Chapter 43: Can You Give Him a Chance to Stay at the School?

"Traditional characters? 'I Wish to Become an Immortal'?"

After Wu Chengping frowned and read the title aloud, he looked up at Lu Xiangwei. "What did you just say? This is another book written by that student of yours? You're saying that student has written more than one novel? This is his second book?"

Lu Xiangwei nodded repeatedly. "Yes! Director, you're absolutely right. Please take another careful look at this sample book; look inside!"

Wu Chengping studied Lu Xiangwei's expression for a moment, then lowered his head to look at "I Wish to Become an Immortal" in his hands again. As he casually prepared to open the cover, his hand suddenly paused, his gaze catching the pen name beneath the title.

"Zhongyuan Yidianhui? Is that your student's pen name?"

This time, Wu Chengping asked without looking up at Lu Xiangwei.

Lu Xiangwei smiled and nodded. "Yes! How about it? Isn't that a good pen name?"

Wu Chengping remained noncommittal.

After opening the cover, he squinted and read for quite a while, not turning the page for a long time.

Lu Xiangwei waited a moment, seeing Wu Chengping still reading the first page, and couldn't help but ask in surprise, "Eh? Director, the whole book is in traditional characters; can you understand it?"

Wu Chengping smiled faintly and said casually, "What's there not to understand? When I was studying, I learned traditional characters. In fact, with the current simplified characters, I sometimes make mistakes writing them."

Saying this, he closed the sample book's cover, looked up at Lu Xiangwei, and said, "Little Lu! Here's the deal: leave this book with me for now. I'll take some time over the next few days to read it, to see how well your student wrote this book and if he really has the talent you claim."

Lu Xiangwei was stunned.

The director making such a request was completely unexpected.

But he immediately nodded anyway. "Sure! Since you can read the traditional characters, take your time reading. Just return it to me whenever you finish. By the way, Director, the matter I mentioned to you last time... what do you think? Hehe."

Saying this, he wore an embarrassed smile and, like a child, rubbed his hands together.

Wu Chengping frowned. "What are you referring to?"

Lu Xiangwei looked surprised, as if he hadn't expected the director to have forgotten.

He hurriedly reminded him, "Director! It's about whether my student can stay at the school after graduation. Did you forget? Look, he's only a freshman and has already written two novels; one of them is about to be published, and the one in your hands was even published on the island of Taiwan. Such a talented student... could you give him a chance to stay at the school after graduation?"

Wu Chengping frowned tightly and remained silent for a long time without expressing his opinion.

Seeing this, Lu Xiangwei hurriedly added, "Director! Just do me a favor. My student has only this one talent for writing; aside from that, he has no background whatsoever. His parents are farming peasants, and his education is just a junior college diploma. A few years ago, before the state canceled guaranteed job assignments, someone with his education could still find a decent job after graduation. But now that job assignments have been canceled! Someone like him will probably find it very hard to get a good job after graduation. I'm his counselor; it's rare for my class to produce such talent, and I really want to help him. Director, please do me this favor? Is that okay?"

The more he spoke, the more sincere Lu Xiangwei's Expression phase became.

By the end, he even clasped his hands together in supplication.

Wu Chengping frowned, looking at him.

He asked in a deep voice, "Since you think he has great talent in writing, why are you still worried he won't find a good job after graduation? How can you be so certain? And have you considered whether he himself would even want to stay at the school? Lu Xiangwei! You're putting me in a difficult position! You said he's just a junior college student. Our school has so many undergraduate graduates every year, and none of them stay at the school. You want me to give a junior college student the opportunity to stay on staff?"

Lu Xiangwei gave a bitter smile but was still unwilling to give up. "Director, you're right. Our school does indeed have many undergraduate graduates every year. But when something is abundant, it's no longer rare. We have plenty of undergraduate graduates every year, but how many can publish two novels while still a freshman? My student is the only one, right? No! He should be the only one since our school was founded. Do you agree with that?"

Wu Chengping fell silent.

His Expression phase seemed somewhat moved.

After a moment, he sighed. "You make some sense. This student is indeed talented. But since he can already publish two novels at his age, his income must be quite good. Young people who become famous early tend to develop high spirits, and their ambitions often rise far beyond what is normal."

Pausing, he showed a slight smile and added, "So, Little Lu! I think he might not appreciate your good intentions. After all, given his education, even if he stayed at the school after graduation, the job offered wouldn't be very good. And you know our school's salary and benefits aren't high. I don't think he would be willing to stay."

Lu Xiangwei opened his mouth, wanting to argue but finding no words.

He knew in his heart that the director made sense.

After a moment of silence, Lu Xiangwei sighed, "You're right. However, Director, you used to like writing articles and even published them in newspapers more than once; I know all this. So you must know that making a living solely by writing is very difficult. My student is only a freshman now. I think if he can't produce another publishable, money-making work over the next two years, he should gradually calm down. By then, he might be willing to stay at the school."

This time, without waiting for Wu Chengping to reply, he continued, "Director! How about this? If he's willing to stay at the school when he graduates, please do me a favor and give him a chance to be hired. If he's not willing, just treat it as if I let out a fart in front of you today; pretend this never happened. Is that okay?"

Wu Chengping frowned and looked at Lu Xiangwei for quite a while before giving a wry smile and remarking, "Little Lu! It's been several years since a teacher came to me to fight for a job for their student. You're so young; how can you bring yourself to come here and say these things for your student? This won't do you any good, right?"

Lu Xiangwei chuckled twice.

He scratched his head and said, "Director, I'm just a person with no shame to begin with! What's there not to be ashamed of? You know, the only reason I was able to stay at the school to work was because my family pulled some strings for me. I have no real ability myself, and I know many people in the school look down on me. I don't care about that."

"But my class has now produced such talent. As his counselor, I feel it's my responsibility to consider his future. Otherwise, even if I teach for a lifetime, how many students will truly respect me from the bottom of their hearts? I won't amount to anything in my life; I just want to help my students more, to cultivate a few students who can bring some honor to my face. That's my only ambition, hehe."

Wu Chengping squinted and stared at Lu Xiangwei's face for a while, then slowly nodded. "Good! I'm very glad you have this kind of awareness."

Pausing, he added, "You've gone this far for this student. By all rights, I should grant you this favor. However..."

Saying this, he raised "I Wish to Become an Immortal" in his hand, smiling. "The premise is that this book must be truly well-written, showing me he really has the talent you claim. If the book is just average, no matter how much you beg me, I won't agree. This is a matter of principle."

Lu Xiangwei gave a bitter smile but could only nod in agreement.

After a moment, Lu Xiangwei left the director's office.

Wu Chengping's gaze fell again on the cover of "I Wish to Become an Immortal." Frowning and hesitating for several seconds, he opened the book's cover again and squinted at the main text.

This sample book was not the second volume sample book Cao Sheng received yesterday.

It was the first volume sample book Lu Xiangwei specifically asked Cao Sheng for.

When Lu Xiangwei insisted on getting the first volume sample book yesterday, Cao Sheng felt quite helpless and secretly complained in his heart: You're being picky now?

The next morning, just past 10 o'clock.

Lu Xiangwei shamelessly knocked on the department head's office again. Standing before Wu Chengping's office, he asked with an expectant Expression phase, "Director, did you read any of my student's sample book last night? What do you think?"