Rekindling the Youthful Era

Chapter 771 Let the Vice Chairman Open a Back Door for You

Another weekend has passed in the blink of an eye.

After the modern and contemporary literature class ended on Monday morning, Xu Rongsheng called Li Luo over again, found a quiet corner, handed him a stack of documents, and then said:

"The project has been approved for you. Here are the relevant documents. Remember to keep them safe and don't lose them."

"The school has been paying a lot of attention to this smart campus project recently, so they've allocated a considerable amount of funding."

"But we have to do it well, especially when it comes to things involving money. We can't afford to make any mistakes."

"How much is it?" Li Luo curiously flipped through the documents in his hand and quickly found the answer, "Fifty thousand? That's quite a lot."

“This money won’t be given to you all at once,” Xu Rongsheng said. “It will be divided into three phases. Initially, we will give you 20,000 yuan, then another 20,000 yuan after the software prototype is completed, and finally, after the software passes testing, we will give you the last 10,000 yuan.”

This amount of money is nothing to Li Luo; it's probably just a few days' worth of his subscription fees.

But for Zhao Rongjun and his team, it was no small sum.

"The school is quite generous."

"Heh, what are you thinking?" Xu Rongsheng chuckled. "If you were to outsource such a software to someone from another profession, it would cost at least tens or hundreds of thousands of yuan."

“If our own students can do it, what’s 50,000? I’d say it’s too little.”

"However, this is a win-win situation. It is a good opportunity for computer science students to improve themselves by having this kind of practical experience."

“Indeed.” Li Luo nodded, then thought of another question and couldn’t help but ask, “Uncle Xu, after this project is approved for a smart campus, can it still be submitted to innovation and entrepreneurship competitions?”

"You're still thinking of making multiple dishes from one fish?" Xu Rongsheng glanced at him.

"I'm just asking."

“In principle, no one says whether it’s allowed or not,” Xu Rongsheng said in a low voice. “As long as no one says so, then it’s allowed, you understand what I mean?”

If it were an outsider, Xu Rongsheng would at most say the first sentence, which is only when he's talking to Li Luo, before adding two more sentences.

Upon hearing this, Li Luo immediately smiled and nodded, "I understand, I understand. Thank you very much, Uncle Xu."

"Qianda University is having a Dandelion Entrepreneurship Competition this semester," Xu Rongsheng reminded them. "You guys can check it out."

"OK." Li Luo indicated that she understood, then changed the subject and asked, "So, how's the matter of the subsidy for impoverished students progressing with Uncle Xu?"

"It's basically approved," Xu Rongsheng said with a smile. "It needs to go through two meetings to be officially approved, but the first approval has already been completed, so the second one is just a formality."

"It should be approved in December."

"However, it's definitely too late for this semester. The subsidy fund will probably not be officially established and operational until next semester."

"When the time comes, we'll need to find some teachers to be in charge of the operation of this fund, you see..."

"I'll have to trouble Uncle Xu to take care of this," Li Luo said, going along with the flow. "I don't know any teachers. You've been in the Faculty of Arts for so many years, you definitely know better than I do who are reliable."

"Okay." Xu Rongsheng smiled with satisfaction. "Then I'll make the arrangements."

"Ahem... If there are any good locations, Uncle Xu, please remember to consider my aunt." After thinking it over, Li Luo added in a low voice.

"Your aunt?"

"Simple and pure".

"Oh, oh." Xu Rongsheng realized what he meant, chuckled, and nodded. "I know, I know, don't worry about that."

After talking with Xu Rongsheng, Li Luo said goodbye and left, taking the documents with him to find Zhao Rongjun at Zhuyuan and handing them over to him.

After briefly explaining the situation, Li Luo asked, "How's the search for people in your team going?"

"Hmm... I found two juniors and one senior," Zhao Rongjun said, scratching his head. "That should be enough."

"Really?" Li Luo was somewhat surprised, looking Zhao Rongjun up and down. "I didn't realize you had such a good network of connections? You found someone so quickly while you were a junior or senior?"

"Uh..." Hearing Li Luo say that, Zhao Rongjun immediately felt embarrassed and whispered to him, "Xin Yan helped me find it."

"She and Xixi have both joined the secretariat of the Zhuyuan Student Union, so they know more people."

"Huanhuan asked her to help me find a few senior students who were interested in this project."

Li Luo: "..."

Upon hearing this, Li Luo fell silent, feeling a pang of sorrow for Qiao Xinyan.

However, now that the team has been found, Li Luo said, "Remember to have Huanhuan join the team as well. Let her manage the funds, and you will be responsible for planning. The specific software development will be left to the senior students."

"This is a great opportunity to improve yourself, so you'd better seize it."

"The total funding for the project is 50,000 yuan, which will be disbursed in three installments. You can refer to the documents for details."

"Huh?! Fifty thousand?!" Zhao Rongjun felt dizzy upon hearing this number, somewhat taken aback. "How can there be so much money?"

"Is that a lot?" Li Luo glanced at him, patted his good friend on the shoulder, "Calm down. If your Douyin account can take off in the future, 50,000 yuan will be nothing. Don't make a fuss."

“Fifty thousand yuan is a lot,” Zhao Rongjun said in a low voice. “It’s equivalent to several months’ salary for my dad.”

"Then don't you even think about how many people will split this 50,000 yuan?" Li Luo rolled her eyes at him. "It will take at least several months for this software to be developed and launched. If the funds are split equally, each person won't get much money."

"That makes sense." Zhao Rongjun scratched his head, his mood calming down a bit.

Then Li Luo added, "Remember to sign up for the Dandelion Entrepreneurship Competition again. If you can get a ranking, you can also get a lot of prize money."

"Is this okay?"

"Don't worry, just go for it," Li Luo encouraged. "Theoretically, this project is still registered under my name, so don't embarrass me."

"I understand, I will try my best!"

……

Zhao Rongjun's software development team began to operate smoothly.

Just in the last few days, Ying Chanxi had inquired about the rental prices of office buildings in Times Square.

Feeling that the price wasn't too expensive, I discussed it with Li Luo and we rented an office space of about several tens of square meters on the east side of the tenth floor.

However, there aren't many people who want to rekindle the culture right now, so we'll just lend this place to Zhao Rongjun and his group for the time being.

Ying Chanxi set up a desk for himself and Xiaowen and provided them with several computers, while Li Luo left Zhao Rongjun and the others to figure it out themselves.

When Friday afternoon arrived, Li Luo got into Xu Youyu's BMW and drove towards the online writers' association in Yuhang City.

"So why didn't you let Xixi take you?" Xu Youyu asked, yawning as she waited at a red light. "We're both going to the city center, aren't we on the same route?"

"Huayue Film and Television and the Municipal Writers Association aren't in the same district, so it's too much trouble to have her deliver it," Li Luo said casually, leaning comfortably back in the passenger seat. "Doesn't Sister Yu want to spend more time with me?"

"I do want to, but I don't really want to be with you when there are other people around," Xu Youyu said with a smile. "I'd rather we be in bed together." "You can only say that now," Li Luo pouted. "If we were really in bed, you'd be screaming for help in less than half an hour."

"Hmph, you dog of a man." Xu Youyu snorted. "He's going to fly to Jingzhao City with Xixi and Zhusheng to have some fun in a couple of days, and now he's still criticizing me."

"Jealous?"

"No way," Xu Youyu said. "With the three of you not here, this house is my domain."

"When did you learn Xixi's stubbornness?" Li Luo asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't compare me to Xixi, okay? I'm nowhere near her level." Xu Youyu rolled her eyes at him. "It's just that some things don't need to be said. Are you really going to spend the next two days with only me?"

"That's not a bad idea," Li Luo said with a smile. "The Writers' Association isn't too far from West Lake. How about we go for a stroll there after the afternoon meeting?"

"It's only for such a short time," Xu Youyu said with a pout. "But it's better than nothing."

“Our flight is on Sunday afternoon the day after tomorrow,” Li Luo said, leaning against the passenger seat with his hands behind his head. “If Sister Yu is willing, I’ll go with you to rent a small house near West Lake, and we can stay there until Sunday before going back.”

"Be careful Xixi doesn't come chasing after us," Xu Youyu said with a smile. "If Zhusheng comes running over like a puppy, we might as well just go home."

After saying this, Li Luo remained silent for a moment, then took out his phone and called Ying Chanxi directly.

The call was quickly answered, and Ying Chanxi's puzzled voice came from the other end: "What's wrong? Didn't you go to the meeting with your senior?"

"Yeah, still on the way," Li Luo said. "I just wanted to discuss something with you. We're supposed to go to Jingzhao City the day after tomorrow, right? Sister Yu isn't going, so I was thinking of spending the next couple of days with her around West Lake, and then heading back on Sunday."

Upon hearing Li Luo's words, Ying Chanxi on the other end of the phone fell silent for a moment.

Then she asked, "Aren't you coming back tonight?"

"Mm." Li Luo nodded.

"Two days?" Ying Chanxi asked again.

"Two days."

"Where's the bamboo flute?"

“She can stay at home with you,” Li Luo said. “I’ll come back on Sunday, and then we can go to the airport together.”

Ying Chanxi remained silent for a while before finally saying, "I understand. Be careful, I'll go now."

After obtaining Ying Chanxi's consent, Li Luo called Yan Zhusheng again and gave her some instructions.

Yan Zhusheng then asked on the other end of the phone, "Is your senior next to you?"

She was driving.

"Put the hands-free mode on."

"...It's open."

"Senior."

"Huh?" Xu Youyu, who was driving, heard Yan Zhusheng's voice and asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"

"Don't you dare drain Li Luo dry," Yan Zhusheng said seriously. "If you come up with any new tricks, you have to tell me."

Before Xu Youyu could react, Li Luo's face darkened: "What the hell are you talking about? You guys exchange moves in private?"

"Ahem..." Xu Youyu was a little embarrassed and quickly coughed twice. "Zhusheng, don't talk nonsense. We were just having normal exchanges and interactions."

"This sounds really weird," Li Luo muttered, speechless.

"Oh, you talk too much." Xu Youyu rolled her eyes at him, then said to Yan Zhusheng on the other end of the phone, "Don't worry, Zhusheng, I'll tell you."

"That's good." Yan Zhusheng nodded and agreed. "I'll keep an eye on my sister and won't let her bother you. Bye-bye."

After hanging up the phone, Li Luo breathed a sigh of relief.

After much thought, he still felt that meeting these three girls in these two lifetimes was the greatest fortune of his life.

At this moment, Xu Youyu's eyes were already sparkling. He pursed his lips slightly, turned the steering wheel, and stopped in a parking space on the side of the road.

Li Luo looked around in confusion and couldn't help but ask, "It's not here yet... um!"

Before Li Luo could finish speaking, Xu Youyu tackled him to the passenger seat and forcefully covered his mouth.

They kissed passionately for a long time in the car before finally separating.

Xu Youyu straddled Li Luo, looking at her with watery eyes, her gaze filled with lust.

"How did things suddenly turn out like this?" Li Luo asked with a laugh, supporting her slender waist.

"Suddenly? I don't think so." Xu Youyu leaned against his chest, listening to his heartbeat, and then whispered, "Li Luo, that's what I like about you."

"Ok?"

"Actually, even if you didn't spend these two days with me, I wouldn't be unhappy."

"I know."

"But you still told Xixi and Zhusheng that you wanted to spend time with me alone." Xu Youyu raised her face and looked at Li Luo seriously. "Aren't you afraid that Xixi and Zhusheng will be angry?"

“They are just like you, they are all very, very good girls.” Li Luo pinched Xu Youyu’s cheek and said softly, “Just like you weren’t angry when you knew I was going to Jingzhao City with Xixi and Zhusheng, they naturally won’t be either.”

"Wouldn't that be too easy on you?" Xu Youyu teased with a grin.

"Yes, I got a great deal." Li Luo hugged Xu Youyu tightly, but only lowered his head to give her a light kiss between the eyebrows. "That's why we should cherish it even more."

"Good to know." Xu Youyu felt the warm touch on her forehead, and couldn't help but look up and kiss Li Luo before climbing back into the driver's seat with satisfaction. "Let's go, let's go, or we'll be late."

"So what if I'm late?" Li Luo said nonchalantly, resting his chin on his hand. "Right now, all I want to do is have a secret rendezvous with Sister Youyu. I don't care about the Writers' Association council or the vice chairmanship."

"What are you saying?" Xu Youyu rolled her eyes at him. "Others would be eager to get this job."

"With Sister Yu's hard work, you can do it too in the future."

"Forget it, I don't want to, it's too much trouble." Xu Youyu shook her head. "I haven't even joined the Provincial Writers Association, I don't really care."

"Should I pull some strings for you later?" Li Luo asked, raising an eyebrow. "As the vice chairman of the Writers' Association, you must have the authority, right?"

Xu Youyu glanced at him sideways, giving him a rather alluring look, and the corners of her mouth curled up slightly: "Some people have impure thoughts, what bad things are they thinking about?"

"...It's clearly because Sister Yu's own thoughts are impure, isn't it?"

"I'm just driving," Xu Youyu said, humming a little tune as he pressed the accelerator and gripped the steering wheel.

(End of this chapter)