With twenty-four days of integration, during the evening self-study session, the counselor once again privately asked Liu Chen,
"Liu Chen, have you made up your mind? Do you really not want to be the class monitor? The class monitor position at our Shuimu University can be recorded in your file when you interview for jobs in the future, and as a class monitor, you are the first to know about many school policies."
When Liu Chen heard the last sentence, he knew that the counselor genuinely wanted him to be the class monitor.
"Teacher, if nothing unexpected happens, my family should start building our own factory next summer vacation."
The implication was that he truly didn't care about these superficial honors and policies.
The counselor looked at Liu Chen, who appeared quiet and reserved, with surprise. During this time, seeing Liu Chen's excellent performance in the military training, she had thought it was due to his family's background that he could endure hardship. But now it turned out Liu Chen's family was also quite wealthy?
"Ah, since that's the case, then I won't insist. Study hard. Our Shuimu's Food Science department is very professional. If you have any questions, you can also ask the professors of Food Processing. They are currently working on Food Processing and Preservation."
"Okay, thank you, Teacher."
After thanking the counselor, Liu Chen walked out of the classroom and saw the retreating back of Xiong Wan, who was fleeing in a panic from outside the door.
Did she hear?
Liu Chen paused for a moment before continuing on his way to the dormitory.
Back in the dormitory, as Liu Chen passed by the adjacent room, he could still faintly hear crying and voices of comfort from inside. It was probably something like:
"Liu Chen isn't that kind of person. Xiong Wan, if she really wanted to be the class monitor, she could have been from the start."
"Right, right, Xiong Wan, don't cry. Liu Chen definitely doesn't have that intention. I can tell, Liu Chen is a student who focuses on his studies."
Hearing this sentence, Liu Chen, who was walking, almost tripped. They had been in military training since the start of the semester. Where did they see that he was a student who focused on his studies?
Opening the dormitory door, Tang Shengnan had already finished washing up and was sitting by her bed, reading CET-4 vocabulary books. The sound of showering came from the bathroom; it was probably Sang Ling.
Liu Chen opened his computer and uploaded the class group photo from today to QQ Zone. He also created a new album – "University."
The only group photo in this album became its cover.
...
In a dormitory room of a vocational college on the outskirts of Beijing.
Hu Qian, with her QQ status set to invisible, sat in a chair, staring blankly at a TV drama on her laptop.
She had been at university for half a month. Their school's military training started on September 1st and ended on September 15th. Today was the last day.
However, curled up in her chair, Hu Qian didn't know what to do. Ever since she was young, her mother's instruction had been to get into a good university. Now, she had messed it up.
Just then, she saw the message box of their high school graduating class 4 group chat pop up after a long period of silence.
Someone had posted the group photo that Liu Chen had uploaded to QQ Zone in the class group.
Hu Qian looked at the group photo, moved her mouse, clicked, and enlarged it.
Liu Chen was immediately visible in the photo. Among the crowd, her skin was still fair. She was smiling brightly at the camera.
It was a radiant smile she had never had at the Hu family's home.
"Hey? Is that your classmate? Wow! Qianqian, your classmate got into Shuimu! I'm so envious of you, having such a capable classmate. Maybe if things don't work out in the future, you can ask your classmate to introduce you to a job?"
In the six-person dormitory, there was little privacy. As soon as Hu Qian clicked on the photo, her roommate behind her saw it. Upon seeing the "Shuimu" logo on the cap, she couldn't help but exclaim.
Hu Qian looked at Liu Chen's smile in the photo and clicked the mouse to exit the image.
"She's not my classmate. A classmate transferred and became her classmate. She just likes to show off."
"Ah? There are people like that, but it's understandable. Unlike us, we only got into a vocational college, and it's uncertain if we'll find a job after graduation."
"But Qianqian, you're different. Your family owns an excavator rental company, so you can go back to work at the company after graduation."
Hu Qian gave a forced smile, "It's okay. Actually, I'd rather stay in Beijing."
...
Liu Fang stood in the new, spacious shop, looking at the advertising light boxes on the walls on both sides. Then she looked at the two display freezers placed against the walls on either side, which were still empty, with no goods inside.
This was the shop she had bought for one million yuan, a shop that truly belonged to Chenchen.
Chen Long stood behind Liu Fang, looking at his wife's emotional expression, but felt a little guilty.
"Wife, my dad invited us to eat at the old house. Look, we've postponed it for over a month. If we don't go, I won't be able to justify it."
The emotion on Liu Fang's face disappeared upon hearing Chen Long's words, leaving only a hint of nervousness.
"Chen Long, you know, I, I haven't yet..."
"Wife, we're already married. Even an ugly daughter-in-law has to meet her in-laws. Besides, my wife isn't ugly..."
Liu Fang knew in her heart that she had already postponed meeting her father-in-law for more than a month and couldn't delay any longer. Moreover, during this recent period, Chen Long had been helping with the shop's renovation every day and had gotten tanned. She was aware of it.
Looking at Chen Long's tanned face, Liu Fang couldn't bear to agree to the dinner invitation.
After returning to Phoenix City, she changed into a red dress, put on a pair of black high heels, applied lipstick she hadn't worn in a long time, and styled her hair up with an ornament. Liu Fang then got into Chen Long's BMW 7 Series to head to his old house.
In the trunk were four boxes of health supplements bought by Chen Long and a basket of fruit.
The car first drove onto the Third Ring Road, then exited onto the auxiliary road in the west, and turned at a bridge, heading west of the Third Ring Road.
"Chen Long, at this hour, your father's shop is already closed?"
Liu Fang, sitting in the passenger seat, looked at the time displayed on her phone, which was a little past seven o'clock, and was still a bit confused.
Chen Long thought of his family's factory and nodded.
"My dad's shop hasn't entered its peak season yet, so it closes at five in the afternoon."
Liu Fang blinked and didn't ask further. What kind of shop closes at five if business is not good? After all, if it were a convenience store in a village, and with autumn arriving, it wouldn't be strange to close early if there were no people in the village at night.
The BMW car drove off the Third Ring Road and only for about ten minutes before they arrived at a gate. The gate was five times wider than the shop Liu Fang had seen today, and its height was similar to the shop, about three meters.
Liu Fang was about to ask if they had the wrong address when she saw someone rushing out from inside and sliding the gate open from both sides.
Chen Long pretended to drive seriously inside while observing Liu Fang's reaction from the corner of his eye.
Liu Fang watched as the car she was in drove towards a building that resembled a castle and then stopped in front of the brightly lit castle gate.
"Chen Long? Why are we stopping here?"
Liu Fang turned her head and asked Chen Long, who was holding the steering wheel, her face full of confusion.
"Wife, we've arrived at the old house!" Chen Long leaned towards Liu Fang, unbuckled his seatbelt, and said, "Let's go, wife!"
Liu Fang looked at Chen Long, then turned her head to look at the solid wooden gate of the castle outside the window.
"Heh heh, I must have fallen asleep in the car and had a dream."
Saying that, Liu Fang squeezed her eyes shut and then suddenly opened them again. She turned her head to look out the car window. This time, she couldn't see the castle gate anymore because Chen Long had already gotten out of the car and was at the passenger door, one hand on the car door, the other pulling open the car door.
"Wife, be careful, the ground is slippery."
Liu Fang looked down at the cement ground below. It was clean and white, with no water at all. She didn't know where Chen Long got the idea that the ground was slippery.
Dazed, Liu Fang followed Chen Long out of the car and into the ancient castle.
Liu Fang even recalled a TV series she had watched a few years ago, "Dream of the Red Chamber" broadcast on Hunan TV. She felt that the castle before her was almost identical to the European castle of Fei Yunfan in the TV series.
Upon entering the gate, Liu Fang followed Chen Long to change into slippers. While changing shoes, Liu Fang felt fortunate. Fortunately, she had gone back to change her shoes today, otherwise, after walking all day, her feet would inevitably have some odor, not very strong, but there would be some.
After changing shoes, Liu Fang followed them through the foyer and walked towards a doorway. Passing through the doorway, it opened up, similar to Sister Yuan Ying's house, with a double-height living room, and the first floor had floor-to-ceiling European-framed glass.
"You're here! Quickly wash your hands. Sister Zhou specially made mantis shrimp, large crabs, and wild prawns for me today. They've just come out of the oven and are still hot."
Hearing the voice, Liu Fang turned and saw an old man with white hair standing outside the doorway she had just passed.
"Wife, this is my dad, Chen Gao." Chen Long grabbed Liu Fang's hand, which was hanging by her side, and they clasped fingers, the warmth from Chen Long's palm transferring to Liu Fang.
Liu Fang swallowed and looked at the old man before her, who, despite his white hair, was full of vigor. She quickly and softly called out,
"Dad."
Chen Gao smiled so much that his eyes narrowed and he responded loudly, "Hey!"
Then, as if remembering something, he quickly ran off. Liu Fang was stunned and was about to ask Chen Long if this was some kind of test of her character when she saw Chen Gao run back, panting.
He was also holding a red envelope in his hand. At first glance, the envelope was quite thick.
"Come here, this rascal Chen Long, I've always told this guy to bring you back to see me, but he refused, as if he were hiding a treasure. Today I finally get to see you. This is the acknowledgment fee from your dad."
Seeing that Liu Fang wasn't planning to accept it, Chen Gao glared,
"Do you think it's too little! Then Dad will go get more!"
Liu Fang quickly waved her hands, "No, no need, Dad. I'll take it. I'll take it."
Holding the thick red envelope in her hand, Liu Fang finally felt like she had come to her senses.
It seemed she had married a Fei Yunfan in her second marriage?