decision
After returning home, Jiang Zhizhi and her group stayed in Jinghai for seven days. It wasn't that she didn't want to go back, but her schedule was packed. First, they attended a celebration banquet and were scheduled for a press interview. Xu Honghan explained that this was normal procedure. Ever since China participated in the Olympiad, the first-place team has received special coverage.
Jiang Zhizhi didn't take these things seriously. After participating in these activities with her teammates, she thought everything had ended smoothly and she could return to Nanshi, but suddenly she received a special call.
The person on the other end of the line was a special interview program crew from Jinghai TV Station that specializes in celebrity dialogues. Jiang Zhizhi was a little surprised to hear the identity of the person, but when the other party mentioned another name, she understood.
"This program's exclusive interview subjects are you and Yan Xue. I heard that you two were elementary school classmates and haven't seen each other for a long time. Yan Xue is also looking forward to meeting you this time..."
She had heard Li Rongrong say before that Yan Xue had been building up her image as a top student on the Internet. This celebrity interview should have been exclusive to Yan Xue, but the news that she had won the first place in the International Olympiad came out. Yan Xue felt that having her participate in this interview would be more conducive to establishing her identity as a top student, so she asked the program team to invite her.
In elementary school, she and Yan Xue hadn't interacted much; she was always the one sitting in the audience applauding her. She admired Yan Xue's outgoing personality and excellence, but if she really had to participate in the meeting, she wouldn't know what to say.
After thinking about it, she rejected the person on the other end of the phone.
In the evening, Jiang Zhizhi received another unfamiliar call. The sweet female voice made her stunned for a while before she realized that it was Yan Xue calling her personally.
"What's wrong? Haven't you recognized your old classmate's voice for a few years? I'm Yan Xue. We used to sit in the front and back rows and often played games together after class. You won't forget me, right?"
Jiang Zhizhi knew why she called, but thinking of Yan Xue's past close relationship with Li Rongrong, who must be eager to reconnect with her, she smiled and said, "How could I forget you? You're the kind of person you'd never forget after meeting once, not to mention we were classmates for several years."
Yan Xue was so happy to be praised by her that she said happily, "I still remember you guys, but after coming to Jinghai, I had to study, film, and attend theater classes. I was so busy that I really had no time. Now that you are in Jinghai, can you come out for dinner? I really miss you guys and the days when we were in school together. How is Rongrong now? How are her grades? It would be great if she could get into Jinghai University..."
She talked incessantly and didn't give Jiang Zhizhi a chance to refuse. After agreeing on a meeting place, she hung up the phone.
Around seven o'clock in the evening, Jiang Zhizhi still went to the appointment.
The location was a private restaurant within the second ring road of Beijing and Haikou. The location was very secret. She originally wanted to take a taxi, but Xu Honghan was worried and personally sent her to the entrance of the restaurant.
Walking on the cobblestone road, passing through a small courtyard with an elegant atmosphere, before reaching the door, a middle-aged woman in fashionable clothes came towards me with a smile.
"Is that Zhizhi? I'm Xue'er's agent, you can call me Sister Qiao." As she spoke, she secretly looked at Jiang Zhizhi. Jiang Zhizhi in front of her was dressed ordinary, and seemed to be no different from an ordinary high school student, but she had an indescribable temperament, cold and aloof, as if keeping people away from her, but her eyebrows and eyes seemed gentle and soft, and her beautiful face made people couldn't help but feel good about her.
As a professional agent, Qiao Ting was somewhat tempted.
If such a cool and elegant girl with a top academic record could be marketed well, she might be a good candidate to enter the entertainment industry.
"Hello, Sister Qiao." Jiang Zhizhi said politely.
"Xue'er is waiting for you inside. Her current status is different, and there are a lot of paparazzi watching her. She has to be very careful when she comes out to meet her friends. I hope you can understand."
"I understand."
Sister Qiao took Jiang Zhizhi to a private room upstairs in the restaurant. Yan Xue was wearing a white off-shoulder puffy gauze dress. She looked fashionable and beautiful, like a little princess.
"Zhizhi, long time no see!"
As soon as she saw Jiang Zhizhi, she stood up, ran over and gave her a big hug.
Jiang Zhizhi felt a little uncomfortable with this enthusiasm. She smiled awkwardly and said, "Long time no see, Yan Xue."
Yan Xue took her hand and sat down together, very intimately, "Zhizhi, congratulations on winning first place in the International Olympiad. You are really amazing. I am so happy for you."
"Thanks."
"By the way, I have an exclusive interview next. When the program crew contacted me, I recommended you to them. We old classmates haven't seen each other for a long time. I really have a lot to say to you. Would you like to participate in this exclusive interview with me? You are very popular on the Internet now. If you can participate in the exclusive interview with me, you will definitely become a big celebrity on the Internet." Yan Xue said excitedly.
Jiang Zhizhi slowly pulled her hand out of Yan Xue's and said calmly, "I'm sorry, Yan Xue, I don't plan to become a big celebrity. I just want to study hard and do what I like in the future."
"Something you like? What do you like?"
"Maybe to study some of the mysteries of the universe..."
Hearing Jiang Zhizhi say this, Yan Xue chuckled. The mysteries of the universe really seemed like a child's fantasy.
But they were already in high school and would soon be adults. Yan Xue had entered the entertainment industry a few years ago and had become accustomed to the vicissitudes of life in the industry over the past two years. She felt she was much more mature than her peers. She tried to persuade Jiang Zhizhi, "Zhizhi, what secrets of the universe? Those are all just empty talk. If you can become an internet celebrity, you'll be able to enter the entertainment industry in the future. It's easy to make money in the entertainment industry. You can make a lot of money, and with money you can do more of what you like! Believe me, we're classmates and friends, I won't lie to you."
Her words made Jiang Zhizhi at a loss as to how to respond for a moment. Fortunately, Qiao Ting, who was standing by, intervened and took out a menu for them to choose dishes, interrupting Yan Xue's questioning.
During the meal, Jiang Zhizhi called Li Rongrong. Knowing that Yan Xue was right next to her, she was extremely excited. Yan Xue also picked up the phone. The two chatted for a long time until Yan Xue told Li Rongrong her private phone number and finally hung up the phone.
Yan Xue talked to Jiang Zhizhi about the interview again. After a while, seeing that she was really not interested, she asked her to register for a Weibo account, and the two of them followed each other.
Coming out of the private restaurant, Xu Honghan was smoking with his arm resting on the car window. When he saw Jiang Zhizhi, he put out the cigarette in his hand and put it in the ashtray beside him.
While sitting in the passenger seat, Jiang Zhizhi smelled nicotine in the air.
She didn't like the taste and frowned slightly.
Xu Honghan noticed her discomfort and said, "Sorry, I thought you would wait a while before coming out."
"Smoking is harmful to your health." Jiang Zhizhi looked at him and said lightly.
"I understand, little housekeeper." Xu Honghan ruffled her hair and smiled gently, "I will smoke less in the future."
"It's okay. Many smokers live to be sixty. They won't die that soon."
“…”
Jiang Zhizhi didn't know that thanks to the marketing efforts of Yan Xue's team, her Weibo account, which had not even posted a single blog post, gained tens of thousands of followers in just a few days.
But she didn't care about this matter. She hadn't logged in since registering. What she cared more about now was Zong Qinghai's condition.
After learning that Zong Qinghai was hospitalized due to an accidental fall, she and other sect students including Xu Honghan and Yang Fuyuan immediately rushed back to Nanshi.
Zong Qinghai is 86 years old. People of this age are most afraid of falling. Many elderly people can never stand up again after a fall and die after lying in bed for several months.
If Shen Li was still Zong Qinghai's attending physician, Jiang Zhizhi could still learn about Zong Qinghai's true physical condition from him, but now that the attending physician had changed, they could only get a general examination result.
"Zhizhi, only one person can enter the ward now. You go in first. The teacher should want to see you the most right now."
Jiang Zhizhi pushed the door open and went in.
This is a luxurious single ward with extremely complete supporting facilities, but to the haggard old man on the bed, they are all nothing but clouds.
Compared to the energetic man when we first met, the old man in front of me looked extremely skinny lying on the hospital bed, with dry eyes, as if all his strength had been drained away.
Falling is not scary, what is scary is that the medical process will consume a person's vitality.
It is difficult for the elderly to bear this kind of consumption of vitality.
These high-end and complete facilities cannot replenish people's vitality.
"Teacher." Jiang Zhizhi walked to the bedside and gently held Zong Qinghai's hand.
Zong Qinghai was about 1.8 meters tall and a strong man, but when Jiang Zhizhi held his cold hand, she felt that he was very thin.
The touch made her eyes sore and she almost cried.
Zong Qinghai smiled gently when he saw her, "Zhizhi is back."
He was like an old man who had been waiting for his children to come home for a long time, and his face was full of satisfaction and comfort.
He has enjoyed many honors in this life, but in the end it cannot overcome the regret in his heart.
It was the appearance of Jiang Zhizhi that filled the emotional void he had felt over the years.
"Honghan called me and told me that you won the first place in the Olympiad and brought honor to us. That's great, my good girl..." He stroked Jiang Zhizhi's cheek with his other hand, his eyes as kind as the warm ocean.
Jiang Zhizhi's tears rolled down her cheeks, she was choked with sobs and couldn't speak, "Teacher..."
"Don't cry, I'm fine. I just fell down and I'll be fine soon." Zong Qinghai comforted her gently.
"Well, teacher, you will be fine, you definitely will." Jiang Zhizhi said firmly with red eyes.
Zong Qinghai recuperated in the hospital for two months and lost a lot of weight. Jiang Zhizhi accompanied him every day until he was discharged from the hospital, and she moved to Zong Qinghai's home.
As the college entrance examination in June approached, Xu Honghan visited Zong Qinghai and called Jiang Zhizhi out alone.
"Zhizhi, after the college entrance examination, the admission notice of Shuimu University will come out. I know you are worried about the teacher's health, but you can't stay here all the time."
"Brother, I've thought about it carefully. I won't be going to Shuimu University this year."
"What did you say?" Xu Honghan couldn't believe that Jiang Zhizhi would make such a decision.
"I want to stay here with my teacher and wait to take the college entrance examination next year." She looked into Xu Honghan's eyes with an extremely calm expression.
But Xu Honghan couldn't accept it. "Are you crazy? Do you know what special admission to Shuimu University means? Are you going to ruin your future?"
"I'm very sober."
"I understand that you're worried about the teacher, but there's no need for you to do this. The teacher has been discharged from the hospital now, and he has many people around him to take care of him. He doesn't need you at all. You refused to stay with the teacher at Mizuki University this year, but what about next year? You still have to take the college entrance exam and leave here next year."
"If that's the case, I can apply to Nanjing University."
When Jiang Zhizhi said this, her voice trembled slightly.
She had been doing medical research with Shen Li and had long been considered an expert in the medical field.
She had read Zong Qinghai's physical examination report and could tell at a glance that his life was gradually fading without even needing to analyze it.
Although Zong Qinghai has been discharged from the hospital, his health is far from recovered.
If...if he could live till next year...
Thinking of this, Jiang Zhizhi couldn't help sobbing, and tears rolled down her cheeks.
Xu Honghan originally wanted to scold her, but seeing her like this, he couldn't bear to say those words.
"Senior Brother." Jiang Zhizhi grabbed Xu Honghan's sleeve, her eyes slightly red.
Having lived two lives, fame, wealth and status are all external things to her, only feelings...
The most precious thing in this world is the sincere feelings of human beings.
Zong Qinghai is not only her mentor, but also her relative. If she leaves him at this time, she will definitely regret it.
Just like the regret that Zong Qinghai has for Zong Yun that he couldn't resolve for half his life...
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
