Chapter 142: Subtle Developments in Romance

“Being able to receive this award, I really deserve it… no that’s not right, I’m greatly honored.”

“Thank you Linchuan University, thank you Linchuan Campus Forum, thank you Academy Supermarket, thank you Tonghang Driving School.”

“My mother taught me since I was little that children of the poor should become independent early…”

At two o’clock in the afternoon, at the Linchuan University sports field, the Academic Star Awards ceremony was taking place.

Jiang Qin held the trophy and rambled on endlessly to the sparse audience of staff, talking round and round for a whole hour, leaving CEO Niu frustrated to the point of wanting to ascend.

This dog-coin really has some thick skin!

Doesn’t he know how he got this award? Grass!

It’s a good thing Boss Jiang had the foresight to say not to come if he didn’t want to. If I had known, I wouldn’t have come either. Even that crappy driving school is better than listening to his rambling.

Meanwhile, Teacher Li from the Linchuan Campus Forum had long stopped listening, quietly finding a corner to face the wall and sneak a smoke, back turned outward.

Though he did feel a bit relieved.

It’s fortunate the initial promotion wasn’t effective and that today’s award ceremony didn’t have too big an audience. Otherwise, he would have really lost face.

Jiang Qin is indeed different from ordinary college students – his skin is made of reinforced, wear-resistant material.

“Teacher Li, give me a cigarette.”

“You smoke too?”

Niu Shangtian hitched up his pants and squatted beside him. “I don’t usually smoke, but occasionally when I’m vexed I’ll have one.”

Teacher Li took out a pack of Yuxi cigarettes and tossed it over. “Don’t worry about it, what’s done is done. Just avoid him from now on.”

“Your problem is over, but mine is just beginning.”

“What do you mean?”

Niu Shangtian lit a cigarette and took a deep drag. “This morning, aside from Jiang Qin, the other ten people from Room 208 all came to enroll at my driving school.”

Teacher Li: “…”

“He pulled one over on me, and I have to let them learn at half price. After all that, I ended up just helping Jiang Qin give his employees benefits. What a fucking rip-off, the promotion did more harm than good.”

Teacher Li leaned in closer. “You can put them in their own separate group, ten people to one car. Let them go slowly, I guarantee it’ll take three years before they can get their licenses. That’ll let you vent at least.”

Niu Shangtian’s eyes lit up. “Damn, why didn’t I think of that?”

“Don’t mention it, that’s just me teaching you.”

“Don’t worry Teacher Li, we’re not the blabbing kind.”

As the words fell, the two men smoking turned to look at the awards stage, where Jiang Qin was still going on and on, now beginning to thank the security guards at the school gate and the road sweepers.

“Boss, boss, that’s enough, it’s my turn now!”

“Yeah boss, leave us some time too! We also want to give our award acceptance speeches. I’m already a junior and haven’t won any awards yet!”

Jiang Qin checked the time on his phone, realizing his acceptance speech had gone on too long. He waved for the second place winner Yang Shuai to come up on stage, while he himself walked down holding the trophy.

Jiang Zhihua really has poor taste – the trophy looks so tacky.

A black plastic base with an open book shape on top, all gaudy gold. So uncouth.

But this thing is more than enough to appease parents, and the more tacky it is, the more they’ll trust it, because in their minds trophies are supposed to look like this – anything different would seem inauthentic.

“Got it settled, this year shouldn’t be too difficult.”

Jiang Qin handed the trophy to Wei Lanlan and told her to put it in the office, while he stepped towards the spot where Niu Shangtian and Teacher Li were squatting to smoke.

Seeing him approach step by step, Old Niu and Old Li felt inexplicably tense, scooting their butts back a bit as if to keep their distance.

“Manager Niu.”

“CEO Jiang, congratulations on the Academic Star award, well-deserved.” Manager Niu forced a professional smile.

Jiang Qin waved his hand dismissively. “I took advantage of you this time, but I’m not the kind to just take without giving back, so I plan to promote you for free on the forum.”

Niu Shangtian was dazed for a moment. “Really or just kidding?”

“Yeah, since Yang Shuai and the others went to enroll at your driving school, I’ll have them take photos every day and post them on the forum, saying Tonghang Driving School has great service, only two students per car so no need to rush or compete. They can get their licenses in just a month, so everyone should hurry and enroll.”

“…”

Niu Shangtian swallowed hard, glancing at Teacher Li to see his smile had frozen on his face too.

They understood – this wasn’t helping, it was a threat!

What he meant was, you’d better arrange two-person service for my employees, or else I’ll expose that your school’s service is poor!

You want to make those ten people share one car and drag it out until they graduate? No way!

But what Teacher Li found hard to believe was, did Jiang Qin really think this through from the moment he saw them at the competition?

To have such foresight and be so attentive to details that even small pitfalls like this could be avoided – is that even possible?

“Hm? Teacher Li, why did your face change color?”

“No reason, just a unique skill…”

Jiang Qin praised himself as awesome, then left the sports field heading for the Academy Supermarket.

At this moment, Jiang Zhihua was sitting in the supermarket with an enraged expression, glaring at the new batch of milk tea cups behind the milk tea bar, flames almost visibly rising from her head.

Academic Star: Jiang Qin

Bah!

Every time Boss Jiang saw this line printed on the milk tea cups, an urge to lash out in resentment welled up inside her.

After so many years, to be fooled by an eighteen-year-old brat, without any means of retaliation – this was simply unacceptable for her.

But what Jiang Zhihua didn’t realize was that Linchuan University was a protective sphere for her.

She pulled some strings to open the biggest supermarket here, with absolutely no competitors. She had been living too comfortably.

The tricks she could think of were just child’s play to Jiang Qin – enough to fool ordinary college students, but totally unimpressive to a businessman.

However, the change in packaging wasn’t an entirely bad thing for the Academy Supermarket either.

At the very least, this morning a shockingly beautiful girl bought five cups all at once.

The girl was around 1.7 meters tall, standing gracefully with exquisite features that could make one’s heart skip a beat just by glancing at her. Her expression was cool and aloof, speaking not a single extra word – clearly from a wealthy family, yet she specifically pointed to Jiang Qin’s cups to buy, not even caring about the flavor.

At first Jiang Zhihua didn’t understand what she wanted to buy, so she randomly grabbed some old cups, only for the other party to shake her head and insist on Jiang Qin’s.

Boss Jiang was utterly baffled, thinking to herself this was simply bewitching.

“Boss Jiang, how’s business today?”

Just as Jiang Zhihua was lost in confused thought, the supermarket’s door curtain was suddenly lifted as Jiang Qin strode inside.

Jiang Zhihua’s face instantly darkened several shades as she snapped, “What are you doing here?”

“There’s something I don’t understand, so I came to ask Boss Jiang.”

“I have nothing to discuss with you.”

Jiang Qin leaned on the counter. “Just a simple chat, you don’t want me lingering here, do you?”

Jiang Zhihua gritted her teeth. “Then ask quickly.”

“How did you come up with the idea for an Academic Star competition? Wouldn’t a ‘School Heartthrob’ be more popular?”

“That’s what I thought too initially, but Teacher Li said the Linchuan Campus Forum is the official forum and needs to maintain professional, serious content. Something as frivolous as a Heartthrob competition wouldn’t fit their image and the school leaders wouldn’t approve, so we had no choice but to settle for this.”

Jiang Qin nodded, finding the reasoning similar to his own thoughts, then grinned slyly. “That’s great then, I plan to hold a School Heartthrob competition on campus next month, and open a supermarket to draw the traffic over.”

Jiang Zhihua: “…”

“Boss Jiang, that’s just how business goes – someone profits, someone loses. You’ve just been too comfortable here on campus without experiencing any malicious competition, so you don’t understand how vicious people can really be.”

“Jiang Qin, I admit I underestimated you. Can’t I just avoid you from now on? Why go to such extremes?”

Jiang Qin took out a document and slid it over. “Boss Jiang, let’s cooperate. Link your supply channels to my group buying, we’ll make money together and split the profits. Otherwise, I really will hold that School Heartthrob competition.”

Jiang Zhihua’s gaze fell to the document, silent for a long while. “So this was your goal all along.”

She picked up a pen and signed her name.

No choice, Jiang Qin’s threat was too strong and his meaning clear – either cooperate, or I’ll open another one.

After obtaining the letter of intent, a satisfied smile emerged on Jiang Qin’s face.

Food supplier ✓

Retail supplier ✓

Mall ✓

Additionally, since the University of Technology and Normal University are quite far from Linchuan University, it would be more convenient for the employees to learn to drive. With Manager Niu’s help, this was settled too.

It turns out the whole world is full of good people supporting his business ventures!

At that moment, the supermarket’s back door suddenly rang with the familiar pitter-patter of little leather shoes. Looking up, he saw the little rich girl Gao Wenhui and Fan Shuling walking in together.

“Jiang Qin? Are you even taking care of your wife anymore? She’s had five cups of milk tea today!”

“??”

Feng Nanshu panicked when Gao Wenhui snitched on her. “No I didn’t, I only had two cups. The other three were for Wenhui and Shuling.”

Jiang Qin turned to Feng Nanshu. “Why did you drink so much milk tea?”

“The Academy Supermarket milk tea cups have your name on them, all seven colors. She still wants to buy two more,” Fan Shuling couldn’t help but explain.

Jiang Qin’s eyes went wide. “I’m out there working hard to scheme against others, while you’re being foolishly schemed against yourself.”

Feng Nanshu pondered for a moment, feigning composure. “Jiang Qin, which color do you want? Your best friend can buy you one.”

“No more drinking it.”

“I just want the cups.”

Jiang Qin glanced at Jiang Zhihua. “Boss Jiang, just give us two cups for free?”

Jiang Zhihua was infuriated – forcing her to sign that deal wasn’t enough, now he wants to mooch cups too? “Take them, take them, just leave already.”

“Go get them,” Jiang Qin said.

The little rich girl raised both hands, one black and one white. “Already got them.”

Jiang Qin laughed. “Okay, you can summon Shenlong now and make a wish.”

“I wish I can see you every day.”

“…”

Jiang Qin stared blankly at Feng Nanshu’s serious expression, before suddenly hearing Gao Wenhui’s voice. “Jiang Qin, we’re going to the cafeteria to eat. Want to join us?”

“Sure, I’ve been busy all afternoon without a break. I’ll treat you all out.”

Gao Wenhui’s eyes instantly lit up. “You’re paying?”

“I’m in a good mood today, my treat. Let’s go.”

Without thinking, Jiang Qin took Feng Nanshu’s slender little hand and led her out of the supermarket. The little rich girl seemed a bit dazed from being held, silently gazing at Jiang Qin like a soulless little kitten.

“Jiang Qin used to only touch feet, how did he start holding hands now?” Gao Wenhui remarked in surprise, as if discovering a new continent.

Fan Shuling crossed her arms. “It seems their feelings have undergone some subtle developments.”

“No way, hurry up and follow, I need to witness this development up close!”