CHAPTER 291: CHAPTER 261: THE FIRST DIPLOMATIC INTERPRETER (PART 1)

But it’s all appearances. Someone who hasn’t really been in contact with us is making this request...

"Uh... I don’t mean not to help, just that for the sake of our family ties, we should agree. But Auntie’s field is banking, and we don’t really know what she’s good at or what she’s lacking..."

"Besides, if Auntie wants to move from Shanghai to Beijing for better prospects, but she’s actually not satisfied with the position and salary that Uncle can offer her... wouldn’t that be even more awkward?"

Su Chengji blinked and slapped his thigh, "That makes sense! My daughter thinks things through more thoroughly."

Su Xiaomeng didn’t think that being thorough in this matter was a good thing. The most difficult thing in this world to deal with might just be human relations.

"If you want to help her, I don’t mind offering her a higher salary."

Yin Shixiu saw the consideration in Su Xiaomeng’s heart, this little girl...

"I don’t think that’s a good idea."

Su Xiaomeng immediately rejected Yin Shixiu’s proposal.

Yin Shixiu didn’t expect to be shot down right after he opened his mouth, he cleared his throat and stopped talking.

"Then I’ll go and turn it down, it’s not difficult to do."

Su Chengji said, not wanting his daughter to be troubled by a cousin she just met.

"Dad, don’t rush. Auntie wants to come to Beijing and join Uncle’s company, it’s not impossible. But we must understand each other first, what she wants we can give, and what we offer, she can accept — we need agreement."

"If we rashly accept, great, she quits her banking job and comes to Beijing... and ends up more dissatisfied, wouldn’t that be putting her in a difficult position?"

"Uh... so, you mean to have her come over and talk with you guys?"

"No need to talk to me, just have a chat with Uncle."

Yin Shixiu raised an eyebrow and glanced at her, then withdrew his gaze, "I don’t mind."

Su Xiaomeng got annoyed hearing this, "It’s your company, okay? You’re letting me decide whether to hire someone, and I know nothing about it — you don’t take HR seriously at all!"

Yin Shixiu couldn’t help but laugh seeing her seriously lecture him.

He wasn’t disregarding the company’s HR, just not taking her cousin seriously.

"You’re still laughing!"

"Since you’ve said so, I’ll just chat with her, have an interview. What do you think?"

"Uh... okay."

Su Xiaomeng nodded.

With that, Su’s father and Su’s mother went back to "report."

Guo Tong accepted the response calmly, saying, "That’s how it should be. If Xiaomeng and Mr. Yin can give me this opportunity, I’m already very grateful, thank you, cousin and cousin-in-law."

After the dinner ended the next day, Xiao Meng and Yin Shixiu’s wedding was considered complete.

Xiao Meng changed into a more comfortable dress and stood with Yin Shixiu at the door, seeing off the guests.

At this time, Zhou Mengqin came over, pulling Xiao Meng aside and speaking a few words to her.

Su Xiaomeng was a bit surprised, then a little excitement flashed in her eyes.

"Go quickly then."

"What about here..."

"We’ll be here."

Su Xiaomeng nodded and then followed Zhou Mengqin’s words upstairs. When she reached Dean Qi’s room, the door just opened, and Dean Qi and his assistant were coming out with luggage.

"Dean, Dean Qi... Hello."

"Ah, you’ve come."

"Grandma said you have a 9:30 flight back to Beijing, I’ve come to see you off."

Su Xiaomeng said, reaching out to help with the luggage.

Qi Jun smiled, gently gesturing that there was no need to be so courteous.

"Then let’s go, just right, we can chat more on the way. Yesterday at the banquet there were too many guests, I didn’t get to say a few words to you."

Su Xiaomeng nodded quickly, regretting not being able to chat more with this outstanding interpreter.

Out of the hotel, Su Xiaomeng got into the car with Qi Jun. It wasn’t far to the airport.

On the way, Su Xiaomeng was a bit nervous, her little hands clasped together, not knowing how to start the conversation.

Seeing her nervous little actions, Qi Jun smiled and broke the silence, "I heard from Senior Zhou that you want to become a translator?"

"...Yes!"

Su Xiaomeng nodded eagerly!

"Becoming a translator isn’t hard, but becoming a good translator has a long, long way to go."

"Uh, I know, when I decided to become a translator, I thoroughly researched the industry and automatically sought out books written by top translators... some of the things written are quite scary..."

"Like what?"

"Uh..."

Su Xiaomeng glanced at Qi Jun’s sparsely haired head, then quickly looked away.

"Ahem... just a bit scary..."

She didn’t elaborate, but the sidelong glance didn’t escape Qi Jun, "Haha, are you afraid of ending up like me, bald?"

Su Xiaomeng blushed and nodded, "They say this industry easily leads to baldness..."

"Hahahahaha!"

Qi Jun couldn’t stop laughing.

Su Xiaomeng felt very embarrassed being laughed at, her face reddening to the ears.

"It’s much better compared to the IT industry! Rest assured!"

Qi Jun teased.

Su Xiaomeng, hearing this, felt even less assured...

"But it doesn’t matter if I go bald, I’ll just wear a wig!"

"Hahaha! Hahaha!"

"Hahaha..."

"Dean Qi, could you please stop laughing... I wasn’t joking..."

Su Xiaomeng really felt embarrassed.

Qi Jun quickly rubbed the muscles of his face that were sore from laughing and cleared his throat, "Alright, alright, I won’t laugh anymore."

Only then did Su Xiaomeng gently let out a breath, but before she could finish, she heard a "snort" from beside her.

She turned her head and saw Qi Jun, this middle-aged man in his forties, hurriedly covering his mouth, but his exposed eyes were full of amusement.

The two arrived at the airport, and Su Xiaomeng escorted Qi Jun to the security check entrance.

Qi Jun glanced at the time and felt it was still early, so he let his assistant go ahead while he sat on a bench with Xiaomeng.

"Dean Qi, is there anything else you need?"

"You don’t need to call me Dean Qi, just call me Uncle Qi."

"...Oh, Uncle Qi."

Su Xiaomeng called out, feeling a bit secretly delighted inside.

The person in front of her was the dean of the Beijing Foreign Studies University Translation College and a professor at the National Translation Research Institute...

Others wouldn’t know how far they’d have to go in the field of translation to have a chance to meet him.

And she could already call him Uncle!

The relationship... suddenly got closer!

"Actually, I came to attend the wedding at the request of your husband this time."

"Of course, also thanks to Mr. Yin and Senior Zhou."

Qi Jun took out a very thick notebook from his bag and handed it to her, "This book, I originally intended to decide whether to give it to you after meeting you."

Su Xiaomeng looked at the notebook with yellowed pages and inexplicably felt its weight.

She received it with both hands.

"This was what I used when I first entered the translation college. The notes in here are quite useful for scholars just starting in this field, so it should be just right for you."

"Uncle Qi... this... this..."

Su Xiaomeng suddenly felt the notebook in her hands getting heavier!

"Shixiu showed me your academic records, saying you majored in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language and you want to switch to a translation major, is that right?"

"Uh... I plan to switch to translation major at the end of this semester, in September."

"The translation major at A University... is really unnecessary."

"Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language is quite good. Translation involves naturally switching between two languages. So, at this stage, you should focus more on the basics than on professionalism and skill."

"Translation is more than just converting words and sentences between different languages of countries. It requires you to have extensive knowledge; your main focus is English, then the history, culture, religion, customs, economy, and politics of Western countries... you all have to understand, and not only that..."

Su Xiaomeng listened attentively...

In the bustling airport, the broadcast never ceased, and passersby hurriedly walked by them.

But this did not affect Su Xiaomeng from taking in every word Qi Jun said and remembering it.

In just half an hour, he gave her a lot of advice, making her suddenly realize...

The right approach is more important than blindly studying hard, and taking it step by step is more solid than seeking quick success.

Moreover, halfway through his talk, Qi Jun suddenly switched to English, startling Su Xiaomeng for a second before she immediately caught up.

This point made Qi Jun quite appreciative, thinking the little girl had a good reaction capacity.

"Shixiu said your language talent is quite good, but your foundation isn’t solid. If you really aspire to become a translator, from now on, you truly can’t afford to be careless, right?"

Su Xiaomeng nodded firmly.

Qi Jun looked up at the large clock on the wall, smiled, and stood up.

"Uncle Qi, you should hurry inside, don’t miss it. When I am back in Beijing, I’ll treat you to dinner!"

"Treat me to dinner?"

"Uh... mainly to seek your guidance, haha..."

Qi Jun genuinely felt that Su Xiaomeng was quite likable—her learning ability, professional knowledge, etc., he couldn’t see everything in such a short time.

But... the little girl had a good personality, was patient, humble, and honest.

"Actually, why bother with me for advice?"

Qi Jun laughed, "In the late seventies and early eighties, during the critical period of opening up and reform, mentioning our country’s first diplomatic translator, no one both locally and internationally doesn’t give a thumbs up."

Su Xiaomeng blinked, thinking Uncle Qi’s thought process leaped too quickly, and she couldn’t quite keep up.

The first diplomatic translator at the end of the seventies and early eighties?

"Uh... Uncle Qi, are you suggesting I seek advice from that person?"

"Isn’t that how it should be?"

"But I... I don’t know them..."

Hearing such a grand title as the first diplomatic translator, Su Xiaomeng immediately felt it was beyond reach, like it was hanging in the sky, only able to look up with a raised neck and tip-toes.

"Hahaha!"

Qi Jun laughed again, showing no mercy to Su Xiaomeng.

Su Xiaomeng felt secretly that her sense of humor and Uncle Qi’s were not on the same wavelength at all.

"You don’t know?"

"I don’t know. I just know you! Haha!"