svetikya Chapter 5 can be approached from a different angle.
Chapter 5 can be approached from a different angle.
Yu Chen was squatting in front of the "Xueyou" printing shop outside the south gate of Jiangning University, having just finished checking the newly printed "Jiangda Encyclopedia" cards, when a "ding" sounded in his mind—a system notification had appeared:
[New mission released: Find your first base]
[Requirements: Rent a suitable location within 30 days for a small business, preferably related to solar power or energy conservation. Budget: under 80000 RMB per year.]
[Reward: 800 Achievement Points, unlocks "Project Startup Toolkit".]
The task is simple and straightforward.
Yu Chen glanced at the amount of money in his account and understood the situation.
The task is to get him to spend the money he's saved where it's needed and to put his ideas into practice.
As he was pondering this, he saw Nie Xiguang walking over from the School of Economics and Management, head down, holding a folder, his face looking as if he had been hit by frost.
---
Nie Xiguang had just run into a snag with Professor Zhou.
Professor Zhou's refusal was as decisive and swift as a bucket of ice water suddenly poured on a June day, leaving Nie Xiguang feeling completely chilled from head to toe.
"Outdated topic, mediocre perspective." These eight words in red, bold and clear, lay on the cover of her thesis, as if silently mocking the sleepless nights, literature reviews, and hair loss she had endured over the past two months.
Clinging to her last hope, she blocked the professor's way out of the office, her voice trembling slightly: "Professor Zhou, could you... give me some specific guidance on which direction to revise it in?"
Professor Zhou adjusted his glasses, glanced at her, sighed, and finally said a few more words: "Xiguang, your theoretical foundation is solid, and your case analysis is detailed. But... it just lacks a bit of perspective and foresight. When we do research, we can't always follow domestic cases. We need to broaden our horizons and see how similar business scenarios are handled internationally, how they have evolved, and what new accounting considerations and standards discussions have arisen."
He waved his hand, "Let's find a new direction, we need to have an international perspective."
"International perspective".
The four words, like four giant rocks, extinguished the last remaining flame in Nie Xiguang's heart.
She walked down the stairs in a daze, with only one thought in her mind: I'm doomed. Am I supposed to sift through a bunch of foreign real estate companies' financial statements? And they have to be related to revenue recognition disputes? When will I ever find them? The deadline for my graduation thesis won't wait for anyone.
Misfortune never comes singly.
Just as I stepped out of the School of Economics and Management building, I bumped into Zhuang Xu on the tree-lined path. He seemed to have been waiting there on purpose, holding several documents in his hand.
"Xiguang," he called to her, his expression as serious as ever, with a hint of the kind of concern that she used to appreciate, a concern born of experience, "I just came from Professor Zhou's place. I heard... your thesis topic was rejected?"
Zhuang Xu would definitely be at the top of Nie Xiguang's list of the people she least wanted to see right now.
She mumbled an "Mmm," wanting nothing more than to leave as quickly as possible.
Zhuang Xu stepped forward, his tone even more sincere: "Professor Zhou's standards have always been very high, especially his emphasis on an international comparative perspective. If you keep focusing on writing about just a few domestic real estate companies over and over again, I'm afraid you'll have a hard time passing."
He paused, as if after careful consideration, and said, "I have some case studies of globally renowned companies that I compiled when I was applying to schools abroad. Although most of them are in the financial field, the methodologies are the same. I can give them to you for reference if you need them."
See, even he knows.
Even he knew what kind of "international perspective" Professor Zhou wanted, and had already prepared "reference materials".
This omnipresent, superior-sounding "consideration" made Nie Xiguang feel even worse than a direct denial.
She felt like a fool trapped at the bottom of a well, surrounded by a group of people who were kindly telling her how high the sky was, but no one was throwing down a rope.
"No, thank you." She refused curtly, walked past him, and left almost as if fleeing.
Zhuang Xu seemed to say something behind her, but she didn't hear it and didn't want to.
Did you also refer to his materials?
So whose paper is this?
Was it Zhuang Xu's skillful guidance, or had Nie Xiguang finally figured it out?
This feels awful.
She didn't go back to her dorm; the atmosphere there was as tense as a chemistry lab that could explode at any moment.
She also avoided going to her usual library, afraid of running into acquaintances.
As if by some strange twist of fate, she wandered to the almost forgotten open-air platform behind the old library.
There are some abandoned tables and chairs piled up here, and the railings are rusty, but the view is open, and most importantly, there is absolutely no one here.
She needs to be alone to process this double blow.
The professor's denial, and the perfectly timed "knowledge assistance" from his former ambiguous partner.
Just as she was staring blankly at the distant rooftops, internally fretting, "Is an international perspective going to fall from the sky?", a familiar voice, tinged with surprise, rang out beside her:
"Senior? You're here... conducting architectural aesthetics research?"
Nie Xiguang was startled and turned around to see Yu Chen walking up the stairs from the other end of the platform, carrying a cardboard box filled with old books and printed materials.
He looked a bit travel-worn, with a bit of sweat on his forehead.
"I...I came to get some fresh air." Nie Xiguang forced a smile, quickly wiping his eyes, not wanting anyone to notice anything amiss. "What's wrong?"
"Oh, I'm just helping a history professor move some old documents he's sorted out, earning some extra cash." Yu Chen placed the cardboard box on a fairly sturdy abandoned table and patted the dust off his hands.
"The teacher thought the archives were taking up too much space, but I felt that some industry yearbooks and data compilations might still be useful, so I negotiated a package deal and prepared to take them back to 'mine for gold'."
Nie Xiguang looked at him, recalling his previous sharp analyses, and blurted out, "My thesis was rejected because they wanted an 'international perspective'."
"Is there a quick way? I'll pay."
Yu Chen laughed: "What a coincidence, I actually do have an 'International Perspective First Aid Kit' here."
After clarifying that her original question was about real estate income recognition, he directly pulled out several English reports and documents from the box: "Don't always focus on real estate."
"If you switch to a different field, for example, by studying how international photovoltaic power plants are valued and how revenue is recognized, and then look back at your original topic, your perspective will broaden significantly."
"Photovoltaics is a hot topic, and it's also related to the Remote Group that you've been following. Professor Zhou will definitely be interested."
In just a few words, he clearly explained the advanced perspective of "cross-industry international comparison".
Nie Xiguang's eyes lit up, but he immediately became worried: "Where am I supposed to find these international documents? I can't understand them."
So it's a "first aid kit".
Yu Chen pushed the documents aside, "Two packages."
Package A: Core materials plus guidance on thinking, 80 yuan.
"Package B: Add a 7-day database account and one Q&A session, for 150. Price clearly stated."
Nie Xiguang answered almost without hesitation: "I want Package B!"
This money was well spent.
Pay in one hand and deliver in one hand.
The system in Yu Chen's mind gently prompted:
[Today's knowledge monetization income target reached, achievement points +20.]
Nie Xiguang left with the "life-saving data" in his arms, his steps much lighter.
Yu Chen received a call from Boss Wang of the building materials market, arranging to visit an old factory in the western suburbs the next day.
After hanging up the phone, the system notified you: [Effective contact communication completed today, achievement points +15.]
---
That evening, Yu Chen was doing the accounts in his small room.
Today's total income was good, especially the 150 yuan from Senior Sister Nie, which brought the working capital in the account to over 8,200 yuan.
He wrote it down in his notebook.
Looking at the system panel again, it's much cleaner:
[Current Task: Find the base (0/1) 29 days remaining]
[Today's task income target met (completed) +20 points]
[Today's networking (completed) +15 points]
Total Achievement Points: 1085
The system shop is refreshed daily.
• Photovoltaic Knowledge Crash Course: 800 points
• Efficient Reading (Foreign Languages): 500 points
• Energy booster: 100 points
A flash of inspiration (24 hours): 400 points
He wasn't in a hurry to change his things.
The most important thing now is to get the system tasks sorted out and find that "base".
The system pointed him in the right direction, and Boss Wang provided the clues. All that's left is for him to go and see the site in person tomorrow and negotiate a real deal on that piece of land.
He looked out the window.
Nie Xiguang is probably working hard on his new ideas, while Zhuang Xu is probably adjusting to his new workplace.
He himself, holding over eight thousand yuan and a system task, was about to take his first solid step on this real land.
The task is simple and the goal is clear.
Next, it's time to take action.