Financial freedom starts from graduation

Chapter 592 A Short Story
Pengcheng.

Before the morning light had completely dispelled the darkness of night, the bustling commuters had already merged into the subway torrent, using coffee to rouse their spirits from a sleepless night, and using expressionless faces to resist the shoving and jostling of the morning rush hour.

Ah Gui, carrying two cups of Luckin Coffee, mingled in the crowd, listening impatiently to the rambling voice coming from the phone:
"Ah Gui, you said you were working overtime and didn't come back for the Mid-Autumn Festival last time, and you said you went on vacation for the National Day holiday. When are you going to come back and see us?"

"Mom, didn't I tell you I'm very busy? I should wait until Chinese New Year to have time..."

"I keep saying you're busy, I keep saying you're busy!"

Upon hearing A-Gui's refusal, the voice on the other end of the phone immediately became shrill, "I just don't understand, it's less than a two-hour journey, is it really that hard to come back... Your lousy job can't even support yourself for a month, you might as well come back home and help out..."

"Mom, you don't understand, I have my own dreams..."

"The ideal of farts!"

Before A-Gui could finish speaking, he was interrupted again by his impatient mother on the other end of the phone, "I know what you're thinking. Don't worry, I won't force you to get married this time, but you should at least meet your Uncle Liu's daughter..."

Hearing the conversation veer back to this topic, A-Gui became irritated again. Seeing that they had already exited the subway, A-Gui quickly said:
"Mom, that's all for now, I'm almost at the company... That's all!"

Fearing his mother might say something else hurtful, A-Gui quickly hung up the phone. He waited a minute and, seeing that the phone didn't ring again, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Looking at the towering buildings all around him and the glamorous urban men and women coming and going, A-Gui felt lost once again.

He is indeed a local of Shenzhen, but his home is in an old town "outside the city gate". In Shenzhen, which is almost completely modernized, A-Gui feels that it is no different from a "rural area" in the general sense.

Of course, you couldn't call them poor; the family runs a small business and also operates a farm stay...

At least A-Gui never had to worry about food or clothing growing up. The school he attended might not be considered anything special in the whole of Shenzhen, but it was the best his family could provide.

But A-Gui still couldn't stop feeling inferior, especially after he met A-Jie, who came from a better family, when he was young. He felt that someone like him couldn't be called a "Pengcheng person" at all.

His parents never seemed to understand him; they would always end up arguing after just a few words, and it had been like this since he was a child.

After finally graduating from university, A-Gui thought he could finally pursue the life he wanted, but his parents started pressuring him to get married again, especially every time he had to ask them for money for rent or other expenses...

It seems they always feel that once they get married, all problems are solved and their mission in this life is over.

It wasn't that A-Gui didn't want to get married, but he felt that his parents had no idea what he wanted. He had only graduated a few years ago, but because A-Gui hadn't found a girlfriend yet, his anxious parents started introducing him to all sorts of blind dates.

So, he went on a blind date. At first, A-Gui found it quite novel, but after a few dates, he started to feel uneasy.

It's not fair to say they're all mediocre, but given his parents' social circle, it's clear there's no hidden gem among them... So far, the best match his family has introduced him to is a woman with a house and a car in the heart of Shenzhen, and a government-affiliated position.

At the time, A-Gui thought it sounded good, but after meeting her, he found out that she was divorced with a child and was six years older than him.

Having long been accustomed to the hustle and bustle of the city, A-Gui felt that he simply could not settle for that.

To paraphrase what my good friend A-Jie said:

"Ah Gui, don't you think about what era we live in? The male-to-female ratio is seriously imbalanced now. Girls with even a little bit of quality don't have to worry about finding a partner. Women who need to put themselves on the matchmaking market to solve their problems, I don't need to say how valuable they are, right?"

Lost in a jumble of thoughts, A-Gui walked into the office building and, after waiting in line for a long time, clocked in and entered the company.

After greeting a few colleagues who had arrived early, A-Gui looked up and saw a striking new Chanel shoulder bag on the workstation next to his. The gold chain shimmered with a slightly dazzling luster in the morning light.

After a moment of surprise, A-Gui immediately showed a look of delight.

He paid for his workstation with a Wagyu beef buffet, ostensibly because he was a bit afraid of direct sunlight, but actually just to get closer to his "goddess".

However, A-Gui was self-aware enough to know that Sun Xi Ningning probably didn't like him, and his childhood friend A-Jie had said more than once that he wanted to win Sun Xi Ningning's heart, but that didn't stop him from keeping this thought to himself.

Just like in those movies... what if?
Ah Gui felt that his greatest strength was his patience, and he believed that with his own efforts, he would eventually be able to establish himself in this city.

Perhaps one day, those girls he once couldn't reach will finally realize that he, who has always stood silently behind them, is also a good choice.

However, since they parted ways at the yacht party that day, A-Gui hasn't seen Sun Xi Ningning for several days.

She didn't come to work, nor did she reply to any messages in the work group; it was as if she had suddenly disappeared.

Ah Gui actually guessed something; it was probably all related to that young man named "Zhou Wang"...

He felt a sense of loss, but he also felt that if his competitor was Zhou Wang, he really couldn't have any other thoughts.

Unexpectedly, Sun Xining, who had disappeared for several days, finally came to work today. Judging from the style of the bag, it was obviously hers. What surprised Agui was that there were still twenty minutes before the normal start time for work, and Sun Xining rarely came so early.

Thinking of this, A-Gui secretly praised himself for his cleverness. Luckily, he bought an extra cup of coffee when he bought coffee, as was his habit. He originally planned to give it to any female colleague if he couldn't finish it, but now he didn't have to worry about it.

Just as A-Gui finished putting his things down on his seat, he heard footsteps beside him, accompanied by a fragrant breeze. A-Gui looked up and saw Sun Xi Ningning, who had disappeared a moment ago, walking back with a form in her hand.

With her wavy, medium-length hair, a green knit sweater paired with flowy high-waisted straight-leg pants, and the currently popular Mori Girl style, her already delicate face exudes a vibrant energy, showcasing both girlish playfulness and mature womanly charm.

Ah Gui stole several glances before coughing and greeting Sun Xi Ningning: "Ningning, good morning!"

"morning."

Sun Xi Ningning lowered her head to tidy up the things on her desk. Her fair neck, which was hanging down, was gilded with a golden light in the morning light, making A Gui secretly swallow.

He organized his thoughts for a moment, then casually pulled out a coffee from the bag. "Um... Ningning, I saw this morning that Luckin Coffee has a new flavor. I remember you like bayberries, right? Would you like to try this Bayberry Iced Coffee?"

Sun Xining was taken aback, then looked up at Agui and smiled, "Thank you..."

Just as A-Gui was secretly delighted, Sun Xi Ningning shook her head and said, "But you should keep it for yourself. I'm leaving soon, and it's inconvenient for me to take this with me."

"Walk?"

Ah Gui said blankly, "But I have to go to work soon, you..."

"I submitted my resignation a few days ago."

Sun Xining waved the form in her hand, and only then did Agui notice that it was a resignation letter. "It was only approved yesterday, and I'm here today to complete the formalities... I'm sorry, I didn't tell you beforehand. I haven't been with the company for long, and I mainly didn't want to trouble you all."

Is Sun Xi Ningning resigning?

Ah Gui's mind went blank for a moment, stunned by the news, and he didn't know what to say.

Fortunately, several colleagues nearby overheard their conversation. One female colleague immediately stepped in to speak for them, asking in surprise:

"Oh, Ningning, why did you suddenly decide to resign without saying a word? Where are you going?"

They were working at an e-commerce company, and Sun Xining was receiving a lot of support due to her excellent appearance. She had only been with the company for a few months, but her salary had already surpassed that of many others. Therefore, her colleagues couldn't quite understand why Sun Xining would resign at this time.

Even if you want to change jobs, you should at least accumulate experience for a period of time.

“Hong Kong Island,” Sun Xi Ningning said with a smile. “If nothing unexpected happens, I will settle down there in the future.”

"Settling down on Hong Kong Island?"

Upon hearing this niche term, A-Gui was momentarily stunned, a thousand questions arising in his mind at the same time.

Hong Kong Island is right next to Shenzhen, and Ah Jie is practically a Hong Kong Island resident, so Ah Gui knows a lot about things.

For ordinary people, let alone settling down on Hong Kong Island, even just wanting to work there is an extremely difficult task.

A-Gui knew about Sun Xi Ningning's background; she came from an ordinary family in a small border town, which obviously didn't have the means to support her settling in Hong Kong.

Other colleagues were also surprised and envious, but no one thought Sun Xining was bragging.

After all, this kind of thing is really easy to verify.

"Wow, Ningning, you've really surprised everyone with your insightful remarks! Hong Kong Island... it's not a place where ordinary people can even establish themselves."

"No wonder you had a new bag! It's a Chanel black and gold ramie, right? I think it costs around 60,000!"

"Tell me honestly, did you win the lottery, or are you planning to marry into a wealthy family and become a phoenix?"

The female colleagues' joking, probing remarks served as a reminder to A-Gui.

Could it be...

After his female colleagues dispersed laughing, A-Gui hesitated several times before finally asking, "Ningning, is it because of that Zhou Wang...?"

Upon hearing A-Gui mention Zhou Wang, Sun Xi Ningning frowned slightly. However, she then remembered that A-Gui had met Zhou Wang before and that the other party had always treated her well, so she didn't say anything, which was considered an admission.

At this moment, A-Gui seemed a little embarrassed, "Um, Ningning, don't misunderstand, I just think it's pretty good... Well, although I don't know him very well, you two, you two are quite a good match..."

Upon hearing this, Sun Xi Ningning's expression relaxed, and she smiled and nodded at A Gui, "Thank you."

At this point, A-Gui didn't know what to say. He watched helplessly as Sun Xining packed her things and put on her bag. A-Gui felt a tightness in his chest, but he couldn't help but stop Sun Xining.

"Ok?"

Sun Xi Ningning expressed her doubt with her eyes.

"Ningning, I have a few things I want to say to you, although you might not listen..."

Ah Gui said, forcing himself to speak, "Well, I think Zhou Wang may seem nice, but you should still be careful in some ways."

"what are you saying?"

Sun Xi Ningning frowned.

"On the plane back to Pengcheng with A-Jie, I saw Zhou Wang. He was with several young girls, and their relationship seemed more than just casual..."

Feeling a little flustered by Sun Xining's gaze, Agui still gritted his teeth and said, "What I wanted to say is that he may be young, promising, and rich, but you should know that rich men tend to be more fickle. You, you should be careful to discern."

After saying that, A-Gui felt a sense of relief. He didn't actually have any hostility towards Zhou Wang, but he didn't want his goddess to be deceived.

A-Gui anticipated that Sun Xi Ningning might have many reactions, such as disbelief or anger, but he never expected that Sun Xi Ningning would not only remain calm after listening, but would even raise her eyebrows and smile.

"I know."

"what?"

“I know he’s a womanizer. He has many women around him. I’m not the only one, and I’m not even special.”

Sun Xi Ningning yawned, "But I don't really care."

A-Gui's eyes widened. Even though Sun Xi Ningning was speaking Chinese, he felt like he couldn't understand a single word.

"You...what do you mean?"

"I'm not even his girlfriend, why should I care so much?"

Sun Xining chuckled and patted Agui on the shoulder again, "But no matter what, I know you meant well... Thank you, bye!"

After Sun Xi Ningning finished speaking, she left gracefully, leaving A Gui standing there in a daze.

Not his girlfriend?
Combining this with what Sun Xi Ningning said earlier, A Gui seemed to understand something.

His face immediately turned ugly.

He couldn't understand why the goddess he had secretly loved for so long would willingly become someone else's mistress.
...or perhaps the fourth or fifth child?

A-Gui's face turned bright red. After a moment of stunned silence, he chased after her like a madman, just in time to see the elevator doors that Sun Xi Ningning had entered closing.

Ah Gui looked around and, seeing that no elevator was approaching, rushed into the stairwell and ran downstairs.

One layer, and another.

After running for an unknown amount of time, A-Gui finally arrived at the first floor of the office building. He rushed out of the building and saw Sun Xi Ningning's back on the street.

She waved to the roadside, seemingly waiting for a car.

In a moment of impulsiveness, without thinking about what he wanted to say, A-Gui rushed over. All he knew was that he wanted to stop Sun Xi Ningning, to try and persuade her with all sorts of reasons, or, if possible, to tell her how much he liked her.

If she's willing to believe in herself, give him some time. He'll let Sun Xining know that a girl like her deserves to be cherished even more...

But just as A-Gui rushed to the roadside, before he could even utter the shout that was already on his lips, he saw a limousine with Hong Kong plates slowly pull up next to Sun Xi Ningning.

A golden Spirit of Ecstasy stands on the hood... It's a Rolls-Royce.

The car door opened, and a bodyguard in a suit and a woman who looked like a butler got out of the car, took the luggage from Sun Xining's hands, and carefully helped her into the car.

A-Gui stood there stunned, his mouth agape, unable to utter a sound for a long time. He could only watch helplessly as the car door closed, and the multi-million dollar luxury car carrying Sun Xi Ningning disappeared little by little from the main road.

He saw the car window open, revealing Sun Xining's pretty face, which could be both charming and playful. But all she could see in her eyes was longing for a better future. Even though A-Gui was standing very close, her gaze never fell on him...

Only after the Rolls-Royce disappeared at the end of the street did Ah Gui collapse to the ground, utterly dejected.

After a long, wry smile, Ah Gui finally pulled out his phone and dialed the first number back.

"Mom, it's me... I've thought it through, I'll be back in a few days."

(End of this chapter)