Once the car was parked, Lin Jiang got out, ready to help them load their things.
“Hurry, hurry, get in!”
“Well, 200,000 was refunded back then, and it’s been several months. I actually saved up enough a while ago.”
“I’d like to ask you for a favor.”
Nature revealed a tranquil beauty for all to see.
“If you’re not in a rush, just give me a little more time to refine it further.”
The two girls didn’t know about Shen Qingqiu’s situation, but Lin Jiang did.
Lin Jiang noticed that the scenery here and Shen Qingqiu’s disposition complemented each other perfectly. Both were quiet and serene—a perfect match.
‘Right now, Huipin Mall at Star City Bay Phase II is already in a state of slow decline.’
“Not at all. I even bought myself a new phone last month,” Shen Qingqiu said with a smile.
Shen Qingqiu looked a little flustered by his teasing and said:
Shen Qingqiu offered him a slice of watermelon.
This part of the job naturally fell to Lin Jiang. Shen Qingqiu stayed by his side to help out, while Li Yueting and Xu Yingjun were in charge of eating.
A graduate advisor and an undergraduate lecturer are two completely different roles.
‘But for Shen Qingqiu, it was a matter of dignity. I have to accept it.’
“I’m supervising two graduate students this year. One of their theses is on market economics, and the other is on investment. I was wondering if it would be convenient for them to come to your company to get some practical experience.”
There was no ocean, but there was a very large man-made lake. A gentle breeze rustled through, causing golden leaves to drift down. It was a fine place to unwind.
“Of course, it’s no problem at all. Just tell me what you need from me,” Lin Jiang said.
Li Yueting and Xu Yingjun were buzzing with excitement, while Shen Qingqiu was more serene.
For so long now, her nerves had been stretched as taut as a bowstring. More than Li Yueting or Xu Yingjun, she was the one who truly needed to relax and rest.
“Would you like some watermelon?”
Lin Jiang took a bite. It was surprisingly sweet.
Lin Jiang smiled at Shen Qingqiu. “It’s not every day you ask me for a favor. What is it?”
“You’ve already dragged me all the way out here. It’s not like I have anywhere else to go if I don’t get in,” Shen Qingqiu said, exasperated.
“That would be wonderful. Thank you.”
As the sun began to set, it cast a golden glow over everything. A gentle evening breeze stirred, ruffling Shen Qingqiu’s long hair.
After mapping out the route, he realized it would take them past his Shangda Barbecue Shop, so he drove there for lunch.
‘To Lin Jiang, 300,000 was a drop in the bucket—an amount he could take or leave.’
“Already?”
“That’s good to hear. I’ll give you my account number in a bit.”
“Yeah.”
There was no ocean here. The landscape was dominated by forest, offering a different kind of natural beauty.
For her, it didn’t matter what they did. Simply taking in the scenery and relaxing was good enough.
The two young women picked a spot, and Lin Jiang took charge of setting up the tent.
Lin Jiang nodded. “Have you decided where to go?”
So, whenever they could help in their own fields, they would usually extend a hand, just as she was doing now.
“I’m sorry to be so much trouble.”
He parked at the entrance, and the four of them walked to the hotel. Since they were staying the night, they needed to book rooms.
“Teacher Shen has been teaching us for so long, so she must be tired. She didn’t have any classes this afternoon, so we just had to drag her along.”
“You didn’t have to pinch pennies to save all that, did you?”
They booked three rooms. After a quick look at their rooms, they changed into more comfortable clothes and grabbed their gear to go camping.
“You know, you’re great in every way, but you’re always saying ‘thank you.’ If you’re always this formal with me, how am I ever supposed to ask you for help in the future?”
“Let’s go eat first, and then we’ll head out.”
“Sounds good.”
“The organizational structure you asked me to work on is almost finished,” Shen Qingqiu said.
Shen Qingqiu watched Lin Jiang’s expression, and when she saw that he didn’t find her presence a bother, her anxious heart finally settled.
Once everything was ready, they started preparing for the barbecue.
“Forest Island Resort. I saw that the online reviews are all great.”
‘The only downside is that I have to wait a little longer.’
After eating their fill, the two young women went to play by the lake, leaving Lin Jiang and Shen Qingqiu sitting together.
Li Yueting opened the door, and the two of them half-pushed, half-pulled Shen Qingqiu into the car.
“There’s no rush. The company’s restructuring will take some time anyway.”
“It’s no trouble at all. You really do need to relax,” Lin Jiang said.
With no time to grieve, she had to throw herself back into her teaching duties.
“How about this? We can have your students start as assistants to my executives, and then they can move to my investment firm. That way, they’ll get experience in both areas.”
Over the past few months, she had endured a relative’s serious illness and death...
“Okay.”
“That makes sense.” Lin Jiang completely agreed with them.
“Oh, right. I’ve saved up enough money. If you give me your account number, I can transfer it to you.”
‘When the city officials come for their inspection, it will be an excellent publicity opportunity. It’ll keep the buzz around Berkeley going for a while longer, which will, to some extent, also hasten Huipin’s demise.’
After lunch, Lin Jiang drove to Forest Island Resort.
But this time of year, the leaves on the branches were a brilliant gold.
She might not have the dazzling splendor of a summer blossom, but at this moment, she possessed the quiet beauty of an autumn leaf.
“What’s going on here?” Lin Jiang asked.
In theory, an advisor doesn’t have to be overly involved, but these were her students. If their future careers didn’t pan out, it reflected poorly on the mentor, and she would feel a sense of guilt. This was especially true for someone as conscientious as Shen Qingqiu.
“You don’t need to be so formal with me. If there’s anything I can do to help, you just have to ask.”

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