Chapter 21

Outstanding (Debugging)

Although Mr. Xu had said he only needed one student to accompany him, Director Wang — in the interest of showing appropriate respect — walked alongside Mr. Xu and his secretary for a stretch before taking her leave.

Watching Director Wang depart so unbothered, the secretary was quietly surprised. A person as socially adept as Director Wang — wasn't she worried the student might offer inadequate hospitality and damage Kunlun's confidence in the school?

"Mr. Xu, Secretary Liu — this way, please. Mind the steps ahead; there was light rain last night, so the path may be slippery." Chao Musheng smiled and added lightly: "Perhaps even the sky knew distinguished guests were coming today, and sent down water to wash the road in welcome."

In ancient times, roads were spread with fresh earth and washed with clean water to honor the arrival of royalty. He was subtly flattering his guest — and doing it through a weather observation. Not bad at all.

"How did you know I was Secretary Liu?" the secretary asked, amused. "Mr. Xu keeps quite a few secretaries and assistants in regular rotation."

"Many of our alumni consider joining your company the highest professional aspiration. Wherever Kunlun staff appear, they draw a great deal of attention and admiration."

Chao Musheng kept himself half a step behind Mr. Xu as he replied. "A friend of mine mentioned recently that Mr. Xu relies greatly on a tall, highly capable Secretary Liu. When I saw you just now, it struck me at once that you were the person he'd described."

He paused mid-sentence, then stepped quickly forward to push aside a branch on the left-hand side of the path.

"Thank you." Noticing Chao Musheng had moved specifically to clear a thorned branch from his way, Mr. Xu slowed his pace and stepped a little to the outside, maintaining a careful distance from the flower bed on the right.

They were closer now. Chao Musheng noticed that Mr. Xu's irises were lighter than most people's — in the sunlight, they held a faint tawny-gold. "Please don't mention it, Mr. Xu."

"You have a sharp eye." The secretary's appreciation for Chao Musheng was growing. "Have you ever considered coming to work for us?"

He was, in fact, the most trusted and relied-upon person at Mr. Xu's side.

Ahead of them, Mr. Xu had been caught by the flight of a butterfly and stopped walking.

"I'm working toward it." Chao Musheng's smile stayed easy. "If I were to one day become a colleague of Secretary Liu's, the honor would be mine."

Mr. Xu turned back abruptly. In his tawny-gold eyes there was something faint and difficult to read — a flicker of puzzlement, and perhaps the smallest trace of displeasure. "Someone as capable as you — hasn't the school given you a summer internship placement already?"

The question caught Chao Musheng off guard. He answered smoothly, with a smile: "Thank you for the confidence, Mr. Xu. Please don't worry — the faculty here treat all students with fairness. And in any case, that the school would entrust me with the honor of receiving a guest of your caliber is itself the highest affirmation they could give me."

The secretary, watching another artful compliment pass through Chao Musheng's lips, glanced down at the lanyard on his chest. Chao Musheng. Coming from someone else, a line like that might have come across as fawning. From this particular student, it somehow rang completely sincere. Was it the steadiness in his eyes?

"Mm." Mr. Xu looked at Chao Musheng for a moment without speaking. "Would you be willing to tell me some interesting things about the school as we walk?"

"There's no shortage of those." Chao Musheng began pointing out the scenery as they went, and wove the amusing stories connected to each spot into the conversation wherever they fit.

Mr. Xu remained mostly quiet throughout — but he kept his distance from every flower bed they passed, and at intervals slowed slightly to let Chao Musheng, who was keeping half a step behind, catch up.

The secretary was so absorbed in Chao Musheng's stories that he had to fight down laughter more than once.

"If you'll look toward Swan Lake." Chao Musheng gestured to the several swans moving gracefully across the water. "Earlier this year, one of our seniors — for reasons that remain unclear — became determined to collect swan feathers. He spent entire days crouched by the lakeside waiting for them to molt. Eventually a few swans who had just finished nesting mistook him for an egg thief, and chased him a good quarter of a mile."

"After that incident, one new rule was added to the lakeside notice board."

Chao Musheng led them to the sign and pointed to the entry at the very bottom. "Do not disturb swans during nesting season — because swans can fly, and you cannot."

"Ha — haha—" The secretary, who had been suppressing laughter the entire walk, finally gave up. "Your school actually posts notices like that?"

The rule itself wasn't inherently that funny — but placed directly after a column of solemnly worded regulations, it had a distinctly absurdist quality.

At that moment, several swans launched themselves from the lake simultaneously, tracing a brilliant white arc through the air, and with elegant precision, deposited the small fish they were carrying into the grass.

"Mrr." Three round, well-fed cats emerged from the bushes, each with a freshly delivered fish in its mouth.

"Your school's swans — they actively feed the cats?" The secretary couldn't keep the astonishment off his face. He'd heard Jinghua's students were exceptional. He hadn't heard that the animals were too.

"It happens occasionally, though not often." Chao Musheng's eyes curved with genuine pleasure. "Perhaps because today is the school's birthday, the swans are in especially high spirits — wanting to put on a good show for an honored guest like Mr. Xu."

The secretary: "..."

Xiao Chao. You're flattering the boss again.

He stole a sideways look. Mr. Xu hadn't said a word — but the secretary was near certain his employer's mood was very good indeed.

There was some truth to the old saying: flattery never wears thin. Even someone as composed and clear-eyed as Mr. Xu was not immune to a well-delivered compliment.

"It may also be that they like you." Mr. Xu's gaze moved to the swans at the water's edge. One had been waving its beautiful wings toward them — but when Mr. Xu looked over, it tilted its neck sideways and plunged its head into the water.

The secretary: "..."

A thoroughly satisfying, and yet somehow mutually undermining, exchange of compliments.

"Mrrrow?" The three small cats had noticed Chao Musheng standing by the notice board. Little Tangerine tilted her fluffy head, then padded over with her fish, set it down in front of the three of them, and addressed Chao Musheng in her most expectant voice.

"She — what does she mean by this?" The secretary stared at the small fish flapping on the ground, and eventually ventured: "Is this cat trying to offer us the fish?"

"Mrrrow?" Little Tangerine looked up at Chao Musheng in puzzlement. Human. Why aren't these two accepting their sovereign's gifts?

"Thank you, Little Tangerine — we've already eaten." Chao Musheng crouched to her level and stroked her round, furry head. "Take it back for yourself."

Mr. Xu's gaze shifted, settling slowly on Little Tangerine's head being gently stroked.

"Mrr?" Little Tangerine gave an inexplicable shudder. She looked up at Mr. Xu and the secretary, confirmed they had no intention of accepting her gift, picked the fish back up, and departed with unhurried feline dignity.

The atmosphere had changed. She suspected certain persons were plotting against the Cat Sovereign. Best not to linger.

Little Tangerine led her two companions away at a brisk pace. In the direction they fled, Chen Er was swaggering past with three junior students in tow.

He spotted Chao Musheng, and changed direction immediately.

The two players trailing behind Chen Er were even more alarmed than he was. One glimpse of Chao Musheng, and their minds went straight to a puppet doll being ground into dust underfoot.

But wait — they were players, it was understandable that they'd be afraid. Why was Chen Er — who was supposedly playing the role of campus bully — also afraid of Chao Musheng?

Who was actually the most frightening person in this school?

Chao Musheng's brow furrowed slightly. Why were two of the visiting students mixed up with Chen Er?

The secretary, who had been thoroughly astonished by the successive parade of animal curiosities, only collected himself after the three cats had fully disappeared. "The cats at your school aren't just clever — they're remarkably hospitable."

"They've lived here their whole lives, so they're very comfortable with people." Chao Musheng filed away the two visiting students' faces and continued sharing stories about the campus animals.

Without anyone quite noticing, the secretary had been walked around the entire Swan Lake, and found himself genuinely charmed — not just by the stories, but by the evident care the school showed toward its animals.

By the time they followed Chao Musheng back to the rest area and Chao Musheng stepped away to pour tea, the secretary had a moment of quiet revelation. In just two hours, his entire impression of Jinghua had shifted.

"This student Chao is remarkable." The secretary's expression, in this moment, was that of a trusted chamberlain recommending a talent to the emperor. "We need people like him at our company, Mr. Xu."

"Mm." Mr. Xu looked toward the door to the tea station. In his eyes, flecks of gold moved. "He has always been exceptional."

The secretary: "..."

Mr. Xu, I was praising a Jinghua student — not one of our own employees. What exactly are you taking pride in?

Mr. Xu: "You have good judgment."

Secretary Liu: "Thank you, sir."

Right — the boss was feeling proud of his own ability to recognize talent. And just like that, he was happy again.

"Mr. Xu." Director Wang arrived carrying a tray of fruit and refreshments. "I apologize for any lack of hospitality today."

"Chao Musheng's commentary was genuinely enjoyable." Mr. Xu rose and inclined his head toward her. "Through his thoughtful introduction, I came to appreciate the care your school takes with its animals."

The secretary immediately understood: "Director Wang, Mr. Xu wishes to personally establish a dedicated fund for animal welfare at your school. He hopes you might find time after the anniversary celebrations to discuss the details with me."

"Mr. Xu, we are deeply grateful!" Director Wang clasped the secretary's hands with both of hers. "Would tomorrow morning work for you? If not, the afternoon is equally convenient — I can arrange myself around whatever time suits you."

If it came to it, he was willing to stand outside the secretary's door the moment the anniversary gala ended.

When money was on offer, one should be proactive.

He'd always known Chao Musheng was reliable. He hadn't expected him to be quite this effective — reliable enough to get an invited guest to voluntarily pull out his own wallet and donate to the school.

If the school had a few more talents like Chao Musheng, funding concerns would sort themselves out.

And someone this outstanding — the matter he'd mentioned at noon today deserved a proper investigation.

Chao Musheng walked back into the rest area with the tea and found Director Wang looking at him the way someone looks at a once-in-a-generation treasure.

...What?