Chapter 806: Looking for a School
In the end, Gu Shan fell silent. Indeed, whenever Gu Zi met him now, she would only address him as Uncle Gu. Her achievements no longer bore any significant relation to him. Given this, he couldn’t blame her.
Meanwhile, Gu Zi had already started a conversation with Su Shen. “The two brothers have been busy preparing for the competition, full of fighting spirit,” she said. “They said they would show you the trophy when you return. Lele has been very well-behaved, and everything at home is fine. I’ve been busy with work and revision, so I’ve very little free time. You can rest assured.”
Gu Zi’s words started off normal, but towards the end, they took on a different tone. Su Shen wasn’t sure if he was interpreting her correctly, but he didn’t dare to be careless. He reported the latest developments, “Gu Zi, the old leader has agreed to meet me. I will arrange to return as soon as possible. You should focus on your studies. By the way, have you completed the procedures for the exam?”
“I’ve already submitted an application to my former high school,” she replied. “It’s a simple matter. I believe they will notify me soon to bring my documents for registration.”
Gu Zi felt that the previous host’s academic performance was excellent. The only reason she didn’t take the college entrance examination was that she had given up a year in advance. She believed that her former school, knowing her situation, would definitely accept her. Applying to another high school would require a lot of additional documentation, which would be too troublesome. Therefore, she directly applied to her former high school.
Speaking of which, Gu Zi felt that she needed to get some sleep early. The notification might arrive tomorrow, and she would have to go to school to register her documents. She wanted to go with a full spirit.
She hurriedly hung up the phone and went upstairs to sleep.
Little did she know, the older man on the other end of the line sat by the base’s phone, smoking one cigarette after another, his mind filled with her clear and soft voice. He tossed and turned all night.
The next morning, Gu Zi received a call from her former high school. “I’m sorry, Gu Zi, but because you refused to take the college entrance examination last year and didn’t complete the leaving procedures, we can’t accept your application,” they said.
With that, they hastily hung up. Gu Zi put down the phone, her eyes filled with confusion. She couldn’t understand why her former school would reject her. However, the school had its own considerations. If they didn’t accept her, so be it.
Although it was difficult to find a school for a retake these days, she still had a backup plan. Guan Xin had previously mentioned that she could help with finding a school.
In the afternoon, Gu Zi went to the newspaper office to submit her work and participate in a meeting. Once it concluded, she sought out Guan Xin, who seemed relaxed upon hearing her news.
“Is it not just about finding a school? It’s not a difficult task, especially for someone as exceptional as you,” Guan Xin said. “Your previous school must have been out of their minds to let go of such a promising student. I don’t even need to involve my father in this. I have my own connections. All you need to do is attend a qualification assessment, which I believe will be no challenge for you.”
Guan Xin had never doubted Gu Zi’s excellence. The articles Gu Zi translated and edited had never caused any trouble, unlike the previous foreign language editors whose poor translations had infuriated Director Jiang. On the contrary, Director Jiang, known for her strict scrutiny of articles, had praised Gu Zi on multiple occasions.
There were several instances when Director Zhao from the printing department tried to stir up trouble, but Director Jiang always stepped in to resolve the issues. Guan Xin, who had known Director Jiang for a long time, had never seen her so invested in matters beyond the articles. Yet, she had helped Gu Zi, even without her knowledge, which was a testament to Gu Zi’s exceptional abilities.
For Guan Xin, Gu Zi seeking her help was not a burden but a golden opportunity to expand her network.
Gu Zi was unsure why Guan Xin was so pleased, but she knew that as the daughter of a school principal and a reporter for a renowned newspaper, Guan Xin had a vast network.
Gu Zi felt reassured and thanked her, saying, “I appreciate your help with this matter. I should get going now.”
Guan Xin stopped her, saying, “Don’t rush off. I wasn’t sure if I should ask you this, but I’m going to anyway. I really want to cover this story. Is your sister-in-law planning to open a branch in the Guangcheng district?”
The plan to open a branch in Guangcheng district was a secret known only to family members. However, now that Guan Xin had brought it up, it was clear that it was no longer a secret to her. Gu Zi asked, puzzled, “How did you find out about this?”
Guan Xin winked, picked up a beret from the table, and put it on, looking ready to leave. She grabbed Gu Zi’s arm and led her out of the office.
Once they were out of the office area, Guan Xin said, “It seems I guessed right. I had a craving and went to Pingshui Town to buy braised meat. I noticed your sister-in-law wasn’t in the shop, so I casually asked Aunt Yang about it. She didn’t intend to tell me, but I managed to coax it out of her.”
“Gu Zi,” she continued, “I think, as a staff member of our newspaper, you should let us cover the news of your sister-in-law’s restaurant opening a branch. Don’t you agree?”