Chapter 46

Zhao Yue suddenly realized why Lu Shenxing was a Film Emperor. He didn’t even bat an eye in front of the live camera. He didn’t blush at all!

[Click here to see a prime example of a double standard.]

[Hahahahahahaha, do single people have no rights?!]

[Ahhhhhhhhh, I’m dying from the sweetness!]

Today’s revenue target had been completed, with an extra eight thousand dollars to spare. Ji Wei opened the Palace Museum Little Shop app.

—Congratulations on unlocking the Shopping List!

He thought some kind of introduction would pop up, but there was nothing.

Did the system freeze?

Just as he was about to exit, he noticed a new “Shopping List” section on the left. He clicked on it and saw dozens of items, such as combs, tables, phone cases, and so on.

Each item had a price listed next to it.

Compared to the items that needed to be unlocked with popularity value, the quantity was limited, and the items that appeared each week were random.

They currently had three hundred and eighty thousand US dollars on hand, which was more than enough to stock up on a wide variety of goods and solve the problem of the shop’s limited product range.

“So what should we get?”

Xiao Chi couldn’t help but ask.

[Phone cases. They’re cheap and look good.]

[I feel like cosmetics don’t sell very well. I suggest getting daily necessities like umbrellas or pillows.]

[+1, I think we need to sit down and have a serious discussion. We can’t just buy whatever we want because we have money. I suspect the show won’t be providing us with any more supplies in the future.]

The bullet comments were seriously discussing what goods to stock up on, while Ji Wei and the others, after reaching an agreement, closed the shop, posted a note saying they would be open on the weekend, and headed towards the beach in St. Lawrence.

“How can you come to St. Lawrence and not eat oysters?” Old Sir Ma Liqing was quite the expert. “Let’s eat and talk, eat and talk.”

[I’m slowly typing out a question mark? Are they on a variety show or on vacation?]

[Hahahahahahahaha, the Chinese tradition of eating and talking.]

[It’s so late at night! I’m turning off the live stream!]

The group arrived at a seafood restaurant by the sea and sat down. Old Sir Ma Liqing was the expert, so he ordered from the menu.

Before the food arrived, the group began to discuss next week’s stock.

“Let’s skip the umbrellas. It’s sunny here every day,” Zhao Yue said, scrolling through his phone screen.

Xiao Chi chimed in, “The hats are nice, but there are only 50 of them, and the cost price is 10 dollars each. The profit margin probably isn’t very high.”

As the group was calculating, the food arrived. First was a plate of berry salad, then Belon oysters, king crab… and finally, a large basin of bright red crayfish.

Before the crayfish arrived, Ji Wei was actually already full. He only tried two.

Compared to the cooking methods in their home country, the style in St. Lawrence could be described as crude. They were simply boiled in plain water, but the meat was tender and fresh, giving it a unique flavor.

[The production team is slacking. Compared to the neighboring show, Great Nation’s Artifacts, the guests are living too happily. The instant noodles in my hand suddenly don’t taste as good!]

[This is so awesome. I want to go to St. Lawrence too.]

[For a moment, I thought I had tuned into a food show.]

After dinner, everyone finalized their purchasing plan for the next period.

Sun hats x20.

Pens x50.

***

The most expensive item was the Palace Museum miniature model. There was only one, and it cost 1,000 US dollars. Everyone was a bit hesitant.

“Although the price is high and it might not be easy to sell,” Ji Wei said after some thought, “I think even if we can’t sell it, putting it in the shop will attract customer traffic.”

The others’ expressions softened a bit. They neither agreed nor disagreed.

Lu Shenxing lowered his gaze. “I agree.”

“Does anyone disagree?”

In the end, everyone unanimously (had no choice but to) agree to buy the miniature model.

[Here it comes, here it comes! The Lu Clan’s democracy is never absent, only late.]

[No suspense at all.]

[See? There’s a reason why office romances are forbidden.]

After the live stream ended, everyone walked from the beach to the roadside. The production team’s car had already arrived. The group got in and soon arrived at the airport.

The direct flight from St. Lawrence to Yancheng was delayed. Zhao Yue and the others had already boarded the plane, so Ji Wei and Lu Shenxing could only wait in the VIP lounge.

Besides the two of them, there was only a blonde, blue-eyed couple in the lounge. They seemed to have had too much to drink and were kissing without any regard for their surroundings. You could even hear moans and gasps.

Ji Wei lowered his head in embarrassment.

The thought that Lu Shenxing was right next to him made it even more awkward.

Fortunately, the couple left not long after. He looked up and said in a small voice, “Actually, I think a little kiss in public is enough.”

It didn’t have to be so… intense.

The man’s expression was indifferent. “I think so too.”

Ji Wei was about to ask if it was a cultural difference when, in the next second, the man kissed him on the forehead.

The moment he was kissed.

It was like an electric shock—

Ji Wei’s whole body went numb, and his heart traitorously started to pound.

***

By the time they returned to Yancheng, it was already noon the next day. As soon as Ji Wei got back to his dorm, he received a call from an unknown number.

He answered the phone, “Hello, may I help you?”

“Is this Ji Wei? This is your Uncle Bai. You need to come to the school and talk to your father. He’s making a scene and wants to resign.”

Ji Wei’s heart panicked. Bai Canglin was the principal of Yan City No. 3 Middle School. If even he couldn’t handle it, something major must have happened.

He didn’t bother to rest. He asked Cui Jiu, who was the only one going to class in the afternoon, to ask for a leave of absence for him, and then took a bus to Yan City No. 3 Middle School.

Yan City No. 3 Middle School was a municipally-administered middle school and also the best one in the city. Many of the students were children of wealthy families.

While other schools’ uniforms were still drab blue and white tracksuits, No. 3 Middle School had long since switched to stylish uniforms.

When he arrived at the principal’s office, his father was sitting in front of Bai Canglin without saying a word, his face extremely grim.

When Bai Canglin saw Ji Wei arrive, it was as if he had seen a savior. “Ji Wei, you have to talk to your father. I really can’t get through to him.”

A well-dressed woman was sitting on the sofa nearby. After touching up her makeup in the mirror, she said to Bai Canglin, “Principal Bai, I don’t understand why such a simple matter has to be dragged out for so long.”

Ji’s Father clenched his fists. “Of course you think it’s simple. Accusing a student of being a thief without any evidence, and even wanting the school to expel him.”

The woman retorted nonchalantly, “The item was found in his drawer. Isn’t that enough to prove he’s a thief?”

“The item was stolen on Saturday. The surveillance footage didn’t capture him entering or leaving the classroom on Saturday,” Ji’s Father said, looking at her. “And he couldn’t possibly be a thief.”

Only then did Ji Wei notice a young man standing in the corner. His long black hair covered his eyes, and his whole body exuded an air of untamable rebellion. It turned out to be Meng Hao.

When he was in his first year of high school, Meng Hao was in his third.

When he was a freshman in college, Meng Hao was still in his third year of high school.

Meng Hao was probably the kind of bad student that all teachers disliked. Except for not skipping class, he had learned to fight, smoke, and drink.

But he would absolutely not steal.

Because his deceased father was a diligent and responsible police officer who had died while pursuing a thief.

“Why?”

the woman asked.

“There’s no why,” the young man interrupted irritably. “Isn’t it just expulsion? I’ll just quit.”

“He himself said he wants to quit,” the woman said, rubbing her temples, seeming to relax. “I don’t want my child to be classmates with someone like him either.”

Bai Canglin nodded slightly.

“I know she has donated a lot of money to the school,” Ji’s Father said calmly. “I’ll say it again: if he quits, I’ll resign.”

Bai Canglin sighed. “Why must you be like this?”

At first, everyone was very tolerant of Meng Hao, feeling sorry for him for losing his father at such a young age. He was admitted to No. 3 Middle School as a special case for being the child of a martyr.

But Meng Hao did not grow up to be the person everyone had hoped for. He associated closely with people from outside of school and didn’t act like a high school student at all.

Gradually, that bit of tolerance disappeared.

He turned to look at Ji Wei. “You should talk to your father.”

Ji Wei spoke up, “Dad, I support you.”

He then turned to the woman and asked, “I also want to ask, what kind of logic is it to expel a student without sufficient evidence?”

Bai Canglin was speechless.

Meng Hao had no reaction.

The woman recognized Ji Wei. “You’re the one from National Style, right? My daughter quite likes you. Auntie is going to say something you might not like to hear, but this world isn’t just about logic.”

Ji Wei understood her underlying meaning, things like money and power.

She didn’t care if Meng Hao had stolen or not; she only cared about how to get Bai Canglin to expel Meng Hao, so that her child could be far away from people like him.

But he didn’t like it.

He really didn’t like it.

Ji Wei pursed his lips.

Just as the woman finished speaking, the office door was opened, and the vice principal enthusiastically led a person in. “Please, come in.”

Bai Canglin frowned. “We can talk about whatever it is later.”

Ji Wei thought the person looked familiar. He tried hard to recall, wasn’t this Boss Lu from Nice, France? Why was he in China? He hadn’t even gathered enough local specialties to send him yet.

“Does donating a building also have to wait until later?”

the vice principal said excitedly.

“Donating a building?”

Compared to donating a building, Bai Canglin suddenly felt that Meng Hao’s matter was not important at all.

But unexpectedly, Boss Lu turned to Ji Wei and asked, “Did something happen?”

Ji Wei briefly explained. Boss Lu looked at Bai Canglin and frowned. “If this is how your esteemed school handles matters, expelling students without cause, then I think we can forget about donating the building.”

Bai Canglin immediately said, “No expulsion, no expulsion! It was just a prank between classmates. We don’t know who put the item in this child’s desk.”

The matter was settled.

The woman wanted to argue. Could donating a building allow one to interfere in school affairs? The school was a place for education; shouldn’t there be some logic?

But remembering her own words from before, she was rendered speechless. She picked up her bag and left without saying anything.

Meng Hao was the second to leave. Before he left, he didn’t say anything either, just glanced at Ji’s Father and Ji Wei, unusually silent.

Because Boss Lu still had to discuss the building donation with Bai Canglin, Ji Wei and his father also left, leaving the office to them.

The door closed.

After talking for a while and roughly finalizing the details of the building donation, Bai Canglin asked, “Do you have any other special requests, such as the naming of the teaching building? It can be named after you.”

“I do,”

Boss Lu said.

Bai Canglin assumed a listening posture. It was normal for entrepreneurs returning from overseas like him to want to have a teaching building named after them. It was understandable; when you have money, you want a name for yourself.

“Baopu Building.”

Boss Lu said succinctly.

Bai Canglin thought the name was a bit common. After confirming the two characters with Boss Lu, he was completely shocked. Wasn’t that Old Ji’s name?

Boss Lu sent a WeChat message.

[Lu Dong]: Saw my in-law and Weiwei. But it seems high schools in China are all public. I originally wanted to give him a school, but now I can only give him a building.

[Just open one in France.]

[Ahhhhhhhhh, you actually went back to China! I want to meet our in-law too. Can I still donate? You can donate a building on my behalf.]

[It’s just donating a building. Look at you, so capable.]

***

Ji Wei and his father walked out of the office. He couldn’t help but ask, “Don’t you hate bad students the most? Why were you willing to resign for Meng Hao?”

“He cherishes his books,”

Ji’s Father said simply.

Ji Wei understood.

Ordinary bad students would have given up on their studies if they couldn’t get into college. Meng Hao had never given up on getting into college, even if he couldn’t make it no matter how hard he tried.

So his father was willing to fight for a chance for Meng Hao.

After all, if he couldn’t get into college at No. 3 Middle School…

It would be even more impossible at any other school.

His father still had classes to teach, so Ji Wei took a bus back to Yan University alone. His roommates were all in bed for their afternoon nap. Only Chen Yan was sitting at his desk, using his computer.

Ji Wei walked over. “What are you watching so intently?”

Before he got close, Chen Yan closed his laptop and coughed. “A website for studying human anatomy.”

“Human anatomy? Send me the link. My muscle definition is a bit weak.”

Ji Wei’s interest was piqued.

Chen Yan chuckled and sent him a link. “Study hard, study hard.”

Just as he was about to click on it, Cui Jiu, who was on his bed, also said, “Send me one too. I’m the worst at human anatomy.”

“I’ll send it to you,”

Ji Wei forwarded the link.

A moment later, Cui Jiu asked in confusion, “I didn’t receive it.”

“That’s impossible.”

Ji Wei opened WeChat again and found that he had forwarded it to Lu Shenxing.

He had forwarded it to the first person on his recent contacts list, which should have been Cui Jiu. Who would have thought that Lu Shenxing had suddenly sent him a message asking where he was, so he sent it to the wrong person.

Suddenly, he heard the usually well-mannered Cui Jiu exclaim, “Damn, Chen Yan, isn’t this a fucking porn site?”

Chen Yan laughed. “Isn’t it for studying the human body?”

Wait.

A porn site?

Ji Wei was a little stunned.

He clicked on it with a trembling hand. The webpage was a bit laggy and took a while to load. The moment it popped up, he saw several naked men with burly figures in indecent poses.

He realized what had happened and immediately clicked “unsend.”

But the time limit had passed, and he couldn’t unsend it.

Ji Wei was in despair.

Just then, Lu Shenxing sent him a message.

[Lu Shenxing]If you have needs, you can tell me directly.

Ji Wei’s face turned red enough to explode. He wanted to find a hole to crawl into, but he couldn’t right now. He still had to explain himself.

[Ji Wei]Sorry, I sent it by mistake.

Lu Shenxing didn’t reply, seeming to have believed him. Ji Wei breathed a sigh of relief. A few minutes later, his phone suddenly vibrated.

His heart skipped a beat. He opened WeChat.

[Lu Shenxing]Who else did you want to send it to?