On the open day of Chengdu Museum, the receptionists were the volunteers who were doing the summer social practice organized by the Youth League Committee of Chengdu No. 10 Middle School.
Built with the purpose of "leaving the best area of the city for the museum", the Chengdu Museum is located on the west side of the city center, facing the Central Square, the heart of Chengdu. The main roads in the city center are bustling with traffic and are in good order.
In the distance are various iconic landmark buildings. The museum, solemnly standing in the sunset, although located in the city center, seems independent of the hustle and bustle, giving a feeling of "building a house in the human world, but without the noise of carriages and horses".
The open day was drawing to a close, and each of the volunteer guides received a box lunch after a busy day.
Jiang Hongshao, wearing a white volunteer uniform with sky blue stripes, sat on the steps with newspapers as a cushion, eating her lunch box flat on her knees, occasionally taking a sip of the juice next to her. When she looked up, she seemed to be able to take in everything in the city from the slightly higher steps of the museum.
The densely packed buildings and flocks of birds flying in the sky covered with dark golden fish-scale clouds, the city showed its magnificent yet secretive side in her eyes.
A few steps down, there were many volunteers gathered, and the laughter of men and women could be heard. And among the boys and girls below, many of them would occasionally glance up at her.
After eating, Jiang Hongshao put the lunch box in the recycling bag and came to Zhang Ting, the vice principal in charge of event coordination.
Facing Jiang Hongshao, Zhang Ting still had her signature gentle smile, but between those calm expressions, there was just the right amount of concern, "Hongshao, you explained very well today. I listened to the part about Zhang Daqian's painting exhibition, it was very fascinating. I can see that you put a lot of effort into it. Thank you for your hard work. I will leave the cleaning after the volunteer activity to others. You should go home earlier. Your mother is so busy at work. Going back earlier will make her feel more at ease."
"It's okay, Mr. Zhang. I want to ask you for help with something. Of course, it's within your scope of responsibility."
Zhang Ting was stunned for a moment, and said, "I know your Aunt Chen Huiyan, so don't be so polite by calling me teacher. If you want, just call me Aunt Zhang... What's the matter?"
Jiang Hongshao nodded. "One of my classmates has transferred to No. 10 Middle School. He probably hasn't been assigned a class yet because he's not familiar with No. 10 Middle School. He hopes to find me for help and transfer him to our class so that I can help him adapt to the environment as soon as possible."
"Oh... This is a simple matter. What's your classmate's name? I'll arrange it later."
"I got in through the transfer exam. My name is... Cheng Ran."
"Your idea of helping students get familiar with the school's study and life is very good. Your name is Cheng Ran, right? OK... I'll tell the relevant teacher later."
Jiang Hongshao nodded obediently, said "Thank you" and said goodbye to Zhang Ting.
After Jiang Hongshao walked away, Zhang Ting seemed to be thinking about something.
Haha... it's a boy's name.
That was how she felt when she heard the name for the first time.
…
"It's social practice... You're giving a lecture at the Zhang Daqian Museum?" During a routine phone call with Jiang Hongshao, Cheng Ran learned about the volunteer lecturer activity that Jiang Hongshao participated in. Cheng Ran also sighed, "National model high schools are different, they are very high-end... For schools like Shanhai No. 1 Middle School, don't even think about this kind of activity."
"It's not that high-end... There aren't many volunteers, and the teacher was looking for men to make up the numbers. I had to be a role model, so I had no choice but to be pulled in." Jiang Hongshao murmured on the other end of the phone, "I admire Zhang Daqian's talent, but I was really a little upset when he wrote inscriptions on the Dunhuang murals."
“In our textbooks, when we mention some historical figures who have made achievements, we always describe them as being great and perfect. We always want people to see the principles of conduct in some artists, scientists, writers, or politicians and military strategists... In fact, it is just the opposite. People with high artistic attainments may not necessarily have high morals. Military strategists who are good at fighting may also have ambitions to betray their country. There are many writers with chaotic private lives, and politicians are even more double-faced... Some people may be masters and giants on one hand, but they may also be children and dwarfs on the other hand. Just like Master Zhang’s destruction of national treasures, it is more like the ignorance and fearlessness of a child who sees his favorite things and ignores them.”
"Well, what you said is great!" said Jiang Hongshao.
Cheng Ran laughed dumbly, "Don't blindly praise..."
Then Jiang Hongshao's faint laughter came from the other end of the phone.
"Do you have any other good and profound truths to say? Tell me more. I like to hear you talk seriously about truths."
Cheng Ran: “…”
"I can talk about it slowly when I have a chance."
A soft voice came from the other end of the phone, "Okay."
Cheng Ran thought for a moment and said, "School has started, so I can resume sending letters."
"Yes..."
"When the time comes... I'll give you a surprise." Cheng Ran raised the corner of his mouth, with an evil feeling that his conspiracy was about to succeed.
"Are you sending something?" Jiang Hongshao smiled, "That's perfect. I'm also planning to give you a surprise."
Um
Cheng Ran was full of doubts, "What is this? You're not sending something to play a prank on me, are you?"
"No, no, how can it be so boring... When the time comes... we will know..."
Cheng Ran really wanted to say that he might not be able to receive anything because school had started, but after thinking about it, he realized that if Lao Jiang wanted to send something over, he could ask Yu Xiao to help forward it to him, which was not a big problem.
He also doubted whether Old Jiang would know that he would move, after all, the children in the compound already knew about it, but Jiang Hongshao had previously communicated with the people in the compound through letters, and she had not left her home phone number to anyone except him. Cheng Ran had previously called to hint that Jiang Hongshao had not contacted anyone in the compound since leaving Shanhai... and it seemed that she had been busy with her own affairs recently and had no such idea...
After thinking it over again and again, Cheng Ran finally felt relieved.
But it still aroused my curiosity... What on earth is it
…
The Huhuaxi Villa is a small single-family house located along the river, with birds singing and flowers blooming. In the backyard of one of the villas, facing the Qinghe River, there is a coffee table and several armchairs. Two elegant ladies are sitting under the shade of a tree. On the coffee table is an exquisite bone china teapot, and in two teacups, there is the best black tea.
The woman named Chen Huiyan said to the woman who owned the villa, "I like your place, it's quiet, there are no outsiders, sometimes it's just the two of us chatting, it's actually quite nice... Weiwei, at this Standing Committee meeting, did you confirm the Shahe River Regulation Project and the strategy of westward expansion and southward advancement? If you give me a hint, do you know how many billionaires may be created in the future? Don't you hope that I, your best sister, will be among them?"
The hostess smiled slightly, "Mr. Chen is making fun of you again... The Shahe River Regulation Project was proposed many years ago. Just like the westward expansion and southward expansion, we can understand the government's trend by looking at the landing areas of some incubation parks and key cultivation projects... I don't believe that you, Mr. Chen, can't collect this information? You come to make fun of me. As for billionaires, your vision is not limited to this... Mr. Chen's ambition is probably not just as simple as making this money."
"I am from a small family, so I don't have such great aspirations. I am content with a small fortune, haha..."
Chen Huiyan smiled carefreely, then thought of something and said, "By the way, I heard that Hong Shao recently asked a teacher from their school to help transfer a transfer student to her class. This is really the first time... Hong Shao and this boy seem to have a good relationship?"
“Ding.”
The hostess of the villa put down the red teacup in her hand, and her eyes, which looked like those of Jiang Hongshao, with long slanted corners, narrowed slightly.
"… oh!?"
There is one more chapter to come tomorrow.