Chapter 8, The Cost

Zhou felt a chill in her heart upon hearing this. She still held a glimmer of hope and called to inquire, thinking that perhaps there was a mistake in some part of the process. The other party merely responded perfunctorily, saying they were unaware of the matter and that she should ask their leader. After much effort, she finally managed to reach the head of the finance department. Zhou mentioned the name of the school and asked, "I wonder if you have forgotten to issue a scholarship to a student named Zhou Shi?"

Zhou took a step forward, slipped the check into his suit pocket, flashed a charming smile, and then her expression suddenly changed as she scolded fiercely, "Why don't you take your money with you to the coffin!" She had initially wanted to slap him like they do on television, but since her right hand was holding a bag and her left hand couldn't swing properly, she decided against it

A bolt from the blue, there was actually no money on the card. She thought there had been a mistake and asked several other students who had also received the Yunma Scholarship, all of whom said it had been disbursed. In a panic, she rushed to the academic affairs office to inquire. The teacher at the academic affairs office listened and said, "Oh, is that so? Then you should wait a few more days. The scholarship is disbursed by Yunma Company directly to everyone's card, and the school has no way to expedite it. Alternatively, you could call them to inquire."

She unexpectedly smiled sweetly and asked, "What about the breakup?" Wei Qing thought she agreed, and his attitude immediately became arrogant as he looked down at her, saying, "It's just like a meeting gift." His voice carried a hint of coldness. It turned out she was just like that; he had thought she was so lofty! For some reason, he felt a twinge of disappointment in his heart.

Zhang Shuai was laughing uncontrollably, retreating to the corridor, "Hello, may I ask who it is?"

Upon hearing this, the crowd erupted in an uproar, collectively accusing the school of being heartless. The teachers from the finance department repeatedly explained the difficulties faced by the school, ultimately stating: "I understand everyone's challenges; the high tuition fees are not something everyone can bear. However, the school has no choice; it needs to operate, and expenses are everywhere. The principal's office has recently issued a notice that if tuition fees are not paid by mid-November, students may be forced to withdraw. Therefore, everyone should think of ways to raise funds with their families!" Ignoring the anger of the crowd, the principal's office had just issued the notice, and after stating this, they left without further ado.

Wei Qing let out a cold "hmph" and said淡淡: "Alright, I will call her later." It seems that Zhou has a new boyfriend, which made her feel even more indignant and unwilling to give up just like that

Seeing her like this, Wei Qing's heart softened, and he said gently: "If you were not so stubborn, you wouldn't have to be expelled. Don't you want to study? This way, it serves two purposes; why not take advantage of it?" This person is shameless to a certain extent, with a wolf's ambition; his heart is worthy of condemnation

Zhang Shuai was afraid of disturbing her, so he went to the adjacent classroom to read. When the time was up, he would go back to collect the exam papers. He promised to grade the papers for Zhou, because Zhou said that if he graded them himself, he would definitely go easy on them.

Zhou had a request of him, so he had no choice but to patiently ask: "How should we discuss this?"

Wei Qing was taken aback, thinking he had dialed the wrong number, and asked, "Isn't this Zhou Shi's phone?"

Zhou indeed went to the bookstore to buy a set of English test papers, along with an audio tape for listening practice. To restrain herself, she had Zhang Shuai supervise her while she worked on the test papers, to prevent her from making various excuses to leave halfway through. Zhang Shuai advised her to approach the test papers with the mindset of an actual exam, and it would be best to complete them in one go.

Wei Qing noticed her displeased expression and understood that she was in a bad mood, yet he chose to ignore it and courteously pulled out a chair for her. Zhou cast a disdainful glance at him, sat down angrily, and immediately asked: "Wei Qing, what exactly do you want?"

Some even suggested writing to the central leadership to inform them that the school disregards the lives of students, valuing only money. This, of course, is merely a momentary outburst and is entirely impractical

Zhang Shuai looked at her and after a moment nodded: "Yes, I want to test myself and see how my English really is"

With a snort, she tossed her head back, looking at him with the arrogance of a victorious rooster. Wei Qing could not believe that the invincible self he had always known was actually outplayed by such a novice! Unable to contain his anger any longer, he erupted in fury, saying, "Zhou Shi, you better think about the consequences! Just wait to be expelled!"

Zhou shook her head in embarrassment: "I haven't heard of it... um, where can I buy it?" Zhang Shuai did not mock her for not knowing Wang Changxi after studying English for four years in university, and replied: "There are bookstores that sell study materials, and the Xidan Bookstore definitely has it too." After thinking for a moment, he added: "I also have some English review materials; if you want, I can find them for you." Zhou repeatedly expressed her gratitude.

Everyone laughed louder at the expression on her face. Bi Qiu Jing said: "Oh my, Zhou, you are really adorable. Are you hosting an Apple conference? You are full of apples!" It is impressive that she can remember so many varieties.

Zhou heard this and violently slammed the phone down! Wei Qing is truly despicable! He is simply going too far! It is clear that he does not want me to live!

Zhou was striking fiercely, like a shrew, nearly driven to madness. She had no intention of continuing her studies, so what was there to fear! The bag, which contained metal, hurt quite a bit when it struck her body, and Wei Qing was reluctant to hit a woman, so he could only dodge. Zhou struck about a dozen times, exhausted her strength, staggered slightly, took a breath, and disdainfully refused to look at him again, walking away without looking back.

Zhou cast a sidelong glance at him, her face displaying a look of disdain. She thought that enduring the situation and offering an apology would suffice, but little did she know that this person was nothing but a wolf or a tiger, pressing her step by step! What leverage did she have! Wasn't this just a clear display of playing with her? In that case, there was nothing more to say. With a change in her expression, she was about to leave

Zhou listened, seemingly having a hand in the recently changed school policy, and was filled with rage; the next moment, thinking of the dire situation she was about to face, her anger turned to sorrow, and her eyes involuntarily reddened. She had truly been bullied severely by Wei Qing! Although she tried her best to control herself, her shoulders trembled incessantly, and tears were about to spill over. She stubbornly forced them back and proudly said, "That is my business, what does it have to do with you, you scum!" Her voice already carried a sob.

Zhang Shuai was painting a portrait in oil while listening to Zhou Shi recite English words like a monk chanting scriptures, shaking her head repeatedly, and saying: "Zhou Shi, is this method of memorizing words really effective?" Zhou Shi, who had been tormented by English to the point of losing her composure these days, sighed and replied: "It should be effective, right? Everyone says that vocabulary is fundamental!"

Zhou then took out his phone from his pocket and handed it to him, saying with a fearless attitude: "You keep it for me first, and let these two hours be considered as a Level 4 exam." He gritted his teeth and focused on completing the test paper.

Zhang Shuai quickly explained: "Oh! Zhou is currently unable to take calls. If you have urgent matters, you can relay them." Remembering that he also could not disturb her while she was working on her exam, he changed his words: "If you have something to discuss, please call her again in an hour."

The tear stains on the face have not yet dried

Zhou nodded vigorously in agreement and said earnestly: "Now there are more and more varieties of apples, such as Red Jade Apple, Yellow Jade Apple, Corner Apple, Red Fuji Apple, Green Apple, Red Apple..."

Zhou found his words quite reasonable upon hearing them, so he stood there with a cold expression, remaining motionless and not taking a seat. He secretly laughed, thinking that he was just a child, so impulsive and willful in his actions! He continued to maintain a meeting-like demeanor and said, "If you wish to have a proper discussion, then please take a seat." He then moved to the coffee table by the sofa

Zhou was overjoyed when the scholarship was awarded, immediately jumping up and saying, "Of course, of course, it wouldn't be without you." He took the card and went to the ATM to check his balance

Zhou, after experiencing several setbacks, has decided not to look for part-time work anymore, and instead spends his days in the studio memorizing words and sketching. "Drink today while there is wine, worry about tomorrow when it comes; what does it matter? The boat will naturally reach the bridge when it gets there, and if the sky falls, it will serve as a blanket." Zhou is inherently a person who disregards rules; unless it is a matter of life and death, he truly does not feel the urgency.

The Minister boldly stated, "It is not impossible."

Wei Qing let out an "oh" and said, "Are you a student from Tsinghua?" Zhang Shuai, not knowing who he was, felt it inappropriate to hang up while being pressed for details, so he could only reply, "No, no, no, I am a student from the Fine Arts Department. May I ask what the matter is?"

Zhou still asked in confusion, "Where can I find the Level 4 exam papers?" Zhang Shuai was truly exasperated with her, shaking his head and sighing, "Just buy them! Wang Changxi's English Level 4 prediction papers are quite good. If you complete all 8 sets, it should improve your skills significantly. Passing Level 4 should not be a problem."

She saw a book about the IELTS exam on Zhang Shuai's desk and couldn't help but ask, "Zhang Shuai, are you going to take the IELTS?"

In the midst of laughter and conversation, Bi Qiujing asked the girl next to her, "You have already received the scholarship, haven't you? So soon!" The girl nodded, "Yes, it has already been credited to my account. Yunma has been quite efficient this year; the funds were disbursed in October without any delays!" Generally, scholarships are not received until the end of the semester.

Zhou smiled instead of getting angry, and coldly snorted, "Should I still thank you for saying that?"

The exam lasted less than an hour, and Zhou's phone vibrated. He ignored it, but after a while, it vibrated again, continuously. Fearing there might be an urgent matter, he ran over and said: "Zhou, it's a phone call."

Zhang Shuai laughed: "It's a Level 4 exam paper, are you attempting a Level 6 one?"

Zhou sneered: "There is no need for General Wei to worry!" It is like a cat weeping for the mouse, pretending to be compassionate! How can there be such despicable people in the world! Zhou only felt anger

Zhou Shi was filled with rage at the thought of the scholarship matter. Fine, let's settle both old and new grievances together! Did he think that Wei Qing could dominate everything while she was merely to obey? How underestimated Zhou Shi was! Thus, she agreed. When Wei Qing saw that she was willing to meet, he enthusiastically said he would come to pick her up. Zhou Shi decisively refused, saying, "Let's find a place instead." The two agreed on a meeting location, and Zhou Shi stormed off in anger to confront him.

Zhou noticed that he was only focused on smoking and had no intention of speaking, so she had to take the initiative: "Mr. Wei, if I have offended you in any way before, I hope you can be magnanimous and not hold it against a mere student like me. I am here to apologize to you." She felt that someone like Wei Qing generally responded better to a softer approach rather than a hard one, so she lowered her stance.

Zhou's anger flared up as he exclaimed, "Haven't you thought about how to handle this yet? You have caused me to lose job after job, deliberately making things difficult for me regarding the scholarship. Why are you being so petty? What have I done to offend you? I'm just a struggling art student; do you really need to go to such lengths to deal with me? Are you just bored and looking for something to do?"

Zhou was fully immersed in completing the exam paper, feeling a surge of frustration as he struggled with the 26 English letters. Impatiently, he said, "You take the call for me, stop bothering me! Can I answer the phone during the Level 4 exam?"

Zhou looked down and saw six zeros behind, with just one move amounting to a million, truly wealthy! She felt this moment was very dramatic and utterly absurd. The check was far less tempting to her than a stack of bright red cash. Since she could resist a thick pile of cash, she could naturally also resist a piece of white paper

Bi Qiujing nodded and said, "I really envy you. I don't even know when my national scholarship will be issued; I estimate it will have to wait until next year's school term begins." She then turned to Zhou Shi and asked, "You also received the Yunma Scholarship, right? Then you must treat us!"

Bi Qiujing frowned at the apple in her hand: "The price of apples being sold now is getting more and more expensive, yet their taste is becoming increasingly unpalatable"

The Minister was not angry; seeing her chest rise and fall vigorously, the young woman's body was quite alluring, yet at this moment, he remained unperturbed. He raised an eyebrow and said: "If you wish to resolve the issue, you should discuss it calmly. Anger does not help the situation; it will only make matters worse."

Zhou is the type who cannot stand being slapped by others and then being coaxed with a candy, as if she were a three-year-old child being toyed with! Grabbing the bag in her hand, she swung it down at Wei Qing, shouting: "I won't study anymore!" If she has to drop out, then so be it; she doesn't care! But tears began to slide down, dripping onto Wei Qing's hand. He seemed to be burned by them.

Just before stepping out, she kicked the door with force, producing a loud "bang" that echoed throughout the entire floor. The waitstaff and others all poked their heads out to see what was happening. Zhou glared back fiercely, saying, "What are you looking at? What's so interesting! Never seen a woman cry before?"

Zhou displayed an expression of both envy and jealousy, threw the book aside, and sighed, saying: "Zhang Shuai, your English is already good enough! Please do not undermine me any further!" Zhang Shuai raised an eyebrow and smiled, then went out to wash his brush

Wei Qing listened to his tone; it seemed he was quite familiar with Zhou. Not only did he answer her call, but he also instructed him to call back in an hour, indicating a complex relationship. Thus, he subtly inquired, "May I ask who you are?" Zhang Shuai simply replied, "I am her classmate."

However, what is even more concerning is that the head of the school's finance department personally approached some students who had not paid their tuition fees, saying: "Dear students, it seems that many of you have not yet paid your tuition fees. The school has just issued a new regulation this year, stating that if tuition fees are not paid by the due date, there is a possibility of being expelled. Therefore, I urge everyone to settle their payments promptly and not to delay any further. If you are facing difficulties, please think of ways to address them. I also ask everyone to understand the school's challenges; with so many students not paying their tuition, the outstanding fees in the Fine Arts Department alone have reached over one million yuan. How can the school operate normally under such circumstances!"

Zhou does not have to go to the bar to work in the evening, and life suddenly becomes carefree. During the day, she honestly goes to the library to study with Bi Qiujing, and when there is nothing to do, she sneaks into the art studio. She usually reads books on painting theory and techniques. During the lunch break, a few of them hide on the sofa outside the library, munching on apples.

However, he did not give Zhou a call

The other party explained: "Oh, Zhou Shi's name is indeed on the scholarship list. The scholarship was not originally scheduled to be distributed this early, but our General Wei specifically instructed us to expedite the process, so we handled it in advance. As for Zhou Shi's scholarship, General Wei mentioned to wait a little longer. It is estimated that it will be sent over in a few days"

Zhang Shuai shrugged and said, "If you just memorize aimlessly like this, it probably won't be very effective. I suggest you first try a few sets of practice papers, and then take targeted measures based on that; it should help a bit." Zhou asked doubtfully, "Really? Practice papers? What practice papers?"

Wei Qing said lightly: "I just returned from a business trip and would like to invite you to dinner. I wonder if Miss Zhou would be willing to grace me with her presence?" It was a polite invitation. At first glance, one could truly be moved. Little did one know that this person was merely a wolf in human clothing, even worse than a beast.

Among the many university students who are kept, Zhou's worth is exceptionally high. The worth of an average person is less than one-tenth of hers

Zhou's face turned green with anger, and in terms of words, she was no match for the cunning Wei Qing. She was furious, slammed the table, and with a forceful sweep, the sound of "clang, clang" echoed continuously as all the cups, plates, and bowls on the table shattered into pieces. Unfortunately, this was a closed private room, and even if Zhou caused a commotion, no one would intervene.

Before she could finish her sentence, everyone was already laughing uncontrollably. Zhou looked at them in confusion and said, "What are you laughing at! These apples are not as delicious as the ones we used to grow ourselves!"

Wei Qing shook his head inwardly, as he was ultimately not composed enough; he could not maintain his calm from the outset and said lightly, "Negotiations cannot be conducted in this manner." In the shadows beneath the light, his face was obscured, making it difficult to discern his expression

Zhou was unsure whether the school's statement was true or false; this was a matter of life and death and could not be taken lightly. She was puzzled, recalling that the school had initially stated that grades would not be issued without tuition payment. Why had this changed? With only a few days left until mid-November, she truly felt the urgency of the situation and began to feel anxious and flustered

Zhou pondered for a moment and then sat down on the other side, the two of them facing each other like adversaries. Wei Qing thought to himself that this young man was indeed teachable and that he could gradually mold him according to his own wishes. Wei Qing crossed his legs, exuding an air of ease and leisure, while Zhou sat upright and tense, as if facing a formidable opponent

Wei Qing stopped her: "Wait a moment—" He also stood up and walked around from the sofa, standing face to face with her. Zhou looked at him warily and involuntarily took a step back. He took out a check from his pocket and placed it in her palm, calmly saying: "You can take this first as a meeting gift, and I will give you two hundred thousand every month from now on." He believed he had the upper hand, certain that Zhou would not be able to escape his grasp. He took out a check from his pocket and placed it in her palm, calmly saying: "You can take this first as a meeting gift, and I will give you two hundred thousand every month from now on." He believed he had the upper hand, certain that Zhou would not be able to escape his grasp.

Wei Qing stared at her for a long while and said, "You have to come up with some leverage!"

Wei Qing looked at her with a relaxed expression and shrugged, saying, "I didn't think much of it!"

The public was indignant and launched a fierce criticism, with some saying: "What a terrible school, they can't even secure a bank loan, yet they are so ruthless! It's not like we aren't paying; can't we just delay it a bit?" A student from the art department disdainfully remarked: "What are the teachers even teaching at this school? We learned everything on our own! Our teacher doesn't meet with us even once a week, and after graduating from the master's program, they still haven't passed the Level 4 exam. What kind of teaching quality is that!" In no time, the criticism was directed at various aspects. The situation escalated, and there was widespread dissatisfaction with the school's decision.

Of course, Wei Qing was not idly passing the time; on the contrary, his intentions were very clear. Observing Zhou, who was furious and fuming, his face flushed with anger, it was evident that he was particularly enraged. Leaning back in his chair, he said nonchalantly, "What is the point of doing a job like that in a bar? It would be better not to do it at all! As for the scholarship, if you wish, I can have them issue it to you right now."

Wei Qing felt that she had also been pressured quite a bit, so she called her: "It's been a while since we last contacted each other, how have you been lately? I hope there haven't been any troubles!"