Rebirth 08: Equipment God

Chapter 168 New Stronghold "Shenzhou Mansion"

Leaving the principal's office, I can say that this trip was very fruitful.

Yu Jinghui then took them to a new canteen, which specializes in barbecue and stone pot rice.

The table was laden with simple yet tempting dishes. Yu Jinghui said with a smile, "Xiao Zhai, Xiao Lu, with the principal's approval, your training plan is now fully implemented, and I can say that I have fulfilled my mission."

He said this with a touch of emotion, "From now on, you'll be living your normal school life, and it'll soon be my time to leave the stage."

As the director of admissions, once students are enrolled, they have nothing to do with him anymore. He neither attends classes nor manages teaching. He spends the entire semester either summarizing admissions or preparing for admissions.

Zhai Da had a pretty good impression of Yu Jinghui. He had a battle of wits with Liu Tiejun at the entrance of Sanmao Community, visited Utopia many times, and even had a little secret between the two about "Lu Benqing".

By the way, it's clear that Yu Jinghui couldn't have arranged things for that beast so well on his own. But when we were in the principal's office earlier, Principal Wang Chunguo didn't mention a word about it, acting like an "ordinary" principal who only cared about teaching.

But Zhai Da wouldn't underestimate the other party because of this. For many ordinary people, their university president might be the most awesome person they've ever met in their lives, let alone a special school like Harbin Institute of Technology.

The entire Northeast region—no, the whole country—is full of very influential people. If you believe them and just "study hard," you're being incredibly naive.

(Tip: So when you're a student and have a legitimate reason to bother the principal, you can be a little shameless.)

Well, getting back to the main point, Principal Wang Chunguo didn't mention that matter at all, and Zhai Da guessed that the subtext was: this matter only goes as far as Yu Jinghui's level.

It's reasonable and safe.

Yu Jinghui handed Zhai Da a piece of grilled meat tendon:

“Xiao Zhai, I’ve spent so many days in Dongyang and I know very well that you’re no ordinary kid. Whether it’s running Utopia or writing books that sell well, your achievements have already surpassed most people in society, not to mention university students. Compared to you, they are too naive.”

"But we should still enjoy university life and not isolate ourselves too much. University clubs, friendships, laughter and playfulness, and some seemingly meaningless things are also part of university life. This is my only advice."

Then he looked at Lu Wei:
"As for Xiao Lu, you... you should listen to Zhai Da more."

Let's keep this simple. As long as the person doesn't get lost, that's fine.

Lu Wei, who was eating rice in small bites, looked over and nodded blankly.

“I have always been very obedient.”

Yu Jinghui laughed heartily. Having spent so much time with these two top scorers, he no longer considered them ordinary students, especially Zhai Da, whom he considered a close friend despite their age difference.

"I'm not as capable as the principal, but if you encounter any trouble, feel free to contact me."

If President Wang is a powerful figure with influence nationwide, then this person, as the director of the admissions office of Harbin Institute of Technology, must at least be considered a "small fry" in Harbin, with extensive connections.

Zhai Da gave a thumbs up: "That's awesome!"

Yu Jinghui's smile froze instantly.

------

Exiting the main gate of Harbin Institute of Technology, you will find yourself on Xida Street, one of the main thoroughfares in Harbin. The buildings opposite Xida Street are Zhai Da's new base.

"Shenzhou Residence".

It's less than 100 meters away from Harbin Institute of Technology, and it's the tallest and newest residential building in the vicinity. Zhai Da took a liking to it a couple of days ago.

It's called a residential community, but it's actually just three or four high-rise buildings along the street forming a circle. The outer edge is lined with commercial facilities, mainly targeting students because it's ridiculously close to Harbin Institute of Technology.

There are restaurants, supermarkets, barbershops, KFC, and a shopping mall that mainly sells electronic products.

The house that Zhai Da rented was the first building on the left after entering through a side passage.

Apartment 1501, 15th floor, Building A, facing south on both sides, with the balcony window directly facing Harbin Institute of Technology, offering a panoramic view of the campus.

Living here is considered top-tier for students of Harbin Institute of Technology, especially considering it's in the city center; it's even one of the best properties in Harbin.

At least in 08.

The only downside is that the apartment is only 123 square meters, including the common area. It's advertised as having three bedrooms, two living rooms, and one bathroom, but the third bedroom is actually quite small. Zhai Da plans to convert it into a study after Xiaoli leaves.

It's a bit bigger than my home in Sanmao Community, but still not much bigger.

Considering its irreplaceable location, brand new renovations that the landlord had never lived in, and the scarcity of new units in the development with no end in sight, Zhai Da ultimately secured the property for 1800 yuan per month and signed a four-year contract.

Harbin is undoubtedly a big city compared to Dongyang County, but it is a second-tier city in the country and a lower-middle-tier city in the second-tier cities. If it is an old apartment of 60 or 70 square meters, it could probably be bought for less than 1,000 yuan in Harbin in 2008.

After several rounds of shopping, the new home is starting to take shape, with all the necessary items provided, including a complete set of pots, pans, ladles, and seasonings in the kitchen.

Yu Xiaoli will be leaving in a few days, but Lu Wei is capable of cooking a meal on her own.

In front of a television set larger than the one in Sanmao Community, Yu Xiaoli sat on an unfamiliar sofa, much more upright than when she was at home, probably because she was still unfamiliar with it.

The TV was showing a summary of the Beijing Olympics. The grand event, which had been in preparation for nearly 10 years since the successful bid, finally came to a close a few days ago. However, my family hadn't settled down yet when the closing ceremony was held, so we didn't see anything.

Lu Wei sat at the dining table in the back, writing and drawing, her paper covered with mathematical symbols, while Zhai Da held his phone, replying to QQ messages.

In a group chat called "Utopia," a dozen or so friends have already embarked on their respective academic journeys, setting off one after the other.

Chu Xiang: "I've already arrived in Shanghai, and I feel a bit xenophobic here. I hope it's better at school."

Xiang You: "It's alright here at Fudan University, but things in Shanghai are really expensive. Today I strolled around the back gate and peeked into a real estate agency. There's this upscale Jiangwan Hanlin residential complex, and it's over 30,000 yuan per square meter. That's enough to buy half an old apartment in Dongyang. Is this a place for people to live?"

Ao Wen: "What's the Fudan University campus like?" Xiang You: "It's more retro than I imagined, but the scenery is pretty good."

Li Haili: "I haven't arrived yet, but I've joined the school's freshman group and found out a lot of information."

Li Dongdong: "Guess what? When I was on the plane today, a beautiful woman next to me was reading 'The Long Road to Lu'."

Chu Xiang: "And then?"

"I've added them on QQ."

"6!"

That's awesome!

"It captures some of the essence of Captain Happy."

With the unyielding courage gained from their utopian dreams, everyone is optimistic and hopeful. The big city has not made these young people from small towns feel timid or insecure, and their occasional complaints are all positive and uplifting.

Because they have witnessed miracles and participated in miracles, this kind of confidence is something that is hard for most people their age to have.

In fact, this QQ group has a very strong sense of cohesion and its popularity has always been incredibly high, comparable to Los Angeles in 2025.

No matter how far people go, they will probably never forget this summer.

Zhai Da would occasionally pop up to reply, mainly to keep an eye on these guys and prevent them from squandering their money.

After thinking for a moment, Zhai Da tagged Fan Junwei: "Whenever you have time, please take a look at No. 99 Luochuan Road, so that it doesn't fall into disrepair and no one knows about it."

The lease still has several years left. Although I don't know if it will be used, it would be troublesome if there were any leaks or something and no one knew.

Fan Junwei immediately replied, "Okay, I often run past there."

As soon as the key figure spoke, many people who had been lying low immediately came out and asked about Zhai Da's situation.

Lin Shuyao: "Zhai Da, have you arrived in Harbin? Is it cold there?"

Ao Wen: "Captain, I've finally finished reading your book. Tell me quickly, like what's said online, is there a second ending?"

Chu Xiang: "@Shu Yao, Harbin also has summer, how can it be cold?"

Lin Shuyao: "You are~? I think I forgot to add your name in the notes?"

Chu Xiang: “(ó﹏ò。)”

Zhai Da felt confused and continued to tag Fan Junwei alone.

"How's your boxing practice going?"

Thanks to the share of the profits from Utopia, Fan Junwei's family has completely escaped poverty. Fan Junwei plans to buy a small house in Dongyang County for his grandmother to live in, and is currently looking for one.

After consulting with Zhai Da, Fan Junwei decided to continue practicing boxing for the time being, since the coach was paying him out of pocket anyway. It wouldn't hurt to lose weight and earn money.

There is a match in October.

"Awesome, crush them! By the way, you know old man Xu Xuejun too, keep an eye on him for me, he's getting old and might have a stroke and no one would know."

“Grandpa Xu is doing well. I saw him dancing in the square yesterday. He was dancing with a different old lady, and he seemed even happier than before.”

"That's good"

Just as Zhai Da was about to reply to the first few messages, his phone suddenly rang. The contact name was "Editor-in-Chief Lou En".

After answering the call, Zhai Da walked towards the balcony. The most comfortable thing here was that there was a spacious balcony. Although the windows did not reach the floor, they were still very large, and the campus outside could be seen clearly.

If you have good eyesight, you can clearly see the players dribbling on the basketball court. If you have binoculars, you can also see those dribbling on the track.

Harbin Institute of Technology has not yet started the new semester, but there are still many students who have returned to school early, those who did not leave during the summer vacation, and those who are working hard in the lab. The campus has not stopped.

"Xiao Zhai, are you already in Harbin?" Lou En's tone carried a hint of amusement, suggesting it must be some good news.

"I've been here for two days and just settled into a rented place."

"That's good. Living alone is better; it provides a better writing space than a dormitory."

Zhai Da smiled wryly and said, "I knew you were here to urge me to finish the manuscript."

On the other end of the phone, Lou En, who was working overtime in the office, laughed heartily. There was no distance between them because Zhai Da had gone to university. This industry relies entirely on phone communication, and they only meet occasionally, such as at book signings.

Some writers and editors have worked together for years without ever meeting or visiting the publishing house.

Whether Zhai Da is in Dongyang or Harbin makes no difference to Phoenix Media.

But whether or not Zhai Da had a suitable writing environment made a big difference to them.

"I'm here to report some good news. I just learned it before I left work. According to the latest statistics, the sales of 'The Long Road of Lü' have officially exceeded 88 copies."

Zhai Da asked in confusion, "Is 88 copies some kind of special number?"

Does the publishing industry still like to seek auspicious omens?
"No, I just wanted to find an excuse to ask when you're going to start writing your new book."

Zhai Da:
Isn't this just you trying to get me to finish the manuscript?
　Tonight's midnight watch is to make up for yesterday's missed time.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)