I'm A Math Idiot, So What? - Chapter 39

The place where I make money is the school’s Information Management Center.

A year ago, I took advantage of my best friend Wang Ziqi, who was working as a director at the campus TV station, and became a contributor for a program about the school’s history.

Actually, our main campus doesn’t have a long history, but the school believes that to showcase cultural depth, the school history has to appear well-aged, just like fine wine.

So, a few years ago, they absorbed another art school that was established before the founding of the country but was on the verge of closing down. This extended our history artificially.

This spring, the school celebrated its 99th anniversary, inviting many alumni and celebrities, making it a grand and lively event.

Such a large-scale activity naturally required manpower. At that time, all faculty and students were mobilized.

Sister Xu, who worked in the school’s publicity team, was temporarily reassigned to the Information Management Center’s operations department, forming a guerrilla team with a rather dispersed focus.

I was specifically called by Sister Xu to join, and my main job was to warmly welcome the guests at the newly built, impressive school history museum and provide them with explanations.

Later, when the anniversary celebration ended, I thought this small team would be disbanded right away, but to my surprise, Sister Xu mentioned that the 99th anniversary was just a warm-up and rehearsal; the centenary would be the real event.

It’s like how we ordinary people still celebrate both our lunar and solar birthdays. So, next year we would continue the celebrations.

My part-time job was retained.

The spring celebration was still far away, and since I was already familiar with the work, I occasionally helped out in other departments, which wasn’t too burdensome.

Recently, our focus gradually shifted toward the internal candy-crushing competition, and I was relaxing complacently, shamelessly taking up space.

I really valued this job that seemed to shout “foolish people with money come quickly,” especially at this time when money was tight.

I stepped into the elevator at the Information Management Center, where several colleagues from the Information Systems Group were already standing.

Because our department is like a guerrilla team that often operates on the move, I was familiar with everyone in the center.

I was holding breakfast and called out, “Brother Tang,” “Brother Sun,” “Brother Li,” and “Brother Qian,” saying, “Is it this early?”

“How can it not be early? I didn’t leave at all last night,” Brother Tang yawned.

The unkempt patches of hair on Brother Tang’s barren scalp told me that they had worked all night again.

Brother Sun pulled out his phone: “Hey, Lin Meng, have you cleared that candy-crushing level? When you have time, come help me in our group.”

Brother Sun was the one I knew the best in their department. Despite being busy, he still made time to get past levels under my influence as the “candy-crushing” free ambassador, which was commendable.

Suddenly, Brother Qian, who had been yawning in the corner, interjected, “By the way, Lin Meng, I heard you’re leaving? You’ve been here for over a year, right? Remember to come visit after you leave.”

“Are you preparing for the postgraduate entrance exam?”

“What do you mean you’re leaving just like that?” Brother Tang chimes in.

The brothers’ concern leaves me baffled: “Who said I’m leaving?”

Brother Tang shows his phone: “Hey, I just received a WeChat message from Zhao Xianhu saying you’ve got a new part-time student in your group. I thought you guys were so idle that—maybe I got it wrong.”

Brother Sun quickly changes the topic: “Exactly, it must have been a mistake by Little Tiger.”

“Yeah, your group is supposed to be flexible anyway.”

“Right, we shouldn’t take hearsay too seriously.”

The straightforward brothers exchanged remarks, and while their efforts weren’t very comforting, it triggered a deafening thought in my ears: I’m going to be unemployed!

The elevator doors opened, abruptly cutting off the conversation. I calmly said goodbye to my colleagues, straightened my posture, and elegantly stepped out of the elevator like a model.

As soon as the doors closed behind me, I darted to the restroom, curled up on the toilet seat, shivering as I checked my email for any termination notices, looked for missed messages on the company QQ, and scrutinized WeChat for any unread notifications.

After three thorough checks, confirming that none of my communications had reported my dismissal, I coolly placed my headphones in, continuing my catwalk towards the office.

My headphones were high quality, and the music from the “Great Compassion Mantra” wouldn’t leak at all.

Upon reaching the office door, I noticed, “Hey, Brother Zhao, Brother Tang, Brother Sun, Brother Li, and Brother Qian, why are you all here?”

There’s no need to be so genuine; if I were truly leaving, I wouldn’t just be up and running today.

Oh, I didn’t even think much of what was said in the elevator. There really was no need to bring snacks to comfort me.

As a down-and-out student, I usually didn’t send anything for the brothers either; in the end, I still have to rely on their concern.

I must be far too likable, shining so brightly—oh, I’m standing right here, so why are you still coming in?

I took off my headphones and heard an unfamiliar female voice inside saying, “Please take care of me from now on.”

Taking a few more steps inside, wow, the office is quite different than I expected!

It’s the first time I’ve realized that our small team’s cramped office could expand and contract like a magical bag, accommodating so many people.

Following the gazes of these boys, I spotted a girl amidst the sea of green.

With her back to me, all I could see was her long, fair swan neck.

Recently, a popular fashion idol drama has been airing, and I had seen fans online discussing the costumes sponsored for the female lead, with one particular piece being worn by the girl right in front of me.

She turned around to continue being polite with others, and only then did I get a full view of her fair and natural face, large eyes, thin red lips, and thick, long black hair, exuding a gentle and understated beauty, like Snow White stepping out of a fairy tale.

Of course, Snow White isn’t anything special; I still hold a full high school certification, complete with seven dwarfs.

It seems that this girl must be the new part-time student.

Ah, it’s always the newcomers who smile while the old ones cry.

The few people in front laughing like they were on drugs were really annoying; this abandoned woman was about to sit at her workstation and sing “Changes in the Heart of Old Friends” (literally “waiting idly for old friends’ hearts to change, yet he says it’s easy for old friends to change their hearts”).

As soon as I sat down at my desk, I pushed my chair over to Zhao Xianhu’s side.

Although he was nicknamed Little Tiger and had a bit of a tiger-like appearance, he moved with the grace of a cool, noble Persian cat—specifically, a female one.

At the moment, he was meticulously applying lip balm in front of the mirror, completely ignoring the commotion on the other side.

I rested my head on my hand and asked him, “Little Tiger, who is that?”

“Our new part-time student.”

“What’s her name?”

“Tong Xiao.”

I was just casually asking, but when I heard that thunderous name, I was taken aback: “Who?”

Zhao Xianhu leisurely pulled a tube of hand cream out of the drawer and replied, “A sophomore from the School of Computer Science, Tong Xiao.

She’s quite famous in her department and a notable figure in the Information Management Center. Haven’t you heard of her?”

Confirming that it wasn’t a case of two people having the same name, this Tong Xiao was indeed the omnipotent exam god mentioned by Ge Chunchun, and I swallowed hard: “She’s interning in our group?”

“Yeah.”

“Come on, even though I’ve regularly topped the game rankings, you wouldn’t bring her in to shake my position, right? If you have an issue, I could just step aside; there’s no need to go that far.”

Zhao Xianhu rolled his eyes at me. I respectfully leaned forward: “Please, continue.”

“A few days ago, an urgent task came up for the system group next door, and they needed to hire more part-timers.

Their department’s approval process isn’t as quick as ours, so Team Leader Li borrowed a spot from Sister Xu.

The person has been arranged for our group, but the tasks will be assigned to their group.”

After a while of processing, I finally grasped the main point: “So basically, we’re sewing dresses for others? And they’re the ones who have one foot in Cao Ying and the other in Han (a saying indicating someone is serving two masters)?”

“Got it, got it.”

Zhao Xianhu surveyed me: “What do you mean ‘got it’?

We’re supposed to be a flexible task force, and it’s normal for us to temporarily replace specialists according to different needs.

I suspect Sister Xu will treat you to seafood.”

“What?”

“Stir-fried squid!” Zhao Xianhu smiled gleefully at me.

“Ah?” I gasped, “I didn’t sign up for this! The troubles you have at home are coming crashing down on me.

Why should their department push me out? Where’s Sister Xu?”

“Her three-year-old sweetie was mistreated by another family, and she’s emotionally distressed, so she couldn’t come today,” Zhao Xianhu said calmly.

“What?!”

I almost jumped out of my seat, momentarily forgetting my own dilemmas.

I stammered, “This, this, this…”

Zhao Xianhu slowly set down his lip balm and leisurely raised his eyes towards me: “What are you thinking?

It’s the poodle that Sister Xu dotes on, which reportedly had some… incident with a stray dog.”

“…”

“So today Sister Xu is in a bad mood and isn’t coming to work. Don’t bother calling her; it won’t help.”

He took a sip of flower tea, “If it’s something important, definitely don’t call. You might get scolded.”

Everyone came over to take a look; what kind of world is this where people are treated worse than dogs!

I was already being treated like a dog at home by Fang Congxin, and now I had to endure unfairness because of a dog outside!

Am I really that unfortunate?!

Frustrated, I slumped over the desk again, my gaze moving toward Tong Xiao.

At her workstation, there was a neatly arranged light blue Moleskine notebook, a Lamy pen, and a Pilot pen case.

In the far corner, there was a tube of cherry-flavored L’Occitane hand cream and a vintage-patterned metal photo frame, but it was too far away to see clearly what was in the frame.

Anyway, compared to me, a scolded mutt, Tong Xiao is definitely at the Poodle level.

I took out my phone and checked my bank account balance, wondering when the country would provide me with some targeted poverty alleviation.

Then I heard Zhao Xianhu say, “This time the system group has hired a little handsome guy as the leader.

Aren’t you going to check him out?”

My listless spirit instantly revived, and I placed my hands around my ears: “Please make a themed report and detail it to me.”

Little Tiger said, “The system overhaul has been split into several parts, including the construction of campus management platform systems like the academic affairs system, OA system, and asset system, which are handled by two different companies.

The security monitoring system is managed by another one.

However, one of the companies awarded the system construction bid suddenly got caught in a tax dilemma, and the legal person has been detained, so their business has to temporarily merge with another company.

Now Old Li and that company are urgently coordinating to adjust the plans, and they’ve been at it for several nights.”

I threw him a pair of side-eye glances: “Dude, this is off-topic. Can’t you tell that my main focus is the handsome guy?”

Zhao Xianhu intentionally shook his head as if waking from a dream, then shot me a cold glance: “Oh, the handsome guy—he’s familiar with Tong Xiao. You can ask her to find out.”

“Oh?” I quickly blinked in curiosity.

“A few days ago, Tong Xiao came to our group to handle some paperwork and specifically went to the system group to find him.”

I rubbed my hands together: “Isn’t she supposed to know how to act!

She’s talented, good-looking, and wealthy, and now she’s snatching our handsome guy resources.”

Zhao Xianhu lifted his chin: “Look, she’s off to find the handsome guy again. Aren’t you going to follow her?

Aren’t you the little bride claimed by the system group? The kind that can act willfully and do whatever you want.”

I turned my head and saw that Tong Xiao’s workspace was indeed empty, and a batch of guys had left with her.

I immediately prepared to get up and leave.

Zhao Xianhu pulled me back: “Hey, are you really going?”

I grinned: “Brother Sun asked me to help him clear a level this morning; I’m going to help you bang construction.”

“You’re going to help him clear a level, why are you wearing glasses?”

Obviously, I need glasses to see the handsome guy.

Wiping my lenses, I said: “To protect my eyesight. Let’s go.”