After Qin Yu left, Meng Fang was left puzzled by Qin Yu's last words. In the end, he could only attribute it to Qin Yu's attempt to mystify and create an air of mystery. After all, he was not a feng shui master or a fortune-teller; how could he predict the future?
Back in the car, Meng Fang drove the Land Rover out of the campus. For some reason, Qin Yu's last words kept echoing in his mind, and his eyelids kept twitching.
"Damn it, what's wrong with me? I'm scared by that guy's words!"
Meng Fang cursed, feeling a bit more at ease. However, he didn't notice that his driving, which was usually as fast as lightning, had become much smoother this time.
The Land Rover steadily drove toward the intersection. There weren't many cars on this road, but suddenly, a horn blared from behind. Through the rearview mirror, Meng Fang saw a BMW car behind him, honking to signal that it wanted to overtake.
If it were any other time, Meng Fang would have ignored the BMW and accelerated the Land Rover to leave it behind. But this time, as if guided by some unseen force, he obediently moved his car to the side, letting the BMW zoom past.
"Stupid thing, driving such a big car but as slow as a turtle, what a waste of a good car!"
The owner of the BMW, while overtaking, didn't forget to mock Meng Fang in the Land Rover, then sped away, leaving a trail of exhaust.
Meng Fang's face turned red with anger. When had he ever been insulted? Although he had cultivated his character in recent years and his temper had improved, he was once known as a spoiled rich kid in JX Province, and he had never been insulted. However, the traffic light turned red, and the BMW had already disappeared around the corner, leaving him no chance to retaliate.
"Huh! What's going on?"
As the car turned the corner, Meng Fang saw several cars scattered in the middle of the road, their fronts deformed. On the opposite side, a twelve-wheeled truck was overturned in the middle of the road, with a severely damaged car embedded in its front.
Looking at the accident scene, Meng Fang quickly deduced that the truck had lost control and crashed into these cars, causing the several vehicles to suffer an unexpected disaster.
Meng Fang took a closer look and then laughed. The BMW was among the crashed cars. Although the road ahead was blocked, he didn't know the condition of the BMW's owner, but judging by the extent of the damage, it couldn't be good.
"Serves you right, for overtaking and for your foul mouth!"
Meng Fang laughed heartily, but then he seemed to remember something. His laughter stopped abruptly, his eyes widened, and he recalled Qin Yu's words. If it weren't for Qin Yu's last words, and considering his usual driving speed, he might have been one of the unfortunate car owners.
Thinking about this, Meng Fang's expression became uncertain. Was Qin Yu's last statement just a casual remark, or did he really foresee what was about to happen? If it was the latter...
Meng Fang took a deep breath. If it was the latter, he might have missed something in his investigation of Qin Yu, or perhaps these were just surface-level phenomena.
...
...
Meng Fang's thoughts were unknown to Qin Yu. After returning to the dorm, Qin Yu made a decision to visit his hometown and then consider where to develop his future.
Qin Yu's hometown was a county in JX Province, not far from NC City, and it only took about two hours by train. Moreover, there were many train services, so tickets were always available.
There wasn't much to pack in the dorm. It wasn't graduation time yet, so Qin Yu only took a few sets of clothes and put them in his luggage. After everything was ready, he took out his phone, stared at the familiar number in his contacts, and after a moment of hesitation, he dialed.
"Hey, Qin Yu, you're back from your trip!"
A clear and gentle voice came from the phone, filled with joy. It was Meng Yao's voice, showing no signs of anger or a tantrum that many girls would throw after not hearing from their boyfriends for a week.
During their time together, they had never argued, which made the other guys in the dorm complain that the heavens were blind. Qin Yu had not only won the heart of a beauty but also one who was gentle and virtuous, a stark contrast to the modern girls who treated their boyfriends like servants.
"Yep, I just got back."
Qin Yu responded softly.
"Where did you go?"
Qin Yu detailed his trip to Meng Yao over the phone, sharing some funny stories from his journey, which made her giggle. Of course, he didn't mention the *Zhuge Nei Jing*; it was too bizarre, and if it weren't for him being the one who experienced it, he wouldn't have believed it either, dismissing it as "crazy."
After Qin Yu finished recounting his trip, both of them fell into a moment of silence.
"Meng Yao, I have something to tell you!"
"Qin Yu, I have something to tell you too!"
Their voices coincided, and they both chuckled. Qin Yu continued:
"You go first!"
On the other end, Meng Yao hesitated, unsure how to start. After a moment, she softly said:
"Qin Yu, my family has arranged for me to study abroad next month."
"Ah, Meng Fang, so he had everything planned out. No wonder he provoked me to bet with him." Qin Yu thought back to his earlier conversation with Meng Fang. This guy had probably planned everything, including arranging for Meng Yao to study abroad.
"Qin Yu, are you listening?"
Meng Yao's anxious voice came from the phone, as she noticed the silence on his end. Qin Yu quickly pulled himself together and said:
"Yes, I'm listening. Studying abroad is a good thing. Since your family has arranged it, you should go. With modern communication, it's easy to stay in touch."
Hearing Qin Yu's words, Meng Yao let out a sigh of relief. Then her voice came again:
"But, Qin Yu, can you come with me to study abroad?"
Meng Yao's voice was filled with hope. For a moment, Qin Yu wanted to nod, but then he remembered Meng Fang and their promise. He couldn't agree to Meng Yao's request.
"Meng Yao, I'm afraid I can't go abroad. You know my family; my parents are just ordinary people. The cost of studying abroad is beyond their means, and I don't want them to worry about me anymore."
Qin Yu ultimately refused Meng Yao, the first time in their four years together. It was also the first time Meng Yao had made a request of him.
"Oh!" Meng Yao's mood dropped, but she quickly spoke up again:
"Qin Yu, will you come to see me when you can?"
"Of course, I will. I have to make sure you don't get charmed by foreign handsome guys and leave me behind!"
Qin Yu said half-jokingly. Indeed, Meng Yao's voice brightened up again:
"That depends on how often you come to see me!"
Qin Yu could imagine Meng Yao's playful expression on the other end of the phone.
...
After hanging up with Meng Yao, Qin Yu put his phone in his pocket, picked up his luggage, and walked out of the dorm. At that moment, he silently vowed in his heart: "Meng Yao, wait for me. In two years, I will go to the Meng family and take you away openly. No one will be able to stop us from being together."
...
At the train station in SR City, a few minivan drivers from various counties were trying to get passengers, speaking in their local dialects. SR City had only one train station, so everyone returning home had to transfer here to reach their respective counties.
As Qin Yu walked out of the station, a young man approached him, patted his shoulder, and said:
"Xiao Yu, why are you back so late? I've been waiting for over two hours!"
"The train was delayed, couldn't help it. Why are you here to pick me up, Cousin?"
"My aunt told me you were coming back today. Since there's no direct bus to our town, I came to pick you up."
The young man was Qin Yu's third uncle's son, three years older than Qin Yu. His name was Zhang Hua. Unlike Qin Yu, Zhang Hua had left for the south after finishing junior high school and became a foreman at a construction company. He had earned a lot of money over the years and bought a Honda last year, making him a young and successful man in the town.
"Second Uncle's new house is having a beam-raising ceremony tonight. Everyone is back, and it will be a lively event. Grandma hasn't seen you in a long time."
Qin Yu's grandmother had three sons and one daughter, who was his mother. As an only child, Qin Yu was doted on by both his grandparents and his uncles.
Qin Yu had come back this time because of the beam-raising ceremony for his second uncle's new house, a traditional event that required a feast.
The two of them got into Zhang Hua's car, and Qin Yu joked:
"Cousin, you're doing well, you even have a car. When are you going to bring a sister-in-law home?"
"Stop it, don't mock me. I've just had good luck these past two years and made some money. How can I compare to you college students? Every time my old man gets drunk, he scolds me for not studying hard, saying that even if I make a lot of money, I'm still just a rough guy."
Zhang Hua's words made Qin Yu laugh. His third uncle used to be a primary school teacher in the town and was known for his knowledge in the area. He was always resentful that his son had left to work instead of studying, often saying, "All professions are inferior, only scholars are supreme."
This kind of thinking was common in rural areas. The older generation had little education and had to rely on literate people for tasks like writing couplets during festivals. They believed that only scholars had high status.
"Xiao Yu, you're graduating this year. Do you have any plans for your future?"
"Not really. What, are you willing to take me in?"
"Hehe, if you're willing to come, I'll take you in. To be honest, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. The projects are getting bigger, and I can't handle everything, especially the accounting. I didn't study much, and I don't trust outsiders to be my accountant."
"I'm not an accounting major, so I can't help you with the accounts, but I do have a solution to this problem!"
Qin Yu's words made Zhang Hua turn around and ask seriously, "Xiao Yu, you've always been smart. What's your idea?"
"My solution is simple: find a sister-in-law who is an accounting major!"
"You're just teasing me. I'm a rough guy with only a junior high school education. How could any female college student look at me?"
"Cousin, you don't know. You're already twenty-six, and in the countryside, it's rare for a twenty-six-year-old to not have a girlfriend. Grandma and Aunt have nagged about it many times."
"Now it's not like before. College graduates are everywhere, and it's hard to find a job. You're a boss now, and you're not a bad match. What are you afraid of?"
Qin Yu was telling the truth. With the expansion of universities, millions of college graduates enter the job market each year, and many of them earn only a few thousand yuan a month. In this materialistic society, people often judge others based on money. A young and wealthy man like Cousin Zhang Hua is still a preferred choice for many female college students.