At the final graduation ceremony of Kelly Won’s College, only twenty graduates remained after a rigorous selection process.
On June 20th, inside the grand auditorium of Kelly Won’s College, the unified singing of the graduation song, along with the few hundred present and past students, all witnessed these twenty won don their red and purple robes, symbolizing their graduation from Kelly Won’s College.
Wen Maixue stood at the center, representing the twenty graduates in delivering the farewell speech. At the sa ti, she also represented the Wen family, summarizing the trials and tribulations Kelly Won’s College had experienced over more than 200 years.
This was the first ti Su Ziceng genuinely applauded for Wen Maixue. Her speech was impassioned and powerful, embodying the emotions of every graduate.
The three years of student life concluded like a grand dream. Nearly all teachers attended the graduation ceremony — even the ever-wandering Ms. Qian set aside her globe-trotting to be present.
Only two seats were left vacant at the ceremony; one belonged to Pello, who excused himself for being too busy, and the other was for the school’s chair of the board, who was reportedly unwell.
Su Ziceng recalled seeing Old Master Wen at the Su Bi Auction, appearing quite spirited, only to deteriorate in health a few months later.
The graduation ceremony proceeded, and Su Qingzhang, amidst discussions with Pello, paused, "Today is the graduation ceremony at Kelly Won’s College. I heard you were quite popular at Kelly, so I didn’t plan to attend."
"What’s past is past. Compared to Kelly Won’s College, which has beco yesterday’s news, I am more eager to see the Su Family scale new heights."
"Scale new heights?" Su Qingzhang shook his head, pointing outside the floor-to-ceiling window to the distant Parliant Building that was under construction, "In a short while, the Su family’s ’Shengshi Huasha’ will no longer be the tallest building in Mo City."
The selection for the City Council’s chairperson had been announced, and after Mr. Fei’s election, he hosted a banquet for many friends and relatives, pointedly excluding Su Qingzhang. So officials who were previously on good terms with Su Qingzhang began to curry favor with the Fei Family.
"Then we’ll just build another one," Pello said nonchalantly.
Su Qingzhang wasn’t without the thought; his temperant wouldn’t allow anyone to challenge his authority. The Fei Family’s actions were undoubtedly a challenge to his status as the top dog in Mo City, "The costs and future returns... constructing a skyscraper is an expensive project."
"I’ve looked at the return on investnt for the Su Family’s projects over the years. The largest industry under the Su Family is mining, with coal mines being the most abundant. Half of the private coal mines in Shanxi are under the Su Family’s na," Pello analyzed all the profitable and loss-making projects within over a month. His work ethic was at odds with the impression his appearance gave.
He wasn’t like the new HR manager who started with drastic reforms and layoffs. Instead, he took the ti to understand the personalities of everyone in the departnt before making suitable job changes.
His gentle approach, like fine rain, helped him establish a strong reputation within the departnt and the company. Clearly, from the perspective of selecting personnel, Chang i was much stronger than Yan Wuxu.
It had been several days since Su Qingzhang had formally t with Chang i. Recently, Chang i hadn’t even appeared at the dining table for als. Su Qingzhang felt sowhat guilty and wanted to find an opportunity to have a proper talk with her.
"Coal mining is heavy industry, and in recent years, as the country is moving towards industrial governance, these heavily polluting industries will inevitably be phased out," Su Qingzhang’s vision was much better than his temper. Reading the papers every day, he probably had a clear analysis of the governnt’s stance.
"But there won’t be any significant change in the next ten or twenty years. Coal mining is a labor-intensive industry with a significant demand for workers, substantial tax contributions, and considerable profits. We can use the profits from these few years to build another leisure center. Mo City still lacks such facilities." Pello also saw the Parliant Center that was under construction.
The Fei Family is just a company fond of flaunting their wealth and power, constructing so many floors, yet only using them for governnt offices. It’s hard to say whether it’s smart or brainless.
"The daily operating costs of the coal mine are very high, and I don’t have enough funds on hand," Su Qingzhang was calculating. In a few years, the project ntioned by Hang Yishao would also start, and he needed to prepare so flexible funds.
"Why not discuss it with the Wen family? As far as I know, after selling Kelly Won’s College, the Wen family must have accumulated an astonishing amount of wealth," Pello suggested, surprising and delighting Su Qingzhang.
Kelly Won’s College was sold along with the education rights and land, and judging by the current land prices in Mo City, the amount is definitely no less than three billion.
However, Su Qingzhang still had so concerns, "My relationship with the Wen family is very general," which was a polite way of putting it. To be exact, Su Qingzhang hardly had any relationship with the Wen family.
"I do have so connection with Old Master Wen," Pello said, looking at Su Qingzhang again, waiting for his response.
"Then let’s do as you suggest," Su Qingzhang took another look at the Parliant Center. If things continue to develop, once the Parliant Center is completed, the view in front of Shengshi Huasha will no longer be pleasant.
Pello acted efficiently and within two days, had arranged a eting between Su Qingzhang and Old Master Wen.
Su Qingzhang and Old Master Wen sat down for an entire afternoon. During this ti, Pello stepped away, so no one knew exactly what the two had discussed.
Later, when Su Qingzhang returned ho, he announced a new decision: the Su Family would cooperate with the Wen family to construct a high-rise with sixty-six floors. Not only in Mo City but at that ti in the entire country, it would be unrivaled.
The won of the Su Family had varying reactions to this sudden news. But after announcing the news, Su Qingzhang, as usual, went to play with his beloved son.
Chang i saw Yan Wuxu heading upstairs and stealthily followed. Yan Wuxu didn’t return to her own room. Laughter from Su Qingzhang emanated from her room.
Yan Wuxu glanced behind her and slipped into the newly decorated nursery.
Chang i pressed her ear against the nursery door and listened for a while. The voices inside the nursery were soft; it seed like Yan Wuxu was on the phone with soone.
Su Ziceng also went upstairs and happened to witness this scene. Chang i coughed and walked away.
The nursery door remained closed, and Su Ziceng stood in the corridor, listening to Su Qingzhang’s laughter. She felt both envious and emotional, as her childhood mories were still vivid. Back then, Su Qingzhang had never shown such an expression.
Su Ziceng didn’t know whether hiding the truth about the child from Su Qingzhang was right or wrong. (To be continued. If you like this work, you’re welco to vote for it with recomndation tickets and monthly tickets at Qidian (qidian). Your support is my greatest motivation.)
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