Chapter 411: Strive in the Process, Accept the Outcome

The warm winter sun streamed through the glass window, bathing Gu Heng and Tang Ziheng in its rays. It made them feel comfortably warm all over, and even their hospital gowns seemed to soften.

“Ahh…”

“It feels like I haven’t had a moment’s peace like this since I started working.”

Tang Ziheng squinted, sighing with a look of pure enjoyment.

“Brother Heng, being Uncle Qi’s secretary can’t be easy, can it?”

After spending the last few days together, and having already shared a life-and-death experience, the two had quickly grown closer.

“You’d think it wouldn’t be.”

“On a normal day, I don’t really have to do much.”

“I just drive Uncle Qi around, help him confirm his schedule, and prepare his speaking materials before meetings. It’s mostly trivial stuff.”

Tang Ziheng sighed softly. “But if you were to say it’s easy… well, there’s just so much of that trivial stuff that I’m busy from morning till night. Plus, in our line of work, emergencies pop up all the time. I get calls even in the middle of the night.”

“It’s like I’m a spinning top every day. I start getting busy the moment I open my eyes, and before I know it, the sun has set. The exhaustion isn’t physical; it’s completely mental.”

“No weekends, no holidays. I never get a moment’s rest.”

Listening to Tang Ziheng’s complaints, Gu Heng found he could understand completely.

‘Heavy is the head that wears the crown.’

‘To shine in public, you must suffer in private.’

As Qi Guowei’s secretary, Tang Ziheng enjoyed a glamorous life, basking in the envy and admiration of countless people. Naturally, he also had to bear the heavy responsibilities that came with such a high-profile position.

“You’re the one living the good life, my friend.”

“Free and unfettered, with no worries about food or clothing. You can do whatever you want.”

“A life like that… I wouldn’t even dare to dream of it.”

Tang Ziheng turned to look at Gu Heng, his voice filled with a hint of envy.

“Brother Heng, you’re Uncle Tang’s only son.”

“He definitely wants you to be a great success, so slacking off is not an option for you.”

Gu Heng smiled at Tang Ziheng. “Besides, Brother Heng, this tough period is only temporary. Uncle Qi won’t have you as his secretary forever. Once you’re assigned a leadership position out in the field and have people working under you, the good times will really begin.”

The sight of the two of them sunbathing in their wheelchairs, both wrapped in white gauze bandages, was strangely comical.

Today, it was Xu Mo’s turn to look after Gu Heng. She was wearing a white knit sweater and holding a plate of freshly cut fruit, feeding pieces into Gu Heng’s mouth from time to time. Her clear, pure eyes were fixed solely on him.

After two days of rest, the dark circles under her eyes had faded significantly. She no longer looked so haggard, and a healthy, rosy color had returned to her fair cheeks.

“Brother Heng, there’s something I’d like to ask you about.”

Gu Heng interjected after they had been chatting for a while.

“Go ahead.”

Tang Ziheng gestured for him to speak.

“I never finished high school, but I want to take the college entrance exam this year. Is that possible?”

Over the past few days, Gu Heng had searched for information about this online, but the answers were all conflicting, with no definitive solution.

So, today, Gu Heng decided to just ask Tang Ziheng directly.

Since Tang Jinghui was the head of the Ji Province Department of Education, Tang Ziheng should be quite knowledgeable about the subject, even if he didn’t work in the education sector himself.

At the very least, he could call someone who handles these matters for an inquiry, and the information would undoubtedly be reliable and accurate.

If Gu Heng wanted to take the 2024 college entrance exam, the first thing he needed to do was secure his eligibility. Otherwise, no matter how hard he studied, it would all be for nothing in the end.

“Take the college entrance exam this year?”

“What brought this on all of a sudden?”

Tang Ziheng asked, a hint of surprise on his face.

Xu Mo, standing behind Gu Heng, was also hearing this for the first time. A look of surprise also crossed her stunningly pure and beautiful face.

“I’ve actually had this idea for a while.”

“A degree isn’t all that useful to me, but having the label of ‘high school dropout’ hanging over my head doesn’t sound great.”

“I figure, while I’m still young, if I have the chance to get a diploma, I might as well. Besides, I’ve always been drawn to the idea of a college campus and don’t want to have any regrets.”

Of course, Gu Heng couldn’t tell Tang Ziheng that this was all arranged by Father Tongzi. He could only use this as an excuse to put him off. It didn’t matter if the reason was flimsy, as long as it was plausible enough.

“That’s true…”

Tang Ziheng nodded slightly. “You’re a man who does big business, my friend. It really doesn’t look good to be labeled a high school dropout when you’re attending all sorts of events. Look at the big bosses of publicly listed companies these days—they all package themselves so well. They’re either MBAs from prestigious overseas universities or PhDs from some top domestic school.”

After speaking, he gave an instruction to the caregiver behind him, asking them to get his phone and dial a number from his contacts.

“I’ll call the Ji Province Education Examination Authority for you directly. They’re the department that specifically handles educational admissions and examinations, so their answer will definitely be the right one.”

Tang Ziheng explained to Gu Heng while waiting for the call to connect.

“Thanks, Brother Heng.”

Gu Heng said with a smile.

“We’re brothers.”

“No need to be so polite.”

Tang Ziheng’s tone with Gu Heng was very casual, but as soon as the call connected, it changed completely.