Invoking the Classics

"Why can't girls be programmers? That's stereotyping and discrimination. Besides, is being a programmer really so bad?"

Xia Xu felt he had a duty to guide this innocent little flower onto the right path.

How could she not like programming? This was a five-star talent! Letting it go to waste would be practically criminal. Becoming some rich lady or wealthy man's wife was no way to build a future.

"No, no, I don't look down on it. I just don't think I could possibly have any talent for it. I can't even..."

Tang Youxin waved her pale, delicate hands as she hurried to explain.

"So you're saying you don't believe me?"

Xia Xu's face fell.

Tang Youxin hastily shook her head. "That's not it either, but..."

"No its or buts."

Xia Xu cupped her cheeks, stopping her from shaking her head as he looked earnestly into her eyes. "I mean it. You're incredibly talented in this field. You could even be called a super-genius. And I wasn't joking about that sponsored education agreement, either.

"If you're willing, I'd be more than happy to cover your education expenses. In exchange, you'd come work for me after finishing your studies. This isn't about friendship or pity. It's an ordinary business deal I'd be delighted-even eager-to make."

"No."

Tang Youxin seemed unused to looking people in the eye, or perhaps it was Xia Xu's burning gaze she couldn't handle. After a slight struggle, she lowered her head. Her voice was as timid as ever, but her refusal was firm.

Hearing the same answer again, Xia Xu couldn't hide his helplessness and disappointment.

"I... I'll give it a try."

Just as disappointment settled over him, a shy voice, barely louder than a mosquito's hum, suddenly rang out.

Xia Xu froze for a moment, then realization dawned. He began to understand what his little flower meant.

This time, she wasn't refusing to learn programming or work for him. She was refusing the sponsored education agreement-refusing his "financial support."

Whether it was pride and stubbornness, a lack of confidence in herself, or an unwillingness to owe him so much that it changed their relationship, the little flower was actually agreeing. She was willing.

That was all he needed to know.

As for whether he funded her or not... heh, that wasn't up to her.

People might stop him from making money, but could they stop him from spending it? Handling a timid little flower like her would be a piece of cake.

"All right, we'll talk about that later."

Even voicing her agreement so quietly had taken a great deal of courage. Xia Xu didn't press her further. He chuckled. "Come on. I'll take you home first. We can come back and clean this place up tomorrow."

"Okay-huh? Take me home..."

Tang Youxin had been obediently nodding along before she realized what Xia Xu meant. She immediately shook her head like a rattle drum.

"No. This isn't negotiable."

Xia Xu put on a stern face. "What if something happens to you on the way? What if you run into someone dangerous? That'll land me in trouble too. Your family will come after me, and so will Uncle Policeman..."

"Uncle Policeman wouldn't come after you for that..."

The little flower offered a feeble objection.

"Nope. I'm scared. What if he does? I'm a coward."

"You're the bad guy here..."

"What was that? Say it again?"

In the end, the little flower's attempt to argue her case fell before a certain someone's unreasonable, overbearing attitude. She had no choice but to take a taxi with him escorting her all the way to her doorstep.

Her home was also in an urban village near the school, though it was a considerable distance away, and the area was far more dilapidated and tangled than the neighborhood where Xia Xu lived. Ancient, squat houses and haphazardly erected sheds formed a maze of streets.

The only thing it had over Xia Xu's neighborhood was a much livelier atmosphere. Every household's door faced the street, and many residents sat outside enjoying the cool air, chatting and laughing in little groups. Some ran small businesses, opening convenience stores or various snack shops that stayed brightly lit at night.

"I'm here."

A shy pink blush had lingered on Tang Youxin's slightly baby-rounded cheeks throughout the ride. The silence inside the car also seemed to carry a gradually deepening romantic tension.

Only after they arrived and the car stopped did her rigid body relax a little. She hurriedly spoke, then grabbed her schoolbag, ready to flee.

"Wait."

But Xia Xu got out right behind her. He caught her arm and pulled several hundred-yuan notes from his pocket, saying with amusement, "What, you don't even want your wages? Any other boss would be ecstatic to hear employees like you existed."

"I didn't really do any work today... and wasn't it supposed to be a hundred?"

Tang Youxin tried to shy away.

"One hundred is your wages. The other five hundred is a bonus. You're the reason we managed to recruit someone as talented as Old Yang today, Youxin. You deserve the credit!"

Xia Xu pushed the six banknotes toward her.

"I don't..."

"'I don't want it,' right?"

Before Tang Youxin could finish refusing, Xia Xu had already learned to answer for her. He gave a helpless laugh, then turned serious. "This bonus isn't for you personally. It's meant to establish a policy and provide an incentive. You're setting the first example, encouraging others to recommend talented people."

"But there aren't any others..."

The little flower softly tried to reason with him.

"We're establishing a policy. It has to start somewhere. We don't need anyone else here."

Xia Xu put on a stern face. "Do you realize refusing money is a huge mistake? That you're actually hurting me? Haven't you heard the stories of Zilu rescuing a drowning man and Zigong ransoming his countrymen?"

"N-no, I haven't."

The little flower looked apprehensive-not because Xia Xu's sternness frightened her, but because his utter conviction had left her unsure of herself.

Was I wrong? Could refusing money be wrong too?

"They were two of Confucius's disciples. Zilu saved a drowning man and accepted a reward in thanks, and Confucius praised him. Zigong paid to ransom his countrymen who'd been sold into slavery, but refused the reimbursement offered by the state, and Confucius scolded him."

Xia Xu briefly summarized the two stories, then adopted the commanding air of a language teacher. "Do you know why?"

"W-why?"

Hearing Xia Xu invoke even the sage Confucius made Tang Youxin feel even less certain.

"You save someone, and you're noble enough to refuse payment. But you can't expect everyone else to be as noble as you.

"If you refuse a reward, other people will feel embarrassed to accept one in the same situation. Plenty of people won't do something if there's nothing in it for them, so the next time they see someone drowning, they might not save them.

"On the other hand, if it becomes customary to reward people for rescuing someone who's drowning, wouldn't others eagerly step in when they see it happen?

"What's more important-a little reward or someone's life? Or is your noble character the most important thing?

"Isn't your refusal to accept money the same principle? Won't it leave people unwilling to find and recommend talent for me in the future?"

Xia Xu kept a stern face. Yet he wasn't simply twisting logic; he was invoking the classics with an imposing air.

Tang Youxin looked utterly at a loss, unable to find a word to say.

Still, Xia Xu refused to let her off. With his face set, he said, "The story of Zigong ransoming his countrymen follows the same principle. You do good without expecting anything back, and you're even willing to take a loss. But do you expect everyone in the world to do good without a reward, willingly taking a loss too?

"If everyone follows your example, anyone who doesn't will look morally inferior. But if they do follow it, they'll lose out. Naturally, they won't want to get involved in a losing deal. Aren't you making it impossible for me to hire anyone else?

"If no one recommends talent to me, and no one even wants to work for me, won't I go bankrupt? Once I'm bankrupt, all my money will be gone, and I'll have no choice but to starve. The blow of a failed business will even affect my college entrance exams..."

"I... I... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."

Listening to the string of disastrous consequences and chain reactions Xia Xu described, Tang Youxin looked both guilty and aggrieved, utterly bewildered.

"What good is an apology? You need to take action. Hold on to this."

Xia Xu took Tang Youxin's right hand, opened her palm, and slapped the six banknotes into it.

After a moment's thought, he took three of them back and said sternly, "Out of consideration for your feelings, I won't force you to accept all of it. I'll only give you a two-hundred-yuan cash bonus. These three hundred will count as a meal allowance, which I'll hold on to for you to cover your food."

"Okay. Okay."

Dazed by his smooth talking, the little flower obediently took the money and headed home, looking thoroughly muddled.