Rebirth 08: A Happy Life Begins in Elementary School

Chapter 60 Who are the Four-Knife Slayers? [Please take a look!]

It was Liu, the group leader in charge of Chinese language and literature. It seems that what was said about him having a personal relationship with Director Tian is true.

—Not necessarily, what if he's just bragging?

But it was enough to entice Li Zhao to listen intently while he typed.

"Group Leader Liu, how did you know?" Teacher Wu asked.

"Tadokoro told me that they were planning to hold a symposium on pedestrian street planning at the end of April, but the participants were all insiders, so it would take at least a few months to get any results. I think it's probably the problem with the holdout residents in Namdaemun."

"As expected of Team Leader Liu, he knows so much." He Lin continued to play her part naturally.

Therefore, since Si Kou Dao's article had generated quite a buzz, they considered inviting him to participate in the discussion as well.

"Who are these four people with knives?" Teacher Wu wondered.

Liu Zu smiled and drank a cup of tea, looking smug: "Think about it, why did Tian Suo write an article to refute it at first, and then Dean Cao personally stepped in, but now he's suddenly become polite?"

Who is Sikoudao, a big name in the industry?

"That's the only possibility. I heard that at first, Dean Cao asked around among his friends and found that no one in the entire Linjiang planning system acknowledged it, so he decisively made his move. Who knew, they really had something to offer. One article on seven major issues took up an entire page of the South China Weekly! Everyone here is pragmatic; continuing the confrontation will only lead to bad results, so it's better to turn enemies into friends."

Li Zhao wondered how they had become enemies.

They really love making a scene.

It's perfectly normal for academics to have differing opinions and engage in debates; it's common for people to dislike each other, and they're far from being enemies.

"Maybe he's a planning expert from another province?" Teacher Wu was very interested in Si Kou Dao's identity.

"That shouldn't be the case. This person has a deep understanding of the Linjiang planning, so logically he should be from our province." Liu Zu began to analyze, "What Tian said is that this person's word choice is very professional, his thinking is quite advanced, and it is not quite in line with the mainstream trend, but it is feasible. He seems like a young person. He once suspected that he was a newly recruited top student from a planning institute in Linjiang."

"Those young people are truly formidable," He Lin continued, playing the straight man.

"However," Liu raised his finger, "he just happens to see things too deeply. Urban planning is a profession that requires accumulation of experience; newcomers without project experience find it difficult to consider practicalities. There are probably few people this professional within the government, and those with influence within the planning system wouldn't lie to Director Cao. Therefore, the New Taipei City Planning Institute has reached a consensus that this person is most likely—"

Li Zhao even stopped typing.

"The most powerful private planning company in our province, Leo Planning and Design Company, has General Manager Jiang, and even their top boss, General Manager Yan."

"Pfft." Li Zhao couldn't help but laugh.

Damn, you actually guessed a somewhat plausible answer!

When Li Zhao joined the company, the elderly General Manager Yan retired, and the young General Manager Jiang took over. He was a leader with relatively new ideas and decisiveness.

President Jiang especially appreciates employees who are capable and willing to work hard, which is why he promoted Li Zhao several times, even making him the deputy chief designer.

It was quite interesting to hear a teacher mention him in the elementary school office.

"Why?" Teacher Wu asked.

"This is a private planning company, but it is very capable and is a competitor of the Linjiang Provincial Planning Institute. Of course, it can disregard the New Taipei City Planning Institute's authority."

That makes sense!

'

That makes no sense whatsoever.

Li Zhao rolled his eyes.

Although Leo is a private company, its planning work is very close to the government. They are only in open competition with other planning institutes. They are like a live fish in stagnant water, able to revitalize the entire provincial planning system by stirring things up.

But without this pool of water, Leo Company itself would not be able to survive.

On the surface, it appears to be healthy competition, but in reality, it's a cooperative relationship where they exchange talent and support each other's projects.

"So, is there any way to determine who Four Knives really is?"

'

"The New Taipei City Planning Institute has contacted the South China Weekly newspaper, wanting to issue a request for the four knives to be sold through the newspaper."

"They might not even care, right?"

"Who knows? We've come this far, if Sikoudao still doesn't buy it, isn't he being too arrogant?" Liu Zu shrugged.

Li Zhao smiled. It seemed that finding him would not be easy. A newspaper as large as South China Weekly was unlikely to casually expose an author's mailing address.

As for buying it? Impossible. New Taipei City has such high aspirations in its planning, but if a primary school student comes along, the entire Linjiang planning system will collapse.

As for the big names? Given Li Zhao's current development speed, once he gets to university, it's the other big shots who will have to consider his attitude.

Li Zhao spent almost the entire noon in the office, and he even printed out an electronic copy of the disaster prevention document for his records.

After finishing typing, I logged into Great Wisdom software, glanced at the continuously rising K-line, and felt quite satisfied.

When he left, Huang Keyun had already fallen asleep on the table. Li Zhao even helped her put her shawl back on after it had fallen off.

It's a really strange feeling.

After school in the afternoon, Li Zhao solemnly put the envelope containing the essay "Don't wait until disaster strikes to think of a solution" into the mailbox.

I'll see if I can get it published in the newspaper next Monday.

"Ah Zhao," Chen Nian began, "you've submitted several applications, any results?"

"Hmm? You should have a weekly magazine for primary and secondary school students too, right?"

'

"I didn't see it."

They were quite self-righteous about it.

"no."

"It really is a piece of junk newspaper. Luckily, I didn't read it."

""

Li Zhao laughed. "Chen Nian, it's good to stand by your friends, but don't be too unprincipled."

"You're amazing." Chen Nian's praise came out of nowhere.

"ah?

'

'

"I'll keep trying even after repeated failures." Chen Nian said earnestly, "If it were me, I probably wouldn't want to continue after failing once or twice."

Persistence is indeed a remarkable thing; the ability to improve oneself and persevere through repeated failures is a rare and powerful quality.

"Then you should learn from me."

"Tsk," Chen Nian raised an eyebrow, "You weren't like this before."

,"oh?

'

"Forgot? We went to play badminton. A coach was free and taught us how to play. You tried a few times but didn't get it, so you said we were just playing for fun."

Li Zhao scratched his head. "Really?"

He was genuinely puzzled, since he had forgotten many things from his elementary school days.

"Wow!" Chen Nian jumped up in a hurry, "You're pretending, you're pretending so well!"

'

"Speaking of which, it's been a long time since I've exercised. If I'm free this weekend, I'll go play some ball."

"Let's see how the exam goes on Friday—you're interested in sports again?"

—It's another memory I don't know about.

"In the past, when we played basketball, wasn't it always me who took the initiative to invite you?"

That brat! When I asked him what he liked to do when the two of them finally got together on weekends, the first thing he listed was badminton. Turns out it was Chen Nian who loved to play.

However, Li Zhao considers herself to like badminton. She has played a lot since she started working and always remembered that it was a sport she liked since she was a child. So, did she not actually like it when she was in elementary school?

"You've always said you're not athletic, so you don't like playing ball."

Oh—a version of himself hidden deep in Li Zhao's memory is gradually emerging.

[Rediscovering your former self, happiness +2, total 20]