They are still close to me today despite their negative feelings

"Ah."

But obviously, there was no need to explain all that to them. At this moment, Jin Shuheng only wanted to leave as quickly as possible to avoid catching another glimpse of the landlady's eyes rolling so hard they seemed to reach the ceiling.

"...Here you go, ma'am."

However, after thinking for a moment, the girl handed the money in her hand directly to the shop owner, then picked up the timer from the cashier and stuffed it into Jin Shuheng's hand without saying a word.

"Eh?"

"Excuse me?"

Jin Shuheng was somewhat confused.

"The monthly exams in the first year of high school are still very important. Don't let such trivial matters affect you."

The girl said with a smile.

"Good luck, junior."

She waved her hand, probably genuinely thinking it was just a small matter, and walked out the door with a flourish.

Jin Shuheng stared blankly at the girl's back.

By the way, what... is she doing at the convenience store?

Hey buddy, wanna sell your timer?

The boy behind him suddenly spoke to him, his tone enthusiastic.

"Ok?"

"That's Senior Chu Qingya... Can I trade you my watch?"

……

"Haha, help! Did that guy really say that? That's so exaggerated!"

"Senior, you have absolutely no idea about your influence."

"Oh, speaking of which, that dumb-looking guy in the convenience store who looked like he was being bullied, it turns out to be you, junior. Thinking about it, we're quite destined~ We even went to the same university."

Upon seeing this line of text, Jin Shuheng smiled silently.

Was it fate, or his own obsession? After that, he went from inquiring about her and paying attention to her to quietly becoming one of her fans. He even became friends with the boy in the front row whom he used to look down on because of her.

Perhaps his life changed from that moment on.

"By the way, it seems you did well on that monthly exam, right? You're really impressive to get into this school without special talents."

A single exam is unlikely to change a person's life. But the people you meet can.

"I have been studying hard. But senior, I've always had a question. After you bought me the timer that day, why did you just leave? Was it really because you were aloof?"

Even after I got to university, the senior student who would specifically contact me because we went to the same high school and enthusiastically introduce me to the school and course selection—I don't think she's that kind of person, right?

"Huh? Was that the impression I gave you back then?"

On the other end of the message, Jin Shuheng could almost see Chu Qingya's wry smile.

"It's a headache. Don't equate classical music with aloofness. I only had enough money to buy breakfast bread with me, and I didn't have enough change to buy anything else, so I just left."

"...?"

"I feel a bit disillusioned. I heard from others that you come from a musical family, so I thought you were a very wealthy woman."

"Hahahaha, sorry to disappoint you, junior. I'm actually quite poor, you know. The truth is quite simple, isn't it?"

Chu Qingya seemed reluctant to discuss this topic, simply glossing over it with a lighthearted remark.

Jin Shuheng wisely refrained from asking any further questions.

He was just a "junior" who secretly followed me to university; he had no right to pry into those kinds of questions.

"However, I really didn't expect that you, senior, are actually such a kind person."

"That doesn't sound like a compliment, junior."

……

"Boss, do we really need to go to New York?"

The secretary next to him asked in a somewhat hesitant tone.

He oversaw all of Jin Shuheng's business affairs, including both overt and covert matters. In his recollection, Jin Shuheng's "international" business, if it had to go anywhere, was to certain regions in Southeast Asia—where their platform servers were located.

"Things in New York are very important. We need to explore new markets and sectors, and I also need to personally meet with that client."

Jin Shuheng said calmly. Over the years, after graduating from university, he struggled with nothing and no background, and finally gained the appreciation of that old Mr. Qiu through his ruthlessness and decisiveness—but also sank deeper and deeper into the gray quagmire he had chosen.

On the surface, he is an academic young entrepreneur who is both self-employed and pursuing a master's degree in computer science. But what is he really like behind the scenes?

"But it seems that customer just wants to add a new module to our website?"

"You need to see the meaning behind it."

Jin Shuheng said somewhat impatiently. The secretary was speechless and could only nod.

Jin Shuheng is notorious in the industry for his unwavering commitment to profit. This explains why, when it comes to matters of interest, he's like a greedy wolf, relentlessly eyeing the prize. The secretary, though baffled as to why a trip to New York was necessary at this crucial juncture of territorial division, ultimately understood it was Jin Shuheng's idea—there must be a reason behind it.

Jin Shuheng certainly had his own reasons.

Since I'm already abroad, and it's on my way, why not go visit my senior?

He thought so.

It's said that my senior has been under immense pressure from her family to get married lately, and I've heard her resisting this issue several times in conversations with her friends.

"Go see her." Jin Shuheng thought to himself, but his expression grew even more serious in front of his secretary.

"...Oh, right, bring my new suit and tie. And as for the watch, use the one I don't use often."

He seemed to have thought of something and instructed his secretary.

……

"That freshman who looked a bit awkward when he first entered university has grown up quite a bit now!"

In an ordinary café next to Lincoln Center, Chu Qingya, dressed in a bohemian-style long dress, smiled and teased Jin Shuheng in front of her.

"If I had known you were so formal, I would have chosen a more serious occasion."

"Please have mercy on me, senior. I just happened to have some business projects nearby, so I chose this outfit. I don't usually dress like this."

"Wow, a commercial project. You're already pretty impressive, junior! But what exactly does it involve?"

“…I’ll tell you later.” Jin Shuheng did not give a direct answer.

"That's so mysterious. But you should take care to get some rest, it seems like your hairline has receded quite a bit."

"!"

Jin Shuheng instinctively reached up to touch his head, and upon seeing his senior's ambiguous smile, he was left speechless, unsure whether to laugh or cry.

"Senior, it's you."

"Oh, sorry, sorry, hehe. Lately, my family has been pressuring me to go on all sorts of blind dates with men. To be honest, it feels quite novel to be able to spend time with the opposite sex in such a relaxed manner."

The senior student apologized, "Junior, you're at the age where you care about these kinds of things, right? I'm sorry."

"What age am I? I'm only 22, senior." Jin Shuheng sighed. "But you, senior, do you really need to start going on blind dates at this age?"

Although she's called a senior student, that's only on the academic record. In reality, Chu Qingya is even younger than Jin Shuheng.

“Our family is a very traditional musical family. My parents got married very early on, without ever having met, because of an agreement made by the older generation.”

Chu Qingya sighed.

“I don’t want to be controlled by those guys. But it’s getting harder and harder now – I ran away to study abroad because I couldn’t stand them telling me to go home and find a partner when I was a junior in college.”

"They need me on an economic front..."

"Hey, hey, hey, isn't bringing up this kind of thing a bit too disrespectful to your senior?" Chu Qingya interrupted Jin Shuheng's speech. "If I have to rely on others for this, I might as well just accept my fate and become a good wife and mother like they say."

"That's true," Jin Shuheng said with a wry smile. "Then it seems there's nothing I can do to help."

"Of course I am! I'm so touched that you came over to chat with me, junior," Chu Qingya said with a smile. "Ah, although it's on my way, New York is still quite far."

"...Senior, are you not planning to get married, or..."

Perhaps it was Chu Qingya's smile that made Jin Shuheng ask the question without thinking, a question he himself regretted after asking it.

However, Chu Qingya sat up straight, gently resting her knuckles on her chin, a thoughtful expression on her face.

"Well, it's impossible not to have fantasies about marriage. After all, I'm a girl—ah, don't laugh here, like someone who's already this age and still thinks of themselves as a girl. Otherwise, I'll really get angry."

Jin Shuheng shook his head. In his heart, the person before him had always been that girl who appeared like a gentle breeze when he felt utterly ashamed. No matter how time changed, her face had never faded.

"I've also thought about what kind of person I would like if I fell in love with someone." Chu Qingya propped her cheek up, looking a little shy. "Hmm, probably someone who seems indifferent to everything, but who quietly cares about the people around them."

"Then, even though he's very capable and outstanding, and can handle anything with ease, if you see him occasionally, you'll feel, 'No, that kid needs someone to hold him back.' He's the kind of person you can rely on unconditionally in crucial moments, but the more he does that, the more you want him to depend on you."

"Hey, if I think about it this way, am I actually a bit masochistic? I like guys who I can rely on, but I want to be their pillar of support even more."

"This is way too specific, in fact, it's frighteningly specific!"

"Haha, that's right."

Chu Qingya said softly.

"In the end, there probably isn't anyone like that in this world. I'm just daydreaming. Since I'm unlikely to meet anyone like that, can't I at least indulge in a little fantasy? Hahaha."

Jin Shuheng remained silent.

"Oh, let's not talk about this anymore, it's ruined the atmosphere! Anyway, rather than spending my life with someone I have nothing in common with and who isn't with me because I like them, I'd rather be alone. After all, a lifetime is too long, long enough that settling becomes terrifying."

Chu Qingya waved her hand, just as carefree and unrestrained as she was back in the convenience store.

"Let's not talk about that anymore. Today, a very special film will be shown here..."

"Senior."

Jin Shuheng suddenly spoke up and asked.

"Ok?"

If someone were to appear in your life, would you immediately be with them? Without hesitation, and without keeping it to yourself?

"What kind of question is that? Of course you can."

Chu Qingya laughed and said, "This is my dream! Let alone being together, I'd probably pursue him without hesitation~ Oh, it's really embarrassing to say, going crazy for love and all that. But hesitating and keeping it to myself is so unlike my cool senior persona!"

"That's it."

Jin Shuheng also said with a smile.

"That's wonderful. If you ever meet someone like that, you absolutely must hold on tight!"

"Thank you for your kind words! Thank you for your kind words!"

He actually knew all along.

Worship is the emotion furthest from understanding.

……

"What are you thinking about?"

At Flower Street Cafe, after finishing his second cup of coffee, the boy waved his hand in front of Jin Shuheng.

"Old Jin, you've finished talking about your past—your rise to wealth, your rise to success, your fall from grace, and even the time you had your teeth knocked out. Anything else to say?"

The boy seemed quite interested.

"There really is one."

Jin Shuheng looked at the young man in front of him and said softly.

"I remember someone I used to know. She seemed like she'd like someone like you."

"Although I'm not interested, I have to say, she really has no taste," Ning Ruoyu commented scathingly.

"really."

Jin Shuheng smiled and echoed, downing the remaining coffee in his cup in one gulp, feeling the bitterness quietly spreading in his mouth and throughout his entire oral cavity.

"Actually, I've always thought since my student days that coffee is fucking awful."

[Next chapter preview: "Ning Ruoyu, are you being sarcastic?"]