Having failed in the college entrance exams, Qiang, along with an elder cousin of his, went to a seaport city to find work.
Once there Qiang’s eyes were dazzled by the beautiful sights. The elder cousin said: Not bad, right? Qiang said: Not bad, not bad. The cousin said: Not bad at all, but it has nothing to do with us. Everybody will look down upon us. Qiang said: Nobody will if we don’t look down upon ourselves.
Qiang and the cousin found work at a warehouse repairing canvas covers. Qiang put his heart to his work and would even pick up loose rags on the ground in case they could be used.
One night a thunderstorm hit the seaport. Qiang rolled out of bed and rushed into the pouring rain outside. His cousin tried to stop him but couldn’t. What an idiot! The cousin cussed.
Qiang checked one big pile of goods after another and tightened canvas covers that had been blown loose by gusts of wind. When the owner came in his car, Qiang was already drenched from head to toe. But all the goods on the storage ground remained intact. The owner wanted to give him a raise right there. Qiang said: It’s no big deal, really. I was only checking to see if the canvas covers I repaired were sturdy enough.
The owner valued Qiang’s honesty and wanted him to run another company of his as a manager. Qiang said: I am not up to the job. Why don’t you hire someone with better education? The owner said: I think you’re the man—you have something in you that’s more valuable than any education!
So Qiang became the manager.
The company was still new and needed to hire a few college-educated young people as clerks. So it placed an ad in the paper. At the news Qiang’s elder cousin rushed over right away and said: Give me a job, a good job. Qiang said: you are not good enough. The cousin said: Not even good enough to be the gatekeeper? Qiang said: Won’t do. You wouldn’t take care of the company as your own. The cousin’s face reddened with anger: You have no conscience at all. Qiang said: My conscience lies in giving my best to whatever I do.
With the addition of the college-educated young men the business of the company flourished. As time passed, those young men got to know Qiang’s level of education and began to complain: With our degrees and diplomas, how can we work for him? When Qiang heard this, he was not upset. He said to them: Since we’re a team, let’s give our very best to our work. As to this title of the company’s manager, it doesn’t really matter who wears it on his head. What really matters is not the title, but. . . .
Those college-educated clerks looked at each other and didn’t complain any more.
A foreign company saw the potential of Qiang’s company and wanted to talk about setting up a joint venture. Qiang’s assistant said: I know they’re a big fish. We should wine and dine them really well. Qiang said: Right.
The foreign company’s CEO turned out to be an overseas Chinese accompanied by an interpreter and an assistant.
Qiang asked in English: Do you speak Chinese, sir?
Surprised, the CEO said: Oh yes.
Qiang said: Then, why don’t we talk in our mother tongue?
The CEO said: Okay. At the end of the negotiation session, Qiang said: How about we have dinner together? The CEO hesitated but then nodded his head.
The dinner was quite simple, but each dish had a special flavor. All of the dishes had been finished, except for two steamed dumplings left on one platter. Qiang said to the waitress, offhandedly: Can you put these two in a bag for me? This request worried Qiang’s assistant, who stole an uneasy glance at the CEO. The CEO stood up, grasped Qiang’s hand, and said: Okay, we’ll sign the deal tomorrow!
The following day, Qiang’s boss treated the foreign CEO to dinner. Qiang and his assistant were at the table, too.
During dinner the CEO asked Qiang: I’m so impressed with your work. Which college did you go to, if I may ask?
Qiang said: I grew up in a poor family with illiterate parents. But they started my education rather early from simplest things, such as a grain of rice or a thread. After my father passed away, it was my mother who struggled alone to support me, food and schooling and all. She said: I don’t care what you’ll do when you grow up, but I’ll be happy if you do a good job at it.
At this Qiang’s boss became teary-eyed. He stood up and raised his glass: Let’s drink to the health of your dear mother, who has given you the best education in the world! I wish she could join us today!
(1996)