Chapter 176: Teacher Mother, We Can

At the time, Blue Sea Publishing was unwilling to let me establish contact with Hong Kong.

But I wanted access to the world's most cutting-edge economic knowledge, so I insisted on obtaining their contact details.

The people there were fairly decent and willing to provide me with some current economic materials.

Li Ye mentioned the Hong Kong publisher matter, plugging a gap he had long anticipated.

High places are cold and lonely; someone will always doubt Li Ye's statements. From now on, whenever this happens, blame it all on Hong Kong.

Moreover, in front of someone like Professor Zhang, there's no need to hide anything.

After Li Ye finished speaking, Peng Rui exclaimed: "You actually bought books and periodicals from Hong Kong?"

Zou Mengcheng also said: "Can you bring them over for us to see?"

Yu Xiufen stood up immediately: "What's there to ask? Go get them right away!"

"How can you talk like that!" Teacher Lü said irritably: "Are you acting like a bandit? Is this how you treat the masses at work?"

"It's fine, I'll go get them right away," Li Ye smiled: "I'm too timid to show them to others—I just read them alone at home, and I still often don't understand them!"

The books and magazines sent by Pei Wencong weren't suitable for unfamiliar people to see, but it was fine to show them to Professor Zhang, Yu Xiufen, and others.

From their earlier discussion, it was clear they were all proactive reformers eager for more economic clues to verify viable paths for China's reform.

"Oh come on, you're wasting these treasures! Go get them quick!"

Yu Xiufen stamped her foot in impatience, urging Li Ye to leave immediately.

Li Ye had no choice but to go out, hop on his bicycle, return to the dorm, and bring back the unopened large parcel.

The postmark on it proved Li Ye was telling the truth.

Several senior students and classmates hurriedly opened the parcel, revealing a large collection of economics books and periodicals.

"Whoa, so many? Li Ye, you're sure this was just a kind gift? Not some sugar-coated bullet to bribe you into becoming a spy?"

"My family has been poor peasants for eight generations, and both my parents served in the military. Why would they bother recruiting me? They'd be blind to think so—I'll make sure they lose their meat buns with no return."

"Hahahaha~, good thing you caught on fast."

Pei Wencong didn't dare neglect Li Ye's request—the parcel contained dozens of books and periodicals, both in foreign languages and Chinese.

Not just Yu Xiufen and the others—even Professor Zhang, who had been calmly sipping tea while watching the students' eagerness, could no longer sit still.

He leaned forward and quickly rummaged through the pile, soon pulling several books into his arms.

In 1982, Peking University still lacked the financial clout of later years; its library had limited foreign exchange for purchasing books from outside Beijing.

The Economics Department was severely disconnected from the outside world, and its foreign exchange allocation lagged far behind departments like basic sciences and mechanical engineering, so even Professor Zhang sighed, "Books are always too few when you need them."

Yet now, a Peking University student had suddenly produced dozens of foreign-language original editions, many of them newly published in recent years—books the university library hadn't even heard of, let alone acquired.

"Dududu~"

"Old and young alike, acting like this—what kind of behavior is this?" Teacher Lü slammed the table, frowning: "Have you even asked the book owner? Do you treat them like your own things, just grabbing them into your arms?"

Li Ye quickly said: "No need, Teacher Lü—there are so many books I can't possibly read them all, and leaving them in the dorm makes them easier to lose. Please, Senior Brothers and Sisters, feel free to borrow them."

Among them, Professor Zhang had taken the most books; Teacher Lü could scold her own husband, but Li Ye couldn't afford to be clueless.

"Still not acceptable," Teacher Lü ordered Yu Xiufen: "Get paper and pen, list every book and its price.

Whoever wants to borrow must leave a deposit first—otherwise, what if something goes missing?"

"Good idea."

Yu Xiufen immediately fetched paper and pen and began listing each book one by one, but after registering only half, she frowned and looked at Teacher Lü.

"Teacher Lü, we can't afford these. Look at these prices—they're in U. . dollars!"

In 1982, the Chinese saw foreign book prices as incomprehensible—the ultimate proof of capitalist exploitation.

A three-finger-thick volume dared to cost dozens of U. . dollars—dozens, even hundreds of times the price of domestic books.

Although Yu Xiufen and the others had jobs and salaries, none could afford such sums.

"I told you it was unnecessary!"

Li Ye spread his hands and grinned: "Books only reach their full potential in the hands of outstanding scholars.

Not all these books are essential—we can pick out the important ones for Teacher Lü to keep, and the rest we can freely borrow."

Li Ye subtly shifted the term, beginning to call Teacher Lü "Teacher Mother."

In his view, this pile of books didn't even cover the cost of a proper Baishi gift.

"Good idea," Professor Zhang said immediately: "I'll sort them, your Teacher Mother will keep them—anyone who wants to read must get her signature."

The teacher-student group busied themselves with the pile of books for a long while before reaching a rough classification.

Careful Yu Xiufen calculated the total price of the books, arriving at a substantial sum.

She looked worried: "Li Ye, you're not really planning to settle with Hong Kong for this money? Taking their things for free… isn't that unfair?"

"Capitalists don't offer free lunches," Li Ye smiled: "I think he smelled something and is trying to curry favor with us in advance."

Yu Xiufen asked: "Smelled what?"

Li Ye said: "A few days ago, didn't we negotiate with Britain? Maybe they think it's time to go home."

"."

Everyone stared at Li Ye in surprise. After a long silence, Yu Xiufen suddenly turned to Professor Zhang: "Master, I take back what I said—your junior disciple isn't just good-looking; he's got substance too!"

"Of course. My judgment has always been sharp."

Professor Zhang sat back on the sofa, crossed his legs, and bounced them smugly.

Nakamura Naoto stood outside Peking University's south gate, feeling the cold night wind, as icy as his mood.

This morning, he had approached his homeroom teacher and strongly protested, demanding Li Ye give him an explanation.

The homeroom teacher didn't dismiss the matter—after reporting it to the department, they raised the issue with the Economics Department.

In the end, they reached a solution Nakamura Naoto found deeply unsatisfactory.

Li Ye would offer Nakamura Naoto a verbal apology, at the Dean's Office.

"What good is a small-scale verbal apology? Can it undo the humiliation I suffered in public?"

Nakamura Naoto strongly objected, but the Economics Department held firm—only a verbal apology was required; what happened to Li Ye afterward was none of Nakamura Naoto's concern.

In the end, Nakamura Naoto had no choice but to compromise.

But infuriatingly, when Nakamura Naoto arrived at the Dean's Office at the agreed time, Li Ye was nowhere to be seen.

The Economics Department had sent only a female student, who casually said: "Li Ye was taken home by Professor Zhang for dinner. We'll deal with this later."

And that was the end of it.

Though the Dean's Office said "we'll deal with it later," Nakamura Naoto, having lived in China for years, knew full well this meant nothing would happen.

No matter how angry Nakamura Naoto was, this was the final outcome.

Only now did Nakamura Naoto realize that although his status was special and he had received special treatment during his studies, he was still just a student.

If the school doesn't care about you, you have no power at all.

Helplessly, Nakamura Naoto abandoned pursuing Li Ye for now and turned to implementing his social repair plan.

"Didi~"

A car sped up and stopped before Nakamura Naoto.

Inoue Koji got out and handed him a briefcase.

Nakamura Naoto opened it—inside were brand-new portable cassette players.

"Nakamura-kun, as you requested—all latest models."

"Where are the tapes?"

"There wasn't enough time to gather all the tapes—I'll deliver them to you as soon as possible."

Nakamura Naoto glared at Inoue Koji for several seconds, then nodded haughtily and turned toward the campus.

He walked all the way to the Student Union activity room, relaxed his facial muscles at the door, and his gloomy expression softened into one of humility and courtesy.

Through the glass panel on the activity room door, Nakamura Naoto saw Liu Chunbo and others laughing and chatting.

A sneer of contempt appeared on his face.

"This morning you treated me coldly—but will you treat portable cassette players the same way? Hehe~"

Thank you to reader "Guguji" for the reward, and to reader "The Buried Giant" for the reward. Thank you, brothers.

(End of Chapter)