With Gao Ziyu’s arrival, the beginning of Chen Qianqing’s school life was off to a bad start. Gao Ziyu too didn’t spend a lot of time living at school, but he would always come back home at midnight, then sleep in and wake up at lunch time the next day. In the afternoon, he wouldn't attend classes and would go who knows where.
Chen Qianqing was a shallow sleeper. Just a little noise would immediately wake him up. With how Gao Ziyu was, his sleep was terribly affected.
Chen Qianqing also didn’t feel like dealing with people like Gao Ziyu, who have an impenetrable sense of shamelessness, so he just offered to live together with Zhu Mao.
Zhu Mao listened to Chen Qianqing’s offer and was intrigued. If they lived outside of school, they wouldn’t need to turn off the lights, and it would be more convenient to read books during their free time. However, when it came to money, as students, they had a bit of a problem.
Chen Qianqing said directly, “I’ll deal with the rent, you do the chores, how does that sound?”
Zhu Mao, “That’s not good, we should still split it.”
Chen Qianqing, “I’m speaking honestly. I’m very lazy, is that not clear to you? Moreover, that amount of money doesn’t matter, rest assured.”
Zhu Mao was hesitant, but after a while he responded, “Then I’ll wash your clothes too.”
Chen Qianqing didn’t refuse and nodded his head. To be honest, one of the things he found the most vexing was doing chores and the laundry. These things were trivial and a waste of energy. If he could avoid doing them, then he would. In any case, what was missing right now was the money.
Lu Zhengfei was a generous person, especially towards Chen Qianqing. He only needed to ask and Lu Zhengfei would give him everything; but Chen Qianqing had never asked.
When he went to withdraw money, Chen Qianqing intentionally
(1.)
looked at the balance and saw that it was around three hundred million yuan(1.). He took twenty thousand yuan, found an apartment near the school and rented it for half a year.
Once he finished doing these things, Chen Qianqing went back to school to call Zhu Mao and move their things together.
Chen Qianqing didn’t tell Lu Zhengfei about the apartment, but Lu Zhengfei most likely knew about it. Since he didn’t call Chen Qianqing to say it wasn’t allowed, it meant that he allowed it.
At the time Chen Qianqing and Zhu Mao were packing up their things, Gao Ziyu also just so happened to be in the dormitory. He saw what they were doing and immediately understood that they were moving out. He said, “Oh, am I this unwelcome? I was barely here for a few days, yet you’re leaving already?”
Chen Qianqing, “If we don’t leave, I think I might go blind.”
Gao Ziyu was in the middle of putting on a face mask. When he heard those words he tore the face mask in half and threw it on the ground. “You dare to act proud? Isn’t that just dirty money?
(2.)
This old lady(2.) wouldn’t keep living here either, once I* get rich. But that doesn’t matter, wait until I* become a celebrity, then you’ll have to beg to see me.”
Chen Qianqing, “Celebrity?”
Gao Ziyu proudly hummed to himself. “Bet you guys didn’t know, once my song becomes popular I’ll sign a contract with Sound Entertainment!”
Chen Qianqing originally wasn’t interested in who was popular in the entertainment industry. However, when he heard the words “Sound Entertainment”, he thought of something. He carefully looked at Gao Ziyu’s face and suddenly felt that it was a bit familiar.
There was nothing to do about this, and besides the original Chen Qianqing whoever he was had nothing to do with him, forget about celebrities.
But since he found him familiar, that meant that in his previous life he was able to achieve something. Chen Qianqing’s eyes looked Gao Ziyu up and down. Finally, he sighed in his heart; people truly had strange tastes in beauty these days.
Zhu Mao had finished packing his things and was holding a suitcase. “Qianqing, wait here. I’ll bring my suitcase down, then I’ll help you, since your leg is still not good and you shouldn’t carry heavy things.”
Chen Qianqing didn’t disagree and nodded his head. His leg had just healed, he shouldn’t carry heavy things. If he got injured there again, then it would become lame for life. Chen Qianqing absolutely didn’t want his body to endure that.
Gao Ziyu started applying his face mask again. He waited until Zhu Mao left, then accused Chen Qianqing, “You're a person from the circle.”
Chen Qianqing, “You can see that?”
Gao Ziyu answered eagerly, “I’ve* seen many people like you. I can tell from just one glance.”
Chen Qianqing sat on a chair; he was surprisingly curious. “Do people like you really have boys who like them?” He didn’t interact much in the circle, yet he knew his* kind of bottom wasn't the most popular.
Gao Ziyu laughed. “Nonsense! I* am so well received in those circles that you can’t even imagine! Why don’t you see for yourself? You definitely won’t be able to forget it once you have a taste!”
Chen Qianqing responded flatly, “I can’t stand you.”
Gao Ziyu’s face paled. “I’m offering this because we are classmates, next time you won’t be able to try it anymore!”
Up to this point, Chen Qianqing felt that Gao Ziyu was a twenty-something child who was dressed up in seductive clothes, but whose temperament was like a mom - his nature was annoying, yet younger people still flocked to him. “I wish you luck.”
Gao Ziyu gave Chen Qianqing a scornful gaze. “Nonsense! When I* take action, how can I not be successful?”
Chen Qianqing didn’t say anything anymore. He lowered his head to use his phone. Gao Ziyu pretended to look at himself in the mirror, but in reality he was looking at Chen Qianqing in the reflection.
Chen Qianqing grew up pretty, unlike Gao Ziyu’s monster-like appearance. His temperament was quieter and while he didn’t have as much expressiveness, there was a calmness that was only present in older people. Similar to a thick book, even if you didn’t open it, you could still tell there was something interesting inside.
It was a shame that not just anyone could open this book.
Although Gao Ziyu was extremely narcissistic, he also knew that Chen Qianqing wouldn’t look at him. Then, what kind of man would deserve Chen Qianqing? Gao Ziyu suddenly found himself curious…
Not long after, Zhu Mao returned. He helped Chen Qianqing carry his luggage out of the dormitory. The only person left in the dormitory was Gao Ziyu. He looked at Chen Qianqing and Zhu Mao’s disappearing figures and somehow felt a little jealous.
Zhu Mao, “Qianqing, let’s eat hotpot tonight, my treat.”
Chen Qianqing gave Zhu Mao a surprised look. “Don’t you rarely eat out?”
Zhu Mao, “We can make it ourselves. I saw that there’s a pot there, we just need to buy groceries, then it should be good to go.”
Chen Qianqing thought about it, then said, “Let’s go together then. I just so happened to want to go for a walk.”
Zhu Mao pondered for a while, then nodded. To be honest, he didn’t have the face to take advantage of Chen Qianqing; the apartment he rented had two bedrooms and one living room, it was near school and was at least worth two to three thousand yuan.
After depositing their suitcases, Chen Qianqing and Zhu Mao went to the market. Chen Qianqing rarely went to buy groceries - he would usually just buy snacks. Although he learnt how to cook for Chen Qianqing, he didn’t know anything about picking out the right vegetables and meat.
Contrary to his appearance, Zhu Mao was very experienced. He pushed a cart while Chen Qianqing followed.
After half an hour, Chen Qianqing received a call from Lu Zhengfei.
Lu Zhengfei hadn’t seen Chen Qianqing for many days; this wasn’t allowed, but he didn’t have enough free time to go visit him. Ruan Wenhong’s visit was something he didn’t expect. He also didn’t think that his relationship with Ruan Wenhong was good, so he opposed him.
Lu Zhengfei phoned Chen Qianqing and asked him why he was moving. Chen Qianqing idly responded to each one of his questions.
At the very end, Lu Zhengfei told him what he really wanted to say, “Qianqing, there might be someone who will approach you soon. Don’t worry, it’s just my cousin.”
Chen Qianqing knew more about the personality of this cousin than Lu Zhengfei, and didn’t take it seriously. He just said, “Hm.”
Lu Zhengfei observed Chen Qianqing’s perfunctory attitude and felt a little worried. “He won’t harm you…but he might ask some unpleasant questions.”
Chen Qianqing looked at Zhu Mao picking bean sprouts and said, “For example, he would give me ten million yuan to leave you?”
Lu Zhengfei became silent. He thought that Ruan Wenhong might’ve really done it.
Chen Qianqing, “Lu Zhengfei-ah, aren’t you forgetting one important thing?”
Lu Zhengfei waited for Chen Qianqing’s next words.
Chen Qianqing, “We aren’t dating. Since that is the case, if your cousin can help me leave you, why shouldn’t I agree?”
Lu Zhengfei was completely dumbfounded. Chen Qianqing’s softening attitude led him to the delusion that Chen Qianqing accepted him. However, when he said how he truly felt, Lu Zhengfei realized that he merely changed how he expressed his hatred. Normally, he didn’t show it; but when he did, it was like he inserted a knife right into Lu Zhengfei’s heart.
Chen Qianqing, “I still have something to do, I’ll hang up first.”
Lu Zhengfei listened to the end call beeping noises. He had an undefined expression on his face. He had neglected to recall Chen Qianqing’s appearance when he kissed the mirror. An indescribable fear appeared in his heart.
After the personality split, did Chen Qianqing really fall in love with that earlier version of Chen Qianqing?
Chen Qianqing and Zhu Mao finished buying groceries. They both carried a bag on the way home. While passing by a trash can, Zhu Mao suddenly discovered something. “Qianqing, it looks like there’s a cat over there.”
Chen Qianqing raised his gaze and saw that there was a cat curled up next to the trash can. It was small, probably only several weeks old; he didn’t know whether it was alive or not.
They got closer. Zhu Mao crouched next to the cat and, uncaring of dirtying himself, he stroked the head of the kitten. “It’s alive!”
The cat let itself be petted. It lifted its head and whined, it even used the tip of its nose to rub against Zhu Mao’s hand. Its appearance was both pitiful and cute.
Chen Qianqing, “You want to adopt it?”
Zhu Mao was embarrassed. He really liked cats, but he knew Chen Qianqing liked cleanliness, so he felt that this request would be too much. After a while he responded, “I don’t…we can ask around if there are any students who want to adopt it.”
Chen Qianqing looked at the cat, then at Zhu Mao. “If you want to adopt it, then adopt it.”
Zhu Mao’s eyes brightened. “Really?”
Chen Qianqing, “Since you’ll be the one to take care of it, why shouldn’t I agree?”
Zhu Mao heard these words from Chen Qianqing and felt very happy. “Qianqing, you really are a good person.”
Chen Qianqing looked at Zhu Mao’s smile, but he felt a little unhappy in his heart. If he hadn’t done those things to the original Chen Qianqing, he would have been able to smile just like this.
Footnotes:
Three hundred million yuan - This is about 47 million USD.
This old lady - Gao Ziyu uses 老娘 (lao niang, here translated as old lady) to refer to himself, but he also uses 我, so each time he or someone else uses 老娘 to refer to him, it will be marked with an asterisk.