31 to 40

 Chapter 31: Lost in the Sea of Flattery

TL: Etude

Although there’s a saying that a thousand people have a thousand Hamlets in their eyes, there are always those who believe their view is the most standard.

Can Song Qingqing look better than Jiang Tian?

Pah!

Cao Guangyu’s mouth was agape as if it was as wide as the waistband of cotton pants, growing more and more discontented with the thought. So, he turned to ask Jiang Qin’s opinion, thinking that getting Jiang Qin’s approval would be awesome.

But Jiang Qin hadn’t even looked, so naturally, he had no opinion to offer and nonchalantly agreed with Cao Guangyu.

“Ah, right, right, you are correct.”

Cao Guangyu instantly felt proud: “See, even Old Jiang says Jiang Tian is the best. Are you guys using your eyes just for breathing?”

“Old Jiang, what kind of taste do you have? Clearly, Song Qingqing is the most beautiful,” Ren Ziqiang said with disdain.

Zhou Chao couldn’t help but mutter: “Old Jiang, don’t you like women at all? I feel like you have no interest whatsoever.”

Jiang Qin stretched lazily and leaned back in his chair: “Women, they just slow down my ability to make money.”

“Making money? You’re not wasting your beautiful youth working part-time jobs, are you?”

“Part-time jobs my foot. You sparrows, what do you know of my ambitions?”

Ren Ziqiang pondered for a moment, then suddenly smiled: “I get it, Old Jiang, do you lack confidence?”

Zhou Chao also realized: “No wonder you never dated in high school, afraid of rejection? Actually, you don’t need to chase someone like Song Qingqing, that level is too high. But with your looks, you definitely have a chance with someone more ordinary.”

“????”

This is like doing a reading comprehension test without looking at the question, just blindly guessing, right? Is that what I meant?

But since the conversation had reached this point, Jiang Qin did become a bit curious about this Song Qingqing, so he turned to take a look.

Song Qingqing’s makeup was indeed well done, showing a lot of skill, at least not like those girls who just learned makeup, unable to hide flaws and having cakey foundation. But even with makeup, her attractiveness was only around a 6 out of 10, similar to Wang Huiru.

Feng Nanshu’s beauty didn’t need mentioning, she was a full score enchantress.

But Chu Siqi was definitely better looking than Song Qingqing, and even Hong Yan, whom he met yesterday, was far superior to her.

“Old Jiang, Old Jiang?”

“Ah?”

Ren Ziqiang pursed his lips: “And you said you weren’t interested, you’re completely mesmerized? Can’t you be honest for once!”

Jiang Qin chuckled: “Yes, I’m totally mesmerized.”

“Forget about it, girls like her won’t lack boyfriends, how could they possibly fancy us? I suggest being realistic, find someone gentle and tranquil.”

Jiang Qin looked at Ren Ziqiang with new respect: “Old Ren, that’s a great idea, I completely agree with your view.”

After a while, the freshman meeting came to an end.

The students of the Finance Class 4 noisily exited the classroom, following their instructor to the Academic Affairs Office to collect their military training uniforms.

Cao Guangyu, who was at most 172 cm tall, would have been perfect with a 175 cm uniform. That was also what the teacher had planned.

But because there were many girls watching, he felt it would be embarrassing, so he insisted on a 180 cm uniform against the instructor’s advice, heedless of anyone trying to persuade him otherwise.

“Old Cao, can you be honest for once?”

“What do you mean I’m not honest? A 180 cm uniform fits me perfectly!”

Cao Guangyu glared at Ren Ziqiang, resenting him for exposing his petty schemes at such a time.

Seeing this, the girls nearby couldn’t help but laugh so hard they were almost out of breath, sizing up Cao Guangyu with their eyes. More embarrassingly, the self-proclaimed 180 cm tall Old Cao was the same height as Liu Xiaojuan standing next to him. He shamelessly asked, “You’re also 180 cm?” which made Liu Xiaojuan extremely awkward.

After getting their military training uniforms, the four of them returned to the dormitory and decided to go out for a meal together.

Jiang Qin had gone out with Feng Nanshu last night, so they hadn’t been together as a dorm. Now that everyone was present, they definitely wanted to enjoy a good meal outside.

“Old Cao, you’re a rich second generation, so you should treat us to the first meal, right?” Ren Ziqiang patted his shoulder and asked.

“Get lost, why should I treat?”

“You always say your family owns a company with millions in daily revenue, you should at least show a bit of your wealth!”

Cao Guangyu could certainly afford to treat them to a meal, but after Ren Ziqiang had just mocked his height, he was a million times unwilling to be the one to pay.

Seeing this, Jiang Qin subtly waved, quietly calling Ren Ziqiang and Zhou Chao over.

“Do you guys want Old Cao to treat us?”

“Of course, I’d be happy all day if I could get a meal out of him!”

Jiang Qin hooked his fingers: “Give me ten yuan each, and I’ll make Old Cao treat us.”

Ren Ziqiang and Zhou Chao exchanged glances, quickly took out ten yuan from their pockets, and handed it to Jiang Qin.

“Just follow my lead later.”

After taking the money, Jiang Qin stuffed it into his wallet, then took out a twenty-yuan note and walked forward as if nothing had happened.

Ren Ziqiang and Zhou Chao had no idea what he was planning and could only curiously follow behind.

Just as the four of them stepped out of the school gate, Cao Guangyu suddenly stopped, his eyes lighting up as he let out a sharp cry: “Damn, I found twenty yuan, guys, I found twenty yuan!”

“Damn, Old Cao, what luck, finding money right at the start of school, your next four years are going to be smooth sailing!” Jiang Qin quickly turned his admiration and surprise up to the max.

“Really? Just for twenty yuan?”

Zhou Chao also caught on: “Damn, why don’t I have such good luck? Is this the halo of being tall, rich, and handsome?”

Cao Guangyu was hit right in the feels by that ‘tall, rich, and handsome’ comment: “Seems like I truly am a cut above!”

“Definitely! And not just in studies, I bet your love life is going to bloom in the next few days.”

Ren Ziqiang, now also understanding, quickly added an assist: “Old Cao, the four of us came out together, and only you got this lucky, you’ve got to treat us!”

Jiang Qin patted Cao Guangyu’s shoulder heavily: “Old Ren is right, it would be bad if you didn’t treat us.”

“No problem, I’ll treat!”

“Brother Cao is so cool!”

“Brother Cao, truly the epitome of tall, rich, and handsome!”

Then, the three of them headed to Nanshan Restaurant. They spent 120 yuan on dishes. Cao Guangyu felt something was off but couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

I found twenty yuan but spent 120 on treating them, so I’m out 100 yuan?

Cao Guangyu shook his head, feeling that it wasn’t right to think of money that way. The twenty yuan he found carried a lucky aura.

Just then, Jiang Qin’s phone suddenly rang. It was a QQ message from Hong Yan.

“We’ve finished registering, where shall we go to eat?”

Seeing this message, Jiang Qin was startled, realizing he might have misunderstood something. This was a leftover habit from working long hours; hearing someone mention eating, he instinctively thought it was after 9 PM. But a quick glance at their chat history revealed that Hong Yan meant after registration.

But now he was with his roommates, what to do?

It was their first meal together as freshmen. If he left them to eat with someone else, he’d be teased for four years.

“How about Nanshan Restaurant on the pedestrian street? I heard their dishes are good.”

“Okay, I’m heading out now, wait for me.”

“Wait, one more thing!”

“What’s up?”

“My roommates are here too, do you mind?”

“Then… can I bring some roommates too?”

“Of course.”Chapter 32: The Ups and Downs of Life

TL: Etude

After replying to the message, Jiang Qin stretched lazily, only to notice his roommates gazing intently out the window.

Curious, he looked in the same direction and saw the girls from the finance class shopping at the stalls outside. Among them were Song Qingqing and Jiang Tian, laughing radiantly like blooming flowers.

“Jiang, stop looking. She’s not for you,” one of the roommates commented.

Jiang Qin snapped back to reality, feeling exasperated, “I was just curious about what you guys were staring at!”

Zhou Chao couldn’t resist teasing Cao Guangyu, “You can’t get her, so why not let Jiang enjoy the view?”

Cao Guangyu, although not ranking Song Qingqing as the top beauty, agreed with Zhou Chao’s sentiment, “Jiang, you should set your sights on someone else. I think Pan Xiu is not bad. She might not compare to Song Qingqing and Jiang Tian, but she’s definitely a beauty among the average girls.”

Ren Ziqiang, who had been silent, suddenly looked up, “Pan Xiu is not an option. I just added her on QQ. Don’t compete with me. If you do, I might actually lose.”

Zhou Chao and Cao Guangyu were astonished, “Man, you move fast!”

“One must be proactive in pursuing girls, or else it’s a sign of a problem,” quipped Jiang Qin, disdain in his voice. If he truly wanted a relationship, he wouldn’t need advice from these timid guys. He scoffed at the thought of being interested in Song Qingqing.

Muttering under his breath about the unnecessary drama, Jiang Qin saw the three roommates exchange glances.

“Jiang, are you feeling challenged?” teased Cao Guangyu. “You might be somewhat handsome, but you don’t stand much chance against a beauty like Song Qingqing, especially with no experience in dating.”

“I agree. You’re welcome to try, but you’re bound to be rejected,” added another.

Jiang Qin shook his head dismissively, “Not interested in her, not my type.”

Zhou Chao sneered, “Yeah right!”

Jiang Qin glanced at him, thinking about how to sober them up from their delusions. He hoped they wouldn’t get too sweet a taste of victory.

Cao Guangyu observed Jiang Qin, a smirk forming on his lips. He thought Jiang was just being coy, probably planning to pursue her secretly. But chasing a beauty like that was tough, even for a rich second-generation like himself, let alone for Jiang. Cao entertained the thought of swooping in after Jiang’s inevitable failure, winning over Song Qingqing, and putting Jiang in his place.

His thoughts were interrupted by Zhou Chao’s exclamation, “Look, a beauty!”

As they were all lost in their thoughts, Zhou Chao’s voice snapped them back to reality. They followed his pointing finger, and their gaze froze.

A girl, carrying a light grey bag with a lychee pattern, walked gracefully between the tables. She wore denim shorts that revealed her slender, fair legs and outlined her slim waist. Her upper body was clad in a black lettered T-shirt. Though not tight, her good figure made it seem so. Up close, they could see her standard oval face, moist cherry lips, and attractive eyes. Her earlobes adorned with clover-shaped silver earrings added to her charm.

In that brief moment, the enchantment Song Qingqing had cast on them vanished without a trace. All thoughts of Song Qingqing and Jiang Tian being the most beautiful faded away.

But soon, this enchantment turned into panic. They realized the girl was heading straight towards them, a shy smile on her exquisite face.

These timid guys, who couldn’t even raise their heads in front of Song Qingqing, were now extremely nervous. They pretended to look elsewhere, subconsciously straightening their hair and clothes.

To their surprise, the girl actually sat down in front of them, flipping her hair casually, and then turned to Jiang Qin.

“I’m here,” she said.

Jiang Qin raised an eyebrow, “You arrived just in time. These guys needed a wake-up call.”

Hong Yan blinked her beautiful eyes, a hint of confusion in her gaze, “What do you mean?”

“It’s nothing, they’re just really happy to see you,” Jiang Qin responded.

“Thank you, but won’t I be intruding on your group gathering by joining for the meal?”

Jiang Qin immediately shook his head, “Don’t worry, just sit down. They deserve to be disturbed.”

Hong Yan chuckled softly, somewhat puzzled, then glanced at the empty table, “Haven’t you ordered yet? Let me treat you.”

“We’ve already ordered, but due to the busy start-of-term rush, the kitchen staff is overwhelmed and the service is a bit slow. Would you like some tea first?”

“Sure.”

Jiang Qin passed his already cleaned utensils to her and casually poured her a cup of tea.

Hong Yan murmured a thank you with a smile in her eyes and placed her small bag on the chair next to her.

Ren Ziqiang and Zhou Chao were dumbfounded. They looked at Hong Yan and then at Jiang Qin, barely containing their astonishment.

“Old… Old Jiang, who is she?”

“A freshman from our batch, from the Law Department, Hong Yan,” Jiang Qin replied.

He turned to Hong Yan, “Let me introduce you. These three are my roommates: Zhou Chao, Ren Ziqiang, and Cao Guangyu.”

Ren Ziqiang stared blankly at Jiang Qin, “You actually managed to invite such a beautiful girl to dine with you?”

Hong Yan suddenly coughed, “You guys are mistaken. Actually, I was the one who asked Jiang Qin.”

“?????”

Hong Yan laughed a bit sheepishly, “I even added him on QQ first…”

Jiang Qin quickly gestured with his hand, “Actually, you spoke too quickly, not giving me a chance to say it first.”

“But what I said is the truth.”

Hong Yan blinked, not finding anything shameful about a girl taking the initiative.

In fact, she had come to meet Jiang Qin with an unspeakable sense of anticipation.

From their first meeting, she had found herself unusually drawn to and curious about Jiang Qin. She thought he was unconventional yet unusually steady. He could stay unobtrusive in someone else’s party and surprise everyone when it came to settling the bill.

Simply put, Hong Yan found him to have the boldness of youth without being off-putting or arrogant, quite different from the immature boys who were all talk and no substance.

And this meeting reaffirmed her expectations.

He didn’t take pride in her approaching him, nor did he use it to gain admiration from others. Instead, he was very considerate of her feelings.

He was truly nice, and that was enough for her.

Meanwhile, Ren Ziqiang and Zhou Chao were feeling overwhelmed.

Just moments ago, they were debating whether Song Qingqing or Jiang Tian was more beautiful and even thought Jiang Qin pursuing Song Qingqing was a joke. Now they realized how ludicrous their assumptions were. Jiang Qin was on a completely different level.

The irony of being approached by a goddess, being asked out, and them not even having stepped into society yet made them acutely feel the disparities of life.

They wondered if they were really attending the same university.

“Old Cao, did you hear that? It’s unbelievable!”

“Yeah…”

Cao Guangyu’s mouth twitched, as if he had something to say but after a long pause, he swallowed his words.

Actually, he knew Hong Yan. She was the school beauty in their high school and also his unrequited love. But seeing her attitude, she probably didn’t remember him at all.Chapter 33: Destined Encounters Will Happen

TL: Etude

“By the way, didn’t you say you were bringing your roommates?”

“They went shopping and might take a while to get here.”

Zhou Chao couldn’t help but lean forward and asked Hong Yan, “Is your roommate pretty?”

Hong Yan sneakily glanced at Jiang Qin, her cheeks slightly flushed, “Yes, she’s much prettier than me.”

“Really?”

“Really, you’ll see when they arrive.”

As they were talking, the kitchen had finished preparing the dishes, which the waiter brought to the table one by one, along with eight bottles of beer.

Perhaps because the restaurant was too busy, Jiang Qin couldn’t find a bottle opener and resorted to slamming the bottle caps open against the edge of the table.

Bang—

Ren Ziqiang’s eyes widened, “Jiang, that’s quite a skill.”

Jiang Qin waved it off, “Nothing special, just a practiced hand.”

Hong Yan’s eyes sparkled slightly, her eyelashes fluttering, “That’s from Ouyang Xiu, a great literary figure of the Song Dynasty, in ‘The Oil Seller’. Jiang Qin, you can even apply classical literature?”

“?????”

Jiang Qin was momentarily stunned, thinking to himself that this was a stale internet joke from the future. He remembered seeing it every time he skipped the opening of an anime on a small online platform. Besides, there was also “Nothing special, just an automatic transmission.”

Now… has this phrase not yet become cliché?

Jiang Qin subconsciously glanced at Hong Yan, his brows slightly furrowed.

This girl seems to have some incredible filter for him…

“I think my roommate is here, I’ll go fetch her.”

After some idle chat, Hong Yan left her seat. Zhou Chao and Ren Ziqiang immediately couldn’t hold back anymore, their straight backs slumping as they each grabbed Jiang Qin’s arm and wouldn’t let go.

“Jiang, start teaching us, we’re all ears!”

Jiang Qin struggled to pull his hand free, “You’re overthinking it, I’m not even into dating.”

Cao Guangyu couldn’t help but be moved, “Aren’t you interested in such a beautiful girl?”

“It’s not that I’m not interested, I just think dating is a waste of time.”

Zhou Chao couldn’t help but pout, “Jiang, I’m not making this up, Hong Yan definitely has feelings for you.”

Jiang Qin was surprised, “You can tell?”

“Of course, the way Hong Yan looks at you, it’s like she’s melting. And she smiles every time you speak to her, isn’t it obvious?”

“Looks like we can’t eat together anymore…”

Zhou Chao: “?????”

Ren Ziqiang casually continued the conversation, “Old Jiang, Hong Yan just said her roommate is even prettier than her, you should let her introduce us.”

Jiang Qin gently shook his head, “Hong Yan is very emotionally intelligent. She’s very considerate when speaking, so her saying her roommate is pretty might not be true. Be careful later, don’t say anything inappropriate.”

“Really?”

“I haven’t seen her, just guessing, but it’s likely.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Hong Yan reappeared in the restaurant, followed by two girls.

The girl on the left wore a floral dress, revealing smooth, fair legs. Her face was radiant with an enchanting charm, tall and striking in stature.

The girl on the right, while slightly less striking in appearance, was still beautiful and carried an air of dignified grace.

Cao Guangyu, Ren Ziqiang, and Zhou Chao all widened their eyes, thinking Jiang was just spouting nonsense. How could he say they weren’t pretty? The girl on the right might be slightly less so but was on the same level as Song Qingqing, and the one on the left was certainly no less beautiful than Hong Yan.

At that moment, Jiang Qin was also stunned, realizing that sometimes, coincidences like those in novels do happen in real life.

“Let me introduce, these are my roommates, Chu Siqi and Wang Huiru.”

“……”

“……”

Chu Siqi stared at Jiang Qin, feeling as if they were worlds apart.

Wang Huiru, too, was surprised, unsure why Jiang Qin would appear at Hong Yan’s dinner party.

After all, she had arranged many meetings between Chu Siqi and Jiang Qin, but he always declined, claiming he was too busy. This unexpected encounter made it impossible for them to avoid each other.

Soon, both regained their composure and silently sat next to Hong Yan.

Chu Siqi remained silent because she was overwhelmed and unsure of what to say, while Wang Huiru did so considering Hong Yan’s feelings, not wanting to create an awkward situation.

“How about it, my roommates are pretty, right?” Hong Yan asked with a suppressed smile.

Ren Ziqiang and Zhou Chao immediately nodded, “Beautiful, are you guys from the legendary ‘campus beauty dorm’?”

“I wouldn’t dare claim to be a campus beauty, but our Siqi here might just be one.”

“Then… does Chu have a boyfriend?”

Upon hearing this, Chu Siqi bit her lip, her gaze involuntarily shifting to Jiang Qin.

Jiang Qin, with an expression of neither sadness nor joy, nodded politely and then began to focus on his meal, disengaging from the conversation, as if it had nothing to do with him.

This distant and indifferent attitude made Chu Siqi’s breath catch, and a wave of sadness surged from the depths of her heart.

Throughout the entire summer vacation, they had exchanged less than ten sentences. Having finally met again in a strange city, she was treated like a stranger, which was hard for anyone to bear.

You once liked me, liked me so much.

But now, why can’t I even get a smile from you?

Wang Huiru silently observed the two, feeling she needed to clarify something. She leaned closer to Hong Yan and whispered, “Yanyan, which one do you like?”

Hong Yan’s cheeks suddenly reddened, “I’m just here to meet a friend, don’t misunderstand.”

“You spent an hour getting ready before leaving, and changed your outfit five times. Is that a misunderstanding?”

Hong Yan hesitated for a while before speaking in a lower voice, “Alright, it’s him, Jiang Qin.”

Wang Huiru remained silent for a long time before speaking, “What do you like about him?”

“He’s different from any other guy I’ve met.”

“……”

It turned out that everyone knew how great Jiang Qin was, except for Siqi. Wang Huiru had a bad feeling but didn’t know what to do.

Ren Ziqiang and Zhou Chao, completely oblivious to the tension, continued to be overly attentive, insisting the girls order whatever dishes they liked.

Cao Guangyu was overwhelmed. While he didn’t mind being generous, he was the one paying the bill! As a rich second-generation, he cared about his image and couldn’t directly express his concern. Plus, Hong Yan’s roommates, especially Chu Siqi, were indeed beautiful, matching Hong Yan in attractiveness.

He realized that Hong Yan was interested in Jiang Qin, so he probably didn’t stand a chance. After all, ‘a girl chasing a guy is like a veil separating them’. But if he could develop a relationship with a beauty of the same caliber, that would be a story worth telling.

“Chu, do you drink?”

“No, thank you.”

“What about your favorite dishes? Shall I order some for you?”

Chu Siqi shook her head again, this time not even bothering to speak.

Cao Guangyu’s eagerness was met with indifference, leaving him feeling extremely frustrated. Was the disparity in life this obvious and painful?

“Let’s eat first, we can talk later.”

Jiang Qin suddenly spoke up, passing the chopsticks to Hong Yan.

It was just a friendly gesture, without much meaning, but Chu Siqi couldn’t hold back any longer, feeling a piercing pain in her heart, and her eyes filled with a mournful look.

Jiang Qin was supposed to like her, those gentle and considerate moments were supposed to be hers alone.

She couldn’t bear it any longer.

“Jiang Qin, you said we would end things amicably, so why have you suddenly appeared before me?”

Chu Siqi looked at Jiang Qin, her words silencing the entire table.

Jiang Qin paused while picking up food, then looked up reluctantly, “It’s just a coincidence. I had arranged to have dinner with Hong Yan, but I didn’t know you were roommates. It’s too accidental.”

Chu Siqi’s temper flared up, “If I say you are, then you are. How dare you deny it?”

“……”

“I have something else to do, you guys enjoy your meal.”

Jiang Qin truly detested this kind of entitled attitude. ‘If I say you are, then you are?’ He thought to himself that she should be a doctor at a fertility clinic for such miraculous claims.

He placed his chopsticks on the plate, gave Hong Yan an apologetic smile, excused himself to the others, and then got up from his seat.

“Do you know each other?” Hong Yan, still trying to make sense of the situation, looked somewhat lost.

Jiang Qin paused briefly, then nodded indifferently, “Yeah, high school classmates.”

“Not just classmates, you also said you would love me forever!” Chu Siqi’s voice trembled with sadness at his understatement.

Meanwhile, Cao Guangyu, Ren Ziqiang, and Zhou Chao were all stunned, struggling to comprehend what had just happened.

What just took place?

Is Chu Siqi also involved with Jiang Qin?

Did Jiang Qin just silently outsmart us again?Chapter 34: Wake Them Up!

TL: Etude

As you enter the pedestrian street, there are first snack stalls, followed by restaurants, and then supermarkets, bathhouses, hair salons, and open-air barbecue stalls.

At this moment, the girls from Class 3 of the Finance Department had just come out of the supermarket, carrying bags of daily necessities. They were chatting and laughing as they walked back, attracting the attention of many male university students with their lively chatter.

“Qingqing, don’t you think the boys in our class are of poor quality?”

“Yeah, not a single one is pleasant to look at.”

Song Qingqing, the girl addressed, nodded noncommittally. She was heavily made-up, with false eyelashes and dyed blue streaks in her hair, drawing attention wherever she went.

“No, I think that Jiang Qin is quite good.”

Pan Xiu, who was following behind, disagreed. She was of average beauty but had a gentle demeanor, which made her look somewhat cute.

Song Qingqing slightly frowned, “Which one is Jiang Qin?”

“The one sitting in the back row by the window. He’s about 1.8 meters tall and has a handsome face. Haven’t you noticed him?”

“No, I haven’t.”

“What about you, Jiang Tian? Did you see him?”

“Yeah, I remember him. He’s indeed good-looking, but he’s too lowbrow.”

Jiang Tian was a tall and beautiful girl with a slight baby voice. She remembered Jiang Qin and Cao Guangyu pretending to be rich with their phones and felt disdainful, always feeling superior.

At this moment, Pan Xiu revealed a knowing smile: “Do you know? Jiang Qin plans to pursue Qingqing.”

Jiang Tian’s eyes widened, “Really?”

“Yes, his roommate Ren Ziqiang told me just now.”

“Qingqing, you’re really charming. You’ve got an admirer already at the start of the school year?”

Song Qingqing found it amusing, “Do I look that approachable? It’s funny how anyone dares to pursue me.”

Jiang Tian recalled Jiang Qin’s appearance, “Actually, he’s not bad-looking. He passes in my book. Qingqing, won’t you consider it?”

“Tiantian, you’re too naive. What’s the use of just being handsome without money? You know how high my expenses are. I don’t want a boyfriend from an ordinary family. He even envies a three-thousand yuan phone, how can he buy me cosmetics?”

“That’s true. Jiang Qin definitely can’t afford you.”

At that moment, Pan Xiu’s gaze suddenly shifted northwards, and she quickly pulled them along: “Look, that’s Jiang Qin!”

Song Qingqing and Jiang Tian turned to see Jiang Qin walking out of Nanshan Restaurant, and couldn’t help but be impressed: “He is quite handsome. Should we go talk to him?”

“Why not? It doesn’t cost to chat.”

Pan Xiu, a known gossip, immediately went up to Jiang Qin.

At that time, Jiang Qin was in a bad mood and didn’t want to talk to anyone. But realizing they were classmates, he restrained himself, not wanting to start off on the wrong foot with everyone.

The girls from the Finance class were straightforward, asking him if he liked Song Qingqing, while she stood there with an air of superiority.

Jiang Qin was annoyed, thinking to himself that he was here to make money, not get entangled with girls.

“Come on, someone pee on them!”

“Jiang Qin, are you just shy?”

“I’m not shy. Ren Ziqiang is talking nonsense. You’d better believe in ghosts than in him.”

Hearing this, the girls laughed, thinking that boys are all the same, denying it when exposed.

Just then, a stunning figure burst out of Nanshan Restaurant, pushing past them and grabbing Jiang Qin’s arm.

Upon seeing her face, the girls from the Finance class were stunned, their eyes widening.

This girl was too beautiful, radiating a bright and lively aura, with a great figure and delicate features.

Song Qingqing, known as the prettiest girl in the third Finance class, felt a bit inferior in her presence and unconsciously stepped back.

“Jiang Qin, what are you dissatisfied with me about? Why are you acting like a stranger?”

“Chu Siqi, I have no dissatisfaction towards you. I just want us to part on good terms.”

Chu Siqi’s eyes welled up with tears, “Then why have you suddenly stopped liking me?”

Jiang Qin took a deep breath, trying to keep his voice calm, “Focus on your studies. I assure you that you’ll soon find someone you truly like. As for us, there’s no possibility.”

“I don’t care, you must like me, and only me. You can’t leave without my permission!”

“You’re really something else.”

Jiang Qin, not wanting to say more, turned to leave, but Chu Siqi wouldn’t let go, insisting he agree to continue liking her.

The girls from Class 3 were stunned, first by Chu Siqi’s beauty and then by her obsessive entanglement with Jiang Qin.

Before they could recover, another equally dazzling girl came out of the restaurant, apologizing to Jiang Qin before pulling Chu Siqi aside.

“Siqi, let’s go back and talk.”

“Hong Yan, I thought you were a good friend. Why do you have to like Jiang Qin?” Chu Siqi looked at her resentfully.

Hong Yan spoke with a sad expression, “I had no idea you knew each other.”

Chu Siqi, trembling with anger, “I’m telling you, he’s not interested in you. He’s getting close to you just to upset me!”

“Let’s not talk about this now. We’ll discuss it when we get back, okay?”

Suddenly, Wang Huiru also chased out. Knowing the situation better than anyone, she quickly dragged Chu Siqi back to the restaurant, leaving only Hong Yan and Jiang Qin.

The two stood facing each other in a somewhat tense atmosphere.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know about you and Siqi,” Hong Yan began with an apology.

Jiang Qin shook his head, “I have nothing to do with her. Don’t stress yourself over this.”

Hong Yan’s eyes widened in surprise, “Really?”

Jiang Qin, having lived for over forty years, realized some things can’t be explained just by words, “Today’s been chaotic. Let’s have dinner some other day, and I’ll explain.”

“Okay, just the two of us next time?”

“Deal.”

Jiang Qin smiled slightly and left, disappearing into the bustling crowd of the pedestrian street, while Hong Yan took a deep breath and entered the restaurant after composing herself.

On the road, the girls from the Finance class were left dazed, still not recovered from the scene that seemed straight out of a dramatic showdown.

“I think Jiang Qin really isn’t interested in Qingqing.”

After a while, Pan Xiu’s sudden remark caught everyone off guard, waking them up.

They exchanged looks, agreeing with Pan Xiu. Both girls vying for Jiang Qin were incredibly dazzling, far surpassing Song Qingqing. This wasn’t a drama where Jiang Qin would settle for less. How could he possibly like Song Qingqing?

Song Qingqing’s face darkened, her shopping bags tearing in her grip.

She had intended to playfully tease Jiang Qin from a superior position, only to end up embarrassed, realizing she was the one unfit. The indifference from Jiang Qin as he left was especially hard for the proud Song Qingqing to accept.

“When did I become such an insignificant character? I’m supposed to be the most beautiful in the Finance class!”

But recalling the two girls who appeared earlier, she felt even her right to be angry was questionable, perhaps the most humiliating part of all.Chapter 35: Some Beautiful Images

TL: Etude

The six people left at Nanshan Restaurant were all in silence.

Hong Yan was pondering the future of her relationship with Chu Siqi, while Chu Siqi was purely angry, and Wang Huiru was contemplating the best solution.

Cao Guangyu, Zhou Chao, and Ren Ziqiang were regretting why they didn’t leave with Old Jiang earlier.

The three young lads, without even girlfriends, got involved in this mess. Now, they dared not even breathe heavily, desperately looking for excuses to leave.

Meanwhile, Jiang Qin had already returned from the pedestrian street to his campus and arrived at the university library.

Still, the same old saying: love was not the main theme of his life, making money was.

Many students from the Computer Science Department at Linchuan University did private work outside, like building websites and writing window programs, which were nothing difficult for them. Last night, Jiang Qin posted on a university student forum looking for someone to build a website, and then he received a private message from an ID named Nai Xue.

The two had agreed to meet today, but an unexpected encounter almost delayed the important matter.

Is it true that women hinder making money?

“Too hot, I’ll buy an ice cream to eat, and maybe lower my blood pressure a bit.”

Jiang Qin picked a small pudding from the freezer at the college supermarket, licking it while walking towards the library.

Linchuan University’s library is a huge H-shaped building, with eight floors. The first six floors are public reading areas, and the top two are archives not open to the public.

The two had agreed to meet on the third floor, so Jiang Qin headed straight for the elevator upon entering.

Once inside the library, the cool air hit him immediately. After being in the sun all the way, it was a bit overwhelming.

Jiang Qin paused at the entrance, his gaze following the corridor.

Linchuan University truly lived up to its ‘985’ reputation (search it up, lazy to explain). Even on the second day of the new semester, the library was full of people, the sound of flipping pages was endless, and there was even a scent of ink – he wasn’t sure if it was psychological, but it smelled really good.

After a while, Jiang Qin felt somewhat emotional, thinking, “Damn, this is what university is about, not about being cooped up in love all the time.”

After catching his breath, Jiang Qin, based on the information given by the other party, went to the third-floor social sciences area reading room and found Nai Xue who took the order.

Yes, Nai Xue was a senior student.

A senior in a black dress, with two braids, and wearing large black-framed glasses. Although she looked petite, her school badge was sky blue, clearly not a freshman.

“Hello, my name is Su Nai, Computer Science Department, junior year. Should I call you senior or junior?”

Jiang Qin sat down and thought for a moment before speaking: “My surname is Jiang, from the Finance Department. You can call me senior.”

Su Nai nodded slightly, without any doubt: “Senior, I’ve looked at your website building request. I can do it for you.”

“How long will it take?”

“Three days.”

Jiang Qin didn’t understand the process of building a website, but instinctively felt it was a bit rushed: “Three days, are you sure? I’m not in a hurry, but the most important thing is the quality.”

Su Nai, with an otaku-like demeanor, pushed her glasses: “Trust me, three days is enough, but it might need maintenance later on.”

“Let’s start with the website building. If the result is good, you can take care of the maintenance too.”

“Thank you, senior. Let’s discuss some details. There are some parts I don’t quite understand and would like to hear your explanation.”

Su Nai took out her notebook and placed it on the table. On the screen was Jiang Qin’s post from last night: “I understand pop-up ads, but what do you mean by beauty picture style pop-ups?”

Jiang Qin coughed, glanced around, then lowered his voice: “It’s about eye-catching picture ads, you know? The kind with some exposed older sisters, which can increase click rates.”

“…”

“Still don’t understand?”

“I get it, you’re talking about those somewhat risqué images?”

Jiang Qin widened his eyes in surprise: “Su Nai, your summarizing skills are impressive.”

Su Nai pursed her lips and glanced at Jiang Qin: “Senior, are you really a decent person?”

“Of course, I am.”

“But what you’re describing falls under inappropriate content. If it gets reported, getting the site shut down isn’t impossible.”

Su Nai advised kindly, hoping this senior Jiang would give up on the idea.

“Su, remember, technology is innocent!”

“Alright, but if anything happens, it’s not my responsibility.”

“I know what I’m doing. Just make it first, and if it doesn’t work, we can change it.”

In 2008, internet regulation wasn’t as stringent. Otherwise, piracy sites like Movie Heaven wouldn’t have been so popular. Jiang Qin didn’t have the means to spread pop-up ads across the entire net, so the chance of being reported was not very high.

Besides, a domain name wasn’t very expensive; if one didn’t work, they could always switch to another. There’s always a way to succeed.

Su Nai fell silent, her head bowed, not speaking. Jiang Qin thought she had some moral reservations about creating such a thing, feeling it beneath her talents. He coaxed and persuaded her for a long time, but the senior had a different concern entirely, which caught Jiang Qin off guard.

“I… haven’t seen such pictures. Do you have resources, senior?”

Jiang Qin’s mouth twitched, and he took her laptop, typing a URL into the browser.

In a 985 university, in the solemn and sacred library, the two huddled in a corner, silently staring at the screen, spending half an hour looking at beautiful pictures.

In the end, Su Nai’s breathing became noticeably heavier. Even as a tech enthusiast, she could clearly see why such images would attract clicks.

“I think I need five days to build the site.”

Jiang Qin was slightly taken aback: “Hmm? Why?”

Su Nai pushed her glasses: “Looking at this stuff lowers work efficiency.”

“I understand, I used to be like that too, but I think you should focus on work. It’s better to avoid such things.”

“I can control myself, senior, but you need to understand, this new world has a big impact on someone like me, a homebody. Is five days okay?”

“Alright, five days it is, but no later.”

Su Nai nodded, then moved the mouse to the top right corner: “Here… there seems to be a video section?”

Jiang Qin immediately closed the laptop screen and looked at Su Nai seriously: “Junior, once you open that door, it won’t just be a matter of five days. I hope you consider carefully.”

“Then I won’t look.” Su Nai said, pursing her lips.

Jiang Qin nodded in relief: “Then work hard, and don’t look at things you shouldn’t.”

“Okay, I’ll make a satisfactory website for you. Thank you for trusting me, senior.”

“No problem, taking care of a junior is what I should do.”

After finalizing all the details of the website, Jiang Qin left the library with peace of mind. Su Nai hesitated for three and a third seconds before opening her laptop, gazing at the video section in thought.Chapter 36: Dad, Start the Lesson

TL: Etude

“You really have to wonder about Jiang’s background. How can he have two school beauties fighting over him to death? I just can’t figure it out.”

“I can’t figure it out either. He’s just a bit handsome, has fair skin, spends money like crazy, and talks a lot of flirty nonsense. What else does he have? How can he compare to us good guys?”

In dorm 302 of the Finance Department, Ren Ziqiang and Zhou Chao had been pondering this matter ever since they returned from the restaurant, as if they were studying a secret martial arts manual.

They couldn’t imagine why girls of that caliber, who should be as cool and distant as moonlight, were so pitiful in front of Jiang Qin. Jiang, on the other hand, seemed indifferent and annoyed, his coolness leaving them tongue-tied.

Shouldn’t such girls be treated with utmost care, as if they were too precious to drop or melt in one’s mouth?

Yet, Jiang could just get up and leave without a second thought, showing no emotional attachment, while the girls would run after him, crying and begging him not to go.

If they could learn this trick, wouldn’t they rule the school?

Cao Guangyu thought they were being utterly foolish. “You haven’t even learned his internal skills, and you’re just focused on his superficial tactics. Even if you study them for a lifetime, you’ll get nowhere. Haven’t you heard that just getting beaten up doesn’t make you a martial arts master?”

“Old Cao.”

“What’s up?”

Zhou Chao looked at him intently: “You’re a rich second-generation, you’ve seen more of the world. Tell us, why is it?”

Cao Guangyu had been in a state of despair all afternoon, and he still looked half-dead: “You guys have already figured out the reasons. Why ask me?”

“When did I figure it out?” Zhou Chao looked puzzledly at Ren Ziqiang.

Ren Ziqiang was also confused: “What reason? I don’t know what you’re talking about?”

“He’s handsome, has fair skin, spends a lot of money, and talks a lot of flirty nonsense. Isn’t that enough? Out of these four, do you even have one?”

Zhou Chao fell silent for a moment: “But I feel like I have all four.”

Cao Guangyu sneered: “Get lost.”

“No, Old Cao, something’s off with you.”

“What’s off about me?”

Ren Ziqiang observed him closely, more convinced of his judgment: “We might have lost, but you never respected Jiang. Why are you acting like a defeated dog today, not even daring to boast? You’re only boosting his ego and diminishing your own prestige.”

Hearing this, Cao Guangyu became visibly irritated, muttered some curses, then turned over in bed, covering his head with the blanket.

The truth was, the lunch hadn’t caused much harm to Ren Ziqiang and Zhou Chao, merely exposing them to life’s inequalities a bit earlier. But for Cao Guangyu, it was a fatal blow.

Even if Jiang won over Song Qingqing and Jiang Tian, Cao Guangyu wouldn’t admit defeat. How could he, a rich second-generation, be inferior to Jiang?

But Hong Yan was different; she was the dream of every male student at Hang City No.1 Middle School.

Cao Guangyu was no exception.

Hong Yan was his most cherished unrequited love, the pure white jasmine of his heart, the beautiful vision of his youth, when his emotions were budding but his mind was not yet mature.

Throughout high school, Cao Guangyu never had a girlfriend. He was just a kid who dared only say hello to Hong Yan on QQ. Learning that Hong Yan liked Jiang Qin shattered his dream of pure love.

Since the beginning of the school year, Jiang had been outdoing him in everything, but Cao Guangyu never admitted defeat. But this time, he was genuinely dazed by the blow.

“Old Cao, what’s wrong with you? Did that scoundrel Jiang shake your confidence?”

“Don’t be sad, Old Cao. When Jiang comes back, we’ll deal with him together!”

As they spoke, the door to room 302 suddenly opened. Jiang Qin stepped in, and as he looked up, he saw Ren Ziqiang and Zhou Chao walking over with stern faces.

Then they started pulling up chairs, offering slippers, almost ready to take off Jiang’s socks for him.

“Dad, when are we starting the lesson?”

Cao Guangyu threw off his blanket, looking furiously at his roommates: “Ren, Zhou, have you both lost your dignity?”

Zhou Chao looked up at Cao Guangyu sitting on the bed: “What’s dignity? Isn’t a wife more fragrant?”

“Ren, are you living up to your name?” Cao Guangyu switched his target.

Ren Ziqiang (meaning resolute or smth) stood tall and proud: “I didn’t agree with the name my dad gave me, but I had no say in it.”

Jiang Qin didn’t even need to ask to know what they were thinking. They were just unable to accept their disappointment after waking up from their delusions, questioning others and then themselves.

“Fine, bring your chairs over. Since I’m in a good mood today, I’ll give you a good talk.”

Zhou Chao and Ren Ziqiang hurriedly moved their chairs, and even Cao Guangyu, after putting on airs for so long, couldn’t resist joining in. He leaned against the wardrobe without moving a chair, preserving the last bit of his dignity.

Then Jiang Qin sat down and candidly shared his experience of liking Chu Siqi for three years in high school but being rejected when he confessed.

Honestly, there was nothing embarrassing about it.

What’s the greatest strength of a man approaching forty? It’s learning to reconcile with oneself.

Reconciling with one’s younger self, accepting that loving the wrong person isn’t your fault; with one’s middle-aged self, acknowledging that not making money isn’t your fault; and even with one’s older self, admitting that leaving behind regrets isn’t your fault.

In a world full of disappointments, if you can’t reconcile with yourself and accept your mediocrity and failures, you simply can’t survive.

At that moment, a spark returned to Cao Guangyu’s eyes.

“Old Jiang, you’ve also had an unrequited love?”

Jiang Qin curled his lips: “Why do you sound so schadenfreude?”

Cao Guangyu suddenly felt a surge of confidence, even smiling smugly: “You should have said so earlier. We’re all brothers in the same boat!”

Jiang Qin was amused: How could there be such a twist in this conversation?

“Old Cao, that’s a subtle way to put it. You have a story too?”

“Alright, I’ll share mine too.”

With Jiang Qin’s prelude, Cao Guangyu no longer hid his feelings. He thoroughly shared his affection for Hong Yan and even admitted to never having a girlfriend. He felt somewhat proud, as if he was finally on par with Jiang Qin.

He didn’t know why competing with Jiang Qin made him proud, but it just did.

After he finished, Zhou Chao and Ren Ziqiang looked at him strangely.

“What’s wrong?” Cao Guangyu was confused.

“That’s it, and you think you can compare with Old Jiang? I’m embarrassed for you!”

“How am I embarrassing?” Cao Guangyu defiantly asked.

Ren Ziqiang smirked: “Although you both had unrequited loves for three years, look at Jiang. Just a few words could drive Chu Siqi crazy. And you? You sat in the restaurant for two hours, and Hong Yan doesn’t even know who you are.”

Zhou Chao patted his shoulder: “Jiang, although he didn’t date Chu Siqi, at least Hong Yan likes him. What do you have?”

At that moment, Jiang Qin delivered the final blow: “Old Cao, I’m a bit disappointed in you.”

“?????”Chapter 37: Don’t Have Too Many Relationships

TL: Etude

“Not at all, I was just joking earlier, just to comfort Old Jiang. How could I possibly chase a girl for three years? A rich second generation like me, it’s impossible when you think about it!”

Cao Guangyu regretted his words, attempting to justify himself.

“Ah, right, right, right.”

Zhou Chao didn’t want to listen to more, picking up some toilet paper and heading towards the bathroom.

“I really dated five girls, but it became more and more meaningless. That’s when I realized being single is the real luxury.”

“I get it, Old Cao, but could you not follow me talking about it? I’m going to the toilet, for God’s sake. If you want to justify yourself, go find Ren Ziqiang!”

Zhou Chao, holding the roll of paper, stopped at the bathroom door, annoyed by Cao Guangyu, and shut the balcony door with his hand.

Cao Guangyu, left with no choice, turned to find Ren Ziqiang.

Ren Ziqiang was lying on his bed chatting with Pan Xiu, smiling from ear to ear, and letting Cao Guangyu’s words go in one ear and out the other.

“Ziqiang, you understand, right? A rich second generation like me can’t be… what’s that word? Old Jiang, what did you call it just now? I think it’s quite fitting.”

Jiang Qin laughed: “A ‘sycophant.'”

Cao Guangyu nodded vigorously: “That’s right, I can’t be a sycophant!”

“Ah, right, right, right.” Ren Ziqiang, busy texting, responded nonchalantly.

Cao Guangyu was instantly furious: “Old Ren, you’re being disrespectful.”

“I’m chatting with Pan Xiu!”

“What are you talking about?”

“Uh…”

“Damn it, don’t tell Pan Xiu I’m a sycophant. If you do, how can I face anyone in Finance Class 3?”

Before Ren Ziqiang could show his phone, Cao Guangyu saw the crucial word and couldn’t help but curse.

Ren Ziqiang also felt wronged. I was having a nice chat, and you kept nagging about being a sycophant. I just typed it out reflexively.

QQ in 2008 didn’t have a message recall function, making the story even more tragic.

Cao Guangyu glared at him silently, eventually laying on his bed, staring at the white ceiling, silent.

That night, he lost both love and dignity.

The summer night was hot, but in the dorm of Linchuan University, there were only two fans. One hung above the dorm door, the other at the top of the balcony door. The old blades spun wildly under electric power, buzzing like a small, old man with a broken lung.

Jiang Qin, while enjoying the breeze, was discussing website details with his senior, Su Nai, over the computer.

But this senior seemed preoccupied, responding slowly and even mistyping at times, not at all like a tech geek, more like someone who hadn’t touched a computer in years.

“Senior, I’ve found some websites similar to your requirements. You can have a look, I’m busy with something else.”

“?????”

After a while, Su Nai sent over some images and URLs of well-developed websites with clear frameworks and structures, closely matching Jiang Qin’s requirements.

After observing them, Jiang Qin felt these websites shared a common flaw: to display content richness, their homepages were overly full.

Basic sections were a given, but features like hot rankings, keyword searches, and external links were unnecessary. They not only made the page look bloated but also wasted users’ time filtering out unwanted content.

Of course, the product managers of big websites aren’t just idling around; they design the sites that way mainly to provide enough viewing time for advertisements, even if it means sacrificing user experience.

Jiang Qin typed his feedback to Su Nai, offering several suggestions.

But she seemed still busy and didn’t reply.

Am I not the client here? Why do I have to wait for a reply like a sycophant?

And what could she possibly be busy with in the middle of the night, not even replying to her boss’s messages? She really hasn’t been toughened up by society.

Jiang Qin, cursing under his breath, closed the chat window and then opened Hong Yan’s QQ to ask how she was doing.

Regardless of everything, today’s events started because of him. It would be utterly inhuman not to extend a simple greeting.

Hong Yan replied quickly, first with a smiley face, then saying nothing much, just that she and Chu Siqi weren’t speaking.

The smiley face emoji in 2008 represented a genuine smile, with no negative connotations, so Jiang Qin felt slightly relieved.

Chu Siqi’s arrogance was unbearable for anyone. After all, she was spoiled by her parents from a young age and thought the world revolved around her. But ignoring her rendered her temper impotent. Hong Yan, a smart girl, must understand this cold treatment method.

But why do I, who never talks about love, now seem like a playboy?

Jiang Qin felt depressed. Is romance trouble an inevitable trial for those who are reborn?

Then, Jiang Qin opened Feng Nanshu’s QQ, asking if she was adjusting to staying overnight at the school. Feng Nanshu didn’t express homesickness but mentioned that the night at Linchuan University felt very dark, seemingly hinting at her longing for home.

Besides, Yu Shasha also messaged him, asking if he had met Chu Siqi. Jiang Qin, very astute, instantly guessed she must have heard about today’s incident from Wang Huiru. He pretended not to be online and didn’t reply.

In addition to chat messages, there were also several friend requests in his notification box, mostly from female students of Finance Class 3, with remarks like “Finance Class 3 XXX”.

One of them was Jiang Tian, highly praised by Cao Guangyu, which was somewhat unexpected for him.

[Jiang Qin, I’m Jiang Tian. Let’s be friends.]

Just as Jiang Qin was about to accept the request, he suddenly felt a heavy hand on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw Lu Guangrong standing behind him, looking at him with a complex expression.

“Teacher Lu, good evening. Are you here for a dorm check?”

Lu Guangrong hummed in affirmation, then spoke earnestly, “Jiang Qin, you’re quite handsome, but as a student, you should prioritize your studies. Linchuan University doesn’t oppose students dating, but don’t get involved with too many.”

Jiang Qin: “?????”

Before he could respond, Ren Ziqiang and Zhou Chao burst out laughing, bending over and pounding the bed with laughter.

“Alright, alright, stop laughing. I’m here to check the dorms and to inform you that military training starts tomorrow morning. Everyone should sleep early and not be late. Make a good impression on the instructor.”

After delivering his routine message, Lu Guangrong turned and left the dorm, repeating the same words in the next room.Chapter 38: Military Training in Progress

TL: Etude

The next morning at seven o’clock, the military training at Linchuan University officially began. Black double-decker buses filled with armed police officers and soldiers entered the university campus.

At the same time, a large number of freshmen surged from the dormitory area into the drill ground.

Near the formation of Finance Class 4, waves of discussions rippled through the crowd, peppered with exclamations like “Wow,” “So beautiful,” “Like a fairy,” and “I’m stunned.” The atmosphere resembled that of a celebrity meet-and-greet, drawing onlookers from even the neighboring areas.

Jiang Qin, tossing his hat, ran his fingers through his hair, lamenting how unbearably hot the weather was.

It was only morning, and the hat already felt unbearable. He wondered how much hotter it would get once the training started.

Meanwhile, Cao Guangyu, Zhou Chao, and Ren Ziqiang were approaching from the direction of Class 4, their faces filled with astonishment.

“Old Jiang, I’ve realized I’ve been living in a bubble!”

Jiang Qin grinned, “How come you only realized it now?”

Cao Guangyu was puzzled: “????”

Ren Ziqiang, bypassing Cao Guangyu, said, “Old Jiang, don’t laugh. Do you think Hong Yan and Chu Siqi are the epitome of beauty? I’m telling you, there’s an even more stunning girl in Class 4. Her aura is simply dazzling.”

Zhou Chao nodded vehemently in agreement: “It’s the first time I’ve seen such a perfect girl. She’s like a star, no, even more beautiful than a star. My whole worldview is shattered.”

Jiang Qin fanned himself with his hat, casually asking, “Is it really that exaggerated?”

“It’s not an exaggeration at all. You won’t believe it until you see her. You’ll feel like you’ve been living in a well too!”

“Yeah, Old Jiang, go have a look. It doesn’t cost anything to appreciate beauty!”

Jiang Qin calmly waved his hand: “Forget it. In this scorching weather, I’d sweat just walking a few steps. I’d rather save my energy for the training.”

Cao Guangyu felt a bit upset: “Damn, you’re the only one acting high and mighty in our dorm!”

“There’s half a month of military training; there will be plenty of chances to see her. Maybe she’ll come looking for me later.”

“What? If she comes looking for you, I’ll eat shit on the spot.”

Jiang Qin couldn’t help but glance at Cao Guangyu: “If you want to eat shit, just say so. Don’t use me as an excuse!”

As the guys from Room 302 were chatting, a group of girls from Class 3 in Finance suddenly surged from behind: “What are you looking at? Even if you look, she’s not yours.”

Cao Guangyu turned around and saw a plain but pretty face: “Pan Xiu, I didn’t provoke you.”

“I’m just stating a fact.”

Pan Xiu’s military uniform hung loosely on her, making her look rather unkempt, even her usual cuteness faded.

Cao Guangyu retorted righteously: “Everyone appreciates beauty. What’s wrong with just looking?”

Pan Xiu couldn’t help but snort: “Aren’t the beauties in our class enough for you? You prefer those unattainable ones?”

Ren Ziqiang, the hopeless flirt, quickly chimed in: “Xiu Xiu, I only have eyes for you.”

Pan Xiu coldly responded: “Ren Ziqiang, we’ve only talked a couple of times. We’re not that close.”

“Oh, this…”

Cao Guangyu immediately shot him a disdainful look: “Hopeless flirt. Can’t move when you see a girl, and what do you get? A cold shoulder!”

Ren Ziqiang looked mournfully at Pan Xiu, then at Cao Guangyu: “Fine, fine, I’ll shut up. I won’t talk anymore.”

While the guys were teasing each other, the other girls of Class 3 in Finance were all observing Jiang Qin.

Standing at 1.8 meters, Jiang Qin’s height was notable, especially under the bright sunlight, making him look particularly upright and imposing. Such a stature wasn’t rare at Linchuan University, but it was uncommon in Class 3. His roommates couldn’t compare to him, with only Zuo Boqiang from the next dorm able to match him in arm-wrestling.

However, Zuo Boqiang couldn’t compete with Jiang Qin in terms of facial features and skin tone, making Jiang stand out even more.

At that moment, Jiang Qin was grumbling about the day’s heat, using a chilled mineral water bottle to cool his face while listlessly watching the supermarket across, seemingly indifferent to the surrounding events.

Seeing this, the girls of Class 3 couldn’t help but whisper among themselves.

“Out of all the guys in Class 3, Jiang Qin is the best at posing!”

“Yeah, if it weren’t for the rumor that he’s been secretly in love with someone for three years, I would have been totally fooled by him!”

“Did he really chase someone for three years? It doesn’t seem like it.”

“It’s true. Ren Ziqiang himself told Pan Xiu about it, so it must be true.”

“Qingqing, weren’t you really upset yesterday on the pedestrian street? Why don’t you tease him a bit?”

Song Qingqing looked coldly at Jiang Qin’s back, recalling how she was ignored yesterday. Her makeup-adorned face was covered with a frosty expression.

She had thought Jiang Qin was a low-key but exceptional person. However, last night, Pan Xiu shared the story she heard from Ren Ziqiang about Jiang Qin’s three-year unrequited love for a high school classmate, which was cruelly rejected. She told the story in the dormitory vividly.

After hearing this story, they realized that yesterday’s incident on the pedestrian street was a misunderstanding. Jiang Qin was just another guy who liked to please pretty girls, just that he seemed more composed on the surface.

“I’ll tease him a bit, make him pay for ignoring me yesterday.”

Song Qingqing showed a spoiled expression, stepping forward, but before she could speak, a cadence of “left, right, left” came from the entrance of the drill ground. A troop of soldiers ran in, their steps uniform and their voices loud and deep.

Seeing this, the casually lounging freshmen instantly stood up straight and even began to form ranks spontaneously. Song Qingqing had to abandon her plans and return to her spot.

The first day of military training at Linchuan University was simple but tough – standing at attention under the scorching sun for an hour to wear down the freshmen’s wildness and build their endurance. However, being the first day, there were many incidents – some fainted, others vomited. Each time something happened, Jiang Qin couldn’t help but glance worriedly towards Class 4’s formation.

Fortunately, until the mid-training break, Class 4’s formation remained incident-free.

“Old Jiang, want to go to the restroom? Let’s go together.”

After a short break, Zhou Chao tapped Jiang Qin, who was standing in front of him.

Jiang Qin turned and looked at him: “Didn’t you just go this morning? It’s been less than two hours, and you need to go again? Do you have a kidney problem?”

Zhou Chao’s breath hitched: “Don’t you need to go?”

“I can hold it for at least three hours.”

“Then I won’t go either.”

For some reason, Zhou Chao felt his spirit ignited upon hearing the word “kidney.” He gritted his teeth and suppressed the urge, sitting obediently on the drill ground.

Meanwhile, Song Qingqing, Jiang Tian, Pan Xiu, and a few other girls gathered around Jiang Qin, surrounding him casually. The mix of perfume scents in the hot weather was overwhelming for Jiang Qin.

“Jiang Qin, I heard you chased a girl in high school for three years and failed?”Chapter 39: Feng Nanshu, My Home

TL: Etude

“Yes, that’s true.”

Jiang Qin responded without much surprise. He knew very well that it must have been Ren Ziqiang who leaked the information. That sycophant, selling out his brothers just to find a topic of interest to girls, deserved to be tricked someday to learn the harshness of human nature.

“Don’t you find it embarrassing? To actually bring up such a thing?” Jiang Tian raised her doubt.

After hearing this, Jiang Qin replied with a calm face, “What’s embarrassing about failing? Just yesterday, I tried to get the cafeteria lady to give me extra meat, and I failed at that too.”

“Right, the cafeteria lady is the true unapproachable campus beauty.”

Zhou Chao, sitting in the back, couldn’t help but interject.

Hearing Jiang Qin’s words, the girls from Class 3 couldn’t help but cover their mouths and giggle, thinking how tough he was to remain defiant even when exposed.

Actually, these girls didn’t have any bad intentions. They were just too self-centered, and being just the start of the school year and rather bored, they naturally enjoyed teasing others. And since Jiang Qin was quite prominent among the boys, he naturally became their target for fun.

“Jiang Qin, do you just chase after anyone you find attractive? I even heard from Ren Ziqiang that you want to pursue our Qingqing.”

“?”

Jiang Qin turned his head in confusion, wondering if these girls hadn’t woken up properly yesterday. Were their urine not yellow enough or the taste too sweet?

Then he saw Song Qingqing standing proudly, “Let me tell you, Jiang Qin, don’t even think about it. I’m not the type of girl you can pursue.”

“Why don’t you go to the hospital?” Jiang Qin frowned and said, “No, I don’t think neurology can cure you.”

His voice was loud enough for Song Qingqing to hear, but it was drowned out by a sudden commotion. Hearing this, everyone curiously turned their attention away, no longer pondering what Jiang Qin had said.

The commotion was in the Finance Class 4, caused by a strikingly attractive girl standing up and walking towards the squad of Finance Class 3.

The loose military training uniform usually detracted from one’s appearance, but on this girl, it added a unique charm and liveliness, especially her delicate profile and high-bridged nose, dotted with sweat yet as clear as jade.

Everyone’s gaze followed the girl’s steps, filled with curiosity.

This girl was the one who had attracted attention from multiple classes during the morning assembly, the one who made Cao Guangyu mock himself for being ignorant and shattered Zhou Chao’s worldview.

The guys from Dormitory 302 watched her approach, feeling a familiar sensation on their scalps.

Wasn’t this the same feeling they had when Hong Yan appeared before them yesterday?

Cao Guangyu turned pale, thinking, “Could it be?”

And at this moment, Song Qingqing was also astonished, watching the bright girl approach the squad of Class 3, squinting her eyes in confusion.

Everyone was either squatting or sitting in their uniforms, resembling a neat field of green radishes.

In such a setting, it wasn’t easy to find someone.

Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Jiang Qin suddenly raised his hand, waving at her. Song Qingqing, sitting behind him, widened her eyes, unable to comprehend what was happening.

By the time she came to her senses, the girl had already gracefully approached Jiang Qin, handing him a bottle of mineral water while lightly wiping sweat from under her cap with her other hand.

“Jiang Qin, I want some water.”

“Can’t open it?”

Feng Nanshu nodded gently, then extended the bottle of water towards him a bit more.

Jiang Qin took the water, unscrewed the cap, and handed it back to her, but he was somewhat puzzled. Feng Nanshu, a rich girl trained in authentic Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu from a young age, should have no trouble opening a bottle cap. Was she acting?

Feng Nanshu drank the water in small sips, her long, white neck fully exposed.

After finishing the water, she smoothed her uniform and sat down next to Jiang Qin, slightly leaning towards him.

Even after more than an hour of training, a faint fragrance lingered around Feng Nanshu, reminiscent of lilies blooming after rain, soothing and pleasant.

Jiang Qin’s gaze silently swept over her chest, thinking the military uniform did little justice, and then returned his eyes to her face, gliding over her high-bridged nose and full lips.

“How are you getting along with your roommates?”

Feng Nanshu’s eyes sparkled with joy, “They are nice people, and even took me to eat the rainbow cotton candy you forbade me to have.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Qin narrowed his eyes, “Feng Nanshu, are you trying to shit talk me? Because I didn’t let you eat cotton candy, I’m not a good person?”

“I said you were a good person, but you wouldn’t let me say that you are,” Feng Nanshu replied with a pitiful look.

Jiang Qin paused, “That’s not a bad point. Don’t just give me a ‘good person card’ at random. If you have to give it, give it to someone else.”

Feng Nanshu took another small sip of water, her lips moist and rosy, “Jiang Qin, my roommates saw you yesterday. They want you to treat them to a meal.”

Jiang Qin raised an eyebrow, “Why should I treat them to a meal?”

“They said since you’re my boyfriend, you should treat them, so they’ll take good care of your Feng Nanshu throughout our four years of college.”

“Heh, the tricks of modern female college students are really something.”

Jiang Qin pondered his schedule, realizing he’d be relatively free until his website was up and running, aside from the military training and the meal he owed Hong Yan.

That meant he’d be mostly free after six in the evening.

“Then let’s pick a cooler afternoon. I’ll send you the time and place on QQ.”

Hearing this, Feng Nanshu’s eyelashes fluttered. She turned her head and quietly glanced at him, her eyes twinkling like a jade lake.

“What’s wrong? Don’t want to go? That’ll save me some money.”

“No, I’m just thinking about what I want to eat.” Feng Nanshu gently touched her chest.

Jiang Qin shifted his sitting position, letting the other half of his bottom endure the scorching ground, then said, “I’ve helped you so much; you owe me one in the future. Ever heard of ‘do not forget me in your prosperity’? You’re already prosperous, so you can’t forget about me.”

After a moment’s thought, Feng Nanshu straightened her long legs, tilted her military boots, and pointed her toes towards Jiang Qin, “I can play with your feet.”

“…”

Jiang Qin felt inexplicably moved, as if touched by her gesture.

Meanwhile, the entire playground was eerily quiet, with everyone looking at the closely seated pair, their expressions indescribably complex.Chapter 40: I Really Didn’t Check the Video Section

TL: Etude

“Is that her boyfriend?”

Under the scorching sun above Linchuan University, the hearts of the boys in Class 4 were chilling.

Feng Nanshu, the universally acknowledged angelic girl of Class 4, captivated all the boys in her class with her appearance yesterday. Her presence also sparked intense envy among boys from other classes, who regretted not being assigned to Class 4.

Hearing such envious remarks frequently, the boys in Class 4 developed a mysterious confidence, as if being in Class 4 was a matter of great pride.

Despite Feng Nanshu’s indifference to any boy who tried to speak with her, her unattainability only heightened her appeal.

That’s just how men were, no? ‘The more unattainable she is, the more I find her appealing!’

However, this celestial girl was now sitting next to some jerk from the next class, chatting and laughing coyly.

Then they realized, oh, the girl who was their pride belonged to another boy from the start. They were just deluding themselves, which was incredibly hurtful.

So, the warriors of pure love fell in despair.

Cao Guangyu, Zhou Chao, and Ren Ziqiang felt as if they were electrified from head to toe.

They looked at Jiang Qin with complex expressions. The disparity they had just started to feel yesterday was piercing their hearts again.

No wonder he was indifferent to Hong Yan and walked away in front of Chu Siqi. This jerk probably knew so many beautiful women, collecting them like stamps.

Cao Guangyu couldn’t help but recall how, an hour earlier, he had insisted on taking Jiang Qin to see the “beauties of Class 4.” He had described them in glowing terms, but Jiang Qin, that jerk, must have been scoffing internally.

She was his girl, after all. He could see her whenever he wanted. Why would he need anyone else’s praise?

‘Damn it, Jiang Qin wouldn’t really make me eat shit, would he?’

Cao Guangyu swallowed hard, feeling utterly humiliated.

He resolved never to compete with Jiang Qin again.

This man, who claimed to be a virgin at the beginning of the school year, was unbeatable in love!

Just then, Jiang Qin suddenly remembered something and turned to ask Song Qingqing, who had come over earlier, “Have you woken up yet?”

“…”

Song Qingqing tried to pull off a confident smile, wanting to say it was nothing and then turn away casually. But she found she couldn’t smile because she felt the joke was on her.

What did Pan Xiu say again?

That Jiang Qin had pursued a girl for three years and failed to confess?

She had actually believed it and came over arrogantly to kick him while he was down, saying that Jiang Qin couldn’t win her over, which now seemed utterly embarrassing.

Pan Xiu’s face also turned pale as she turned to Ren Ziqiang: “Did you make up that story?”

Ren Ziqiang immediately denied it: “No, it was Jiang Qin who made it up. Now I understand; out of ten sentences he says, eleven are lies. This man is unfathomable!”

“Pan Xiu, what did Ren Ziqiang say?”

“He said Jiang Qin is unfathomable!”

“Pass it on, Jiang Qin is mysterious and profound.”

“Did you hear? Jiang Qin is dating a model.”

“Holy shit, Jiang Qin is keeping a model outside school!”

“…”

After a while, Feng Nanshu said, “I’m leaving,” and got up. She walked back to Class 4’s formation with a light and joyful step, while the smiles of all the boys were now transferred to Jiang Qin’s face.

“Yeah, it is a bit satisfying.”

Jiang Qin admitted generously. He had indeed been showing off just now.

Over the next three days, the freshmen went through marching drills in step, quick march, and running, all getting as tanned as African chickens. (:skull:)

Heaven seemed to be cooperating; not a drop of rain fell.

Cao Guangyu was the first to break. Being a pampered young master, he had never endured such hardship and spent his days cursing and praying for rain in the dormitory.

Annoyed by his complaints, Jiang Qin quietly gave him some advice.

The next day, Cao Guangyu asked for 1500 yuan from his family and went to the hospital for a circumcision during the afternoon break. He then took his medical certificate to the instructor to ask for leave.

“Jiang Qin, your method is really awesome. The instructor actually agreed to let me rest!”

“Well, from now on, you’ll be a more sophisticated man. Try to be more composed and stop shouting all the time.”

After sending him off, Jiang Qin continued reading the “Website Operation Manual” but received a text from Su Nai. She said the website was almost ready, and aside from some unfinished optimization, it was basically ready to go online. She asked if he had time to review it at the library.

After changing clothes, Jiang Qin arrived at the library’s third-floor humanities and social sciences reading room.

Su Nai had already logged into the website backend and began showing off the homepage, demonstrating three types of secondary page transitions and two different post display methods.

Jiang Qin was quite satisfied after seeing it.

Truth be told, the most important aspect of product development isn’t technology, but understanding.

If you have 80% of the technical skills combined with 100% understanding, you can create a product that meets 80% of the customer’s needs. But if you have 100% of the technical skills and less than 50% understanding, you might struggle to produce even a prototype.

Fortunately, Su Nai’s understanding and technical skills were both up to par, meeting Jiang Qin’s expectations in almost every aspect.

The navigation was clear, the appearance was simple, and the page transitions were not overly complex, ensuring quick response times. Plus, the structure was simple, allowing users to quickly find the sections they were interested in.

“The completed parts are quite good. What parts are still unfinished?”

“The website’s load and security testing aren’t done yet, and the ‘big sister pop-up’ isn’t finished either,” Su Nai answered truthfully.

Jiang Qin stroked his chin: “So, it basically meets the conditions for going online?”

Su Nai pushed up her glasses: “We can go live. Subsequent optimizations can be done step by step.”

“Then let’s go live for now. I’ll find someone to create content later. Once we have a sufficient amount of content, we’ll start promoting it. Can the optimizations be completed before the promotion?”

“Absolutely no problem.”

Jiang Qin shifted his gaze from the computer screen and stared at Su Nai for a while: “Did you… stay up late doing something mischievous? Your dark circles are quite noticeable.”

Su Nai coughed and quickly lowered her head: “Senior, creating a website is a very energy-consuming task. To ensure quality, I stayed up late, but it’s not a big issue. You don’t need to worry.”

“I told you to finish it in five days, why rush in three? You’re not trying to get me to pay you more, are you?”

“No, no, no. This is my first time independently designing a commercial webpage, so I have to take it seriously. I kept referring to resource books while working, aiming for the best outcome. Plus, you said if it turns out well, you’d give me all the maintenance work. I got a bit excited and… well, got carried away.”

Jiang Qin was silent for three seconds before clicking his tongue: “Junior, I suggest you look less.”

Su Nai raised her head in panic, her cheeks flushed red: “Senior, don’t talk nonsense, I didn’t watch anything!”

“I’m talking about resource books.”

“Oh, resource books, haha…” Su Nai rubbed her hands and pushed her glasses.

Suddenly, Jiang Qin took his hand off his chin: “Can we also add a video section? Is it difficult technically?”

“It’s not difficult. The player function is very straightforward. Just upload the right format and embed the server code.”

“Will there be any playback stuttering?”

“I haven’t encountered any, but there are annoying ads at the beginning, like ‘sexy dealers dealing cards online.'”

As she spoke, Su Nai suddenly paused, realizing the trap in the question. Her mouth opened slightly, and she was petrified: “What I meant was… videos for website building, do you believe me?”

Jiang Qin nodded earnestly: “Watch less, it’s bad for your health.”

“Uh…”