Chapter 520 - Secretary and Apprentices

Ji Runzhi's planning was now far more in line with the transmigrated collective's productive capacity than before—though force of habit still led him to include quite a few unrealistic features. Along the Dadonghai coast, he could not resist laying out a tourism and resort zone complete with all manner of leisure facilities: hotels, vacation villas, a golf course, a sanatorium, and a diving club—the only things missing were beach-volleyball girls in bikinis.

The model was beautifully made. Using only the simplest materials and the tools he had brought with him, Ji Runzhi had constructed a large sand-table model in the Construction Company's atrium. The moment it was unveiled, it attracted widespread attention; many Executive Committee members came to view it. Contrary to Ji Runzhi's expectations, quite a few took considerable interest in the resort zone—which he had assumed was merely an indulgence in his own quirky tastes. A handful even asked him which part of the Dadonghai area had the best environment and was most suitable for building villas.

The professional planning proposal did indeed win the Executive Committee's meaningful attention. After Wang Luobin came to see it, he decided on the spot to transfer Ji Runzhi and appoint him Director of the Sanya Special District Planning and Architecture Office.

"He's our only licensed planner. If you take him, the company has no one left to do planning," Mei Wan lamented the loss of manpower. After Yan Quezhi had been transferred, and now Ji Runzhi as well, his staff was shrinking.

"No problem. Any future planning requirements can just be mailed to Sanya for him to handle," Wang Luobin said. "Besides, there's not much left to plan in Lingao."

Mei Wan had no choice but to agree. On his way out, Ji Runzhi very much wanted to tease Mei Wan—the head of what he privately called the "Lingao Bauhaus School" and the "contractor-architect"—but seeing Mei Wan's genuinely dejected expression, he relented.

Ji Runzhi delivered an awkward tribute of admiration to Director Wang, after which the two conducted an in-depth discussion on the relationship between architecture and carnal pleasures, with houses as the central theme. On the subject of what type of house suited what type of woman, Ji Runzhi offered a series of observations—for instance, Japanese-style houses, he opined, were especially suited to the elegant, tranquil temperament of Asian women, though such dwellings were unsuitable for winter enjoyment.

At the conclusion of this conversation, Ji Runzhi secured a commission to design Wang Luobin's future vacation villas. Preliminarily, the summer villa would be built in Hokkaido and the winter villa in the Maldives.

Ji Runzhi returned to his quarters humming a tune and began packing his belongings. His spirits were high. A successful job transfer; a boss who took him seriously—combine the two and his future was limitless.

His luggage was simple. Aside from the standard issued equipment, his most prized possessions were a compound bow and a number of carbon-fiber arrows—a powerful weapon, though at the time of his departure there had been no registration requirement. His drafting board, drafting instruments, and laptop would travel with him, of course. Books and data discs on architecture and planning filled several crates; he selected a small number to bring to Sanya and boxed the rest for deposit at the Grand Library, which offered the best conditions for preservation.

After completing the paperwork, Hu Qingbai telephoned to tell him to come to the National School "to pick people."

"Director Wang specifically instructed it. Hurry over and select them so they can go to Sanya with you."

"Director Wang really looks out for us common folk." Ji Runzhi was so moved he nearly burst into song: "Chief Wang is our bosom friend." He hurried off to the Fangcaodi Educational Campus.

The campus was a scene of lively activity. On one playing field, the rugby team was scrimmaging, going at it hammer and tongs. On the baseball diamond, shouts rang out. Mounted high on tall wooden poles, loudspeakers blared stirring marches in rotation.

On another field, students clutching wooden rifles were drilling bayonet exercises and close-order drill, their shouts deafening. The Army NCOs in charge of military training bellowed like rabid dogs, pacing around the student formations and occasionally lashing out with a hard kick.

"Full of vitality," Ji Runzhi thought, finding it all quite novel. As he passed the classroom building, he found an altogether different scene: students—male and female alike—bent over their desks, some reading, some doing homework. Not one was idle.

Ji Runzhi felt a twinge of shame—even in high school, he had never studied this diligently.

Hu Qingbai was already waiting for him in his office.

"My requirements are modest; I'll accept whatever you arrange. But I do have a few small requests—surely not too difficult," Ji Runzhi said with relish. "Appearance—reasonably pretty would be enough; figure—preferably tall; though if the curves are good, short and petite will do. Oh, and no bound feet…"

Hu Qingbai gave him an odd look, then burst out laughing. "What are you talking about?" He handed Ji Runzhi a roster.

Ji Runzhi opened it. On the first page was, unmistakably, a bald-headed boy. Startled, he flipped on—page after page of shaved heads. The "sex" column invariably read "male."

"This—" he stammered. "There must be a mistake? How can I use males… ahem… to look after my daily needs?"

"A boy can look after your daily needs perfectly well," Hu Qingbai said with a smile. "Don't rich families' young masters always have page-boys attending them?"

"Well—I—" Ji Runzhi wanted to say he had no interest in chrysanthemums and that he needed a girl, but somehow the words would not come out. His face was a mask of embarrassment.

"All right, I won't tease you any longer." Hu Qingbai had known all along that Ji Runzhi had misunderstood. "These are boys to serve as your apprentices. Director Wang felt it would be a pity if your knowledge and skills weren't passed on to a successor—he wants you to start training one early."

So it was about finding him apprentices? Ji Runzhi deflated like a punctured balloon. He said listlessly, "I thought everyone going to Sanya was getting a personal secretary?"

"Where did you hear that?" Hu Qingbai shook his head. "The communiqués never mentioned it. Where did this baseless rumor come from?"

Ji Runzhi was tongue-tied. Thinking back, the communiqués had indeed never promised personal secretaries for cadres dispatched to Sanya. It must have been cafeteria gossip.

"Damn!" Ji Runzhi's mood plummeted from the heights to the depths. He had been planning to "consummate" his new secretary that very evening; now he had no desire even to go home and watch porn.

"Why do the apprentices have to be male? There are plenty of female architects and planners," Ji Runzhi said weakly.

"You're from the Construction Company—don't you understand? Our architects don't just sit in an office and draw pictures; at most, they might visit the site now and then. They have to go to the construction site themselves and supervise—or even do hands-on work. What would you do with a little girl?"

"I never intended to take apprentices." Ji Runzhi had entertained notions of raising a loli, but the idea of accepting students had never crossed his mind—it seemed too much trouble. Better to leave education to the proper schools.

"I'll take a girl as an apprentice," Ji Runzhi said, a sudden notion occurring to him. He looked at Hu Qingbai hopefully. "Is that possible?"

"Well—that's a bit awkward—" Hu Qingbai hesitated.

Over the next fifteen minutes, Ji Runzhi resumed his discourse on the relationship between houses and women. After accepting the commission for Hu Qingbai's future "harem," Hu Qingbai finally relented and agreed to give him a girl as an apprentice as well.

"But you still have to take a boy—otherwise, it'll be hard to explain when I report upward."

"Fine." Ji Runzhi agreed readily, thinking that "training female students" was, after all, a subject the masses enjoyed imagining. He might as well try it himself.

And so, in a muddle, Ji Runzhi acquired two apprentices. When the apprentices appeared before him, he realized he had made a terrible mistake.

The boy was fifteen, tall and thin. Upon seeing him, he gave a ninety-degree bow and stood at attention. Then a girl's head popped out from behind him—sparse, yellowish hair, looking at Ji Runzhi a bit fearfully.

"Don't be afraid. This is your master; from now on, you'll follow him," Hu Qingbai reassured her.

Encouraged by Hu Qingbai, the girl shyly stepped forward and gave a bow so deep her head nearly reached her knees.

Ji Runzhi's regret was now so acute his intestines turned green. True, according to her file, this female apprentice was fourteen years old—but she looked like an undeveloped little girl, frail and malnourished.

"These two are your apprentices now. Let them take your surname. You give them names," Hu Qingbai said.

"That seems excessive. You'd have to alter the records. Let's just use their original names."

"No problem! Their files only had serial numbers before; whatever name you give them now becomes their official school name." Hu Qingbai explained that the number of children taken in was simply too large to name all at once; they were first registered by number and fingerprint, then named individually over time. "Besides, their original names were really not much good. Better for you to name them—it'll give them a sense of attachment to you."

The girl had originally had no name; she knew only that her surname was probably Wang—or maybe Huang. The boy had been called "Yang Ergen."

Ji Runzhi had no choice. He named the girl "Ji Yuan" and the boy "Ji Shu."

"One a 'garden,' one a 'villa.' Very creative," Hu Qingbai laughed. "They both hold Class-B diplomas—two years' curriculum completed and examinations passed in one year. Not only smart but very hardworking, and they have a bit of artistic talent. They should more than qualify as your successors."

"It's just that I really have no experience looking after children…" Ji Runzhi said miserably.

"Ha ha—you must be joking," Hu Qingbai chided. "You think this is like where we came from? Here, thirteen- and fourteen-year-olds are working adults. Relax—they'll look after you and keep you comfortable."

"I hope so." Ji Runzhi looked at the sallow-haired waif Ji Yuan. The girl was so frail—never mind "enjoying her"; he would probably have to look after her himself. At the thought, his good mood vanished entirely, and he silently cursed Wang Luobin a dozen times over.

(End of Chapter)