Chapter 342 - Zhang Yes Closing Speech! (2/2)

An old professor said, ”Didn't the office type out a script for the President?”

”No.” The staff said, ”It was written by the President himself. I was in a hurry and forgot to ask the President where the script is.”

The old professor said, ”Then hurry and get it!”

Wu Zeqing said, ”There's no time. There are only three programs left!”

The staff wiped his sweat as he said, ”It will take an hour to make a round trip to the hospital. The President seldom uses a computer and hand writes his things. There's no way of transferring it over. I'm not sure if the hospital has any fax machines either.”

The old Vice President looked at his watch. ”It looks like the faxing wouldn't make it in time either. President Wu?”

Wu Zeqing shook her head elegantly as she said, ”The closing speech isn't just a simple word or two. It needs a topic and a summary statement. It also needs statements that fit the situation. It will need a lot of preparation time in advance to prepare the script. To speak without a script is unrealistic.”

”Then, I'll do it?” The old Vice President gave it some thought and shook his head. ”But I did not prepare a script either. I can't just use the speech I used in the past. With the internet so well-developed, it would definitely be exposed by others. People will say our Peking University is lacking in sincerity by doing it so haphazardly.”

Another school leader said, ”But someone has to stand in. The closing speech is more important than the opening speech. This gala has political significance. We can't just end it without it, or all of us will look bad. It would be bad for our reputation too.” He was also worried. Regardless of anything, someone had to go up, if not this would be a political problem. He looked at the people behind him. ”Who will stand in?”

Yan Jiantao looked and did not say a word.

A few old professors looked at each other, but no one answered.

At this critical juncture, no one spoke, nor were they able to talk. How were they to deliver a closing speech without any preparation? Of course, the speech could not be be easily given. What if they misspoke? If the closing speech was unideal, then they would have to bear responsibility!

The old Vice President began naming people. ”Old Yu, you do it!”

Professor Yu immediately said, ”Old Vice-President, I did not prepare either. I can't just say some stuff in pa.s.sing. It has to be something with substance. Who can do it without a script?”

It would not have been a problem for them to talk about academic material, as they had done it thousands of times and had already burned it deep within the recesses of their minds. However, for a closing speech for primary and secondary school students, they had never done it before. The things from the past could not be used. They needed at least an hour to write something.

Wu Zeqing said, ”Old Yu, your writing is good. Can you write one now?”

Professor Yu smacked his lips. ”I’ll need at least half an hour.”

The old Vice President said, ”There are only a few minutes left. There's no time to write!”

Professor Yu said, ”Then I can't do it. I don't dare to think so highly of myself. I really can't do it without a script.”

No script?

Without a script?

This sentence made the old Vice President exclaim. He looked at Wu Zeqing and said, ”President Wu, isn't there a host in the Chinese department you are in charge of? His name is Zhang Ye, right? I heard he never uses a script when hosting programs. When he lectured 'Dream of the Red Chamber' in his elective cla.s.s, he never once prepared a script either, right?”

Wu Zeqing nodded. ”Teacher Little Zhang has always been lecturing off script.”

Another Vice President frowned and said, ”Is that true? A new cla.s.s with so much information in his head, he can actually say it without any script or teaching material?”

A lecturer said, ”It's indeed the case. I heard Zhang Ye's cla.s.s before. Other than bringing the doc.u.ments to show others, he really did not use a script. He does not even look at the information projected on the screen. He can go on like a reel! Also he has a lot of impromptu works. I heard that all his poems were created on the spot. They were never written in advance. Back then at the Shanghai SARFT press conference, Zhang Ye had given a speech on site. It was named 'The Last Speech'. It was quite popular on the internet. I watched the video once and he did a really good job. It was easy to tell at a glance that it was done in an impromptu manner.”

The old Vice President decided, ”Then let Zhang Ye stand in. President Wu, what are your thoughts on this?”

Wu Zeqing thought for a moment and smiled. ”If Little Zhang does it, there will definitely not be a problem. Alright, we'll get him.” Hence she signal to a staff. ”Go back to look for Little Zhang. Give him a heads up. Tell him to do the closing speech well. Then inform the hosts, and make sure that they know who to welcome later.”

The person obeyed the order. ”Alright!”

Yan Jiantao frowned. Let Zhang Ye do the closing speech? He was an unorthodox literary person who only knew derision and cursing. What could he say!?

In the third row.

The Peking University staff crouched down and squeezed over. ”Excuse me, excuse me.” Very soon, he found Zhang Ye. ”Teacher Zhang!”

Zhang Ye asked in surprise, ”You are looking for me?”

The staff hurriedly said, ”The President is having an infusion at the hospital and is unable to deliver the closing speech. There's no script now, and no one to deliver it. President Wu and company got me to get you to help save the situation!”

Zhang Ye waved his hand, ”I won't do. I don't have a script too.”

The man said, ”But don't you always deliver impromptu performances? President Wu said only you will be able to save the situation. The program is almost ending. There's no time!”

Zhang Ye did not want to go, as there wasn't any benefit to doing something so problematic. ”President Wu named me?”

”That's right. There are many Peking University teachers and professors here, but the only person who can do it off-script is you. Others don't have that ability.” The person was afraid Zhang Ye would not agree, so he began to flatter him.

After some hesitation, Zhang Ye said helplessly. ”Alright then. I'll give it a try. I don't dare to say it will be done well. Well, what should be said?”

The person said, ”Anything will do. Hopefully something that can leave a deep impression. The leaders said the closing speech cannot be too weak. It's best if it was a conclusive and relevant speech that relates to a primary and secondary school's gala atmosphere.”

”Got it.” Zhang Ye said.

The person heaved a sigh of relief. ”Then thank you very much. Sorry for troubling you.”

At this moment, the penultimate program just begun. The staff left with his back bent. He then ran over to the side of the stage with his back bent to the hosts and whispered a few words to them. The male and female hosts nodded and gave Zhang Ye's direction a glance. They understood.

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