Chapter 8: I Am Now Bursting with Confidence
Chapter 8: Chapter 8: I Am Now Bursting with Confidence
Jia Qian was noticeably silent for a moment. Even among fresh graduates nationwide, he believed he had reached a sufficiently high level. Why would he receive an "it’s not too high" evaluation? Moreover, the person who said this was a girl who had caught his eye the moment he saw her, making him feel a bit dejected.
"Pfft!" Brother Gan was the first to break the awkwardness and lighten the mood. "Junior sister, don’t blame me for criticizing you, but you should really watch fewer short videos!"
Brother Gan’s tone didn’t sound condescending; it carried a hint of playful teasing. Coupled with his handsome appearance and slightly wicked smile, Liu Yingying merely stuck her tongue out, not putting up much resistance.
"Do you know the median salary for fresh graduates last year? Even if his isn’t the absolute top salary, it’s definitely in the first tier." Li Chao spoke up to defend his good buddy. Besides, if this amount was considered "average," how was a slacker like him, who only landed a starting salary of 5,000 in his interview, supposed to live?
However, his added comment threw a bit of a wet blanket over the mood. Chi Xinyue astutely sensed the shift and chimed in at the right moment, asking, "Senior Brother Zhang Yan, what about you? Are you going to be a programmer too?"
"Me? I’m just an unemployed vagrant. Working for someone else is impossible; I won’t ever work for anyone in this lifetime."
"Hehehe, I know this meme. It’s from that ’Che Guevara of thieves’ guy, right? You imitate him pretty well, Senior Brother. Or could it be that you have a family fortune waiting for you to inherit?"
"You really have a keen eye, junior sister. It seems I can’t hide my identity anymore. I’m actually the richest man in Xihong City."
Thanks to Chi Xinyue and Zhang Yan smoothing things over, the slight chill in the air was instantly snuffed out, and the lively, cheerful atmosphere returned.
After the meal, everyone amicably added each other on WeChat. Zhang Yan went to pay the bill. The four guys had eaten about 400 yuan worth of food, while the four girls ate a little over 200. In total, it came to just over 600 yuan. Getting to know two great beauties made this trip totally worth it.
Since it was just a chance encounter, the two groups said their goodbyes at the door and parted ways.
On the girls’ side, Xiaoyan discreetly pulled her good friend Chi Xinyue aside and asked in a low voice, "Yuyu, you weren’t acting like yourself today. Why were you so proactive?"
Chi Xinyue knew she had been a bit obvious today, but she didn’t over-explain. "What’s wrong with getting to know a handsome guy when you see one? Plus, we scored a free meal. It’s a win-win~"
"Be a good girl and tell the truth. Did you take a fancy to one of those two handsome guys?"
"I wouldn’t say I took a fancy to them, just a bit interested and wanted to get to know them. Don’t you think that Zhang Yan has a very inexplicable charm?"
Xiaoyan shook her head. "Does he? I didn’t feel it at all. You probably misjudged this time. Even though he was the one who treated us in the end, his entire outfit probably doesn’t even add up to a thousand yuan. On the other hand, Senior Brother Si looks like he’s dressed low-key, but he’s wearing all designer brands. That outfit of his wouldn’t cost anything less than tens of thousands."
Although Xiaoyan hadn’t spoken much during the entire meal and maintained an indifferent expression, she had secretly assessed everyone’s net worth in her own way.
While Chi Xinyue didn’t have her best friend’s sharp eyes and experience, she knew that what Xiaoyan said was probably true. However, she still trusted her intuition. Senior Brother Si gave off the vibe of a player whose level was too high; he wasn’t her type. As for Zhang Yan, even though he looked ordinary, she faintly felt that what he passed off as a joke might not necessarily be fake.
"I’m laying my cards on the table—I’m actually a super-rich second-generation heir."
***
After seeing off Jia Qian and Li Chao, Zhang Yan watched the speeding taxi depart with a faint sense of sentimentality. Neither of their homes were here. Following the original trajectory, barring any accidents, there would be almost no chance for them to meet again in the future. Li Chao would most likely lie flat at home and enjoy the rest of his life, while Jia Qian might join the ranks of the middle class in a few years, though that also depended on whether he’d get struck by a midlife crisis.
"Brother Gan, did you enjoy the barbecue?" Zhang Yan turned around and threw an arm over Si Mingcheng’s shoulder.
"Not bad, except the honey ginseng was a bit bitter. But getting to know a few new junior sisters tonight was definitely the biggest harvest."
"Then about Senior Sister Xia’s WeChat..."
"Zhang Yan, take my advice. The two girls tonight are both pretty good. Don’t make things hard on yourself. Xia Xiqing isn’t a woman just anyone can pursue."
"Don’t worry, Brother Gan. I’m not an ordinary guy, I’m from Class 5."
Si Mingcheng caught the pun he was playing on, but didn’t press the matter further. He didn’t want to seem like he was standing in the way. Once Zhang Yan hit a brick wall himself, he would naturally understand.
"I’ve sent you her WeChat ID. Whether she accepts your request or not is out of my hands."
Having gotten Xia Xiqing’s WeChat, Brother Gan had lost his "utility value." Zhang Yan immediately cast him aside and clicked on an avatar named "Gentle Evening Breeze." It required a friend request verification, and her Friends Circle was hidden. Great, he still had to think of a good opening line.
Seeing this kid instantly choose girls over his bros, Si Mingcheng sucked his teeth. "You brat, do you know that the number of men in the entire Provincial University who have Xia Xiqing’s WeChat can be counted on one hand? Is this how you repay my great kindness?"
"Come on, Brother Gan. You probably wouldn’t have any use for this WeChat contact anymore anyway."
Si Mingcheng raised an eyebrow. "How do you know?"
Zhang Yan chuckled. "With your personality, I reckon you fell for Senior Sister Xia the very first time you saw her. The fact that you’re willing to give me her WeChat now means you’ve completely given up on her."
"Hey, you really hit Mengzhong on that. I pursued her when I was a freshman, but I got rejected. That’s also why I advised you against it. If someone of my caliber couldn’t handle it, you’d just be throwing yourself away."
"How will I know if I don’t try?"
Zhang Yan was currently more confident than ever before. After all, he was the Chosen One with a System. Right now, even if the Donald himself were standing in front of him, he’d dare to reach out and ruffle his blond hair.
After parting ways with Si Mingcheng, Zhang Yan took a short walk to digest his food. Upon returning home, he unexpectedly received a greeting message. It was surprisingly from the beautiful junior sister he had just added today, Chi Xinyue.
[Kitten waving.gif]
[Hello Senior Brother, thanks for the treat today~]
[Photo of a slightly bulging belly.jpeg]
In the photo, Chi Xinyue seemed to be pulling her clothes tight from the back with one hand, accentuating the slight curve of her tummy. However, it correspondingly showed that her waist was incredibly slender, looking as if it could be grasped with two hands.
Zhang Yan scrolled through Chi Xinyue’s Friends Circle and found that it was actually visible to him. However, it only contained exquisite shares of her daily life; there weren’t many photos of herself. As for the other three junior sisters, Liu Yingying and Zhang Shu’s posts were only visible for the last month. They had quite a few selfies in their Friends Circle, but they were heavily edited. Xiaoyan’s posts, on the other hand, were completely invisible.
Zhang Yan gave a meaningful smile.
When it came to Chi Xinyue, Zhang Yan wasn’t some rookie who had never dated before. Of course, he had long sensed that she had an unusual interest in him, having subtly asked him quite a few questions. However, even he didn’t know which aspect of him had attracted her.
After pondering for a moment, he typed into the input box:
[You’re taking advantage of my lack of experience, aren’t you? This is way too photoshopped. How could a girl have such a slim waist in real life!]