Chapter 39: The Middleman
Bai Zongnan, whose real name is Jin Han, was thirty-four years old and an adventurer by profession. Remarkably, in the modern age, the title of "adventurer" had almost faded into obscurity, and yet Bai Zongnan had made it his career for over a decade. His method of earning a living was to transport prized goods—local specialties, antiques, paintings, anything of value—from one place to another and sell them. Of course, this was merely a means of survival, not the purpose itself. What truly captivated Bai Zongnan was not the act of buying and selling between two destinations, but the endless journey in between: especially the geological surveys and predictions he could undertake. After visiting countless famous mountains, rivers, and hidden wonders, he sometimes paused, yearning for a taste of the city life he had long left behind.
On this particular day, Bai Zongnan arrived in C City, intending to sell a batch of porcelain he had acquired some days ago in Shanxi. The transaction went smoothly. Bai Zongnan had contacted a local wealthy businessman, Fei Hua, through an online platform. Unlike the middlemen Bai Zongnan usually dealt with, Fei Hua was keen on collecting these ceramics and had no intention of reselling them.
Through their exchanges on the computer, Bai Zongnan and Fei Hua came to know each other better. Fei Hua was an entrepreneur who had built his business empire from scratch in C City a few years prior. The Fei Group under his name was vast, and in C City, his reputation was ubiquitous. Yet, his only son, Fei Chai, seemed to lack ambition. Only in his first year of middle school, Fei Chai had no interest in his studies, spent his days immersed in computer games, and paid little heed to his father’s guidance.
This troubled Fei Hua deeply. After learning about Bai Zongnan’s profession, the father’s tone shifted suddenly over the phone:
“Mr. Jin, you’ve traversed thousands of miles and are a master of geology. Would you be interested in teaching young Chai geography? Your knowledge far exceeds that of his school teachers. If you could guide him, perhaps his interest in the subject might be rekindled. After all, interest is the foundation of learning... As for compensation, rest assured, you will be rewarded handsomely.”
“If you’re willing, please come as my guest this Saturday at 9 a.m. My family will be most grateful. Our address is 588 Splendid Avenue, Splendid Manor, C City.”
After hanging up, Bai Zongnan was left in hesitation. Originally, his trip to C City was to conclude with a successful transaction, and he would return to his accustomed “wilderness” life. Now, a new choice had appeared—becoming a teacher, and in his area of expertise, no less. It seemed... not a bad idea?
Perhaps this was what Bai Zongnan sought when he occasionally wished to experience city life.
After some thought, Bai Zongnan decided to go.
On Saturday morning, Bai Zongnan hailed a taxi and headed to the address mentioned in the letter—Fei Hua’s manor.
The car sped along, eventually reaching Splendid Avenue. The traffic thinned, and the low residential buildings lining the road gradually vanished. Instead, clusters of villas and estates appeared, grand and impressive.
The letter was genuine, and Bai Zongnan felt a vague sense of unease.
The taxi stopped in front of a manor, where a middle-aged man in a tailcoat awaited by the gate. He opened the car door for Bai Zongnan and nodded with a smile.
Bai Zongnan got out, seeing the manor for the first time. Somewhat at a loss, he smiled politely, about to introduce himself when the man spoke first.
“You must be the guest invited by my master. I am the butler of this manor, you may call me Ah Fu. Please follow me.”
Surprised, Bai Zongnan followed him inside.
Upon entering, Bai Zongnan felt as if he had stepped into an ideal realm. The artificial mountain, while not spectacular, seemed ingeniously crafted. The undulating terrain along the path imitated the Yardang landforms. He even spotted a geological survey instrument—though, it was likely just a decoration.
This was life, Bai Zongnan mused inwardly, following the butler to a villa.
The villa’s foundation appeared remarkably solid, capable of withstanding a magnitude ten earthquake, at the very least. Bai Zongnan noticed several people standing by the entrance.
Ah Fu stopped, turned, and nodded to Bai Zongnan, indicating they had arrived. He approached the door, facing Bai Zongnan and the other five, and addressed them:
“Thank you all for accepting the invitation. On behalf of my master, I extend our gratitude and welcome. You are all teachers hired by my master, but please do not misunderstand; your duties do not conflict, as you each teach different subjects. It is now 8:47, about ten minutes before the appointed hour. This is a good opportunity for you to get acquainted; you may be working together for some time. Also, at my master’s instructions, I am to give each of you this once everyone has arrived.”
So Fei Hua had not hired only one tutor, Bai Zongnan realized. It made sense; Fei Hua had mentioned his son’s poor performance across all subjects—a truly troublesome child.
While pondering this, Bai Zongnan watched Ah Fu distribute sheets of paper, one to each of the six present, including himself.
Taking his sheet, Bai Zongnan read:
“Welcome to my home, esteemed teachers. Thank you for your hard work. Shortly, attendants will escort you to the parlor to rest. There will be coffee, milk, juice, tea, and assorted snacks for you to choose from.
Teachers, my son has been disappointing. Tutor after tutor has come and gone, but his grades remain stagnant. You are my last hope.
He used to perform well in his previous class, but since transferring schools, his grades have plummeted.
As the saying goes, if a child is not properly taught, it is the father’s fault. My son’s current state is primarily my own responsibility.
Therefore, I implore the most outstanding subject teachers among you to fulfill your roles and help my child improve. Of course, your compensation will exceed your expectations. Please, I beg you!”
After the introductory exchange at the door, a homeroom teacher was chosen, and the group began to get acquainted with one another.
At exactly nine, the villa’s doors were opened. Guided by the butler, Bai Zongnan and the others entered.
The villa’s hall was circular, with two elevators, a spiral staircase, and a grand chandelier stretching through three floors. It resembled a splendid palace.
A distinguished middle-aged man descended the stairs. His appearance was ordinary, but he possessed an imposing aura. Upon seeing Bai Zongnan and the others, a smile spread across his face.
“I am Fei Hua. Welcome, teachers, to my humble abode. Let’s get straight to the point: my son’s grades are abysmal, and you know why you are here. I have prepared a schedule for your review.”
Bai Zongnan nodded, glancing at the other researchers beside him, unable to suppress a wry smile.
He had never expected to find himself in such a role.
Bai Zongnan, whose real name was Jin Han, thirty-four years old, was an adventurer. In the modern era, such a profession was nearly unheard of, yet it was his calling for over ten years. His means of livelihood was to bring valuable goods—specialties, antiques, paintings—from one place to another and sell them. But this was only a way to make ends meet, not his true aim. What enchanted Bai Zongnan most was not the trade itself, but the journey, especially his geological explorations and predictions. After traversing all the famous mountains and hidden wonders, he occasionally wished for a pause, to experience the city life he had forsaken.
Arriving in C City, Bai Zongnan planned to sell a batch of porcelain from Shanxi. The deal went well; through an online platform, Bai Zongnan contacted Fei Hua, a local magnate. Unlike the usual middlemen, Fei Hua wished to keep the porcelain for himself and had no intention of reselling.
During their online conversations, Bai Zongnan and Fei Hua became acquainted. Fei Hua, an entrepreneur who had risen from nothing in C City, owned the formidable Fei Group. His name was known to all. Yet his only son, Fei Chai, lacked ambition. Only a middle schooler, he neglected his studies, obsessed with computer games, and ignored his father’s discipline.
This greatly troubled Fei Hua. Upon learning Bai Zongnan’s profession, Fei Hua’s tone changed:
“Mr. Jin, you are well traveled and versed in geology. Would you consider teaching Chai geography? Your knowledge far surpasses that of his schoolteachers. With you as his tutor, perhaps his interest will rise. Learning depends on interest... As for remuneration, rest assured, you will be satisfied.”
“If you’re willing, please visit our home this Saturday at 9 a.m. I would be most grateful. Our address is 588 Splendid Avenue, Splendid Manor, C City.”
After the call, Bai Zongnan hesitated. His journey to C City was supposed to end with a successful transaction and a return to his “wilderness” life. Now, another option was before him—a teaching role, and in his own field. Not bad, perhaps?
Maybe this was what Bai Zongnan sought when he wanted to try city life.
He decided to go.
On Saturday morning, Bai Zongnan took a taxi to the address in the letter—Fei Hua’s manor.
The car sped along until it reached Splendid Avenue. Fewer cars appeared, and the low residential buildings faded away, replaced by clusters of villas and estates.
The letter was true, and Bai Zongnan felt a subtle anxiety.
The taxi stopped at the manor, where a middle-aged man in a tailcoat awaited at the gate. He opened the car door with a smile.
Bai Zongnan stepped out, seeing the manor for the first time. Somewhat at a loss, he smiled politely, about to introduce himself when the man spoke:
“You must be the guest invited by my master. I am the butler, Ah Fu. Please follow me.”
Surprised, Bai Zongnan followed him inside.
Within the manor, Bai Zongnan felt he had entered an ideal realm. The artificial mountain, though not extraordinary, was ingeniously crafted. The undulating land imitated Yardang formations. He even saw a geological survey instrument—likely a decoration.
This was life, Bai Zongnan thought, following the butler to the villa.
The villa’s foundation seemed solid, capable of withstanding a major earthquake. Bai Zongnan noticed several people at the entrance.
Ah Fu, the butler, stopped and nodded to Bai Zongnan. He approached the door and addressed the six people, Bai Zongnan among them:
“Thank you all for accepting the invitation. On behalf of my master, I welcome you. You are all hired as teachers for different subjects. It’s now 8:47, about ten minutes before the appointed time. You may use this opportunity to get to know each other; you may be working together for a while. My master instructed me to give these to you once everyone arrives.”
So Fei Hua had hired more than one tutor. That made sense; he’d mentioned his son’s poor grades in every subject—a difficult child indeed.
As Bai Zongnan pondered this, he watched Ah Fu hand out sheets of paper, one to each of the six present.
Reading his sheet, Bai Zongnan found:
“Welcome to my home, esteemed teachers. Thank you for your hard work. Attendants will soon escort you to the parlor to rest. Coffee, milk, juice, tea, and snacks will be available.
Teachers, my son has disappointed me. Tutors have come and gone, but his grades remain poor. You are my last hope.
He once did well in his previous class, but since transferring, his grades have fallen.
As the proverb says, the fault lies with the father if the child is not taught. My son’s current state is my responsibility.
Therefore, I implore the best teachers among you to fulfill your duties and help my child improve. Your compensation will exceed your expectations. Please, I beg you!”
After the exchange at the door, a homeroom teacher was chosen, and the group became acquainted.
At nine, the villa’s doors opened. Guided by the butler, they entered.
The hall was circular, with two elevators, a spiral staircase, and a grand chandelier spanning three floors—like a palace.
A well-dressed middle-aged man descended the stairs, ordinary in appearance but impressive in bearing. Upon seeing them, he smiled.
“I am Fei Hua. Welcome, teachers, to my home. Let’s be direct: my son’s grades are terrible, and you know why you are here. I have prepared a schedule for your review.”
Who would have imagined the cycles in this mythic world would be so true to life.
Bai Zongnan, Jin Han, thirty-four, an adventurer—a career nearly unheard of today, yet his calling for over a decade. He made a living transporting valuable goods—specialties, antiques, paintings—from one place to another. But this was mere survival, not purpose. What he loved most was the journey, especially his geological explorations and predictions. After traversing famous mountains and hidden wonders, he sometimes paused, longing for city life.
Arriving in C City, Bai Zongnan planned to sell a batch of Shanxi porcelain. The deal went smoothly; he contacted Fei Hua, a local magnate, through an online platform. Unlike middlemen, Fei Hua wanted to keep the porcelain.
They became acquainted online. Fei Hua, an entrepreneur who built an empire from scratch, owned the renowned Fei Group. But his only son, Fei Chai, lacked ambition. A middle schooler, he neglected his studies, obsessed with computer games, and ignored his father’s discipline.
This troubled Fei Hua deeply. He asked Bai Zongnan:
“Mr. Jin, you are well traveled and versed in geology. Would you teach Chai geography? Your knowledge far surpasses his schoolteachers. With you as tutor, perhaps he’ll regain interest. Learning depends on interest... As for remuneration, don’t worry; you’ll be well rewarded.”
“If you’re willing, come as my guest this Saturday at 9 a.m. The address is 588 Splendid Avenue, Splendid Manor, C City.”
After the call, Bai Zongnan hesitated. The trip was meant to end with a transaction and a return to his “wilderness” life. Now, another option—a teaching role in his expertise. Not bad, perhaps?
Maybe this was what he sought when craving city life.
He decided to go.
On Saturday, Bai Zongnan took a taxi to the manor.
The car sped through Splendid Avenue. Fewer cars, the residential buildings faded, clusters of villas and estates appeared.
The letter was true; Bai Zongnan felt a subtle anxiety.
The taxi stopped at the manor, where a middle-aged man in tailcoat waited. He opened the car door for Bai Zongnan, smiling.
Bai Zongnan stepped out, seeing the manor for the first time. Somewhat at a loss, he smiled politely, about to introduce himself when the man spoke:
“You must be the guest invited by my master. I am the butler, Ah Fu. Please follow me.”
Surprised, Bai Zongnan followed him inside.
Within, Bai Zongnan felt he’d entered an ideal realm. The artificial mountain, though not extraordinary, was ingeniously crafted. The undulating land imitated Yardang formations. He even saw a geological survey instrument—likely a decoration.
This was life, Bai Zongnan thought, following the butler to the villa.
The villa’s foundation seemed solid, able to withstand a major earthquake. Bai Zongnan noticed several people at the entrance.
Ah Fu stopped and nodded to Bai Zongnan, then addressed the six present:
“Thank you for accepting the invitation. On behalf of my master, I welcome you. You are all teachers for different subjects. It is now 8:47, about ten minutes before the appointed hour. Use this opportunity to get acquainted; you may work together for some time. My master instructed me to give these to you once everyone arrives.”
So Fei Hua had hired more than one tutor. That made sense; his son’s grades were poor in every subject—a difficult child.
As Bai Zongnan pondered this, he watched Ah Fu distribute sheets of paper.
He read:
“Welcome to my home, esteemed teachers. Thank you for your hard work. Attendants will soon escort you to the parlor. Coffee, milk, juice, tea, and snacks will be available.
Teachers, my son has disappointed me. Tutors have come and gone, but his grades remain poor. You are my last hope.
He once did well in his previous class, but since transferring, his grades have fallen.
As the proverb says, the fault lies with the father if the child is not taught. My son’s current state is my responsibility.
Therefore, I implore the best teachers among you to fulfill your duties and help my child improve. Your compensation will exceed your expectations. Please, I beg you!”
After the exchange at the door, a homeroom teacher was chosen, and the group became acquainted.
At nine, the villa’s doors opened. Guided by the butler, they entered.
The hall was circular, with two elevators, a spiral staircase, and a grand chandelier spanning three floors—like a palace.
A well-dressed middle-aged man descended the stairs, ordinary in appearance but impressive in bearing. Upon seeing them, he smiled.
“I am Fei Hua. Welcome, teachers, to my home. Let’s be direct: my son’s grades are terrible, and you know why you are here. I have prepared a schedule for your review.”