Age of Legends

Chapter 246 Extremely Beautiful
A lot happened in December, and 2000 was about to pass. Recently, the matter concerning Zhang Zhonghua at home was the thing that had the biggest impact on Zhang Chen. Zhang Chen did not expect Zhang Zhonghua to go to this point, but no matter how much the valuation was, Zhang Chen thought it would be better to just sell it for a sum of money.

Of course, this was Zhang Chen's hindsight after learning how valuable the patent was. However, he realized this was only the result of the Rongcheng government's intervention; if he had tried to sell the patent alone, it probably wouldn't have fetched such a high price. Firstly, it was based on a capital- and technology-intensive model, backed by the Nanguang Group, ensuring a stable sales channel, which is why the patent had such a high valuation.

In another scenario, it would be impossible.

This is also what Zhang Chen finds troublesome. Regardless of whether this matter will ultimately succeed or not, even if it does, his father's shares cannot be cashed out in the end.

Not that easy.

Secondly, Zhang Chen knew that the so-called flat-screen CRT technology would soon suffer a major defeat.

The current high price of LCDs has created a market for flat-screen CRT technology, allowing it to be supplied to less developed countries and regions to meet their needs.

But LCD technology will soon break through. Zhang Chen remembers that the breakthrough will be around 2004. At that time, he went to a college classmate's house and the classmate proudly introduced their LCD TV. He thought it would be very expensive, but it turned out to be cheaper than plasma TVs and about the same price as some large-screen flat-screen TVs.

With prices roughly the same, it means that flat-screen TVs have reached their end, and LCD TVs will dominate the market and eventually completely replace them.

It will probably take another three years or so before this industry comes to an end.

If the joint venture goes smoothly in the end, Zhang Chen hopes that Zhang Zhonghua can gain more benefits in the next three years.

However, after thinking about it for a moment, Zhang Chen felt a bit self-deprecating. He thought to himself, "Human greed is like a snake trying to swallow an elephant." He remembered when Zhang Zhonghua first started his business, Zhang Chen's initial thought was simply to help him achieve his ultimate pursuit of technology, so as not to leave any regrets in his life. After all, Zhang Chen still vividly remembered Zhang Zhonghua's struggles and frustrations in his other life.

In this life, Zhang Chen's initial plan was also to cover for him, just like Huang Huifen's first pot of gold; he was simply providing Huang Huifen with funds indirectly through the Hexianju shop. If all else failed, he would simply use the same trick again and buy Zhang Zhonghua's project with some money.

Of course, I can't buy them now.

In other words, it has moved in a relatively good direction, which is not bad.

"What are you thinking about, grinning to yourself?" It was the second break between classes. As they walked back after the break, a large crowd began to gather at the teaching building. The first and second-year students were relatively relaxed, while the third-year students were the most enthusiastic about returning to school, so there were quite a few people at once. A voice came from next to Zhang Chen. He turned his head and saw Zhuang Yanyue, wearing a red and white school uniform jacket, looking at him from the side.

"No, just some chores. Have you been spying on me?" Zhang Chen looked at Zhuang Yanyue. To be honest, she was still quite attractive. Although she was wearing the same red and white school uniform jacket, her simple Nike casual pants and light-colored sweater gave her a figure that surpassed most high school students. Even with the school uniform covering her, she could still arouse the blood of countless young men.

Zhuang Yanyue has been behaving normally lately. She still chats with him on QQ from time to time, and asks him questions about test questions she doesn't understand. She gives him the feeling of being his female apprentice.

"Don't you know how famous you are now? You don't need to peep, do you? It's not like you're anything shameful," Zhuang Yanyue said, glancing at him.

Zhang Chen knew that the so-called fame was due to Pei Yan's incident. Now that the news had spread, people from the senior year of high school to the first year of high school would often look at him and gossip about him in groups of three or five.

It was nothing to him personally, but in many people's eyes, Zhang Chen was both mysterious and low-key. Some people began to feel that he exuded a fatal attraction. Whenever Zhuang Yanyue heard girls express this, she felt a sense of detachment and indifference, as if the world was often confused and ignorant, and she had long since awakened to the world's unique perspective.

"Thank you for your solution to the problem I left me on QQ yesterday. I understand that function now. You really are concise and clear in explaining the problem-solving process." Zhuang Yanyue's elegant voice came from the side. I have to say, it's always nice to receive such compliments so early in the morning.

But Zhang Chen thought to himself that this was not yet the model built by Shen Nuoyi, but he didn't say it out loud for the time being.

Zhang Chen wasn't actually opposed to being friends with Zhuang Yanyue. Chatting with her was a very comfortable experience; sometimes you didn't need to find topics, just casual conversation was enough to make the exchange itself a joyful thing. If they weren't lovers, a close female friend would be great.

So Zhang Chen responded modestly and politely, only to hear her say, "But you often chat with me like this... I hope Nuoyi won't be unhappy?"

What kind of tea ceremony is this, like a gentle breeze in the night, silently nourishing all things? Zhang Chen glanced at her and said, "She minds, so don't come looking for me anymore."

Zhuang Yanyue chuckled, her branches trembling slightly, and her breasts quivering.

“When you lie, you often give it a confident tone, like a card player’s shout, whoosh! You just throw out bad cards mixed with good cards on the surface.” Zhuang Yanyue made a gesture, “You just throw out bad cards mixed with good cards on the surface.”

Zhang Chen was startled, thinking, "Old Zhuang, your observation is so meticulous!" He wondered if this was a flaw in his observation, and he needed to be more careful about this when negotiating with others in the future. If someone like Zhuang Yanyue could see through his weaknesses, it would be dangerous. Fortunately, Zhuang Yanyue had reminded him of this.

"Looks like you're pretty good at cards...you're pretty street-smart!" Zhang Chen said, looking her up and down.

Zhuang Yanyue subconsciously pulled her unzipped jacket over her chest to cover herself, stopping her earlier movement, and laughed, "No way, my dad used to do that when he played cards with us. He would always shout and throw cards on the table, even if it wasn't a straight, he would confidently say it was a straight, only to have the missing card smashed into the deck, and then he couldn't find any evidence! He would win most of my New Year's money before I realized it!"

Seeing Zhuang Yanyue still pouting and reminiscing about the incident with lingering fear, Zhang Chen thought to himself, "Zhuang Xuefeng, is this how you set an example for future generations? Cheating at the card table?"

However, it makes sense. It turns out that his behavior was very similar to Zhuang Yanyue's father cheating at the card table, which made her see through the deception. Otherwise, Zhang Chen would really think that she was incredibly intelligent.

But I'll still tease her a little: "Women shouldn't be so smart, they'll never get married!"

Zhuang Yanyue let out an "Ah..." as she was following the crowd up the stairs. She stopped, her eyes, hidden beneath her bangs, becoming unfocused. She gave Zhang Chen a sidelong glance and stuck out her tongue, saying, "Then I'll start becoming stupid now!"

Then they were pushed upstairs by the crowd, Zhang Chen in front and she behind.

"Don't push!" "Hurry up!" "How the hell can I move forward?!" "Don't push, don't push... It's so narrow here, and you're still pushing forward, you wild boars!"

The stairs were filled with laughter, shoving, and shouting. As someone forced their way forward through the gaps, Zhang Chen lost his balance and swayed like a stalk of rice in the wind. As more people squeezed forward, the force gradually pressed down on him, and Zhang Chen couldn't stand up and slid backward.

Suddenly, he felt something soft and bouncy behind him. Then someone started cursing for squeezing through the gaps in front, causing the imbalance. But there was no way to keep up with the cursing, as it was rush hour. So they just stumbled forward. Zhang Chen didn't really think about the soft bouncy feeling behind him. He just felt that he was being pushed and pushed back every now and then, but there were people behind him to cushion his fall, so it wasn't too uncomfortable.

Finally, when they reached the corridor where they were directed to their respective classrooms, the crowd dispersed into their classrooms, and the space suddenly opened up.

Zhang Chen breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that he should avoid peak hours in the future. In fact, he usually wandered outside until the bell was about to ring before returning to the teaching building during the break between classes. Today, he just had something on his mind, so he followed the crowd.

Then he remembered that Zhuang Yanyue was behind him, so he turned around and said to her, "I'm going back to the classroom first."

Class 5's classroom is just around the corner of the corridor, while Zhuang Yanyue's Class 8 has to walk to the other end of the L-shaped structure opposite.

He saw Zhuang Yanyue clutching her school uniform collar with one hand, her face flushed, only responding with a "yes, okay" before quickly passing him.

Zhang Chen was still feeling strange when he stood there, but before he could think about it, he realized what was going on.

He thought to himself, "Am I the 'wild boar' that everyone was talking about earlier, the one that was rooting around like that? What a beast!"

but……

Absolutely gorgeous!

……

……

Today, Zhang Chen and Wang Shuowei met up for a delicious dumpling restaurant. After dinner, he was going to play soccer. When they parted ways on the field, they were both amazed by the sunset.

Just then, someone returned to the classroom in Class 5 and exclaimed, "What a beautiful sunset!"

This startled the students who were doing their homework in the classroom, and they all came out to watch.

By this time, quite a few people were already watching from behind the railings on each floor of the teaching building.

Actually, the sunset today was foreshadowed. Before that, the sky was clear and high, with large, layered clouds piled up like palaces on the horizon, and by the time school was over, their edges were edged with gold.

And so, after dinner, this absolutely beautiful scene unfolded.

The sky tore open, and at that moment, a red glow shone on the teaching building and on many people, enveloping their figures in a crimson hue.

Many people looked around in surprise, and then looked up and saw Shen Nuoyi, who was also looking up at the sky from the corner of the building.

Her red and white school uniform had a hazy, bright edge in the light. Above her was a higher, more distant sky. The red light shone on her, and the magnificent sunset and evening glow, as well as the flowing time, were all brought to life at this moment.

She was watching the sunset, but the person watching the sunset was also watching her.

The playground was not far from the teaching building. Zhang Chen and Wang Shuowei, who were about to part ways, saw the sunset and also saw Shen Nuoyi on the teaching building.

Wang Shuowei suddenly said, "Hey, why don't you watch me play soccer today? I'll buy you a Coke..."

His voice trailed off and he sounded uneasy. "How about Red Bull? Nestlé?!"

Then, as Wang Shuowei's singing became increasingly erratic, Zhang Chen turned and left, then jogged and rushed into the teaching building.

Not long after, Shen Nuoyi suddenly felt someone arrive beside her; Zhang Chen was standing with her.

For a fleeting moment, it seemed that a small commotion arose among the many people who were observing her from below.

"I was saying the sunset was so beautiful today, I wanted to call you so you could see it!" Shen Nuoyi said to him excitedly.

"I just got back and saw you up here. I'll look at it with you," Zhang Chen said with a smile.

"Oh." Shen Nuo turned her head forward, her heart pounding a little faster.

She whispered, "This must be the best day of my senior year so far."

Zhang Chen nodded without speaking; at that moment, silence spoke volumes.

He looked at her red and white school uniform and her profile, which were tinged with the colors of the setting sun.

Extremely beautiful.

In the distance, on the playground, there was a solitary figure...it looked like a dog.

(End of this chapter)