Chapter Thirty-Two: Contact

In the capital city of Huaxia, inside the Education Ministry building, an office light glimmered. An elderly man, his face etched with lines of worry, sat behind a desk, peering intently at his computer through a pair of reading glasses. Yet as the moments passed, the cloud of concern gradually lifted from his features, replaced by a glow of excitement.

“A genius! To revive the ancient custom of master and apprentice, and create a website called ‘Master’s Voice’.” He muttered, half in awe. “First, it introduces children to various professions, letting them discover and choose what they love. Next, it sets thresholds—only by striving and achieving a certain standard can they seek a master—instilling perseverance for their chosen path. This way, it selects those truly suited to a field, and masters find promising apprentices. Then, when both sides approve of one another, the apprenticeship begins, and under the master’s guidance, the student delves deeper, striving toward their goal.”

“This is the ideal form of education I have always envisioned!” His eyes shone. “If every child’s talent could be unearthed, Huaxia’s future would be limitless!”

Overwhelmed with excitement, Zhou Huaxing immediately dialed his subordinate, instructing them to investigate this ‘Master’s Voice’ site—find out which company was behind it, and in which city their office was located. He wanted travel arrangements made at once; he could not wait to see this company of such creativity with his own eyes.

...

In the current climate of Huaxia’s exam-oriented education, only a handful of children, supported by enlightened parents or favorable family circumstances, could pursue their dreams from a young age. Most people believed that studying was the only thing children should focus on; grades were paramount and everything else could wait until after the college entrance exams.

Some open-minded parents might nurture their children’s interests, but only so long as it did not impact academic performance. In the eyes of both parents and teachers, test scores always came first; everything else was secondary. Most children, too, followed their parents’ wishes, dutifully studied, and buried the seeds of their dreams deep in their hearts.

Yet, when the grueling college entrance exam was finally over and they stepped into the freedom of university life, they often found that those seeds of dreams had vanished without a trace, no matter how hard they tried to dig them up.

Was it wrong to chase what you love in your youth?

Newton discovered the law of gravity at twenty-three. Einstein published the special theory of relativity at twenty-six, and proposed the general theory at thirty-three. These two great scientists, whom we are all familiar with, became famous when they were still young—about the same age as a recent university graduate.

This, indeed, is the norm in the world of science: youth is the greatest asset. When you are young, your body, mind, thought, and imagination are all at their peak. These are your treasures for ascending the steps of your dreams with speed and vigor.

Lin Lang understood this better than anyone.

So, when Zhou Huaxing arrived at an office building in Shenzhou, he discovered to his surprise that the founder of this company had “gone home” during the critical startup phase.

The reason? His son was about to sit for the high school entrance exam.

This reason… was entirely convincing. For a man in his thirties, what could be more important than his own child?

Of course, Lin Lang was not worried about his son’s exams. With Lin Nan’s grades, there was nothing to worry about. He had already secured a spot at Qingshui No.1 High through the special admissions test. Even without that, Lin Nan’s performance in the upcoming exam would be more than enough. True, his English hovered on the edge of passing, but his other subjects were so outstanding that it hardly mattered.

Lin Lang had chosen this time to return home simply to spend more time with his son while he was still young—training basketball together, running, soaking in the bath—helping Lin Nan build a sound worldview and values while also getting some exercise himself. Why not? When Lin Nan turned eighteen and went to university, Lin Lang could set him free to soar as he pleased, and travel the world with his wife in peace.

Just imagining it was a delight. In this life, for Lin Lang, nothing mattered more than the cause of education and his own wife and child; both were of equal importance, everything else was fleeting.

At this very moment, Zhou Huaxing was inside Three Companions Internet Ltd., and, under Li Zecheng’s thorough explanation, gradually gained a complete understanding of Master’s Voice—from its developmental goals to its future plans, nothing was held back. This was exactly what Lin Lang had instructed. When Li Zecheng called him, Lin Lang instantly remembered Zhou Huaxing’s name—a model figure in education from his previous life, his senior, a man who had dedicated his life selflessly to Huaxia’s educational cause. Such a person was truly great.

Laying all the cards on the table was undoubtedly the right choice—it showed utmost sincerity and made clear the site’s core philosophy: this was not a money-making venture, but an educational one, pure and simple. With Zhou Huaxing’s status as Minister of Education, once he understood Lin Lang’s good intentions, he would no doubt do everything in his power to support Master’s Voice. The impact of an official minister’s backing was self-evident.

At that very moment, even Wan Cong’s father, at the headquarters of Wanlin Group in Shenzhou, was left speechless when he received his son’s call in the office.

Zhou Huaxing’s visit was a secret one, with only an assistant in tow. The company’s receptionist—a sharp young woman—immediately sensed something extraordinary about the elderly gentleman at the door: his imposing presence, stern yet kind. She quickly reported to Li Zecheng, who, upon learning the visitor’s identity, was stunned for a while before notifying Lin Lang.

Now, only Lin Lang, Li Zecheng, and Wan Cong knew who their visitor truly was. Wan Cong accompanied Zhou Huaxing on his tour of the company, and, unlike his usual boisterous self, behaved with remarkable humility.

Taking advantage of a restroom break, Wan Cong decided to inform his father of the news, resulting in Wan Lin’s utter astonishment.

Even with his current status, Wan Lin rarely had the opportunity to meet with government ministers, and those occasions were always ones he had to actively seek out. Yet now, the company his own son had co-founded was being visited by a minister—no less than a Huaxia minister!

How many companies ever enjoyed such “treatment”? Perhaps only the likes of Alibaba’s CEO, who regularly met with dignitaries from home and abroad—but that was because Alibaba was a pioneering force, changing people’s way of life.

Could it be that Master’s Voice and Three Companions would also herald a new era?

Wan Lin felt that his son, this time, had truly accomplished something remarkable. He immediately instructed Fu Bo at his side, “Whatever Cong’er asks for in the coming days, grant it. Since he’s chosen to devote himself to education, we must support him with all our strength!”

“Yes, sir,” came the reply.

...

Meanwhile, Zhou Huaxing now had a broad and thorough understanding of Master’s Voice. The site’s grand vision resonated deeply within him; he felt more certain than ever that this journey had been worthwhile. Especially the previous “Internet Café Plan” and “Basketball Plan”—it was obvious that the company’s founder, Lin Lang, had a profound understanding of youth psychology. He knew exactly what today’s young people’s lives were like, what they needed, what they longed for.

In the conference room, Wan Cong, Li Zecheng, and Zhou Huaxing sat across from one another. Though it was their own company, they were deferential to the elderly man who, even at sixty, still fretted over the nation’s education, and offered him the seat of honor.

“So, at present, the two most critical issues for Master’s Voice are, first, publicity—because you urgently need a vast body of mentors from all walks of life to guide apprentices. Second, credibility—since many parents remain skeptical of anything online,” Zhou Huaxing said gravely to the two young men beside him.

“That’s right, Mr. Zhou. Young people are eager to try out something as novel as Master’s Voice and are very willing to learn what interests them. Our feedback has been excellent. The only issue is that many students say their parents aren’t very supportive—they still think it’s not worth spending much time on,” Li Zecheng replied quickly.

Wan Cong chimed in, “I really think everyone should start learning what they love from childhood. I remember a few friends I grew up with—one had all sorts of remote-control cars at seven or eight, and by his teens he was modifying real cars himself. Now he’s started his own auto company and spends all day in his workshop, happy as can be.

“To be honest, for people like us, the so-called ‘second generation rich,’ it’s either endless eating and drinking, waiting to inherit the family business, or going to elite schools, studying abroad, then coming back to manage the company or start our own. Very few, like my friend, have pursued and stuck with something they loved from childhood. Yet, he seems the most fulfilled among us.

“I’ve often thought about finding something I truly liked and really delving into it. But somehow the drive just isn’t there. I’m only in my twenties, I’m not worried about money, and I’ve got all the time in the world—but once you’re past that age, it’s really hard to find something you love and stick with it. That’s why I believe more than ever that launching Master’s Voice was necessary.”

Wan Cong’s words left Li Zecheng surprised; in all their years of friendship, he’d never seen him talk so much or so earnestly—it was obvious these were heartfelt truths.

Zhou Huaxing seemed to recognize Wan Cong and smiled kindly at him. “You’re absolutely right. Many masters in various fields began with childhood interests. You’re probably very familiar with luxury brands—many of them are from Europe, and even now, many products are still handmade despite modern industrialization. Why can they sell at ten or even a hundred times their cost? It’s all due to their relentless pursuit of perfection.

“To finish a single piece, they may labor for days or even months, all in pursuit of the ultimate quality. Isn’t talent the same? Decades of immersion in a field, and when they finally make their debut, they are already a master.

“That is why Huaxia’s education must be reformed! Because it was reform that brought Huaxia prosperity, and only through further reform can this prosperity endure and flourish!”