What a chapter! Managed to kill three birds with one stone!

  Ch101.1 - Extra 7: Little Overlord Shao SiJia (2)

  Although Ke MuZi made it clear that he didn’t blame Deng Han, Deng Han was still depressed. He sighed and said: “If we had signed the Tong collaboration, we would’ve achieved half of our performance goal for the year……”


  But with his eyes fixed on his phone, Ke MuZi was too busy rewatching the silent video of Shao SiJia filling Tong SuHong with coffee. He casually replied: “No one can guarantee a 100% signing, ah. If one collaboration doesn’t work, we can always just plan a new one……”


  Deng Han looked at the leisurely Ke MuZi and wanted to tell him: Boss, it’s it’s easy for you to say, ah, but actually doing it is another matter.

  Ke MuZi suddenly raised his head and said: “There’s no absolutely perfect code out there. There will inevitably be some bugs, no matter how much you go over it. Therefore, we shouldn’t focus on writing the perfect code, but to have the absolute ability to cope with emergencies when things do go wrong.”


  Ke MuZi’s tone was flat when he said this, and he sounded neither passionate nor inspirational. However, Deng Han felt that his words rang true.

  Deng Han seldom came into contact with Ke MuZi. Ke MuZi was in charge of technology development and would either nest in front of his computer or scold the programmers every day. But amazingly, the company’s technical team admired Ke MuZi, and almost no one ever criticized him.

  But now, Deng Han understood. Although Ke MuZi and Lin Qian were the types of bosses in opposite extremes, they both work towards the same goal. No matter what, both of them possess an extraordinary willpower that could overcome any difficulty.

  Deng Han was about to praise Ke MuZi, but Shao SiJia suddenly said: “I’ll take responsibility for this matter.”


  Deng Han was just about to catch his breath, but after hearing Shao SiJia’s words, he felt like he was about to suffocate once more. Shao SiJia was still too young to understand just how big the situation was. Thankfully Ke MuZi didn’t pursue the matter, but just why did she have to insert herself in this again, ah?

  Deng Han quickly told her: “This isn’t your problem. You don’t have to……”


  Shao SiJia interrupted him: “I was ready to take responsibility before I even started this.”


  Deng Han was afraid that Ke MuZi would agree with her words. This wasn’t the kind of thing a young girl who just entered society could bear. Deng Han even considerately said: “SiJia, this isn’t as easy as you think……”


  Shao SiJia replied: “I know, but I should take responsibility. Although this is my first real job, I know that this isn’t the kind of place one should do things casually like that. It’s only natural that I compensate for the loss I caused.”


  Deng Han was really stunned this time. His shock couldn’t be compared to when he saw Shao SiJia’s fierceness.

  One could say that youngsters nowadays are more self-centered. They put more emphasis on their feelings rather than thinking about the needs of the collective. So Deng Han didn’t expect Shao SiJia to have already planned on taking responsibility even before she started taking action.

  For a moment, Deng Han didn’t know what to say. Shuttle Technolgy was a very young company that mostly employed freshly graduated students, so Deng Han was familiar with this demographic. He knew that these graduates were mostly arrogant and had explosive tempers. One too many disagreements and they would leave without hesitation. Very few of them would stay after stirring the hornet’s nest.

  He thought Shao SiJia was like this. He didn’t expect her to be so magnanimous.

  It was a pity that Shao SiJia viewed the business world too simply. The Tong collaboration was to net a considerable amount of money- the kind of money that she wouldn’t be able to handle.

  Deng Han sighed. “SiJia, I’m glad you have this kind of intention. We can make up for it slowly. You don’t have to shoulder it all yourself.”


  Ke MuZi also chimed in. “Yes. Even if you didn’t get involved, Miss Tong certainly would’ve taken the opportunity to make things difficult for us. Even if we did end up doing the collaboration, who knows how much trouble they would cause for us later. This isn’t your cross to bear.”


  But Shao SiJia refused to relent. She said: “It doesn’t change the fact that I caused this. I’ll try and find new customers for the company until I make up the money this collaboration was supposed to give.”


  Seeing Shao SiJia’s determination, Ke MuZi could no longer disagree. So he didn’t continue to express his opinion and instead, asked: “Can you do it? Aren’t you going to the U.S. for university in September? Are you sure you can make up for it before you go back to university?”


  Shao SiJia replied: “If I can’t pay it back by September, then I’ll just apply for a gap year and continue to work here.”


  Ke MuZi let out a noncommittal &#k2018;oh.’


  After listening to their conversation, Deng Han couldn’t help but feel like something was wrong. He stared at the two and asked: “Boss Ke, do you and SiJia know each other?”


  Otherwise, how could you know about Shao SiJia’s private affairs?

  Ke MuZi blinked, then said: “Yeah. She’s your immediate superior, boss Lin’s, older sister. Didn’t you know?”


  Deng Han did a spit-take. “I didn’t know!”


  “S-sister?” Deng Han looked at Shao SiJia in horror and suddenly realized that Shao SiJia’s eyebrows and eyes really did look similar to Lin Qian’s.

  Shao SiJia giggled and replied: “Yep.”


  Seeing Deng Han’s bewildered expression, she said: “I follow my mother’s surname.”


  Today, Deng Han had been thrown into exciting situations one after the other. His brain could no longer keep up, and his thoughts were chaotic. Quivering, he asked: “Then……then, did you come to my department for an incognito inspection? Or maybe to experience life?”


  Ke MuZi: “.……”


  Shao SiJia seriously replied: “It’s to snatch away my brother’s assets.”


  Deng Han: “.……” Now he believed that Shao SiJia and Lin Qian were siblings. They both say such scary words, ah.

  After that brief heart-attack, Deng Han became lively again. Pleased, he said: “Since it’s like this, the losses today……”


  Shao SiJia said: “What are you thinking? I’m not going to rely on Lin Qian to solve the problems I’ve caused. I’ll solve this on my own.”


  Deng Han: “Hah?”
……

  Shao SiJia did as she promised and started to look for other potential customers.

  Ke MuZi had explained things to Deng Han and allowed Shao SiJia to continue working in her previous position, but it was impossible for Deng Han to keep viewing Shao SiJia as a lowly employee like before.

  Shao Sijia had entered the company just two months prior. Initially, under company policy, she should be following a senior staff member to learn. However, Shao SiJia felt that this would be too slow, so she directly skipped this step and taught herself the necessary skills while working on her own. Soon, she could contact customers by herself.

  She had already been seen as the fastest rising newcomer in her group, but now, she redoubled her efforts. In her department, Shao SiJia would be the first person to come into work during the morning and would also be the last one to leave the office. Her work performance was growing rapidly at a visible rate.

  Nevermind the fact that she was the boss’s sister. Deng Han seldom saw such diligence amongst the ordinary employees. As someone who valued such talents, Deng Han began to take her to meetings more frequently.

  Shao SiJia didn’t care what the implications of this would be. Competition amongst the department staff was inevitable, and despite the growing reservations of some of the employees, Shao SiJia had long felt that there was nothing to learn from the older staff. Instead, working with Deng Han allowed her to break through her shortcomings much faster.

  But Shao SiJia’s actions caused the other people in her department to have a problem with her.

  Shao SiJia was a pretty woman with a bright personality. Soon after she entered the company, people from other departments often came by to inquire about her. Male colleagues in the same department also actively tried to take care of her. Although Shao SiJia doesn’t pay much attention to such things, it didn’t stop some people from becoming sour.

  And now that even their department manager was treating her differently and was personally teaching her, some people could no longer sit still.

  One such person was a female colleague named Bi XiaoFei. She was a pure and lovely-looking woman who worked in the same department and was dubbed the ‘flower of the department’ before Shao SiJia came. Bi Xiao Fei was capable enough and had a good performance record as most of her male colleagues treated her very well. But now, their attention had moved to Shao SiJia, causing Bi XiaoFei to feel that she had been dethroned.

  Naturally, Bi XiaoFei became indignant. She began to ‘ask’ Shao SiJia to do things for her more frequently in retaliation.

  At first, Shao SiJia didn’t think much of it. She was a newbie, and the older employees would often ask for her help too. But as Bi XiaoFei summoned her more and more often, Shao SiJia began to understand what was happening.

  Therefore, the next time Bi XiaoFei asked Shao SiJia to help send something via courier, Shao SiJia pretended not to hear.

  Shao SiJia didn’t even look at the package. She simply pushed it aside and said: “You do it yourself.”


  Bi XiaoFei frowned and said: “What’s with your attitude?”


  Shao SiJia was too lazy to pay attention to her and simply started her 63rd call of the day.

  The amount of money the Tong collaboration would have made the company was quite large. Shao SiJia hadn’t been able to find such a big customer at the moment, so she could only contact small customers one by one. Nowadays, she had to make at least 100 calls a day. Her voice would get hoarse after a single day, and yet this Bi XiaoFei still came looking for trouble? Shao SiJia was tolerant when it came to women, but it didn’t mean that she had an infinite amount of patience for them.

  Her phone call soon connected, and Shao SiJia put on a sweet voice. “Hello, this is……”


  Before Shao SiJia could finish her sentence, she heard a soft ‘pa.’ Bi XiaoFei had pressed the hang-up key and disconnected the call. She looked down on Shao SiJia in a condescending manner and said: “You’ve been working here for quite some time now. Shouldn’t you know how to speak to your predecessors properly by now?”


  Shao SiJia raised her head. “Go call back and apologize to my client.”


  Bi XiaoFei angrily retorted: “What’s with that attitude!”


  Shao SiJia gave her a faint smile. “Whatever attitude you give me, I’ll give back.”


  Shao SiJia had always been gentle and polite towards her co-workers, so even now, Bi XiaoFei viewed Shao SiJia as a spineless woman who never talked back. Bi XiaoFei indignantly said: “Weren’t you trained on professional etiquette when you joined this company?”


  “The training didn’t cover someone like you.” Shao SiJia stood up. She was a half head taller than Bi XiaoFei, so when she stood up, their positions immediately changed. Now, it was Shao SiJia who looked down on Bi XiaoFei. Shao SiJia calmly asked: “Do you want to fight?”


  Shrouded in Shao SiJia’s shadow, Bi XiaoFei suddenly felt frightened. She subconsciously said: “What are you……”


  Before she could finish, Shao SiJia suddenly reached out and snatched Bi XiaoFei’s cellphone from her hand. Then, she grabbed Bi XiaoFei’s wrist and forcibly unlocked the phone using her fingerprint.

  Shao SiJia’s movements were quick and decisive, leaving no room for Bi XiaoFei to interrupt. She could only yell: “What are you doing?”


  “Are we fighting or not?” Shao SiJia’s tone didn’t change, and she continued to look at Bi XiaoFei with indifference.

  Bi XiaoFei didn’t know what Shao SiJia was planning to do, but she refused to bow her head. She continued to curse: “You sick……”


  But Shao SiJia just rolled her eyes at this. She brought up Bi XiaoFei’s contacts, then deleted the entire list, making sure they weren’t recoverable. Afterward, she threw the cellphone back to Bi XiaoFei, turned back to her desk, and said: “There, it’s settled.”


  Bi XiaoFei never expected Shao SiJia to act like this. Her contact list had all her customers. Although she still had a backup in her computer, Shao SiJia’s deletion was so fucking annoying as she wouldn’t know who it would be when she receives a call.

  Bi XiaoFei was stunned. She cried out: “I’ll kill you!”


  Bi XiaoFei reached out to pull at Shao SiJia’s hair, but Shao SiJia sidestepped her hand. Sh efficiently put Bi XiaoFei’s hands behind her back, then pressed her head onto the desk. Shao SiJia told her: “If you try anything else, don’t blame me for not being merciful.”


  Bai XiaoFei struggled against her hold, but couldn’t move a single inch. In the end, she directly cried, smearing her makeup.

  At first, the other staff members did nothing and simply watched as things unfolded. It was only when the situation started to become heated that people wanted to intervene. But who would’ve thought that just as they were getting out of their seats, Bi XiaoFei had already been knocked down!

  Everyone: “.……???”


  Somebody rubbed their eyes and thought: What? What happened?

  Some people rushed forward to pull Shao SiJia back. “SiJia, don’t be like this. We’re all colleagues.”


  Shao SiJia let go of Bai XiaoFei, placed a foot on a chair, and rotated her wrist. She slowly looked at everyone in the office and, like a delinquent leader, said: “You all saw that Bai XiaoFei was the one who started it. She hung up my phone conversation with a customer, so I deleted her contact list in retaliation. Isn’t that fair?”


  Everyone: “.……”


  Fuck, she’s so intense, ah. It feels like she could beat people to death in minutes! Who would dare refute her words, ah.

  In the end, everyone hastily nodded their heads and said: “Fair, it’s very fair.”


  Bai XiaoFei: “.……”


  Shao SiJia turned to Bai XiaoFei once more and told her: “If you want to complain, we can go to the front desk and play out the scene you wanted. We can scratch each other’s faces and pull at each other’s hair.”


  Shao SiJia began cracking her knuckles, the sound implying the unspeakable terror that was to come. “Do you want to go?”


  Bai XiaoFei: “.……”


  Everybody: “.……”


  The young girl in front of them was obviously so beautiful, ah. So why is it that they suddenly feel their legs go soft?

  Ch99.1 - Extra 6: A Small Episode During Entrepreneurship

  “Mr. Yuan, hello.” Lin Qian reached out and shook the hand of the middle-aged man in front of him. With a professional smile on his face, Lin Qian said: “Welcome to Shuttle Technology.”


  “Hello.” Yuan Jue’s expression had a trace of surprise as he commented: “Mr. Lin, you’re younger than I had imagined.”


  “I think it’s my biggest advantage.” Lin Qian replied with his smile unmoved. “The internet is a young industry.”


  Yuan Jue laughed, and his worry about Lin Qian’s young age subsided a bit. “Yes, the internet is a subversive industry. It makes heroes out of youths.”


  “This is Ke MuZi, our CTO.” Lin Qian took a step back to let Ke MuZi approach.

  “Hello.” Ke MuZi had done his best to improve his image today. However, he couldn’t cover his dark eyes and pale face. In fact, Ke MuZi was much whiter and gaunter than ever before because he was now living with computers all year round.

  Of course, this was only from an outsider’s perspective. As long as he was in front of a computer, Ke MuZi would be happy and excited. Once, he even set a record of doing continuous work for 36 hours.

  It made Lin Qian worried that their company might never get listed. He had once heard of a technical head of some company suddenly dying in front of a computer. So Lin Qian issued new regulations for the company, and Boss Ke was threatened with server shutdown if he didn’t sleep for at least six hours a day. After that, the situation eased. Though, it was mainly because the other programmers were afraid of Lin Qian and thus monitored Ke MuZi every day and pressed him to sleep on time.

  “Chief Ke, are you really an adult?” Yuan Jue was surprised yet again. Lin Qian already looked young, but he didn’t expect Ke MuZi to look even younger.

  Ke MuZi was indeed younger than Lin Qian. He was a genius who jumped up two grades. Honestly, if his university hadn’t stopped him, he would’ve already graduated instead of being stuck as a sophomore.

  Ke MuZi directly took out his ID card and showed it to Yuan Jue. “Look for yourself.”


  Yuan Jue: “.……”


  Behind Lin Qian and Ke MuZi, part-time receptionist Zheng PingQing did his best to suppress his laughter. It seems that in their last life, Ke MuZi really relied on his strengths to secure that initial funding.

  Yuan Jue is an investment manager of a medium-sized investment institution. They had money, but they didn’t have a lot. So Yuan Jue’s company tended to be more careful when choosing their investments.

  Shuttle Technology was a small technology company that suddenly emerged during the second half of last year. The first product they pushed into the market was a live broadcast software called ‘NOW.’ Live broadcasting wasn’t a new concept, but Shuttle Technology introduced a new feature: the so-called national broadcast. Soon after NOW went online, several seemingly unrelated events caused the software to become wildly successful, causing Shuttle Technology popularity to skyrocket in a very short time. Their userbase had begun to rapidly expand, and all of a sudden, live broadcasting was becoming the new hot thing.

  Shuttle Technology quickly attracted the attention of many investment companies. But the company was much too small, and their team was much too young. People have said that Shuttle Technology’s owners were still college students. While the country has encouraged college students to start their own businesses these past two years, in the eyes of investors, an entrepreneurial team without any working experience was obviously something to be avoided. What’s more, no one knew whether the events that made them famous was due to Shuttle Technology’s marketing efforts, or if it was just by chance. Was it due to their strength, or simply due to luck? Such things also had a great impact on an investor when judging a company’s value.

  Of course, since Yuan Jue was visiting, his investing company had already made an in-depth investigation of Shuttle Technology.

  But Yuan Jue had still been surprised when he met the two creators of Shuttle Technology.

  Although he knew that the co-founders were still university students, Yuan Jue’s belief was that youngsters who could start a business would look much more mature compared to their peers. Yuan Jue was beginning to understand that this wasn’t the case.

  Yuan Jue quickly composed himself and introduced his entourage to Lin Qian.

  At this time, Lin Qian noticed a familiar face among the people behind Yuan Jue.

  It was He YiJun, Zheng BuLu’s ex-girlfriend who had tried to be Zheng PingQing’s stepmother.

  “Lin Qian, long time no see.” He YiJun’s smile was professional and detached.

  Lin Qian was a little astonished, but his expression didn’t fluctuate as he replied: “Aunt He, long time no see.”


  Yuan Jue looked back and forth between his secretary and Lin Qian. “You two know each other?”


  He YiJun smiled and explained: “Yes, he is a friend of my former boss.”


  After she said this, her eyes fell on Zheng PingQing, who was standing to the side. He YiJun continued: “And that person is the son of my former boss.”


  Yuan Jue suddenly realized something. He turned to He YiJun and joked: “I see. That’s great, ah. You can also give us some advice.”


  He YiJun didn’t try to take advantage of the situation and replied: “How can I? I’m not versed in such things.”


  At her words, Yuan Jue glanced at He YiJun with a hint of appreciation in his expression.

  He YiJun had joined their company a year ago and became his secretary. She had worked in a large company before, and her professional abilities were also quite good. After a year of working with her, Yuan Jue noticed that she barely made mistakes. Yuan Jue trusted her quite deeply.

  “Come in, please.” Lin Qian didn’t say anything more and led everyone in Shuttle Technology’s offices.

  Shuttle Technology’s main office was still situated in an office building near the university that they had rented when they first started. They had recently expanded by renting two office areas, but there wasn’t much contact between the two offices. To be honest, sometimes it almost feels like they were operating an unregistered and illegal business.

  Lin Qian wasn’t one to care about how ostentatious or grandeur their company offices looked like. They just started their company, and the internet industry was a very much a money-burning industry. They only managed to successfully promote NOW after spending all the money Zheng PingQing had initially invested in them, and after Zheng PingQing extorted money off of his father. Twice. Right now, every cent was to be scrimped and used sparingly.

  He YiJun followed Yuan Jue’s group and walked in. She swept her gaze around the office and had to sneer. She believed that such a shabby office would produce anything good.

  As she passed the threshold, she neared Zheng PingQing, who was welcoming the guests. Their eyes met, and He YiJun smiled. “PingQing, you haven’t greeted me yet.”


  Zheng PingQing’s tone was neither salty nor indifferent as he replied: “Hello, Aunt He.”


  He YiJun was satisfied by her little powerplay and haughtily walked away without replying.

  As he watched her walk off, Zheng PingQing suddenly realized that he had almost forgotten He YiJun.

  He had once thought that he would hate He YiJun forever. But today, Zheng PingQing found that his heart didn’t fluctuate once. It was like he was looking at a stranger. If He YiJun hadn’t taken the initiative to greet him, he would’ve even pretended that he didn’t know her.

  His life was already completely separated from that person. Whatever she did, it had absolutely nothing to do with him.

  But Zheng PingQing also knew that this was just his own opinion. Based on his previous understanding of He YiJun, she wouldn’t give up so easily.

  Her greeting was clearly a provocation.

  However, Zheng PingQing didn’t care. He YiJun wouldn’t be able to shake him and Lin Qian, no matter what.

  Lin Qian gave Yuan Jue and his entourage a tour around the office, but Shuttle Technology wasn’t a big company. It only took them ten minutes to circle the place before Lin Qian took them to their largest conference room to sit down.

  The young girl who operated the front desk brought them water and coffee.

  Yuan Jue didn’t immediately talk business and instead asked: “The events that led to NOW’s success was handled by Shuttle Technology, correct?”


  Lin Qian didn’t hide it and nodded. “Yes, they were planned.”


  Yuan Jue praised their ingenuity. “It’s very clever. Who planned it?”


  Lin Qian adopted a modest attitude as he replied: “It was my proposal.”


  Yuan Jue’s eyes widened as he was shocked once more. These events happened so organically that even experts couldn’t determine whether or not it was truly a marketing scheme. It had been a long-standing conclusion amongst the professionals that if it had been a marketing ploy, then it had to have been planned by a veteran.

  But it turned out that the mastermind wasn’t old, nor was he a professional.

  Of course, he didn’t know that the fantastic marketing plan didn’t actually need too much professional knowledge. Right now, things like viral marketing and internet marketing were still in the middle of maturing. Many classic marketing tactics that would later astonish the whole industry had not yet come out. Lin Qian’s casual and implementation of random future cases was already enough to make him a pioneer in the industry. Moreover, these methods would make Lin Qian a prodigy for the next ten years. For the internet’s fast-paced and ever-changing landscape, ten years was enough to give his business an unshakable and solid position in the industry.

  Giving a top student the power of foresight would make him utterly invincible.

  Negotiations lasted for nearly four hours. If Yuan Jue came in apprehensive about Lin Qian, Ke MuZi, and the future of this company, he left the office with almost no doubt left.

  Lin Qian was too professional and calm, nothing like a greenhorn university sophomore. If it wasn’t for his face, Yuan Jue would even doubt whether Lin Qian had lied about his age. It can be said that his proficiency might be as good as those with many years of experience.

  “I don’t think there will be any problems with us cooperating.” Yuan Jue seldom said such obvious words without his company making the final decision, but he appreciated Lin Qian’s practical and sincere attitude. Yuan Jue was sure that as long as the other investment firms met Lin Qian, they would surely be convinced. It was lucky that the other firms hadn’t contacted Shuttle Technology yet because they had other cases that were still waiting to be done.

  Yuan Jue hoped to take the lead before other firms took notice.

  “We’ll be waiting for your call.” Lin Qian shook hands with him again, then looked at his watch. “Why don’t we have a meal together?”


  Yuan Jue thought about it but had to refuse. “I have another meeting this afternoon, so I’m afraid I won’t be able to. I’d be glad to keep in touch, though.”


  Lin Qian nodded, then sent Yuan Jue off. When he came back, Zheng PingQing, the handsome and professional man who greeted the guests, yawned repeatedly and placed his head on Lin Qian’s shoulders. He asked: “How is it?”


  “If He YiJun doesn’t make trouble, then it’ll be no problem.” Lin Qian replied.

  Zheng PingQing snorted. “If someone like He YiJun can lead him by the nose, then they aren’t worthy to invest in your company.”


  “But while the big investment firms are waiting, we’re running out of money fast.” Lin Qian rubbed his cheek against Zheng PingQing’s head. “Fortunately, we were prudent with our money right from the start. Otherwise, things would really be a bit troublesome.”


  Lin Qian’s words were worrying, but his tone wasn’t the least bit concerned. Zheng PingQing was similarly composed as he said: “If you need more, then I’ll just ask my father to give you your betrothal gift in advance.”


  Lin Qian was silent for a moment, then said: “Haven’t you used that reason already?”


  Zheng PingQing paused. “.……have I?”


  Since that plan was no longer useable, then Zheng PingQing decided to just do something else. “Then I’ll just embezzle my father’s money, ah.”


  Lin Qian lightly tugged at Zheng PingQing’s hair. “I hope that you won’t have cheated your father of all his possessions by the time we get married.”


  Zheng PingQing’s eyes brightened. “It’s easy, ah. We can just get married as early as possible!”


  Lin Qian: “.……”


  Zheng PingQing figured he had teased enough and became serious as he said: “Otherwise, I can help you pull some investments. Anyway, in the past two years, I’ve been working part-time in several different positions in your company. I’ve even operated the front desk, ah. I might as well be your financial manager too.”


  During the early days, Lin Qian was usually short of staff. Zheng PingQing would often come and work as a part-timer in various positions. During one summer vacation, Lin Qian needed a front desk receptionist, and Zheng PingQing was free, so he sat at the front desk for a month. It should be said that during this month, Zheng PingQing’s charming and handsome self had single-handedly increased the company’s recruitment applications several times.

  Lin Qian laughed and told Zheng PingQing that it wasn’t needed. Then, he said: “I’ve been given the opportunity to speak at an industry summit. Ask me again afterward.”


  Zheng PingQing was utterly devoid of worry. “By then, I believe that the only thing I’ll be able to do is to help you screen out the institutions that aren’t qualified enough.”


  The couple took the opportunity to kiss during this momentary peace. Unfortunately, Ke MuZi had happened to come by, wanting to make some coffee. With blank eyes resembling that of a dead fish, Ke MuZi glanced at them and said: “Although I’ve seen this picture a thousand times, I still feel blinded every time I encounter it.”


  Lin Qian smiled and replied: “That should be because you’ve been facing the computer for too long.”


  Ke MuZi raised his hand and made a gesture. “I do eye exercises, ah.”


  Zheng PingQing concluded: “It seems that no matter how many eye exercises you do, it can’t treat the dark circles underneath.”


  Ke MuZi: “.……”


  Ch22.2 - A Momentous Scene

  Xu Yao, who had been nearby, saw what was happening and grabbed Jiang TingJun’s arm. “Hey, hey, hey, look at Huo YeRui that wily old fox. He must have done something!”


  The steel straight man Jiang TingJun didn’t notice anything brewing. All he knew was that his arm was about to fall off his shoulder, and so he tried to pull away from Xu Yao.

  “What are you talking about?” Jiang TingJun asked.

  Xu Yao moved Jiang TingJun’s body, then continued to shake. “Are you a pig? Don’t you see that Huo YeRui is interested in that You NiNi from No. 9?”


  “Ah, really?” Jiang TingJun exclaimed. Then he chuckled. “He has a good eye. You NiNi is really pretty.”


  But he still didn’t understand. “So? How’s that a problem?”


  Xu Yao rolled his eyes, then furiously grabbed Jiang TingJun’s chin and turned his face towards You NiNi. “Look at You NiNi carefully. Who is she looking at?”


  Jiang TingJun, under Xu Yao’s crazy watchful eyes, finally followed You NiNi’s gaze with much difficulty. He exclaimed: “Ah, she’s watching Ah Qian!”


  Then, he finally reacted sensibly: “She likes Ah Hui!”


  Xu Yao rolled his eyes even more. “Can it be any more obvious?”


  Having been solo since the moment he was born, Jiang TingJun, who had never received a single love letter, cried out bitterly: “It’s so unfair being so handsome! Participating in only a single birthday party, and he can already harvest the hearts of many beautiful girls.”


  Xu Yao: “.……shouldn’t you be already used to this situation?”


  Jiang TingJun continued to cry. “Even if you get used to it, it’s still sad.”


  In the end, Xu Yao had to beat Jiang TingJun up to keep him from continuing to nag.

  Xu Yao said: “Huo YeRui must’ve deliberately got Tang WanQi to come over and seduce him, to make You NiNi angry and hate Ah Qian.”


  Jiang TingJun cut him off: “How is any of this relevant?”


  Xu Yao shouted angrily: “It’s one thing for this to be irrelevant to us, but its another thing for Huo YeRui to act mean and shameless to one of our friends. Anyway, scolding him like this doesn’t cost me anything.”


  And just as Xu Yao had predicted, news that Lin Qian was going to bring Tang WanQi around spread quickly. A meddlesome person even started singing “Lin Qian’s going to princess carry~”


  After constantly being under the weight of their studies, these teenagers, with their rampaging hormones, seemed very enthusiastic about ambiguous relationships. Soon, other people heard the news and joined in, clapping their hands and shouting rhythmically:

  “Lin Qian go princess carry~”


  “Lin Qian go princess carry~”


  “Lin Qian go princess carry~”
……

  The coaxing became infectious, and all of a sudden, a threatening momentum started to rise. Many students began to tease: “WanQi, good for you!”


  “Lin Qian is quite good, and WanQi is also very beautiful!”


  There were also several girls ‘whining’, saying: “WanQi, let go of our Ah Qian!”


  “Ah Qian, you gotta man up! Xu Yao can’t help you this time.”


  Tang WanQi looked back at the crowd and shouted: “Go away!”


  The crowd’s mood was bubbling, and Tang WanQi was getting worked up, so she turned to Lin Qian and said: “Lin Qian, things are getting out of hand. Can you please give me some face just this once and carry me? I’m not heavy.”


  Meanwhile, Huo YeRui smiled and commented: “Lin Qian and Tang WanQi look well-matched, worthy of being called our class’ golden pair.”


  His voice wasn’t loud, so Lin Qian and Tang WanQi didn’t hear his comment. But You NiNi, who was much closer, heard this, and her expression sunk.

  Xu Yao, who had been keeping an eye on You NiNi, became desperate. “It’s over, totally over! Ah Qian and You NiNi are over!”


  Jiang TingJun: “They haven’t even started yet, have they?”


  Xu Yao beat him up again. “How is that the issue? Both of them are interested in each other, so it was already a given that they would get together!”


  As Jiang TingJun fended Xu Yao’s blows, he managed to ask: “Ah Qian also likes You NiNi?”


  “Love at first sight!” Xu Yao repeatedly nodded his head, and talked about Lin Qian and You NiNi’s fateful eye-contact earlier this evening.

  “Ah Qian finally wants to eat some cabbage!” The thousand-year-old single dog still had the heart to worry about his best friend. Jiang TingJun comforted his friend but was also quite angry. “Huo YeRui is really annoying, stirring shit into things.”


  Lin Qian, who was the focus of practically everyone in the room by now, held his forehead. He was totally helpless. It wasn’t really that big of a deal to carry Tan WanQi around the restaurant, but the noise from the crowd was unmistakably ambiguous. He was afraid that rumors would start flying all over the place by the next day. As a man who already had a boyfriend, he didn’t want to fall into any sort of scandal.

  Lin Qian tried to figure out a way to get out of this mess. He was surrounded by onlookers that were waiting for his reply with bated breath. It was apparent that they weren’t going to leave him alone until they accomplished their goal.

  And then, Huo YeRui shouted out: “Lin Qian, since today’s my birthday, give me a little bit of face. Don’t let everyone down.”


  Lin Qian: No, I don’t want to give you face.

  As soon as Huo YeRui said this, everyone immediately became even more energetic: “The protagonist has spoken, Lin Qian give him some face!”


  But then, a familiar voice came from the entrance.

  “Who’s giving Lin Qian face?”


  The voice was clear and penetrating, audible to everyone, even in this noisy restaurant. The crowd all turned towards the source of this voice. Soon, a commotion started near the entrance, and several girls’ breathing all became audibly heavier.

  Zheng PingQing came inside under the eyes of the public. He stood tall and elegant in his semi-formal casual clothes. His eyes exuded a casual indifference, completely inconsistent to his current age, and he had an intense temperament that instantly attracted everyone’s gaze. Many could only give way in the face of such superior strength.

  But Zheng PingQing didn’t care about the many eyes trained on him. He simply started walking towards Lin Qian, with the cold indifference in his eyes instantly dissipating as he asked him: “What’s going on?”


  Lin Qian pointed towards Tang WanQi, then at Huo YeRui. With a wry smile, he explained: “She lost some game and they asked me to princess carry WanQi around the restaurant.”


  Zheng PingQing didn’t even hesitate and immediately objected. “I’m opposed to this.”


  His aura was too powerful, and his voice too uncompromising. In a split second, he made everyone lose their fighting spirit. However, a rare tough individual managed not to get affected and retorted: “Why are you opposed? It has nothing to do with you.”


  This sentence snapped everyone out of their stupor.

  “Yes, that’s right.”


  “Woah, I almost got carried away. It’s true; it doesn’t have anything to do with you, don’t meddle.”


  “I don’t want to hear objections; I want to see them cuddle!”


  Even a few of the students attending the same school as Lin Qian and Zheng PingQing tried to figure out why Zheng PingQing of all people wanted to get involved in a situation concerning Lin Qian. “Ah, ah, I guess as long as it has something to do with Lin Qian, Zheng PingQing will automatically oppose him.”
……

  The ignorant Tang WanQi blinked in confusion and asked: “Classmate Zheng, why are you opposed?”


  Zheng PingQing raised his eyebrow and softly answered: “Oh, since a younger brother of mine likes you, I can’t let Lin Qian hold you.”


  Lin Qian: “.……” He’s pretty sure that none of Zheng PingQing’s brothers even knew Tang WanQi.

  As soon as Zheng PingQing said this, the crowd burst into a frenzy. Unexpectedly, a seemingly ordinary game led to such a big explosion.

  So exciting!

  Tang WanQi didn’t expect such an answer. She couldn’t help but utter a faint ‘ah’ as she blushed hard.

  Because of his good relationship with tonight’s protagonist, Gou XinDou had also been invited to the party. Amongst the crowd, he asked: “Who likes her?”


  Zheng PingQing replied without hesitation. “I can’t say.”


  There were several sighs all around, but most of them could understand the secrecy. After all, a brother had the right to some privacy. It was normal for Zheng PingQing to refuse to divulge such secrets.

  Lin Qian, the only other person who knew the truth: “.……” He can’t say because he doesn’t exist.

  The crowd talked amongst themselves, and someone wolf-whistled. Tang WanQi was still red. She was at a loss and didn’t know whether she should walk off or stay.

  But on the side, You NiNi’s face had relaxed a little.

  Seeing that his plan was about to fail, Huo YeRui, who had arranged the game with much difficulty, cut in. “Your younger brother isn’t WanQi’s boyfriend, so he can’t just prevent other people from doing what they want just because he liked her.”


  “I can’t let Lin Qian carry this classmate.” Zheng PingQing unexpectedly continued to refuse.

  By this point, Tang WanQi was so red it looked like all her blood traveled to her face.

  Huo YeRui hummed and said: “It’s great that you’re willing to do such things for your brother’s sake, but you can’t just circumvent the rules of a game.”


  Several of Huo YeRui’s friends followed his lead: “That’s right; you’re being too overbearing.”


  “We need to see the game through!”


  Zheng PingQing looked at Tang WanQi, then at Lin Qian. He then said: “Alright. I won’t break the rules of your game. I’ll take her place and get Lin Qian to carry me instead.”


  Lin Qian: “.……”


  Everyone else in the room: “.……”


  Lin Qian stayed silent because he didn’t want to expose Zheng PingQing on the spot. He pretended to be reluctant, but ah, he was so eager he almost lost his breath.

  The crowd was stunned by the sudden turn of events. After a short silence, the restaurant burst into an unbelievably enthusiastic cheer.

  “Wow!! I’ll allow this!”


  “Gosh, such loyalty!”


  “What kind of genuine brotherhood is this? To protect his brother’s woman, he didn’t hesitate to sacrifice himself?”


  “So touching, I’m so moved.”


  There were a few voices of doubt: “I wonder if this is real. I think Zheng PingQing’s just planning on doing something to Lin Qian?”


  “Walking around while carrying Zheng PingQing around this huge restaurant? Lin Qian’s going to get exhausted.”


  “I’m pretty sure Zheng PingQing’s still salty about Lin Qian not buying radishes off him.”


  A student from a different school didn’t know such things and asked in a low voice: “That handsome boy’s family is selling radishes?”


  “Shhh. Don’t let him hear; people say that they weren’t very good.”
……

  It wasn’t too hard for people to start having wild delusions on what was happening.

  Xu Yao had also become indignant. “That shameless Zheng PingQing, doesn’t he know how many kilograms he weighs!”


  Since it was Lin Qian’s brother, Zheng PingQing patiently replied to his shout. “Fifty-four.”


  Xu Yao: “.……” How could this man stay so free and uncaring, utterly devoid of any sort of psychological barrier? At this point, Xu Yao was debating which angle he should spray the blood that threatened to rise from his throat.

  Lin Qian also looked very helpless, asking Zheng PingQing: “Do you mind me carrying you?” He wasn’t sure he could carry that much weight for so long.

  “Too heavy?” Zheng PingQing frowned, then changed his plan. “Then I can carry you instead.”


  The crowd had long been blinded. No matter who held who, the important part was that either way, they were going to witness a momentous scene. So they all readily agreed with the change: “That’s OK too.”


  “Hurry up; I’ve already taken off my pants, so get to it!”


  Lin Qian: “.……” I don’t think so.

  But Zheng PingQian didn’t give him the chance to refuse. Taking a step forward, Zheng PingQing put a hand on Lin Qian’s shoulder, put his other hand on his waist, and lifted him up in front of everyone.

  He’s so skilled at this!

  Lin Qian: = = No wonder Zheng PingQing didn’t hesitate.

  Before their rebirth, this posture had often occurred between them. Of course, it happened before and after a certain sport. Lin Qian figured Zheng PingQing had really missed this posture.

  Zheng PingQing had been so resolute and decisive when he brought Lin Qian into his arms. His movements were fluid and neat, without an ounce of mishandling. Nevermind Lin Qian, even the audience couldn’t immediately react to his steady action.

  It wasn’t until Zheng PingQing started to walk around with Lin Qian in his arms that they all managed to respond. Thunderous applause started, with many whistling and cheering.

  “Ah, ah, a real-life princess carry, I’m so jealous!”


  “I actually saw Zheng PingQing hug Lin Qian in this lifetime?! I need to buy a lottery ticket!”


  “Did anyone take a picture?”


  “I feel like crying. I think this scene is even worse than seeing them fight.”


  “Famous scene, famous scene!”
……

  You NiNi’s black mood was finally swept away. Relived, she let out a smile.

  No matter the situation, the fact was that Lin Qian didn’t carry any other woman.

  Instead, it was Luo RunWei who violently rolled her eyes. “I’m pretty sure Zheng PingQing just wanted to hold that guy this entire time. He even did it when they skated this afternoon.”


  You NiNi ignored Luo RunWei. She knew that RunWei was still angry with Zheng PingQing and simply wanted to badmouth him for ditching her.

  Xu Yao, however, was moments away from fainting. Shaking Jiang TingJun’s shoulders, he said: “Zheng PingQing’s too excessive! He actually princess carried Ah Qian!”


  “Quick, tie a few barbells to Lin Qian to crush Zheng PingQing to death!”


  “Zheng PingQing is actually stronger than Ah Qian; I refuse to believe this!”


  Jiang TingJun was confused by Xu Yao’s rambling. “When Zheng PingQing was going to get carried by Ah Qian you were angry. Now that its Zheng PingQing carrying Ah Qian, you’re still mad? What is it that you want exactly?”


  At this, Xu Yao was speechless for a minute. After some deliberation, he answered: “For them to not have any relationship at all?”


  Jiang TingJun, the logical man that he was, raised an important detail. “But then Ah Qian would have to carry WanQi!”


  Xu Yao: “.……”


  Xu Yao felt very tired. “One of my friends is currently being princess carried by a thief. Another friend is dragging my legs. I think the world hates me.”


  Jiang TingJun sympathetically patted his head like one would a dog.

  It was only one lap around the restaurant, but Lin Qian’s body was very different to that of a girl’s. They didn’t really want to force Zheng PingQing to finish his walk. They were all fellow students. After getting a kick out of such a fantastic scene, they all stopped pressuring Zheng PingQing to continue.

  But really, Zheng PingQing didn’t feel a single ounce of pressure in the first place. Of course Lin Qian wasn’t light, but there was an undeniable harmony to the way their bodies fit together.

  At first, Lin Qian had been caught off guard by the sudden lift, but the familiarity of the embrace soon calmed him down.

  He didn’t feel particularly shy and didn’t feel the need to hide from all these people watching. He simply relaxed and even wrapped an arm around Zheng PingQing’s neck to distribute his weight better.

  Not only that, Lin Qian even took this opportunity to chat with Zheng PingQing: “Why’d you change your clothes?”


  That afternoon, Zheng PingQing plainly said that they were going to wear couple’s clothes to the party.

  Zheng PingQing’s eyes dimmed as he replied: “They accidentally got dirty.”


  Lin Qian didn’t ask how it got dirty, but instead smiled and said: “I guess they don’t get to know that we’re together.”


  Zheng PingQing was indifferent as he replied: “Like I care about them.”


  Lin Qian thought about it for a moment, then nodded. “Well, we’re us. We don’t need to worry about what other people think.”


  When Zheng PingQing finally put him down, Lin Qian generously waved towards the crowd. “I’ll be collecting tickets for the next performance, ah.”


  Taking advantage of the jolly atmosphere, You NiNi finally approached and patted the shoulder of the retreating Lin Qian. “Mr. Lin, wait a minute.”


  Lin Qian turned around and looked at her oddly. “What’s the matter?”


  “Um, can I get your phone number?” You NiNi blushed as she asked this daring question.

  Lin Qian frowned. Then Zheng PingQing grabbed Lin Qian by the wrist and asked You NiNi: “Did you lose some game too?”


  You NiNi jumped, not expecting Zheng PingQing to be nearby and to talk to her again. When Zheng PingQing asked You NiNi this question, she felt uneasy, and she hesitated, but she eventually nodded. “Yes.”


  “Oh, alright. Take out your phone then.” Zheng PingQing said.

  At these words, You NiNi automatically handed over her cell phone.

  Zheng PingQing quickly snatched her phone and quickly typed in a number. Then he pulled Lin Qian away, leaving a sluggish You NiNi. Soon, Luo RunWei came over, her face dark: “Why did you get Zheng PingQing’s number?”


  You NiNi felt wronged. “I didn’t!!!”


  On the other end, Lin Qian was also questioning Zheng PingQing via torture. “You actually gave her your number!”


  Zheng PingQing’s face didn’t change one bit as he replied: “I gave her Dong MingEn’s number.”


  The author has something to say:

  One day, Dong MingEn received an anonymous text message: ‘Hello, this is You NiNi from No. 9. I was just wondering if we could maybe study for the college entrance exams together?’


  Dong MingEn: excited!

  You NiNi: ‘What university are you aiming for?’


  Dong MingEn: ‘.……XX Vocational School.’


  You NiNi: ‘I’m sorry for the inconvenience, I texted the wrong person.’


  Dong MingEn: ah, ah, ah, ah, these crazy study fanatics!

  Ch22.1 - A Momentous Scene

  Huo YeRui’s birthday party was being held in a high-end buffet restaurant in this mall. He had reserved half the restaurant all in one go. Although such actions weren’t enough to label him as anything more than a small-time nouveau riche, it was certainly impressive enough to any local high school student. Many classmates that weren’t invited could only eat cake at home while they nursed their jealousy.

  However, even the people invited were surprised when they arrived at the restaurant. Huo YeRui, who usually didn’t show the mountain and didn’t reveal the water, wasn’t just someone liberal with their money, but also someone who had profound social connections. Apart from No. 12 students, there were also many celebrities from other schools in the restaurant.

  These influential men and women were so famous, that even a deaf student would’ve known their names.

  Some of these names included but were not limited to: Luo RunWei and You NiNi of No. 9 High School, two students who were in their second year of high school. They were famous for their good looks and for winning the National Programming Award, defeating several college students in the competition. Also present was Ke MuZi, a second-generation who had stayed in high school until 19 and was famous for driving a sports car to school.

  “Huo YeRui knows so many people.” Xu Yao, an otaku whose circle of friends stopped at his school’s top bookworm, was a bit tongue-tied. Whispering, he said: “I heard that the son of the director of the Municipal Education Bureau is also in here somewhere.”


  Looking around, Lin Qian thought back to his last life. At that time, he and Xu Yao had already been punished for fighting and became outcasts in their class. They hadn’t been invited to any sort of event, let alone this fancy birthday party. They only heard how grand the occasion had been afterward. But now, he was witnessing things firsthand, and could now see what kind of people Huo YeRui had invited.

  Like Xu Yao, these famous figures were still young and ignorant. But Lin Qian knew that in the future, more than a decade later, most of these people become very successful in their careers, and a few even became top players in their respective industries.

  For example, Ke MuZi of No. 1 High School was the first to triumph by starting his own successful business. Shortly before Lin Qian and Zheng PingQing were reborn, his broadcast company even got listed on the NASDAQ.

  Huo YeRui’s future in his last life was also closely related to these people.

  Lin Qian carefully recalled the Huo YeRui in his last life. After getting into Capital University, his abilities didn’t make him stand out. At least, Lin Qian never heard anything worthy of praise through the grapevine. However, when looking at the pure facts, Huo YeRui was indeed the one that became the most successful in their class. The main reason for this lied in his huge network of people.

  Huo YeRui’s abilities were average, but he knew how to take advantage of his resources. Mentioning one famous person to another, he continuously grew his circle of friends. In the end, he lived in a villa and drove a sports car. Apparently, his wife was a famous goddess in his circle.

  Lin Qian had been very annoyed with Huo YeRui, so when he left high school, he had vigorously avoided any news related to him. But Huo YeRui had been very proactive when it came to his fellow classmates. He would always be an organizer in things like class reunions and meetups. When he got married, he also liked inviting them to vacations. In his last life, many of his classmates would often talk about Huo YeRui, so in the end, even Lin Qian’s circle of friends had Huo YeRui’s wedding pictures on their phones.

  Reminiscing all this, Lin Qian suddenly felt that Huo YeRui’s future wife was somewhat familiar, as if he had seen her somewhere before. But he distinctly remembers not having such thoughts before his rebirth.

  Knowing something but not remembering what it was, made Lin Qian very uncomfortable.

  As he tried to recall long-forgotten faces, Xu Yao turned him around and while pretending to be nonchalant, said in an obviously excited whisper: “There, Ah Qian. A beautiful woman over there has been looking at you for quite a while now.”


  The forcefully turned Lin Qian frowned as his thoughts scattered. Following the direction of Xu Yao’s stare, sure enough, a girl was looking at him. When the girl realized that he was looking back, she quickly turned her gaze away.

  Lin Qian: “.……” Isn’t that the girl who stopped Zheng PingQing this afternoon and demanded an explanation from him? It seems that a few students of No. 9 were attending too.

  Lin Qian figured it was because of this afternoon that she had been looking at him so intently. He didn’t see You NiNi’s mouth curving up.

  Xu Yao began to trumpet the gossip he had hoarded many days before. “Wow, I heard that girl is the goddess of No. 9. Along with their school flower Luo RunWei, they’re nicknamed the ‘Double Nine Beauties.’ Ah Qian, it looks like your peach blossom days have arrived……

  By then, Lin Qian had already looked away. But when he heard the moniker ‘goddess,’ his heart suddenly jumped and he moved his eyes back towards the girl, just in time for his gaze to collide with You NiNi’s, who had secretly glanced at him again.

  You NiNi didn’t expect for Lin Qian to pay any attention to her. But unexpectedly, their eyes met twice. She couldn’t help but give him a shy smile.

  Seeing this, Xu Yao became even more excited. With a pinch at Lin Qian’s arm, he said: “Ah Qian, she smiled at you!”


  Lin Qian ignored him, causing Xu Yao to look at him in disbelief. But he saw that Lin Qian was busy staring at You NiNi.

  Xu Yao’s heart was both sad and comforted. One of their family’s piglets is finally reaching the cabbage patch, finally walking the path of love, and with a goddess to the boot. It’s a little disappointing, but since the goddess gave them a swoon-worthy smile, Xu Yao was incapable of speaking against it.

  Xu Yao naturally couldn’t imagine that Lin Qian wasn’t stunned silly by the goddess’ smile, but was instead overturned by thunder.

  Because he finally remembered the heroine in Huo YeRui’s wedding photos that had been widely circulated through various means. The woman was named You NiNi, and she was currently right in front of him.

  Lin Qian started to sweat. During the incident with Zheng PingQing this afternoon, she looked like a girl with good eyes (despite the temper). How did she end up marrying a person like Huo YeRui?

  Her aesthetics simply jumped off a cliff, ah!

  Doubting You NiNi’s future eyes, Lin Qian couldn’t help but look at her eyes now, feeling much regret on her behalf.

  Alas, while a beauty really was beautiful, the blind really are blind.

  After that farce with Zheng PingQing this afternoon, You NiNi thought that she would never have another chance with Lin Qian. In no way did she ever expect to see him again at this party. And even better, the other party had been sneaking glances towards her too!

  You NiNi was a little excited and couldn’t help but tell Luo RunWei: “Good thing we attended this party.”


  Luo RunWei, who was still upset with Zheng PingQing, didn’t bother looking at her friend. “It’s not good at all. That Huo YeRui really baffles me. I’m not familiar with him, why would he invite us.”


  You NiNi: “.……weren’t you looking forward to this party?”


  Luo RunWei snorted but didn’t continue.

  She had expected to be invited because even Gou XinDou and Zheng PingQing were invited. But after today’s events, Zheng PingQing had become an irritating existence.

  You NiNi, who was completely immersed in her own world, was clueless regarding Luo RunWei’s irritation. She tilted her head, and shyly asked: “Hey, tell me, should I go over and say hi to that boy?”


  Luo RunWei: “.……” Hey, are you some kind of plastic friend? Zheng PingQing made her lose face just hours before, and now you want to make friends with Zheng PingQing’s buddy?

  Luo RunWei unkindly replied: “Be careful that the person doesn’t say ‘who are you?’”


  You NiNi grimaced, but her heart remained dismissive of the warning. After all, Zheng PingQing secretly liking Luo RunWei were just rumors. But just now, that boy secretly peeked at her five, six, seven times just now.

  You NiNi’s heart was thumping “going, not going, going, not going……” As she plucked the imaginary petals, she saw the protagonist of this party, Huo YeRui, walking up to them. With a sincere smile, he said: “Classmate Luo and classmate You, I’m so glad both of you could come to my birthday party.”


  Luo RunWei gave him a perfunctorily fake smile: “Happy birthday, classmate Huo.”


  You NiNi looked a little more polite and said: “Happy birthday.”


  Luo RunWei then coldly said: “I didn’t expect classmate Huo to invite us.”


  Huo YeRui didn’t directly answer Luo RunWei, but instead looked towards You NiNi, his eyes tender: “Classmate You might not remember, but we used to attend the same cram school.”


  You NiNi was absentminded as she casually replied: “Ah, I remember.” She was still looking at Lin Qian at the corner of her eye.

  All this happened while Lin Qian was still thinking about the future and the gossip he heard back then. When he saw both Huo YeRui and You NiNi together, he couldn’t help but glance towards them a couple more times.

  Looking at Huo YeRui acting affectionate towards You NiNi, Lin Qian’s face couldn’t help but show an expression full of pity. It seems like things were still progressing towards the same trajectory as his last life.

  This popular No. 9 goddess would fall for Huo YeRui.

  Only to later find out that Huo YeRui not only becomes fat, but especially greasy!

  Lin Qian felt sorry for classmate You NiNi and could only sigh.

  His seemingly regretful sigh was seen by You NiNi, instantly making her ecstatic. He was unhappy that she was talking to other boys!

  The beautiful You NiNi bloomed with joy, so her attitude towards Huo YeRui turned warm. She gestured towards Lin Qian’s direction, and with a sweet smile, asked him: “Classmate Huo, that boy over there, is he your classmate? What’s his name?”


  Huo YeRui became entranced by You NiNi’s sweet smile. But he didn’t expect the words that would come out of her mouth to be about another person.

  Huo YeRui was instantly splashed by cold water. Following You NiNi’s line of sight, his face immediately twisted.

  Huo YeRui regretted. If time could turn back, even if he risked being found out by the entire class, he absolutely never would’ve invited Lin Qian and his friends to his birthday party.

  He honestly never thought that Lin Qian, who was a big-shot in school, to bother coming to his birthday party. What’s more, he even dressed up, grabbing everyone’s focus.

  It should be known that today’s party wasn’t just his birthday party, but a social platform his father had worked so hard to give him.

  Huo PingChuan had exhausted his contacts and resources to invite children of several prominent figures, and several top students of other schools. All this to create an opportunity for Huo YeRui to get to know them.

  With this get-together, Huo YeRui needs to seize this opportunity to show himself off. It was for this reason that he specifically looked for a famous stylist to whip him up to shape.

  But no matter how skillful the stylist was, their efforts couldn’t match the natural brilliance some people were just born with.

  With just a change of clothes, Lin Qian managed to slay the entire room.

  Even You NiNi, who had secretly been in love with Huo YeRui for a long time, was attracted to him.

  Now, a young Huo YeRui could intimately relate with the saying “making someone else’s wedding dress,” which made him especially sad.

  As his heart vomits blood, on the surface, Huo YeRui pretended to be generous and friendly. He turned to You NiNi and said: “Oh, he’s in my class. His name is Lin Qian.”


  In front of the bleeding Huo YeRui, You NiNi’s eyes sparkled. “So he’s Lin Qian! I’ve heard of him. Didn’t he get second place in the city’s general exam last year?”


  Huo YeRui: “.……that’s him.”


  You NiNi’s voice was undulating as she continued: “I didn’t think he looked like that!”


  Huo YeRui: “.……” He felt like he needed emergency first aid on the spot……

  Xu Yao and Jiang TingJun excitedly walked around the room, collecting various gossip from other schools. Meanwhile, Lin Qian lacked any interest in this high school social party. He had even less interest in juvenile gossip like who secretly liked who, and who was chasing which person. So, in the end, he took some fruits and found a corner to idly sit and munch on his snack.

  He sent a message to Zheng PingQing: Boyfriend, when will you arrive?

  Unexpectedly, Zheng PingQing’s reply didn’t come in the span of a few seconds. It took a full fifteen minutes before Lin Qian’s phone beeped.

  Zheng PingQing: I’ll be there soon.

  After a while, another message came: I miss you.

  His messages weren’t anything different from the usual, but Lin Qian intuitively felt that Zheng PingQing was feeling a little down. But Lin Qian didn’t ask him, instead replying: I miss you too.

  After sending the text, Lin Qian forked another piece of fruit, only to find that he was no longer sitting alone.

  With skin translucent-white, a boy sat across from him, his chin on the table. His entire being emitted an ‘I’m so bored’ atmosphere.

  Lin Qian recognized the boy to be the current National Programming Award winner and future CEO of a listed company: Ke MuZi.

  Out of respect for this future life champion, Lin Qian pushed his plate towards him and said: “Please, feel free.”


  Ke MuZi sluggishly looked to Lin Qian. He suddenly straightened and excitedly said: “I know you. You took second place in the city’s general exam last semester! Lin Qian?”


  Lin Qian tried to think back. Still uncertain, he replied: “That’s me.”


  It wasn’t that he wanted to keep such information to himself. It was just that it had been so long ago for him that he couldn’t properly remember such details.

  But Ke MuZi remained happy. “Then you must know me too.”


  Lin Qian was more than happy to give such a big boss some face. Chuckling, he said: “I do know you, Ke MuZi……classmate.”


  He almost called him Boss.

  But Ke MuZi felt touched. He thought Lin Qian especially remembered him, much like an old rival.

  With a satisfied smile, he said: “Indeed, I apologize for scoring thirteen points higher than you and managing to grab first place instead.”


  Unexpectedly, such a huge boss had meticulously counted his points and compared it to the person below him, even remembering it so clearly.

  Inadvertently glimpsing such childish behavior from a future bigwig, Lin Qian: “.……”


  Pretending to remember such details, he answered: “.……Oh, yes.”


  Ke MuZi wrinkled his nose. “But you’re pretty good. When I was studying in ChangXing City, I usually scored at least twenty points higher than second place.”


  Lin Qian, who had a middle-aged soul, who hadn’t cared for scores in a long time, carelessly sent out a bullet-screen comment, saying: “666”


  But Ke MuZi couldn’t understand a saying that would only be popular years later. “What does that mean?”


  Lin Qian: “.……”


  Looking at Ke MuZi’s earnest face, he couldn’t help but think back to something that happened years later in the future. When Ke MuZi’s company did a special live video broadcasting their stock listing in real-time, many investors came together and shouted ‘666’ in unison. This thought made Lin Qian’s mood particularly delicate.

  In the end, Lin Qian explained the saying that would later become popularized in Ke MuZi’s broadcasting website.

  After hearing this, Ke MuZi went quiet for a moment. He then said: “That’s so interesting. I’m using that from now on.”


  Lin Qian: “.……” Wait a minute! This isn’t how things went!

  Having been told about the wonders of 6, Ke MuZi probably felt that he and Lin Qian were now buddies, so he began to stuff food into his mouth while complaining: “This birthday party is so boring ah. I don’t know anyone here. I’d rather write code at home.”


  Lin Qian asked: “Aren’t you friends with Huo YeRui?”


  “Nope. I’ve only met him once, and he’s never called me 666.” Ke MuZi said.

  Lin Qian: “.……” Well, I guess it’s true that social leaders like Ke MuZi need praise from others.

  “But his father called my home and said that Huo YeRui really wanted to make friends. He asked me to come if I had time.” As Ke MuZi talked, he tilted his head and looked towards a crowd in the distance. “Isn’t his father the vice-principal of your school? My mom actually didn’t want me to come.”


  Ke MuZi yawned: “Your vice-principal’s family is pretty funny, specializing in making friends in birthday parties.”


  Lin Qian realized that Huo YeRui didn’t have as many deep connections as he initially thought. This birthday party was a really important opportunity that Huo PingChuan had worked hard to give to his son.

  Lin Qian vaguely remembered that when Ke MuZi’s company went public, Huo YeRui flaunted to his old classmates that he had raised his own company’s shared through his relationship with Ke MuZi.

  Later on, Huo PingChuan became someone deeply rooted and powerful. He used his son’s circle of contacts to be a tall, firm figure in the city.

  He has to say, Huo PingChuan might not have good character, but his meticulous planning for his son’s future went much deeper than most other parents.

  Lin Qian watched Huo YeRui, who was talking to some top students from different schools and saw the faint shadow of his father, Huo PingChuan.

  This time around, Lin Qian was the one who knew which person would actually be successful in the future. But this information didn’t matter to him one bit, because he already had the person he wanted the most in his grasp.

  At the thought of Zheng PingQing, Lin Qian subconsciously smiled. He stayed in his small corner, and continued to eat fruit.

  Ke MuZi turned his eyes back to Lin Qian and said: “But I think people here would rather make friends with you than Huo YeRui.”


  Lin Qian bit down on an apple slice and laughed. “Because I’m handsome?”


  Ke MuZi puffed up his cheeks and said: “I don’t know about the others, but I made friends with you because of your good grades.”


  Lin Qian couldn’t resist and with a ‘pfft-‘ almost spit out the apple in his mouth.

  Unexpectedly, this big boss already saw them as friends. What’s more, his reason for making friends with him was because he had good grades.

  Lin Qian knew that Ke MuZi must have become friends with Huo YeRui in his last life. After all, Huo YeRui wore the halo that was ’Big Fish of City F’.

  While Lin Qian struggled to understand, Ke MuZi added: “And then you said 666 to me.”


  Lin Qian: “.……” Suddenly, he wondered what kind of flattery Huo YeRui had said to Ke MuZi to be able to capture his heart so thoroughly in his last life.

  Ke MuZi was very interested in discussing his latest programming escapade with Lin Qian. Meanwhile, Lin Qian was ashamed. While both he and Ke MuZi were both well-known scholars, Lin Qian was far from the academic Ke MuZi thought he was.

  As Ke MuZi continued to talk, a beautiful girl suddenly approached and interrupted them: “Ah Qian, you’re here!”


  The girl was Lin Qian’s classmate, Tang WanQi.

  Lin Qian looked up at her and asked: “What’s up?”


  Tang WanQi looked a bit embarrassed as she answered: “I was wondering if you could maybe carry me around the restaurant?”


  Lin Qian was befuddled. He asked again: “What? Why?”


  Tang WanQi spread her hands: “Because I lost a game?”


  Lin Qian: = =

  Lin Qian tilted and looked past her and sure enough, on the other side of the restaurant was a group of boys and girls laughing and chatting as they looked towards him. They all wore playful faces. Huo YeRui was in the middle of this group and wore the same playful look, but his eyes were unkind.

  Lin Qian turned back to Tang WanQi. “Who told you to do this?”


  Tang WanQi waved her hands. “Who else? the protagonist of today’s party.”


  Lin Qian didn’t understand what was going on. “What does he want from me?”


  From what Lin Qian understood, he and Huo YeRui had always had a peaceful relationship. They didn’t talk to each other much, but they didn’t get in each other’s way either. Lin Qian had even been acting like a transparent fish, just staying in this little corner of his. But how come Huo YeRui is trying to stir something up?