Age of Legends

Chapter 353 Shen Nuo's Ingenious Plan to Secure the World (Part 2)
The atmosphere in the tea room became somewhat tense for a moment, yet it contained a great deal of information, much of which overturned everyone's previous understanding.

The group was talking in the tea room on the second floor, which was made of transparent glass on all four sides. Through the tips of the trees in front, one could see the situation at the entrance of the restaurant. At this moment, an SUV entered the parking lot, and a middle-aged couple got out with a short-haired girl. The man was tall and straight, and the woman was wearing a dark blue dress with a string of pearl necklaces that sparkled in the sunlight. Their daughter was dressed in a trendy style and had a small bag slung across her shoulder. She looked up at the main building of the restaurant.

Han Zhouxuan and her family have arrived.

This interrupted the somewhat shocking mood that had just been on everyone's mind.

"Oh my, Political Commissar Han, you are both a rare guest and a distinguished guest!"

"President Qin is becoming more and more radiant!"

Han Zhouxuan's father was a soldier, and he had an imposing presence. However, perhaps because of her strict upbringing, Han Zhouxuan was somewhat rebellious. Even now, she and her father are still at odds and have a tense relationship.

Han Zhouxuan's mother, Qin Chao, was different. Unlike Huang Huifen, a nouveau riche businesswoman, she came from a cadre family and entered the business world during the state-owned enterprise reform wave of the 1990s. Her companies were involved in landscape planning, cultural media, advertising and marketing, and real estate construction. She was a well-established figure.

After greeting everyone, Qin Chao naturally linked arms with Ning Wenjing. The two had been classmates and best friends since university, a bond that continues to this day.

Ning Wenjing, however, still felt a little uncomfortable looking at the jade bracelet and necklace on Qin Chao's hand, and said, "Oh, President Qin, long time no see. You've changed your outfit again. This bracelet must be worth over 100,000 yuan, right?"

Qin Chao shrugged and said, "This bracelet was auctioned a few days ago. The starting price was 50, but I got a bargain and only paid 70. I made a huge profit, haha..."

Ning Wenjing became completely silent. She wasn't actually a competitive person, but she could always sense the arrogance that Qin Chao, the son of a high-ranking official, had carried since their university days.

So there are still things she doesn't like, and when the two of them talk about certain topics, they still have to compare and argue with each other.

Qin Chao then turned to Shen Nuoyi, his face beaming: "Nuoyi is truly remarkable. Tsinghua University isn't a place anyone can get into. Wenjing, you're so lucky. Back then, getting into an undergraduate program was a nightmare, and now your daughter has landed a place at one of the top universities in the country. Wow, she's really surpassed her parents!"

That's very sincere.

Ning Wenjing felt very proud and said with a smile, "It's all thanks to the child's own efforts. I was just watching from the sidelines. How can I compare to your Zhouzhou? He's a student at LSE in London, a future international elite—something we 'local' parents can't compare to."

Qin Chao smiled even more broadly, but there was a hint of scrutiny in his eyes: "Sigh, it's good abroad, but we let go too early. If the child's temperament is not settled, he is prone to picking up bad habits. But Zhouzhou is quite sensible and hasn't picked up any bad habits."

"Your family's tutors there are bound to be good..."

The guests had all arrived, so everyone sat down at the table.

Han Zhouxuan and Shen Nuoyi had been in a cold war because of Pei Yan's matter. It wasn't a cold war in the traditional sense; they would still leave messages on QQ, but each message was as short as a knife and as cold as ice.

No one deletes anyone else, yet they're all competing to see who can be more indifferent, and who can make the other person furious for half a day with the lightest sentence.

The moment the two met, Han Zhouxuan gave Shen Nuoyi a hard time, snorting and turning her head away.

Shen Nuo calmly uttered a sentence that almost made her furious: "Just returned to the country? Well, you are a guest, please sit down first."

With both families' parents present to mediate, Han Zhouxuan and Shen Nuoyi were bound to sit together. Qin Tangxi then decided to move to the left, to Shen Nuoyi's left.

Suddenly, Han Zhouxuan grabbed her arm, and Qin Tangxi looked at him in shock.

Han Zhou smiled and said, "Tang Xi, I haven't seen you in so long! You're sitting right next to me, and I'm even talking to you!"

If this were said to a man, it would be a sweet, coquettish voice, utterly captivating, but Qin Tangxi was completely stunned. She thought, "What are you doing, sir?" and quickly replied, "You, you and my sister sit here... or I can sit to your right..."

Just as Qin Tangxi was about to move to the empty space to Han Zhouxuan's right, a slender hand pressed down on her left shoulder.

Qin Tangxi turned her head and saw her cousin Shen Nuoyi. Her once stunningly beautiful face now looked as sinister as a female ghost. Shen Nuoyi smiled and said, "It's okay, you can sit here. Anyone can chat with you."

Qin Tangxi finally understood. Why did you two drag me into this messy argument? Qin Tangxi fell silent, trembling with fear. One was her older sister, who had arrived with the weight of her Tsinghua University admission, and the other was the troublemaker Han Zhouxuan. Although she was known as the "Foreign Language Little Demon," she was currently a level above both of them, and neither of them was someone she could afford to offend.

Qin Tangxi shrank back, feeling as if the world was infinitely vast and she herself was as insignificant as an ant. The mere presence of the two powerful figures beside her was enough to flatten her face. Unable to bear it any longer, she quickly jumped up and ran straight to her younger siblings, making room for the two of them.

Ning Wenjing and Qin Chao saw this and knew that the two had been arguing recently, so they each called their daughters over and asked them to sit down next to each other.

As the dishes were gradually served, the aroma of food filled the hall.

The wine bottles were opened, and everyone began to eat. The conversation flowed freely throughout the meal, and the atmosphere gradually became more lively.

The Qin brothers, Qin Liping and Qin Yu, handled the situation well, being experts at creating a lively atmosphere. However, they were still processing the information Shen Mingbo had just revealed, and at the moment, they couldn't use their relationship with Shen Mingbo and Liu Yan to establish further financial ties with Taixun Group. Meanwhile, Political Commissar Han and Qin Chao were also powerful figures, and they needed to maintain relationships with them. Looking at Shen Mingbo now, they found him somewhat unpredictable.

"Old Shen... Brother Shen. Brother Han, you two, don't just keep drinking, eat some food too." Without realizing it, Qin Liping had changed his way of addressing Shen Mingbo back to what he used to call him.

As for the outcome of Shen Mingbo's change of storefront signage, it's still uncertain. However, it demonstrates Shen Mingbo's courage and resourcefulness in weathering this crisis. Ultimately, the strong earn respect.

As Han Zhouxuan continued her awkward transition from online to offline conversations with Shen Nuoyi, a small yellow croaker was suddenly placed in her bowl by chopsticks.

She heard Shen Nuoyi's voice: "You passed the preparatory course, congratulations. Here's a little yellow croaker as a reward."

Han Zhouxuan paused for a moment, then reached out with his chopsticks, picked up a crab claw, and placed it in her bowl, saying quietly, "Tsinghua, congratulations to you too, your excellence is beyond question. This big crab claw is your reward!"

Shen Nuo picked up a crab claw, glanced at her, and said, "You're really sincere, giving me your favorite crab claw."

Han Zhouxuan pouted: "What else? The fried yellow croaker you gave me is one of your favorite things, just like the cat. Even though you know I hate eating it, and you dislike crab because it makes your hands dirty and the smell lingers for a long time."

She gritted her teeth again: "We really do care about each other!"

So Shen Nuo ate the crab, which she disliked the most, and Han Zhouxuan pretended to be a cat, chewing on the dried fish, which she used to dislike the most.

The dinner table was filled with joy and harmony, a scene of peace and tranquility.

Qin Tangxi felt fortunate that she hadn't sat between the two of them; if they had been serving her food from both sides, they would have stuffed the bowl full.

While they were eating, Han Zhouxuan suddenly said, "Did you know that Pei Yan... also applied to Tsinghua University?"

Shen Nuoyi's "hmm" came from the side.

Han Zhouxuan finally sighed: "Actually, I think you two are a perfect match. Otherwise, you should just go for it while you're at Tsinghua. This time, I sincerely wish you both well."

Shen Nuo glanced at her and said, "What are you thinking about? Stop talking nonsense."

Han Zhouxuan fell silent.

The two girls were undoubtedly the most radiant and beautiful presence in the room. Just seeing them together gave those around them a wonderful feeling. Humans are inherently drawn to beauty, and beautiful people and things always bring joy and tranquility.

Not to mention that neither of the two girls is just a pretty face. Shen Nuo got into Tsinghua University, and Han Zhouxuan completed her pre-university studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science and officially entered her undergraduate studies.

Where will the two of them go in the future?
This inevitably leads one to look at the two women's mothers. Qin Chao and Ning Wenjing are like replicas of their mothers, both still beautiful and charming. Qin Chao is now a well-known figure, and Ning Wenjing is a leader in the publicity department. Looking at their legendary past, one can't help but imagine the future of Shen Nuoyi and Han Zhouxuan.

Ning Wenjing was annoyed by Qin Chao's constant showing off, while Qin Chao was annoyed by Ning Wenjing's rigid and calm demeanor, which stemmed from her good grades.

But Qin Chao genuinely cherished Shen Nuoyi; it was the kind of appreciation and affection an elder has for the daughter of a friend who is of the same generation as their own daughter.

Qin Chao then said, "Yiyi, let me tell you, there are a few things you still need to do well in college. First, don't relax. You still need to study hard in college, participate in everything, and fully experience the beauty of college life. Your mother did a good job back then, and got good grades. If I hadn't followed her, I probably wouldn't have graduated from college. That's the benefit of making good friends. You need to find like-minded friends. Secondly, you're so outstanding, and there are plenty of outstanding people at Tsinghua University. You can have a good relationship... Actually, you only realize after you start working that you can often find true love in the ivory tower. After entering society, there's too much calculation in all aspects, and love isn't as pure as it used to be."

All the female elders present echoed Qin Chao's sentiments. Partly because of his status, his words naturally attracted attention, and the family relatives generally listened attentively. Now, the aunts and uncles all agreed with Qin Chao. However, the male elders seemed to have a different perspective. Qin Liping glanced at his daughter and said, "Sigh, studying is more important… dating can wait… Yi Yi is still so young…"

But before she could finish speaking, Qin Liping encountered opposition from all the female relatives present.

"A girl's youth only lasts a few years... so naturally, it's necessary to start looking for a partner in advance..."

"If you don't look for Tsinghua University, where else can you look?"

"It's good to have more relationships, so you can be more selective... I just regret being fooled by your uncle's sweet talk back then, and not having more experience..."

The scene was chaotic and somewhat unsettling.

On the contrary, Ning Wenjing and Shen Mingbo did not express any opinion. Shen Mingbo just smiled and ignored the look of others asking for his opinion, while Ning Wenjing picked up her teacup and drank tea by herself, seemingly lost in thought.

Qin Chao had observed all of her best friend's actions, and her expression shifted slightly. After speaking, she turned to Shen Nuoyi and asked, "Right, Yi Yi? You don't have a boyfriend yet, do you?"

Qin Tangxi's aunt immediately laughed: "Yi Yi is at Yude, what's the point of dating! She's too busy studying at Yude, otherwise how could she have gotten into Tsinghua University!" After saying that, the aunt didn't forget to scold her own son: "See? You should learn from your sister. Don't date before you go to university! Focus on your studies!"

Amidst the laughter, Shen Nuoyi looked at Qin Chao and nodded: "I... have a boyfriend."

I--

She has a boyfriend.

After saying that, the aunt on the other end laughed and said, "Right... I knew it... uh!?"

Her words trailed off, but the atmosphere in the room didn't just stop abruptly. Instead, it maintained a peak and trough of sound, then, as if some signal was being given, it began to decline in a curve until very few people were speaking.

Ah no.

What did she just say?
Oh my god!
What did Shen Nuoyi say?
Qin Tangxi had already anticipated this, which was why she hesitated to speak at the beginning of the day. Right here, right here!

The Qin family was stunned, as was the Ning family. It was only because the Shen family hadn't come today that the Shen family would have had the same expression.

Actually, Qin Liping and Qin Yu had heard a little about it, because it came to their ears along with the Pei Yan incident, but it was mostly hearsay and they didn't really believe it, because if Pei Yan couldn't win over Shen Nuoyi, they didn't believe that any boy in high school could compare to Pei Yan's level.

Fundamentally, they didn't believe it; they were more inclined to believe that their niece was a chosen one, and that Pei Yan would have to go through many twists and turns to pursue her. Indeed, she was the only princess in the family, and they wouldn't let her get her easily. Moreover, the more intense the pursuit and the more obstacles there were, the more it proved to be true love. Wouldn't the sincerity of the Taixun Group's successor directly elevate the status of their relatives in the future?

But what are they hearing now?
Ning Wenjing was still somewhat unsettled; her hand holding the teacup trembled slightly as she looked at her daughter. However, there was no anger or embarrassment in her eyes, no sign of being caught off guard by the news. Only a vague emotion—the realization that the girl before her had truly grown up—was present.

Shen Mingbo took a sip of his drink but didn't say anything.

But the elders in the family looked at each other in astonishment.

"what?"

"When did it happen?"

"Really? Who are you? Where are you from?"

What do they do?

Qin Chao withdrew his gaze from Ning Wenjing and Shen Mingbo, then looked at Shen Nuoyi and said with a half-smile, "He... also got into Tsinghua University?"

Shen Nuoyi shook her head.

Qin Chao said "Oh," and then asked, "Which boy is it? He's so lucky?"

“Well… I don’t know much about his family situation either,” Shen Nuo said.

Some relatives have already exclaimed, "Hey, this silly girl, how come she didn't even ask about the other person's situation!"

"Didn't you get into Tsinghua University?"

“Yes, he got into Sichuan University,” Shen Nuo said.

"Ah, getting into Sichuan University... that's not bad... but it's far inferior to Tsinghua University..."

"What a coincidence." Shen Nuo smiled.

"When my classmates and I went out, we bought two newspapers about him. They just happened to be in my bag today, so let me show you..."

Then the whole family saw Shen Nuoyi open his bag, take out two stacks of newspapers, and hand them over.

The crowd was still somewhat taken aback.

"newspaper……?"

"Report...?"

Aunts from the Qin and Ning families had already grabbed their seats, so people around the seating area gathered around to watch.

Shen Nuoyi's voice, like that of a little fox spirit who had attained enlightenment, came over, "Hmm, that Zhang Chen."

The relatives stared wide-eyed.

"The winner of the perfect score essay in the national college entrance examination?"

"West China City Daily interview... 'Zhang Chen, a brilliant 18-year-old, answers the gaps in our times with his essays!'"

Some people were dumbfounded, some pondered the situation, and some looked at the newspaper with astonishment.

Is this Shen Nuoyi's boyfriend?

Oh!

Seeing that the newspapers were basically dominated by the Ning and Qin families, Qin Chao and her husband exchanged a surprised glance. She watched as the Shen Nuoyi family members looked at the newspapers with various interesting expressions, and she was itching to find out what was written in the newspapers. She hurriedly asked, "Are there only two newspapers? Is that all? What's on them?"

An elder from the Ning family said, "Don't hoard it! Pass it over so we can see it too..."

"Look at that perfect essay!"

"Wait a minute..."

Shen Nuoyi pulled out a few more newspapers from the bottom of her backpack, handed them over, and smiled, "No need to fight over them... I found more here... there are more..."

"Pass it on..."

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(End of this chapter)