It was past eleven at night.
Stepping out of the Royal Yongle gate, a small breeze cleared Chen Pingjiang's head a bit.
Next to him, Zhao Shaoyang, Dong Tinghui, and the other two still clung to a last shred of sanity.
Although they staggered, they didn't fall.
The three smelly little brothers were so tipsy from the sisters' pouring that one call from their good brother or a sniff of the fragrance on their nose would boost their alcohol tolerance by 100 grams, and they'd tried several depth charges.
This was probably fake alcohol; if it were real, they'd have been unconscious long ago.
These three usually talked big, but when it came to the real thing, they wilted.
Mainly, they weren't that slick yet, only daring to sing but not to touch.
Before leaving, Zhao Shaoyang mustered all his courage and, emboldened by the alcohol, went to his "white moonlight" to ask for her number.
Chen Pingjiang checked the time.
He estimated it would be past 12 when he got back to the dorm, which would be locked.
So, he found a hotel nearby, booked a double room, and settled in for the night.
At 7 AM, Chen Pingjiang dragged the three of them up.
Today was busy.
Dong Tinghui and the other two had to return to school for their last day of work, and Chen Pingjiang also had to rush to the sports institute; they had their drill practice that morning.
Chen Pingjiang's compensation for Hu Kai and the others was ten yuan per item, meaning for every old military training uniform they collected, they would earn five yuan, which was different from the three hundred yuan a day at the University of Finance and Economics.
This wasn't Chen Pingjiang playing favorites.
First, he didn't want to bring the commission-based payment model into the University of Finance and Economics' circle, but at the sports institute, he was an outsider, making it more of a cooperative model.
There wouldn't be conflicts at the University of Finance and Economics, but at the sports institute, the possibility of conflict increased significantly.
If Chen Pingjiang, as an outsider, got involved, the nature of it would change.
After arriving at the sports institute, Chen Pingjiang thought for a moment and still sent Yan Yan a message.
"Sunbae, could you help me with something?"
After a while, Yan Yan replied,
"Are we that close?"
"It's like this, the old military training uniform recycling I mentioned to you last time started today. I don't have resources on the girls' side, could you introduce me to two reliable girls and boys? The commission is five yuan per item."
"No one."
"Thank you, Sunbae, you're the most beautiful and kindest woman I've ever met."
Yan Yan, who had no class that morning and was holed up in her dorm, wore a plain white nightgown, tapping on her phone.
She typed a few words then deleted them, typed a few more then deleted them again.
What kind of person is this?
Can't he understand such an obvious refusal?
The highly responsible Yan Yan eventually contacted two girls and sent their numbers to Chen Pingjiang.
After thinking for a moment, Yan Yan got out of bed and started changing clothes.
After the drill practice, Zhou Guanghan and the others found Chen Pingjiang downstairs at the dorm.
The two boys and two girls Yan Yan introduced had also arrived.
What Chen Pingjiang didn't expect was that Yan Yan had actually come too.
Today, Yan Yan was wearing a pink V-neck top paired with a gray half-skirt, cinched at the waist with a small black belt, revealing her straight, jade-white collarbones, and carrying a simple canvas bag.
The moment Yan Yan appeared, she automatically attracted everyone's attention.
Indeed, she was worthy of being a goddess-level cool beauty, possessing both ethereal grace and delicate charm, maintaining a sense of distance yet giving off a comfortable vibe, with a languid and indifferent demeanor.
"Sun... Sunbae, hello."
A few boys couldn't even straighten their tongues when they saw Yan Yan.
Two girls looked envious:
"Oh my gosh, Yan Yan, you look so beautiful today."
Yan Yan's beauty was almost unfair, and even Chen Pingjiang couldn't help but be momentarily dazed.
Although people were coming and going around them, all eyes were drawn to her.
"Why did you come?"
Chen Pingjiang was a little curious.
Yan Yan's expression was indifferent:
"Nothing, just came to take a look."
Chen Pingjiang, like a shrewd person, immediately saw through her.
Although Yan Yan appeared cool and indifferent on the surface, radiating a sense of distance, she was actually very kind and responsible at heart.
He guessed it was because he had mentioned a possible conflict last time, and she was worried, so she came to check.
Chen Pingjiang grinned.
Since Yan Yan was here, he could completely use her authority.
Originally, he was worried about a real conflict being hard to resolve, but now with the added "buff," he didn't need to worry at all.
Seeing Chen Pingjiang looking silly, Yan Yan asked curiously,
"What are you laughing about?"
"Thanks, Sunbae. I'll treat you to a meal after we're done."
"No need, I'm the vice-minister of the student union's public security team, and it's my duty to maintain campus safety."
Chen Pingjiang asked curiously,
"I really can't imagine you being associated with the public security team. Shouldn't that department be all boys? When you joined the student union, wouldn't all the departments fight over you?"
The sophomore girl, who was familiar with Yan Yan, chuckled, nodding vigorously:
"Yes, yes. It was a fierce competition back then. The ministers of the Propaganda Department, Academic Department, and Arts Department almost literally started fighting. Then Yan Yan got angry and deliberately chose the public security team, which felt it had no hope and thus didn't participate in the scramble for her."
"That's right, the public security team is full of rough guys, they never even imagined Yan Yan would join. Later, those guys went crazy with joy; she's the princess of the public security team."
Chen Pingjiang thought to himself,
"This girl has too much personality."
"Erzi, you take the students and start."
Chen Pingjiang assigned tasks to Zhou Guanghan and the others.
"Alright! Uncle-grandpa!"
Yan Yan saw Chen Pingjiang wasn't moving and asked,
"They all went, aren't you going?"
Chen Pingjiang shook his head:
"They're going to make money for me, why should I move? Besides, you're the leader now, and accompanying a good leader is also my job."
They found a water bar and sat down.
Yan Yan watched the incessantly talking Chen Pingjiang, occasionally interjecting a word or two, remaining silent for the rest of the time.
One had to admire Chen Pingjiang here.
Facing a goddess-level girl like Yan Yan, most boys lacking a bit of confidence might not even dare to look up, being nervous, shy, or feeling inferior.
Only Chen Pingjiang could be so casual, occasionally even throwing in some very "sassy" remarks.
"I think your school's forum will definitely have a hot post this afternoon. 'Shocking: Is the campus belle's rumored boyfriend actually him!?'"
Chen Pingjiang could casually lift his head and see countless eyes staring in their direction.
Yan Yan smoothed a strand of hair at her temple,
"Rumors stop with the wise. Are you scared?"
Chen Pingjiang had an expression that said,
"Who are you looking down on?"
"If they dare to make a move, I'll be driving an Audi A4 tomorrow."
But right after saying that, Chen Pingjiang felt something was off.
Why did he have a sense of danger?
Suddenly, a thought flashed in his mind.
He looked at Yan Yan:
"Damn it, Sunbae, I'm so innocent and kind, how could you use me? You're too heartless, aren't you?"
Yan Yan was rarely a bit embarrassed, looking down, almost biting through her straw.
She neither admitted nor denied it.
Chen Pingjiang had originally felt like he had Yan Yan by his side, using her as a trump card, believing himself to be on the third level.
But he hadn't expected Yan Yan to be directly on the stratosphere.
He had actually become a scandalous boyfriend, a shield!
Yan Yan appeared calm and said nothing, but secretly, she was practically digging a three-bedroom apartment with her feet.
She had been plagued by persistent admirers for a whole year last year, not only Fan Xufei but also others from different departments and the student union, and even some school counselors, which had become incredibly bothersome.
Her troubles intensified in her sophomore year, with even freshmen juniors sending her flowers.
She had never known any boys, and Chen Pingjiang was from another school, making him the perfect candidate.
When Chen Pingjiang texted Yan Yan that morning, Yan Yan, on a whim, followed him.
"My innocence has been defiled like this!"
Chen Pingjiang covered his head, looking utterly dejected.
"Mom really didn't lie to me; beautiful women are all deceivers."
Yan Yan rolled her eyes,
"You're not Zhang Wuji. If you're afraid of trouble, I can clarify things for you."
Chen Pingjiang had a look that said,
"You're trying to fool ghosts,"
"I'm afraid it'll only make things worse."
Actually, Chen Pingjiang didn't care at all.
Anyway, he wasn't from the sports institute.
He used Yan Yan's name to avoid trouble, and Yan Yan used him as a shield – it was perfectly reasonable.
It was just that this girl was quite cunning.
If Chen Pingjiang hadn't been smart, he would have truly been kept in the dark unknowingly.
(End of chapter)
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