"Come to the school immediately, I need to talk to you!" Gao Tie said in a deep voice.
"What's wrong?" Li Yang asked, puzzled.
"You'll know when you get here," the high-speed rail official said, unwilling to elaborate.
"I'm a little inconvenient right now!" Since you won't say so, I won't go.
"Come over here immediately, it's extremely important, if you want to graduate smoothly!" Gao Tie threatened Li Yang insidiously.
"I'll try to get there as quickly as possible!" Li Yang was speechless. If it weren't for his parents, he wouldn't bother arguing with you.
Li Yang had no choice but to write a note to Yu Tihu, telling her that he had to go to class and that there was something important to discuss, and that she should call him if needed. Then he left the hotel and headed straight for the school.
When Li Yang arrived at the principal's office, he was puzzled and asked bluntly, "Principal Gao, what is the purpose of your summons?"
His eyes, however, were fixed on Gao Qingmei on the sofa. Had she said something about him in front of the high-speed train? His heart suddenly turned cold. Little girl, don't be ungrateful!
"I have a task for you!" Gao Tie said solemnly.
"What mission?" Li Yang frowned, somewhat hesitant, not understanding what the high-speed rail was going to do.
“Recently, Jiangdong and Beimu Qingshui have been at odds, and the three sides are at odds. The higher-ups are very dissatisfied and have ordered us to change the status quo and ease relations with them within a specified period!” Gao Tie said expressionlessly.
"What do you mean? The higher-ups are dissatisfied? Are they only giving us strict orders? What about them?" Li Yang was immediately furious. Damn it, this is typical favoritism and suppression. Why should we, the people of Jiangdong, take the initiative to make peace?
"It's easy to get ahead if you have connections in the government! Beimu Qingshui is a century-old prestigious school with deep roots and an exceptionally rich network of relationships. They have a very deep foundation, making it very easy for them to put pressure on us. Although Jiangdong University has a good reputation, it still lags behind them. It would be best if we took the initiative to come forward and reconcile!" Gao Tie said helplessly and dejectedly.
"Don't you have anyone above you?" Li Yang asked, frowning.
"If I had someone else, would I still need you? You also bear some responsibility for what happened in Jiangdong, and from what I've seen, you're the most suitable person to go. This time, a delegation consisting of a school teacher, you, and a few students will go to Beimu to resolve this issue!" Gao Tie said decisively, cutting off all preamble.
Faced with the high-speed rail's firm stance, Li Yang felt somewhat helpless. After all, the high-speed rail was the principal, and he would still need the principal to issue his graduation certificate in the future. He also needed to maintain his position at Jiangdong University, so he couldn't afford to disrespect the principal.
"Alright, I agree to go. But who is the teacher leading the team? And who are the students participating?" Now that he knew this mission would be his most difficult one yet, the people of Shimizu Kitagi, whom he had so thoroughly humiliated, would definitely do everything in their power to make him look bad.
Could I possibly resort to brute force and try to solve the problem with my fists? That's far too simplistic. We live in a society governed by law; I could easily end up in jail. Against firearms, even the most formidable person will suffer greatly!
Li Yang's mood suddenly became heavy, and he even felt that it was more dangerous than when he went to Xinjiang to negotiate with Prince Yu and his group!
Even if you have a brilliant mind and a photographic memory, as the saying goes, even the wisest can make a mistake, and even the most foolish can have a stroke of genius. Three heads are better than one! Those two prestigious universities have countless brilliant minds, scattered across the country and in every department. If any of them poses an extremely tricky question, you might not be able to handle it. In that case, you'd be utterly humiliated!
"The teacher leading the team is Ms. Cao Xin from the School of Foreign Languages. As for the students, you are in the lead, followed by Gao Qingmei, and a few other capable students!" Gao Tie said.
"What?" Li Yang almost jumped up.
Cao Xin as the team leader? You really know how to pick people! Was this intentional? It's clear that this apology and reconciliation lacks sincerity.
You see, Cao Xin is a new teacher, right? But she is, after all, the daughter of the director of the Municipal Education Bureau. If you embarrass her, how will you explain it to Cao Kefan?
This delegation clearly shows their dissatisfaction with the way those above them are acting. Aren't you pressuring us to go over there for reconciliation and a disguised apology?
Okay, we'll send people. But as for who to send, don't interfere! Not a single high-ranking leader is going, not even a professor. The team is led by a newly promoted lecturer, which shows that the high-speed rail team is quite infuriated by those people!
"You have a problem with that? Do you have a better suggestion?" Gao Tie stared at Li Yang and said in a deep voice.
Although he knew that Cao Xin was Li Yang's dean of students in high school, he was unaware of the ambiguous relationship between the two.
"Why didn't you choose another teacher to lead the team?" Li Yang asked the high-speed train angrily.
"I wanted another teacher to go. But after hearing about this, Teacher Cao insisted on going herself!" Gao Tie said, somewhat puzzled.
He knew Cao Xin's background, of course, and he naturally wouldn't go back to offend Cao Kefan on purpose, so he didn't ask Cao Xin to lead the team.
However, after learning that Li Yang was going, Cao Xin volunteered to lead the team.
"What? Herself?" Li Yang was also surprised. Knowing that it would be embarrassing to apologize, she still volunteered to go. Did she get her head stuck in a door?
"What? Feeling sorry for the teacher?" Gao Qingmei finally couldn't help but speak up, and immediately started to mock Li Yang.
"Mind your own business!" Li Yang was in a bad mood and didn't give Gao Qingmei any face, even in front of Gao Tie.
"You... Humph!" Gao Qingmei was so angry she was panting, but she couldn't do anything about Li Yang!
"Qingmei, don't be stubborn! Remember, on this mission, the teacher will follow Teacher Cao's orders, and the student will follow Li Yang's orders!" Gao Tie knew his daughter's temper and blamed himself for spoiling her too much when she was young, which led to her becoming like this. So he reprimanded and intimidated her.
"Okay!" Gao Qingmei replied reluctantly.
"Alright, go back and prepare well. We'll be leaving in the next couple of days!" Gao Tie instructed.
"Principal Gao, I don't quite understand!" Li Yang looked at Gao Tie and Gao Qingmei with a strange expression.
"What don't you understand?" Gao Tie asked hesitantly.
“You know perfectly well that this trip will be shameful and an apology, so why did you still send her?” Li Yang said, pointing at Gao Qingmei.
“Sigh! You all took the blame for Jiangdong University’s mistakes. If it weren’t for the school’s sake, I would rather go myself than let anyone else go! I would bear all the difficulties and insults myself! But I can’t go! So I sent my daughter in my place. Now, do you understand?” Gao Tie said earnestly and solemnly.
Li Yang gave him a deep look with surprise, then nodded and said, "I only met Principal Gao today! Don't worry, I will do my best!"
After finishing his sentence, Li Yang walked out of the high-speed rail office without looking back.
"Dad, don't blame yourself. I know what I should do!" Gao Qingmei saw Gao Tie frowning and looking worried, so she couldn't help but get up and comfort him.
"Meimei, you won't blame your father, will you?" Gao Tie looked at Gao Qingmei with affection.
"No! I know Dad's difficulties! I'm happy to help you, so don't worry about it!" Gao Qingmei said with a bright smile.
"You've really grown up! It seems like only yesterday you were asking me for candy with your hair in a topknot! Now you know how to share your father's burdens!" Gao Tie said with satisfaction.