Youths of Wuling, east of the Gold Market, Silver saddles and white horses ride through the spring breeze. Chapter 141: What Are You Worried About?

Zhao Bin handed one of the cups to him.
"Here. Knowing you like your drinks sweet, I asked them to add an extra half-spoon of sugar."
Fang Yu nodded and took it, taking a couple of nonchalant sips before forcing a smile that was as amiable as he could manage.
"Zhao Bin, Lu Zhen mentioned yesterday that you called Zhang Yan and told her that Lu Zhen was hugging and cozying up to some young woman in Shawang?"
Zhao Bin reacted instantly, maintaining a completely composed expression.
"No way. How could that be? Where on earth did you hear that?"
"Lu Zhen said so, of course. He said Zhang Yan told him." Fang Yu was starting to feel a bit confused now; Zhao Bin's reaction didn't look like he was lying.
"Do you take me for that kind of person? Even if I can't stand Lu Zhen, I would never stoop to doing something like that. The thing I despise most in this world is talking behind people's backs." Zhao Bin's emotions began to flare up slightly.
Fang Yu quickly waved his hands to pacify him.
"Oh, oh. Well, maybe I misheard. But Zhang Yan seems to know about the things Lu Zhen did in Shawang. Who the hell leaked it then?"
"It must have been one of those girls, right? Cheng Chen definitely wouldn't blab. I think Shen Molan is the prime suspect."
Fang Yu was completely baffled now. How could Shen Molan and Zhang Yan—two people who moved in entirely different circles—possibly be connected in this?
Yet, seeing Zhao Bin's absolute conviction, Fang Yu couldn't make up his mind for the moment. He had no choice but to saunter back into the internet café with an air of casual indifference. Lu Zhen hadn't arrived yet to take over his shift, and Yan Hua was still resting, leaving only the two young women busy at work inside.
The drawing power of a pretty girl was substantial indeed. Everyone on campus knew that Xia Churani and Li Jing were working as internet café attendants at Seven Stars Internet Café, and quite a few students looking for a spectacle even deliberately spent money just to surf the web here.
"Look, it really is Xia Churani. Why on earth is she working as a net café attendant?"
"She's just doing it because Fang Yu has money, isn't she? Damn, if I had money, I'd hire ten pretty girls from the Foreign Languages Department to work as models!"
"Pointless. I bet Xia Churani is just another gold-digger. Hmph, unless she goes out with me."
This whole affair had even drawn the attention of a professor from the Foreign Languages Department. Xia Churani's head teacher, whose surname was Zhang, was a lecherous middle-aged man who frequently used the pretext of caring for his students to grope and brush up against Xia Churani and several other pretty girls.
Having finished work for the day, he had come to the internet café, casting a hypocritical gaze at the young woman behind the cash register.
"Oh my, Xia Churani, how is it that you've ended up working as an attendant here? A young lady like you should really be prioritizing her studies."
Xia Churani felt a bit nervous; after all, he was her head teacher. She hurriedly stood up, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
"Um, Mr. Zhang, I'm just working a part-time job during my free time. My family isn't very well-off, so this is also to earn a bit of money."
"Heh, there are all sorts of ways to earn money. This internet café is hazy with smoke and full of dubious characters—does this look like a proper place to make an honest living!"
"Tsk tsk, I don't like the sound of that. What's wrong with the air in my internet café?" Fang Yu piped up from the side, displeased. How dare this old fossil badmouth his business?
"Er, you must be Fang Yu, right? I've heard about you. Whether you graduate or not is your own business, but you have no right to ruin Xia Churani's academic future!" Old Zhang declared with a self-righteous tone.
"Oh? It sounds like this teacher cares deeply about Churani's studies?" Fang Yu shot a sardonic glance at the old lech. Xia Churani had mentioned more than once that this creep was always trying to take advantage of her, and she held no affection for her head teacher whatsoever.
"Of course! Xia Churani is an exemplary student in our Foreign Languages Department, and you mustn't hold her back. How about this: I'll take charge. Starting tomorrow, student Xia Churani will receive individual tutoring from me. I'll bring you along to do some experiments and give you an extra two-month subsidy of two hundred yuan. How does that sound?" Old Zhang leaned forward with a leering expression.
"Two hundred yuan? Who do you think you're fooling? Xia Churani makes two thousand a month working for me. If I felt like it, I could pay her even more. Can you afford that?" Fang Yu was losing his patience now. Xia Churani and Li Jing acting as his living signboards had indeed brought him considerably more profit.
"Heh, student Fang Yu, I'm genuinely worried about you. You're only a freshman, yet you're already trying to do business. Even if you manage to pass your graduation exams in the future, it doesn't mean you've balanced your studies well. I'm deeply concerned about your prospects." Old Zhang put on a mournful expression, like a fox grieving over the death of a hare.
Fang Yu laughed, a chuckle that bordered on uncontrollable mirth. He stepped forward until he was standing face-to-face with Old Zhang's aged countenance.
"Let me tell you something: not only do I own this internet café, but I also own a milk tea shop and a company on top of that. What exactly are you worried about? Are you worried about your pitiful salary of a few hundred yuan next month?"
Old Zhang flushed red with anger, but since Fang Yu wasn't under his jurisdiction, he had no choice but to redirect his fire at Xia Churani.
"Xia Churani! If you keep going down this path, you won't be able to graduate! Don't forget, your advisor's evaluation still has to be written by me!"
The young girl's heart tightened instantly. True enough, as sleazy as this guy was, he was still a faculty advisor at the university.
"You don't need to concern yourself with that. Even if Xia Churani can't graduate, I, Fang Yu, will support her. It has nothing to do with you. By the way, Teacher Zhang, if you aren't here to use the internet, stop disrupting my business." Without a shred of politeness, he issued an eviction notice.
"You! Hmph, we'll see about this!" Unable to do anything to him, Old Zhang stormed out of the internet café in a rage.
The young girl walked over to him timidly, tugging gently at his sleeve.
"Fang Yu, why did you have to pick a fight with Instructor Zhang? He's my advisor, and my graduation thesis still needs his approval to pass."
"I just can't stand these slackers who don't focus on their proper duties. What are you afraid of? In a couple of years, I'll just buy the school out and print a customized diploma for you—how about that?"
"Huh? Talking nonsense again. Even if you worked this internet café to death, you couldn't make enough money to buy a private university." The young girl was amused by him, yet her heart was filled with sweetness. Just now, he had said he would support her—was that a confession of feelings?
Just as she was about to act coquettishly toward Fang Yu again, his phone rang.
"Hello, Old Zhang? What is it?" The call was from Zhang Hao.
"Old Fang, see if you have time to make a trip to Songyu. The people from White Wood Group want to meet you to discuss financing matters after the New Year. As you know, you're the majority shareholder of Full-to-the-Brim, after all."
"Oh, sure. Let's set a time. Tomorrow? All right, go ahead and schedule it for me. I'll arrive around noon, okay?"
After hanging up the phone, Lu Zhen and Yan Hua arrived at the internet café. Lu Zhen walked over with a grinning smile and pulled Fang Yu aside.
"Boss Fang, let me take a leave of absence. I have things to do tonight, so I won't be working my shift."
"Hm? Is something the matter? Are you feeling unwell?"
"No, hehe. Zhang Yan and I have a date to go sing karaoke in the city, so I probably won't be back tonight." Lu Zhen smiled lasciviously.
"Tsk, I never took you for a guy with such game. Go on then." Fang Yu was amused as well; different strokes for different folks, and it seemed Zhang Yan just happened to be into this type.
With permission granted, Lu Zhen happily turned and skipped off. Fang Yu could only smile wryly at Yan Hua standing nearby.
"I'll have to trouble you to work hard again tonight."
Yan Hua waved his hands hastily.
"What is Brother Yu saying? I've rested for a whole day already. Besides, I actually enjoy playing video games, the pay here is high, and the work isn't heavy. We're all brothers here who can chat and laugh—it's way better than working back at home."