Those Years When I Was Forced to Top the Forbes List

Chapter 150 "Confession"

University Garden.

The mover did his best to install the mattress, and Chen Xuebing saw him out and offered him a cigarette.

He closed the door, went to the outer balcony, lit a cigarette, and stood there for a long time, looking down at the wide green belt, which turned the yellow into green.

On his way back, his mind was filled with filthy fantasies. He just wanted to pin Yang Qingyue against the wall as soon as his master left and ignite her beautiful body with passion.

But she certainly wasn't thinking about all that right now. While the installer was installing the mattress, she was busy putting away the things she had bought, cleaning, and generally keeping herself occupied.

Yang Qingyue is not a casual girl. If something were to happen between them now, even if she reluctantly agreed, the situation would be completely out of control.

Thinking about all this, I feel like the outside world is full of Xin Mengzhen.

Ah Zu is finally ready to stop.

When the second-in-command controls you, it becomes the boss, and you become the second-in-command.

Chen Xuebing thought for a moment, took a drag of his cigarette, and slowly exhaled to calm himself down.

"Quack quack quack".

"Quack quack quack".

A cell phone rang, and Yang Qingyue, wearing an apron, rushed over, waving her slightly damp plastic gloves.

"Quick, quick, answer this for me. It's in my pocket; it might be my mom's phone."

When Chen Xuebing heard his mother's voice, his initial anger completely died down, and he took a cell phone out of the pocket of her apron.

A small tiger pendant with the same wood grain pattern as his phone was hanging on the side of the phone.

I glanced at it; it was an unfamiliar number.

Yang Qingyue also came over to take a look, and found it rather strange.

"I do not recognize."

Chen Xuebing breathed a sigh of relief: "Shall we answer it?"

"Take it."

Yang Qingyue leaned closer to listen.

Chen Xuebing reached out and tidied up the stray hairs by her ear, revealing her small earlobe, and gently ran his fingers along her ear.

This action made Yang Qingyue turn her head abruptly as if she had been electrocuted, instantly causing her ears to turn bright red. Her large eyes stared at Chen Xuebing with a death stare.

Chen Xuebing chuckled and quickly answered the phone, holding it to her ear.

"Hello, is this Yang Qingyue?"

It was a boy's voice.

Yang Qingyue was taken aback for a moment: "Hello, who is this?"

"I'm Pang Hongjun. That day... I was wrong. I was a bit abrupt and scared you, didn't I? Have you gone back to school? I'd like to invite you to dinner to apologize."

The voices on the other end were very clear, and both of them could hear them clearly.

In just one sentence, the situation became very clear.

Yang Qingyue turned her head and looked at Chen Xuebing, her eyes showing a hint of panic.

"You, wait a moment."

Ignoring the water on her hands, she took the phone from Chen Xuebing and hurried inside.

"Uh." Chen Xuebing uttered a sound, then stopped, wanting to go back to his room, but after thinking about it, he stood still.

In terms of stance, he's not even her boyfriend.

He took out another cigarette, lit it, and stood on the balcony waiting.

How should I put this feeling?

He knew Yang Qingyue wouldn't agree to anything like "apologizing over dinner."

But if someone goes in to answer a phone call, it means they don't want him to listen. Both sides should respect each other's privacy.

Deep down, he really hoped that Yang Qingyue would explain things to him properly, put his mind at ease, and then he could calmly wave his hand, showing the confidence and superiority of a mature man who wouldn't care about such trivial matters.

A short while later, Yang Qingyue came out from inside.

"If you're busy, go to the company first. I'll go back to school after I've finished cleaning for you."

Upon hearing this, Chen Xuebing felt a void in his heart.

"Go back to school? Have dinner with someone?"

"How could that be!" Yang Qingyue's face flushed again, but this time it wasn't out of shyness, but rather a hint of annoyance: "I need to go back to my dorm to rest later!"

Chen Xuebing hesitated for a second, then laughed and said, "Why go back to the dormitory? Just live here from now on."

Without waiting for Yang Qingyue's reply, he pulled her to the master bedroom.

Chen Xuebing paused for a second as he entered the room.

The curtains were half-drawn, and the light and shadow were perfectly distributed.

A light gray, irregularly shaped circular rug was laid on the floor in front of the bed. A bedside table was placed in one corner, and in the other corner, a chaise lounge sofa that had been moved from the living room was placed against the wall.

He then realized that the carpet Yang Qingyue had bought was the same color as the boudoir in the living room, and they looked so perfectly matched.

There were originally two ugly nails on the wall above the bed, where the landlord's wedding photo should have been hung. Now, there is a cutout of Mitsui Hisashi's anime that he used to like. He didn't pay attention to it when Yang Qingyue bought it, but now it has made the whole room feel cozy.

They're also kind of cute.

The blankets and covers on the bed were neatly arranged, with a corner open, as if waiting to hold him and lull him to sleep at any moment.

A potted plant from the balcony was also moved in, and the flower rack that was originally unused in the storage room was put into use.

With simple yet clever arrangements, she hardly bought anything, yet transformed the once empty master bedroom into a stunningly exquisite space.

"She shouldn't have studied finance; she should have been a designer."

Chen Xuebing exclaimed inwardly.

Warmth seems to be her natural gift.

With just a few simple arrangements, it felt like home.

He was almost infatuated. This feeling was something he had never experienced in his previous life.

He doesn't have that ability.

Even when his ex-wife decorated the house, he only knew how to make the furniture extremely luxurious.

Chen Xuebing's grip on the obedient girl's hand loosened slightly, and his voice softened, matching the ambiance of the room:
“It’s only a little over a kilometer from your school, and the transportation is convenient. You don’t have classes on weekends, so why don’t you come and stay here? I originally reserved this room for you, and the mattress was also bought for you.”

Chen Xuebing was telling the truth. He originally planned to stay in this house only occasionally. When Yang Qingyue came, she would stay in the master bedroom, and he would stay in the second bedroom. So when Yang Qingyue was setting up the room, he did not disturb her.

But now, this house has surprisingly become somewhat attractive to him.

He would be even more willing to come if Yang Qingyue were still living in this room.

Yang Qingyue looked a little dazed.

She never expected things to develop so quickly.

This...this is cohabitation.

"!!"

Before she could speak, Chen Xuebing pulled her to the bedside and sat her down without saying a word. He took off his shoes and stepped onto the carpet, then bent down to untie the laces of her pink high-top shoes and slowly took them off.

The white, low-cut cotton socks had a slightly openwork lace trim, and the feet inside were neither too big nor too small. Because of his gentle movements, Yang Qingyue was quite compliant, but when he touched her feet, her toes twitched involuntarily, which was rather cute.

At that moment, Chen Xuebing, who had never had any foot fetishes, really wanted to take off her socks and look at her feet.

But he was afraid that if he didn't handle it well, it would seem a bit perverted and would frighten her, so he could only lift her feet and put them on the bed, taking the opportunity to feel her warmth and delicacy.

"If you're tired, just sleep here."

Chen Xuebing got up and sat down next to her, patting the bed.

Yang Qingyue's legs were already curled up on the bed. Hearing Chen Xuebing's words, she pursed her lips and said nervously:

"So...where do you sleep?"

"I have some things to do. I'll go to the company after you fall asleep and come back tonight. I'll sleep in the room next door." Chen Xuebing patted her head earnestly.

The tone of his words was like a husband giving instructions to his wife before leaving the house. The tranquil environment and gentle tone captivated Yang Qingyue.

"...Then I'll tidy up the room next door in a bit, and you...sleep in this one."

Yang Qingyue neither agreed nor denied, and Chen Xuebing remained noncommittal, telling her to lie down and covering her with the blanket.

Then he lay down on her outer side, offering a hand to support Yang Qingyue's neck. Yang Qingyue was initially a little nervous, but Chen Xuebing's hand was warm and felt comfortable against her skin. Instead, it gave her a sense of security. She gradually buried her head in his arm, a smile slowly spreading across her lips, and snuggled closer like a kitten.

"I wish the mattresses at school were this comfortable," she murmured.

She usually takes a nap in the afternoon, but she didn't today and was busy all afternoon, so she's really a bit sleepy.

Chen Xuebing chuckled: "Is the mattress more comfortable, or is it more comfortable to rest my arm on?"

"Hmm~" Yang Qingyue shook her head and acted coquettishly, without answering.

"Oh, right, who called you just now?" Chen Xuebing asked casually, staring at the ceiling.

Yang Qingyue then raised her head and was surprised to smell a hint of jealousy.

A dimple appeared on her face as she began to feign ignorance.

"Just... one senior."

"He's not your average senior, is he?" Chen Xuebing coughed again, unable to resist asking.

"I'm a sophomore, but I don't know which class I'm in," Yang Qingyue said with a smile.

Chen Xuebing noticed Yang Qingyue's joking tone and felt a little embarrassed, so he tried to pull his hand away from her neck.

"If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine. I'm going to the company."

Yang Qingyue grabbed his arms with both hands.

She leaned her head forward again, almost touching him.

"This kind of thing... how should I put it? I've already scolded him."

She didn't want to lose her temper in front of Chen Xuebing, so she hurriedly walked away and loudly questioned the senior who had stopped her from confessing her feelings at school, asking him where he got her phone number and telling him not to call her again.

But after she hung up the phone, she didn't know how to explain it to Chen Xuebing.

Chen Xuebing never confessed his feelings to her, and they weren't boyfriend and girlfriend.

Chen Xuebing also realized that, given their current relationship, it seemed strange to try to explain it.

However, this little girl's mischievous laugh might be a bit intentional, right?

He met Yang Qingyue's gaze and noticed a hint of expectation in her eyes.

I'm looking forward to hearing what he has to say next.

Chen Xuebing's heart skipped a beat.

Damn it, I acted impulsively.

Why are you asking?

This girl seems to have really learned something useful after going to university.

"Well, I was just worried you'd get scammed by bad people. Go to sleep if you're tired," Chen Xuebing said with an embarrassed smile.

Yang Qingyue closed her eyes, stopped talking, turned around, turned her back to him, and leaned closer to him.

The emotions between men and women are like this, constantly being pulled back and forth between near and far. When Yang Qingyue was a little too far away, he wanted to get closer.

Chen Xuebing's mind began to be dominated by emotions, so he simply turned around and wrapped his other arm around Yang Qingyue's body.

The body in her arms suddenly tensed.

Chen Xuebing also felt a hint of eroticism from the touch below him.

In addition, Yang Qingyue suddenly turned her head and looked at him.

With her delicate face and skin, the dim light, and her eyes brimming with a hint of spring water, if Chen Xuebing's lips were just a few centimeters closer, a kiss would be like a thunderbolt striking the earth.

"Gudong."

He swallowed hard, tried to remain calm, and slowly pulled his hand out, also stepping back slightly.

Yang Qingyue, however, found the courage from who-knows-where and turned around.

Her long eyelashes fluttered, like butterfly wings carrying a South American breeze, which reached Chen Xuebing's heart like a raging storm.

"How are you and Mengzhen doing now?"

Yang Qingyue parted her lips slightly, and the question she asked instantly brought him to his senses.

"What do you mean, how about it?" Chen Xuebing countered tactically.

Yang Qingyue didn't reply and turned away.

Chen Xuebing was starting to have a headache. He suddenly realized that girls are always more mature than boys of the same age, and they're not so easy to fool.

She might be like Xin Mengzhen, understanding everything, just not as much as Xin Mengzhen.

His mind raced as he considered countermeasures.

After a long pause, he sat up, casually lit a cigarette, ruining the pleasant aroma, and said calmly:

"Qingyue, I don't know what you mean. If you ask me whether I like her or not, I can only tell you the truth: I do."

"Heh." Yang Qingyue let out a hoarse sob, as if it were the prelude to crying, and buried her head in the quilt.

"But if you ask me if I like you, my answer will be the same: I like you."

"It was my selfishness that affected your relationship... You haven't been in touch for a long time, have you?"

Chen Xuebing asked a question, and Yang Qingyue's body stiffened, her attention diverted.

Her relationship with Xin Mengzhen was not actually affected; Xin Mengzhen even sent her butterfly cookies from Shanghai a while ago.

But she doesn't want to speak right now.

But Chen Xuebing's self-blame continued: "It was my fault. I shouldn't have liked two people at the same time. You two are friends. I was just the one who came in between."

He stood up, leaving her with a lonely silhouette.

"I've just been busy lately and I'm a bit tired. Being with you makes me feel a little more relaxed..."

"Alright, I'm leaving. You should get some rest. You and Xin Mengzhen... take good care of yourselves."

Upon hearing this, Yang Qingyue finally turned her head and looked at him.

He looked really tired.

She softened again.

Hearing the noise behind him, Chen Xuebing sighed and resolutely walked out of the room.

...

As Chen Xuebing stepped out of the residential compound, he let out a long sigh of relief.

If Yang Qingyue comes looking for him again, then he'll have passed this test.

If he doesn't come, or if she asks Xin Mengzhen about it, he'll have an explanation, and Xin Mengzhen won't be in serious trouble. Yang Qingyue can find an opportunity to coax him slowly.

My body was so ravaged that I felt like it was about to explode.

I feel like the eldest brother really did let the second brother down.

For no apparent reason, he recalled a figure in a long dress swaying in the breeze, the longing in her eyes something he could absolutely afford to give.

I took out my phone and opened a text message that had been sent a few days ago.

Cheng Danting: [I've signed you up for the 4x100m relay, long jump, shot put, and Secretary Chen. Looking forward to your performance! ^_^]

He hasn't replied.

After hesitating for two seconds, he replied.

[My return trip from Shenzhen has changed at the last minute, so I can't participate in the sports meet.]

They responded quickly.

Cheng Danting: [I understand, you're very busy.]

Chen Xuebing smiled. The phrase "working ten thousand affairs a day" sounded a bit sour, but adding the word "understanding" made it sound a bit better.

This girl always gave him the feeling that she was originally aloof, but deliberately lowered her stance for him.

With her looks and that complex mix of positivity and languor, she must have been the dream girl of many at her previous school, and her life must have been quite comfortable. However, now that she's at this university, which is about to be upgraded to a key university, the students' family situations are far more complicated than those of students at other key universities. Given her level, she might not be able to handle it. She'll either end up mediocre or undergo a transformation and rebirth.

Students are often said to be naive, but in reality, their sense of discontent is much stronger than that of adults. Many trivial comparisons can trigger their sensitive nerves, unlike middle-aged people who only have cars, houses, and children in their eyes. They can even flexibly give up the loyalty of their partners and the dignity of being human. When they feel resentful, they entrust those things they have given up to the next generation.

Cheng Danting was a mature person who knew how to be humble, yet she retained a strong tenacity, which attracted him.

A man who has truly savored life will not be tempted by a simple appearance; outward appearance is the threshold, while inner qualities are the true aphrodisiac.

Thanks for your understanding. How about we come back for a meal?

(End of this chapter)