Chapter 20: Prioritize the Big Picture, There Is Plenty of Time
Chapter 20: Chapter 20: Prioritize the Big Picture, There Is Plenty of Time
Shortly after "overtaking" her, Zhang Yan remembered why he found this girl so familiar. Another stunningly beautiful face from his memories merged with the fleeting glance he had just caught. He had seen her before!
To be precise, she wasn’t just some "girl," but his senior. She was Xia Xiqing, the undisputed campus belle of Provincial University, whom Zhang Yan had met once before.
During his sophomore year, Zhang Yan had participated in a campaign to "manage stray cats and dogs on campus," and had the fortune of seeing Xia Xiqing in person. Back then, she had this exact same aloof demeanor, always holding up her swan-like neck, seemingly uninterested in everything around her.
At that time, Zhang Yan had wanted to take the opportunity to introduce himself, but Xia Xiqing was surrounded by at least three layers of "simps." She wasn’t exactly easy to approach. Coupled with the sheer wealth and spending power she casually displayed in her daily life, Zhang Yan had instantly extinguished any thoughts he had about her.
This girl was completely out of his league. A simple everyday earring of hers cost as much as his living expenses for an entire year.
Yet, that single encounter was enough for him to remember her until now. He had buried her deep in his heart, never forgetting her even after more than a decade. It truly echoed Brother Tongzi’s words: "A man will ultimately be haunted for life by what he could not obtain in his youth."
However, he had already overtaken her and run far ahead in a "cool and natural" manner. Even though he realized she was the person he needed to find for his mission, slowing down and turning back now would seem far too deliberate. Xia Xiqing had never lacked simps around her. Pandering to her was definitely the worst way to pursue her. Therefore, Zhang Yan could only bite the bullet and continue running forward. The most he could do was slightly reduce his speed so he wouldn’t leave her too far behind too quickly.
His mind raced, trying to come up with a highly suitable way to strike up a conversation, but to no avail.
"Forget it. Being too deliberate right now would ruin the vibe. First impressions are still very important, and they’re hard to change.
"If she’s morning jogging around here, there’s a high probability that she lives in Cuiquan Spring, the top-tier residential community nearby. As long as I hang around here more often in the future, there will be plenty of opportunities," he reasoned.
Having figured this out, Zhang Yan stopped holding back his pace. He took wide strides forward and purposefully turned into a corner as he passed it.
When a person possessed enough confidence, the vast majority of things could no longer make them worry about every little gain and loss. Zhang Yan was exactly like this right now. However, his confidence didn’t stem from the three million pocket money that Brother Tongzi had given him. "A mere three million" couldn’t even reach the average wealth level in certain districts of Huaxia. What gave him his true confidence was Brother Tongzi itself.
"Since I already have a system, becoming the richest man in Meng City shouldn’t be much of a problem, right?" he mused.
When one had an estimation of the heights they could reach in the future, their entire mind and body would undergo a qualitative change.
[Mission - Return to Health: Progress increased by 3%]
As he continued running, Zhang Yan finally completed the system’s ten-thousand-meter mission, so he slowed down to a walking pace to catch his breath. By now, he had arrived at a quiet path, where he suddenly saw a lazy Big Orange lying by the side of the road.
Zhang Yan actually liked both cats and dogs quite a bit, as long as he didn’t have to raise them himself. Petting them was fine, but scooping poop was a no-go. So, upon seeing this endearingly chubby Big Orange, his interest was instantly piqued, and he approached him.
"PSPSPS!"
This Big Orange wasn’t afraid of people. Sensing Zhang Yan’s approach, he merely lifted his head to cast him a disdainful glance before lazily resting his head back down. It seemed the locals treated him quite well.
Although Zhang Yan loved petting cats, he wouldn’t just recklessly reach out, as he had been scratched by one before. As you approach, if a cat shrinks into a tight ball and arches its back, with its tail hanging low and tucked tight, it means it feels scared, uneasy, or nervous around you. If it doesn’t run away, it’s mostly because you’ve backed it into a corner. If you carelessly reach out your hand at that moment, there’s a high probability you’ll be on the receiving end of a lightning-fast, five-hit scratch combo. These were all lessons learned through blood and tears.
But right now, this Big Orange, despite noticing the approach of a stranger like Zhang Yan, remained lying on his side with his entire body relaxed, his tail gently thumping against the ground rhythmically. So Zhang Yan boldly continued his approach and tentatively stroked his back.
Big Orange remained unfazed, taking his sweet time enjoying this mortal’s service as a matter of right, without so much as throwing a glance in his direction.
While being petted, Big Orange’s ears suddenly twitched. He lifted his head again, looking past Zhang Yan toward the area behind him. Then, he rolled over, got to his paws, and trotted over happily, letting out a low PURR.
Following Big Orange’s gaze, Zhang Yan was surprised to see Xia Xiqing standing not far away, hesitating to come any closer. However, seeing Big Orange running toward her, Xia Xiqing stopped being coy. She pulled out a creamy cat treat from a small pocket on her clothes, clearly having prepared it beforehand.
A cool breeze beneath the trees, a beautiful woman, and an orange cat. Xia Xiqing’s expression was no longer as aloof. It carried a hint of softness, a touch of doting affection, and seemingly even a trace of envy.
Of course, Zhang Yan wouldn’t pass up such a good opportunity. He stood up and walked over.
"Does this Big Orange have a name?"
Zhang Yan was just testing the waters to strike up a conversation and was already prepared to be ignored. After all, rumors had it that Xia Xiqing was extremely aloof and terribly difficult to talk to. But to his surprise, she actually replied.
"How could a wild stray in the woods be worthy of a name?"
Xia Xiqing’s voice was like a feather brushing across piano strings—very low and exceedingly gentle, yet it resonated straight to the bottom of one’s heart. It was just that her tone remained cold, which perfectly suited her temperament.
"Then let’s just call him Big Orange, since he’s gotten so incredibly fat. Big Orange, oh Big Orange, do you like this name?"
Big Orange remained unfazed, entirely focused on licking the cat treat. The man and the woman just squatted by the roadside like this. One petted the cat’s head while the other stroked its tail, neither disturbing the other.
Xia Xiqing was a very quiet girl with little curiosity. After replying with that single sentence, she merely fed and petted the cat in silence. As for the stranger Zhang Yan, she didn’t seem to care whether this was a fateful chance encounter or a premeditated ambush. In this silent and somewhat awkward atmosphere, Zhang Yan also found it inappropriate to continue initiating conversation.
Since this chance encounter began, he had maintained a breezy and indifferent demeanor, showing absolutely no inclination of wanting to get to know her. Therefore, he decided to maintain this first impression.
"Eat, eat, eat. That’s all you know how to do. No wonder you’re so fat. I’m leaving."
Before Big Orange could lick the cat treat clean, Zhang Yan took the initiative to stand up and jogged back in the direction of his home.
It wasn’t until Zhang Yan had gone far away, turning the corner and completely disappearing from sight, that Xia Xiqing slightly raised her eyes to look in the direction he had left.
"Did he really not investigate my morning jog route to intentionally ambush and hit on me here?" she wondered.
Xia Xiqing neatly folded and tucked away the empty cat treat wrapper, gave the cat’s head one last pet, and stood up to continue her unfinished morning jog. However, as she ran, her brows were tightly knit together, as if she were burdened with many worries.