had diminished, requiring an improvement in competition conditions. In essence, they had to offer more.
The resources offered by the five esteemed academies were similar, and the quality of teachers was comparable. The deciding factor now lay in who could offer more. The other three academies explored the situation over a few days and, discovering the same trend, came knocking one after another, each increasing their stakes. They took turns, one person each day, for twelve days. Bailian Academy took the lead in withdrawing from the talent competition in the first round, reluctantly conceding. Zeng Yiming lacked the authority to invest significant resources in support of an enchanter. The shorter establishment time of Bailian Academy, coupled with a broad range of occupations, meant increased resource allocation per occupation, making it challenging to rely heavily on auxiliary fields. Seeing the determination of leaders from other transcendent academies, they had no choice but to withdraw.
In the second round, Wang Min, in charge of Xingchen Academy, also decided to withdraw, sharing similar concerns. After three rounds, the First Military Academy, Beijing Academy, and Magic and Martial Arts Academy revealed their cards, presenting the best conditions they could offer to Zhao Xing. As Zhao Xing looked at the three enrollment agreements before him, after careful consideration, he finally made a decision.