Age of Legends

Chapter 261: Using the False Passage to Attack Guo
Pei Yan did not receive an invitation from Shen Nuoyi, but he had been notified in advance that it was from that man from the Qin family, whose name seemed to be Qin Lao Er? He remembered many formulas, had participated in provincial competitions, and could use Cauchy to solve combinatorial problems. He could see the flaws in the question setter and the core structure of algebra at a glance, but he could not remember the man's name.

This shows that this person is not important.

But since the other party had given him Shen Nuoyi's location and even went so far as to invite him, Pei Yan was well aware of the other party's intentions and the purpose of their overture.

But he wasn't sure if the other party knew that what he was asking for was charity, and that he, Pei Yan, would never accept charity.

All he would remember was that Shen Nuoyi's eighteenth birthday was not celebrated with him.

Someday he will have a serious talk with her about this.

……

Shen Nuoyi still received a birthday greeting from Pei Yan on QQ: "Happy birthday to you."

After a moment's hesitation, Shen Nuoyi replied, "Thank you."

Pei Yan: "What gift do you want?"

Shen Nuoyi: "Saying my blessings is enough."

Pei Yan: "Stop fooling around. Don't be childish with me, okay?"

Shen Nuoyi: "?"

Feeling that Pei Yan was becoming increasingly unreasonable, Shen Nuoyi simply logged off.

After waiting for ages, Pei Yan still only saw question marks from Shen Nuoyi. He didn't actually feel ashamed about what happened at Yude, because he figured girls liked romance, so he used the most romantic way—appearing in front of her after evening self-study to express his feelings. Who knew Shen Nuoyi wouldn't appreciate it, and then Zhang Chen showed up.

At that time, countless people were shocked, seemingly laughing at him. But Pei Yan didn't really care. He was simply using people's love of gossip and sensationalism to create events. Once he failed to achieve his goal, these theories became meaningless. As for what others thought of him, did it matter? Have you ever seen a roc soaring through the sky, caring about the opinions of a chorus of frogs in a summer paddy field?

But what he cared about was Shen Nuoyi's attitude toward this matter.

If you're going to be temperamental, you should stop making a fuss once you've had enough.

……

“Zhang Chen, let’s go together. Nuoyi’s uncle is driving us. We can’t count on Lao Wang. He and Aunt Chen are living together like lovers. He doesn’t care about me, his own son. I’ll call you when we’re almost at your door, then you can come out.” Wang Shuowei called Zhang Chen on the day Shen Nuoyi’s birthday party.

Shen Nuoyi treated everyone to a meal at "Qianxun," a private restaurant next to the West Sports Park, which takes about forty minutes to get there. Zhang Chen knew that today was a special day to treat classmates and friends. Shen Nuoyi's official eighteenth birthday is tomorrow, January 8th. Although it's a Sunday, it's not easy to arrange anything. Considering that she has classes the next day and the sense of ritual of being with family, they decided to celebrate at home.

Wang Bowen and Chen Xuran are now the two key figures at the provincial television station. Chen Xuran is currently the top female anchor in Fuzhou, having established her position in a short period of time. Two programs on the station—Chen Xuran's talk show and "Emotional Mediation Room"—are currently ranked second and first in viewership. With television stations across the country undergoing satellite broadcasting and seeking reform, Wang Bowen and Chen Xuran's programs have broken the station's previous stereotype of being a "low-quality programming station." Therefore, higher-ups are considering using this opportunity to reform the provincial station.

Wang Bowen and Chen Xuran are currently caught up in this wave and have been involved in this matter recently. Chen Xuran has not gone to Xuhui Real Estate Company; her mother is handling everything.

Zhang Chen agreed.

Shen Nuoyi hosted a birthday party at home last year, which was two days before Zhang Chen's rebirth, the place where the dream began. Now, another year has passed, and the world has changed a lot.

The phone rang, and Zhang Chen answered it. Wang Shuowei's voice came through: "I'm in Uncle Qin's car, we're almost there, come out now!"

Zhang Chen came out of his house and saw an Audi that had been parked on the side of the road a minute earlier. Wang Shuowei waved to Zhang Chen from inside.

Zhang Chen stepped forward, but instead of Shen Nuoyi, he saw Wang Shuowei and another boy named Li Lin, who were also from his courtyard. Zhang Chen recognized them and they greeted each other.

The man driving greeted him. Zhang Chen recognized him; he was Qin Tangxi's second uncle, named Qin Yu. Wang Shuowei sat in the passenger seat, while Zhang Chen and Li Lin sat in the back. Qin Yu was driving, and Wang Shuowei explained, "Shen Nuoyi and Zheng Xue went shopping first and will come over later. Girls always need to get together first. Uncle Qin will drive us there."

Qin Yu glanced at Zhang Chen and nodded. "That restaurant is owned by my friend. I also have a class reunion there today. You guys have hot pot, and we'll play mahjong and eat Chinese food there. It's a big place with separate areas, so we can play without interfering with each other. I can also lend a hand to help my Shen Nuoyi with the arrangements. Have a great day!"

"okay!"

"sure."

"Thank you, Second Uncle!" Li Lin said. He studied at Shilin Middle School and had liked Shen Nuoyi since childhood, even harboring that feeling for a long time. He had always kept it to himself until he heard the news that had caused such a stir in the Three Departments and Four Hospitals.

He and Zhang Chen were only nodding acquaintances. He remembered that last year when Shen Nuoyi hosted a dinner party at her home, Zhang Chen broke some of her things, which he later heard were quite expensive. That was all the information he had received. He still remembered that day before evening self-study at Shilin High School, when a friend who also lived in the same area came up to him and said, "Do you know? Something big happened at Yude High School... They say Shen Nuoyi already has a boyfriend."

For a split second, Li Lin's heart skipped a beat. He forced a smile, trying to maintain his composure. "Is that right? Your son? Which one?" He wondered if it was Pei Yan. It was a sensitive name he'd gleaned from snippets of conversation, and the owner of that name was exceptionally prominent, frequently appearing in student magazines and newspapers, making him feel threatened every time he saw it. And now, was that threat about to become a reality?

But the other person said, word by word, "It's Zhang Chen. You know Zhang Chen, right? You know him, right..." When he said this, he could clearly see the disbelief in the other person's eyes, and also the look of someone who had lost a lover.

That day, the two of them wandered aimlessly through the garden of Shilin High School for the entire evening self-study period. They talked about their past as if reminiscing about the past, about things from elementary school, middle school, and high school. It seemed like they were reminiscing about the past, but they both knew that they were just using this method to stick together for warmth.

Today, Li Lin was sitting in the car when he heard Wang Shuowei go to pick up Zhang Chen. His ears perked up, and as soon as Zhang Chen got in the car, he kept observing Shen Nuoyi's second uncle's movements and expressions, wondering if the second uncle knew anything, and how much he knew. He also looked at Zhang Chen again, wanting to get a good look at him.

And he had a thought in his heart... the exact same thought as his friend that day.

This news... is probably not just a rumor.

It's normal. Shen Nuoyi, Wang Shuowei, and Zhang Chen are in the same class and usually have a good relationship. Even at last year's birthday party, Shen Nuoyi and Zhang Chen were still arguing fiercely, which could easily be seen by some busybodies in the school, who might think that the two had developed that kind of relationship.

But in reality, it doesn't exist.

I think...there isn't one, right?
Upon arrival, we found the restaurant, strictly speaking, located within a park. Built on leased land, it boasted a tranquil and spacious environment, suitable for hosting large banquets. It also featured numerous private rooms, mahjong rooms, and dining areas. This is quite common in Fuzhou. However, this place leaned towards the high-end, frequented by political and business figures—either using public funds for meals or on their way to such meals. Over the years, it has sustained countless such upscale restaurants.

Qin Yu's classmate reunion is also here today. After he drove his car into the open-air parking lot, several people got out of the car. Qin Yu suddenly said, "Wang Shuowei, you and Li Lin go to the restaurant first. I want to talk to my good friend."

Wang Shuowei was stunned, while Li Linxin's heart sank to the bottom. He had been observing Qin Yu's attitude towards Zhang Chen, and now he thought to himself, "Oh wow!" It's confirmed!
Otherwise, how can we explain why Qin Yu would leave Zhang Chen behind alone?

Wang Shuowei didn't suspect anything and probably thought the same as Li Lin, just wondering how Shen Nuo's family knew all this? But of course, he didn't say anything at this time. He winked at Zhang Chen and gestured, "Then buddy, you and Li Lin go in first, and you have a good chat with your second uncle! Hehe!"

Zhang Chen really wanted to say, "What the hell are you talking about?" He was also a little surprised by this; he hadn't expected Shen Nuoyi's second uncle to call him over so directly.

What do you mean?
Open and honest communication? Or a warning?

However, Zhang Chen is confident that he can overcome any challenge.

He turned to look at the man named Qin Yu, Qin Tangxi's second uncle, his eyes calm.

Qin Yu took out a cigarette, lit it, and then her voice drifted over: "Zhang Chen. Your name is Zhang Chen, right..."

"Yes, Second Uncle."

"That's a good way to address someone as 'Second Uncle'... Actually, I have high hopes for you."

(End of this chapter)