Chapter 24: The Mutual Aid Society
Chapter 24: The Mutual Aid Society
On the first day of August, Chen Chuan arrived at Wu Yi University early in the morning, pushing his bicycle through the school gates.
As before, he entered through the side gate, while outside, cars came and went, driving straight up the main avenue to the steps of the grand hall.
Walking on the campus, he noticed more people than the day he took the exam, as that day was just one of the batches, and they were all locals.
In fact, every year, hundreds of thousands of local and out-of-town applicants of the right age apply to this prestigious institution. Many students gain admission through the exam centers set up by the university in various counties and towns, accounting for more than half of the enrolled students. This proportion seems to be expanding each year.
Following the signs posted along the road, Chen Chuan joined the crowd of applicants and made his way to the old exam building from the previous time.
This time, under the guidance of senior students standing outside the building, they went directly to the original training ground, where they registered and filled out forms. Soon, he received a reddish-brown student ID.
He opened it to find his previously submitted photo inside. The ID had his temporary student number, and with this ID, he could now confidently introduce himself as a student of Wu University.
Although he hadn't passed the second trial yet, just having this proof in his hands lifted his spirits. At that moment, he heard a cheer and turned to see a student who had just received their ID, shouting excitedly. Chen Chuan understood the excitement and smiled.
With this student ID, it was like having one foot already on the ladder to success. While he couldn't predict how far he would climb, at least he had taken the first step.
According to the booklet provided by the university, Chen Chuan knew that with this ID, he could apply for a dormitory from the school. However, this accommodation was temporary, intended for out-of-town students who had yet to find a place to stay. After the second trial, based on the re-examination scores, there would be another adjustment.
Originally, Chen Chuan had planned to move out immediately, as he had agreed with Mr. Nian LiFu. But since his family wasn't pressing him, and considering that he might need to train with Yu Gang for the next month, moving in would be inconvenient due to the distance and the school's management. So, he decided to wait until after the second trial.
Now, he needed to clarify the specifics of the second trial.
After leaving the registration area, he noticed a sign on the sidewall of the concrete staircase, indicating "Admission Re-examination Guidance." All the applicants were heading upstairs, so he followed them up to the second floor.
Upon reaching the top, he saw that the original training ground had been divided into sections by partition boards. Just then, a student was leaving with the items they had received, and Chen Chuan took the vacant seat. Across from him sat a senior student with a gentle demeanor and glasses. The senior student said, "Please show your student ID, classmate."
Chen Chuan presented his newly acquired student ID.
The senior student, after verifying his identity, asked, "Chen classmate, may I ask if you have any difficulties paying the tuition fees?"
Chen Chuan looked at him and asked, "Why do you ask?"
The senior student explained, "It's like this. Every year, many students at Wu Yi struggle to pay their tuition due to financial hardships. Some end up in long-term debt, while others resort to borrowing money or participating in underground fighting tournaments. Therefore, the student council has established a mutual aid society to address this issue."
He smiled, "As long as both parties sign an agreement, the mutual aid society provides funding. Students can then repay the loan after graduation, benefiting both the students and the society by allowing them to focus on their studies."
Chen Chuan understood that this was essentially a funding organization, a unique feature of the Great Republic of China. By providing financial or other forms of assistance to individuals or groups with potential, the society expected a certain return.
While it sounded good on the surface, in most cases, the funded party became a tool for the funding party to exploit. Therefore, it was best to avoid such arrangements if possible.
He politely replied, "Thank you, senior, but I don't need it for now."
The senior student smiled and didn't bring it up again. Instead, he looked down and pulled out a manila envelope from a stack, sliding it towards Chen Chuan. "Classmate, this is the information about the senior students you might face in your second trial. You can take a look."
Chen Chuan thanked him and opened the envelope, extracting five sheets of mimeographed paper. Each sheet contained information about a senior student, including their specialties and preferred techniques.
But at this moment, Chen Chuan felt something was amiss. He raised his head and asked, "Five people?"
The final senior student he would face in the trial would be just one, yet he had received information about five. Usually, it was impossible for applicants to research all five, and even if they were willing, there wasn't enough time for targeted training. Furthermore, the information on the sheets was too general, providing little useful insight.
The senior student nodded, "Yes, there are five. The school won't reveal the actual opponent to the applicants. You need to make your own judgment. However..."
He smiled slightly, "If an applicant accepts funding from the mutual aid society, they will help analyze which senior student is most likely to be your opponent. I can't guarantee 100% accuracy, but the members of the mutual aid society are experienced seniors with a high success rate."
Seeing that Chen Chuan remained silent, he continued earnestly, "I understand your hesitation, classmate. You're afraid of being obligated to give more in return. But the agreement won't be too restrictive, and we won't force you to do anything. The mutual aid society provides not only financial support but also various learning suggestions and conveniences. You'll understand once you join."
He smiled again, "However, the second trial is meant to select students with genuine abilities. If you have the confidence to pass without relying on the mutual aid society, you can certainly choose not to accept the offer."
Chen Chuan said, "I need to consider this."
The senior student agreed, "That's right. You should think it over. If you change your mind, you can come back to me. Here's my contact information."
He handed Chen Chuan a prepared note with his contact details. "Oh, and here's the collection slip. Please sign it, classmate."
Chen Chuan glanced at the slip, signed it, and returned it. He then took the contact information, along with the five mimeographed sheets, and placed them in the manila envelope. After tidying up, he stood, nodded at the senior student, and left the area, heading downstairs.
At the same moment, on the other side of the auditorium, Shan Xiong, Liu Cai, and several other second-year students stood in a row, each waiting beside a semi-tall black shell typewriter.
Soon, a group of well-dressed young men and women walked up the steps in front of the auditorium, entering from the bright entrance, they made their way towards them.
One of the students approached Liu Cai and handed her a finely crafted name card, smiling, "Sorry to trouble you, Senior."
Unlike the admission exam student ID, the recommended admission student ID existed in the form of a name card, and students received them well in advance of their enrollment.
Liu Cai hurriedly said, "No need to be so polite, Junior."
After receiving it, he placed the name card into the typewriter's slot, and according to the color print on the card, he typed out a string of numbers indicating the strength of the print. He then shook the handle, and a page of clean, crisp paper slid out from the output slot below.
This page contained detailed information about a specific advanced student, including height, weight, speed, blood type, heart rate, punching and kicking strength, movement habits, limb dimensions, and body proportions, among other tedious details.
Liu Cai took the paper, placed it in a pre-prepared official document bag with the school's name printed on it, and handed it to the student in front of him, along with the metal card.
"Thanks, Senior," the young student smiled as he took it, waved at him, and walked down the aisle into the building.
As Liu Cai finished, Shan Xiong, who was a bit distracted today, slowed down his movements, which immediately annoyed the student across from him. The student snapped at him, "Why are you so slow? Are you even capable?"
Shan Xiong silently cursed, wanting to lash out but unable to do so. These students who entered through recommendation had powerful figures backing them, and even as new students, they were not someone he could afford to offend.
His face twitched, and he quickly took out the paper and card, hastily handing them over. The student across from him still looked at him with dissatisfaction, snatching the items and quickly walking inside.
Liu Cai glanced at Shan Xiong and whispered, "Control your temper. These influential students are not to be messed with. There are only a few dozen of them, so just endure it and it will pass."
Shan Xiong snorted. If he had known that participating in the entrance exam would lead to this, he would rather die than take it. However, his brothers outside had said they found that kid yesterday and would give him a lesson, but a whole day had passed without any news. Could it be that they didn't catch him? Or were they delayed by something else?
On the other side, after Chen Chuan left the old building, he walked out of Wu Yi Academy and arrived at a phone booth across the square. There, a student was making a call, seemingly asking for money from home. After waiting for a while, the student left, looking dejected as if they didn't get the money.
After the student left, Chen Chuan entered the booth, picked up the receiver, and took out several coins from his satchel, inserting them one after the other. He dialed a number, and soon, a sweet female voice answered, "Mi Family Law Firm, how may I assist you?"
Chen Chuan said, "I'm looking for Associate Lawyer Gao Ming. Yes, I don't have an appointment, but I'm his cousin."
"Please hold."
After a while, a laid-back voice came from the other end, "Chen Chuan's cousin? What made you think of calling me?"
"Gao Ming, it's me," Chen Chuan said. "I passed the Wu Yi University entrance exam two months ago, and the re-examination is next month."
The person on the other end paused at this news, but it was clear he wasn't calling to boast, and his tone became more serious, "Cousin, go on, I'm listening."
Chen Chuan slightly shifted his position and said, "There's a student aid society in Wu Yi University that provides sponsorship to students and seems to be able to advise and screen the re-examination content. I thought I might be able to learn something about the aid society from you."
The voice on the other end laughed, "Mi Family Law Firm is one of Wu Yi's cooperating firms, and I can access the archives here as an associate lawyer. The consultation fee is ten yuan per minute. Are you sure, cousin?"
Chen Chuan replied with utmost certainty, "I'm sure."
A ticking sound came from the other end, followed by the voice, "The timer starts now. According to the firm's files, the Wu Yi University student aid society originates from within the university's student council and is led by influential students.
The aid society provides sponsored students with assistance for the re-examination and subsequent studies. For outstanding talents, the aid society uses agreements to recruit them, ensuring they serve the influential students and the powerful teams and forces backing them after graduation.
For mediocre students who are unwilling to comply, the aid society transfers the agreements to various companies and senior law firms through agents, who then take over the handling."
Chen Chuan held the receiver and listened quietly. He didn't ask how they handled it, as it would be difficult for an individual to confront these companies and firms. After thinking for a moment, he asked, "What about Wu Yi University's stance?"
The voice on the other end was concise, "Only exceptionally valuable students are worth the attention of the university's upper management."
Chen Chuan nodded and asked, "I remember Wu Yi University also provides sponsorship for students?"
The sound of pages turning came from the other end, and after a while, the voice said, "Yes, but it requires advance application and submission through the school's affairs office, with approval needed from at least three university councilors. The review process can take a long time, and it's rare for anyone to get it. At least, I can't see it in our records, so the funds are only theoretically available."
Chen Chuan said, "I understand. That's all I wanted to ask."
Another ticking sound came from the other end, followed by the voice saying, "The consultation is over. The total time was ninety-two seconds, rounded up to two minutes. The firm charges a twenty-yuan consultation fee, but since this is my first consultation, I'll give you a fifty percent discount."
Chen Chuan said, "Gao Ming, thank you." He knew that this information wasn't something that could be casually inquired about for such a small fee.
The voice laughed, "Cousin, you got into Wu Yi University and didn't even tell me beforehand? Next time I'm in Yangzhi City, you'll have to treat me."
Chen Chuan smiled and said, "Definitely. By the way, there's something else I'd like you to look into. We can talk about it next time we meet. I won't disturb you further." After exchanging farewells, he hung up the receiver.
At this moment, many people were coming and going through the doors of Wu Yi Academy, which stood across the spacious square.
It was clear that the aid society's sponsorship came with the expectation of substantial returns. If one didn't want to be controlled by the aid society, they would need to rely on their own strength to pass the re-examination.
...
...
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
