Chapter 545: This Is Robbery

September 23rd, Monday, afternoon.

Li Ye rode his bicycle to find Watching Wen Leyu. According to custom, today was the day the two of them would go to Zaojunmiao to improve their diet, but Li Ye suddenly had something to do today, so he had to go over and tell Watching Wen Leyu.

Arriving outside the English Department classroom, Li Ye found that Watching Wen Leyu and Li Juan were already waiting for him.

Li Ye said apologetically, "My teacher called me over today, saying a few fellow disciples are coming. How do you two want to arrange tonight?"

The "teacher" Li Ye spoke of was the economics bigwig Zhang Qiyan. Over the years, he would irregularly call his favorite disciples over for a meal, and ever since Li Ye joined, he had been the cook who couldn't escape.

However, as fellow disciples like Yu Xiufen, Peng Rui, and Zou Mengcheng got married and started families, these gatherings became fewer and fewer; sometimes there wasn't even one in a month.

It was just that Watching Wen Leyu never went with Li Ye, and Zhang Qiyan, likely knowing Watching Wen Leyu's background, never asked.

"We won't go; you go yourself! I'm taking Yang Xiaojuan out to a restaurant today."

Watching Wen Leyu indeed didn't go, then turned to ask Li Juan, "Yang Xiaojuan, what do you like to eat? It's suitable to eat mutton in autumn; how about we go eat hot pot?"

Li Juan licked her lips and said, "Actually, I can cook. There's mutton in the refrigerator at Zaojunmiao, so we don't need to go to a restaurant."

"That settles it, let's go."

"Okay."

Li Juan got on her new bicycle and, carrying Watching Wen Leyu, rode off like the wind.

The refrigerator at Zaojunmiao not only had beef but also fruit, Red Bull, cola, and ice cream... all things the little girl liked.

And she could watch TV while eating; Li Juan felt extremely happy right now.

Li Ye watched the two girls ride away before turning his bike toward Professor Zhang's house.

Actually, Li Ye could guess a bit of the reason why Professor Zhang suddenly invited a few fellow disciples over today.

Today was September 23rd in Beijing time, but it was still September 22nd in the Lighthouse.

Starting several days ago, the finance ministers and central bank governors of five developed industrial countries—the Lighthouse, Japan, West Germany, France, and Britain—had been holding a meeting at the Plaza Hotel in New York.

Such a big commotion couldn't be hidden from people, especially sensitive economic figures Li Kezhang Qiyan.

Zhang Qiyan also had friends in the Lighthouse, so today, he was likely going to reveal some "latest news" to Li Ye, Yu Xiufen, and the others.

Li Ye rode his bicycle toward the new buildings in the school dormitory area. Professor Zhang had been allocated a "Professor's Building" last year, and the living conditions were much better than before.

"Vroom, vroom, vroom."

Just as Li Ye was about to arrive, there was suddenly the sound of a motorcycle behind him, and the sound was very fast.

Li Ye had just turned his head when he saw a scooter "vroom" past him, speeding forward.

Li Ye was a bit surprised; "speeding gangs" weren't rare these days, but the person who just passed by was a female rider.

And she wasn't wearing a helmet, had very short hair, wore sunglasses, and looked like a tomboy; she looked fierce at first glance.

Were girls in the eighties this fierce?

Li Ye chuckled and rode slowly to the bottom of Professor Zhang's building, only to find that motorcycle again.

He went upstairs and knocked on the door, and the person who opened it for Li Ye was exactly that short-haired girl.

The girl looked Li Ye up and down twice, then asked straightforwardly, "Are you Li Ye?"

Li Ye didn't answer but instead asked, "May I ask who you are?"

The short-haired girl frowned, seemingly dissatisfied with Li Ye's attitude.

"Li Ye is here, come in quickly!"

Teacher Lu, wearing an apron, heard the commotion and walked to the door, smiling as she greeted Li Ye inside, then introduced, "This is Cai Minying, whom we often mention to you; you should call her Senior Sister."

"Oh, hello, Senior Sister."

Li Ye then suddenly realized that the overseas student whom Yu Xiufen and the others called a "tomboy" had returned.

Cai Minying was from the Class of '80 Economics Department and had already gone to the Lighthouse to study abroad when Li Ye enrolled. According to descriptions from Yu Xiufen, Zou Mengcheng, and others, she was a figure of at least "study god" level.

Before Li Ye became a disciple, this Cai Minying was publicly recognized as Zhang Qiyan's most outstanding student.

However, Li Ye was an unreasonable "monster," so he naturally had no intention of comparing himself to such a person, so he just lightly called out "Hello, Senior Sister" and went to the kitchen to help Teacher Lu get busy.

Cai Minying frowned again, then leaned against the kitchen door frame, sizing Li Ye up and down.

"Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud."

The kitchen knife in Li Ye's hand was like a skilled dancer, cutting radishes and potatoes into fine strips; the mundane act of cooking actually had an artistic charm.

The frown on Cai Minying's face smoothed out unconsciously, and she took the opportunity to exchange a look with Teacher Lu.

Teacher Lu left the kitchen and went to another room with Cai Minying.

Then Cai Minying asked in a low voice, "Teacher's wife, why did you and Teacher call me here today?"

Teacher Lu shook her head and said, "I really don't know. Your teacher is coming back soon; you can just ask him later."

Cai Minying looked at Teacher Lu and said straightforwardly, "Teacher's wife, you don't need to hide it from me. Are you and Teacher trying to play matchmaker for us?"

"Play matchmaker for you two? Matchmaker for you and whom?"

Teacher Lu looked at Cai Minying in surprise, then followed Cai Minying's gaze toward the kitchen and couldn't help but laugh.

"Teacher's wife, don't laugh! I've only been back in the country for a few days and I'm already annoyed to death by all sorts of matchmakers. Everyone thinks I can't get married. I didn't expect you and Teacher to think so too..."

Cai Minying muttered a complaint, then changed the subject, looking at Li Ye's back and saying, "But this little junior brother does look pleasing to the eye."

Teacher Lu almost couldn't help but laugh out loud, so she had to wave her hands repeatedly and said, "Little Cai, you really misunderstood. Li Ye has a partner; your teacher and I wouldn't do such a thing."

Cai Minying's face turned red instantly, and she said very awkwardly, "Teacher's wife, then why did you only invite me and him over? Senior Sister Yu used to come to cook, so I thought..."

Teacher Lu took a breath and said, "Your Senior Sister Yu has a family and is busy with work, so she'll probably come later.

But you've been busy with your studies all these years, so it's indeed time to start a family. If people at your unit introduce you to someone, that's a favor; don't be picky, the more you pick, the worse it gets..."

Teacher Lu shared some experience with Cai Minying as someone who had been through it, but Cai Minying was distracted, her face flushed red, clearly not listening.

It wasn't until Professor Zhang, Yu Xiufen, Zou Mengcheng, and the others gathered that Cai Minying's expression returned to normal.

At the dining table, Professor Zhang took out a piece of paper with a string of information copied onto it.

"This is news I just received from a friend. The Lighthouse people have a big hand!"

Yu Xiufen took the paper first and huddled together with her husband, Wang Zhizhang, to read it.

After reading it, Wang Zhizhang said with disgust, "This is robbery; the Lighthouse people are truly shameless."

In fact, the original intention of the "Plaza Accord" was for the five governments to jointly intervene in the foreign exchange market to orderly lower the dollar against major currencies, in order to solve the Lighthouse's huge trade deficit.

So no matter how it was beautified on the surface, it couldn't cover up the essence of the Lighthouse's robbery.

After Wang Zhizhang finished speaking, Zhang Qiyan suddenly asked Cai Minying, "Little Ying, what do you think?"

Cai Minying had just returned from the Lighthouse, so everyone looked at her, wanting to hear her thoughts.

And Professor Zhang was also smiling, as if waiting for something.

Cai Minying thought for a moment and said, "The Lighthouse people are at the forefront of the world in economics, so... there is logic to it. We need to study and learn..."

"To be honest, after returning to the mainland, I feel very uncomfortable because many of us still hold great prejudices against Western free economics, and there are obstacles everywhere. Teacher, Senior Brother, Senior Sister, I always feel that at this moment of change not seen in a hundred years, we should do something..."

Yu Xiufen, Zou Mengcheng, and the others looked at Cai Minying in surprise.

Because her words were a bit bold.

And her teacher, Zhang Qiyan, smiled and looked at Li Ye.

Li Ye scanned the surroundings and said calmly, "Is Western free economics beneficial to the poor?"

"Our purpose has always been to benefit the poor and protect the poor. If this direction is wrong, then whether it's Western or Eastern theory, it will eventually be incompatible with our conditions here."

(End of chapter)

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