Chapter 64
She said sincerely, "It's gratitude plus an apology with compensation."
When people lived with hope and something to look forward to, their mood naturally calmed down.
Seeing her like this now, Zhong Ning also felt at ease.
"I’m here to report in. I’m free at noon. How about you, Nanshuang?"
Fu Nanshuang shrugged. "My task today is to give you a tour around the school. I don’t need to handle the enrollment side."
With nothing more to say, the three of them went to a private restaurant near the school. After asking about any dietary restrictions, Liu Rushi skillfully ordered a few signature dishes.
Fu Nanshuang seemed to recall something and said knowingly, "You used to be at Fengcheng University too, right? Winning a scholarship means you were in the top three of your major — a true academic star."
The kind with boundless prospects.
After all, this was Fengcheng University, ranked among the top in the world. Just being admitted meant the students were academic elites from all over the country and excellent exchange students from abroad.
To rank in the top three among such people definitely placed her in the genius category.
Such a talented person was scooped up by Xie Shiqing again.
Wherever she went, she seemed to attract talents.
Liu Rushi tugged at the corner of her lips and simply replied with a soft "mm."
She used to think that as long as her grades were good, the future would be bright and full of promise. Only after the unexpected turn of events did she realize that good grades weren't everything; there were still situations where she felt powerless.
If she had enough money and power, like President Xie, would all problems be easily resolved?
With Xie Shiqing's casual and effortless manner, she dealt with the Zhang family in one sweep. How could one not yearn for that?
She felt apologetic toward Zhong Ning, after all, she had wrongly accused her and almost caused a huge problem. The image of Zhong Ning vowing confidently to take responsibility was still vivid in her mind. Though both from prominent families, the gap between them was like a chasm.
It was also she who had taken the initiative to offer help in seeking revenge. This kindness must not be forgotten.
Miaomiao’s illness required enormous financial expenditure. Relying solely on herself, in just over a year, she had experienced all the warmth and coldness of human relationships. Zhong Ning’s generosity and selflessness were truly a timely help.
The feelings, experiences, and kindness she had received during this period were enough to change the course of her life from now on.
"Thank you so much. If you ever need my help, just say the word. I’ll do everything I can, and if I can’t, I’ll still try my best to find a way."
Zhong Ning waved her hand. "You’re being too polite. Really, there’s no need. I didn’t help you because I expected anything in return."
"How’s Miaomiao doing lately?"
Liu Rushi lowered her eyes and smiled. "The doctor said the condition has stabilized, it's much better now. Last time I visited, she even smiled at me. At this rate, it won't take long before she's discharged, though I still need to be a bit more careful on a daily basis."
"Then you’ll have to move out of the dorm too," Zhong Ning said.
"Right, I just handed the approved documents to the dorm manager," Liu Rushi replied.
"That’s wonderful." Zhong Ning sighed again with emotion.
She loved seeing people who had been stuck in the mire embrace a new life. The light shining in their eyes was more beautiful than any scenery.
After exchanging contact information with the others, Zhong Ning returned home. The first thing she did was find Xie Shiqing and tell her everything that had happened today.
She especially highlighted the curly little sheep that ran around and Liu Rushi’s changes. In the end, she sighed, "Shiqing, you’re so kind and thoughtful. I didn’t even think of that."
Xie Shiqing accepted the compliment without any burden and replied, "When helping others, you may as well help all the way. That way you’ll be even happier, right?"
Zhong Ning blushed a little. "Very happy."
She even thought about me. She really loved me!
However, Xie Shiqing had entirely considered this from the perspective of recruiting loyal subordinates, which was why she invested her attention in Liu Rushi.
Such a person, outstanding in both character and academics, with a boundless future, was forced to drop out of school. How could she not feel regret? Xie Shiqing took a liking to Liu Rushi's personality, her strong mentality unafraid of rumors, and her intelligent mind. With such excellent talent, why wouldn’t she take the opportunity to pull her into her own camp?
Re-enrolling was nothing. With just over a year of investment, she could gain a loyal and capable talent — an absolute bargain.
Xie Corporation would face many upheavals in the future, with plenty of positions opening up. What she needed to do was dig up promising candidates one by one to fill these vacancies.
The days of military training passed both quickly and slowly. Even though Zhong Ning was naturally fair-skinned, she had gotten a shade darker from the sun, creating a noticeable contrast with the parts of her body that hadn’t been exposed.
But she didn’t really mind. When the short break finally came and she could go home, she was like a happy little dog who had been running wild outside, rushing noisily into the house with the sunshine-kissed proof on her skin, chattering nonstop to Xie Shiqing about everything that had happened during military training.
She had already talked about most things before, but finally seeing the person she had been longing for, she couldn’t help repeating them, wanting her to share in her joy.
However, Xie Shiqing did not greet her with a smile. Instead, she gently stroked her cheek apologetically. "Something came up at the company. I have to go handle it right away. I won’t be home for dinner tonight."
She looked somewhat tired and worried. The assistant behind her also wore a serious expression. Normally, they would greet her with smiles, but today there wasn’t even a hint of one.
Although Zhong Ning wasn’t particularly good at reading expressions, she could still tell the obvious difference between smiling and not smiling.
"Is it something very serious?" she asked worriedly.
Xie Shiqing sighed. "The film source for 'Lunar Rescue' got leaked. I have to go deal with it quickly."
After saying that, she hurried off.
Zhong Ning stood frozen on the spot.
'Lunar Rescue' was a sci-fi film prepared by Xie Entertainment, scheduled for release during the Mid-Autumn Festival. She had even watched the trailer and was looking forward to it. The story was about a meteorite colliding with the moon, bringing with it an extraterrestrial virus. Some opportunists secretly collected it for research, but the virus eventually leaked. It infected and mutated humans into monsters that went on a killing spree. The first batch of lunar immigrants struggled to survive and were eventually rescued.