Those Years When I Was Forced to Top the Forbes List

Chapter 76 The Real Macho Man

"Hmm? Oh..."

Chen Xuebing's face remained calm, but his mind was racing as he considered the information contained in those words.

Three seconds later, the conclusion was reached:

Damn it, we're doomed.

The original plan was to first throw the ball up and then pull it back up to create a dramatic rebound and stir up emotions, but instead a black swan event occurred.

The selling pressure is definitely going to be huge now, and the market sentiment might not be able to recover!

I thought not replying was passive-aggressive behavior, but it turns out it was a nuclear button press?

Chen Xuebing really wanted to call Xin Mengzhen right then and there to see if she had been blocked and if the fundamentals were still intact.

But after a few seconds of silence, he changed his mind.

Why are you panicking? I didn't lie to her.

Concealing information is not the same as deception.

Besides, I called you first. Why didn't you answer my call?
A true man must learn to blame the other person first.

"Let's go and eat."

Chen Xuebing's expression relaxed, and he smiled.

With a beautiful woman by your side, you should be enjoying your time. Why think so much?
Yang Qingyue smiled sweetly, tidied her slightly disheveled hair, and looked upstairs.

"Let's go, let's go look at women's clothing first."

……

Back to the city.

The bright counter, the girl's delicate fragrance and silvery laughter beside me—it was a completely different environment from the dust and noise that usually surrounded me.

This place brings Chen Xuebing joy and peace of mind.

However, he was not obsessed with it. He would never hesitate to choose between being a powerful figure and being content with a modest life.

"Sir, your girlfriend is so beautiful, like a celebrity. She would look amazing in this!"

"No, no! I don't want to buy it. Do you have any casual white cardigan sweaters? Mid-length down jackets are also fine, preferably in a lighter color... You can also take a look at suit jackets."

Yang Qingyue seemed to have a plan. She looked around but didn't linger in front of any of the shops. Once she found a suitable one, she went inside and started asking questions according to her own ideas.

However, she seemed to have overestimated Chen Xuebing's mother's appearance and taste in clothing, holding up some clothes worn by slender women in their thirties and comparing them in front of the mirror.

"Let's go, let's go. Suits? I dare to buy them, but even my mom wouldn't dare to wear them." Chen Xuebing immediately stopped her as he saw her choosing increasingly wild styles.

“Auntie isn’t that old. Why don’t you buy something nice when you come to the mall?” Yang Qingyue insisted.

"Even if I buy it, she won't be able to afford it."

"Then just buy one. Otherwise, what's the point of making so much money?"

Yang Qingyue spoke with such confidence that Chen Xuebing was left speechless.

How did you know I made money?

Speaking of this, Yang Qingyue snorted: "You almost became infamous at school! More than 50 seniors skipped class last week, and many juniors skipped class too. Did they all go to fight for you? The dean of students even questioned some people. Luckily, no one betrayed you! Otherwise, you would have lost your student status!"

Chen Xuebing suddenly realized.

He had thought of this in advance. There happened to be a third-rate concert at the Olympic Sports Center that day, so he told them to go back to school and say they had gone to see the concert.

"What does this have to do with me making money?"

“Gou Hongyi, Liang Hui, and Lu Yiwen from our class were all absent that day. When they returned to school, they were all called in for questioning. I guessed it was you who called them out. Who else could have such influence besides you? I asked them, and they told me that you’ve been making a lot of money outside recently and have even become a construction site boss.”

Yang Qingyue spoke with a hint of arrogance, as if she possessed information. Her eyes shone as she looked at Chen Xuebing. She didn't know why Chen Xuebing was so outstanding in everything he did, both on and off campus. Wherever Chen Xuebing went, he seemed to be a born leader.

What pleased her even more was hearing Gou Hongyi say that Chen Xuebing had made money in the mobile phone business in Shenzhen and even wanted Gou Hongyi to open a company in Shenzhen.

Chen Xuebing and she seem to be getting closer and closer.

When she heard the news, her previous slight anxiety had dissipated.

Chen Xuebing patted the back of his head and chuckled.

These guys really treat Yang Qingyue like their sister-in-law, telling her everything.

What Chen Xuebing didn't know was that Gou Hongyi had deliberately spoken to Yang Qingyue, hoping to use his sister-in-law's influence to try and secure Lu Yiwen's position as "General Manager of Shenzhen".

But Yang Qingyue miscalculated and didn't mention it at all.

"Alright, alright, let's go. Choose whatever you like, but I really don't know if it will fit my mom." Chen Xuebing said helplessly after his family's finances were thoroughly investigated.

“I’ve met Auntie before, size L is fine! You buy the clothes, and I want to buy Auntie a scarf, it’s on me.”

"Stop joking. My mom is very sensitive. If you give her something, she might treat you like her daughter-in-law and even go to your school to give you a gold ring."

Chen Xuebing was just joking. In the past, he would have just teased him and then run away, while Yang Qingyue would definitely have chased after him and beaten him up.

He had already chosen his escape route.

But today, Yang Qingyue's eyes sparkled, and she gave a playful and adorable smile.

"Hehe, then I've made a profit!"

……

I rushed home after dinner.

Chen Xuebing didn't even go home; he simply placed the bags and packages on the window of the convenience store.

"Mom! Take this! Try that sweater on, if it doesn't fit, don't force yourself to wear it, you can return it!"

Yu Chunyan was holding Chen Xuejin while reading a book when her eldest son suddenly appeared and then wanted to leave, leaving her completely bewildered.

"You go back..."

Have you eaten yet...?

"What sweater..."

Before he could even finish a single sentence, Chen Xuebing had already returned to the main road to flag down a car.

Upon seeing this, Yu Chunyan quickly called out:
"Hey? Where are you going!"

Chen Xuebing didn't answer, he just waved his hand.

Seeing this, Chen Xuejin also called out, "Brother! Give the MP3 player to Sister Xin! She said she'd help me change the songs!"

Then, Chen Xuebing turned around and came back.

He was just worrying about how to call Xin Mengzhen downstairs when he walked to the window, raised his hand, and said, "Give it to me!"

Chen Xuejin gave a sly smile: "Oh, I misremembered, it was just changed."

Chen Xuebing's eyes widened, and he immediately reached his upper body into the store to grab him.

"You little bastard...you dare to tease me?! Who changed it for you? When did they change it?"

"It's a secret!" Chen Xuejin jumped out of Yu Chunyan's arms and hid in the inner room: "Mom! I asked for you! He's going to see Sister Xin!"

"Sister Xin?" Yu Chunyan was the most confused person there. "Which Sister Xin? The one who came to our shop last time?"

Chen Xuejin peeked out from the inner room: "I already told you! That's not Sister Xin!"

Yu Chunyan frowned and put her hands on her hips: "Chen Xuebing! Come in and explain yourself! Which girl's surname is Xin?!"

Seeing this, Chen Xuebing immediately retreated with a forced laugh: "Don't listen to his nonsense! Let's go!"

"Chen Xuebing! Come back!!"

……

It's past eight o'clock.

The upscale residential area is exceptionally quiet at night.

Chen Xuebing strolled into the residential area without anyone stopping him. He only hesitated when he got close to the building.

He took out his phone, but didn't rush to make a call. He glanced upstairs.

Her house has two floors, the 6th and 7th floors.

Counting up, I found that the lights on the 6th floor were not on.

When I saw the 7th floor, my gaze froze.

He was a proper pilot with 5.1 vision in one eye and 5.2 in the other. The seventh floor wasn't high, and he could see most of Xin Mengzhen's body at a glance.

To be precise, it's a shadow.

Chen Xuebing had never been inside that corner room.

From the outside, it appears to be a room with a large floor-to-ceiling window, but the white gauze curtains are drawn from the inside, obscuring the entire room.

The shadow, however, was exceptionally clear.

She sat there upright, her hands moving as if she were playing the piano.

The room was well soundproofed. Chen Xuebing moved closer and could faintly hear the sound of a piano, but he couldn't make out what she was playing. He only noticed that her hands moved very fast, and the notes flowed smoothly like clouds and water. This level of skill was definitely not what she claimed to have "abandoned her skills after junior high school." If she had abandoned her skills now, wouldn't she have been a top-notch player before?

After listening quietly downstairs for 36.82 seconds, Chen Xuebing looked up at the graceful, aloof figure upstairs, and resolutely picked up his phone and dialed the number.

It's connected.

The music stopped.

A few seconds later.

"Dudu."

The phone was hung up.

The music resumed, but this time it was clearer, and the rhythm became faster and heavier.

Why does it feel like the people upstairs are cursing at me?

Chen Xuebing heard several emphasis marks and suddenly had this feeling.

Playing like this at night, isn't that disturbing the neighbors?

At least the phone number wasn't blocked, so the core customer base is still there.

"Beep!"

Two more stressed syllables.

You curse again!
Chen Xuebing's mouth twitched, and he picked up his phone and started typing text messages rapidly.

After thinking it over, I decided to try diplomacy first, then resort to force.

[You stand before the shop window, gazing at the words on the inscription, while I quietly admire your face, the one I love so dearly—Mr. Chen requested a paid song, "Love Only Costs Seven Yuan," and refused to return to TD.]

send.

Soon, the music stopped again.

When it rang again, the cursing was even fiercer.

Chen Xuebing: ...

The tough guy decided to back down first.

I'm downstairs, it's a bit cold, could you come down for a bit?

Finally, there was a reply.

[Xin Mengzhen: No one asked you to come, go back now.]

"Hey."

Chen Xuebing's fingers flew across the keyboard.

We're not boyfriend and girlfriend, so I don't need to report to you about every meal I eat. Why are you so angry?

Xin Mengzhen responded very quickly this time.

[Xin Mengzhen: Yeah, we're not boyfriend and girlfriend, why should I get down?]

Chen Xuebing gradually smiled.

I mean, can we resolve this premise?

send.

Will you be my girlfriend?

send.

I haven't replied for a while.

If you only see me as a friend, you shouldn't be angry with me, right?

send.

"Shouldn't you meet me?"

send.

A set of gradually gaining ground and continuous output.

Looking up, the figure stood frozen in place.

10.74 seconds later, she stood up and the light went out.

Chen Xuebing put his phone in his pocket, walked slowly into the lobby, leaned against the elevator, and waited quietly.

"Ding."

The elevator doors opened, and Xin Mengzhen, holding something that looked like a blanket, stared directly at him, as if she had known all along that he was outside the elevator.

"You played the piano very well. I wish I could hear you play it live." Chen Xuebing praised in a low voice with a smile, trying to create an atmosphere, almost producing a whitish audible sound.

Xin Mengzhen pursed her lips, her brows furrowed with deep annoyance. She stepped out of the elevator and stuffed the things she was holding into his arms.

"You're so cheeky, you'll freeze to death."

What was handed over was a dark shawl. Chen Xuebing unfolded it and grinned, "Just this extra thing, you'll freeze to death anyway."

After saying that, he took out a small black box from his pocket and handed it to her.

"I spent a long time choosing a New Year's gift."

It took about 10 minutes, so Chen Xuebing was perfectly justified.

Xin Mengzhen hesitated as she looked at the box, which resembled a ring box, and didn't take it for a long time.

Chen Xuebing smiled, opened the box, and placed it in front of Xin Mengzhen.

"What are you thinking? It's not like I'm proposing. But I was serious just now. I've liked you for a long time. Be my girlfriend."

This time it really took a long time, about twenty years to trace back to the source, which is longer than Xin Mengzhen's entire life. This is quite surreal.

“You…” Xin Mengzhen finally panicked a little: “I…I don’t want to yet.”

"Don't think I'm being flippant, it's not easy for me to say this." Chen Xuebing's tone became serious: "This is the first time I've confessed to a girl. I've liked other girls before, but never to the point of confessing."

It's true, he used to always sleep with her first and then talk to her.

Reborn is all about pure love, which often leaves him unsure of how far things have progressed.

Xin Mengzhen felt that it hadn't reached that level yet.

But she had no experience, and upon hearing Chen Xuebing's words, her ears and face gradually turned red.

"I need to think about it... no, no, I need to think about it... for a long time, can you wait?"

"I don't know." Chen Xuebing looked straight into his heart: "But I can wait until the college entrance exam is over, is that enough?"

“…Mmm.” When Xin Mengzhen uttered this single word through her nose, it felt like she was truly in love.

"Then I'll take it for now. If you don't like it, you can tell me what you like on Valentine's Day, February 14th, and I'll go buy it."

Chen Xuebing began to subtly influence her by inviting her to spend Valentine's Day.

Xin Meng's eyes were practically melting; she was so flustered.

"Then you should go back soon." Her speech slowed down, filled with warmth.

Chen Xuebing, however, started to pester him shamelessly: "You haven't given me a New Year's gift yet, and I see you haven't prepared one either, so let's give each other a hug."

After saying that, he opened his arms, ready to proceed as rehearsed.

Xin Mengzhen didn't take the initiative to come over like Yang Qingyue did; instead, she took a step back. She had tried to hug Chen Xuebing before, but she felt too vulnerable that time and was afraid that hugging him again would cause her to have inappropriate emotions, so she shook her head repeatedly.

I'll make up for the gift!

Seeing that her face was almost dripping with water, Chen Xuebing had no choice but to take a step back.

"Then... could you play 'Love Before BC' for me? Do you know it? I'll be listening downstairs."

Xin Mengzhen looked up at Chen Xuebing, wanting to ask him if he was cold standing downstairs, but at that moment she also wanted to play a piece of music for him.

This kind of interaction is healthy; she can fully express her feelings, and it also aligns with her ideal of love.

"Okay, wait for me!"

Xin Mengzhen quickly returned to the elevator with the small black box in her hand.

...

The upstairs window was pushed open, pushed all the way up.

The sound of a zither gradually began.

"The ancient Babylonian king promulgated the Code of Hammurabi."

carved in black basalt
It has been more than 3,700 years ago
You gaze at the words on the inscription in the shop window.
But I quietly admired your face, the one I love so dearly…

Chen Xuebing stood downstairs, holding the black shawl and humming along to the music, a smile gradually spreading across his face.

Nothing to do today, just listen to music.

(End of this chapter)