Love Me in Another Universe

Chapter 111. Alone Together (3)

July 15, 2002, Monday. After having dinner with his mother, Guan Xuchen was about to take a shower, when the phone rang. He walked over to the landline, and seeing Gao Xinglang's home number on the caller ID, he picked up the receiver and said with a beaming smile, "Lang, good evening. What's up?"

"Soupy, nothing special—I just wanted to chat with you." Gao Xinglang said with a chuckle, then asked, "Soupy, have you found an internship yet?"

"Not yet. But the English Morning Post asked me to go for an interview tomorrow." Guan Xuchen said with a look of anticipation, then asked, "Lang, it's your first day at the internship today. How did it go?"

"It's great—I'm learning a lot interning at the research institute." Gao Xinglang trailed off, then steered the conversation back, saying, "Soupy, my dad said his office is looking to hire a few foreign language majors as interns. He asked if you'd like to give it a try. He said you'd get priority if the qualifications are the same."

"Oh, please thank Uncle for me." Guan Xuchen replied politely, then asked tentatively, "My interview at the English Morning Post is tomorrow morning. Would it be okay if I go for the interview at Uncle's office tomorrow afternoon or the morning after tomorrow?"

"Hold on, I'll ask for you." Gao Xinglang spoke a few words with his father, then returned to the receiver and told Guan Xuchen, "My dad said it's okay. Just go straight to see his assistant, Mr. Song, tomorrow afternoon."

"Alright, thank you, Lang. And please thank Uncle for me again." Guan Xuchen responded politely once more, then joked, "Is your Mingming also going to intern at Uncle's office?"

"I asked her too, but she has a relative who's a foreign company executive in Foshan, so she's going to intern there instead. So that's that," There was a hint of resignation in Gao Xinglang's tone.

They chatted for a while longer, then hung up the phone.

Just then, Mrs. Guan came over and asked with a concerned look, "Soupy, did Gao Xinglang's father ask you to go for an interview at his office?"

"Yes, Mom. Why?" Guan Xuchen asked in confusion.

"Oh, for goodness' sake! Director Gao personally invited you for an interview. Why were you putting on airs and making him accommodate your schedule?" Mrs. Guan scolded her son anxiously.

"I wasn't putting on airs!" Guan Xuchen felt wronged. "I really did agree to go for the interview at the English Morning Post tomorrow morning."

"Silly boy, Director Gao's office is a public institution—it's far better than the English Morning Post." Mrs. Guan's tone softened a little as she explained patiently, "Besides, him personally asking you means it's practically a sure thing. You can skip the interview at the English Morning Post."

"There's no conflict anyway," Guan Xuchen argued. "I'll go for the interview at the English Morning Post in the morning and at Uncle Gao's office in the afternoon."

"That's just like you—always buried in books and nothing else." Mrs. Guan looked at her son with a mix of disappointment and exasperation, saying, "Director Gao's office is such a great opportunity. If you intern there well, you might even get a job there after graduation—it's way better than working at a newspaper!"

"But I'm really interested in newspaper work..." Guan Xuchen wanted to continue, but he stopped when he saw his mother's face darken.

Mrs. Guan sighed deeply and said with emotion, "Soupy, it's not that I don't support you in pursuing your dreams. But you have to think about our family's reality... Now that your dad's gone, it's just the two of us, depending on each other. I've slaved away all these years, just hoping to see you make something of yourself..."