Good news
She wanted to know what this joyous occasion was that warranted congratulations from all her seniors, and even caught the attention of her advisor.
After waiting a while, they didn't continue, only Professor Xu said:
Come to school early tomorrow, I need to talk to you about something.
He gave her the good news but wouldn't tell her what it was about, which made her very curious.
She could only swallow her curiosity and endure the long night.
She got up early the next day, packed her books and breakfast for class, and ate as she walked towards the graduate teaching building.
It's already late autumn, and I have to put on a sweater when I get up in the morning, otherwise it can get quite chilly in the breeze.
She pulled her coat tighter and tidied her appearance before walking towards Professor Xu's office.
More than ten minutes earlier than the time Professor Xu had agreed upon, she sat on the corridor outside the office, eating bread and drinking milk, waiting for them to arrive.
After breakfast, the upperclassmen and women began to arrive one after another.
Everyone beamed and congratulated her repeatedly, but no one explained what their joy was about.
Wang Jing, the senior who always mentored her, leaned over and said mysteriously, "Professor Xu will talk to you personally when he arrives later."
The professor was the last to step into his office.
As soon as he entered, so many eyes stared at him, waiting for him to announce the good news.
He cleared his throat, his face expressionless, and said nothing more. “Everyone is here, so I’m officially announcing that everyone should congratulate your junior sister on publishing a paper in a top-tier journal right after enrolling.”
The senior students formed a circle around her, surrounding her completely. As the professor's voice fell, fireworks and cannons that everyone had prepared for her went off.
With a loud "boom," everyone's joy for her was unleashed.
Publishing articles in journals, especially those with impact factors, is something even graduating second- or third-year master's students might not be able to achieve.
But their junior sister published an article as soon as she entered the school. Others might not know, but they knew that their junior sister was a latecomer to the field, and they also knew the value of this article.
Senior Wang Jing took her hand affectionately and whispered in her ear, "Junior sister, with this article, you can graduate with peace of mind."
She looked at her senior with a puzzled expression, listening to her continue explaining.
"One of the graduation requirements for our major is to publish an article with an impact factor in a journal, and you can apply for graduation directly."
This rule was written in the graduate admissions handbook, but she hadn't read it carefully. Now, she's already met the graduation requirements after only enrolling, a first for their ethnic studies program—of course, they should celebrate!
Professor Xu waved his hand and took them to a fancy restaurant near the school for lunch.
Once this article is published, you can apply for a scholarship from the school. There's one from the college, one from the school, and there are also city and national level scholarships. You'll receive nearly a hundred thousand yuan in total.
The bonus of over 100,000 yuan does not include the journal's royalties. The journal's initial royalty is 10,000 yuan, and she will receive 100 yuan for each subsequent citation, all paid out at the end of each year.
Don't underestimate this small sum of one hundred yuan. Every year, tens of thousands of people across the country write their graduation theses, so it adds up to a decent income.
As Xu Changjia listened to her senior Wang Jing explain the value of first-class and second-class journals, she barely touched the rice in front of her.
This is the first time she has earned so much money on her own. She also receives a share of the royalties every year, which is just like the dividends she receives from her father's company at the end of each year.
She silently made a mental note of it, and after finishing her classes that evening, she went home and told Zheng Ruoqian and Ou Liyao the good news. She originally wanted to tell Zhang Yuning as well, but then she gave up because of the time difference.
Zheng Ruoqian made a video call as soon as he received the message.
The two young lovers, who were in a long-distance relationship, were either in class or busy with work. They usually kept in touch via WeChat, and even video calls were only possible every two or three days.
Even though they had been talking for two or three months, she was still a little flustered when she answered the video call, and a blush crept up her ears.
He had just finished recording a variety show in H country, and when he got his phone back, he saw the message she sent. He immediately found a secluded spot and video-called her to say hello.
Following up on the good news she shared this morning, and continuing to inquire about the money-making methods she had just mentioned, I received responses to all her sharing.
Hearing a knock at the door, he had to get back to work, but he asked her again, "Did you find someone to come with you to the Christmas performance?"
She lowered her head shyly, refusing to meet his affectionate gaze. "I found her. It's Jiang Shuyun, the girl we had dinner together last time."
"Okay, if you don't want to make our relationship public to her, then we won't. Just like last time, I'll treat you to dinner."
"but......"
Hearing that he stopped speaking, Xu Changjia leaned closer and pressed on, "But what?"
"Next time we meet, could you call me something different? Try calling me 'Ruoqian' or 'boyfriend,' and I'll tell you."
The knocking outside grew louder, but Xu Changjia didn't respond for a long time. He chuckled softly, "Alright, Jiajia, I have to go back to work now. Go to bed early after you finish your book. Goodnight in advance, love you."
Even so, he still made Xu Changjia hang up the phone first, and only opened the door outside after she hung up.
Time was short, and the team leader was urging him to finish his next engagement; if he didn't leave soon, it would be too late.
Chu Tai's expression was not good. "Although the company does not prohibit dating, you still need to be careful not to let it affect your work."
The idea he had been pondering for a long time was about to come out at this moment: "Captain, I want to go back to China. Whether it's my future or my present, I want to develop my career in China."
Chu Tai didn't respond to him, but reached out and pulled him over. No matter what, he hadn't returned to China yet, and the work that needed to be done still had to be completed.
Xu Changjia looked at the chat interface, which showed a call duration of 6:24, and his face was full of smiles.
He opened his mouth slightly and tried to practice his name: Ruoqian, Ruoqian, Ruoqian.
Her voice was very soft, but she felt he would hear it, and his little wish was worth fulfilling.
Ou Liyao responded to her, inviting her out for dinner on a Friday when she didn't have classes. She has been working in the entertainment industry for almost two years now, and although she is not very famous, she has still accumulated a group of fans.
Aside from the talent show that made her famous at the time, the two or three dramas she was subsequently involved in were not very successful. This time, "The Imperial Concubine" is a good resource that her management team has secured for her.
Now that she has ample funds, even a supporting actress like her doesn't have to stay on set every day and can have half a day off to catch her breath.
Xu Changjia didn't reply immediately. Thinking about what Sister Mei had said last time, he quickly typed a line on his phone:
Can I bring someone with me?
Without a doubt, her best friend agreed.
Okay, then I'll dress a little better so I don't embarrass you.
She replied with a "you are the most beautiful" emoji and ended the conversation.
Then I rehearsed it in my mind several times before finally dialing the number.
Upon hearing her purpose, Sister Mei was slightly taken aback. After explaining that she wanted to invite her to dinner, she waved her hand, paused the ongoing agent meeting, and showed a warm smile that she had never shown to her subordinates before. "Sure, send me the time and place via WeChat, and I will be there on time."
After a few words, the matter was resolved and the meeting resumed, but the agents were getting restless.
You should know that she is a top agent in the entertainment industry. Many first- and second-tier celebrities have to wait in line to invite her to dinner, and even then, they might not be able to get an appointment. If you want any high-end resources in the industry, as long as you have the connections to ask Sister Mei, there is no resource she can't get if she is willing to help you.
When did I become so gentle and soft-spoken to others, like a warm spring breeze?
She casually tossed her phone onto the table, reverting to her usual serious demeanor. "Going on, what you were saying about cultivating intellectually-minded artists is a great idea."
Sure enough, they misjudged her; Sister Mei is still the same Sister Mei.
On Friday, at a well-known four-star hotel on the South Shore
Xu Changjia arrived a few minutes early as agreed, carrying two gift bags. She had specifically consulted with the assistant that General Manager Yao had assigned to her to prepare these two gifts.
She's already an adult, and she should still fulfill her social obligations.
When Ou Liyao came in wearing a hat, sunglasses, and a mask, she almost didn't recognize her as her good friend of so many years; the look of surprise on her face was genuine.
Once she had shed all her pretense, Xu Changjia approached her with the gift, saying, "Look, big star, I almost didn't recognize you."
She was suddenly grabbed around the neck, and the voice sounded a little proud, "How about that? My skills are pretty good, right? You almost didn't recognize me after dressing up like this, so your fans definitely won't recognize me either."
Then, Ou Liyao turned her attention to the paper bag on the table, took it out and looked at it, "Jiajia, did you pick out this dress?"
Although she didn't say anything, the calmness on her face was enough to confirm that she was the one who made the choice.
Her agent had tried to get the clothes from this high-end luxury brand for her several times, but was rejected each time. Moreover, the brand had made it clear that they would not give them the endorsement. The clothes that were in the flagship store in Switzerland suddenly appeared in her hands.
She looked at her clothes, then at her best friend standing in front of her.
Don't ask, the answer is this: what's it like when your best friend suddenly becomes a rich woman and occasionally takes care of you?
Xu Changjia felt a little uncomfortable being stared at, so he pulled her to sit down. "Okay, let's talk about it after we finish eating. The person we're waiting for will be here soon."
Amidst the laughter and conversation, a melodious voice could be heard from outside the private room, undoubtedly from a waiter: "Madam, this is the Hua Ya Ji private room. I'll knock on the door for you."
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