Sail across the sea

Chapter 548: Laughing up to the sky and going out

"So you're sending Lao Qi to offend these people?" Pan Chang said with a smile.

Gao Fan said matter-of-factly, "Of course. Back when the Liangshan heroes joined, they all had to go down the mountain and kill someone first, that's called a pledge of allegiance. If Lao Qi wants to join our company, he naturally has to give a pledge of allegiance first too."

"Hey, Sixth Brother, I never realized you were this cunning before."

"How many capitalists have you met who aren't ruthless?"

These were obviously just jokes. After a moment's thought, Chen Chuanlin understood Gao Fan's meaning.

Canghai Chemical is now a company with some reputation in the industry. Offending some senior industry leaders would be detrimental to the company's operations.

In contrast, Chen Chuanlin was just a nobody in the industry. He could offend people as he pleased, but he only needed to be responsible to Gao Fan. No one could make things difficult for him.

As for what will happen if Chen Chuanlin gains a certain reputation in the industry in the future, that's at least ten years from now. By then, today's industry leaders will have retired, while Chen Chuanlin will be a rising star. Who would want to antagonize a rising star for the sake of a few fading veterans?

Gao Fan could certainly have found someone else to do this, but after considering it, Chen Chuanlin realized that he might actually be the most suitable person. His professional skills were enough to compete with the top experts, and he was also Gao Fan's college classmate with whom he had a good relationship. It would be very difficult for Gao Fan to find someone like that.

There's nothing inherently wrong with this situation. While he might offend some people, he'll also win the favor of others. And those who are favorable towards him are actually the capable and hardworking individuals in the design institute—people who could potentially become his partners in the future.

In this sense, this job was actually a good opportunity for Gao Fan to expand his network.

Thinking of this, Chen Chuanlin nodded vigorously and said, "Old Gao, no problem, I accept this pledge of loyalty. I'll resign from my job as soon as I get back, and I'll be reporting to you next week at the latest."

"As for your company, are you planning to take a leave of absence without pay, or resign directly?" Gao Fan asked.

Chen Chuanlin said, "I'll definitely resign directly. To apply for a leave of absence without pay, I'd need the boss's approval. Knowing our bosses as I do, they would never let go of such an opportunity to make things difficult for me. Resigning is much simpler. I can just throw my resignation letter in their face and walk away. They can't do anything about it."

"This is what they call 'laughing heartily as I step out the door, for I am no ordinary man.'" Pan Chang gave a thumbs-up in praise.

He often had the urge to write a resignation letter and throw it in his boss's face, but his family's objections prevented him from doing so.

Having listened to Gao Fan's advice, he was already prepared to focus on building his career within the system, so this idea was something he could only dream about and couldn't actually put into practice.

Gao Fan then remembered something and asked, "By the way, Seventh Brother, I haven't asked you yet, if you go to work in Ruizhang, will there be any problems at home?"

“What problems could there be at home?” Chen Chuanlin said. “My family is from the county town. Whether I work in the provincial capital or go to Ruizhang, it’s the same for my family.”

"You still have a boyfriend?" Pan Chang asked.

Chen Chuanlin laughed and said, "Given my current situation, I'm barely making ends meet, how could I dare to date?"

“In this respect, you’re not as good as Xiao Ba,” Pan Chang commented. “Wait, why are you talking about me?” Wu Zixian protested, “I’m a bachelor too, just like Lao Qi.”

Pan Chang said, "I heard that your Senior Sister Lan is still single."

"Sigh, I don't want to hold her back," Wu Zixian said with some distress.

Everyone in the room knew who Pan Chang was referring to as Senior Sister Lan. Back when they were all freshmen, Gao Fan helped Wu Zixian solve his financial difficulties by finding him suppliers, such as socks and gloves, and had him sell them at various universities. That's how Wu Zixian met Lan Guoping, a second-year student in the Chinese Department of a teachers' college, who was also rumored to be one of the university's campus beauties.

After that, the two had some contact. According to Wu Zixian, the girl only asked him to tutor her in English because she was going abroad. But everyone in the dormitory knew that even if Wu Zixian's English vocabulary and grammar were decent, his spoken English was absolutely no match for Lan Guoping's. Everyone could tell what was going on with Lan Guoping using such a lame excuse to get close to Wu Zixian.

When everyone entered their senior year, Lan Guoping graduated with her bachelor's degree and went abroad to study, where she stayed for several years. Chen Chuanlin was in the same class as Wu Zixian when he was pursuing his master's degree, and he kept in touch with Wu Zixian through letters while he knew that Lan Guoping was abroad.

Two years ago, Lan Guoping returned to China and became a public relations manager at a foreign company.

In this day and age, few people who study abroad choose to return to China to develop their careers. This is because incomes abroad are dozens of times higher than in China, and after a few years of work, one can buy a house and a car, achieving a comfortable standard of living much earlier. Who would want to come back if they can establish themselves abroad?

But Lan Guoping came back, and as soon as she returned, she came to Peking University to find Wu Zixian. Gao Fan bumped into her on the street three or four times. Let alone Sima Zhao's intentions, everyone knew what Sima Xiangru's intentions were.

By the way, Gao Fan is also someone who often strolls around Peking University when he has nothing to do; the reason is self-evident.

The female students at Beijing Normal University are already among the most outstanding in Beijing's universities, and those in the Chinese Literature Department are even more exceptional. Lan Guoping spent several years abroad and is now a white-collar worker in a foreign company, radiating brilliance. Wu Zixian, a struggling PhD student, often felt inferior in her presence, hence his concern about holding her back.

"I don't know what's gotten into this girl, she just won't marry anyone but Lao Ba," Pan Chang remarked.

Lan Guoping had visited Wu Zixian in dormitory 449 before, so Pan Chang had met her before. To be honest, Pan Chang also felt that this girl was a bit like a beautiful flower stuck in cow dung when paired with Wu Zixian.

Even if Wu Zixian is a pile of erudite cow dung.

“Old Eight, in my opinion, you’re the one who’s holding her back right now,” Gao Fan advised. “You two have known each other for 10 years now. And she spent five years abroad in between. If it was just a momentary impulse, she should have calmed down by now.”

“Since she came back to you after five years, I think she really has her eye on you. She’s a year ahead of us, so she should be 27 this year, right? If you keep dragging her along like this, you’re really being irresponsible.”

Wu Zixian sighed and said, "Ah, Lao Gao, you're right. I've started to waver a bit too. I'll have another serious talk with her. If she still feels the same way, then there's nothing I can do but accept her."

"Old Gao, is this the Versailles you guys in Maolin talk about? Holy crap, Lao Ba, this is way too damn Versailles!"

Pan Chang muttered indignantly.

(End of this chapter)