He decided to follow this fearless novice and see how things would go.
For a month, he observed how Jiang Ren ran around registering everywhere, treating people to drinks and sweet-talking them. Though Jiang Ren wasn’t inarticulate, Junyang Group was far less renowned in H City compared to B City. As a young man not yet twenty, without any family backing, Jiang Ren’s journey was arduous.
Once, they encountered a rival company of Junyang. The other party, aware that he was Junyang’s young master, mocked Jiang Ren’s current state of smiling and smooth-talking to build connections. Gao Yi quickly went to check on the hot-tempered young master Jiang.
Jiang Ren smiled graciously and even took the initiative to pour drinks and apologize.
As the man poured drinks, Jiang drank without hesitation.
After two bottles of baijiu, even Gao Yi felt uneasy.
Yet Jiang Ren maintained his smile throughout.
After the dinner ended.
“Young Master Jiang, are you alright?”
Jiang Ren’s smile faded as he vomited violently on the streets of H City.
Gao Yi cursed those people: “Those bastards, we’ll get even with them one day.”
Jiang Ren wiped his mouth: “We’re at a disadvantage now, so we’ll have to endure it for now.”
This show of spirit made Gao Yi look at him for a long while.
Jiang Ren didn’t have his team. When he first started recruiting, he conducted interviews every day. He Junming knew about this and was itching to get involved.
“Brother Ren, how about me?”
“Go back to your studies!”
“I’m no worse than those people, right? Brother Ren, look at me. My greatest strength is loyalty and diligence!”
“Get lost, don’t make me say it twice. If you want to work, go work for your father.” Following him would be too difficult, and the chances of failure were high. Jiang Ren didn’t even have enough working capital now.
Gao Yi sent him back to his old apartment. He was about to go to the kitchen to find something for him to drink when he saw half a pot of noodles in the pot, unsure if it was leftover or uneaten.
For the first time, Gao Yi felt that the legendary second-generation heir who once ran wild in the compound, undefeated by all, had unknowingly become a man.
“Young Master Jiang, have some water.”
Jiang Ren was already fast asleep, unresponsive even when called.
By May, Jiang Ren had officially taken over the real estate development project. The project on paper had become an official plan. After paying various fees, the construction drawings were almost ready.
Jiang Ren had pulled two all-nighters—he was still short-handed.
Any oversight in these steps could lead to major troubles.
Gao Yi smoked all night.
The next day, he submitted his resignation.
“You want to work for me?” Jiang Ren said flatly, “Uncle Gao, to be honest, I’m out of money. I’ve borrowed all I could, and now I can barely afford to eat. Without working capital, even a small mistake could mean losing everything.”
Though his tone was cold, he knew to address Gao Yi as “Uncle Gao” instead of just “Gao Yi.”
“Anyway, I haven’t made much of a name for myself in most of my life. I only have some experience and guts. If you don’t mind, you’ll be my boss from now on.”
Jiang Ren sat with his legs crossed, silent for a long while. When he spoke again: “After we break even upon completion, I’ll give you ten percent of what I earn.”
Even if they only earned 100 million, that would be a 10 million bonus.
This year and the next few years were different from later years, but there was one similarity: 100 million in capital could start a 500 million project. Even if housing prices remained at current levels without increasing, it was quite considerable.
Gao Yi clicked his tongue, impressed by the young boss’s ambition: “Let’s get to work first.”
Only after starting did they realize how difficult it was. Jiang Ren was reading books almost every day. While he was clearer than anyone about the steps of real estate development, there were many things he didn’t understand when it came to specific operations.
After the bidding, he was reading books almost every day.
All sorts of architecture, taxation, “three supplies and one leveling” for construction sites—he pursed his lips, reading and thinking. When he didn’t understand something, he’d ask Gao Yi.
Gao Yi was also running himself ragged.
As they bustled about, the hottest summer of the year arrived.
The construction unit entered the site, and the entire coastal area became lively.
In June, the blue sky reflected in the sea. The calendar turned to June 6th. All students at No. 7 Middle School were on vacation, and the number on the classroom blackboard changed to “0,” with “Good luck, students” written in bold chalk.
Jiang Ren sat by the sea, his T-shirt pulled up, exposing his waist in the heat.
There were obvious scars on his back, but his abdomen had solid abs.
It wasn’t unsightly, rather giving him a bit of a rugged masculine charm.
The workers all knew he was the big boss.
A serious-looking young man who rarely smiled.
“Boss, sending a text?” Gao Yi sat down on the beach beside him, seeing Jiang Ren looking at his phone for a long time. He couldn’t help but smile, “When my daughter took the college entrance exam years ago, I also hesitated whether to encourage her. If it increased her pressure, it would’ve been counterproductive.”
Damn!
The young man curved his lips: “How can it be the same? That’s not my daughter.” She was the woman he wanted.
“I was just giving an example. Wait until after the exam to talk. Don’t distract her.”
Hearing this, Jiang Ren turned off his phone.
“After this busy period, you should take a break. Even young people can’t handle this, no matter how healthy they are.”
“It’s fine, I’m used to it.”
If he wasn’t busy, he would think of her, breathing the same air in the same city. It took great self-control not to disturb her during the final countdown to her college entrance exam.
Moreover, he and Gao Yi were worried, about going to the construction site every day, covered in grime. No matter how little he cared about his appearance, he couldn’t show up like this in front of her.
On June 7th, before Meng Ting and Shu Yang’s exam, Shu’s father was even more nervous than them, tossing and turning all night without sleep.
After the two children left, he couldn’t help but visit Meng Ting’s mother’s grave to talk for a while, asking her to bless the children with smooth sailing.
The entire city was infected with the solemn atmosphere of the college entrance exam. Traffic police at red lights directed traffic to give way to exam takers.
Ambulances had also arrived early at various exam sites.
All students from No. 7 Middle School were instructed not to wear their school uniforms to the exam.
After finishing the Chinese exam in the morning, a light rain began to fall.
The first student to walk out of the exam site was even asked by a reporter for his thoughts on the essay question. He scratched his head shyly, a bit nervous: “I’m not sure, I’m afraid I might have misunderstood the question.”
This elicited kind smiles from those around.
Meng Ting walked out of the exam site, looking at the parents eagerly waiting for the examinees outside the school gate. A parent’s heart is the same the world over; many parents didn’t mind getting rained on. She opened her umbrella and looked around the crowd.
She still didn’t see Jiang Ren.
She knew he had given up on the college entrance exam and was probably out making money. Although she wasn’t particularly nervous, she had a feeling that he would come to wait for her.
After looking around, she still didn’t see the young man’s figure.
Only then did she remember that she hadn’t told him which exam site she was at, so it was normal that he hadn’t come. Realizing this, she had no choice but to walk away with her umbrella.
Jiang Ren was at the back of the crowd, lowering the black hood of his sweatshirt.
The light rain fell on his black hair.
He might forget everything else, but he wouldn’t forget this. He hadn’t slept all night, and when he rushed over in the morning, Gao Yi teased him: “I wasn’t even this worried when my daughter took the college entrance exam.”
Who knew where the boss, at his young age, got that doting nature from?
“Mind your own business. I won’t be around these two days, so keep an eye on things.”
“Understood, don’t worry.”
The rain continued for two days. By the time the sky finally cleared and the sun came out again, the college entrance exam had come to an end.
When Meng Ting walked out of the exam site, the air still carried the scent of rain-soaked earth.
Some examinees wore worried expressions, while others cheered loudly, running happily out of the exam site. Regardless, the college entrance exam was a rite of passage for their eighteen-year-old selves.
It would be an unforgettable, solemn ceremony when they looked back on it in the future.
Meng Ting also curved her lips, smiling in the sunlight.
Rebirth seemed increasingly distant, and this life’s experiences felt more and more real.
With her college entrance exam over, she would enter the university campus one day in the future. She would choose her favorite major and walk a path she never had the chance to in her previous life.
After the college entrance exam, there was no need to return to their original school. They would only meet their teachers and classmates again when they went to receive their admission letters after the exam results came out.
However, there would be a teacher appreciation banquet before the results were announced.
All the students from Class 1 will attend.
Zhao Nuancheng was ecstatic these past few days, having discovered that she had performed exceptionally well on the college entrance exam. Most of her guesses turned out to be correct, and she was confident about getting into a top-tier university.
On the day of the teacher appreciation banquet, Fan Huiyin and all the subject teachers came.
After accepting toasts from everyone, Teacher Fan said: “When I first started teaching you in your first year of high school, it felt like you were all still so young. In the blink of an eye, everyone has grown up. After walking with you all for three years, I thought about many things I wanted to say last night, but now I only feel emotional. The boys have grown taller than us teachers, so you must learn to be responsible in the future. Girls, learn to protect yourselves and live independently and strongly. I may not be the best teacher, but this year’s version of you is the best version of you. Students, never forget your ideals from this year, and be positive, upright people!”
The teacher may not be the best, but the eighteen-year-old is the best you.
Always remember your original intentions and be kind and good.
With these words, not only did Fan Huiyin’s eyes moisten, but everyone’s eyes reddened. Even the most mischievous boy in the class fell silent.
Guan Xiaoye burst into tears.
For a moment, tears flowed freely. Students who had performed poorly on the exam, the scene of parting with teachers—time had taught them to grow up. It turned out that three years had passed so quickly.
Zhao Nuancheng cried uncontrollably, hugging Meng Ting: “I used to think Teacher Fan was annoying, and even called her ‘old nun’ behind her back. Now that we’re leaving, I feel so sad and reluctant to part.”
Meng Ting also sobbed quietly: “I’ll miss the teacher too.”
She cried heartily this once. At dusk, everyone parted ways. The setting sun stretched everyone’s shadows long, merging into a scene that would be difficult to forget for a lifetime.
Meng Ting walked quite far before she saw Jiang Ren under an elm tree.
“Why are you crying, hm?” He frowned, seeing she had been crying, and gently rubbed the corner of her eye with his rough fingertip. “Who bullied my Ting Ting?”
Meng Ting still couldn’t help but sniffle. This was the first time she had graduated in two lifetimes. After three years of day and night effort, hard work had become a habit. Everyone would be going their separate ways, creating an indescribable sense of melancholy.
“I’m sad about graduating. Everyone cried. Even the most mischievous boy in our class cried.” She rubbed her eyes embarrassedly. She wasn’t usually such a crybaby. It was all because of the atmosphere.
He curved his lips: “Mm, I know Ting Ting is the strongest.”
Meng Ting felt embarrassed. She was strong at her core, but her eyes, which had been hurt before, seemed to be made of water. She had cried in front of him several times already.
“Everyone cried, even the teacher. If you were there, you would have cried too.”
“I wouldn’t.”
“You’re lying. Why are you so sure?”
“I’ve never cried since I was little.”
She was stunned! This completely overturned her understanding. What about when he was little? Didn’t he cry even when he was beaten?
Her eyes were round as she accused him of being a liar. Jiang Ren couldn’t help but laugh: “I was born with tough bones. Even when I was beaten as a child, I didn’t cry. I was disobedient, so I often got beaten. That’s why my skin is thick.”
Not only that, before second grade in primary school, because of his hyperactivity disorder and irritability, he was ostracized and bullied. He had beaten those people bloody with a gloomy face as if he was born without tear glands.
She blinked, trying hard to recall, and realized she had indeed never seen him cry.
Seeing her look defeated, Jiang Ren’s eyes held three parts of amusement: “That’s not true. I cried once.”
“When?” Her tea-colored eyes were watery, obedient, and expectant.
He held her small hand and placed it on his chest, chuckling lowly: “That time when you were outside the door, and shattered this part of me with your crying.”
“Nonsense!” Her face flushed red. “You made me cry.”
Besides, he had turned the TV volume up so loud, she didn’t believe he heard her crying.
He didn’t argue, being very good-tempered.
“Ting Ting is right, it was my fault. In the future, I won’t let you…” He wanted to say he wouldn’t let her cry, but seeing her embarrassed look as if she wanted to bite him, Jiang Ren held his tongue. There would be times when she cried, eventually.
So he didn’t say these words to comfort her.
But in this life, he only planned to cry that one time. If he were to lose her again, he might as well destroy himself.
“Won’t let me what?” She was so pure.
Jiang Ren found it amusing: “Why are you suddenly so curious?”
“Can’t you say it?”
He just smiled, a bit mischievously: “Do you want to hear it?”
“…Don’t say it. You’re not allowed to say it.” Meng Ting bit her lip, her face red as she turned her head away. She wasn’t stupid; she could guess a little from the light in his eyes. She didn’t know why, but she suddenly remembered half a year ago when Zhao Nuancheng had brought some slightly risqué comics to read with her in the small classroom. Zhao Nuancheng had said shyly that boys their age were said to have strong sexual desires.