WWFILABR 171 to 180

 Chapter 171: Handsomer than Daniel Wu


TL: Etude


No matter if it's the Winter Solstice, New Year's Day, or the New Year itself, the essence of a festival is really about the atmosphere. Once there's a crowd, and you add in the steam from hotpot and dumplings, even an ordinary day could feel like a festive occasion.


"Boss, let's get some drinks. We didn't have any during the last team building," Lu Feiyu suddenly spoke up.


Jiang Qin turned to look at Professor Yan, noticing his serious expression, so he coughed and said, "Why ask me? Pour for Professor Yan first."


"Oh right, Professor first," Lu Feiyu said, grabbing a bottle of Wuliangye, ready to pour.


"Stop!"


Professor Yan waved his hand twice, signaling him not to pour, indicating that he wouldn't drink.


As the person in charge of the Entrepreneurship Center, misusing public resources was already improper. Turning a blind eye was his way of showing leniency, but drinking here was going too far and simply inappropriate.


Lu Feiyu, half leaning towards the professor's right side, froze with an arm stiff, his gaze turning to Jiang Qin, unsure whether to pour the drink or not.


"Didn't you see? Professor Yan already gestured with his hand; we can only drink five cups."


"Damn, so that's what the professor meant. It's like an epiphany!"


"Hold on, when did I ever say that?!"


The already lively Room 207 became even more animated with the addition of alcohol. Everyone was brimming with smiles, and the conversation flowed freely in all directions.


Professor Yan remained silent for a while, then pursed his lips. Adhering to the principle of not wasting, he drank the liquor in his cup with dignity, only to realize that everyone else was drinking beer and there wasn't another person drinking baijiu.


Well, it seemed that the bottle of Wuliangye was prepared for him from the start.


"Professor, this isn't about encouraging you to drink. It's more about complementing the atmosphere, just a little something to cheer the mood," Jiang Qin suddenly said.


Professor Yan coughed, "Just this once, no more next time. I've only been in Room 207 for a few days, and my standards have already hit rock bottom."


"It's okay, they can't run away once they hit the ground. We'll find them when we clean up later. For now, there's no rush. Drink if you want."


"?"


Jiang Qin filled Professor Yan's cup again, then glanced at the time and stepped out of Room 207 with his phone.


Reaching the stairwell corner, where the laughter couldn't reach, he called Hu Maolin from the University of Science of Technology and Zhang Ming'an, extending his greetings for the Winter Solstice.


He also took the opportunity to reveal his plans to promote group buying soon.


While Tan Qing was making preparations at Linchuan University, Wei Lianlan was also negotiating with merchants at the University of Science of Technology.


The progress on both sides wasn't exactly the same, but they were quite close.


If it weren't for Hu Maolin's bias against group buying, Jiang Qin wouldn't have needed to start a trial operation at Linchuan University. His real aim was to use the facts to reassure Hu Maolin.


Now that the trial operation had shown clear results, he felt more confident and decided not to hesitate anymore.


With the New Year approaching and the market at the University of Science of Technology ripe for the taking, there was no reason not to capitalize on it quickly. Otherwise, once the winter vacation started, it would be too late.


"When do you plan to start the promotion?"


"Around New Year's Day, to coincide with the sales event," Jiang Qin replied truthfully.


After a moment of silence, Hu Maolin spoke, "Alright then, give it a try. But remember, don't be rash. Be steady and make sure to arrange those work-study students properly."


"Understood, Director Hu. With your words, I'm relieved. Enjoy your dumplings, I won't disturb you anymore!"


After hanging up, Jiang Qin looked out the window at the snowy scene with deep eyes, feeling invincible at that moment.


He had deliberately chosen to make the call during the Winter Solstice dinner.


On one hand, it was to convey warm greetings and foster a closer relationship, and on the other, it was to be concise and efficient.


Director Hu was a good person, just a bit long-winded. But given that he was likely enjoying the Winter Solstice dinner with his closest family members – Jiang Qin had even heard a little girl calling out 'Daddy' in the background – it meant he was in the midst of family joy and wouldn't have the time for a lengthy chat with Jiang Qin.


If it hadn't been for the time and place, Hu Maolin would have undoubtedly brought up Ye Ziqing's example again, asking Jiang Qin with great concern if he was really prepared.


Once more, the concept of right timing, location, and human harmony was applied invisibly, exuding effortless charisma.


Jiang Qin smiled faintly, fiddling with his hair in the reflection of the window glass. He thought that if there were a girl outside, she would surely wonder why she was seeing someone like Daniel Wu at Linchuan University.


"I should also call mom and dad."


Jiang Qin scrolled through his contacts and called Mrs. Yuan Youqin, asking about her health, the weather, and whether the couple had eaten dumplings.


"We did eat dumplings, but it's like we never had a son. You hardly call twice a month. Tell me the truth, are you in a relationship?"


"Not yet. I'm as steadfast as iron, managing to withstand all the pressure," Jiang Qin replied with firmness in his voice.


Yuan Youqin, not knowing what her son was up to, advised a few words about taking care of his health before circling back to the topic: "Don't hide it if you have a girlfriend. Bring her home for me to meet."


"I'll think about it when I can't hold out any longer. But as it stands, it's hard to reach that point, so my focus is still on my career."


"A university student entrepreneur, right? I read the newspaper you sent home. Extracurricular activities are secondary, but you still need to study hard."


With a single sentence, Yuan Youqin categorized Jiang Qin's entrepreneurship as an extracurricular activity: "By the way, what's the girl's last name?"


Jiang Qin couldn't help but laugh: "Mom, that trick won't work anymore. Still playing the same game you did when I was a kid to trick me out of my New Year's money?"


"If you won't say, then I'll just guess. Is it Wang?"


"Hello? Mom, I'm getting bad reception here. Hello? Hello…"


Jiang Qin hung up the phone, thinking how close he was to a slip-up when his mother guessed the surname Wang. Revealing the wrong name would have inadvertently confirmed the right one. The older, the wiser – you really can't beat that.


At that moment, a burst of cheers came from Room 207, sounding exceptionally enthusiastic.


Jiang Qin pushed the door open and saw Feng Nanshu's lips stained black, adding a touch of bewitching allure to her appearance, like a fairy suddenly turned dark in a TV drama, her cool gaze intensifying her charm.


"What happened to your mouth?"


"Jiang Qin, the dumplings are poisoned."


Feng Nanshu's expression was serious: "And they taste like chocolate!"


"Boss, the boss lady got the lucky dumpling. It's time for a reward," Wei Lianlan urged.


"Then, as we agreed before, reward the little rich lady with five hundred yuan!"


Jiang Qin took out his wallet, pulled out five banknotes, but the entire room objected: "Boss, I remember the lucky dumpling prize was supposed to be a kiss, right?"


"Was it?"


"Of course, we all heard it, didn't we?"


"Alright, alright, I can't win with you guys. So be it, a kiss then."


Jiang Qin lifted the banknotes, kissed them, and handed them to Feng Nanshu. Then, picking up his chopsticks, he waved his hand, inviting everyone to continue eating.


Seeing this, everyone in the room couldn't help but exclaim in disappointment, thinking the boss really had a way out, promising a kiss but settling it with a peck on the money.


That counts as a kiss?


Pshaw, shameless!


Feng Nanshu didn't know what the lucky dumpling was about, as she had no experience eating dumplings with a group. She felt a bit out of place, slightly regretful that she couldn't deceive him even with the 'poisoned' dumpling, and then reached her hand under the table, slipping it into his.


Across the table, Tang Lin couldn't help but glance at Feng Nanshu and then at Jiang Qin, suddenly understanding the meaning behind Hong Yan's previous words.


What did it mean that not even mountains could crush Jiang Qin?


How could he resist kissing a girl like Feng Nanshu, even when egged on by others?


My goodness, what kind of iron-willed person could manage such a feat?


Tang Lin had involuntarily imagined herself in Jiang Qin's shoes and felt that, far from being swayed by the crowd, even if someone tried to stop her, she would have lunged forward to plant a kiss, making sure her face was covered in drool.


No wonder Hong Yan, despite suppressing her feelings, was unwilling to delve deeper into that abyss.


This man, Jiang Qin, was indeed a bit terrifying!


Tang Lin found it incomprehensible, full of questions, but soon she unravelled them herself.


In that corridor showdown, it wasn't just Feng Nanshu who left a deep impression on Tang Lin, but also Chu Siqi, the so-called "campus belle."


Thinking about Chu Siqi's willfulness, arrogance, and petulance, Tang Lin felt a shiver down her spine and began to understand Jiang Qin's feelings.


Being entangled with such a girl for three years, his heart must have been pierced thoroughly, probably enough to serve as a showerhead.


"Jiang Qin, I toast to you!"


"?"


Bewildered, Jiang Qin raised his glass, clinked it with Tang Lin's, and noticed a flicker of sympathy in her eyes.


I'm already making tens of thousands a day, why would anyone pity me? What a joke!


After a while, the gathering in Room 207 dispersed.


Jiang Qin suggested everyone cook the remaining dumplings and take them back to their dorms to share, reasoning that since Principal Zhang hadn't delivered a fridge yet, they couldn't keep them anyway.


He himself carried two bags, one for Feng Nanshu's dorm and the other for his own.


"Jiang Qin, hold my hand."


Stepping out of the Entrepreneurship Center and into the light of the streetlamps, Feng Nanshu reached out her hand.


"I'm carrying a bag of dumplings in each hand; I can't hold yours."


Jiang Qin, looking mischievously helpless, shook the dumplings in his hands.


"Then I'll carry one bag for you, and you can use that hand to hold mine."


"Why do you like holding hands so much?"


"I don't know."


Feng Nanshu's eyes sparkled brightly, her steps lively. She would be pulled back when walking too fast and drawn forward when lagging, enjoying the game on her own.


She seemed to relish this sense of connection.


But there were moments along the way when their hands would part—sometimes because the 'little rich lady' walked too fast, sometimes because Jiang Qin mischievously let go. She would immediately turn back to hold his hand again.


Jiang Qin remembered that when he first saw her, she didn't seem to have this vibrant, girlish charm.


If this continued, even his proud resilience would eventually yield.

Chapter 172: Special Instructions from the Boss


TL: Etude


The next morning dawned clear and mild.


Jiang Qin got dressed and left the house, accompanied by several core members of Team 208: Dong Wenhao, Su Nai, Lu Xuemei, and Wei Lanlan, as they headed to Linchuan the University of Science of Technology.


“Boss, are we going to promote group buying?” asked one of the team members.


Jiang Qin hummed in affirmation, then added, “We’re just going to do some preliminary work. The real promotion will start around New Year’s Day.”


Su Nai, watching Jiang Qin concentrate on driving, didn’t disturb him but couldn’t resist whispering to Wei Lanlan sitting beside her.


“The boss is a real workaholic. No sooner has the group buying stabilized than he’s off to the next target.”


“You’re just realizing this now?”


“I’m just curious, doesn’t he need to take time out to be with the boss lady?”


“Christmas Eve and Christmas are just around the corner. The boss surely has plans already. The boss lady is going to be spoiled rotten.”


Hearing the laughter from the backseat, Jiang Qin frowned slightly. “What are you talking about? Is there something I shouldn’t hear?”


“We’re discussing how we’ll work hard today,” Su Nai replied seriously, trying to suppress her smile.


“That’s the spirit, Su Nai. You’re truly a valuable employee. I’ll give you some extra tasks later.”


Ignoring Su Nai’s feigned outrage, Jiang Qin drove into the university with a smile and parked the car near Xi Tian’s gate.


Wei Lanlan and Lu Xuemei were then assigned as one team, Dong Wenhao and Su Nai as another, while Jiang Qin worked alone, dispersing to their respective tasks.


Wei Lanlan and Lu Xuemei’s mission involved negotiating contracts with nearby merchants and initiating delivery training.


This included verifying orders, transferring merchandise, and managing financial calculations.


Jiang Qin had established a standard procedure for all these processes from the outset, which Linchuan University was now following.


As the business expanded, this standard process needed to be continually updated to prevent unforeseen troubles in later stages. Making rules at that point would be futile.


“Why does the merchant bear the responsibility for compensating missing orders?”


“That’s company policy. We hold the primary responsible party accountable, so we hope you’ll take merchandise preparation seriously. Of course, our riders will also check the goods upon collection. With these dual processes, missing orders are unlikely.”


“And what about lost orders?”


“During promotional periods, if there are lost or missing orders, the company will deal with them according to the policy. Here are the details.”


“Can we change the payment time at the beginning of next month? We restock mid-month, so this would mean advancing half a month’s funds.”


“According to company policy, all merchants must settle accounts at the same time.”


After a round of visits, Wei Lanlan, reciting the script prepared by Jiang Qin, felt her throat dry from repeatedly saying “company policy” until the words almost lost their meaning.


Some merchants weren’t happy with the “company policy” of group buying, finding it too rigid and impersonal. They wanted more benefits and fewer obligations.


At such times, Wei Lanlan would show them the sales data from Linchuan University’s trial run.


Upon seeing the December sales data for Linchuan University’s stationery store, one merchant immediately agreed to the terms without further comment.


Talk is cheap; money speaks.


People can be very pragmatic at times.


After leaving the stationery store, Wei Lanlan took a deep breath, unscrewed her water bottle, and took a few sips to soothe her throat.


“These rules set by the boss feel like a one-size-fits-all approach, with every detail rigorously defined.”


Lu Xuemei couldn’t help but share her thoughts.


“The boss said that once the company’s policies become the industry standard, many future troubles will be avoided. People won’t be questioning why all the time, nor will they ask on what grounds because we already have the policies in place, and the policies themselves are the reasons.”


Wei Lanlan repeated the words Jiang Qin had entrusted to her.


“Can we really achieve such an effect?”


“There’s a saying, ‘custom becomes law.’ That’s the idea. Strict rules might seem more harmful than beneficial at the moment, but the boss said he’s laying the groundwork for the future. Standardization of processes is the first step towards growth and strength.”


Lu Xuemei blinked thoughtfully. “So, we’re setting rules for everything now to prevent small issues from becoming big problems once we expand?”


“Exactly.”


“But won’t it be exhausting to negotiate with each merchant individually? Can’t we gather them all together and have them sign the contract at once?”


Wei Lanlan shook her head. “The boss specifically mentioned this. Once merchants band together, they tend to become greedy. If one starts a commotion, countless others might follow suit. Even showing them sales data won’t help, especially when dealing with troublemakers who easily stir emotions. That’s why we must negotiate with each one individually.”


Lu Xuemei understood. “What about the training? Any special instructions for that?”


“The boss said training can be done collectively. Once the contracts are signed, there’s no fear of merchants backing out at the last minute.”


“It feels like he’s rehearsed every step of the process in his mind a million times, and we’re just tools executing the tasks. Especially those special instructions, they always come in handy.”


“Dong Wenhao told me something a few days ago.”


“What did he say?”


“Some paths are safe when the boss leads us, but if we walk them alone, we’ll fall into a pit.”


Meanwhile, Dong Wenhao and Su Nai went to Room 502, gathering all the part-time students for a meeting to assign upcoming tasks.


Linchuan the University of Science of Technology, unlike their home university, was a branch and had many operational challenges.


Information dissemination was not as timely and accurate as at their home university.


This was especially true during promotional activities, when everyone was extremely busy, leading to significant delays in communication.


Therefore, following Jiang Qin’s instructions, Dong Wenhao and Su Nai needed to select a manager and a deputy manager from among the students for comprehensive management, reporting directly to Jiang Qin.


Lai Cunqing from the market team had shown commendable performance, not only stable in character but also technically experienced.


Ding Qiaona from the content team was also excellent, with a flexible mind, full of ideas, and capable of adapting to situations.


After discussing, Su Nai and Dong Wenhao shortlisted these two as candidates, intending to let Jiang Qin decide.


At the same time, Jiang Qin was in Zhang Ming’an’s office, signing a plethora of agreements including work-study programs, joint agreements with the university, and various third-party contracts, all centered around group buying.


“Director, aren’t there too many agreements? I feel like I’m wearing out my fingerprints.”


“You’re here as an entrepreneurial student from another school; you have to sign each agreement three times, along with a bunch of supplemental agreements. What can I do?”


Jiang Qin wiped his fingers. “Anything else to sign?”


Zhang Ming’an tossed another stack of papers at him. “Take your time, there’s plenty more. We’re not short on them.”


Jiang Qin’s mouth twitched. “Can’t we simplify the process?”


“You could register a company. Business-to-business transactions would cut the process at least in half,” Zhang Ming’an suggested helpfully.


Jiang Qin, looking at the stack of agreements, was overwhelmed. “Can’t we just remove the staples and bind them into one document for me to sign all at once?”


Zhang Ming’an glanced at him. “Of course not. These agreements fall under different departmental jurisdictions. How can you combine them all into one?”


“I don’t remember signing this many when I promoted the forum last time.”


“That… that’s because Director Hu was biased against group buying. Signing more gives him peace of mind.”


Finishing his explanation, Zhang Ming’an picked up his teacup and took a sip.


Indeed, Hu Maolin had fully delegated the task of liaising with Jiang Qin to Zhang Ming’an, but he too lacked confidence, hence dredging up all sorts of chaotic agreements.


The concern wasn’t the abundance of agreements, but the potential confusion in explaining them later.


However, Zhang Ming’an’s actions were not out of distrust for Jiang Qin; he had personally witnessed the tragic end of a previous group buying venture.


“You should consider registering a company when you have time.”


After signing the agreements, Jiang Qin put down his pen, bid farewell to Zhang Ming’an, and left the university’s administrative office.


Wei Lanlan and Lu Xuemei had already returned, and Dong Wenhao and Su Nai had finished their meeting. The group reconvened at Xi Tian, sipping milk tea while updating Jiang Qin on their progress.


Wei Lanlan’s report was straightforward since the agreements were standardized and the rules were strictly defined. The only variable was deciding who would be the manager and deputy manager at the university’s technology branch.


“I think Lai Cunqing is a good choice. He’s one of the first employees and very thorough in his work.”


“But I think Ding Qiaona is also suitable. She has strong coordination skills and is good at adapting.”


Dong Wenhao pondered for a moment. “Ding Qiaona is indeed capable, but she’s too full of ideas. I’m afraid she might disrupt the promotion’s rhythm.”


“That’s true. But can Lai Cunqing handle the market at the university alone?” Su Nai expressed her doubts.


“Boss, what do you think?”


Jiang Qin was engrossed in chatting with Feng Nanshu on QQ.


The conversation was lively, with Feng Nanshu “big brother” starting to dominate the screen, creating a significant shift in the dynamics.


The girl was becoming increasingly skilled at emoting, displaying a high level of sophistication.


One moment she was aloof, and the next, she would be affectionately calling someone big brother. It was hard to resist such charm.


Jiang Qin couldn’t imagine how he’d handle such emoting in person. The screen offered some protection, but face-to-face, it would be overwhelming.


He blamed Ding Xue for this and planned to get even with Cao Guangyu, making them understand the perils of human nature.


“Boss?”


“Let Lai Cunqing be the manager and Ding Qiaona the deputy manager.”


Jiang Qin put away his phone, decisively ending the discussion.


For the second phase of the group buying project, stability was preferred over speed. At present, Lai Cunqing’s style seemed most suitable.


Ding Qiaona was creative and quick-thinking, but her ideas might not be beneficial during the promotion, potentially causing hindrances.


As Wei Lanlan had said, at this stage, Jiang Qin needed his team to be efficient executors of tasks, without any unnecessary complications.


Of course, once the market stabilized, those with flexible minds would naturally become invaluable.


Chapter 173: I Miss You


TL: Etude


Having selected the managers and deputy managers, the preparatory work at the University of Science of Technology officially began. Lai Cunqing and Ding Qiaona collaborated, dividing their responsibilities between online and offline tasks, both displaying tremendous enthusiasm.


Additionally, Jiang Qin specially arranged a position for Guo Zihang, making him Ding Qiaona’s assistant, responsible for coordinating the delivery routes.


This coordination work was quite effective in honing one’s communication skills. Moreover, since the final link in the delivery chain involved the dormitory caretakers, Guo Zihang was expected to excel in this role.


“There seems to be a really good roasted rabbit store nearby.”


After leaving the University of Science of Technology, Su Nai suddenly pointed to the pedestrian street across the street and mentioned.


She was a junior at the university and had many old friends there. Having visited several times before, she vividly remembered the taste of that roasted rabbit store.


“That’s so cruel!” Jiang Qin frowned, his expression turning displeased.


Su Nai couldn’t help but glance at him, thinking to herself that the boss actually had such a compassionate heart.


“Let’s go and take a look. If we can save half a rabbit, let’s do it. It doesn’t matter if it’s cumin rabbit or spicy rabbit, it’s still half a life.”


“??????”


Jiang Qin was so moved by his own kindness that tears uncontrollably flowed from his mouth. (LOL)


As an excellent programmer, Su Nai was baffled by this illogical remark and only later realized that the boss wanted to eat half a rabbit.


Half a life? At half, is it still a life?

However, before Jiang Qin could turn the car around, he received a QQ message from Feng Nanshu.


At first, he thought he had misread the content. Frowning, he read it again and found it to be exactly the same. He couldn’t help but open the profile picture to take a look, confirming it was indeed from Feng Nanshu, and his expression gradually became solemn.


Hacked account?

No, Feng Nanshu wasn’t a gamer, had few friends, and wouldn’t carelessly log into random websites. The chances of her account being hacked seemed slim.


Su Nai couldn’t help but lean in: “Boss, why aren’t we going? There are rabbits waiting for us to save!”


“I’ve thought about it. Although rabbits are cute, we can save this half but not that half. I only have one stomach, so let’s not save any and leave them all to the carnivores.”


After speaking, Jiang Qin turned the car around, heading towards Linchuan University.


‘I miss you.’


Whether in person or during QQ chats, Feng Nanshu had never uttered these four words.


Suddenly sending such a message today, had something happened?


Jiang Qin was somewhat worried about the little rich lady’s state and remained silent throughout the drive. When they finally arrived at the Entrepreneurship Center, Su Nai and the others were ushered out of the car, still confused, wondering if the rabbit had flown away. Couldn’t they at least save half?


“In the next few days, Wenhao and Lanlan, you should keep an eye on the University of Science of Technology. The team there is in charge of promotion for the first time, and I’m not very confident in their experience, especially concerning the pre-launch activities and the first day of delivery. Be there if you can.”


Jiang Qin lowered half of the car window and instructed Dong Wenhao and Wei Lanlan.


“Okay, boss.”


The two exchanged glances and responded in unison.


“But remember, the authority is still with Lai Cunqing and Ding Qiaona. Let them do their work, and try not to interfere too much.”


“Understood.”


After Jiang Qin finished instructing them, he drove towards the female dormitory of the Financial College. Just as the car stopped, another QQ message from Feng Nanshu arrived.


The drive from the University of Science of Technology to Linchuan University only took a few minutes, so receiving continuous messages wasn’t strange, but the content of the messages was very peculiar.


“Brother, why aren’t you talking? I miss you. Will you come and take me out?”


“?”


“I’m thinking about you all the time.”


“???”


“Big brother, I want to hold your hand, and also want to kiss you.”


“??????”


“Big brother, why don’t you say something?”


“Damn! You must be Gao Wenhui, right?”


Suddenly, Jiang Qin realized who he was talking to. He found it almost hilarious. His fingers gripped the phone so tightly that he nearly shattered the keys. Thankfully, it was a durable Nokia that could withstand even a walnut’s impact. Any other phone might not have been so lucky.


Once he sent his reply, there was a brief pause on the other end. The following message was a longer sentence that portrayed a deeply hardheaded, if carefully gentle tone.


“I’m not Gao Wenhui, I’m your Feng. I have been thinking about you all day, turning it over and over in my mind.”


Jiang Qin replied without missing a beat: “Two milk teas, a piece of cake, and two oranges – adds up to twenty dollars. Rounded to the nearest hundred, give me a hundred.”


“What the hell?” The one on the other side seemed somewhat bewildered.


“I’ve been hustling out there all day, this is all I’ve had to eat, and it all came up because of you! You make me sick!”


“What the hell are you talking about, Jiang Qin? Damn it! After all the trouble I’ve taken to get Feng Nanshu’s phone, show me some respect, will you?”


Back in the female dorm of the Department of Finance, Gao Wenhui lost her temper. Her stratagem, an attempt at igniting passionate fire through over-the-top acting, ended in failure. How on earth did he see through her so quickly? She really missed him, and their nicknames for each other weren’t new. Where did she go wrong?


Did she not act like him?


“Wenhui, what did Jiang Qin say?”


A very cautious Feng Nanshu asked her, clearly lacking any trust in her actions.


“He said he also misses you and is on his way back to find you. Things are looking great, so don’t worry. I’ll throw in a few more sweeteners!”


Gao Wenhui frantically typed on her bed: “Big brother, don’t you want to touch your sister’s feet?”


Jiang Qin sent back a smiling emoji: “Stop acting, I’m totally unaffected. You inferior girl, do you realize that half an life just ended at your hands?”


“What life?”


“It’s unimportant. What’s your plot?”


Feeling stuck, Gao Wenhui decided to tell the truth: “Although I was pretending earlier, the truth is that Nanshu really misses you. She’s so docile, why not take her along next time you go out?”


Jiang Qin took a deep breath, “Give the phone back to the little rich lady now. I’ll vote for you as the school beauty next year.”


“I don’t want to be school beauty, can you please come over? I promised Feng Nanshu that with just me pulling the strings, even Buddha would be snared. If you don’t come, I won’t be able to fulfill my promise!”


“Are you begging me?”


“Please give Ms. Gao face.”


“Fine, I’ll be right there, but someone’s definitely going to be in trouble!”


Gao Wenhui returned the phone to Feng Nanshu, flashing a confident smile: “It’s settled. He said he’ll be here in a bit to find you. I told you I could handle it, there’s no man I can’t capture.”


The “little rich lady” glanced at the chat history: “Wenhui, it seems like he’s coming to spank me.”


“No way! He absolutely can’t bear to.” Gao Wenhui was adamant.


Feng Nanshu gave her a sideways glance, “Then you come downstairs with me, I’ll treat you to something tasty.”


“I… I’d better not go down. My legs are sore.” Gao Wenhui waved her hands, pretending to rub her calves.


“Wenhui, you’re a bad person.”


After saying that, Feng Nanshu started changing her outfit, planning to go downstairs and wait for him in advance. But before she even stepped out the dormitory door, she saw Jiang Qin. With a pout on her face and a tremble to her eyelashes, she decided she’d charm her way out of this one.


Truth be told, Jiang Qin really wanted to pretend as if he were angry and tell the little rich lady seriously that this kind of game could lead to heart conditions, even for a stalwart guy. It should not be allowed next time.


But as soon as Jiang Qin saw the little rich lady’s face, he couldn’t muster up any anger whatsoever. All he could do was hit the trash bin a couple of times.


Gao Wenhui was a terrorist. A phone in her hands was more dangerous than a bomb.


“Let’s go, take a walk.”


“?”


As Feng Nanshu followed him, she asked, “Jiang Qin, are you not angry?”


“I am, that’s why I’m punishing you by making you accompany me for a walk.” Jiang Qin led her towards the institute road.


“Then I dare to do it next time.” Feng Nanshu suddenly boldened up.


Jiang Qin’s face turned dark, “No, you should know, I couldn’t get the roasted rabbit, you’re not allowed to give your phone to Gao Wenhui. She’s not a good person, she sends all inappropriate texts.”


Feng Nanshu puckered her little mouth, “As long as it’s effective, Wenhui really did call you over.”


Jiang Qin retorted in disdain, “I’m here because I happened to be passing by. Do you really think her tricks are effective? You’re better off believing in light!”


“…”


“Jiang Qin, hold my hand.”


Jiang Qin knew the little rich lady would pull something like this. He made a show of resisting, but after she called him ‘big brother’, he gave in and held her hand.


It was always like this, as though he was just waiting for her to call him ‘big brother’. Jiang Qin thought he might as well just not resist next time and take her hand right away.


Just how much cement was left in his heart?


The two walked forward hand in hand, chatting as they strolled along the institute road.


As it was nearing Christmas Eve, roadside stalls started selling apples. The full, red apples were placed on the table alongside colorful packing boxes, attracting many passing couples.


The supermarket at the institute was even more grand, having set up a Christmas tree already.


Although it wasn’t yet Christmas, there was at least a hint of the festive atmosphere without the decorations and stockings.


Jiang Qin didn’t have much interest in these western festivals, but he still took Feng Nanshu inside, greeting the arranging goods, Jiang Zhihua.


“Boss Jiang, as per your instruction, the Christmas goods have been arranged, they’re all on the shelf at the back.”


“Did anyone online reserve them?”


“Most of them have been reserved.”


“I’ll go take a look.” Jiang Qin led Feng Nanshu by the hand as they walked over.


Jiang Zhihua couldn’t resist scrutinizing Feng Nanshu, “Only a scammer like Boss Jiang could trick such a girl into his grasp.”


“What did you say?”


“Nothing… Oh, there’s a couple mug that has been selling very well recently. Would you two like to take a look?”


Jiang Zhihua’s words triggered the required response and Jiang Qin and Feng Nanshu’s attention was all diverted there. They saw two thermoses, one was blue and white, and the other was pink and white.


Christmas has started to gain popularity these past few years. Besides gifting apples, an assortment of gifts also had their markets.


Because no matter what the festival (as long as it’s not Tomb-Sweeping Day) they could all be related to romance, so pairs of daily necessities like these were most popular.


“Jiang Qin.”


“Hmm?”


“Let’s buy some ‘good friends’ mugs.”


Feng Nanshu looked into his eyes.


Chapter 174: My Wife, Drink More Water


TL: Etude


Jiang Qin looked at Feng Nanshu solemnly, thinking to himself that she might be able to deceive herself, but could she deceive others? He wondered if she could truly say what kind of cup this was with a clear conscience.


But Feng Nanshu, clutching the cup, refused to let go.


She was wearing a white down jacket, its hood trimmed with light pink fluff, making her look exceptionally lively and pure. Under the orange supermarket lights, her aloof and beautiful face carried a hint of stubbornness, her teeth lightly biting her red lips, and her eyes brimming with determination.


“I’m out of money. I’ve been burning through cash for promotions lately and even have to scrounge for meals.”


Jiang Qin put on a poor face, pretending to be broke.


“I have money, I’ll buy it for you.”


She was rich enough to spend without blinking an eye.


Before he could say “don’t buy it,” Jiang Qin suddenly thought, what if she calls me ‘big brother’? How would I respond?


I’m defenseless against that.


In the end, the couple’s cup would be bought, and just one ‘big brother’ would shatter another piece of concrete, losing both his wife and his soldiers.


Ah, a young girl’s money is so easy to earn, especially those like her, trapped in a friendship.


She just wanted to collect more things related to him, desperately incorporating traces of him into her life, as if that would make him impossible to lose or forget. She didn’t care whether it was worth it or not.


So, in the end, what she was buying wasn’t just a cup, but rather that pure and beautiful connection.


She was still worried about whether a best friend could last a lifetime, so she wanted to keep everything related to him in her life.


“Boss Jiang, how much for these two cups?”


“Thank you for your patronage, 99 yuan. I’ll round it down to 90 for you.”


“No need to round it down. I don’t like being short one yuan. Here’s a hundred, keep the change!”


Jiang Zhihua, with a beaming smile, received the hundred yuan note, thinking to himself that if she had known Jiang’s biggest weakness was this stunningly beautiful girl, she wouldn’t have bothered making the ‘Star of Learning’ contest.


I should have just written your name on every product, like those milk tea cups, and made a fortune off your family!


After watching the pair leave, Boss Jiang came out from behind the counter, set up a new pair of couple’s cups, and replaced the old price tag with a new one priced at 100 yuan.


She hadn’t noticed the price issue at first, but Jiang Qin’s reminder made her realize.


Who would want to buy an incomplete love? It’s simply inauspicious.


Changing the price from 99 to 100 yuan, making it complete, was more in line with what couples would desire.


No wonder he made money, the attention to detail was unbeatable.


“Jiang Qin, I’m hungry.”


“Me too, let’s go to the cafeteria for a meal.”


Jiang Qin and Feng Nanshu, holding hands and each carrying a cup, headed to the cafeteria for a meal.


The rabbit might not have been saved, but they still needed to eat. Jiang Qin ordered several dishes: crispy fried yellow fish, boiled shrimp, cold shredded pork ears, and a small stir-fried lotus pond dish, with a bowl of rice each.


He was genuinely starving, wolfing down his meal as soon as he sat down, feeling slightly better only after filling his stomach a bit.


Then he noticed the little rich lady pulling out her wallet from her pocket and silently pushing it towards him.


“What’s this? Do you want to keep me?”1


Feng Nanshu pursed her lips slightly, “I can’t spend all my living expenses. You spend it for me.”


Jiang Qin didn’t expect to be actually kept, “Is it all here?”


“I lent fifty to Gao Wenhui. I’ll get it back for you tomorrow.”


Jiang Qin opened the wallet and saw it was filled with crisp hundred yuan notes, two bank cards, a milk tea card – the entirety of the little rich lady’s wealth minus fifty.


“If you give me your money, what will you do? Have you thought about it? From now on, you’ll have to eat with me, ask me for money for snacks, go shopping with me, and even for outings…”


“?”


As Jiang Qin spoke, he increasingly felt something was off, while Feng Nanshu seemed to be getting excited.


“I don’t want it. Keep your wallet safe, don’t lose it. Actually, I’m not really poor, crying poor is just a hobby of mine.”


Hearing this, Feng Nanshu stretched out her hand and pushed the wallet back towards Jiang Qin again, her expression serious and earnest.


Jiang Qin temporarily set aside the wallet and fed her a peanut. He saw the little rich lady’s seriousness dissolve in an instant, obediently opening her mouth to eat, her lips looking shiny and moist.


Just then, a sneaky figure was caught by Jiang Qin’s gaze.


The person, realizing they’d been spotted, stopped hiding and swaggered over, sitting beside Feng Nanshu. They even took a pair of chopsticks from the sterilizer cabinet and started eating the cold shredded pork ear, which was oily, crisp, and wrapped in sauce, delicious and tender.


“Classmate Gao.”


“Hmm?”


“You’ve really got guts. You lied to me and now you’re brazenly eating my food? Why don’t you show some more audacity and just sit on my lap?”


“That’s Feng Nanshu’s spot. If I sat there, she would cry.” Gao Wenhui mimicked the little rich lady’s expression, feigning aloofness.


Jiang Qin’s face darkened: “You must be related to the God of Matchmaking, right?”


Gao Wenhui took a deep breath and spoke righteously, “I didn’t plan on coming at first, but then I thought, the candy I snagged with my skills, why shouldn’t I enjoy it? Wouldn’t I be at a loss?”


Jiang Qin lowered his voice and spoke seriously, “Don’t play these games again. I thought she was being bullied, I almost ran a red light on the way back.”


“Ah? I… I didn’t know!”


“Now you know?”


Gao Wenhui pondered for a moment: “Doesn’t that just show how important Feng Nanshu is to you? The moment she acts out of the ordinary, you get all flustered. That’s love, indescribable.”


Jiang Qin glanced at Feng Nanshu, who was intently twisting the cap of her cup, and felt a bit more at ease: “Eat your food. Do you really need to worry about us?”


“Sulfur dioxide and oxygen also need vanadium pentoxide as a catalyst to form sulfur trioxide.”


“You know I don’t study, are you deliberately provoking me?” Jiang Qin’s cold smile was colder than a winter night.


Gao Wenhui raised her hand: “You two continue your show, I’ll keep quiet and just eat.”


“…”


Jiang Qin turned to look at Feng Nanshu, noticing her staring blankly at the bottom of the cup, her long, curled eyelashes fluttering, her cheeks noticeably redder than before, as if she was lost in thought.


“What are you looking at?”


Jiang Qin was curious. He and Gao Wenhui had been talking for so long, and the little rich lady seemed to have been staring at the cup the whole time.


Was there something inside? Something so captivating.


“I’m not looking at anything.”


Feng Nanshu seemed a bit guilty but still defiantly shook her head.


“There must be something in the cup, right? Let me see.”


Jiang Qin reached out to her for the cup.


“Jiang Qin, there’s nothing in the cup. Just focus on feeding me.”


The little rich lady opened her mouth slightly, cutely pleading for him to feed her.


“The more you say that, the more I want to see. There’s definitely a secret in there, right?”


Feng Nanshu was silent for a moment, then coldly handed over the cup.


Jiang Qin wasn’t thinking too much, just curious. But when he looked into the cup, his expression gradually became serious.


Inside the stainless steel cup were five embossed characters saying “My wife, drink more water.”


Jiang Qin was stunned for a long time. He opened his own cup and saw five similar characters, reading “My husband, drink more water.”


“Whose brilliant idea was this, anyway?”


When he had received the cups from Jiang Zhihua, he had carefully examined them. Although the two cups were color-coordinated and identical in shape, they had no explicit messages.


Sure, they were couple’s cups, but it wasn’t necessary for them to be identical.


Just like the couple’s shirts they had bought at the Wanzhong Mall, there were no blatant phrases like ‘I love you’, ‘you love me’, ‘husband’, ‘wife’, which made wearing them more comfortable.


But who knew there was a hidden trick inside the cups?


“Give it back to me after you’re done looking…”


Feng Nanshu, though appearing aloof, was actually a bit panicked, afraid he wouldn’t give it back after seeing the words.


“Use hot water to clean it several times, preferably fill it up and leave it overnight. I smell a bit of an odor, but the certification looks legitimate, so it should be fine.”


Pretending not to have seen anything, Jiang Qin nonchalantly handed the cup back to her.


“I got it.”


Feng Nanshu hugged the cup to her chest, treasuring it dearly.


Jiang Qin turned to Gao Wenhui: “I heard you borrowed fifty yuan from the little rich lady?”


Gao Wenhui looked up: “It’s the end of the month, I was a bit short on living expenses. But you two are still good friends, why start managing money now?”


“My point is, if you’re short on living expenses, you can work part-time at the little rich lady’s milk tea shop instead of robbing Peter to pay Paul.”


“Isn’t the milk tea shop fully staffed?” Gao Wenhui was surprised.


Jiang Qin spoke after eating a few bites: “We’re opening milk tea shops in the University of Science of Technology and the Teachers’ University. We definitely need to send experienced staff there first, so this shop will be short-staffed. You’re Feng Nanshu’s best friend, so working part-time at the front plaza for a while, and maybe later as a manager, would reassure me.”


“Of course, it’s reassuring with family. I’ll go tomorrow.”


“What family? You’re really a treasure, Gao. You haven’t even started working, and I already feel like docking your pay!”


“??????”


“Let’s settle on that, then. I’ll inform Hu Xin, and you can learn from her.”


After finishing his meal and feeding Feng Nanshu a few bites, Jiang Qin picked up his cup, glanced at the words inside, and walked out of the cafeteria.


“Nanshu, you must take control of your family’s finances in the future. Don’t hand them over to Jiang Qin. A woman only has a say when she controls the family’s wealth.”


Feng Nanshu looked at her, bewildered: “Wenhui, I forgot to ask, wasn’t your leg hurting?”


Gao Wenhui was speechless for a moment: “Suddenly, it got better.”


“Wenhui, you’re bad, I won’t listen to you.”


Actually, Jiang Qin’s decision to have Gao Wenhui work part-time at Xi Tian was calculated.


This woman was unpredictable, a wildcard within the uncontrollable spectrum. But once Gao joined Xi Tian, whether or not her salary got docked would be up to him.


Jiang Qin walked contentedly to the dormitory building and saw Cao Guangyu also returning. The cup in his hand looked like the same model as his, still wrapped in plastic film.


“Yo!”


“What yo? Get lost!”




Chapter 175: A Peaceful Christmas Eve Among Good Friends


TL: Etude


As soon as the word “scram” was shouted, Cao Guangyu instantly became like a jammed gun barrel, with the words he was about to say abruptly choked back.


“Is that cup a gift from Ding Xue?” Jiang Qin glanced at him.


“Who else could it be if not her?” Cao Guangyu’s mouth twisted awkwardly.


“Heh, shameless. Clearly a couple, yet using a ‘good friends’ cup. Trying to shirk responsibility? What a jerk.”


With a cold, righteous sneer, Jiang Qin strode into the dormitory.


“?!”


Cao Guangyu was utterly baffled, thinking to himself how odd Jiang Qin was behaving, mentioning a ‘good friends’ cup when the cup clearly had ‘husband and wife’ written on it!


Entering the dormitory, they were greeted by a warm atmosphere.


Ren Ziqiang and Zhou Chao were both there, each lying on their beds reading novels, completely engrossed in the stories.


Ever since Cao Guangyu started dating and Jiang Qin’s business became increasingly busy, these two had begun to keep each other company, attending classes, eating, and reading novels together in the dorm, living a lazy and carefree life.


Especially after the launch of the group-buying service, they practically nested in the dormitory.


A warm dorm, cozy bed, meals delivered downstairs, lying down with a novel in hand – what could be more blissful?

Jiang Qin had Feng Nanshu, and Cao Guangyu had Ding Xue, which was quite enviable.


But at that moment, they felt that their own lives were not so bad, perhaps even better in some respects.


“Bro Jiang, Bro Cao, where did you get those cups?”


Seeing the two with identical thermoses, Zhou Chao couldn’t help but poke his head out from under the covers, his small eyes filled with immense curiosity.


“It was a gift.” Cao Guangyu replied briefly, uncharacteristically low-key.


“Is there a Christmas event giving away thermoses? Where can I get one, at the college supermarket or the front plaza? Ren and I will also go get one.”


Zhou Chao had no resistance to freebies, but to his surprise, neither Cao Guangyu nor Jiang Qin responded, instead quietly sitting down and turning on their computers.


Cao Guangyu booted up his computer to log into QQ and continue his online romance with Ding Xue, while Jiang Qin turned his on to discuss work matters with Lai Cunqing at Keda.


“Bro Cao, where exactly are they giving them away? Can I still make it?”


Zhou Chao looked at their matching thermoses, itching with curiosity.


Such a cup would cost at least fifty or sixty yuan, perfect for use in class during winter. He had been wanting to buy one, but with the end of the month approaching and funds running low, he would be thrilled to snag one for free during a promotion.


Cao Guangyu smiled subtly and nonchalantly uttered five words: “A gift from my girlfriend.”


“…”


Hearing this, Zhou Chao and Ren Ziqiang immediately flopped back, staring blankly at the ceiling for a long time, thinking how despicable the two were for flaunting this in their faces.


The joys and sorrows of humanity are truly diverse and unique.


Watching their expressions, Cao Guangyu felt immensely satisfied, as if the little devils on his shoulders were dancing wildly.


He still remembered the scene at the beginning of the semester when Jiang Qin mentioned going out to eat with a girl, stirring up the entire dorm. He never imagined that he, the ordinary Cao Guangyu, could stand shoulder to shoulder with Jiang Qin and share the same view!


The most important thing was that Jiang Qin’s relationship had stalled, whereas his own love with Ding Xue was blazing hot!


Perhaps…


Perhaps one day, he could even surpass Jiang Qin!


Just then, Cao Guangyu suddenly noticed Jiang Qin pulling out a pink and white wallet from his pocket, thick and bulging, with the corner of a stack of red notes peeking out.


“Jiang Qin, why are you using a pink wallet? That’s so effeminate.”


“It’s Feng Nanshu’s.”


“?”


“I lied to her that I was broke, and she insisted on supporting me, giving me all her money. I remember I didn’t ask for it, so how did it end up with me?”


Jiang Qin smacked his lips, placing the wallet on the table, planning to return it to the little rich lady the next day.


Hearing his response, Cao Guangyu’s smile gradually stiffened and he turned his head away in silence, the light in his eyes extinguishing in an instant.


No way to tease, no way at all.


Jiang Qin’s love life was too fantastical, beyond even his imagination.


…


The following evening, on Christmas Eve, light snow fell, deepening the twilight.


Jiang Qin sat in the boss chair of Room 208, leaning against the heater, reviewing the 8 PM orders. He sifted through the data to find the dormitory with the highest number of orders that night.


“Section C, Building 2. Let’s see which department it is.”


“Oh, the Construction Engineering department. Not surprising.”


“On this night of couples going out to have fun, it must be the sunny and cheerful boys of the Construction Engineering department who are unwaveringly supporting the group-buying.”


Jiang Qin twisted open his cup lid, and before taking a sip, he involuntarily looked at the five words on the bottom of the cup.


“My husband, drink more water.”


He realized he had unconsciously developed a bad habit of needing to look at those words before drinking. If he didn’t, it felt like something was missing.


“What a fine Christmas Eve, and no one to keep this boss company?”


After drinking, Jiang Qin looked around the office and found that everyone from 208 was out, leaving the office completely empty.


“Boss, I’ll keep you company!”


As he spoke, a head suddenly popped up from behind a desk.


Jiang Qin turned to see Lu Feiyu, who was apparently willing to grovel to the powerful.


“No need, you go have fun. I’m used to being alone,” Jiang Qin waved him off.


Lu Feiyu remained motionless in his chair. “Boss, I’m not like those heartless ones. Don’t worry, I won’t leave you.”


“You can’t find a girlfriend?”


“…”


“Heh.”


Three minutes later, Lu Feiyu was kicked out of the entrepreneurship center by Jiang Qin, cursing as he left, resenting the threat of a salary deduction.


Jiang Qin watched him go, thinking that Lu was quite filial, but it was just not the right time.


Christmas Eve with another guy? What would that look like?


He wrapped himself tightly and looked up at the sky, noticing the snowflakes that had started to fall, quickly blanketing the ground in white.


According to fairy tales, it wouldn’t be strange for a princess to appear in such a setting.


Jiang Qin exhaled a cloud of white breath, not bothered by the cold, and sat down on the steps.


Before long, Feng Nanshu walked through the snowy night towards him. She wore a white down jacket paired with a ladylike short skirt, thick black tights covering her shapely legs, and small sheepskin boots leaving footprints in the snow. Snowflakes clung to her long hair, captivatingly beautiful.


“She really does look like a princess…” Jiang Qin stood up, his gaze somewhat dazed.


Feng Nanshu approached demurely, slipping her right hand into his pocket: “Is everyone here?”


“You’re not in luck. There’s no one in the office. Seems like they’ve all gone out to party.” Jiang Qin reached into his pocket, holding her hand and gently squeezing it.


Feng Nanshu lifted her face, her eyes soft and warm: “Jiang Qin, I want to watch a movie with you.”


“Then let’s go.”


Jiang Qin led her into the entrepreneurship center, pushing open the door of Room 207.


The sofa, originally against the wall, had been moved to the center of the room. In front of it, a table displayed a television borrowed from the college. Though it lacked a stand, a converter connected it to a nearby computer, allowing it to serve as an extended screen.


Additionally, the coffee table in front of the sofa was laden with snacks, and a blanket for warmth was draped over the back of the sofa. Everything was prepared thoughtfully.


“Wow, who knew exactly what we wanted and set this up in advance?”


Jiang Qin feigned surprise as if seeing it for the first time.


“He must be a good person.”


Feng Nanshu’s eyes sparkled, then she raised her arms, inviting Jiang Qin to help her off with her down jacket.


Coincidentally, both of them were wearing the ‘good friends’ outfits they had bought from the Wanzhong Mall, a choice made without prior discussion, purely based on their tacit understanding.


“Go sit on the sofa.”


“Okay.”


Feng Nanshu settled on the sofa, untying her bootlaces. Her small feet, encased in thick tights, emerged from the boots and curled up on the sofa.


After ensuring she was comfortable, Jiang Qin locked the door, turned off the lights in Room 207, leaving only the glow of the television to light the room, instantly creating a dim atmosphere.


“Jiang Qin, what movie shall we watch?”


“I pre-selected a few. See if there’s any you like.”


Jiang Qin joined her on the sofa, moving the mouse to open a folder titled “Movies to Watch with Your Best Friend on Christmas Eve.”


The previous night, while chatting on QQ, the little rich lady had expressed her desire to watch a movie with him on Christmas Eve, but not in a theater. So, Jiang Qin had spent three hours collecting and downloading movies.


The folder contained classics that were not overly romantic, devoid of nudity or passionate scenes, suitable for all ages, and wouldn’t corrupt the little rich lady. There were eight movies in total, like “Spirited Away,” “Hachi: A Dog’s Tale,” “The Pursuit of Happyness”…


Especially “The Pursuit of Happyness,” with a storyline of a man going through divorce and hardships, raising a child alone, was a standout choice.


Feng Nanshu shifted forward, snuggling up to Jiang Qin. Her pretty face neared the screen, her beautiful eyes reflecting the light from the monitor.


“You choose. Here’s the mouse.”


Jiang Qin turned away from the screen, leaning back on the sofa, his arms hanging loosely. Suddenly, in the dim light, he felt a stocking-clad foot.


Feng Nanshu giggled, saying it tickled, then changed her position from half-kneeling to sitting sideways, just like on that rainy day. She draped her leg over, placing her warm foot back in his hand.


I am a gentleman.


Jiang Qin reminded himself of his gentlemanly demeanor while enjoying the sensation of the small foot in his hand.


“Actually, they all seem nice. Just pick any.”


Feng Nanshu pursed her lips softly, speaking in a gentle tone: “Jiang Qin, what if I want to watch them all?”


Jiang Qin waved his hand dismissively: “You wish. Eight movies? We’d be watching till dawn. We’re only picking one tonight.”


“Big brother, let’s watch all eight.”


“If you call me ‘big brother’ again, I might just eat you up!”


Jiang Qin suddenly lifted the foot in his hand, threatening her fiercely, appearing quite serious.


“…”


“Big brother.”


The look in Feng Nanshu’s eyes seemed to ripple like water.



Chapter 176: The Little Rich Lady Grows More Rebellious


TL: Etude


In many people’s hearts, Feng Nanshu was always seen as aloof, quiet, and unapproachable, like a pure white memory of youth. Even years later, when recalled, she remained coldly elegant and pristine.


But at this moment, she lay back on the sofa, playfully dangling one black-stockinged foot, her eyes sparkling as she called out “Big brother.”


Jiang Qin felt that even an experienced woman like Ding Xue, despite all her skills, couldn’t utter “Big brother” in such a heart-stirring manner.


The difference between fake cuteness and genuine cuteness was vast, just as the destructive power of ordinary cuteness and breathtaking cuteness was worlds apart.


Feng Nanshu, without a doubt, was the strongest in this regard.


Yet, perhaps even she was unaware of how enticing she was at this moment.


Jiang Qin, who had never been in love and had little experience dealing with the opposite sex, thought it remarkable that he had lasted this long on his own strength. Even if Sanzang himself were here, he might admit that he wanted to learn this trick.


(Sanzang = famous monk)


But Sanzang could never learn it; such allure required innate talent.


“Little rich lady, I’m giving you one last chance, or else I really will give in!”


“Big brother.”


“Feng Nanshu, you… you really are becoming more rebellious!!!”


Outside, the snowfall grew heavier, accumulating a layer on the windowsill, reflecting the nearby streetlight’s glow.


In this quiet, peaceful snowy night, Jiang Qin suddenly thought that maybe, just maybe, Santa Claus really did exist in this world.


Because gifts were indeed placed in stockings.


After a while, he sat up straight, took a couple of sips from the thermos on the table, then covered himself with the blanket again, silently opening the file folder containing “Spirited Away,” and began to watch the movie with a serious and upright demeanor.


As a masterpiece in animated films, “Spirited Away” was like a magnificent and bizarre dream woven by Hayao Miyazaki. Its artistic quality was extremely high, and its storytelling was splendid. Whether it was the imaginative plot or the colorful scenery, each element demonstrated the peak level of a master animator.


Many contemporary movies fail to stand the test of time, becoming outdated within years. But a classic film always retains its timeless charm.


Look at the characterization, the dialogue… analyzing it from a professional film critic’s perspective…


Well, he couldn’t continue to pretend. He took a deep breath and turned to look at Feng Nanshu.


“What happened just now is a secret between good friends and must not be shared with others. When I came in, I left my bottom line at the door, which is why I acted that way. When I leave later, I’ll pick it up and put it back on. Let’s pretend nothing happened.”


Jiang Qin spoke seriously.


“I understand, we’ll pretend nothing happened.”


Feng Nanshu gently massaged her foot, murmuring her agreement.


Hearing her response, Jiang Qin felt relieved but couldn’t help recalling Professor Yan unable to resist temptation and drinking heavily here.


Was Room 207 a low point for moral standards?


Oh, that explained it. It seemed unfair to blame only himself.


Professor Yan, who was usually strict with himself and lenient with others, had also dropped his standards in this room. If even he could falter, it was no surprise for an ordinary university student like himself.


Tomorrow, he’d ask Lanlan to make a small box labeled “Temporary Storage for Principles” and install it at the door.


“Open your mouth and eat it.”


“If you don’t eat the food from this world, you will slowly disappear.”


“…”


As the plot progressed, the little rich lady’s eyes gradually brightened by the screen, her attention fully captured. Her mouth opened slightly in surprise, looking incredibly cute.


Passing through the tunnel into another world, turning into pigs after eating, a boat full of spirits, a boiler man with many legs… each scene challenged her small worldview.


Jiang Qin watched her for a long while, his lips curling into a confident smile.


The first time Jiang Qin saw Feng Nanshu, he noticed her in the library, deeply engrossed in reading “The Magic Eyed Girl: Peggy Sue,” a fantasy adventure novel. Describing her as a girl with a penchant for youthful fantasy wouldn’t be an exaggeration. So, it was no surprise that “Spirited Away” would suit her taste. His judgment, as it turned out, was spot on.


Is it difficult to appease a beautiful, fairy-like young girl? With his approach, he was probably reaching the human limits of persuasion.


But to be honest, if Feng Nanshu weren’t so dependent on him, winning over a wealthy and beautiful girl like her would be quite challenging.


Only when she willingly lets you coax her, can everything you do reach her heart. But if she’s unwilling, even fetching the moon for her wouldn’t seem enough.


Jiang Qin shifted his position, pulling the blanket up and casually feeding a chip into her mouth.


Strange.


Feng Nanshu’s lips seemed much more enticing than usual, moist and full.


Jiang Qin held his breath for a moment, took a couple of sips from his cup to calm himself.


“Jiang Qin, I’m thirsty too.”


“Did you bring your cup?”


Feng Nanshu shook her head, her gaze still fixed on the screen, unwilling to look away.


Jiang Qin had no choice but to open his cup and extend it to her, only to see the little rich lady part her lips, clearly expecting him to feed her.


The two often shared chopsticks, so sharing a cup was no issue.


Maybe it was the dim lighting, with the only illumination coming from the TV screen, that made Feng Nanshu’s act of drinking water seem pure and enticing.


“It’s a bit hot, drink slowly.”


“Okay.”


After he fed her, Jiang Qin’s gaze suddenly froze on the cup’s rim, becoming lost in thought.


The rim, made of stainless steel, shone brightly under the TV’s light, but now it bore a faint pink lipstick mark, small and cute.


Why was the little rich lady’s lipstick smudging?

Jiang Qin’s eyes widened: “Holy shit, Feng Nanshu, did you put on lipstick?”


Feng Nanshu panicked slightly but still replied assertively, “Just a little bit.”


“Why would you think of wearing lipstick?”


“It was Wenhui who put it on me. I didn’t want it, but she forced me,” Feng Nanshu replied with a cool demeanor.


After hearing this, Jiang Qin felt a chill: “Damn, Wenhui is a real terrorist. What is she trying to do?”


“I don’t know, but I won’t play with her anymore.”


“Remember what you said today.”


“Okay.”


Feng Nanshu nervously shifted her gaze back to the TV, but her mind involuntarily replayed previous scenes.


Wang Haini in her dormitory was the second one to have a handsome “big teddy bear,” only slightly slower than her.


Since it was Christmas Eve, Wang Haini naturally planned to spend the festival with her “big teddy bear.”


Thus, she spent the entire afternoon in the dorm, meticulously doing her eyebrows and makeup, making herself look refined and elegant.


This scene had sparked a trial attempt in the little rich lady’s mind.


She didn’t know how to apply makeup and wasn’t familiar with it. Her dorm mates rarely wore makeup, but witnessing the before-and-after effect on Wang Haini, she couldn’t help but be amazed.


Women, regardless of their personality, all have a vanity streak.


Wenhui was a clever girl with her own tricks. She noticed the little rich lady’s desire to try makeup for Jiang Qin, so she picked a lipstick that brightened the lips’ natural color. The shade was close to Feng Nanshu’s natural lip color, faint, light, and soft.


But the charm it added was limitless.


At first, Jiang Qin wondered why Feng Nanshu’s lips looked so tempting tonight, almost driving him crazy with the desire to kiss them.


He thought it was his own problem, not realizing that Wenhui was behind it.


Luckily, he thought, Wenhui was part of his circle. If such a “terrorist” were out there, it would pose a serious threat to his personal safety.


Soon, the two-hour movie approached its end. When the final credits rolled and the software returned to the black screen, the unlit room plunged into darkness.


“Jiang Qin, let’s watch another one.”


Feng Nanshu’s voice echoed in the darkness.


“If we watch another hour, you won’t be able to return to your dorm. How will you sleep?”


Jiang Qin dared not watch another.


“I want to stay here and watch movies with you all night.”


Feng Nanshu curled up her legs, hugging them together, not feeling sleepy at all.


“But… I’m running low on energy.”


“?”


Jiang Qin moved the mouse, deliberating for a while, and finally opened “The Pursuit of Happyness.”


This film was also a classic, recently released, and popular in pirated forms on movie platforms. However, people without life experience, especially someone like the little rich lady, might find it hard to fully grasp the film’s poignant moments.


Back in his days as a corporate drone, Jiang Qin had relied on this film to sustain his spirit, hoping to achieve something significant through hard work, only to realize it amounted to nothing.


As expected, not long into the film, Feng Nanshu began yawning, her head constantly leaning towards Jiang Qin’s shoulder.


This movie, unlike the fantastical adventures of “Spirited Away,” held less appeal in her world.


“Is it a bit boring?”


“I love it,” Feng Nanshu said earnestly.


Jiang Qin chuckled: “Your eyes are barely open. Go back and sleep.”


“Jiang Qin, just a little longer.”


“Then how about this? I’ll take you for a walk outside to freshen up?”


Upon hearing the word “walk,” the little rich lady immediately nodded in agreement, then stretched her feet towards him, asking for help with her shoes.


The two left the entrepreneurship center, holding hands under an umbrella, wandering aimlessly and leaving a trail of footprints in the snow.


From the back playground to the maple forest, from the maple forest to Moonwatch Lake, and from there to the sports complex.


Linchuan University, dressed in its snowy attire, looked like a fairyland.


In the end, the little rich lady naively realized she had been led to her dormitory door.


“Alright, go wash your feet and sleep well. Have sweet dreams.”


“Jiang Qin, you’re a bad guy.” Feng Nanshu knew she had been tricked.


“Who’s a bad guy? We agreed earlier, only one movie tonight. I’m drained, need to recharge. Be good and listen.”


Hearing this, the little rich lady could only wave goodbye, watching him leave, then dashed back to her dormitory, took off her stockings, and blankly stared at her tender, pink toes.


Meanwhile, Jiang Qin returned to his dormitory and was surprised to find Old Cao lying on his bed.


This guy had borrowed five hundred yuan from him in the morning and asked Zhou Chao to leave the door open for him the next morning. Why was he lying so obediently in bed now?


“Huh?”


“What ‘huh’? Scram!”


Cao Guangyu was furious, turning his back to face the wall.


Girls are indeed a strange species. It was she who asked if the girl opposite them was pretty. Even when he said she was okay, she got angry. What was the logic in that?


But at least Jiang Qin was back too, which was somewhat comforting to him.



Chapter 177: I Don’t Get Up Early for Nothing


TL: Etude


“Can we finally use group buying at the University of Science of Technology?”


“Get it online fast. I swear, apart from attending classes, I won’t step out of the dorm. It’s too damn cold outside!”


“I feel like someone’s eyeing my wallet. Is it just me?”


“Just got my living allowance, but why do I feel like it’s no longer mine?”


…


Christmas and New Year’s Day were close, just six days apart. During these days, the team at the University of Science of Technology worked tirelessly to prepare for the launch of their group buying initiative.


Lai Cunqing was in charge of online promotions, offering various deals like a first-day discount of 20% off, additional discounts for dormitory group purchases, and New Year’s promotions in the campus mall, all inspired by Linchuan University’s tactics. They started with a strong offensive.


Ding Qiaona handled the offline recruitment, quickly finding part-time delivery staff and even training the dormitory caretakers within a week.


Even though they were following Linchuan University’s footsteps, their swift progress spoke volumes of their effort.


“Well done, you’ve worked hard these past few days,” Jiang Qin said, nodding in approval after hearing the report.


“It’s nothing, boss. Our earnings are almost catching up to those who work full-time in the shopping streets. We’d feel guilty if we didn’t do a good job,” Lai Cunqing said earnestly.


Lai Cunqing, a genuine student from a poor background, came from a well-known impoverished area. With four siblings, just managing tuition fees was a struggle, let alone living expenses.


Work-study might just be a tool for Jiang Qin, but for people like them, it held significant meaning.


“This is just the beginning. Look forward to the future,” Jiang Qin encouraged.


Then he turned to Ding Qiaona, the girl with big eyes, “Qiaona, have we met before? You look familiar.”


Ding Qiaona opened her mouth in surprise, “You have a good memory, boss. We have met.”


“Where?”


“At the University of Science of Technology Campus Beauty Contest. I came fourth. I met you on the day of the award ceremony, and then I joined our team.”


Ding Qiaona, a sophomore and fourth place in the campus beauty contest, joined the team mid-way, recruited by Wei Lanlan.


At that time, Jiang Qin was focused on Linchuan University’s group buying business, so they hadn’t met.


But knowing that a campus beauty was part of his team, working her way up to a deputy manager position, Jiang Qin was quite surprised.


That’s more like it!


Not all attractive people are content being just a pretty face. There are those who are good-looking and incredibly hardworking too.


Like himself, flaunting top-tier looks yet choosing to shine through talent. Let’s see who dares say Jiang Qin shouldn’t work too hard with such handsome looks!


“Feeling a bit hungry. Any recommendations for the shopping street?”


Jiang Qin rubbed his stomach, feeling it empty.


Ding Qiaona thought for a moment, “I had a delicious pig trotter (pig foot) noodle dish there yesterday. Would you like to try it?”


“Pig trotter?”


Jiang Qin pondered, then smiled and shook his head, “No more pig trotters for me. I had the best in the world on Christmas Eve.”


“That’s impossible. The pig trotters at the University of Science of Technology’s shopping street are famous,” Ding Qiaona couldn’t believe it.


“Let’s try something else.”


“What would you like, boss?”


“I heard there’s a cruel fat man on the shopping street who kills cute bunnies and roasts them deliciously. Let’s go save one!”


Jiang Qin snapped his fingers, leading them to the shopping street. They ordered a whole spicy rabbit. Its skin was golden and crispy, yet the meat wasn’t dry. The thicker parts were juicy and flavorful.


It seemed Su Nai’s taste was indeed good. No wonder he mentioned rabbit that day. Only someone with a heart as compassionate as his would return to rescue one.


“By the way, Qiaona, how is Guo Zihang doing under you? What is he responsible for now?”


Jiang Qin asked casually about the well-being of his close friend after taking a sip of water.


“According to your previous arrangement, he’s now responsible for coordinating with the dormitory caretakers, and he’s making great progress. Thanks to him, my workload has been significantly reduced.”


Ding Qiaona used the idiom ‘like a fish in water’ to describe the situation, which Jiang Qin hadn’t expected.


Well, it seemed Guo Zihang had managed to earn such high praise, which was no small feat.


“In the coming period, you might have to work even harder, but I believe you can handle it. The market at the University of Science of Technology is in your hands now.”


“We’ll give it our all. But boss, aren’t you going to oversee the launch these next few days?”


“The exam week is approaching, and I need to study hard. After all, I am, at least nominally, a ‘star student’.”


Jiang Qin finished the remaining rabbit confidently, wiped his mouth, and bid farewell to the two.


The ‘star student’ part was a bit of a stretch, but not failing too many subjects was the real goal. Otherwise, with his mother’s temper, this year would not end peacefully.


He had already made plans with his three roommates to start a rigorous study session from the next day, vowing to stay in the study room until the end. Whoever left first would be the loser.


But before going back to study, Jiang Qin decided to visit the Wanzhong Mall in the city center.


The group buying initiative was booming, with sales of various products soaring after comprehensive marketing. This showed that not all university students were short of money.


With this foundation, Jiang Qin felt more confident, so he decided to make an appearance at the mall to maintain his presence.


He parked in the underground lot and took the elevator to the fourth floor, where he headed to Yue Zhu’s office.


“Mr. Jiang, please have some tea,” Yue Zhu offered a cup of tea. “How’s business at the university?”


“It’s going well, especially the promotion at the University of Science of Technology. It’s quite demanding,” Jiang Qin replied after a sip of tea.


“Speaking of the University of Science of Technology, I’ve already arranged for the delivery trucks with Manager Zhang. There won’t be any issues, rest assured.”


“I didn’t come to chase you for the trucks. I was just passing by and decided to stop in. By the way, how are the shoe insoles I gave you last time?”


Yue Zhu smiled slightly, “They’re very helpful. At least my feet don’t hurt as much.”


“That’s good.”


The conversation flowed, but neither touched on the topic of online sales. Even though Jiang Qin tried to steer the conversation that way, Yue Zhu didn’t pick it up.


It would be too forced and unnatural for him to blatantly boast, “Look how amazing our online sales are this month!” That wasn’t his style.


“Manager Yue, you look quite tired. Haven’t been resting well?”


Yue Zhu sighed, “Since the Winter Solstice, the mall has been running non-stop promotions. As the marketing manager, I’ve been leading the charge, so I haven’t had much rest. Things should get better after New Year’s.”


Jiang Qin understood that Yue Zhu wasn’t avoiding the topic of online sales; the mall’s offline marketing had been too frequent recently.


From seasonal discount festivals, Winter Solstice Day, Christmas activities, to New Year promotions, everyone’s focus was on offline sales.


So, Yue Zhu might not have had the time to pay attention to online sales, or perhaps the online figures paled in comparison to the offline sales.


That was understandable.


No matter how many students there were, they couldn’t match the purchasing power of customers during offline events.


Jiang Qin felt a bit disappointed, realizing he might not be able to show off as planned. He got up to leave, but a deep blue invitation on the desk caught his eye.


“What’s the Linchuan Commerce Association?” Jiang Qin suddenly asked.


Yue Zhu looked surprised, “Oh, that invitation isn’t mine. It’s for Mr. He. The Linchuan Commerce Association is basically a club consisting of some well-known business owners in Linchuan. They meet every New Year’s Day, and Mr. He is one of the members.”


Jiang Qin picked up the invitation, “I happen to have some business with Mr. He. Do you want me to deliver this for you?”


“That would be great. I’ve been so busy these days I haven’t had the chance to deliver it. It’s been lying on my desk for two days. Thank you.”


“No problem, it’s on my way.”


Jiang Qin left with the invitation, glancing at it and finding nothing of value, just a sincere invitation with the date and time.


He then visited He Yijun’s office, casually chatting for a while before bringing out the invitation.


“Mr. He, Manager Yue asked me to deliver this to you — an invitation from the Linchuan Commerce Association.”


He Yijun took the invitation, “Thank you, Mr. Jiang. Have a seat, I’ll make you some tea.”


Jiang Qin coughed subtly, maintaining his composure, “There’s a commerce association in Linchuan? This is the first time I’m hearing about it. What kind of people are members?”


“It includes various business owners from Linchuan — hoteliers, foot bath proprietors, resort owners, shopping mall entrepreneurs, and those owning KTVs, bars, gyms, swimming pools, you name it. It’s quite a diverse group.”


“Sounds impressive. I can almost smell the money.”


He Yijun brought over the tea, “Actually, this association isn’t very significant. Apart from an annual bragging session, it’s mostly for show.”


Jiang Qin placed the tea cup on the table, “Is there a threshold for attending their gatherings?”


“There are indeed certain financial requirements.”


“Mr. He, do you think I could bypass these requirements with my good looks and get in for a stroll?”


He Yijun realized something, “So, Mr. Jiang, you’re interested in this gathering?”


“Indeed, I am a bit curious,” Jiang Qin admitted openly.


“That might be difficult. The member spots are pre-arranged, and those people are quite exclusive. But don’t worry, Mr. Jiang, you’ll eventually receive an invitation.”


He Yijun’s words were subtle, but his meaning was clear: Jiang Qin was not yet eligible.


“How’s your daughter? Still as rebellious?”


Jiang Qin shifted the topic abruptly.


“Just mentioning her makes me angry. Always late or leaving early, she’s turned my hair white.”


He Yijun’s demeanor dropped when he spoke of his daughter.


“It’s possible she dislikes studying because she’s never been immersed in a good academic atmosphere.”


“What do you mean?”


Jiang Qin set down his tea cup and spoke casually, “If you find a well-known star student and take her to a prestigious university, let her experience the intense academic environment, she might start aspiring to university life. How could she not take her studies seriously then?”


He Yijun looked up at him, “I guess, Mr. Jiang, you’re the type of star student who enjoys helping others?”


“Don’t slander me! I’m not one to help without a reason. I’m all about profit and cause.”


“…


“Alright, Mr. Jiang, I can inquire about the gathering for you.”


“Deal.”




Chapter 178: The Makeover Plan for the Tomboy


TL: Etude


Jiang Qin always thought the term “influence” was somewhat metaphysical. He had never seen anyone transformed for the better through mere influence. However, he had encountered a once aloof and adorable girl who, under influence, had quickly learned to call him “brother” with ease.


And she learned it both quickly and well, now using it effortlessly.


This is the classic case of “it takes a lifetime to learn good habits, but only a moment to pick up bad ones.”


Leading someone astray is easy, but to positively influence someone takes an immense amount of time.


He Yijun was probably aware of this, but for his rebellious daughter, he had surely tried every method under the sun. Adding one more to the mix wouldn’t hurt.


As a shrewd and cunning businessman, Mr. He was tough to deal with. But if you considered him as a doting father, his weaknesses became obvious and his soft heart apparent.


Striking unexpectedly and targeting vulnerabilities was the key to achieving one’s goals and then withdrawing gracefully.


Jiang Qin had built his business empire mainly by employing this strategy of psychological manipulation.


“Please enjoy your tea, Mr. Jiang. I’ll go call Manqi over. She’s playing on the computer in the next room.”


“Sure, Mr. He.”


After a while, when Jiang Qin was already on his second cup of tea, He Manqi finally appeared, her face marked by irritation.


Recently, she had dyed her hair blonde and cut her bangs to cover one eye. The exposed eye was heavily made-up, and she sported three earrings on one ear, the highest one even piercing the cartilage.


Jiang Qin almost spat out his tea, thinking she looked exactly like a character from a game.


In the era when non-mainstream fashion was rampant, it seemed everyone followed the same trend.


Truly the mother of rebellion, she epitomized defiance.


“Quick, call him big brother,” Mr. He demanded sternly.


Jiang Qin, feeling oddly demoted in rank, immediately objected, “Mr. He, I really don’t want to be called big brother. Let Manqi call me uncle instead.”


“Ah, right, call him uncle.”


He Manqi scoffed, flipping her hair arrogantly, “Or maybe I should just call him grandpa.”


Jiang Qin had no objections, thinking to himself about the peculiar father-daughter relationship.


Mr. He’s face darkened like the bottom of a pot, “See what I mean? I spoiled her rotten since she was little. She doesn’t understand basic manners and never misses a chance to contradict me.”


“Take it easy, there’s no rush.”


He Manqi glanced at them sideways, “What do you want from me? I haven’t finished my game yet!”


Mr. He pointed at Jiang Qin, “You’re going with your uncle to Linchuan University for a walk, to clear your mind.”


“I’m not going. I finally got a break from school, and now you want me to go back there? Might as well kill me!”


“That’s not a break; you’re suspended,” Mr. He retorted, visibly frustrated.


He Manqi, with a defiant look, said, “Suspended, on a break, what’s the difference?”


Jiang Qin stood up, “University is different from high school. Go have a look; think of it as a fun trip. When you get back, you can boast to your friends about how a cool guy took you around the university.”


“?”


He Manqi internally questioned his ‘cool guy’ claim but seemed slightly intrigued, “Alright, I’ll give you this chance. But if it’s not fun, I’m coming right back!”


Mr. He breathed a sigh of relief, “Thank you, Mr. Jiang.”


“No trouble at all. It’s all in the spirit of mutual benefit.”


Jiang Qin waved his hand and took He Manqi to Linchuan University.


Their first stop was the Entrepreneurship Center 208, where they had to deal with some order issues.


Lu Feiyu and Dong Wenhao were playing cards, their faces covered in sticky notes like a beaded curtain.


Su Nai, Wei Lailan, and a group of girls were painting their nails while chatting about the latest gossip from online forums.


He Manqi looked around in amazement, “Is this the legendary university life?”


Jiang Qin, with a wry smile, replied, “This is the legendary university life.”


Group activities: √


Subsequently, Jiang Qin took He Manqi to the academic building, showing her the interior layout and briefly stopping by the classrooms.


Watching the couples walking hand in hand, and students blatantly playing with their phones during lectures, He Manqi was again wide-eyed with amazement.


“This… is university??”


“Yes, this is university.”


Classroom Experience √


Next, Jiang Qin led her to the Sweet Delight café, the water bar, the sports field, and the maple forest.


Couples were everywhere, flaunting their affection. Many were engaged in social activities – playing cards, mahjong, or building blocks. All these activities left He Manqi staring in disbelief.


“Is university really like this?”


Jiang Qin nodded silently, his expression cool and detached.


Leisure Time √


After some thought, Jiang Qin decided the only thing left unexplored was the dormitory environment. But considering the unappealing odor of the male dorms, he saw no need to visit there.


Instead, he took He Manqi to the female dormitory of the Finance Department. He called Jiang Tian, explaining that a younger cousin from his hometown was visiting and asked her to show He Manqi around.


He chose not to visit the little rich ladys’ dorm because it was too ordinary. But Jiang Tian’s dorm was different – each girl there had her own unique charm and appeal.


A while later, He Manqi emerged from the dorm, looking dazed and regarding Jiang Qin with a new sense of awe.


“What did you talk about?”


“They said you’re Linchuan University’s top aloof heartthrob,” He Manqi swallowed hard.


Jiang Qin smiled modestly, “They’re right.”


“They also said many of the campus beauties like you, but you pay them no attention. You’re aloof yet irresistibly charming.”


“Let’s not discuss what everyone already knows. Tell me something new and interesting.”


He Manqi pondered for a moment, “They mentioned a hot spring trip during the New Year’s holiday, about a guy who got rejected today, and… a comparison of who has the bigger chest. Did you know about this?”


Jiang Qin: “…”


“Do you need me to tell you the results of that comparison?”


“No need, my eyes are the best judge.”


Dorm Atmosphere √


Jiang Qin changed the subject, “Now that you’ve seen all aspects of university life, what are your thoughts?”


He Manqi pursed her lips in thought, “University seems really fun, completely different from high school.”


“Manqi, the things you do in high school, like skipping classes to hang out at internet cafes, are just ways to stand out and feel good in the short term. They’re not real happiness. Compared to what we do in university, it’s a whole different level. You’ve seen that university fun comes in many forms. But if you don’t get into university, you’ll miss out on all this and regret it as you grow older. University is arguably the best part of youth.”


“Really?”


“What do you usually like to do?” Jiang Qin asked in return.


He Manqi, crossing her arms, thought for a moment, “I like going to internet cafes with my friends to play Dance Battle.”


“Well, in university, you can play Dance Battle every day with your friends in the dorm. Your dad won’t be able to control you. He can only call to ask what you’re up to and if you need more money.”


He Manqi inhaled deeply, “Brother Jiang Qin, I want to go to university.”


Jiang Qin gave a thumbs-up, thinking that with this commitment, he could report back to her father.


It takes a lifetime to learn good habits, but only a moment to pick up bad ones.


To make He Manqi aspire to university life, he couldn’t show her the hardworking, studious side. That would be too bitter for her. She’d think, “I’m already fed up with high school. If university is the same, I might as well drop out now!”


But by showing her the lively and fun aspects of university life, she might just start fantasizing about it.


For He Manqi at the moment, studying was something forced upon her by her father, done unwillingly. But if it became a means to enjoy university life, her perspective would likely change.


Of course, He Manqi might just be caught up in the moment and could revert to her old ways after today. But Jiang Qin knew he still owed Mr. He a favor.


The results so far were good, but Jiang Qin felt they were not spectacular enough.


“Manqi, how about dyeing your hair back to its original color and getting rid of that side fringe? You’d look much cleaner and more attractive.”


“No way!” He Manqi’s eyes widened in shock. “That would be so uncool. All the girls at our school look like that!”


“Uncool?”


“Of course, black hair is so bland!”


“It seems I need to forcibly correct your sense of beauty.”


Taking a deep breath, Jiang Qin called up Feng Nanshu, asking her to come over with her hair tied in a ponytail.


Soon after, Feng Nanshu appeared from the girls’ dormitory, her hair in a ponytail, wearing a pale pink sweater and a short white down jacket. Her eyes sparkled as she ran over.


He Manqi was dumbfounded, her eyes wide open as she met Feng Nanshu’s cool gaze and quickly looked down, feeling a shiver of awe.


“See, beauty isn’t about the hairstyle.”


Jiang Qin pointed at Feng Nanshu, “Let’s find a salon and change your hair back, just like this sister. How about it?”


After a moment of being lost in thought, a gleam of excitement sparked in He Manqi’s eyes, “Yes!”


Feng Nanshu glanced at He Manqi, her nose wrinkling slightly, “Jiang Qin, who is she?”


Jiang Qin coughed, “A partner’s younger sister.”


“Let’s go hand in hand.”


“First, let’s get in the car. I’ll take you to get He Manqi’s hair done, and then we’ll all have dinner together.”


Later, they found a sizable hair salon. He Manqi was ecstatic, insisting on getting the exact same hairstyle as Feng Nanshu, regardless of the cost.


She found Feng Nanshu stunningly beautiful in both appearance and demeanor, embodying the coolness she had always aspired to. He Manqi realized that despite her efforts with hair dye and piercings, she had never reached Feng Nanshu’s level of allure.


Not yet achieving it was fine; she would start by imitating.


So, the hairstylist, using Feng Nanshu as a reference, gave He Manqi an identical haircut.


He Manqi, who already had good features, had just been too overtly flamboyant, making her look unrefined. Now, taking cues from Feng Nanshu, she acquired a bit of a goddess-like aura.


High cheekbones, large eyes, and a high ponytail of black hair made her look pure and ethereal.


After the haircut, He Manqi removed her earrings and mimicked Feng Nanshu’s gaze in the mirror.


Holy shit!


Am I really this goddess-like?


He Manqi was thrilled by her new image, her heart racing with excitement.


“Big brother Jiang Qin, do I look good?”


Jiang Qin smiled lightly, “When you go back to school, all the girls will be envious, and all the boys will be at a loss for words. If you also improve your studies, oh my, you’ll be the moonlight in many people’s hearts.”


He Manqi’s eyes widened, “What does ‘moonlight’ mean?”


“It’s like your sister Nanshu. Even years after graduating from high school, when people talk about the most revered girl in school, they probably think of her. I remember back then, many boys would sneak to the back door of their class just to catch a glimpse of her. That’s what ‘moonlight’ means.”


After Jiang Qin finished speaking, he looked at Feng Nanshu, “Why is your face so red?”


Feng Nanshu gazed at him with clear eyes, “Brother Jiang Qin, do I look good?”


“Don’t learn this part!”


“Oh.”


Physical Transformation √



Chapter 179: I Want to Go to University!


TL: Etude


“Tony, can you do me a favor? I want a hairstyle like that too!”


“??????”


“The same as that girl’s hairstyle, one that can be tied into a ponytail or let down over the shoulders. Can you do it?”


“Uh, well…”


“Me too, me too! I don’t want to perm anymore. Can you cut mine the same way?”


“Um, my girlfriend is getting her hair washed. When she’s done, can you give her the same style?”


Upon seeing the goddess-like Feng Nanshu and He Manqi, who had transformed from a non-mainstream look to that of an innocent girl using Nanshu as a template, customers in the barbershop couldn’t help but be agitated, their eyes shining with excitement.


There was also a dark-skinned boy who, taking advantage of his girlfriend’s absence at the hair wash, unilaterally decided on her hairstyle.


This was the power of a live demonstration.


Now, the pressure was on Tony, and he was overwhelmed.


People look good with a simple high ponytail because they are naturally beautiful, not because of my skills.


My scissors can only trim hair, not faces!


“You guys… are you sure you want the same style?”


“Yes, definitely. Look how beautiful they look with it. Hurry up and cut it!”


Watching Tony’s conflicted expression, Jiang Qin couldn’t help but laugh, playfully pinching Feng Nanshu’s hand, causing her to squeak in protest.


In this era, the internet wasn’t as developed as in later years. Popular styles and fashion trends spread through small circles, and it was common to style one’s hair after someone else’s.


Tony picked up his scissors, focused and calm, and began to mass-produce the Feng Nanshu replica.


Meanwhile, the original rich girl and her newly-transformed companion were taken by Jiang Qin out of the barbershop. They sat down at a nearby outdoor barbecue stall, casually ordered some skewers, and planned to fill their stomachs.


“Brother Jiang Qin, tell me more about Sister Nanshu. I want to learn!”


“She…”


Just as Jiang Qin uttered a word, he turned to look at Feng Nanshu: “You better not eavesdrop.”


Feng Nanshu pursed her lips: “I won’t eavesdrop.”


Jiang Qin, somewhat reassured, turned to He Manqi: “Aloof goddess, cold moonlight, an earthly ideal, a scholarly girl – all these describe your Sister Nanshu. Back then, she was the dream of every boy in Chengnan High School.”


He Manqi’s face lit up with awe: “Then, she must have been the prettiest girl in your high school, right?”


“Not just in high school. Wherever she went, she was the most beautiful girl. I’ve never seen anyone more beautiful than her. Moreover, she always topped her grade in exams, barely spoke to others, and was sparing with her words when answering questions. Mysterious to the extreme. That’s what a goddess is, Manqi. You should strive to excel both inside and out.”


After whispering this, Jiang Qin glanced over, a bit concerned.


Fortunately, Feng Nanshu was sipping water from a cup, looking like an adorable, silly cat. Her posture was proper, and her expression was obedient and cute, as if she hadn’t heard anything.


“Did you eavesdrop?” Jiang Qin asked her.


Feng Nanshu shook her head earnestly, her voice soft and gentle: “I didn’t eavesdrop, but Jiang Qin, I wasn’t always at the top of my grade.”


“??????”


Just as the atmosphere grew tense, the barbecue owner brought over the skewers. Jiang Qin decisively changed the subject and began eating meticulously, pretending he hadn’t said anything.


After they finished eating and were about to leave, they suddenly heard a scream from the barbershop across the street. A girl with a large face and a ponytail, resembling Feng Nanshu’s, emerged, dragging a dark-skinned boy and fuming with anger.


She was cursing under her breath, every sentence wishing peace upon his family.


“Live demonstrations can really be powerful.”


Jiang Qin sighed inwardly and then took Feng Nanshu back to school, accompanied by the now-transformed He Manqi, to Wanzhong Mall to find He Yijun.


He Yijun didn’t have high hopes for his daughter’s college journey. After consulting many experienced teachers, they were all at a loss with He Manqi’s stubbornness and wilfulness.


Even though Jiang Qin was a star student, facing his own daughter, he probably could only scratch his head in confusion.


“Mr. He!”


Jiang Qin pushed the door open and greeted He Yijun, who was sitting in the boss’s chair.


“Hmm? Mr. Jiang, it’s not even dark yet. Why are you back so soon? And where’s Manqi?”


He Yijun was somewhat surprised, quickly pouring a cup of tea for him.


“Manqi went to the restroom. She’ll be back in a bit.”


Jiang Qin sat down, accepting the tea from He Yijun with a thank you.


“How was Manqi’s performance today?”


Jiang Qin sighed, speaking somewhat regretfully: “Mr. He, adolescence is a normal psychological stage where teenagers develop a strong sense of self and can’t easily be swayed by others.”


“I knew it…”


He Yijun couldn’t help but sigh.


“So, don’t be too disappointed when you see Manqi. I’ve done what I could, though it’s not much. I hope you won’t blame me.”


“Of course not, Mr. Jiang. You’ve been very thoughtful. Actually, I had a feeling this would happen. That girl of mine…”


Before He Yijun could finish, the office door suddenly opened. He Manqi, with her hair dyed back to black and tied in a ponytail, and her earrings removed, walked in looking fresh and pretty.


Compared to her previous non-mainstream appearance, He Manqi looked like a completely different person, almost like a well-behaved girl.


“Dad, I want to go to university.”


“??????”


He Manqi frowned: “I want to go to university!”


He Yijun held his breath, looking incredulously at Jiang Qin: “Mr. Jiang, did you… did you hit her?”


“No, I just took her to experience the university atmosphere, to see how everyone studies and works hard. And, I took her to get her hair done.”


“Just that? An afternoon’s experience turned my daughter into this?”


He Yijun’s mouth twitched, examining his daughter from all angles, his eyes filled with disbelief.


Isn’t this a big change?


Setting aside her desire to study or go to college, just look at the color and style of her hair. It’s like you’ve given my daughter a new head.


He Yijun had previously scolded He Manqi about her hairstyle. But she had said, do whatever you want, but touching my hair is like taking my life.


He Manqi, annoyed by his staring, said: “Dad, I told you I want to go to university, why aren’t you reacting?”


“Study, you can study whatever you want, even roast sweet potatoes, I’m all for it!” He Yijun laughed heartily.


“Fine, stop bothering me. I’m going to study!”


“Holy shit, the words ‘going to study’ actually came out of your mouth? Go, hurry up, I’ll have my secretary prepare your favorite snacks!”


He Manqi was in her rebellious teenage phase, filled with uncertainty about life and unsure about what to do or not to do. Frankly, she had never thought about what kind of person she wanted to become.


But after returning from the university visit, she had made up her mind. She wanted to become someone like Sister Nanshu.


A scholarly girl, cold moonlight, an earthly ideal!


“Brother Jiang Qin, I’m off to study!”


The young girl flipped her ponytail, the words ‘going to study’ still echoing in He Yijun’s ears like thunder, leaving him unsettled for a long time.


Witnessing this scene, Jiang Qin nonchalantly sipped his tea.


He enjoyed seeing He Yijun’s bewildered face, as if he had never seen the world. Impressive, right? With just one intervention, I achieved the human limit.


“Mr. He, I’ve done what I promised. Remember to help me with the gathering arrangements.”


“Don’t worry, Mr. Jiang. I’ll have an answer for you tomorrow. But I’m curious, why are you so eager to attend this gathering?”


“I want to get a whiff of the smell of money.”


Knowing Jiang Qin didn’t want to elaborate, He Yijun simply smiled and didn’t press further.


Jiang Qin’s thought process was straightforward: although his group buying platform had started, the profits were still insufficient. He needed to expand his business scope and radiate into more fields.


On the Winter Solstice, he had centered a marketing campaign around the Xi Tian Milk Tea shop, selling milk tea cards, which received wide acclaim.


Since he could sell milk tea cards that allowed customers to consume at the shop, he could also collaborate with various merchants to sell different kinds of in-store discount coupons.


However, the problem was Jiang Qin’s lack of fame, which made it difficult to partner with major merchants in Linchuan.


“Who are you?” they would question.


A mere ordinary college student, even if he was a star student, what could he do?


If Wanzhong Mall hadn’t targeted the college student market and thereby purchased advertising services on the Zhihu forum, Jiang Qin might not have had the opportunity to meet He Yijun.


But the Linchuan Commerce Association’s New Year’s gathering was clearly an opportunity. By getting his face known there, he might find someone willing to try online sales.


Some jujube trees won’t reveal if they bear fruit unless you shake them. So, he had to find a way to shake them.


KTVs, bars, hotels – money was to be spent. So why couldn’t it pass through his pocket first?


“Mr. He.”


At that moment, He Yijun’s secretary came in flustered: “Manqi just asked me to help her with a math problem.”


He Yijun was beaming: “That’s my girl. You should teach her!”


“I… I’ve long returned my math knowledge to the teacher.”


“No worries, we have a star student here. No problem is too hard for him!”


He Yijun, full of enthusiasm, completely ignoring Jiang Qin’s reluctance, took him to the next room to help his daughter with math.


When handed the paper, Jiang Qin smiled: “The star student doesn’t easily intervene, Manqi. Think about it again. I believe in you.”


“Thank you, Brother Jiang Qin. I’ll try to think harder.”


Jiang Qin turned to He Yijun, speaking earnestly: “We need to foster a child’s ability to learn independently. They can’t always ask others when facing difficulties. What will they do during exams? Ask someone else?”


He Yijun gave a thumbs up: “Professional!”


“Alright, Mr. He, I won’t disturb you further. Just give me a call when you have news.”


Jiang Qin left, his smile fading, his heart in turmoil.


“Damn, I don’t even remember high school math. This is bad. Really bad! I must review.”


Determined, Jiang Qin drove back to Linchuan University, called up Cao Guangyu, Ren Ziqiang, and Zhou Chao, and headed to the teaching building, swearing to catch up on all the knowledge he had missed!



Chapter 180: Learning Makes Me Happy


TL: Etude


Studying is an activity that, in essence, only requires a desk and a chair. If one disregards efficiency, the dormitory would undoubtedly be the ideal place to revise.


However, for students with lesser self-control, the atmosphere of group study is quite significant.


When a group of college students crams into a warm classroom on a winter day, when the sound of flipping pages whistles in one’s ears, when every gaze brims with concentration and a thirst for knowledge.


There are no whispered secrets, no idle daydreams, no minds wandering off. Even the poorest of students might remember a few more words.


“Whoever leaves first is a dog, got it?”


“No problem. Studying makes me happy.”


“I’m okay too, since I’ve already told Ding Xue not to restrain my heart, which loves to study, with love.”


“If you guys are in, then I’m definitely in. I don’t even have a significant other. What else would I do but study?”


The spirited F4 of Room 302 ascended the steps of the academic building, eventually reaching the fifth floor of Building A, as indicated.


The university had many self-study rooms, often full to bursting as exams approached, with queues impossible to join. However, with a month still to go before exam week, they didn’t face the issue of not finding a seat.


The four wandered left and right, finally settling in a public study room.


Many students at Linchuan University were regulars in these rooms, spending more time here than in their dormitories, making it their second home.


Jackets draped over chairs, boxes for personal items, desks cluttered with water bottles, lunchboxes, chargers, phones, laptops, and small lamps.


Compared to these students, Jiang Qin and his friends were practically ‘lightly equipped’.


Jiang Qin solemnly placed his textbook on the desk, beginning from the first page.


Brand new.


Upon opening the book, the distinct scent of fresh ink was unmistakably present.


He surreptitiously borrowed a pen from a girl he didn’t know at the next table, earnestly writing his name in it.


The other three also opened books on their weaker subjects, all wearing expressions of deep concentration, remaining silent.


Three minutes later, Ren Ziqiang was the first to be distracted, his attention drifting to the pretty profile of a girl sitting opposite.


Zhou Chao began to feel sleepy, having read the title page repeatedly, memorizing several names from the list of textbook authors.


Cao Guangyu had placed his Nokia 5230 on the textbook, doodling on the touchscreen with a stylus, pecking at it like a chicken.


“Guys, please focus a bit more. If you’re not studying, at least don’t disturb the others around you,” Jiang Qin said with squinted eyes, his gaze not straying from his book.


“I didn’t even say a word!” Ren Ziqiang protested, pulling his gaze away from the girl’s face.


“If you’re not distracting me, then why can’t I concentrate?”


“Jiang, this just shows your brain isn’t suited for studying anymore. I feel the same; I can’t focus on a single word.”


Jiang Qin pushed his textbook forward, leaning back in his chair. “Even if I can’t focus, I have to try. This calculus book is even printed wrong, yet I still managed to read three pages. That’s called determination.”


Zhou Chao couldn’t resist leaning in. “That’s impossible. How could there be a mistake in the textbook? Let me see?”


“Look at this; I don’t even recognize these symbols.”


“??????”


Jiang Qin glanced at Zhou Chao and Ren Ziqiang, speaking in a hushed tone, “You guys have been loafing around in the dorm, Cao has been wasting time in his relationship, and I’ve been too busy with my startup. Years from now, Zhou and Ren might not graduate, ending up moving bricks on a construction site. Cao might be in the news for domestic violence, and I might accidentally become a billionaire, making it onto Forbes. Think about this outcome; isn’t it terrifying?”


Zhou Chao: “…”


Ren Ziqiang: “…”


Unable to resist, Cao Guangyu looked up. “Actually, with a month left until exams, do we really need to start revising so soon?”


Ren Ziqiang nodded vigorously, agreeing with Cao’s suggestion: “Even if we remember it now, we might forget it all by the time of the exams.”


Zhou Chao chimed in, “Right, this kind of forced memorization is only short-term. It’s quickly forgotten.”


Hearing their whispered conversation, Jiang Qin couldn’t help but spit out a retort: “How did a model student like me end up in a dorm with you guys?”


All three rolled their eyes in unison: “Old Jiang, it was you who started the tradition of skipping classes in our dorm.”


“Don’t make excuses for not wanting to study. Let’s continue; today I plan to etch this book into my brain.”


“Jiang, that’s calculus. You can’t just memorize it; it’s about understanding the logic.”


Jiang Qin scoffed at this unsolicited advice: “So what am I supposed to do? Just watch myself fail?”


Cao Guangyu suggested, “You could ask Feng Nanshu to tutor you. She seems to have never skipped a class and is more serious than others.”


“That’s the dumbest idea.”


“Why?”


“With her around, how can I focus on studying?”


Jiang Qin countered, an image of Feng Nanshu’s pretty face flashing before his eyes. Sure, the little rich lady would be willing to teach him, but Jiang Qin knew his attention would drift to her.


Indeed, though they were best friends, it wasn’t right to use her that way. It was low and filled with base interests. But after all, she was a beautiful, rich, and intelligent woman; what attraction does studying have compared to her?


“So, shall we call it a day and head to Feilong Internet Café?” Ren Ziqiang couldn’t resist making the suggestion.


“I’m not going.”


Zhou Chao was unexpectedly firm in his refusal: “I already feel guilty enough for not studying properly. If I spend a day at an internet café, my guilt will only deepen. I’d surely regret it before going to sleep.”


“It’s pointless to just waste time here, not remembering anything and missing out on the joy of gaming,” Ren Ziqiang silenced Zhou Chao with a single sentence.


His words seemed so reasonable that it almost felt irrational to disagree.


“Old Jiang, are you going to the internet café?” Ren Ziqiang began to persuade Jiang Qin.


Jiang Qin waved his hand and slightly lifted his eyes: “I was just about to get into it. Shut up.”


“What about you, Old Cao? Even if it makes you a dog, isn’t happiness the most important thing?”


“This…”


Actually, Cao Guangyu was inclined to go to the internet café. Even sitting here, he was just chatting with Ding Xue at a snail’s pace. It would be more enjoyable to go to the café and type away happily.


Just then, five figures suddenly entered the study room.


Jian Chun, Song Qingqing, Jiang Tian, Pan Xiu, and Zhuang Chen with a backpack. As soon as they saw Jiang Qin and his friends, they approached without a word.


“Old Ren, let’s go to the internet café. I’ll join you,” Cao Guangyu had already stacked his books together.


“Who’s going to the internet café? Stop distracting me from studying.”


“??????”


Ren Ziqiang put away his smile, looking coldly at Pan Xiu before picking up his textbook to study seriously.


The ‘Golden Flowers’ of Finance Class 3, along with Zhuang Chen, sat down and greeted them. They brought thick textbooks, clearly there to study. Unlike Jiang Qin’s pristine books, theirs showed signs of diligent use, evident in their creases.


“Jiang Qin, thanks for lending us the classroom for the dumpling party last time,” Jiang Tian began, not immediately focusing on her textbook.


“It’s no problem. You also entertained Manqi for me, so we’re even. How’s the fruit-selling granny? Did she eat the dumplings?”


Jiang Tian looked at Jian Chun, who then spoke, “She did. She said our dumplings were delicious and even insisted we take some fruit back, but we declined.”


Jiang Qin nodded, “Be careful when you ride your bikes. Don’t be rash. The more you’re in a hurry, the less you should rush.”


“I, I understand…” Jian Chun nodded gently, then suddenly remembered something. “Were the dumplings tasty on Winter Solstice Day? I wrapped them myself.”


“??????” Jiang Qin frowned, thinking to himself that he had never tasted their dumplings, so how would he know if they were good or not.


The next moment, he saw Zhuang Chen’s face change color beside him. Zhuang’s breathing grew heavier and he looked at Jiang Qin nervously, a hint of pleading in his eyes.


Jiang Qin, sharp as ever, pieced together the clues from Jian Chun’s words and Zhuang Chen’s reaction. On Winter Solstice Day, the girls had not only delivered dumplings to Old Lü, Zhu Feng, and Principal Zhang, but there might have been a portion for him too.


However, they couldn’t enter the male dormitory, so the only person who could have delivered the dumplings was Zhuang Chen. But the dumplings were missing, more mysteriously than a beaten dog’s bun. This was quite intriguing.


“The dumplings were quite good. The filling was tasty. I wanted to ask you about the recipe, but then I forgot,” Jiang Qin said, glancing at Zhuang Chen and noticing him relax suddenly, although his face was still pale.


“The recipe was from Song Qingqing’s mom,” Jiang Tian chimed in helpfully.


Jiang Qin turned to Song Qingqing: “Could I get a copy of that recipe?”


“Of course!” Song Qingqing took out her phone and forwarded the recipe message from her mother.


“Thanks.”


Jiang Qin glanced at the message, thinking to himself that he finally had a way to win over Principal Zhang’s heart with his cooking!


He picked up his calculus textbook and continued to study earnestly, completely ignoring Zhuang Chen’s grateful look.


After a while, it was dinner time, and the quiet study room finally buzzed with noise. Those who regularly camped in the study room had brought their dinners and were now preparing to eat.


Jiang Qin stretched and woke up Zhou Chao, Ren Ziqiang, and Cao Guangyu, suggesting they go for dinner.


“Jiang Qin, let me treat you to dinner!” Zhuang Chen suddenly stood up.


Jiang Qin looked at him: “You’re not talking about the cafeteria, are you?”


“Nanshan Restaurant.”


“You’re not planning to invite only me, are you?”


Zhuang Chen got the hint: “Then… then let’s all go from your dorm.”


Cao Guangyu, still groggy, wiped the drool from his mouth and looked at Jiang Qin: “What’s going on? Why is someone treating us to dinner as soon as I wake up?”


Jiang Qin smiled: “Good deeds are rewarded.”




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Unrivaled Medicine God Chapter 201 to 220

 Chapter 201: Who Dares to Touch My Yuan-Er! Translator: celefoata_ Editor: RegiusProfessor "Truly the ignorant is fearless! You aren’t thinking that because I’m an alchemist, my combat power is subpar, right? Today, I’m going to teach you just what kind of strength sect core disciples have!" Yang Hao said frostily. Ye Yuan curled his lips and said, "I say, you’re annoying. Are the martial arts of core disciples all on lip service?" "You’re courting death, Ye Yuan!" Yang Hao already had enough of Ye Yuan’s provocation and could not hold back any longer. He made his move! "Great Thousand-Leaf Hand!" Yang Hao cried out in a low voice. A palm created illusions of countless palms, smacking towards Ye Yuan. Seeing Yang Hao make a move, everyone was secretly shocked! "Tranquil Cloud Sect’s core disciple’s strength is indeed fathomless! This Great Thousand-Leaf Hand is a superior-grade Tier 2 technique, right? It has actually been cultivated to suc...
Read more

AUC Chapter 36 to 50

 Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Intermediate Carnivore Pet Food Back at the school team residence, Chen Xing closed the door. Lying on the bed, Chen Xing closed his eyes and opened the Stone Booklet to check the mini-game related to Taotie’s newly awakened skills. Interactive Minigame (Escape the Great Vortex): Create a Great Vortex within the designated area. The owner throws a small ball into the vortex and the pet must dive into the heart of the Great Vortex to retrieve the target ball and bring it back within three minutes. Exceeding the time limit results in failure. Proficiency Level: Beginner (0/10) There was a friendly progress bar following the minigame. It seemed to represent the skill’s Proficiency Level, which could optimize the skill if the game was cleared successfully, much like a Passive Skill. But after thinking for a while, Chen Xing couldn’t help but stare at the word “Beginner.” The previous Passive Skill, Water Concealment, did not have this Proficiency Level advanceme...
Read more

Eternal Sacred King Chapter 629 to 638

 Chapter 629: Three Formations! The scholar who arrived with a fresh set of green robes was Su Zimo who had escaped here. The attention of the hundred Nascent Souls were drawn over immediately. The old lady could not see what was going on outside and merely hugged the child tightly in her embrace. “You’re finally willing to show yourself, little beast?” Many Nascent Souls stood in midair and looked down at the mansion not far away, sneering in mockery. Su Zimo had an indifferent expression and walked down the stone steps into the courtyard. He gazed silently at the old man beneath the peach blossom tree with a deep sorrow in his eyes. The old man’s eyes were closed and he had a peaceful expression, as though he was in a deep sleep. The furnace made of red clay burned and flickered. There was a bowl of wine remaining above that was still warm. Su Zimo was oblivious to the encirclement of the hundred Nascent Souls and walked towards the furnace. He lifted the remaining bowl of wine a...
Read more