Those Years When I Was Forced to Top the Forbes List

Chapter 34 I Forgive You
"Don't shout nonsense! What do you want from me?"

Chen Xuebing quickly shouted with a serious expression.

Xin Mengzhen is not Yang Qingyue. Gou Hongyi's attempt to be clever might just lead him into Xin Mengzhen's minefield.

Chen Xuebing dared not let Lu Yiwen, who was so straightforward, speak. At this moment, he even showed his loyalty and argued with Xin Mengzhen in front of her about "who is the sister-in-law".

Gou Hongyi is really clever.

Can't I have two sisters-in-law?
No wonder emperors in the past liked treacherous officials; those with overly straightforward personalities could easily put their leaders in awkward situations.

"Brother, you're finally back! We've been running around the construction site every day to keep an eye on things for you. Our legs are sore from all the running!" Gou Hongyi said, as if he wanted to take credit.

Lu Yiwen got straight to the point: "Brother, you've only been gone for two days, and your aunt came to the construction site. It seems she had a fight with your uncle. That Luo An is back in the factory now, and he's been showing off in front of the foremen every day. He even said he'd decide the team for the next project, and he doesn't listen to Engineer Tan at all!"

“That’s right! Brother, if you don’t go back soon, there won’t be a place for you on the construction site!” Gou Hongyi immediately chimed in.

"There was no place for me to begin with. What do I, a student, need a place for?"

Upon hearing Lu Yiwen's words, Chen Xuebing calmly asked, "Engineer Tan gives technical instructions to the work team every day. He hasn't offered any unfounded opinions, has he?"

"No, he doesn't know how to do anything like surveying and setting out lines!"

Chen Xuebing parted his lips slightly, rolled his tongue around in his mouth, pondered quietly for a moment, and then nodded.

"Okay, that's good. As long as it doesn't affect the construction quality, let him do it if he wants to."

Seeing Chen Xuebing's unhurried demeanor, Lu Yiwen said anxiously, "Brother, are you really not worried? I heard that he was originally going to go out and find work on his own, and he had even reached an agreement with a masonry team and a carpentry team on the construction site. Now he says he's going to the next construction site. It's obvious that he's trying to take your place! He's just a boss's wife's nephew, and he doesn't have your skills. What makes him think he can take your place?"

Gou Hongyi also chimed in with righteous indignation.

"Yup!"

They had all originally planned to follow Chen Xuebing and start from the bottom, but after seeing how spirited and successful he was, they all dreamed of following him after graduation to make a name for themselves. How could they accept "returning to poverty" now?
But Chen Xuebing had more to consider. No matter how much power a manager has, he won't make much money. And no matter how high the profits are, they all belong to his uncle. Is Luo An so proactive because he's helping his aunt keep an eye on the construction site, or does he have some other plans?

It couldn't be just for the sake of saving face, could it?
Thinking it over, Chen Xuebing raised his hand and smacked Lu Yiwen on the forehead: "What do you mean 'boss's wife'? That's my aunt! Don't talk nonsense like that again! You guys are no good at anything else, but you're quite good at intelligence work! Have you found out all these things? How's your learning at the construction site? Have you been reading the books?"

After being bombarded with these probing questions, Lu Yiwen and Liang Hui were speechless.

"Soldier... we have to go to the construction site before dawn, how can we have time..."

Gou Hongyi laughed excitedly: "Brother, I saw it! I was even memorizing vocabulary during my lunch break! Passion! Passion! Right?"

After saying that, he looked triumphantly at his illiterate friends who had agreed not to study together, his expression resembling that of Duolong in Stephen Chow's version of "The Deer and the Cauldron".

"Lord Wei, you guessed it, it was me who betrayed you again.jpg"

This made Xin Mengzhen, who had been silent all along, laugh.

“You son of a bitch, you’ve been doing this behind our backs…” Lu Yiwen couldn’t help but reach out to hit him.

Chen Xuebing waved his hand, then looked at Huang Jin and Yu Yi behind him and asked, "What are you two doing here? Want to work on construction sites too?"

The two were taken aback by the question, then nodded awkwardly.

“Brother Bing…we’ve all made up our minds, we’ll follow you to work on construction sites.”

"I'm back to school now, so who are you working on construction sites with? The agreement won't change! Spend your time in the classroom reading, instead of running around everywhere all the time!"

Chen Xuebing adopted a parental demeanor, glanced at the five people, and immediately made a comparison: "Look at Zhang Hang, how obedient he is! He also wanted to work on the construction site with me, so why didn't he come?"

"Brother," Yu Yi interrupted, "Zhang Hang is cooking at home, don't worry. He'll definitely come looking for you when he hears you're back. All three of them have gone, you can't leave us behind!"

"... "

“Lu Yiwen, the three of you don’t need to go either. Just study at school. Anyway, you all dislike Luo An. When the construction site is short-handed during the Spring Festival holiday, whoever wants to go can go. I’ll take you there and you can work your fill. Come on, I’ll treat you to dinner.”

As Chen Xuebing spoke, he looked at Xin Mengzhen and asked, "Are you going or not?"

Xin Mengzhen shook her head slightly: "I'm not going."

Then he pointed to the stool next to him: "You can't go now. Sit down and apply the medicine."

The dog training commands are back.

Chen Xuebing was taken aback, remembering that he hadn't finished applying the medicine, but he didn't want to be so obedient in front of his group of underlings. He opened his mouth to retort, "Then don't apply it anymore, it doesn't hurt anymore..."

Xin Mengzhen didn't say anything, she just looked at him.

"... "

Chen Xuebing walked over and sat down, obediently lifting his back and leaning against the back of the chair.

"Oh……"

A loud commotion erupted in the hall, as if the roof had been ripped off.
"The soldier is so obedient~~"

"Wow, wow, your wife's amazing! She really trained that soldier..."

Chen Xuebing turned around and glared at them: "Get lost!"

Xin Mengzhen seemed to have lost her shyness and completely ignored them, continuing to concentrate on applying medicine to Chen Xuebing.

While applying the ointment, he said casually, "Didn't you say no one would apply it for you? You have quite a few brothers, huh? I'll give you the ointment in a bit, and you'll need to apply it twice. Just ask them to apply it for you."

Chen Xuebing, heartbroken at losing the beautiful female service worker, turned his head and glared at the five men.

"Ahem, soldier, I have something to do, I'll be going now."

"I'm going back to my book!"

"Oh no, I haven't done my homework yet!"

"Soldier, I'm going to study vocabulary! Love! Love, love! Love!"

"You son of a bitch, Gou Hongyi, you bastard, you're secretly memorizing vocabulary words behind our backs! I'll beat you to death!"

The group left in a hurry, as if they had never been there.

The voice behind Chen Xuebing rang out again, filled with long-suppressed doubt: "You're still working on construction sites? You know anything about architecture?"

Chen Xuebing felt a cool sensation on his back and was a little tired. He rested his head on his arm, yawned, and chatted casually:

"I don't know much about the construction site at home, but when it comes to doing business, the principles are the same: money, technology, and connections."

"Oh. So it seems you're going to help them start a business?"

"Ah."

"They... seem a bit silly, why did you bring them along?"

Chen Xuebing chuckled at the blunt yet hurtful remark, then turned around to find Xin Mengzhen staring at his back, her long eyelashes fluttering slightly, her expression extremely serious, as if she wasn't joking at all.

He wanted to say, "You're a bit heartless," but couldn't help teasing him, "Did your grandfather raise your dad because your dad is exceptionally intelligent?"

Xin Mengzhen stopped moving.

Chen Xuebing's back was tense, guarding against a possible sudden attack.

But Xin Mengzhen didn't seem angry. She said thoughtfully, "You mean, trust? Is that the primary factor you consider when choosing partners?"

Chen Xuebing relaxed and smiled, "I don't have a son, but I do have a younger brother who is still young. The only people I can trust are my brothers."

"So you asked me to help you open a shop because you trust me? You trust people that easily?"

"That's not entirely true; it's mainly because of lust."

Bang! "Ouch!"

The blow has finally come.

Chen Xuebing grinned and said, "Little sister, you went too far!"

Xin Mengzhen loosened her clenched fist, looked at the half-finished milk tea on the table, and suddenly asked, "My uncle brought me this milk tea from Guangzhou. Is it good?"

"I'm not going to say anything more. It's delicious, but the meatballs are too hard..." Chen Xuebing said, then suddenly realized something was wrong.

“Okay, I forgive you,” Xin Mengzhen suddenly said with a smile.

The boasting, which was a week late, was finally completed, and a cute smile appeared on her lips.

"Holy crap!" Chen Xuebing exclaimed in surprise, realizing what was happening. "This milk tea is the one I had before I went to Shenzhen?!"

Xin Mengzhen smiled smugly.

"You beast! More than a week! You even let me drink zombie milk tea?!" Chen Xuebing couldn't help but swear.

Xin Mengzhen smiled and nodded.

"Damn it." Chen Xuebing immediately tried to get up.

Xin Mengzhen turned and ran.

Run very fast.

She didn't forget to turn back and remind him, "Remember to get your medicine! It contains gastritis medicine and montmorillonite powder; take that if you have diarrhea!"

"...Xin Mengzhen! I'll fuck your grandpa!!"

...

Chen Xuebing was completely devastated.

I grew up roasting sausages over a fire until they were black and still enjoying them. I would pick up fallen tumbleweeds from the roadside on the mountain and eat them without washing them. My dad would scold me for wasting food if vegetables fell on the ground, but I would still pick them up and eat them. My stomach has been through a lot and it's not so fragile. I don't feel like I have diarrhea.

But having grown up for many years and adapted to a society with a refined lifestyle, I always feel like I've eaten something dirty, and my stomach keeps growling.

The digestive system is an emotional organ.

Fortunately, he chased her all the way from the cafeteria to the school gate and finally caught Xin Mengzhen, forcing her to treat him to a meal outside the school.

A luxurious meal consisting of four dishes and a soup, plus a cup of Hong Kong-style milk tea from the subway.

When it came time to pay for milk tea and meals, Xin Mengzhen paid for A and A, while Chen Xuebing stood by with a smug look on his face, which filled passersby and classmates with envy.

The two had a very pleasant conversation. Xin Mengzhen had been exposed to business knowledge at a relatively early age and wanted to learn about financial investment. She had taken some financial courses and was also very interested in the Internet. So Chen Xuebing talked to her about the development prospects of the Internet. She listened very attentively and kept asking questions.

"Since the dot-com winter that began at the end of 00, the stock performance of internet companies has been sluggish. This year, however, the market has suddenly surged again. I have read some predictions from American magazines, which suggest that we should still be cautious about the internet. Both domestically and internationally, there was a period of great enthusiasm for the internet in the 90s. Whenever IT was involved, the market would rise. Many companies that were not related to the internet tried to put on the guise of IT. However, many internet companies went bankrupt in the past few years. Now, most of the voices are negative, believing that investors' money is spent on advertising and that the internet cannot be profitable. This seems to contradict your positive view."

"The winter is America's winter. Most of China's well-known internet companies were previously listed on NASDAQ in the US, so the past few years have been a forced winter. However, the difference in the number of internet users between China and the US is huge. From 2000 to now, 8 million internet users have grown to more than 100 million, a more than tenfold increase. It is in a period of great growth. Not to mention other things, isn't the profit potential of the online game market and internet commerce obvious? Last year, Ding Lei of NetEase, and this year, Chen Tianqiao of Shanda, when they put out the annual rich list, this is the trend of the times."

"So you're doing electronic trading because you think it's a trend?"

"I don't think it matters. Don't listen to other people's opinions. If you want to invest in something, try it yourself, participate, and try to make money with this tool. You will naturally know whether it's good or bad."

"Great minds think alike, you're very smart."

"Although you are praising me, I am skeptical that you are also praising yourself as a hero."

"Hmph, how about a competition?"

"Compared to what?"

"Let's compare... opening a shop! I'll open one using my dad's identity, and we'll compare our sales figures after a year!"

"Heh, feel free to come and try it."

As the two were chatting, Xin Mengzhen's phone suddenly rang. She hesitated for a moment before showing it to Chen Xuebing, who looked at the food that was already half-eaten and shook his head.

Xin Mengzhen didn't answer.

...

At 6:40, Chen Xuebing entered the classroom.

As arranged by the homeroom teacher, Mr. Guo, it was already "knowledge point discussion time," and the whole class was filled with voices. Even the return of Chen Xuebing, who had disappeared for a week, did not attract much attention.

Yang Qingyue didn't come.

However, someone was sitting at his table.

Zhao Li.

When Zhao Li saw him come in, he looked at him with disbelief: "Why are you back?"

Chen Xuebing grinned and waved his hand as if shooing away flies.

"Yes, I'm back. Your happy time is over. Starting today, you're not allowed to sit in my seat anymore, or I'll do something to you."

Zhao Li's face began to flush, and the surrounding voices quieted down as people started watching the spectacle. Some whispered, asking Zhao Li what Chen Xuebing had just said to him.

Then there was laughter.

Zhao Li felt that he wouldn't be a man if he left now, so he stood there, frozen in place.

Seeing that he didn't move, Chen Xuebing waved in Lu Yiwen's direction: "Carry him away."

The school bully's three lackeys immediately stood up: "Coming!"

The school bully trope is exciting.

Everyone watched the conflict with glee. Under the pull of the three men, Zhao Li was almost suspended in mid-air, leaving Chen Xuebing's position and returning to his own side against the wall.

"Hahaha…"

As the vice class monitor, no one in the class came to his aid; they were all laughing.

Finally unable to bear the humiliation any longer, Zhao Li, upon returning to his seat, pointed at Chen Xuebing and shouted angrily:
"Chen Xuebing! I want to compete fairly with you!"

The classroom fell silent instantly.

Chen Xuebing chuckled: "You're just dreaming. You're hoping to become Yin Zhiping? Don't even think about it. You're more like Lin Pingzhi at best."

In an instant, many questions arose in the class.

Who is Yin Zhiping?

"Oh, the one who raped Little Dragon Girl!"

Where is Lin Pingzhi?

"The one who practices the 'Evil-Repelling Sword Manual'!"

"Hahaha……"

Chen Xuebing didn't take Zhao Li seriously. He sat down and prepared to take out the books he needed for the evening, but suddenly found that the laughter had stopped after only a few seconds. He turned around and found Yang Qingyue standing at the door.

He was panting heavily, his face flushed.

(End of this chapter)