Age of Legends

Chapter 266 Starlight
Those who had been in the room earlier had a different perspective on what they witnessed. They watched as Zhang Chen finished his work and, as Qin Yu had instructed, waited at the door for the equipment to be delivered. He even found a shady spot and sat on a stone by the door.

By this time, Zhang Chen had already been labeled as a fool by everyone. Some people felt that it was a bit inappropriate for Qin Yu to mess with a high school student, but in reality, they were all used to Qin Yu's style. Besides, as a test for a young person, this was understandable. So, let it go.

After that, everyone's attention shifted away from that and they started talking about serious matters.

"Brother Qin, you know Yin Xiaoguan, why don't you go over and drop by his place later, offer him a toast, and introduce us?" The speaker was a classmate named Zhou You, who was involved in bidding for projects. He was eager to get to know Yin Xiaoguan, a prominent figure in the municipal government, through Qin Yu's connections. He was quite envious.

But before Yin Xiaoguan could respond, the people next to him had already cursed him back.

"Who do you think you are? Go and offer a toast, but don't go looking for trouble! They're not having a meal in public; they're clearly discussing business. The mayor's secretary is having a private meeting. What are you doing getting involved? You're so clueless!"

A group of people chatted amongst themselves, while Zhou You remained awkward and self-conscious.

Qin Yu waited until everyone had finished talking about Zhou You before speaking up: "Zhou You, in these kinds of things, at the very least, your status needs to be equal. Everyone knows what you're up to. If you say you're going to find someone, how are you supposed to be introduced? If you do, then any opportunity you have will be lost. Everyone knows how much shady stuff happens in those bidding processes; they're not stupid. They can discuss things privately. If we rush in before we've even figured out what kind of situation they're in, they'll think we're inconsiderate. Do you think they'll come out next time I invite them? You need to play the long game..."

Zhou You scratched his head and said, "Brother Qin really knows how to get things done!"

While Qin Yu was feeling quite pleased with the compliments, she noticed that Zhou You's gaze and expression were rather strange.

He then looked out the window and saw Yin Xiaoguan walking up to Zhang Chen and chatting.

"Hey... isn't that Secretary Yin...?" a woman's slightly surprised voice rang out.

The people in the room, who had just been chatting and laughing, immediately fell silent, and then a surprised and uncertain voice came out: "That high school student...!?"

Qin Yu, who had her feet on the chair, sat up straight. They were momentarily unsure why Yin Xiaoguan was talking to Zhang Chen.

Even after the delivery truck arrived, Yin Xiaoguan rolled up his sleeves and went straight to help Zhang Chen unload the equipment.

Feng Feng then shoved Qin Yu in a panic, "What are you doing! Get over there right now! You really want Yin Xiaoguan to clean up your mess after you delivered this goods?!"

Qin Yu quickly went to open the door.

"I, I'll go help Brother Qin!" The group immediately followed him out.

By the time Qin Yu and his group arrived at the door, Yin Xiaoguan and several other bosses had already finished moving things. Seeing Yin Xiaotian moving things, the other bosses on the walkway also joined in and quickly finished moving things, which made Qin Yu and his group a little late.

Qin Yu was still standing there with a shameless grin. Yin Xiaoguan didn't even look at them and went straight to Zhang Chen, saying, "Zhang Chen, you have a lot of influence. These uncles and elders are all big shots with assets of hundreds of millions. They personally helped you move your things!"

As the group laughed and said they were just lending a hand, Yin Xiaoguan introduced them again: "This is Zhang Zhonghua's son. Zhang Zhonghua is the chairman of Chenguang Display, a pilot enterprise for the reform of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission. Chenguang Display will soon form a three-way joint venture with Philips, LG, and Nanguang Company. We plan to build an advanced factory with an annual output of three million picture tubes and an annual output value of 25 billion yuan!"

One of the middle-aged men was startled and said, "Is it Zhang Zhonghua, the one who questioned the Korean company's test results?"

Yin Xiaoguan smiled and nodded.

The executives looked at each other immediately, and at this moment, someone was carefully examining Zhang Chen.

Mr. Liu, the general manager of the feed group, said, "Your father's story is quite something; it's all over the place. It's true that your father used to be just an engineer and wasn't valued by Nam Kwong Company, right? Who knew he possessed technology that even the Koreans bowed down to? That's really inspiring!"

Mr. Zhao, General Manager of GE Healthcare, gave a thumbs up: "I heard that at the testing conference, everyone said that our domestic technology was inferior, and the Koreans were especially disparaging. Who knew that your father would actually say that the Koreans' testing standards were wrong? He became a laughing stock! But the results showed that the Koreans' testing equipment was indeed faulty, and our own technology was even better than theirs! I work in the medical field, and our equipment has always been dependent on others. The road to domestic production is too difficult. I don't know when we will catch up with others. I never expected that your father could actually challenge LG Philips in the field of glass tubes!"

Mr. Zhao recounted the story as if it were a retelling of a story from a magazine.

All that was left for General Manager Liu to do was agree, "That's amazing!"

Zhang Chen saw Yin Xiaoguan smiling. The propaganda department had actually been involved in this matter as well. It wasn't exactly something they deliberately instructed; the story had simply been picked up by some astute veterans in the news industry, who then embellished it, much like the story of Moutai breaking open at the World Expo, filling the hall with its fragrance. Moreover, while the Moutai incident was unverifiable, Zhang Zhonghua's story was genuinely witnessed. The general facts were as described; at most, storytellers were crafting articles based on firsthand accounts, and with the official guidance and amplification of the propaganda, it had truly spread throughout Fuzhou.

Of course, the general public may not care about or know the names and identities of the people involved, but the story of "a suppressed engineer developing technology to defeat South Korea" is indeed quite eye-catching, and thus can be talked about and spread quickly.

Meanwhile, Qin Yu and his wife, along with several of his classmates, looked at Zhang Chen with suspicion and uncertainty. They had vaguely heard about this matter, but it was just like gossip and rumors on the street—something they listened to but didn't really care about, much like the US invasion of Iraq, something far removed from their world.

Qin Yu finally understood why he found it strange when Yin Xiaoguan greeted him at first. He thought he had caught the other person's eye, but in reality, he was nothing special. The other person was only doing it because of Zhang Chen, who was standing next to him!

Thinking about what she had done, Qin Yu felt a sharp, throbbing pain in her lower abdomen and intestines, as if she had kicked a steel plate and slammed her head against a south wall. Her blood rushed to her head, and she felt a buzzing sensation.

Unable to get a word in edgewise, Qin Yu and his group could only stand there with forced smiles. None of the people who were speaking looked at them directly, as if they were invisible. Yet, they didn't feel ashamed at all; this was the natural hierarchy that suppressed them.

“That’s all my dad’s business. I think luck played a part too. Also, it’s not like we’re completely ahead. We have a partnership with LG and Philips, but we only have an advantage in some technologies. Many patents are still held by the Koreans, so it’s a joint venture. There’s no situation where one side is overwhelming the other; at most, we’re evenly matched!” Zhang Chen said.

Little did he know that his words had already made several people look at him with new respect.

"That's already amazing! Think of all the R&D they invest each year, how many engineers are working on it, and how developed countries have the support of their systems. Your dad is basically taking on all that on his own, and having a certain advantage is already incredible! I believe that sooner or later, we will have a huge advantage!"

"I used to admire Zhang Zhonghua, but now I envy him. I think his son is really good. It's a pity my daughter is so much older than you, and you're already talking about marriage. If I had been born a few years later, I would have let you two meet!" Mr. Wang laughed heartily.

Yin Xiaoguan then said, "Gentlemen, Zhang Chen is attending a class reunion. The food I prepared is ready. Please move to the private room and take your seats!"

"Okay, I'll have a meal with Zhang Zhonghua sometime!"

"There's a chance, there's a chance."

"Secretary Yin, this isn't just a polite gesture; you really need to make the arrangements for us!"

"How could I dare? I'll call Mr. Zhang right now and ask him about the time..."

"Let's go, ask!..."

Zhang Chen said goodbye to Yin Xiaoguan and the others. Yin Xiaoguan and several bosses escorted them to their private room. Zhang Chen turned around, and Wang Shuowei came over to greet him, "Are you done? Shen Nuoyi is here. Let's go to the restaurant!"

"Here we are." Zhang Chen walked past Qin Yu and the others who had become invisible, and walked side by side with Wang Shuowei.

"Who are those people? What were you talking about?" "Those are Mayor Xi's secretary, they're hosting a reception with a few CEOs, they're talking about my father."

Wang Shuowei tilted his head to look at Zhang Chen, thought for a moment, and then nodded emphatically, "Your dad is indeed quite famous now."

"He's not even as good as Lao Wang."

"Not at all, not at all, we're in different trades, we're in different trades," Wang Shuowei replied with a hint of pride.

……

Zhang Chen returned to the restaurant in time, and Shen Nuoyi and Zheng Xue also arrived. Unlike her usual high ponytail at school, Shen Nuoyi's hair was hanging down smoothly with a hair clip. She was wearing a white T-shirt and loose casual jeans, which showed off her slim waist. Seeing the birthday girl's elegant yet beautiful appearance today, they were all secretly amazed.

The atmosphere at dinner was quite nice; it was a private Chinese meal, and during the meal, everyone talked about Zhang Chen.

"Today was incredible! Zhang Chen ran around everywhere, and he did most of the setup for your birthday celebration."

Everyone saw Zhang Chen busy running around, but they didn't know the reason and assumed that Zhang Chen had taken the initiative.

Hearing these people talking, Zheng Xue looked at Zhang Chen in disbelief, "Wow, it seems things are different now, even you've become more diligent!"

Many people looked at the two of them with envy and jealousy.

Shen Nuo, on the other hand, sensed something amiss and looked up to ask, "Are you alone?"

“It wasn’t just him. Tangxi, your second uncle went to his air-conditioned room to enjoy the air conditioning. Zhang Chen waited over there for the equipment truck for a long time. When the equipment finally arrived, he even helped carry it.” Wang Shuowei said directly to Qin Tangxi.

Qin Tangxi fell silent. Of course, she knew their attitude towards Zhang Chen from what her second uncle's family had said before.

Judging from Qin Tangxi's appearance, Shen Nuoyi could easily guess what was going on.

She glanced at Zhang Chen, who waved his hand at her, his eyes conveying a sense of "everything is under control".

She nodded, her eyelids drooping slightly.

As dinner progressed and the streetlights came on outside, everyone brought out the cake to cut. However, at Shen Nuoyi's insistence, everyone held back, except for Zheng Xue, who secretly smeared a streak of cake on Shen Nuoyi's face with her finger. Shen Nuoyi protested but kept dodging Zheng Xue's advances, a scene reminiscent of a chase in school where desks were used as barriers.

Whether it was because Shen Nuoyi naturally had an aura of charisma, or because no one wanted to go against her wishes, no one took advantage of her misfortune by smearing cake on her pretty face. On the contrary, Zheng Xue, who had been attacking with a cake in her hand, was caught off guard by someone next to her, and a large piece of cake was smashed into her face.

Zheng Xue was stunned by the slap, and then her face was wiped repeatedly.

"Aaaaah... Why don't you guys mess with Shen Nuo instead of me!" Zheng Xue's voice, breaking down in frustration, echoed wildly in the room.

Wang Shuowei gloated. Serves him right. Shen Nuoyi had already said he was unhappy. Shen Nuoyi, blushing and embarrassed, dodging Zheng Xue with her hands full of cake, probably stirred up someone's protective instincts, so he bravely attacked Zheng Xue.

On the contrary, the birthday celebrant, Shen Nuoyi, was spared.

However, the atmosphere suddenly became lively. Everyone chatted and laughed. Zheng Xue, who had washed her face and returned, recognized the person who had slapped her cake and reached out to grab and pull at them, playfully fighting.

As night falls outside, lights peek through the trees, occasionally casting dappled patterns. At this time of year, the stars are no longer visible in Fuzhou.

Zhang Chen and Shen Nuoyi arrived at the outer terrace, where a lively atmosphere filled the bright yellow restaurant behind them.

Shen Nuoyi handed over a small, well-packaged box. "Here you are, the album of the 'Battle Song' you sang for video games."

"Nightwish?" Zhang Chen realized.

Shen Nuo nodded slightly, her oval face flushed a rosy red like an apple due to the earlier heated atmosphere.

Zhang Chen didn't ask why she would receive a gift on her birthday. Shen Nuoyi was never one to follow the rules; she did this simply because she cared about Zhang Chen. If she wanted to buy something for him while shopping, she would.

"My gift." Zhang Chen casually pulled out a small box. It wasn't specially wrapped; he just opened it and took out a crystal pendant with a thin gold chain. It wasn't worth much—a thousand yuan was just a drop in the bucket for Zhang Chen right now. But Zhang Chen chose this pendant for Shen Nuoyi not because of its price or brand name; he simply went to a jewelry store and saw that the crystal pendant wrapped in gold with a thorn flower design was pretty.

Of course, there was also a personal reason. A necklace is something you wear close to your body. I gave it to her, and she wore it around her neck. It added a touch of romance and ambiguity.

As expected, upon seeing the chain Zhang Chen handed over, Shen Nuo reached out and took it.

She squeezed it slightly, then handed it to him, saying, "Then put it on me."

She wore a small jade pendant around her neck, a gift from her mother, believed to bring good luck and protection. Even so, she didn't usually wear it, nor did she particularly like wearing necklaces; she would only wear it occasionally. But at this moment, she gave the pendant to Zhang Chen.

Seeing her turn her back to him, the scent of shampoo and her pleasant body fragrance wafted into his nostrils. Watching her gather her hair and coil it in front of him, exposing the back of her neck to Zhang Chen, he suppressed a surge of desire. He threaded the chain through her neck, then, under the nightlight, carefully fastened the small clasp. Because he was clumsy, his fingers rubbed against the girl's neck several times. He heard Shen Nuoyi's soft voice: "Are you done yet... You're so clumsy..."

"Alright, alright." Zhang Chen didn't actually let his mind wander too much, after all, doing this delicate operation still made him break out in a sweat.

After Zhang Chen said it was okay, she let down her hair, turned around, and in the dim moonlight, she showed him her beautiful eyes with a hint of expectation, "Does it look good?"

Zhang Chen looked at the crystal pendant and her face, a perfect match, radiant and dazzling. He actually felt he was wrong. It wasn't just this crystal necklace; any necklace in the world would have been a perfect match for her expectant face, which shone only for him.

Zhang Chen's Adam's apple bobbed as he nodded. "Beautiful."

uh-huh.

The woman in front of him smiled, her eyes crinkling slightly.

Even though there were no stars in the sky above Rongcheng at that moment, her eyes were already filled with starlight.

(End of this chapter)