The reply came instantly.
Jin Ran: [Hello, Dad Jiang. It’s like this. To help the students experience the joy of learning mathematics, I plan to implement a “study buddy” system in the class. Your son, Jiang Xuli, excels in math and has been appointed as the Head Math Captain. Starting today, he might occasionally need to stay after school for evening self-study. May I ask for the parents’ thoughts on this?]
Seeing the words “Dad Jiang” on the screen, Jiang Mingzuo’s mouth twitched. However, he understood her meaning.
Hmm, quite professional and impartial.
If one ignored the adorable kitten meme, that is.
A hint of a smile appeared at the corner of his eyes. He thought for a moment and asked: [Will the parents’ opinion affect the final outcome?]
[Yes, it is suggested that parents carefully consider whether they can support their child’s decision, as it might sometimes run quite late, requiring a parent to pick them up.]
Since she put it that way, Jiang Mingzuo re-read the requirements.
In essence, it was a “one-on-one” pairing system. For example, Student A is good at math but weak in English, while Student B is weak in math but strong in English. If the two can help each other and study together, they might complement each other’s strengths, achieving a “1+1>2” effect.
Jiang Mingzuo curled his fingers, the prominent knuckles tapping rhythmically on the oak desk, the sound echoing in the empty room.
He was a businessman, focused on gains. His first reaction to this matter was to consider the benefits. But upon careful consideration, he had to admit it was a decision where the pros likely outweighed the cons.
This caused a slight shift in his perception.
His view of the current “Jin Ran” also changed.
If before, he had been somewhat dismissive, treating her casually like an interesting novelty, now there was a touch more appreciation.
On the other hand, the key to this matter ultimately lay with Jiang Xuli.
To be honest, Jiang Mingzuo had always been somewhat negligent in caring for his only son.
The year Jiang Xuli was born coincided with the most difficult phase of Jiang Mingzuo’s entrepreneurship—partners withdrawing capital, the funding chain breaking, and a complete falling out with relatives back home over some matters. It almost reached the point of losing everything.
By the time he finally weathered the crisis, it was right at his graduation point, forcing him to leave the child in his hometown under the care of a nanny.
Later, after firmly establishing himself in City A, he finally thought to bring his son over. Unfortunately, it was too late. Four-year-old Jiang Xuli was old enough to remember things and was quite resistant to this father of his.
And Jiang Mingzuo was not naturally a nurturing person. His heart was colder than stone. Combined with the old matter concerning the child’s mother, he simply adopted a laissez-faire attitude towards the child.
[If Xiao Li is willing, I have no issues on my end.]
Jin Ran was holding her phone, waiting with bated breath. The evening sun shone through the window, making her drowsy. In a daze, she saw the incoming message and immediately perked up, fully awake.
Persuading the domineering CEO required professional knowledge and theoretical data. Persuading Jiang Xuli only needed one sentence: “Your dad never even got to be a Math Squad Leader.”
So, she had already secured the cooperation of her troublesome stepson before taking the next step.
Now, seeing Jiang Mingzuo agree, she was very happy: [Excellent! Dad Jiang, thank you for your understanding! You are truly a thoughtful and supportive parent. Other parents should learn from you!]
Jiang Mingzuo raised an eyebrow. A phrase popped into his mind: Unbidden kindness often harbors ill intent.
Sure enough, after buttering up Jiang Mingzuo, Jin Ran immediately went to the newly created group chat and posted a message.
[Thank you, Dad Jiang, for supporting the teacher’s work. Behind every successful child are parents who make silent contributions. I’m sure Student Jiang’s grades will definitely improve! (applause)(applause)(applause)]
[Other parents, don’t be discouraged. If interested, feel free to continue discussing this with me privately. If it’s truly inconvenient, that’s also okay. Parents can supervise their children’s studies at home; the results should also be quite good.]
She threw out two key points at once. To ensure no one missed it, she specifically @’ed all parents. As soon as she posted, the parent group exploded.
Dad Jiang? Which Dad Jiang? Could it be the one they were thinking of?!
Checking the member list, some within certain circles had already recognized Jiang Mingzuo’s account, causing waves of astonishment in their hearts.
—To be able to persuade Jiang Mingzuo and even pull him into the parent group… this Teacher Jin seemed to be somewhat remarkable.
Thus, they began inquiring about her identity from all sides. Upon learning she was a new, highly capable graduate from a top normal university, their respect grew even more.
Capable people often hold intellectuals in high regard. The “study buddy” learning method was inherently a good thing. Reasonable parents wouldn’t refuse. As for those parents who originally found it troublesome and were still hesitating, seeing that even Jiang Mingzuo had agreed, they immediately dropped their concerns about the hassle and agreed as well.
Following a big shot meant getting some benefits. Even if they couldn’t cozy up directly, having their own children spend more time with Young Master Jiang, fostering a relationship, was also a good thing.
Jiang Mingzuo, witnessing all of this: “…”
If he couldn’t figure out what was going on, he might as well have lived those extra ten years for nothing. The corner of his mouth tightened, then tightened again, until finally, he couldn’t hold back a short, exasperated laugh.
Assistant Wang, who had just reached the doorway, saw this scene and shuddered inexplicably. Suddenly, his own matter didn’t seem so urgent. Maybe he should come back to report later.
Over there, after laughing, Jiang Mingzuo pinched the bridge of his nose in resignation.
Could he say her courage was growing by the day?
Before, she was cautiously testing the waters. Now, she acted like a soft, harmless lamb, slowly inching closer. Just as you began to let your guard down, she’d suddenly reveal sharp kitten claws and give you a scratch.
Although those claws felt light as a tickle to him…
Amidst the lively discussion among the parents, a message suddenly popped up in the group.
Jiang Mingzuo: [Teacher Jin is young and capable, with unique insights in mathematics. The “study buddy” method is also a good approach applicable to companies. If the students’ grades improve later, Mingji Technology will consider donating two digital labs to Wencheng High School.]
This essentially put his stamp of approval on Jin Ran’s earlier statements.
Instantly, everyone’s trust in Teacher Jin’s “capabilities” grew even stronger.
They had no idea that the “somewhat remarkable” Teacher Jin they saw was, at that very moment, pathetically apologizing to President Jiang in a private chat.
Jin Ran: [I’m sorry, I was wrong! (bunny bowing in apology)]
This was her first time being wealthy in two lifetimes. How was she to know that a domineering CEO needed two separate contact methods? And she had just, oh so accidentally, so unintentionally… ahem… posted his private contact info in the group.
Resulting in Jiang Mingzuo’s friend request notifications exploding within minutes.
Jiang Mingzuo sighed and rubbed his forehead. [No need for the bowing. But strictly speaking, this counts as Teacher Jin’s personal mistake. Shouldn’t you take responsibility for it?]
Jin Ran replied immediately: [Of course! I’m not that irresponsible!]
Anyway, her goal was already achieved. She had used someone, so it was reasonable for them to want a commission.
However, just in case Jiang Mingzuo was too high up and unfamiliar with ordinary people’s struggles, she added a reminder: [It can’t exceed my capabilities, though. Otherwise, it doesn’t count.]
Jiang Mingzuo: [It shouldn’t be too difficult.]
Yet he didn’t specify what exactly he wanted her to do to take responsibility. No matter how Jin Ran tried to probe, he wouldn’t relent. Instead, he changed the subject: [Is there a “study buddy” session tonight?]
[As much as I look forward to it, the “study buddy” program is still in the planning stages. It hasn’t started yet.]
[Mm, I’m also done with work. It’s on the way.]
This implied he was coming to pick her up.
A free ride wasn’t something to pass up. Jin Ran agreed readily and casually sent a recently popular “Little Eight pinching cheeks and acting cute” sticker.
Then she exited the chat window to reply to other parents’ private messages.
By the time she finished addressing the various questions from the parents and returned to the initial page, she noticed Jiang Mingzuo had sent a new message.
Jiang Mingzuo: […]
Jiang Mingzuo: [No.]
She was full of question marks. What yes or no? After thinking it over, she realized she couldn’t understand the old man’s train of thought, so she simply put it out of her mind.
…
In the evening, the sky was ablaze with sunset hues, the world bathed in warm tones. The roads were bustling with traffic.
Jin Ran, having finished her first day of work, said goodbye to her colleagues. She asked a few students to pass a message to Jiang Xuli and then went to wait by the school gate.
Although Jiang Mingzuo had said he was “passing by to pick someone up,” Jin Ran wasn’t thick-skinned enough to think he was specifically coming for her. Still, she figured if she notified him and he didn’t show, then it wouldn’t be her problem.
But what Jin Ran didn’t expect was that she would neither wait for a car nor for Jiang Xuli. Instead, she first encountered Jin Jing, who had come to the school looking for Jiang Xuli.
She was sure Jin Jing was looking for Jiang Xuli and not her because, for now, no one else knew she was working at the school.
Hmm?
Again?!
Jin Ran, who had been feeling a bit worn out from work, immediately perked up, her spirits lifting with anticipation—what trick was the other party planning to pull this time?