Chapter 115: The Notebook

Perhaps because the class restructuring was imminent, Miao Jianghong did not make things difficult for Zhang Ye. After a few words of reprimand, he let the matter slide. However, the constant, lingering glances Shi Lei kept casting in his direction began to grate on his nerves.

When the bell rang for the end of class, the broadcast for the school exercises followed immediately. After a few minutes of going through the motions and listening to a few empty platitudes from the school leadership, Zhang Ye went straight to find Yi Zhongtian from Class 1 of the second year.

"You want to sell a painting?" Yi Zhongtian had always been a low-key and silent person. He was unremarkable in appearance—average build, average looks, and average grades—and had never attracted much attention in school. Today, he was taken aback when Zhang Ye sought him out, and he was even more bewildered when he heard the reason.

"Yes. I know you are the grandson of Elder Yi, and I know he has a penchant for collecting antiques, especially the works of the Tang Dynasty master Dong Yuan. As it happens, I have one of his paintings in my possession," Zhang Ye said with a faint smile, looking at Yi Zhongtian with confidence.

Yi Zhongtian’s low profile did not mean he lacked status. Even troublemakers with some influence, like Li Yifan, had been warned not to provoke him while at school. The reason for this was his grandfather, Yi Feifan.

Self-made, powerful, ambitious, and daring—all these awe-inspiring descriptors could be used to characterize Yi Feifan. Born into a peasant family, he had braved perilous mountain paths as a teenager to engage in trade. In an era when private commerce was strictly prohibited, he would trek dozens of miles through deep mountain snow, wearing a heavy coat with forty or fifty pounds of frozen pork strapped beneath it, all just to earn a few yuan to buy meat for the New Year.

As policies loosened, he used his sharp mind and the capital he had saved over the years to travel to other provinces and start a shoe business. Within a few years, he had expanded, and within a decade, he had amassed over a hundred million in assets.

By then, he was thirty-five. After over a decade of navigating the treacherous seas of business, he had seen enough cunning and seen through human nature. Realizing that no amount of money could compare to political power, he abandoned business for the government. While he might not have held the highest office, he had built a vast network of connections, with friends spanning both the business and political worlds. Since his retirement, he had developed a hobby for antiques—a fact Zhang Ye had only learned by chance later in life.

"I can’t make that decision myself, but I can ask him for you," Yi Zhongtian said, frowning as he observed Zhang Ye’s confident demeanor.

"That’s enough. I look forward to your good news," Zhang Ye said with a smile. Knowing the battle was half-won, he nodded and left.

***

"Zhang… Zhang Ye… these are my study notes. I’m lending them to you." As the next class approached, Li Qianqian walked up to Zhang Ye as if she had gathered all her courage. Her face turned as red as an apple before she even finished her sentence.

Without waiting for a response, she placed five notebooks on his desk and scurried back to her seat like a flash.

Zhang Ye rubbed his nose and smiled. Even if she hadn't offered, he had intended to ask her for them. He had resolved to study hard and improve his grades, and he knew she was in the habit of taking detailed notes. Since she had taken the initiative, he had no reason to refuse. More importantly, he wondered if this was her way of making a statement.

With the exams just finished, the teachers spent the day reviewing the test papers, and the class rankings wouldn't be finalized until the following week. Zhang Ye didn't bother listening, as it wouldn't make much difference, so he turned his attention to the notebooks Li Qianqian had given him.

Her handwriting was delicate and elegant, much like her face—the kind that left a favorable impression at first glance. Before long, Zhang Ye was immersed in the pages. It was clear she was incredibly diligent; she had highlighted key points and provided thorough explanations for concepts that were either glossed over or ambiguous in the textbooks.

Zhang Ye was currently reviewing mathematics. Comparing her notes with what he had studied the night before, he gained significant insights. Naturally quick-witted with a strong capacity for understanding, he found that with the guidance in her notes, he grasped the material much more deeply.

He spent the entire day absorbed in the notebooks, not even wasting his time during the breaks. He was truly diligent, forgetting both food and sleep in his focus.

"Thank you, these were very useful," Zhang Ye said while walking with Li Qianqian on their way back later. "By the way, how is your father?"

"He’s much better. He even managed to get out of bed and walk a few steps yesterday."

"That’s wonderful."

***

After helping Li Aiguo take his medicine, Zhang Ye carefully performed a massage. Though his technique lacked the fluid grace of the old Taoist priest, his movements were precise and methodical.

Once Li Aiguo had drifted off to sleep, Zhang Ye and Li Qianqian stepped out of the room. They looked at each other, and both flushed simultaneously. Zhang Ye opened his mouth to speak, but just then, a noise came from the doorway.

It was Xie Yun returning home. Because of Li Aiguo's illness, she had lost her previous job and was now working as a nanny for a wealthy family, leaving early and returning late.

"Oh, Zhang Ye is here." Xie Yun put away the vegetables she had brought from the market and took a drink of water. Looking somewhat embarrassed, she said, "Thank you so much for the money you gave me last time. Aiguo’s illness has basically turned a corner, and I believe he’ll be fully recovered before long. I’ve brought back fifteen thousand of the twenty thousand you lent me; the rest went to medical bills and Qianqian’s tuition. I’ll be sure to pay you back the rest once I’ve earned more."

"There’s no need for that, it really wasn't much," Zhang Ye said, waving his hand dismissively. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. "Auntie, I really love your cooking. How about this? Why don't you open a small restaurant near our school? The business would surely be great, and I’d go eat there every day. You can use this money as your starting capital."

Students at the First High School usually ate in the cafeteria, but the food there left much to be desired—often either too greasy or completely bland. In his memories, there had even been a strike once after maggots were found in the cafeteria’s pickled vegetables.

Naturally, there were many small eateries near the school gate. The school didn't forbid them, and they generally did quite well. Students from well-off families often prepaid for their meals at these places for the entire semester, ensuring a steady profit.

The food Xie Yun cooked was the most unique and delicious he had ever tasted. He was certain that if she opened a place, it would be a thriving success. Most importantly, wasn't opening a restaurant her own long-held dream?

"Me… would I be able to?" Xie Yun felt a flicker of excitement. It had always been her wish, but the realities of life had kept her from it. Now that Zhang Ye had brought it up, she was truly tempted.

"Yes, you definitely can."

"I agree! Mom’s cooking is the best in the world!" Li Qianqian added, her face flushed with excitement.