Bai Lisheng thought for a moment, then immediately nodded in agreement.
Zhou Wang glanced at Jiang Qingkui upon hearing this. Qingkui knew this was undoubtedly her responsibility, so she nodded slightly.
Only then did Zhou Wang extend his hand to shake Bai Lisheng’s firmly, smiling, "Then Principal Bai, let’s look forward to a pleasant cooperation."
"Actually, calling it ’cooperation’ isn’t quite appropriate. Mr. Zhou, you’ve never really been an outsider to Cai University. In the future, perhaps, you’ll be even closer..."
Bai Lisheng laughed heartily, as if his words held some deeper meaning.
Zhou Wang was a bit puzzled, but since Bai Lisheng didn’t seem to offer an explanation, he didn’t continue to ask.
...
At six o’clock in the evening, a table was set in a private room on the second floor of the small building.
Zhou Wang and Cai University’s Secretary Chen Gengyun sat at the head table. Beside them, in addition to Bai Lisheng, there was another vice-principal from Cai University, as well as several deans and many other accompanying guests, filling the large table, which could accommodate twenty people, to the brim.
The menu was nothing extraordinary, aside from a large platter of steamed crabs. There were no particularly extravagant dishes.
The wine wasn’t expensive either. Today, they drank not Maotai, but 52-degree Wuliangye, whose price ranged from eight hundred to one thousand two.
Regarding the rich aroma and sauce aroma, Zhou Wang had always found the rich aroma to be more accessible, but perhaps because he’d drunk more now, he discovered that the nationwide popularity of sauce aroma wasn’t without reason.
However, Zhou Wang wasn’t picky. After all, Wuliangye wasn’t bad.
The good thing was that after Zhou Wang insisted on saying he wasn’t good with alcohol, these professors and deans showed corresponding elegance and didn’t go for a drinking showdown but instead accompanied Zhou Wang in light toasts.
After three rounds of drinks, Zhou Wang ate a bit of crab that Jiang Qingkui had helped peel for him, when suddenly he heard the familiar voice of Chen Gengyun laughingly say:
"Mr. Zhou, I wonder if you’re interested in joining the board of Cai University?"
"Hmm?"
Zhou Wang immediately suspected he might have misheard and looked up somewhat bewildered. "The board?"
Zhou Wang was indeed a bit confused. Cai University was a public university, did it have something like a board?
As if anticipating Zhou Wang’s confusion, Chen Gengyun smiled and glanced at Ni Hong sitting nearby, "Teacher Ni, could you help explain?"
"Ah, sure..."
Recovering from her extreme shock, Ni Hong gave Zhou Wang a complex look. Perhaps fearing Zhou Wang couldn’t hear her, she hurriedly got up and walked over. Jiang Qingkui temporarily gave up her seat for her.
After thanking her, Ni Hong sat next to Zhou Wang and adjusted her expression, quietly explaining:
"Mr. Zhou, it’s like this. Nowadays, many universities no longer solely rely on grants for funding. Cai University’s board has been around for a long time..."
Through Ni Hong’s detailed explanation, Zhou Wang finally roughly understood the significance of the board.
In short, to uphold concepts like "society-run universities and universities serving society," Cai University had established a board long ago. It was currently in its seventh term.
The board members come from various industries, with no chairman. The first-ranked executive vice-chairman is held by a giant from a provincial institution, while other members are renowned individuals from all over the world.
For example, among the several vice-chairmen who are on par with Chen Gengyun, there are heads of official institutions, chairs of private listed companies, overseas Chinese, such as a president of a multinational group based in California, Beautiful Country, and the president of an overseas foundation, etc.
A total of 43 board members, besides offering advice and suggestions for Cai University’s construction, each bears a commitment to some construction funding, which is also part of their responsibility.
The funds raised by the board have now exceeded one hundred million, becoming an important supplement to Cai University’s school construction funds.
"Mr. Zhou, if your personal donation reaches thirty million, you’re completely qualified to join Cai University’s board and become an executive director..."
After explaining, Ni Hong whispered softly.
Zhou Wang truly hadn’t anticipated that Chen Gengyun would extend such an invitation to him, but upon reflecting, he understood something.
The title of "Executive Director" at Cai University seemed to be the true gift his alma mater had prepared for him...
No wonder Bai Lisheng had said that ambiguous comment.
All the other things were just extras, including the promise Bai Lisheng made to Zhou Wang about the "Top Ten Outstanding Youths of Yunnan Province." Only this position as a Cai University executive director showed the university’s true sincerity.
But assuming Zhou Wang’s donation didn’t reach thirty million, one can’t say whether Chen Gengyun would have brought this up at all...
Zhou Wang was lost in thought when he suddenly felt a warm sensation on his calf.
He looked down in surprise and saw that inside the rolled-up pant leg of his suit, a leg clad in delicate stockings rested lightly on his leg. The ankle was slightly separated from the high heel, swaying slightly and drawing a smooth arc.
At this moment, Ni Hong was leaning forward, still engrossed in talking to Zhou Wang, seemingly unaware of her poised little foot.
From the surface, it couldn’t be said for sure that Ni Hong’s actions were intentional, and her expression control was impeccable—
Her features were delicately sharp like an almond-shaped face, mid-length hair casting some shadows on her fair skin. Her neatly groomed eyebrows gave her a serious look when she wasn’t smiling. Now, as she spoke softly to Zhou Wang, her expression was earnest, as if unaware of the slight physical contact.
But her eyelashes trembled gently.
The movement was minute, but the two were so close that Zhou Wang noticed and saw it clearly.
"Mr. Zhou, becoming an executive director doesn’t entail many obligations, but it positively affects your reputation, so..."
Ni Hong kept speaking but then couldn’t continue because of Zhou Wang’s playful gaze, as if he was trying to peer into her very soul...
Ni Hong’s earlobes turned red quickly. She avoided Zhou Wang’s gaze, but still bit her lip secretly. The leg clad in delicate hosiery didn’t withdraw, instead fully slipping out of her high-heeled shoe, with her silky toes sliding directly into Zhou Wang’s pant leg.