Chapter 55: Pressing Forward Once More (2) Young nobles of Wuling, east of the Gold Market, with silver saddles and white horses riding through the spring breeze. ...
Before long, Chen Siying also appeared at the school gate. Compared to Qin Lu, this girl was even more eye-catching—almost like a second Xia Churan.
“Wow, Qin Lu, your boyfriend is something else! He’s just a freshman and already starting a company?” Chen Siying grinned as she looped her arm through Qin Lu’s.
“I’ve told you, he’s not my boyfriend. Enough, stop teasing, senior. Fang Yu just wants to know if there are any offices for rent nearby.”
Chen Siying was efficient and decisive; she flipped her long hair and said, “Let me think… Oh right, our school has an entrepreneurship center. The rent there is cheap. Come on, I’ll take you to have a look.”
Following Chen Siying, the three of them left the school gate, turned left, and walked about 300 meters to an older office building.
“Look, this is the place. I’ll go ask for you.”
Pretty girls have a way of getting things done. In just ten minutes, Fang Yu found himself sitting in the office of the leasing department.
“Our building is a bit rough, but the location is excellent, and the price isn’t high—500 per office, with a minimum three-month lease. Let’s take a look first,” said a staff member enthusiastically.
“Thank you for your help.”
After a thorough look around, Fang Yu saw everything clearly. The building dated back to the 1980s, equipped with an old-style elevator that groaned and creaked with every movement. Still, the space was generous—a single office was at least a hundred square meters. He immediately took out his wallet.
“I’ll take two offices. Let’s start with a six-month lease.”
“No problem at all. Xiao Liu, go fetch the contract,” the staff member replied with a wide smile.
The payment was one month’s deposit and two months’ rent. Fang Yu paid 3,000 yuan, signed the contract, then turned to Chen Siying with a warm smile.
“Senior, thank you so much for your help. How about this: dinner is on me tonight. You and Xiang Yi should join. I haven’t seen him in a while.”
Chen Siying agreed readily. “Sure, if you’re treating. Let me make a call.”
While Chen Siying was on the phone, Qin Lu tugged shyly at Fang Yu’s sleeve.
“Fang Yu, you’re so experienced. Compared to you, I feel like such a child, just coasting by on my allowance.”
As expected, his ambition had sparked the competitive spirit in the girl. He smiled and gently ruffled her hair.
“Nonsense. I’m only doing business because my grades weren’t good enough. If I’d gotten into university and become your classmate, I wouldn’t have to go through all this trouble.”
The girl easily caught his underlying meaning. Her face flushed with embarrassment as she gave him a sidelong, half-mocking, half-shy glance.
“Don’t flatter yourself. There are already girls at my school asking about you. At this rate, you’ll be changing girlfriends every week.”
Fang Yu tried to protest, but Chen Siying finished her call and interrupted.
“Fang Yu, I told Xiang Yi. He said he misses you too and will be here soon.”
“Alright, let’s get going,” he nodded, seizing the opportunity to avoid Qin Lu’s questions.
As expected of the basketball team’s core, Xiang Yi arrived ten minutes later, jogging across the street, his face glistening with sweat.
“Long time no see, Fang Yu. Haven’t spotted you visiting Qin Lu lately. I heard from Siying you’re starting a business now?”
Fang Yu shifted subtly closer to Qin Lu, keeping his tone light. “Just a small venture. Mainly, I wanted to be closer to Lulu.”
“Tsk, your family really spoils you. That pair of limited-edition sneakers alone must’ve cost a fortune,” Xiang Yi teased, still thinking of the last basketball game.
They chatted and laughed as they walked along the road, finally settling down for dinner at a nearby restaurant—enough to eat, but not extravagant.
At the table, Qin Lu said little. The slender girl barely ate a few bites before she was full, gazing softly at the boy beside her, eyes brimming with tender emotion.
“Oh, Lulu, stop staring—no one’s going to steal him from you!” Chen Siying teased, breaking the gentle mood.
“I’m not! I was just looking out the window,” Qin Lu retorted, blushing but refusing to back down.
Xiang Yi pulled Fang Yu into drinking a few beers, his spirits high. “Fang Yu, when are you coming back to play? Hua Chen’s been training hard and says he can take you down.”
“Weaklings can only bluster. Why would I need to compete with him?” Fang Yu laughed, tossing back another beer.
“You don’t know—your block last time made it onto the school paper. And there was a photo of your dunk too,” Chen Siying added, embellishing the tale.
The meal was a lively one. When it was nearly nine, the four left the restaurant. Fang Yu hailed a taxi.
“I’ll head home now—still have a long way to go.”
Chen Siying and Xiang Yi were already walking ahead. Qin Lu mustered her courage, tugged his sleeve, and stood on tiptoe to whisper in his ear, her voice soft as velvet.
“Take care on the road. And… don’t ignore my calls or messages, okay?”
A little tipsy, Fang Yu’s heart fluttered and his reactions slowed. He reached out, meaning to circle the girl’s slender waist, but missed—Qin Lu had already skipped a few steps away, her cheeks still tinted with a rosy blush.
“Where did this little thing learn such tricks?” he chuckled, shaking his head as he climbed into the taxi.
He’d barely settled in, ready to doze off, when his phone rang—it was Xia Churan.
“Fang Yu, where are you? Lu Zhen says you haven’t been to the shop all day.”
“I went downtown to handle some business for the store. Why, is something up?”
“Hmph, I bet you were meeting that class monitor of yours. Listen up, my birthday’s the day after tomorrow, don’t be late!”
“The day after tomorrow? Alright, I’m on my way back now. We’ll talk later.”
Fifty minutes later, Fang Yu was completely sober. Seeing it was already ten o’clock, he hurried to “Qinglu” and, as expected, found Xia Churan still inside.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, senior.”
Xia Churan’s delicate brows were furrowed. “You’ve been drinking? What’s gotten you so happy?”
“Nothing much. I just got a friend to help me rent an office—had to return the favor. By the way, where are we eating for your birthday?”
He glanced around; Li Jing was nowhere to be seen—probably off with Cheng Chen again.
“Just on Backstreet, grilled squid—the place you’ve eaten before.”
“Wait, if I’m not mistaken, this is your twentieth birthday, right? And you’re just having grilled squid?” Xia Churan was a year older than him, and this should’ve been an important birthday.
In the next moment, the girl’s eyes dimmed, and her voice shrank.
“But, I have to treat my roommates too. I don’t have a big enough budget.”
A sudden pang of sympathy struck him. Maybe this girl wasn’t as carefree as she seemed. A pretty face did not guarantee an easy life.
“It’s your big day. Let’s go somewhere else—you don’t have to worry about the money.”
Xia Churan grew flustered, her voice faltering as she avoided his gaze.
“But… but it’s my birthday. I can’t let you pay, or how would I explain our relationship to the others?”