Celestial Silver Spoon

In the hospital garden, butterflies flitted intermittently among the flowers, swaying gently in the breeze. Some butterflies kissed the petals and swayed along, appearing quite at ease. Others, unable to find a resting place despite their fluttering wings, drifted aimlessly with the wind because they hadn’t grasped a flower before the breeze began, missing the chance to nestle among the blossoms.

The mass brawl incident at Shengze College remained shrouded in mystery. Liu Zixu vanished mysteriously after a car accident, and Ye Chen lay critically injured in the hospital. What really happened?

The curiosity of the journalists was intense, but when the information they craved was blocked, what could they do? Shengze College students still attended classes, and neither the police nor the armed police could shadow the students forever. This matter was supposed to be investigated, so why was it abruptly halted? Why did everything seem as if it never occurred, despite the fact that it did?

Time passed, yet the confusion clouding people’s minds didn’t dissipate. More than half a month had gone by. The streets were still bustling with diverse pedestrians, all sorts of vehicles, and magnificent buildings… In the hearts of the perfection-seeking residents of Hailing, there remained an unresolved confusion.

“Mr. Wu, let’s just conclude the Shengze matter here. While Secretary Zheng is hospitalized and unable to interfere, our government body has approved this decision,” Director Xiong said to Wu Yang in the Hailing Public Security Bureau.

“What about the cash checks and the note found in Secretary Zheng’s car?” Wu Yang asked.

“Let it go. We don’t have the authority to investigate the secretary of the Municipal Committee. A note, a million-yuan check…sigh, we’re all old classmates. Let’s confiscate them,” Director Xiong said, moving toward the window. It was nearing dusk, the sunlight dim. Outside, the green leaves of an osmanthus tree swayed gently, serene. Hailing seldom experienced windless times throughout the year, yet this afternoon was unusually tranquil. Director Xiong gazed outside while Wu Yang sipped tea from the table in front of him, showing a look of resignation but also a hint of approval in his eyes. After a moment, Director Xiong slowly turned around, looked at Wu Yang, and said, “Mr. Wu, let the TV broadcast these situations so we don’t leave the public feeling uneasy, thinking our government lacks transparency.”

On May 25th at 6 PM, HL TV in Hailing broadcasted a breaking news segment during their evening news program. The report began with two major updates: First, the mass brawl incident that occurred on May 2nd at Shengze Mainstream Language and Literature College was not a conflict between gang members and students, as previously speculated. Instead, it involved several students of the college who, during a holiday break, went out to work, got drunk, and clashed with local residents. The reported gunfire was merely fireworks set off by Ye Chen, who proclaimed himself the boss at the college, as part of a birthday celebration for his girlfriend. The fireworks accidentally fell onto a nearby stall, leading to a confrontation with the stall owner who was then assaulted. This escalated when the stall owner called for reinforcements, resulting in the mass brawl. Those injured in the incident have been discharged from the hospital; Second, the series of car accidents that happened on May 4th were accidental, not acts of terrorism. The secretary of the Municipal Committee, who was seriously injured in the accidents, is now in stable condition. Another focus of public concern, Madam President Ms. Liu of Shengze Mainstream Language and Literature College, is also stabilizing. Her bodyguard, Xie Wan, suffered a severe arm fracture leading to amputation and has since been fitted with a prosthetic limb. Out of consideration for the victims’ recovery, the hospital address where they are staying will remain confidential.

The broadcast left the citizens of Hailing astonished, with many saying, “I’m dizzy, so that’s what happened.” This phrase became the most spoken and heard among the city’s residents on May 25th.

The suspicions that had loomed over Hailing were thus dispersed by an inexplicable breeze, lifting the metaphorical stone from the hearts of the populace, and restoring the city to its former tranquility.

“Can you believe this? Now that it’s aired, I’ve become the villain of the ages, disgraced, and since when did I have a girlfriend?” lamented Ye Chen from his bed in Room 1301 on the 13th floor of the Zone N dormitory building at Shengze College. Cai Erman, Mingzi, Zina, and Yixuan were also watching the evening news on HL TV, standing less than half a meter from the TV screen, except for Ye Chen who was lying down.

“I think what Captain Wu and his team did was pretty good,” Yixuan turned and said to Ye Chen, who was visibly upset.

“Yeah, calling myself the boss of Shengze College, they made me sound so unclassy…”

“Shush!” Zina turned and gestured to Ye Chen to be quiet.

Director: Recently, Shengze College’s stock has plummeted sharply. With Ms. Liu hospitalized, is Shengze College facing a financial crisis? Let’s connect with Hailing City’s renowned stock expert, Mr. Yin Gu. Mr. Yin, hello. What is your opinion on the recent sharp decline in Shengze College’s stock?

Expert: Hello, host! Regarding the continuous decline in Shengze’s stock over the past half month, I believe it is closely linked to the recent mass brawl incident. This event was widely publicized by major media outlets, causing a significant negative impact on Shengze. Initially, Shengze’s stock surged shortly after the incident but soon fell, dropping by over 10%. Some media have suggested that the drop was due to Ms. Liu’s substantial holdings in euros declining, causing investors to worry about Shengze’s future. However, whether this is true, only Ms. Liu knows for sure.

Director: The rumor about Ms. Liu holding euros isn’t baseless. Some media reported that Ms. Liu traveled to Greece as many as seven times last quarter. As we know, Greece is experiencing a severe debt crisis, and the entire eurozone is languishing. If…

“Shengze’s stock plummeting? How can that be?” Cai Erman remarked. “According to the Administration Office, over 200,000 new students applied to Shengze this year, a record high! This indicates that the mass brawl incident hasn’t affected our status as a prestigious school in the country.”

“It’s time for us to restore Shengze’s reputation,” Ye Chen said, sitting up.

Hearing Ye Chen’s words, everyone turned to look at him, only to scoff. Despite Ye Chen’s obvious frustration, they ignored him, leaving him to lean back against the headboard, arms crossed.

“There’s a way. Our magazine, Shengze Mysteries, publishes biannually. The next issue is due in June, right? You could write an article, ideally placed in the foreword…” Mingzi suggested.

“You think I’m some sort of genius? The foreword? Have you seen who wrote the forewords in previous issues? Nobel Laureates that Madam President invited! No wonder the magazine sells at a hundred and fifty, and people still buy it!” Cai Erman didn’t finish before Ye Chen forcefully intervened, unmistakably doubting his own abilities.

“This upcoming issue still needs a foreword. I heard from Xiang Tengfei that they haven’t found someone to write it yet. Madam President is recovering in the hospital, isn’t she? Besides, every issue of Shengze Mysteries features your articles. I find those written by Nobel-level literati too ordinary. You and Xiang Tengfei, the editor, could work something out. Hiring someone would cost money,” Mingzi said.

“Is that feasible?” Ye Chen hesitated.

“I think so! More importantly-”

“Knock, knock!” Zina’s sentence was cut off by a knock at the door. Cai Erman walked over and opened it to reveal a slender, short young man with delicate features stepping inside.

“It’s like speaking of the devil, and he appears! It seems like fate,” Mingzi said upon seeing Xiang Tengfei, sounding a bit encouraging.

Xiang Tengfei pretended to be confused, brushing his hand over his head. His slender build coupled with his demeanor gave off a somewhat comical impression. Though seemingly more suited for something else, he’s making it work as a man.

“Hey, genius, how’s the planning for this issue of Shengze Mysteries going?” Zina asked, tapping Xiang Tengfei on the shoulder with a playful, almost flirtatious air, which seemed to fluster him a bit.

“We’re still short two emotional features and one piece for the encyclopedia section…”

“What about the foreword? Who’s writing the foreword?” Zina asked directly, bypassing everything she wasn’t concerned about.

“The foreword? That’s why I’m here, to see if any of you will accompany me to ask Madam President. We still need to consult her,” Xiang Tengfei said just as Zina made a mock gagging gesture, “Accompany you?”

“I didn’t ask you to come along, so why are you so eager?” Xiang Tengfei retorted, rolling his eyes at Zina.

“Your brother said he could write it. What do you think?” Mingzi suggested, moving closer to Xiang Tengfei, with a sharp look that seemed to pressure him into agreement.

“Well… I can’t make that decision,” Xiang Tengfei said as he turned away from Mingzi, sitting on Ye Chen’s bed, feeling a bit cornered.

“I think it’s a great idea. Before Shengze Mysteries is released, it’d be best to spread the word that the foreword was written by Ye Chen, who calls himself the boss of Shengze. It would generate more interest…”

“Whether he’s a delinquent or a genius… great idea! Isn’t that a good enough reason, Xiang Tengfei?” As Yixuan spoke, Zina piped in, holding up her index fingers at Xiang Tengfei.

Cai Erman and Mingzi agreed with Yixuan’s idea, but Xiang Tengfei, the editor-in-chief of Shengze Mysteries, bit his lip and shook his head hesitantly, indicating that he truly couldn’t make that decision.

“The phone number for Madam President should be reachable now, right? You could ask for her opinion,” Xiang Tengfei quickly added, closing his mouth before anyone could criticize him.

Zina, hearing his suggestion, glanced at him with a sideways look. Suddenly, she broke into a smile and leaned in closer to Xiang Tengfei, saying, “Editor-in-chief, do we really need to bother Madam President over something like this? You can handle it yourself.” Her lips were now less than a centimeter from his ear, leaving Xiang Tengfei feeling tickled and uncomfortable, prompting him to turn his head and close his eyes.

“Let’s not make it difficult for him. It’s better to call Madam President and ask,” Yixuan suggested, noticing how Xiang Tengfei seemed to be the target in the room, and quickly tried to help him out of the awkward situation.

“Madam President, our board of directors has almost decided to purchase Plot No. 4 from Jin’s Enterprises. This will allow the new college to have an additional soccer field and a large supermarket. Plus, Jin’s Enterprises has agreed to invest in building their ‘Vinos’ supermarket in our new college,” Xiao Shi reported to Liu Zixu during Shengze’s first board meeting of 2010, conducted via video call from the hospital.

“If there are no issues with the bank loan, I agree with the board’s decision. However, I must caution everyone that if we acquire Plot No. 4 and start construction while the loan is still pending, we might face a cash flow problem. I believe everyone understands Shengze’s current situation. Alright, I need to rest now,” Liu Zixu concluded before closing the video conference.