t

  What impacted Xu Tingsheng the most were actually still the words ‘same kind of person’. Still, if Xu Tingsheng was not so sensitive, these words could actually refer to many other things too, say ‘genius’ for example.

  They were actually similar to the words Cao Cao had said to Liu Bei, “Of the heroes under these heavens today, there are only you and I.”


  Xu Tingsheng did not tell Zhong Wusheng all that Zhou Yuandai had said. The two were also of the opinion that they should not tell Mr Xu about it.

  After a while, having some matters to take care of, Zhong Wusheng patted Xu Tingsheng’s shoulder and said before leaving, “Actually, maybe we should be a bit more confident. Regardless of whether the other party has malicious intent or was just joking around, now that we have already reached this extent, we can’t continue to be easily intimidated by others.”


  Xu Tingsheng thought that it was indeed the case. He was already no longer weak. Meanwhile, regarding Zhou Yuandai’s strength and whether she truly knew something, most of it was mere speculation on Xu Tingsheng’s part right now as he feared that she might have seen through him.

  She seemed like she was probing him more like anything else.

  So, Xu Tingsheng decided to simply ignore it……he would surmount the obstacles as they came. For the reborn him to actually abandon Xiang Ning today just because of an inexplicable threat? Impossible.

  Xu Tingsheng only did one thing. He bade Du Jin go to the Xiang family to accompany Xiang Ning.

  As long as Xiang Ning’s safety was not compromised, no one would would be able to impede this matter.

  The discussion and preparatory work by the Xu and Xiang families for their engagement was speedily underway. As the new semester was soon to start, both sides meant to quickly have everything settled during the summer holidays.

  Mrs Xu even claimed ownership of a piece of land adjacent to a mountain and hired a few people to grow organic vegetables and eco-rice and rear eco ducks, chickens and fish of various kinds there.

  Xu Tingsheng asked about it……and was left shocked. Apparently, his mother had prepared this for Xiang Ning’s nutrition when she was preparing to give birth……including a month of recovery after the pregnancy itself.

  “Mum, aren’t you being a bit too hasty?” Xu Tingsheng asked.

  “Hasty? It’s just two years,” Mrs Xu said, “Relax, you don’t have to worry about this. I’ll get people to regularly deliver it to Yanzhou and Du Jin will deal with it. Just get Xiang Ning to properly eat it.”


  “.……”


  “Also, it’s high time you quit smoking. I heard it’s preparation for having a child. It’s just as important as during the pregnancy, really……”


  “.……”


  Xu Tingsheng ran away.

  If he didn’t, his mother would probably begin to enquire about the health of all his limbs.

  Xu Tingsheng and Xiang Ning were in contact via phone everyday. The two seemed to have returned to a past state as they conversed a bit nervously, a bit bashfully. From time to time, they would discuss some specifics regarding their engagement, exchanging opinions on it. Quietly, both of them were preparing to face the new, advanced stage of their relationship.

  Even though they had known each other for quite long and had a very good relationship……at the end of the day, this was a very remarkable thing!

  Miss Xiang was only seventeen.

  “Are you afraid of your classmates and teachers knowing?” Xu Tingsheng asked her.

  “What about you?” Xiang Ning asked.

  “Of course not,” Xu Tingsheng said.

  “Then, it’s the same for me too,” Xiang Ning replied.

  “I’m just a little afraid that you might regret it in the future,” Xu Tingsheng said.

  “It’s fine as long as you don’t regret it,” Xiang Ning said.

  “But you’re still so little.”


  “See, you still look down on them.”’


  “.……Even at this stage!” Xu Tingsheng was rather frenzied.

  In the past, he had simply joked that Mulan had no elder brother(breasts grown). He had never expected that Xiang Ning would always have kept that in mind.

  “Lu Min said that at my current age, I just have to let you touch them and they’ll grow. Anyway, it’ll be fine after we get engaged……they’ll grow.”


  “Miss Xiang Ning……is it because of this that you’re getting engaged with me so early?”


  “Actually, this was part of my considerations.”


  “.……”
……

  The major bitch Wayne Yang arrived in Shenghai, bringing along two Americans from Wall Street to see Xu Tingsheng.

  On his way there, Xu Tingsheng picked up Xiang Ning in Yanzhou. Since they were getting engaged, Miss Xiang surely had to buy some decent clothes.

  The first stop was a luxury district. Xiang Ning, along with her policewoman cousin who was accompanying her, entered the store first.

  Xu Tingsheng made a call outside, telling Wayne Yang that he had to accompany his girlfriend shopping first as they should just relax for now.

  Entering the store, Xu Tingsheng found that while there weren’t many customers, the attendants were all busy with their own matters and weren’t too enthusiastic towards Xiang Ning and her cousin. The two were looking around on their own and asking about the clothing sizes and materials from time to time. Still, they were left ignored.

  Were they dressed in an overly ordinary fashion?

  Xu Tingsheng was actually a bit excited. The showing off of the low-key nouveau riche segment that he had seen countless times in movies and novels before was finally here! Why has this bro earned so much money? Isn’t it for this very moment!

  Just like in the movies, he lightly clapped his hands twice.

  “Where’s your manager?”


  “.……Um, where’s your manager?”


  Xiang Ning and her cousin were holding hands and smiling as they watched him from the side.

  The first round of acting like a bigshot had ended in failure.

  Xu Tingsheng had been completely ignored again.

  Xu Tingsheng could only look for an employee and ask, “Hi, may I ask if your manager’s here?”


  The employee turned and appraised this youth in T-shirt and jeans, “Hi, is anything the matter?”


  “Cough……” Xu Tingsheng turned and looked at Xiang Ning and her cousin before saying to the employee in a hushed voice, “Actually, I’m a nouveau riche, a super nouveau riche. I will buy many clothes……so, I want to see your manager. Next, I need many attendants to service my girlfriend.”


  Well, this was how it worked in the movies, such as when Richard Gere had brought Julia Roberts to buy clothes in . After discovering that Richard Gere was a magnate, the manager and store attendants had all just surged over in an incomparably enthusiastic manner.

  Yet, this employee before Xu Tingsheng was looking at him as she would a fool at this moment.

  “My apologies, sir,” The employee said, “Right now, we need to urgently finish dealing with the customers in the store. There’ll be an event at the store later, and our brand spokesperson will be coming over……so, I’m very sorry. We and the manager will not be able to specifically provide service for you.”


  The second round, another failure. But the script shouldn’t go like this……Xu Tingsheng felt so awkward as he stood there.

  “At this time, according to how novels go, I should be getting angry, right?” Xu Tingsheng stroked his wallet in his jeans pocket.

  If he took out that centurion black card and slammed it mightily on the table, would it be able to intimidate them?

  If it couldn’t, how would things end?

  Xu Tingsheng thought of a safer option. He took the card out and held it in his palm as he flashed it to the store attendant.

  “This, do you know it?”


  The employee was taken aback as she stared at it.

  “I’m finally gonna succeed in acting like a bigshot,” Xu Tingsheng felt very fulfilled.

  Then, another female employee came over, and the employees of the entire store all began swarming about……the manager who had previously been nowhere to be seen included. Badge on her chest, dressed neatly, she finally appeared now.

  Xu Tingsheng was prepared to properly enjoy this moment.

  “That car’s already arrived. Why are you still here, chatting?” The employee who had just come over asked this one.

  This one hurriedly gazed at him again, “Sir, I’m sorry, but could I trouble you to go out first? We will definitely properly entertain you on another day, okay? Or you can wait for our event to end first……”


  Xu Tingsheng turned.

  A Bentley was parked outside the entrance. There were two other luxury cars behind it.

  A red carpet was laid out.

  The manager and employees were already beginning to line up.

  “Sir, please!” The attendant’s tone was already rather urgent.

  Xu Tingsheng felt rather resentful. Was it really so difficult to act like a bigshot?

  Xiang Ning hurried over to him, smiling as she consoled, “Alright, don’t be sad. We can just go to another store.”


  She lightly led Xu Tingsheng by the hand out of the store. With such an understanding girlfriend who knew to give him a pedestal to step off, Xu Tingsheng felt much better.

  “Mr Nouveau Riche, off to the next store! Even if you fail, you can just try another……anyway, you’ll definitely succeed at some point,” Miss Xiang held back her laughter and added.

  Xu Tingsheng wanted to cry but lacked the tears for such, “Xiang Ning, I’ve found that you’re not kind at all.”


  Her policewoman cousin had been waiting outside since earlier. After going out, the two found that the exterior of the store was already fully surrounded. In no mood to watch the liveliness, the two were simply going to squeeze out of the crowd and go to the next store.

  “Welcome, Miss You,” The employees behind them bowed in an orderly fashion, welcoming their brand spokesperson.

  Xiang Ning glanced back at them.

  The tall woman who was currently walking down the red carpet stopped.

  “Xiang Ning? Why are you here?”


  “Hi, Big Sis You. I came to buy clothes.”


  Xu Tingsheng turned and discovered that this spokesperson was actually You Qinglan. She and Xiang Ning had met at Xingchen’s annual gathering. Also, they seemed to have become friends. According to Xiang Ning, You Qinglan had even taken her measurements.

  “Hi, Boss Xu is here too? A big boss like you actually has the leisure to go shopping with his girlfriend. How rare,” You Qinglan smiled and greeted.

  Xu Tingsheng did not know how to respond.

  Fortunately, You Qinglan seemed to have not much interest in him as she pulled Xiang Ning along and asked, “Is it this store? Have you bought anything yet?”


  Xiang Ning smiled and answered, “Not yet. Then you came, and they got busy, clearing the store of customers.”


  You Qinglan smiled apologetically, saying, “This is easy. Come with me.”


  Holding Xiang Ning’s hand, she entered, not forgetting to call, “Come on in then, Boss Xu!”


  His head lowered, Xu Tingsheng could only follow them into the store.

  Actually, You Qinglan had only come to take photos for a few media entities while looking around the store in line with the role of a brand spokesperson.

  The proceedings were directly simplified and swiftly ended.

  Xu Tingsheng sat on a sofa in the corner of the store while You Qinglan and Xiang Ning whispered to each other. From time to time, the two snuck glances at Xu Tingsheng before laughing as they looked at each other……it was obvious from first sight that it was nothing good.

  “Alright, come over now, everyone,” You Qinglan got up and lightly clapped her hands like Xu Tingsheng had earlier.

  The attendants and manager all enthusiastically swarmed over.

  “This Miss Xiang needs a few sets of clothes. You guys, bring that, that, that……and that over. Then, go find a few more for her to try. Finally, I’ll help her with their selection,” You Qinglan said.

  The store attendants all looked at Xiang Ning rather dazedly. For an international supermodel like You Qinglan to help her choose clothes, that was not treatment just anyone could receive. So, who was this young lady?

  “Boss Xu!” You Qinglan called.

  “Yes?”


  “Card,” You Qinglan walked in front of him and extended a hand, saying, “Since you’re here, no free goods, no discount!”


  Xu Tingsheng took out his wallet.

  You Qinglan directly snatched over his wallet, pulling out that black card before raising it high, “See that, everyone? This here is a centurion black card. This Mister Xu Tingsheng before you, he’s a super nouveau riche, you know. So, be more enthusiastic and get to work……have your tips together with the total later.”


  “Xu Tingsheng?”


  “So he is Xu Tingsheng!”


  “Who?”


  “The CEO of Xingchen Technologies! I heard that he also owns several other companies……one of the youngest ultra magnates within the country!”


  “I’m done for. I even shooed him away earlier……I, I just started work a few days ago. It was also my first time seeing that card……”


  The store attendants had erupted into chatter.

  The one who had received Xu Tingsheng earlier nervously and timidly ran before him and apologised, “Sorry, I……just now, I didn’t know that you were really such a big nouveau riche. I thought you were joking and playing a prank……then, the store asked that we quickly clear people away. That’s why I……sorry, sorry.”


  “It’s okay, it’s okay. Hey, can we not mention nouveau riche anymore?” Seeing Xiang Ning and You Qinglan hiding by the side and secretly laughing, Xu Tingsheng really wished to find some crevice in the ground and hide in it.

  “Right. Also, sorry for not recognising that card. When you gave it to me, I thought that you were letting me see your housing card out of the blue……I thought you were being a ruffian. I……”


  “Stop.”


  This employee, can you not be so much of an airhead?

  Xu Tingsheng hurriedly said, “That’s enough. Go on now.”


  The store finally became busy, revolving around Xiang Ning.

  Xu Tingsheng was pulled along by You Qinglan to be a strategist for Miss Xiang who was trying on several different articles of clothing.

  Her policewoman cousin was also called in to choose a few articles for herself.

  You Qinglan basically did not interact with Xu Tingsheng or seek his opinion. Xiang Ning did do so at first. Still, she had given up after finding that Uncle did not know how to say anything other than ‘good’.

  From time to time, You Qinglan would get up and personally adjust Xiang Ning’s clothes for her, adding on some accessories.

  Most of the time, she would directly say, “Wrap it up.”


  “Your little girlfriend is very beautiful. Especially that sense of freshness and sunlight, which is maintained very well on her. So, she looks good in virtually anything,” While Xiang Ning was changing, You Qinglan turned towards Xu Tingsheng and said this.

  “Thank you,” Xu Tingsheng said.

  “I heard from Xiang Ning earlier that you’re getting engaged?”


  “Oh, yes.”


  “So, she’s the reason you rejected others?” You Qinglan’s question was rather obtrusive.

  “Others? You’re referring to?” Xu Tingsheng asked.

  “In general.”


  “In that case, yes.”


  You Qinglan opened her mouth but did not say anything.

  Xiang Ning emerged in a red dress.

  You Xinglan said, “Wrap it up. On to the next. Oh, and Amy, go with Miss Xiang and precisely confirm her measurements. Miss Xiang needs a few made-to-fit outfits to appear at the next Paris Fashion Week iteration.”


  A female employee beside her followed Xiang Ning away.

  “Paris Fashion Week?” Xu Tingsheng asked curiously.

  “Right, I gave Miss Xiang two invitations earlier. She was very happy. You wouldn’t be unwilling to accompany her there, right, Boss Xu?”


  “Well……”


  “Every girl dreams of going to Paris Fashion Week at least once. Mr Xu, you wouldn’t let Xiang Ning be disappointed, right?” You Qinglan’s eyes were a bit mocking, even a little domineering.

  “I’ll do my best then,” Xu Tingsheng said.

  “Not do your best. You must go,” Gazing at Xu Tingsheng, You Qinglan suddenly switched her tone from a bit overbearing to pleading, “Please, you must go, alright?”


  Xu Tingsheng found that her eyes had totally changed at this moment. Completely gone were that mockery and domineering attitude from earlier as all that remained was earnest sincerity, even a sort of anticipation and pleading that was filled with pain.

  He nodded.

  “We’re agreed then.”


  “Fine.”