They settled into a small restaurant nearby and ordered simple meals - nothing fancy, just enough to fill their stomachs.
As they waited for the food to arrive, Lin Feng reached over and plucked one of the fliers from Chen Ming's stack.
He glanced at it.
"You're still doing this thing?" he asked.
Chen Ming nodded as he took a sip of water.
"That's right," he said, setting down his glass. "You might not think it'll work, but trust me - it will. I have a great eye for success."
"A great eye, huh..." Lin Feng thought to himself.
He observed Chen Ming for a moment.
To be honest, Chen Ming's ideas weren't necessarily bad. The problem was his overconfidence. He never knew when to pull back, when to cut his losses, when to quit while he was ahead.
In a way, he was the complete opposite of Lin Feng.
Where Lin Feng was reserved and cautious to a fault, Chen Ming was outgoing and reckless. Where Lin Feng hesitated at every opportunity, Chen Ming charged forward without a second thought.
Last time, they had made a profit by working together - Lin Feng recognizing when to pull back, Chen Ming coming up with the initial idea and executing it.
He looked at the flier again.
Maybe they could work together again.
He sighed internally.
No. For now, I need to focus on the tutoring gig.
One thing at a time.
He set the flier down and turned to Zhang Wei.
"What about you?" he asked. "What have you been up to recently?"
Zhang Wei looked up.
"Mostly just studying," he said. "I'm almost done with this year's materials."
The others stared at him.
"Already?" Chen Ming's eyes went wide. "Classes haven't even started yet!"
Zhang Wei shrugged, looking slightly embarrassed. "I had some free time."
Lin Feng nodded slowly. As expected of Zhang Wei.
Chen Ming leaned forward, his expression shifting to something more curious.
"What about side gigs?" he asked. "Any money-making opportunities?"
Zhang Wei hesitated for a moment.
"I do some freelance coding work," he said. "But it's nothing special. Just small jobs here and there."
Lin Feng's eyes flickered with interest.
A few ideas began forming in his mind, though he didn't voice them aloud.
He turned to Li Jun.
"And what about you?"
Li Jun shrugged.
"Nothing really," he said. "I mostly just play games." He paused, then added, "Though I suppose I should start studying more seriously. My parents wouldn't be happy if my grades dropped."
Chen Ming turned to Lin Feng.
"What about you?" he asked. "Got anything going on?"
"I'm looking into private tutoring," Lin Feng said.
"Oh?" Chen Ming raised an eyebrow. "What subject?"
"English, mostly. My English is pretty decent."
"Really?" Zhang Wei looked curious. "Where did you learn?"
Lin Feng had anticipated this question.
"I took extra lessons back in high school," he said smoothly. "My teacher was really passionate about it, so I ended up picking up more than most."
"That's impressive," Chen Ming said. "English tutors can charge quite a bit, you know. Especially for high school students preparing for the gaokao."
"That's the plan," Lin Feng said with a small smile.
The conversation continued to flow naturally - talk of classes, professors they'd heard rumors about, which electives to avoid. The food arrived, and they ate while chatting.
Eventually, Lin Feng glanced at the time.
"I should get going," he said, pushing back his chair. "I need to prepare for my first lesson."
He reached for his wallet, but Li Jun raised a hand.
"I've got this," Li Jun said.
Lin Feng paused. "You sure?"
"You treated us last time," Li Jun said. "It's my turn."
Lin Feng hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
"Thanks."
"Good luck on your first lesson," Zhang Wei said.
"Yeah, go get that money!" Chen Ming added with a grin.
Li Jun just gave him a small nod.
Lin Feng smiled at the three of them.
"Thanks, guys."
Then he turned and headed out the door.
…
Lin Feng arrived at the net cafe at around 2 pm and took a private booth.
The lesson was scheduled for 5 pm - after the kid got out of school - so he still had three hours to himself.
Although this meant he was spending 60 yuan just sitting here, and another 20 yuan for the lesson itself, he didn't feel it was a loss. This was an investment.
He settled into his seat and pulled up the English grammar videos again.
For the next few hours, he watched lesson after lesson, pausing to take notes, rewinding sections he didn't fully grasp. His notebook filled with diagrams, example sentences, and teaching points.
By the time 4:30 rolled around, he felt as prepared as he could possibly be.
He spent the remaining time organizing his notes and rehearsing how he would explain certain concepts. He thought about potential questions the student might ask and prepared answers for them.
Finally, the clock struck 5 pm.
Lin Feng took a deep breath.
He turned on the webcam, adjusted the angle to make sure he looked presentable, and opened the video session he had already shared with the other party beforehand.
He didn't have to wait long.
A few seconds later, the call connected.
…
On the opposite end of the screen sat a middle-aged woman.
She had sharp features and an air of composure about her - the kind that came from years of being in control. Behind her, Lin Feng could make out what looked like an expensively decorated living room. Leather furniture. Tasteful artwork on the walls. A chandelier hanging from the ceiling.
She was clearly quite well off.
"Good afternoon," the woman said, her tone polite but businesslike. "You must be Lin Feng."
"Yes, that's me." He nodded respectfully. "Thank you for this opportunity."
"I'll be sitting in on today's lesson," she continued. "I hope you don't mind. This is just for this one time - to see how you teach. If you perform well and get the job, you won't have to worry about me hovering."
She paused.
"And if you don't... well."
Lin Feng smiled, keeping his composure steady.
"I understand," he said. "Please feel free to observe."
The woman studied him for a moment, then nodded, seemingly satisfied with his response.
"Tingting," she called, turning her head slightly. "Come here."
A moment later, a girl appeared on screen and sat down next to her mother.
She looked to be around sixteen or seventeen. She had her mother's sharp features but softer eyes, and she regarded Lin Feng with a mixture of curiosity and skepticism.
"This is your new tutor," the woman said to her daughter. "Pay attention."
Then she turned back to Lin Feng.
"You may begin."