MTLNOVEL Chapter 7: 7:Negotiation
"Throughout history, it's always been 'When a son travels a thousand miles, the mother worries.' In Lin Nian's case, it's 'When a son travels a thousand miles, the sister worries.' But Mandy had never heard of the saying 'When a son travels a thousand miles, the sister worries.'
'So I refuse.' Lin Nian nodded and said.
'No, how can you refuse? I mean, how could you give up the opportunity to enter Cassell because of such a ridiculous reason?' Mandy felt like she had been holding her breath. This situation was beyond anything she had rehearsed in the coffee shop earlier. She had even thought about contacting the academy to change Lin Nian's flight to a boat ticket if he had claimed to be afraid of flying.
'Do you think this is funny?' Lin Nian paused for a moment and asked softly.
Mandy suddenly couldn't find any words.
She never expected that the problem wasn't with Lin Nian, but with his sister. She had seen parents tearfully bid farewell to their children leaving for study abroad, but she had never seen a child tearfully worry about their parents back home. In this situation, could she send Lin Nian's sister along to the U.S.? Wouldn't Professor Manstein kill her if he found out?
'I think we can still discuss this.' Mandy forced herself to calm down and said, 'How about this? You come to San Antonio to attend the preparatory class, and I'll have the academy arrange a job for your sister back home.'
'No need, I already said, whether it's San Antonio or Illinois, it's too far.' Lin Nian said softly, 'I really appreciate your school's recognition. I feel honored, but I refuse because of personal reasons. I hope your school will recruit some top students from our high school. As for me, just forget it.'
This polite refusal made Mandy's face turn pale. How could you just forget about it? You think the issue is your refusal, but the real problem is with me!
Letting an estimated A-level mixed-blood student, who is on the verge of awakening, wander outside... Who knows when a mysterious power-related killing incident will happen in this coastal city? When that time comes, the people showing up here won't be youthful and beautiful recruitment officers like her, but the cold-blooded executioners!
But many things Mandy couldn't directly tell Lin Nian. Those messy details could only be revealed after signing a confidentiality agreement. But signing the agreement meant agreeing to the enrollment, and that was a vicious cycle.
'But after thinking about it, actually we might have something to discuss.' Lin Nian suddenly said after a brief moment of contemplation.
Mandy almost coughed violently from the sudden intake of air. 'You're not gasping, right? If there's something to discuss, just say it. As long as it's not too out of line, the academy will try its best to meet your conditions.'
But as soon as she said that, she felt a bit strange. It was as if she was now the student begging for admission, and Lin Nian was the one running the admissions office.
'I want to skip the preparatory class and directly enter the main campus of your academy.' Lin Nian looked directly into Mandy's eyes and said seriously.
'This.' Mandy was stunned because this condition was quite unexpected, but after hesitating for a moment, she said, 'Wait, your request is beyond my authority. I need to ask my superior first to decide whether we can meet your condition.'
Lin Nian took a sip of coffee and signaled that it was fine; he could wait.
Mandy took out her iPhone 3, swiped the screen, and dialed a number. When the other side picked up, she immediately said, 'It's me, Mandy, Professor Manstein. I've encountered some issues in my conversation with him.'
'Yes, he said he wants to make a request, or else he will directly refuse Cassell.'
'No, the problem lies with this condition. He wants to skip the preparatory class and directly enter the first year.' After finishing this, Mandy fell silent because the person on the other end of the line also went quiet, while Lin Nian silently sipped his coffee across the table.
After a moment, Mandy looked up at Lin Nian and said, 'Professor Manstein wants to speak with you. He's the chairman of the school's disciplinary committee and also manages finances. He has the authority to handle the request you proposed.'
'Okay.' Lin Nian put down his coffee cup and sat up straight. Mandy pressed the speakerphone button.
'Is this Lin Nian?' An old voice came from the phone, giving Lin Nian the impression of being stern and rigid, but the following words were surprisingly kind, 'I heard from Mandy that your request is to enter Cassell early? Could you tell me why?'
'Because, logically speaking, there should be no age requirement for university. As long as the knowledge base is sufficient to pass the relevant exams and demonstrate above-average learning ability, one should be able to attend university. I believe my academic level allows me to skip high school and directly attend your university.' Lin Nian organized his words and said slowly, 'Also, I don't like being passive. The students from your school mentioned scholarships earlier. I want to earn the scholarship through learning in a legitimate way and independently support all my living expenses.'
'So, it's about the scholarship?' The voice on the other end of the phone, Professor Manstein, directly asked.
'Yes.' Lin Nian admitted without hesitation, 'I want to enter early and earn the scholarship.'
'So you've been negotiating all along.' Mandy, sitting across from Lin Nian, rested her head on the table. She had never imagined that the independent character Lin Nian had shown earlier was actually just to get a scholarship.
Looking at Mandy, Lin Nian said, 'This is a country where people will negotiate for half an hour just for five cents off the price of cabbage.'
Mandy rubbed her temples. The $36,000 scholarship wasn't a small amount, but for Cassell, it wasn't much either, almost negligible. If it was just about the money, this recruitment would undoubtedly be without any issues.""If it were an ordinary student, I might have refused, but for you, early admission is not impossible," Professor Manstein said. "Is there anything else you'd like to add? I hope you know that our academy genuinely wants to cultivate outstanding students, and you are undoubtedly one of the exceptional ones in our eyes. We will place great importance on your intentions. If you have any other concerns, now is the time to ask."
Lin Nian paused for a few seconds before speaking. "There are many excellent students in our country, but why choose me?"
"No, I need to correct that. You are 'exceptional,' not just excellent," Professor Manstein said淡淡地说道 (in a calm tone).
Lin Nian suddenly looked up at Mandy, as if realizing that from the very beginning, these people had always praised him with the word "exceptional," not "excellent."
"Exceptional" and "excellent" are both compliments, but they differ by just one word.
Now, Lin Nian seemed to realize why Cassell Academy had come all the way to find him.
"You understand now." Professor Manstein smiled after seeing Lin Nian fall silent for so long. "And I heard from Mandy that you've been unable to stop worrying about your sister being alone back home?"
"Yes, my plan was to prepay for the scholarship, rent a place near the academy, and live with her," Lin Nian admitted frankly.
"Cassell Academy is located in the outskirts. The only way to get there is by taking the CC1000 express train. There are no towns near the academy, just wilderness and red pine forests. So, for the next four years, you'll probably have to live on campus," Professor Manstein explained. "But I am willing to offer you a special arrangement. The school will arrange a suitable job for your sister if you want her to join you at the academy."
"Professor!" Mandy exclaimed in surprise.
Professor Manstein on the phone ignored her and continued, "But before she enters our campus, she will need to sign a confidentiality agreement, pledging not to disclose anything she sees or hears inside the academy. Only then will I have the authority to apply to the principal for her to join you at the main campus."
"That's quite a special privilege." Even Lin Nian couldn't help but be moved. "I need to think about it."
Mandy across the table was stunned. Since you already realize how absurdly generous this privilege is, why are you still thinking about it? Lin Nian may not know what kind of school Cassell Academy is, but she, having studied there for two years, clearly understood. Professor Manstein's offer was unprecedented. While the academy had many "normal" people, this was the first time a student had been allowed to bring a family member to study at the school.
"What other concerns do you have? Feel free to voice them all." Professor Manstein, instead of getting angry at Lin Nian's hesitation, became even more gentle. At least Mandy had never seen her professor so kind. "Studying abroad is a big decision. Even if I agree, I still need to discuss it with my sister. I need to respect her wishes," Lin Nian explained.
"About that!" Mandy suddenly stood up, her eyes bright with excitement. "I've already considered that!"
Lin Nian looked at her somewhat confused, but a moment later, his expression changed to one of surprise.
Behind Mandy, in another section of the café, someone stood up, walked over, and sat next to Lin Nian. The person spoke into the speakerphone of the iPhone 3. "No need to think about it. Professor, may I ask when we can meet in person?"
"Three days later. I will be waiting for you at the Regal Hotel's executive suite," Professor Manstein said on the phone. Hearing this third voice, he couldn't help but think, "Finally, my student's brain is functioning properly."
"Sister?" Lin Nian was surprised as he looked at the person sitting next to him, dressed in work clothes—his sister, Lin Xian. He suddenly seemed to realize something and glanced around the café.
Mandy nodded across the table. "Sorry, I went to your sister's workplace before talking to you. I had a long conversation with her before you arrived, but in the end, she still decided to listen to your opinion first. She was sitting at the neighboring table when we were talking earlier."
"This is not a small matter. A face-to-face discussion would be best," Lin Xian agreed, nodding in approval of the meeting proposal in three days. She ignored the reproachful look Lin Nian gave her.
"Of course, it's best. I still have something to do, so I'll hang up the phone now," Professor Manstein said with satisfaction, then ended the call.
"Once we finalize things at the Regal Hotel in three days, how soon can we head to the academy?" Lin Xian, now sitting next to Lin Nian, asked.
Now that the preliminary discussions were over, Mandy, across the table, finally relaxed and stopped being so tense. She slouched on the couch, holding her coffee. "Of course, the earlier, the better. We start classes on the 12th, and all procedures, orientations, and introductions must be completed at the school, so time is a bit tight."
"After enrolling, how are the classes arranged? The semester should be the second half of the first year. Does Lin Nian need to self-study the first half?" Lin Xian, having taken the lead in the conversation, now turned her attention to Mandy.
"This is a bit tricky. He missed an entire semester of the first year. Our school's courses are very unique and involve many practical lessons that require special equipment. If he suddenly transfers in, I'm worried he might not keep up with the curriculum. Honestly, I would suggest auditing the first half of the semester and then joining the rest of the first-year students for the second semester," Mandy replied after organizing her words.
"You don't need to worry about that. I have confidence in him," Lin Xian said. "What's the focus of your school's program?"
"This isn't a matter of confidence," Mandy smiled bitterly. "Our school's courses are very specialized, so the programs are also special. We can't reveal the specifics until you sign the agreement, but the one thing I can say is that we guarantee job placement after graduation."
"Even if I end up cleaning toilets after graduation, I get placement?" Lin Nian interjected.
"You'd be cleaning toilets at the White House," Mandy quipped.
"Then it's still cleaning toilets," Lin Nian muttered, regretting agreeing to this so quickly.
Sensing Lin Nian's regret, Mandy immediately stopped with the jokes and said, "Our school is well-known in elite circles, and our graduates are highly sought after. They're no worse than graduates from Harvard or Cambridge."
"But I've heard that many Cambridge graduates end up cleaning toilets," Lin Nian retorted.
Mandy thought to herself, So you're going to keep talking about cleaning toilets, huh?
"Let's discuss the details in three days," Lin Xian said, handing the phone back with a pleasant smile. "Thank you for your time today, Miss Mandy."
"It's no trouble. Oh, by the way, Professor Manstein asked me to give this to you." Mandy took a brand-new white iPhone 3 from her bag and placed it on the table in front of Lin Nian.
"Does your school give gifts like this?" Lin Nian hesitated, not touching the phone.
"No, it's a necessary means of contact. If you don't have a phone, it would be very difficult for us to reach you. This is a new student benefit." Mandy helped Lin Nian unlock the phone, showing two names in the contact list: Mandy and Professor Manstein.
"I'll accept it for now. If we don't come to an agreement in three days, I'll return the phone to you," Lin Nian said, accepting the gift.
"By the way, I suggest you go for a hotpot meal," Mandy suddenly said out of nowhere.
Lin Nian was stunned for a moment, not understanding. Mandy looked at him and smiled. "You've been classmates with your high school friends for two years. Don't you want to say goodbye before you leave? You'll be in the U.S. for four years, and when you come back, you might find that no one remembers you. You might feel like a stranger in your own city. That's when you'll regret not saying goodbye properly."
Lin Nian didn't respond to her. Mandy had said a lot, but he didn't pay much attention. He just felt that Mandy was already sure the meeting in three days would go smoothly.
"Well, I won't keep you. We'll meet again in three days," Mandy said, picking up her bag and leaving the café. Before long, the roar of an engine sounded outside, and a red car zipped past the window, leaving only the distant honking of car horns.
Lin Nian and Lin Xian sat in silence for a while. Finally, Lin Nian spoke first. "Are we really going to the Regal Hotel in three days?"
"If we've promised, of course we'll go," Lin Xian said, brushing some hair behind her ear as she looked at Lin Nian. "The key is whether you want to go to this school. If you really don't, I'll help you explain things to the professor."
"With a scholarship this big, who wouldn't want to go?" Lin Nian said. "But I still want to check out Cassell Academy before we make a final decision. There are too many scammers these days, and I'm not sure."
"If they're scammers, then they've really gone all in," Lin Xian glanced at the brand-new iPhone 3 on the table in front of Lin Nian.
"It might be fake," Lin Nian replied, not even glancing at the phone. "How about I trade this phone for your old pager?"
"That's yours, so just keep it and use it," Lin Xian shook her head. "I don't use QQ or anything like that much. A pager is enough for me."
The door to the café opened, and some new customers walked in. Lin Xian instinctively turned around and stood up.
"Well, I'll head back now. You stay busy," Lin Nian said, standing up as well.
"I'll be home by around 3 to make dinner. Remember to buy some groceries; the fridge is running low on vegetables," Lin Xian said before leaving.
"Got it," Lin Nian replied. He walked out of the café and, just before leaving, took a final glance inside. He saw Lin Xian standing straight in front of a customer's table, holding a pen with a smile he rarely saw on her face, nodding and taking notes. The café owner, displeased with her previous "absence," was yelling at her, but she answered calmly and then went back to the counter to grab a mop, cleaning the floor while rushing around with no break.
Lin Nian didn't want to watch any longer. He stuffed the iPhone into his pocket and walked toward the nearby bus station.
(End of Chapter)