New York City, the great arena where the world's top talents contend.
In this place brimming with the world's brightest and most creative minds, Cheng Yi never imagined that someone as ordinary as herself would one day find herself part of the struggle.
With summer approaching, her anxiety over tuition fees became more intense.
Although working for the Ye family provided a far better environment and pay than the restaurant, and with board and lodging covered, her personal expenses were nearly zero. It still wasn't enough to cover her soaring tuition costs. She was deeply grateful for the Ye family's support and felt embarrassed at the thought of asking them for a loan. Mingzhe seemed busy all the time, but there was no evidence of him holding down a regular job. He never mentioned where the family's income came from; it seemed they relied mostly on the rental income from the ground-floor shop. Sometimes, she even found herself thinking up ways to cut back on daily costs.
If worse came to worst, she'd just head back to China and treat this whole New York experience as a fleeting dream.With the worst outcome already accepted, she found herself surprisingly at ease.
Mingzhe noticed her staring blankly out of the window more often, he asked her to meet him in Central Park after school.
It had been almost a year since Cheng Yi arrived in New York, and she'd hardly had the chance to explore the city's attractions. Occasionally, she'd catch glimpses of the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State Building from afar, but to her, Central Park was nothing more than a rare patch of green amidst the concrete jungle. She hadn't expected such a vibrant display of summer culture within the park, with street artists sketching, performing mime acts, and playing live music. She was so absorbed in the carnival-like atmosphere that she didn't even notice when the person she was meeting arrived.
"You're here."
Mingzhe appeared before her in black sportswear, dripping with sweat.
"Let's walk inside."
The park's pathways, shaded by trees, were pleasantly cool despite the heat. From time to time, cyclists whizzed by, people could be seen playing, picnicking, or sunbathing on the lawns, completely removed from the city's noise and chaos.
Did taller people naturally have longer strides? For some reason, Cheng Yi could never keep up with his pace. He wasn't the type to wait around, but if he got too far ahead, he would just sit on a bench by the path, waiting.
"You're short on tuition money, aren't you?"
How on earth does he know everything? Cheng Yi immediately felt a bit embarrassed.
"Yeah, just a bit."
"Wages can't go any higher."
"No… it's already very generous."
"So, what's your plan?"
"Take it one step at a time. If worse comes to worst, I'll head back."
Mingzhe crossed his arms, his eyes boring into her like searchlights, making her fidget under his gaze.
"You've settled down in New York. Just like that, now you're willing to give up?"
What's that supposed to mean? What else can I do?
"If you're short on money, go earn it."
Easy to say! But where exactly could she earn it?
After dinner, Mingzhe called Cheng Yi and Minglang over and told them he'd created a job opportunity for them. Minglang was the first to jump up.
"I already have a job! I'm a government consultant, remember?"
"A consultant, right. But can you even pay your rent?"
Minglang deflated immediately. Ever since the hacker group was taken down, Ye Michael's visits had become less frequent, meaning there wasn't much work to do. Mingzhe turned to Cheng Yi, who responded without hesitation.
"I'll take it."
"I know."
"How do you know?"
"You have no choice."
No matter how annoyed she felt, Cheng Yi knew she had no room to argue. She was willing to dive headfirst into these upcoming jobs if it meant covering her tuition. Whatever the job entailed, she was determined to give it her all. Her only concern now was how soon she could start.
"When do we start?"
"Right here, right now."
All work begins with a division of tasks. Minglang was assigned to source computer equipment, his role being data searching and organization. Mingzhe demanded that all devices be set up and operational within a day.
Cheng Yi, apart from her schoolwork and daily household chores, was required to be on call for whatever Mingzhe needed during her free hours.
Their office? The Ye family's old townhouse—no need to step outside at all.
Cheng Yi was still clueless. What on earth were they trying to do?