At home, Zhao Yan and Ling Keke finished dinner.
Ling Keke went to the kitchen to wash the dishes.
Zhao Yan sat on the sofa playing with his phone when suddenly a call came in. It was from his uncle Chen Han.
"Hey, Uncle Chen, your wife must be sleeping right? You didn't call me without her noticing, did you?" Zhao Yan asked cheekily after picking up.
As if the two were having an affair.
"Piss off! Let me ask you, didn't you contact those people who helped you take down the Sanhe Group?" Chen Han asked, sounding unhappy.
"Huh?" Zhao Yan was taken aback, somewhat confused as he said: "I don't even know who those people are! I was freaking wondering, I hadn't made a move yet, but when I woke up, my enemies were already finished."
"............" Chen Han was silent for a moment, then exclaimed: "That act you put on last time was truly the most valuable act in the world."
Just by putting on an act, he brought all the rich men in Binhai into a hole that they kept sinking deeper into, and now it looked like the people in Changning were also being brought in.
No one would believe it if this got out.
"You flatter me, didn't I say I worked in a doll factory during summer vacation? My act was well taught by the masters there." Zhao Yan said very modestly.
Chen Han's mouth twitched. "Let me tell you, I got news that those people have gathered at the Jinxiu Palace now. Call Boss Chen yourself."
"Call him for what?" Zhao Yan asked.
Chen Han impatiently said: "To put on an act, of course. You have no choice but to continue acting now anyway, since you’re so good at it. Just keep on acting."
"Damn! Uncle Chen, to tell the truth, did you work at the same doll factory as me? Didn't our supervisor say similar things to you when rushing the work progress?" Zhao Yan shouted in surprise.
Chen Han was silent for a moment, then: "Piss off!"
"Fine fine, why so fierce." Hearing the busy tone on the phone indicating that the call was ended, Zhao Yan shrugged.
He was about to call Boss Chen when he suddenly realized that he didn't seem to have the number.
Just then, his phone rang. It was Chen Han sending Boss Chen's number to him via WeChat.
Zhao Yan grinned. "Thoughtful uncle."
He then dialed the number.
"Everyone stop talking for a bit, I have to take this call." In the private room at Jinxiu Palace, Boss Chen called out to everyone.
He then took out his phone and frowned when he saw an unfamiliar number. "Hello, who's this?"
"Zhao Yan." Zhao Yan calmly uttered the two words.
Boss Chen immediately sat up straight involuntarily. He put his hand over the phone and excitedly whispered to everyone: "Young Master Zhao! It's Young Master Zhao!"
"You were right, he truly had everything under his control from the start. We really can’t underestimate Young Master Zhao, unfathomable indeed... Quick, answer it and listen to what he has to say. Everyone keep quiet, okay?"
Barely containing their excitement, everyone quieted down. Boss Chen removed his hand from the phone. "Young Master Zhao, sorry about the noise. I've stepped out to talk."
"I know what you all did. We’ll meet some other time. I’m busy now, bye." Zhao Yan said curtly before immediately hanging up. His uncle Chen was right, when it comes to putting on an act, no one could beat him, Zhao Yan.
Hearing the busy tone indicating that the caller had hung up, Boss Chen did not move the phone away. Instead, he continued to pretend to be talking obediently: "Of course, of course, Young Master Zhao. You flatter me, it wasn’t my doing alone but everyone’s efforts together. I’m overpraised, yes yes, don’t let me keep you from your work..."
Clearly, he was also an expert at piggybacking on others' reputation.
Afterwards, Boss Chen kept his phone and said to everyone: "Young Master Zhao said he knows what we did and will meet together when time permits."
"Great great! Now I feel reassured. My wish is fulfilled as long as I get to meet Young Master Zhao!"
"That bastard Chen Han eats alone and refuses to introduce us. Look how we managed to get in touch anyway!"
"Right! He was even warning us not to believe in Young Master Zhao, saying his identity was suspicious. He must be afraid of us competing for favor! Too nasty!"
"Young Master Zhao has shown him great kindness. For selfish gains, he actually tried to smear Young Master Zhao’s identity. What a sinister man. We must remind Young Master Zhao about him."
Listening to Boss Chen, everyone was delighted from the bottom of their hearts, bursting into laughter.
............
Zhao Yan was driving Ling Keke home.
Perhaps she had never been in such a nice car before. Ling Keke sat stiffly upright, very tense.
The seatbelt was digging into some extra captivating scenery.
Nothing could compare to this scene, not even Mount Huang or Mount Hua.
"How many in your family?" Zhao Yan asked as he drove, wanting to ease her nervousness.
Ling Keke pursed her lips and softly replied: "Four people - my parents, older brother and me."
"Just four? Then you shouldn't have to work part-time jobs even in your last year of high school to make ends meet right?" Zhao Yan raised an eyebrow.
Ling Keke was silent for a while before lowering her head to say: "My dad is paralyzed in bed. My mom can only do some light work and needs medication. My brother works hard to support our family alone at construction sites. Buying all the review materials for the college entrance exam is too expensive. I can’t ask them for money."
What a sensible child, in an heartbreaking way.
"How are your grades?" Zhao Yan asked again.
Hearing this question, Ling Keke's eyes lit up. "First in my grade at school."
Speaking of what made her proud, her tone became much more confident.
"Not bad." Zhao Yan was genuinely surprised. Ling Keke's uniform was from the prestigious No. 7 High School. Being first grade must mean near perfect scores.
The corners of Ling Keke's mouth curled up into a faint smile as she volunteered: "I want to go to Binhai University."
"Oh? That's where I graduated from. If you have any questions besides math, feel free to ask." As the traffic light turned red, Zhao Yan passed her a bottle of water.
Ling Keke opened her mouth in disbelief, looking at him incredulously. "Really? Brother Zhao you're so awesome!"
She didn't expect Zhao Yan to be a study master too.
"Of course it’s true. People like me have to work hard. I had it worse, growing up in an orphanage." With a rather emotional sigh, Zhao Yan lamented his past.
Ling Keke was even more shocked, staring at him in disbelief. "How could you possibly...?"
"You want to ask how I got so rich?" Zhao Yan finished her trailing question, then confidently declared: "Because I persevered tirelessly! I have all that I do today purely through my own hard work and striving! My background forced me to succeed or fail, I had no other choice!"
He looked exactly like Chen Han while spewing this nonsense.
But Ling Keke totally bought it, gazing at Zhao Yan in admiration, eyes shining with reverence.
Brother Zhao was so inspirational and outstanding!
I must learn from him!
"Don’t look at me like that, my meager accomplishments are nothing to speak of." Zhao Yan waved his hand humbly.
Ling Keke admired him even more. A orphan who got into a prestigious university with excellent grades, successful in business at a young age while still studying, and not the slightest bit arrogant.
How could there be such a perfect person in the world?
In Ling Keke's eyes, Zhao Yan was already an idol.
Yet she was unaware that idols always end up exploiting their fans.
Half an hour later, they arrived at Ling Keke's home, an old-style low-rise community with no elevator.
Not to mention the security guard of the estate who could barely walk. It was questionable whether his role was to protect residents or have residents protect him instead.
"Thank you, Brother Zhao."
Ling Keke got out of the car with her school bag.
"Take care."
Zhao Yan watched her enter the building before driving off.