Chapter 74: The Plan
Facing the entire class, Chu Lian smiled slightly. "What I want to talk about is actually our class's study trip. Xiu'er just told me that it starts next Monday and will last about half a month. Everything is for us to arrange. But I think, rather than waiting for the teachers to tell us, we should decide ourselves and then inform them."
Saying this, she brushed back a strand of hair and tilted her head. "After all, this is something we've worked hard for. Who knows how long it will be until the next chance? As for choosing the destination city, I imagine everyone has places they'd like to go. But on that point, I have some ideas I'd like to share..."
No one responded, but no one looked away either. They were clearly interested. No one wanted to end up somewhere they didn't care about, much less waste time in a boring spot. So they were waiting to hear Chu Lian out before voicing their own opinions.
"Looks like everyone already has their own thoughts. Then I'll keep it short. Fifteen days, twelve cities, eight countries. This is the most reasonable arrangement I came up with after careful planning. We'll be flying, and we also need free time for our own activities. Fifteen days sounds like a lot, but once you're using it, it's really not."
Chu Lian didn't hesitate to share what was on her mind. It wasn't about taking over the teachers' job or showing off—she had her own reasons. But those reasons needed her classmates' agreement to proceed; otherwise, she'd have to abandon the plan.
"I want to ask, which cities and countries are you talking about?" Cai Ya crossed her arms and lifted her chin slightly as she looked at Chu Lian. In truth, she just didn't like that no one was speaking while Chu Lian was talking, and she was afraid it would get awkward. Not that she'd ever admit it.
"The eight countries are: Huaxia, Nihon, America, Brazil, England, France, Egypt, and India." These countries were either rich in history or had unique cultural charm—definitely worth visiting. But fun wasn't her goal. She had far more important matters to handle. Not that she could say so.
"The twelve cities are: Jiuzhaigou in Shuchuan, the Qin Emperor's Mausoleum in Chang'an, Mount Tai in Tai'an, Akihabara in Tokyo, Las Vegas, Miami Beach, Hollywood in Los Angeles, the Sao Miguel das Missoes ruins in Brazil, King's Cross Station in London, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Pyramids in Egypt, and the Taj Mahal in India." Not all of these were world-renowned, but certain things had to be done at these places.
"Most are popular tourist spots. Some I've even been to. I just don't understand why these places? There are many lesser-known small towns with unique and beautiful scenery. Why compete for these crowded destinations?" Once again, it was Cai Ya raising the tough question—and it cut right to the core.
But upon hearing her question, Chu Lian let out a breath of relief in her heart. "Whew, as long as someone brings it up, I can explain."
With a bright smile, she replied, "Why, you ask? Because I've asked some friends to help. When we arrive at these places, we'll get the best service. Wherever we want to go, there will be someone to guide us, even shopping will be arranged—it's all covered."
Her reason didn't need to be perfect—just enough to grab their interest. While people like Lux Lyle, Cai Ya, and Wang Tingsi might not be impressed, others in the class didn't have such privileged backgrounds. A trip where they could get what they wanted without spending a dime was definitely appealing.
But that alone wasn't enough to win them over. Someone asked, "Why only those places? If your friend really has that kind of pull, arranging things in other cities shouldn't be a problem either, right?"
The question came from a thin boy with glasses. Chu Lian glanced at him and replied, "While they could technically make arrangements anywhere, due to certain reasons, they're currently limited in what they can do. The specific reason—you'll find out in time."
Chu Lian hadn't wanted it this way either. If she hadn't accidentally discovered some items the night before that required retrieval from those specific locations, she wouldn't have taken such a bold approach.
Luckily, much of the reason they had earned this study trip opportunity was thanks to Chu Lian's efforts. So even if some still doubted her, no one openly objected.
"Ahem, the school is providing documentation for free travel to the destinations we choose, along with transportation, accommodations, and a modest activity budget. But if we really want to enjoy the trip, we'll need significantly more funds. My friend is offering us up to one million USD per city—we won't need to worry about money at all." Chu Lian laid out the full offer, stunning the entire class.
They couldn't believe anyone would spend so much money just for them to have a good time. With current exchange rates, one USD was five Yuan, so across twelve cities, that totaled 12 million USD—a whopping 60 million Yuan. Who would be willing to spend that much?
"I don't believe someone would spend so much just to give us a nice travel memory. I think there must be some strings attached, right?" Lux spoke before Cai Ya this time, her golden eyes fixed on Chu Lian as she spoke calmly.
"Of course. No one would spend that kind of money for strangers—even my friend wouldn't," Chu Lian answered with a gentle smile, meeting her gaze. "Naturally, there are conditions. The deal is that in every city, ten students must perform on stage. The stage and logistics are all handled by them. We only need to perform for an hour."
"But we're not celebrities. Is that kind of investment really worth it?" Cai Ya asked immediately.
"He's not investing in who we are now, but who we might become. It's basically a high-risk, early-stage investment. He believes our future accomplishments will make it worthwhile," Chu Lian replied calmly.
"What about you? On Saturday, you clearly said you wouldn't perform in public anymore—at least not until after graduation. Without you, I doubt the investment would be this big," Lux followed up quickly, not giving Chu Lian time to pause.
"Ah, I won't go on stage. At most, I'll sit in the background to accompany you. I won't draw attention to myself. Everything will be left to you all," Chu Lian said preemptively, anticipating further questions. "When they truly need it, I'll perform once. That was their condition for agreeing... So, do you want to go?"
She had said everything she could. Even if she wasn't sure it would convince them, some things had to be done regardless of outcome.
Since she had already tried her best, the result was out of her hands. Do your best, and let fate decide—perhaps that was the right attitude.
"I think Chu Lian's proposal is quite good. Everyone should give it some thought," came a clear female voice from outside the door. The teacher entered the classroom in a white teaching outfit and stood beside Chu Lian. "She did this for everyone's sake. It's a rare opportunity to truly enjoy ourselves. Even if the destinations aren't what you personally imagined, there's no reason we can't have a good time, right?"
With the teacher speaking up for her, most of the class began to accept the plan. Whether or not they wondered if the whole scene had been rehearsed between teacher and student didn't matter. Even geniuses were still just first-year students. Their age-appropriate innocence remained intact. Since everything had been arranged, they decided to go along with it.
"Thank you, teacher. I'll be counting on you going forward..." Seeing the thoughtful expressions on her classmates' faces, Chu Lian knew they had already accepted the arrangement in their hearts. So she was genuinely grateful for the teacher's support.
The teacher saw her relieved expression and, before she could react, flicked her on the forehead with two fingers. Then she folded her arms and grinned as Chu Lian rubbed her head.
"Next time, don't decide everything on your own. Talk to your teacher first, understood?"
Pouting in mock protest, Chu Lian murmured, "Ugh... that hurt... Okay, okay, I get it..."
Outside the window, the wind grew chilly, and clouds gathered across the sky...