Chapter 3: A Turning Point (Third Update)

"Son, are you really okay?" Walking on the playground, with the lights from the classrooms ahead casting faint shadows, Lin Baoguo asked Lin Zheng with concern. He was still a bit uneasy.

"I'm fine." Lin Zheng shook his head. Apart from feeling a bit weak and powerless when he first woke up, he now felt healthy enough to punch a bull to death.

"It's good that you're fine," Lin Baoguo nodded, hesitated for a moment, and then added, "Don't blame your grandfather for your job. The old man has always been like that..."

Although Lin Baoguo never said anything, he had always been unhappy with the old man's interference in his son's career. His view was similar to Yang Xiuyu's: his son was a top graduate from the University of Science and Technology of China, specializing in computer science, and government departments were vying for him. Why did the old man insist on forcing him to work at a radio factory that couldn't even pay its wages?

But no matter what, it was still his father. The old man had a strong presence at home, and apart from muttering a few words, Lin Baoguo couldn't make the stubborn old man change his mind.

To Lin Baoguo's surprise, Lin Zheng shook his head and said, "Dad, I don't blame Grandpa."

"Huh?" Lin Baoguo was taken aback.

His son was a top undergraduate in computer science, and working in a government office would definitely be a good fit. Now, being sent to the district radio factory, Lin Baoguo thought his son would be full of complaints. But now, this kid said he didn't blame his grandfather?

Was he just comforting him? It didn't seem like it.

Lin Zheng couldn't explain the reason to his father, so he vaguely said, "The old man has lived for so long, he's almost a sage. Maybe he has his reasons?"

Hmm? Hearing this, Lin Baoguo stopped in his tracks and looked at his son uncertainly: they had argued many times over the job, and he had cursed the old man behind his back. What was going on today?

How could he explain? He couldn't say that he had lived another life and seen things differently. He quickly tried to bluff, "Maybe it's because I almost drowned. I've seen things more clearly now."

Is that so? Lin Baoguo looked at his son uncertainly, but his son's expression was calm, showing no signs of abnormality. With his years of experience as a teacher, he could tell that his son was being sincere. Feeling relieved, Lin Baoguo couldn't help but wonder: being nearly drowned had this effect?

"Huh?" Lin Zheng suddenly exclaimed.

"What's wrong?"

"That person..." Lin Zheng pointed to a figure walking slowly with his hands behind his back not far away. The light was poor, but he could vaguely see that it was a middle-aged man in a Zhongshan suit, "Is it Principal Tan?"

Lin Baoguo glanced in the direction his son pointed and scolded him for being overly surprised, "Yes, it's him... Principal Tan always walks around the school at this time every night. Didn't you know?"

Lin Zheng didn't care about whether he knew Principal Tan's habits. After years of experience in the world, he keenly realized this was a golden opportunity! "Dad, did Principal Tan visit our house after I fell into the water?"

Unaware that his son was setting him up, Lin Baoguo replied without hesitation, "Of course he did, and he brought a lot of things. What's the matter?"

"Nothing, I just thought since Principal Tan is so considerate, we should go and greet him."

Lin Baoguo's brow furrowed slightly, then relaxed, and he nodded, "That makes sense."

...

Principal Tan Gang of the District No. 3 Junior High School was a man in his fifties, very kind and always smiling. Seeing Lin Baoguo and Lin Zheng approaching, he immediately came forward, looked at Lin Zheng, and asked with concern, "Old Lin, is Lin Zheng okay now?"

"He's fine, thank you, Principal Tan," Lin Zheng said before his father could speak, "The doctor said he should move around more if he doesn't have a fever. My father is going to the office to make test papers, so I came out for a walk."

"Since the doctor said so, that's good, but you should still take care of yourself," Tan Gang nodded with a smile. He had taught Lin Zheng mathematics in the past, and as a top student in the class and now a graduate of the University of Science and Technology of China, Tan Gang naturally felt a genuine affection for him. He asked with concern, "Are you interning this year? I heard you're going to the district radio factory. That's a waste of talent! Our school has a few computers, but we don't have a teacher who knows how to use them. They've been sitting idle. Lin Zheng, since you specialize in this, why don't you come to our school to intern and teach everyone how to use the computers? What do you think?"

Clearly, Tan Gang had been eyeing Lin Zheng's talent for a long time.

Indeed, a top graduate from a national key university going to a semi-shuttered factory that hasn't paid wages for two years was a waste of talent. It would be more practical to come back to his alma mater and teach everyone how to use computers.

"About that..."

"That's easy," Lin Zheng interrupted his father before he could finish, smiling at Tan Gang, "I don't need to intern, but since there's not much to do at my unit, I can come over and learn with the teachers when I have free time."

Lin Zheng's words surprised Tan Gang: the young man spoke very appropriately. Among the top graduates from national key universities, who wasn't proud and looked down on others? Lin Zheng's humility and low profile were something Tan Gang had never seen before, and he felt even more fond of him.

Having made up his mind, Tan Gang nodded with a smile, "Alright, let's agree on that."

"By the way, teacher, you're the only national-level mathematics master in our district. My father and his colleagues are scratching their heads over the entrance exam. Could you help them review the questions?"

"Brat, what are you saying?" Lin Baoguo was completely taken aback by his son's audacity in targeting Principal Tan, "The principal is so busy, why are you causing trouble..."

Principal Tan waved his hand, indicating it was no problem, "No problem. I don't have anything to do right now, so I can go over and help. But, Old Lin, I have to criticize you. Your son is doing this for your benefit, why are you blaming him?"

Since the principal had agreed to help, what could Lin Baoguo say? Refuse? That would be disrespectful to the only national-level mathematics master in the district. He could only glare at his son: you little rascal, I'll deal with you later!

Great!

Seeing Principal Tan agree, Lin Zheng clenched his fists in secret.

---

End of Chapter 3

---

Start of Ad

---

End of Ad