My IQ has been increasing year by year.

Chapter 196 Special Settlement Fund

As Chen Zhuo walked back to his dormitory, he could clearly feel the hard bank card in his inner pocket through the thin fabric of his right hand.

There are two million inside.

Not long ago, he was in the mathematics department's office, standing with Professor Li Jianming in front of the blackboard covered in cursive writing, touching the bottomless abyss of the Hodge conjecture, a millennium problem in mathematics.

Now, he was walking on a paved road full of life, and two freshmen were arguing about whether the steamed buns in the cafeteria were filled with meat.

There was a sudden sense of disconnect, which Chen Zhuo found somewhat strange.

He went upstairs, but instead of returning to room 215, he pushed open the door to room 216.

As soon as you push it open, a mixture of instant noodle smell and hot air from the computer case cooling fan hits you in the face.

The dormitory lights were off, only the monitor on Chu Ge's desk shone with a blinding light.

Chu Ge was wearing headphones, his brows furrowed, his hands clapping loudly on the keyboard, lines of code scrolling rapidly across the screen, and a half-empty bottle of iced tea beside him.

Lu Jia isn't here; he's probably off to some study room to work on his mathematical models.

Chen Zhuo walked over, his footsteps very light.

He stood behind Chu Ge and looked at the underlying architecture on the screen for a while without making a sound to disturb him.

After Chu Ge finished typing a paragraph, pressed the enter key, and picked up his iced tea to drink, Chen Zhuo raised his hand and gently patted the back of his chair.

Chu Ge took off half of his earphone and turned to look at it.

"What's wrong, Brother Zhuo? Why aren't you in your room this late at night? Why are you checking up on us?"

"I need to borrow something."

Chen Zhuo smiled gently.

"Borrow what? Borrow money? A thousand or eight hundred, I'll give it to you right now if you want."

Chu Ge turned around.

"Let me make a long-distance call using my mobile phone."

Chu Ge paused for a moment, then casually picked up something from the messy computer desk, and without even looking at it, threw it directly at Chen Zhuo.

Chen Zhuo reached out and caught it.

It's a Nokia candybar phone.

The deep blue casing feels heavy in the hand, carrying a sense of solidity and industrial sophistication characteristic of this era.

"Call as many as you want. I just topped up my phone with 100 yuan. Just don't call me until my number gets disconnected."

Chu Ge waved his hand, put his headphones back on, and returned his gaze to his code.

Chen Zhuo nodded.

Thanks.

He left room 216 with his phone in hand, closing the door behind him.

Chen Zhuo did not make a phone call in the dormitory corridor.

He took his phone and went downstairs, following the glow of the streetlights, until he reached the playground.

There weren't many people on the playground.

Only a few boys were playing half-court basketball under the dim lights in the distance, the dull thud of the basketball hitting the court, accompanied by occasional shouts, drifting over on the autumn breeze.

Chen Zhuo walked to the highest point of the stands.

It's very quiet here, and the wind has picked up a bit.

He found a relatively clean step, dusted it off, and sat down.

The concrete ground in late autumn exudes a chill.

Chen Zhuo lowered his head and pressed the Nokia's unlock button.

The screen lit up with a vintage-style yellow-green backlight that was somewhat glaring in the dark.

He dialed a number he knew by heart, relying on his memory, and then pressed the dial button.

Hold the phone to your ear.

A regular beeping sound came from the receiver.

In that instant, many things flashed through Chen Zhuo's mind.

The top-secret agreement, the alchemist's concessions, and the forty million grids all ultimately boiled down to the bank card in the inner pocket.

The phone was answered after five rings.

"Feed?"

The receiver carried the voice of his mother, Liu Xiuying, with the background noise mixed with the sound of a period drama playing on the television, and the faint sound effects of clashing swords.

"Mom, it's me."

Chen Zhuo's voice was soft, with his usual gentle tone.

"Xiao Zhuo?"

Liu Xiuying's voice immediately rose a few decibels, and the sound of the television in the background instantly became quieter, probably because it had been muted.

"Why are you calling so late at night? Whose phone are you using? This number doesn't look familiar."

"It's my roommate's; I'm going downstairs to borrow his to make a long-distance call."

Chen Zhuo said with a smile.

"Oh dear, borrowing a classmate's phone to make a long-distance call, that must cost several cents per minute! What's so urgent that you can't write a letter or call a public phone during the day? You kid, get to the point and don't waste their money."

Liu Xiuying's instinct to be frugal immediately kicked in.

Chen Zhuo sat in the cold stands, listening to his mother's nagging. Instead of feeling annoyed, the smile on his lips deepened.

Instead of getting straight to the point, he followed up with a question.

"It's nothing urgent, I just wanted to ask how you and Dad are doing lately, and whether everything is alright at home?"

As soon as her son asked about the family, Liu Xiuying's attention was immediately diverted.

"It's fine, except your dad's old bicycle. The chain broke again when he got home from get off work today. He took it to Old Li's repair stall at the street corner, and they wanted five yuan to replace the chain! Your dad argued with Old Li for a long time, but in the end he still paid. Five yuan! That's enough to buy half a pound of meat."

Liu Xiuying sighed on the other end of the phone and began her usual grumbling.

"And the pork ribs at the market, they went up two cents again today. That butcher Wang, his knife skills are getting more and more cunning, what kind of bones are he cutting..."

'

Chen Zhuo listened quietly.

The autumn wind blew through his hair.

He did not interrupt.

This is the logic of life for the older generation: they carefully calculate every penny increase and find balance in the daily ups and downs.

Chen Zhuo listened very attentively.

After Liu Xiuying finished nagging about the ribs and the bicycle, she caught her breath.

Chen Zhuo changed his posture and sat up a little straighter.

"Mom, I need to tell you something."

Chen Zhuo's tone became less casual and more serious.

Liu Xiuying keenly noticed the change in tone.

"What's wrong? Did you get upset at school? Or are you short of money?"

"Neither."

Chen Zhuo smiled.

"Didn't I send some money home as payment for my services last time?"

"That's right, your dad has a fixed-term deposit account, he hasn't touched a penny, we're saving it all for you."

Liu Xiuying spoke very frankly.

Chen Zhu went through the logical loop he had prepared long ago in his mind.

"The last one was just the initial stage; now that national key project has been completely completed."

Chen Zhuo's voice sounded very steady in the autumn night wind.

"My algorithm has made a great contribution to the country and solved a major problem. The higher authorities have specially approved a special settlement fund for young scholars just for this."

"A housing fund?"

Liu Xiuying, on the other end of the phone, was taken aback. This word was somewhat unfamiliar and sophisticated to a female textile worker.

"Yes, the settlement fund, there's 500,000."

Chen Zhuo softly uttered the numbers.

There was an instant, deathly silence on the other end of the phone.

Chen Zhuo could even hear Liu Xiuying's breathing suddenly become heavy.

A full five seconds passed.

"Clang!"

A muffled thud came from the receiver, like something Liu Xiuying was holding had fallen to the ground.

Immediately following was Liu Xiuying's trembling scream, her voice even distorted with extreme shock.

"Jianguo! Chen Jianguo! Stop watching that crappy TV! Come here right now!"

A series of chaotic footsteps sounded on the other end of the phone, mixed with Chen Jianguo's somewhat bewildered question.

Chen Zhuo waited patiently.

After a rustling sound, Liu Xiuying picked up the phone again, her voice low and filled with barely concealed panic.

"Xiao Zhuo...are you alright? Don't joke with me, what kind of lab can make 500,000? Did you break some valuable government equipment and have to pay for it, or...are you dealing in something?"

In the minds of an ordinary working-class family, it is impossible for a thirteen-year-old child, even a prodigy, to earn 500,000 yuan out of thin air.

This is beyond their comprehension.

Chen Zhuo had anticipated this reaction.

"Mom, no, this is a mandatory reward from a national-level project. Every penny is clean, legal, and legitimate. It was personally approved by the vice president in charge of my department."

Chen Zhuo's tone was gentle yet firm, carrying a power that made people unconsciously believe in him.

On the other end of the phone, Chen Jianguo obviously heard it too, and the two seemed to be whispering to each other.

A moment later, Liu Xiuying's voice came through again. This time, the panic had disappeared, replaced by an extreme excitement and a resolute determination to prepare for the worst.

"Okay, okay, as long as it's clean, Xiao Zhuo, listen to your mother. Don't touch this money or make a fuss about it! Tomorrow morning, go to the bank and transfer all the money back to our old account in our hometown. Your father and I will go and set up a fixed deposit account with the highest interest rate tomorrow!"

Five hundred thousand! Now you can buy a big house in the provincial capital, and you'll have all the money to get married!

Liu Xiuying's plan was very shrewd, and it also represented the most basic thoughts of the vast majority of Chinese parents.

When faced with a large sum of money, the first reaction is always to save it and leave it for the children.

Chen Zhuo sat on the steps, a deep smile flashing in his eyes.

He knew that the real struggle was only just beginning.

"I can't save it, Mom."

Chen Zhuo casually tossed out the first rope.

"Why can't we save it? Once the money's in our hands, how we save it is entirely up to us!"

Liu Xiuying's voice suddenly became urgent.

Chen Zhuo's smile faded, and his tone became somewhat serious, even carrying a hint of businesslike seriousness.

"Because this is a special fund."

Chen Zhuo threw out his first professional term.

"Mom, there are clear regulations regarding this money. It's called the 'Settlement Fund,' and it must be used to improve the living conditions of researchers. Once this money is transferred from the account, it must be converted into fixed assets within a specified period."

There was silence on the other end of the phone.

Chen Zhuo didn't give them time to think, and immediately delivered the gentlest yet most fatal blow.

"The school originally required that this money be used to buy a house in Huizhou."

Chen Zhuo paused slightly, letting the night wind make his voice sound even colder.

"But Mom, you've forgotten, I'm only thirteen years old this year."

"I am still a minor."

"Legally, I do not have full civil capacity, and I cannot independently own such a large property. So I went to the hospital leaders and pleaded with them until they finally gave me special permission to go through this."

Liu Xiuying quickly pressed for more information.

"What road?"

"Targeted transfer".

Chen Zhuo uttered these four words.

"With special approval from the leadership, this money is being transferred to my legal guardians, namely the two of you, to directly improve our living conditions in our hometown of Zeyang."

Liu Xiuying breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's still our family's money. Why not save it instead of buying a house?"

"Absolutely not."

Chen Zhuo interrupted her decisively.

Begin applying pressure.

"The finance department has given a strict order: this 500,000 must be spent within three months and converted into real estate in our hometown, and..."

Chen Zhuo emphasized his words, speaking slowly and deliberately.

"The property certificate must include both of your names as proof of nominee ownership."

"At the end of the year, the higher authorities will come down to audit this special fund, and I have to hand in copies of the property certificates with your names on them."

Chen Zhuo's words were perfectly crafted, leaving no loopholes.

He perfectly exploited his status as a minor, disguising his parents' enjoyment as if he were holding the shares on their behalf for his son.

Liu Xiuying on the other end of the phone was completely bewildered by these rules and regulations.

"Then... what if we don't buy it?"

Liu Xiuying was still reluctant to part with the 500,000 yuan in cash and tried to make a final stand.

This is exactly what Chen Zhuo was waiting for.

He sighed, his tone revealing a deep sense of helplessness and solemnity.

"If you don't buy it, and don't turn it into a house..."

2

"Not only will this money be returned intact, but the Dean Fang who mentored me will also be punished for approving this transfer to my hometown in violation of regulations. Once the higher authorities investigate, he will immediately be disciplined."

Chen Zhuo lowered his voice, as if he were talking about an extremely serious political event.

"That's not all."

"The higher-ups will think I have ideological problems and don't cooperate with the organization's overall arrangements, which will be recorded directly in my personal file. Mom, this will directly affect my future studies, even my future professional title evaluations and obtaining important projects. It'll all be over."

These words were like heavy hammer blows, striking Liu Xiuying and Chen Jianguo hard in the heart.

Chinese parents might be willing to live a life of hardship themselves, but there are two bottom lines that absolutely cannot be crossed.

First, one must not implicate the person who promoted one's child.

Secondly, it is absolutely essential to ensure that the child's future and prospects are not negatively impacted.

The silence on the other end of the phone lasted less than two seconds.

Liu Xiuying's defenses crumbled instantly.

The textile worker who had been nagging for ages about the two-cent price increase for pork ribs suddenly displayed unprecedented decisiveness.

"purchase!!"

Liu Xiuying's voice boomed through the receiver, carrying a do-or-die spirit.

"Refunding the money is a small matter, but disciplining your leader and affecting your future is absolutely unacceptable! Not a single penny of this money can be refunded!"

Chen Zhuo sat in the cold wind, and finally a noticeable smile appeared on his lips.

He knew it had worked.

"A house in the city center, right?"

Liu Xiuying asked Chen Jianguo, who was standing next to her, urgently, and then shouted into the phone.

"Don't worry, Xiaozhuo! Your dad will ask for leave from the factory first thing tomorrow morning! We'll go to the city center to look at apartments tomorrow! The most expensive ones! The kind with big central heating!"

"Yes, don't worry about the money."

Chen Zhuo added gently.

"If the money isn't spent, the accounts won't balance, and Dean Fang won't be able to explain it to his superiors."

"Mom understands! Mom understands everything!"

Liu Xiuying readily agreed.

"I absolutely won't cause any trouble for your leaders, and I absolutely can't ruin my son's future! I'll fight tooth and nail for you tomorrow if I have to!"

What they bought was no longer just a house, but their son's bright future.

This perfect shift in psychological burden made the elderly couple feel not only no guilt, but also a sense of honor that they were fulfilling a political mission for their son.

Chen Zhuo switched hands to hold the phone.

"Mom, there's something else."

"you say."

Liu Xiuying now listens to her son's every word.

"We bought a large apartment in the city center, and when we're ready to move, our factory workers and relatives in the neighborhood will definitely ask questions."

Chen Zhuo anticipated his parents' unease and burden when facing social relationships.

When a family that has been poor their whole lives suddenly becomes rich, rumors and gossip can be deadly.

"Yes, your dad was just whispering about that too."

Liu Xiuying was somewhat worried.

"How do you explain this? If you say it was earned by a student, people will definitely be envious and might come to your door every day to borrow money."

Chen Zhuo gazed at the deep night sky in the distance.

"You don't need to hide anything, just stand up straight."

Chen Zhuo provided them with a perfect shield of social skills.

"If anyone asks, just say frankly that these are housing quotas for family members of researchers specially allocated by the state and the university. They are houses directly allocated from above."

"The more confident you are, the less they dare to gossip. If anyone presses for details, just say this:"

"A state secrecy agreement has been signed, so I cannot say more."

On the other end of the phone, Chen Jianguo had obviously heard these words and coughed repeatedly with excitement.

"A confidentiality agreement? Great! That's a good idea!"

Liu Xiuying felt a great weight lifted off her shoulders.

"Your dad loves watching spy movies, so he'll definitely like using those words. Let's see if those factory directors will dare to yell at your dad again."

All worries and psychological barriers have been swept away.

"Alright, Mom, it's getting late."

Chen Zhuo glanced at the sky.

"Go see the apartments tomorrow. If you like any of them, don't hesitate, just pay the deposit."

Chen Zhuo explained the final operational details.

"I happen to have no classes tomorrow morning. I will take my ID card to the bank counter in Huizhou and use the VIP channel to directly transfer this large sum of 500,000 yuan to my dad's ICBC savings account. You can use the savings account to pay the full amount this afternoon."

"Okay! Okay! Make sure you eat well at school, and don't overwork yourself!"

The phone call ended amidst a burst of extremely enthusiastic and energetic exhortations.

Nokia's yellow-green backlight flickered twice and then went dark, restoring the chilly autumn night atmosphere to the entire playground.

Chen Zhuo sat on the steps, the night wind blowing his clothes.

He didn't stand up, but just stared quietly at the black screen of his phone.

He felt no guilt for deceiving his parents, nor did he feel smug for successfully manipulating human nature.

He simply let out a long sigh of relief, a profound sense of liberation.

With a flawless little lie, he completely erased all the hardships his parents endured in his previous life—the painstaking calculations for a few cents' worth of vegetables, the exhaustion they suffered from working themselves to the bone for his education—on this autumn night.

They will rightfully enjoy their well-deserved retirement in a large, heated house in the city center.

"Professor Fang, I'm so sorry."

Chen Zhuo lowered his head and chuckled softly, talking to himself.

"I used your name to scare my mom."

He sat there, holding the borrowed Nokia phone in his hand the whole time.

The deep blue shell, made of a mix of plastic and metal, feels heavy and solid in the hand.

Chen Zhuo tossed his phone into the air and caught it steadily.

His gaze gradually shifted from its previous gentle and sentimental quality to a calm and indifferent one.

He looked at his phone, and a question suddenly flashed through his mind.

He still had 1.5 million yuan in cash left in the card in his pocket.

He couldn't possibly run back to dormitory 216 every time he had something important to do, just to take advantage of Chu Ge.

Chen Zhuo stood up and patted the dust off his pants.

He clutched his Nokia phone in his hand and walked down the steps from the stands.

My thoughts quickly became clear in my mind.

Tomorrow morning, I'll go to the ICBC headquarters in the city center, use the VIP channel to transfer the 500,000 yuan to my dad.

I'll go buy a new phone while I'm at it.