"You seem a bit distracted, and are you really just a sent-down youth?"
"Judging by your speech and demeanor, you don't seem like someone who only finished high school. You're more like a highly knowledgeable student. And your English."
"Your accent is very similar to my uncle's, who studied in America. He returned in the 1950s to build our country. Some of his habits are the same as yours."
That evening, in the brightly lit auditorium of East China University of Finance and Economics, Zhang Yingying rested one hand on Chen Yang's waist.
She had originally assumed Chen Yang wouldn't know how to dance, but to her shock, Chen Yang's dance steps were incredibly skilled. Each movement exuded an air of noble elegance.
Even Zhang Yingying felt a sense of inadequacy.
She found herself increasingly unable to understand her student. He seemed to be shrouded in a veil of mystery.
Every time Zhang Yingying felt she was getting closer to truly seeing Chen Yang, he would once again be veiled in mist, making him more enigmatic and always capable of surprising her.
"Do you believe in karma? Perhaps I really did go abroad in a past life."
Chen Yang smiled faintly. Zhang Yingying was observant, noticing details others missed due to her wider exposure and experience.
Logically, Zhang Weiyang and others had interacted with him more, yet none of them had noticed these things, including Huang Lizhen from Hong Kong.
Huang Lizhen might have noticed, but she didn't understand Chen Yang's situation and thus didn't pay much attention.
However, Zhang Yingying, knowing Chen Yang's background, found it peculiar.
"I'm an atheist."
"But I believe that in certain environments, perhaps there's a fusion at a soul level, or perhaps a specific situation has endowed you with unprecedented memories."
Zhang Yingying stared at Chen Yang earnestly. She wasn't a science student, but in her childhood, she had overheard discussions of such theories in her grandfather's and father's offices.
While there might not be gods or ghosts in this world, some phenomena remain beyond the grasp of current scientific understanding. Some people try to rationalize these by employing deductive reasoning to explain things that current technology cannot yet prove.
"Perhaps. Who can say for sure?"
"But there are also those who are born exceptionally intelligent. In ancient times, there was a prodigy named Shang Zhongyong. Had he not been consumed by his own genius, he could have surpassed me."
"What I've done is not entirely inexplicable. Whenever a new era dawns, there are always those who must stand at the forefront, navigating the tides."
Chen Yang chuckled lightly. Listening to his calm words, Zhang Yingying inexplicably felt a sense of disquiet.
She recalled the rumors that had circulated among students. At the time, she had dismissed them, but now, she felt Chen Yang was a dangerous student.
He possessed an irresistible, mysterious allure that was utterly captivating.
"Are you thinking of asking for leave again?"
"Looking at you, I can tell you're up to no good."
Zhang Yingying released her hand and stepped away from the center of the dance floor, heading towards the tables and chairs set aside. This dance was not held in a hotel, so the conditions were quite basic, with students' desks and benches covered by tablecloths.
"I'd like to ask for leave, but it's final exams. If I dared to ask, you wouldn't approve anyway."
Chen Yang wasn't surprised. Ever since Zhang Yingying learned of his business dealings, he knew she would no longer see him as an ordinary student.
"At least you have some self-awareness. Study hard and don't cause any trouble."
Zhang Yingying fell silent after that. She herself didn't know why she had decided to bring Chen Yang to this dance.
Perhaps it was because that uncle might soon be heading to the Ministry of Commerce? She hoped to broaden that uncle's commercial perspective.
After all, in China today, Chen Yang was likely the only private individual capable of conducting business internationally and securing over two million yuan in foreign exchange orders.
Zhang Yingying decided not to dwell on it. She felt she simply wanted to give her student an opportunity, a chance to display his talents. A teacher helping a student was only natural.
"Yingying, why aren't you greeting your uncle? Are you afraid he'll tell your father you're dating?"
Just as Zhang Yingying and Chen Yang were talking, a middle-aged man in a suit walked directly towards them.
Upon hearing his words, Zhang Yingying's face instantly flushed crimson.
"Uncle Li, what are you talking about? I'm not dating anyone. This is my student."
"He's the one Hou Yong mentioned to you last time, the one who helped the Third Radio Factory secure foreign exchange. He's my student. I brought him today so he could meet Uncle Li."
Zhang Yingying quickly explained. She would never date a "kid," and besides, Chen Yang was already married with several children.
"You're Chen Yang?"
"I've heard so much about you. I've heard so much."
Li Yong extended his hand. Chen Yang never imagined he would meet this person in such a setting.
"Hello, leader. My name is Chen Yang."
Chen Yang quickly extended his hand and firmly grasped Li Yong's. He knew that meeting Li Yong could be a significant event that might alter his future.
"I've heard about you from Yingying for a long time. A sent-down youth, starting a factory and leading villagers to prosperity, going to Hong Kong, negotiating business deals for foreign exchange to help state-owned enterprises overcome difficulties."
"You were sent down to Anhui Province, weren't you? I recall the Anhui Daily reporting on a sent-down youth who established the country's first private enterprise. Was that you?"
Li Yong's knowledge was far more comprehensive. After hearing about Chen Yang from Zhang Yingying, he not only contacted Hou Yong but also personally called Anhui Province.
As a result, he learned many untold stories.
For instance, Chen Yang's early efforts in helping the food factory purchase fish, and then opening stores. It seemed Chen Yang's radio shops had already spread throughout Anhui, Jiangsu, and Shanghai.
Department stores and supply and marketing cooperatives in neighboring Zhejiang Province and other regions were interested in cooperating with Chen Yang, but they lacked a channel to contact him.
The more Li Yong learned, the more intrigued he became by this young man. At only twenty-something years old, what was inside his mind that made him so brilliant?
He also seemed to possess foresight into the country's future direction, showing no concern about misjudging the situation.
"Yes, that was me. A small achievement in my youth, not worth mentioning, not worth mentioning."
Chen Yang was surprised that this man knew about his past endeavors. Hou Yong, however, did not.
This clearly demonstrated a principle: the influential figure before him was not only meticulous in his thinking but also possessed formidable capabilities. Even in this era of limited information, he could thoroughly investigate a person.
Facing such a person put immense pressure on Chen Yang. He felt as if he were being completely seen through.