Chapter 7:
(Her IQ)
"You know you're really late, i had plans to get back from school, have a two hours tutoring then hurry to work but you've already wasted two hours and I have to give up work for today, thank goodness I've got a friend that covers for me whenever I miss work or else what would I have done",
Xiao Yanran kept complaining as she rode the bicycle while Lei Zhang just sat at the back completely dumbfounded. He couldn't remember the last time he had been queried by someone and he just stayed quiet unless he wanted to ignore you in a mocking way that would make you feel like a fool.
Aside Xu Jin he never let anyone query him and be glad they did but here he was seating quiet and letting a female at that query him.
Arriving at fortune pavilion, Lei Zhang was quick to get off the bicycle, taking off the helmet and adjusting his suit. He had indeed had an embarrassing ride.
Taking out the keys Xu Jin gave him, he walked into the apartment building as if he had indeed been living there while Xiao Yanran followed behind.
Arriving at apartment 1044 just as Xu Jin had directed him, he twisted the key into the door lock and it opened.
The living room wasn't as luxurious as his mansion at central Shanghai but it was still quite welcoming. The sofas were arranged neatly, some vases of flowers were kept at different corners of the living room, a mini TV , a nice well arranged dinen table and a parlour shelf holding magazines and gaming consoles.
Lei Zhang couldn't help but wonder when Xu Jin had all this done, not because it wasn't possible to get an apartment with furnitures and other appliances already inside but because he knew this didn't come with the apartment.
The living room looked exactly like his living room seven years ago back then at Linyi's outskirts, it couldn't be a coincidence Xu Jin rented an apartment just like it unless he decorated it himself.
"Sir Zhang, your home is really nice", Xiao Yanran said.
"Make yourself comfortable",
Lei Zhang said leaving the living room into the passage way that led to other sides of the apartment. He wanted to take a good look at the places in the apartment.
The bedroom, the kitchen, and restroom, they were all like his apartment back then at Linyi. This was no coincidence, Xu Jin had done this. Although his apartment seven years ago when he lived with his family had four rooms, this one only had one and Xu Jin made sure it looked like Lei Zhang's bedroom seven years ago.
Going back to the living room, he saw Xiao Yanran at the parlour shelf looking at the gaming consoles.
"Wow, these are from Titan Core ",
she said and Lei Zhang exhaled going to the dinen table.
"Let's begin ",
he said seating on a chair at the dinen and Xiao Yanran left the gaming consoles taking her bag from the middle table and went over to the dinen as well seating opposite him.
"What subject do you find difficult the most?", he asked.
"Actually, I'm really terrible at almost all subjects but maths should be a good start ",
she said taking out a math's textbook from her bag and giving it to Lei Zhang. Going through the topics in the book, Lei Zhang decided to teach her polynomials.
Xiao Yanran took out her notebook and they began.
Lei Zhang carefully began by explaining the definition of polynomials and even drawing a table on her book to show polynomial, degree and name of polynomial, then going over to equality of polynomials, addition and subtraction of polynomials giving examples and solutions, not also forgetting to ask her if there was any part she didn't understand but she always claimed to understand.
07:00 and they were done. He gave her a test to see her improvements in what he had just taught but when she submitted her answers, he was completely dumbfounded. His eyes darted from her face to her answer sheet over and over again and from his expression, Xiao Yanran could tell she had failed.
she scratched her nape feeling embarrassed.
Lei Zhang still looking at her solvings wasn't sure if this was something someone should laugh or cry about. He was sure he had taught her polynomials but it looked like she was solving fractions.
"Xiao Yanran",
he called her name without excluding the Xiao this time.
"I'm afraid I can't continue with the tutoring",
he said and she panicked.
"No, Sir I really need a tutor, you can't stop now " she pleaded and he exhaled.
"Yanran, your IQ is...",
he paused contemplating if he should say it.
"We will need all of your time after school, if we continue with only two hours we'll never go anywhere", he said.
"But I've got to go work at the restaurant or i won't be able to pay you, i was able to skip work today cause I've got a friend there who covers for me but I can't keep making him cover for me everyday",
she said and he raised a brow a bit alarmed. This friend of her's was a he, what if he had ulterior motives for covering up for her.
"Can't your parents pay your tutoring for you?",
Lei Zhang asked and she shook her head sadly. Lei Zhang exhaled scrutinizing her, she was no spy, just a struggling teenager trying to meet up her grades.
"Was your reason for working just to get a home tutor?", Lei Zhang asked.
"Well not really, it was more of to have some yuans in my hands to meet some of my needs ",
she said and Lei Zhang wondered if her parents were also unable to meet her needs.
"I'll tutor you for free if you quit the job",
he said and her eyes widened in shock.
"Are you serious?", she asked.
"I'm serious, the question is if you are, you need to focus on what really matters right now which is getting good grades", Lei Zhang said.
"Alright, I'll quit, Thank you so much sir Zhang", she said.
"I'd prefer you just call me Lei Zhang, our age gap isn't that much", he said and she nodded.
"But why are you helping me?", she asked and he exhaled.
"I admire your determination to learn, that's all", he said and she nodded.
"But what exactly is your occupation?",
she asked and he paused for a while.
"I'm into many kinds of business",
he said and she nodded not wanting to press further.
"Okay, thank you once again, I'll quit my job and pay more attention to the lessons",
she said arranging her bag pack before swinging it across her shoulders then bowed and left.
Lei Zhang watched her leave and when she was completely gone, he heaved a long sigh before ruffling his platinum blonde hair. He really couldn't remember the last time he was this confused.
By the time he arrived back at Central Shanghai, it was already nine pm. He didn't drive to his mansion but headed straight to his company.
Walking into his office, he took out his phone and called Xu Jin while settling at his table. Xu Jin picked up on the first ring.
"Hello, Xu Jin",
Lei Zhang said the moment the call went through.
"Hello, Lei Zhang",
Xu Jin's voice came through the phone.
"You're still at the hospital right?", Lei Zhang asked.
"Yes, is there a problem?", Xu Jin asked.
"No, i just wanted to ask, the apartment you rented at Fengxian, when was it decorated ", Lei Zhang asked.
"Well last night I actually purchased the furnitures and other home equipments online. Since you'd be staying there sometimes, i thought it'd be nice if it felt homely so I purchased the exact types, brands and designs of home, equipments, appliances, and decorations that were in your apartment back then at Linyi with your family, I got there by eight this morning to explain the settings and layouts to the home designers before leaving for the company. They had still been on it all through the morning. Was there a problem with the layouts, did they get it wrong?", Xu Jin asked.
"No, it's just like my family's apartment years back but with just a little difference in decorations" Lei Zhang said.
"So, did you like it?",
Xu Jin asked and Lei Zhang opened his mouth to speak but couldn't find any words. He didn't know why but he felt a bit guilty.
He ended the call without giving Xu Jin a reply as he rubbed his temples. Xu Jin still remembered how his home was seven years ago. He had only told Xu Jin to rent an apartment, he didn't expect Xu Jin to go as far as making it look the way his apartment was years ago, it must have been a lot of work trying to have it done in such a short time.
He suddenly felt a little selfish. Xu Jin had two younger brothers to take care of, at the same time still trying to keep up with Lei Zhang's business struggles and personal life. He hadn't even known about Xu Yun's low hemoglobin. He had only known Xu Yun got a heart disease but hadn't bothered to know why the surgery was delayed. He heaved a sigh, taking out a pile of files Xu Jin was supposed to go through and decided to do it himself.
He was done by 11:00.
He locked the office about getting into the elevator when he heard strange noises echoing down the passageway. By that time, no one was supposed to still be at the company except for the security guards working night shifts.
He walked down the passageway following the noise and ended up arriving at the males toilet. The noise had gotten louder and it sounded like the moans of two different genders.
walking slowly past the toilet cubicles, he finally stopped at the cubicle the noise was coming from and opened the door. T.B.C