Chapter 5: Cheng Xiaodong's Choice

  "The best choice is to make no choice!" Cheng Xiaodong thought to himself, don't be fooled by the harmonious smile on Mian Fang's face after their meeting, for beneath this harmony lies a profound meaning.

  Yes, on the surface, it seems that they used your article and want to compensate you, so they proposed letting you choose how they compensate you. However, asking them for compensation and them giving you compensation are two different statements with two different attitudes.

  If Cheng Xiaodong had said this after speaking, he would have told Min Fang about the things that needed his help, and Min Fang would have agreed to him. However, this matter would have ended there, and it would have been considered that they owed each other nothing. From now on, they might as well be strangers.

  "Brother Min, Brother Zeng used my manuscript without telling me, I'm really uncomfortable about it. When it comes to compensation, you two are underestimating me too much. As for the distribution of things, anyway, the country will give us college graduates a place, and I don't have big ambitions, just a stable life is fine."

  "The two older brothers' compensation, I don't want and don't think about it. What I'm worried about is that once the teacher sees that survey report, will he scold me? If it's said to be Zeng Ge's own thing, then the content is also too similar, the teacher will think I plagiarized from Zeng Ge and deceived my superiors."

  "If it's said that I plagiarized my original manuscript for Zeng Ge, the teacher will definitely ask the newspaper to investigate, and it may even escalate to a higher level. So, I don't ask for anything else, just please, two brothers, think of an excuse for me, so I can pass the test with the teacher!" Cheng Xiaodong said sincerely.

  "Is that so?" Min Fang looked into Cheng Xiaodong's eyes, and in them, he only saw pure clarity, and nodded immediately. "In that case, it's better this way. I've also met Old Qin a few times before. Why don't I drive to take Brother Cheng back, and we'll mention it to Old Qin together? When the time comes, we'll find an explanation that will satisfy Old Qin."

  "That's great!" Cheng Xiaodong nodded happily, "Teacher is always strict, we students can't even speak properly in front of him. If Brother Min and I go back together and he speaks for me, it will save me from being nervous."

  Cheng Xiaodong excitedly stood up, making a gesture as if he was about to leave, but in his heart, he secretly cursed: "This Min Fang is too cunning, even now he still suspects my weight with Professor Qin. Now that things have come to this, I can only take him there. This time, it's me who will be adapting to the situation."

  "Xiao Dong..." Cheng Xiaodong and Min Fang stood up at the same time, Zeng Huaisa felt a little anxious, after all, as a journalist and editor, there was still some literary flavor to this approach, which made Cheng Xiaodong's sacrifice too great, his guilt even deeper.

  "Brother Zeng, don't delay, I'm afraid today's newspaper has already reached the teacher's hands. We'd better hurry up and get there before the teacher sees this article, at the latest we can't let the teacher blow up after we arrive. Brother Zeng, please tell Xiaoyu for me, I'm about to graduate tomorrow and return to Zujiang, today was originally supposed to be a farewell with Xiaoyu, but unexpectedly this problem arose. Brother Zeng, things are urgent, so I'll go to the Agricultural Science Institute with Ming Gege first, the teacher is definitely there." Thinking of Zeng Xiaoyu, Cheng Xiaodong couldn't help but feel some guilt in his heart, because of what Zeng Huasha had done, even if their relationship as teacher and student was very good, from now on he wouldn't dare to enter this door again!

  Zeng Huai Sha opened his mouth but ultimately didn't say anything, his eyes looked complicated as he watched Cheng Xiao Dong and Min Fang walk out the door, in his heart there was only a sigh.

  As they stepped out of the Zeng family's house, Cheng Xiaodong and Min Fang sat in the Crown car. Min Fang turned his head to Cheng Xiaodong and said: "I've met Professor Qin a few times, I know that Old Qin has no other hobbies except for drinking tea. My home happens to have some special good tea, and it's on the way, so I'll go get some from my house and we can head there together."

  At this time, Cheng Xiaodong was thinking deeply about how to behave when meeting Professor Qin. After all, Professor Qin was not familiar with him, and it was only because he had shown the old man this article before. If he wasn't careful and let Min Fang see through his plan, he would truly be a small-minded person. Min Fang wanted to get tea leaves, which coincided with Cheng Xiaodong's intention of stalling for time, so he hurriedly went along with it.

  Min Fang drove quickly and steadily, and soon arrived at the back door of the Provincial Party School. Next to the school's rear was his old mansion, a white garden villa.

  "My grandfather left the property, lived for decades, and the old man didn't move away"! He casually explained, Min Fang turned the steering wheel and stopped at the door.

  "Min Fang, you're back just in time! Hurry up and take Xiaotao to the hospital!" Min Fang had just stopped the car and hadn't even turned off the engine when someone rushed out of the Western-style house and spoke to him anxiously. The speaker was a woman in her twenties, looking lovely and seemingly Min Fang's wife.

  "What's wrong with Tong Ru? What happened to Xiao Tao?" Min Fang hastily pushed open the door and got out of the car, anxiously asking.

  "Just went out and played with little buddies, don't know how it happened, but ended up hurting my arm, dislocated it badly, can't move, can't touch. The young woman's eyes were slightly red, grasping the shoulder of her husband said: "Neither I nor my mother-in-law have a way to deal with him, only you and his grandfather can coax him, hurry up and send him to the hospital, if we delay, I'm afraid it will affect Xiao Tao's bones."

  "Can't touch, then don't touch? If I didn't have something to come back for, would you all just wait stupidly at home?" The son is the apple of his eye, and now that he's hurt, he naturally feels heartache. His tone towards his wife has a hint of blame.

  "You still blame me, the old lady saw Xiaotao crying and throwing a tantrum, his arm was red and swollen, she was so flustered that she fell down and didn't know where she was hurt, lying on the ground unable to move. What could I do? I just called his grandfather, but he said his grandfather had gone to the nearby city." The young woman complained to her husband with a sense of grievance, her voice already trembling with tears.

  "How could Mom get hurt?" He heard that his mother had also been in an accident, and Min Fang became even more anxious, not bothering to comfort his wife, hastily rushing inside. Cheng Xiaodong looked on, nodding secretly, it seemed that Min Fang was indeed a filial son.

  Cheng Xiaodong naturally didn't know that Min Fang's father was now a provincial organization department head, but his maternal grandmother's family had a very high status. During the Cultural Revolution, they couldn't escape being attacked and when they were sent to labor reform camps, mother and son relied on each other for survival. Compared to ordinary families, their emotional bond was even more intense.

  Min Fang didn't even have time to greet Cheng Xiaodong, and hastily ran into the house. At a glance, he saw his mother lying on the floor with a pale face. He didn't even notice the child crying on the side, and knelt down beside his mother, anxiously asking: "Mom, how are you feeling? Can you move?"

  "Mom's waist seems to have been severely sprained, can't move at all, it hurts even more than giving birth!" Han Jie said with a bitter smile as she lay on the ground, seeing her son return.

  "Mom, don't worry, it's not that serious, I'll take you to the hospital right away!" Min Fang said, putting his hands under his mother's body, about to lift her into the car. But just as he was about to make a move, Han Jie let out a low groan, her face even paler, and beads of sweat the size of soybeans appeared on her forehead.

  Chapter 5: Cheng Xiaodong's Choice