Chapter Fifty: The Paths Have Diverged, and So Must the Way We Walk

Li Mu called the Haizhou Hotel and reserved a booth. The family of three took a taxi to the restaurant to celebrate. On the way, Li Mu received a text message from Su Yingxue.

“Did you check your score?”

Li Mu replied, “I did. 636. Now you have to treat me to dinner.”

A moment later, she replied, “Really? That’s great! How about tomorrow night? You can pick any place you want.”

“Tomorrow night won’t work, there’s a family gathering.”

“If not tomorrow, then another time.”

“How did you do?”

“657.”

“Congratulations! Renmin University is a sure thing for you.”

“With your willingness to accept any major, Renmin should be no problem for you either.”

Li Mu replied with a smile, “Haha, let’s hope so. If I get the admission letter, we’ll be classmates for another four years.”

Su Yingxue sent a smiley face: “Don’t forget, I’m going to the driving school for the theory class tomorrow.”

“Alright, see you tomorrow!”

Li’s father, noticing Li Mu busy with his phone in the front seat, asked curiously, “Who are you texting, grinning like that?”

“Really?” Li Mu only realized after speaking that he’d been grinning so much his cheeks were sore.

Li’s father and mother exchanged a knowing smile. When it came to relationships, they were much more open-minded than most parents. They didn’t want to stifle Li Mu’s nature. In fact, they’d once said privately that the best result would be for Li Mu to find a suitable partner in university, then get married and start a family right after graduation.

For Li’s father, following the ancient advice, one should establish a family before a career. Graduating from university at twenty-two was the perfect age for marriage.

Li Mu didn’t bother explaining his lovestruck smile and turned to message Zhao Kang, asking about his score. Zhao had scored 481, likely not enough for a third-tier university, but good enough for a technical college. Li Mu felt relieved.

At the hotel, the waiter led the family to their reserved booth. After ordering, Li Mu went to the front desk and booked a large private room for the next evening.

Back at the table, Li Mu told his parents, “I’ve booked the private room for tomorrow at six, room 888. Mom, let Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle, and Aunt know.”

His father raised his eyebrows. “888? Sounds pretty tacky.”

Li Mu laughed. “Can’t help it. That’s how they number the big rooms. Grandpa and Grandma’s side have a big family—well over a dozen people. If we don’t get a big enough room, we won’t all fit.”

His father nodded, saying nothing, but a hint of discomfort flickered in his expression.

The waiter brought out several cold dishes and an expensive bottle of authentic Maotai liquor. He asked if Li Mu wanted it opened. Li Mu nodded decisively, but his father hurriedly protested, “No, no, don’t open it! We can’t drink something that expensive. Let’s have our local Haizhou Tequ instead!”

“We’ll drink this one,” Li Mu said, leaving no room for argument.

The waiter opened the bottle, and his father winced inwardly at the extravagance. Li Mu poured his father a glass and said with meaning, “Dad, times have changed. Our path is different now. When the old road is blocked, you have to find a new way.”

His father was stunned for a moment. Seeing Li Mu’s determined gaze, he suddenly understood. His son was encouraging him. Out of pride and a sense of inferiority, he hadn’t wanted to face his wife’s large family, but Li Mu was right. Things were different now. The fact that his son could earn money was one thing, but more importantly, with a score of 636, he was almost certainly headed to Renmin University!

It was fine if the eldest and youngest of the Xiao family looked down on him, but they couldn’t look down on his family’s future. He, Li Daoping, had lived a mediocre, honest life, looked down on by others, but now with a successful son, he could finally stand tall in front of them.

...

Jin’an Driving School was running its first college entrance exam crash course, and the enrollment numbers showed it was a hit.

In 2001, high schoolers rarely thought about learning to drive. Most students at driving schools were unemployed young men in their twenties, and their bold behavior around young women kept girls away. Without girls, the young men didn’t come either.

But the special class for new graduates changed everything. Only current-year graduates were admitted, keeping the riffraff out, and over a hundred high school graduates signed up.

Around nine in the morning, Li Mu and Zhao Kang went to the driving school to register with their diplomas. Su Yingxue arrived just then, greeted Li Mu, and he introduced her to Zhao Kang.

Although everyone had been divided into classes upon registration, only the practical driving sessions would be class-based. The two-day theory course brought all hundred-plus students together for a large group lecture.

Back in 2001, driver’s ed was neither strict nor standardized. There was no such thing as different modules—just theory, reverse parking, in-yard driving, and on-road driving. Li Mu had learned that none of the exams used electronic scoring yet; as long as you were halfway competent, you’d pass.

The three of them found seats. Soon, the classroom was packed. Su Yingxue had been the school beauty at No. 1 High for three years, and among more than a hundred students, she was undeniably the center of attention. Most of the students were boys, who naturally had more interest in cars. The ratio of boys to girls in the room was over eighty percent.

Groups of boys, some discreet and some bold, kept glancing at Su Yingxue, making her a bit uncomfortable. Sensing all the sidelong glances passing by him, Li Mu whispered, “Sit a little closer to me.”

Su Yingxue paused, then scooted over until their arms were nearly touching.

Her action shifted many gazes onto Li Mu. He wasn’t bad-looking himself, more mature and stylish than his peers. Many, seeing how close Su Yingxue sat to him, assumed they were a couple.

With that, many potential suitors gave up.

“Thanks,” Su Yingxue breathed a sigh of relief. No matter how strong her nerves, she didn’t want to be stared at with such strange looks.

Li Mu leaned in and whispered, “Until you get your license, you can use me as your shield anytime.”

It took a moment for Su Yingxue to catch his meaning, and her face flushed.

Just then, Guo Yuhang arrived.

These past two days, Guo Yuhang had been thinking of two people: the breathtakingly beautiful Su Yingxue and the infuriating Li Mu.

As he entered the classroom, his shifty eyes scanned the room. He spotted Su Yingxue and was once again struck by her beauty. “What a woman! If I could have a girlfriend like that, I’d give up ten years of my life!”

Then he saw Li Mu, taller, better looking, and fairer-skinned, sitting close beside her.

Guo’s eyes turned cold. “Li Mu, you just wait. The mine is about to lay off your parents. They haven’t been to work these last few days, but when they go back, they’ll get the notice. See if you’re still so smug then. We’ll be learning to drive at the same place for a while—let’s see who lasts longer.”

The theory classes were dry and boring—two hours in the morning, two in the afternoon. Attendance was optional. Li Mu persuaded Su Yingxue and Zhao Kang to skip the afternoon session and study on their own. The theory exam was simple anyway; reviewing the question bank was enough to pass.

Both agreed it made sense. The classes were just video screenings, nothing of value. Besides, Su Yingxue wasn’t comfortable being in that classroom.

Li Mu called a taxi and took Su Yingxue home first before heading back to their neighborhood with Zhao Kang.

After Su Yingxue left, Zhao Kang asked, “I saw Guo Yuhang earlier. He looked at you weirdly. Do you two have beef?”

Li Mu briefly recounted what had happened during registration.

“Bastard,” Zhao Kang cursed. “That guy’s trouble. If he messes with you, I’ll sort him out first!”

Li Mu waved it off. “Ignore him. It’s not worth it. For now, focus on getting the Douban forum up and running. How’s the groundwork for the water army coming along?”

“It’s started,” Zhao Kang replied quickly. “I picked a few active users and made them moderators. They’re recruiting more. We have over a hundred now.”

Li Mu nodded. “A water army mostly coordinates online, so you need to manage them well. Build a reliable core team, not just hire temps when you need something done.”

“I have a rough plan,” Zhao Kang responded.

“Let’s get lunch and talk it over,” Li Mu suggested.

Both their parents were at work, so they found a small restaurant, ordered a couple of dishes, and talked as they ate.

Zhao Kang outlined his plan. “I want to give recruitment authority to team leaders, let them assess their members, and I’ll do a final review. Once approved, their accounts become full members. They have to post daily in their groups and keep at least twenty activity points and an hour’s online time. That’s worth twenty yuan a month as an allowance.”

Douban forum had a membership upgrade system. Posting earned ten points, replying earned two. Using forum activity to manage the water army kept them engaged, built habits and team spirit, and ensured quick response to any task.

As for the allowance, Li Mu didn’t mind as long as Zhao Kang thought it reasonable. Still, he reminded him, “Building a reliable and effective water army takes hundreds, maybe thousands. Do the math, or you’ll burn through the budget in a few months.”

“No way,” Zhao Kang said with a laugh. “Only core members get a base allowance. The rest are paid by the job. The core team will recruit more in layers, like a pyramid. The further down, the bigger the base.”

“Sounds solid,” Li Mu nodded. “You take charge. There may be a chance to test them soon.”

When Zhang Kexuan sent over the concert photos, Zhao Kang’s water army would get their first real assignment.