Chapter 111: Chapter 78: Completely Exposed, Jiangg Ning’s Fists Hardened (Part 2)

Despite the noisy, boisterous surroundings, the lively atmosphere seemed to chase away the winter chill. After just a few bites, the guys felt a warmth spreading through them and tossed their jackets into a nearby woven basket.

A couple more drinks, and Quan Yafeng’s face was glowing red.

Chen Yuan nudged Liu Nan with his elbow and asked in a low voice, “Yafeng’s in a great mood. Did he get over Li Bing and decide to embrace a new life?”

“Get over her, my ass,” Liu Nan snorted contemptuously, stuffing a slice of lotus root into his mouth and chewing with a loud CRUNCH. “You’ve got it backward. He’s in deeper than ever.”

“No way. It doesn’t look like it.”

“You obviously didn’t hear him back in the dorm. He was going on and on about how he’s going to work out, study hard, and become a better person to attract Li Bing. He hasn’t given up on her; he’s just shifted his strategy.”

“That’s a good thing.”

“Of course it’s good. It’s way better than him moping around the dorm looking like someone died. From the sound of it, he’s finally on the right track. That Li Bing is a really sensible girl, you know? She has clear goals and is willing to work for them. Yafeng wants to be like that, too. He’s finally realized that being a simp and just fawning over her day in and day out won’t win him true love.”

“True. Even if he doesn’t win her over in the end, he’ll have grown a lot as a person.”

Chen Yuan glanced over at Quan Yafeng and Wei Zhen, who were laughing and chatting, and he couldn’t help but feel a bit sentimental.

’Li Bing really is a great girl, always planning for the future, moving forward with a clear head and determination.’ As Chen Yuan thought about this, he felt a pang of guilt.

’I should probably find something to do, too. In college, aside from classes, you can squeeze out a lot of free time if you try.’

’I don’t have to worry about my studies, so maybe I should explore other avenues.’

’But what, exactly?’

Chen Yuan hadn’t figured it out yet. He took a sip of beer and started to ponder what kind of life he wanted to pursue.

’Money isn’t much of a concern, either. According to Jiang Zhengfeng, he’s earned enough for me to live ten lifetimes over. In that case, I should find something interesting to do…’

It only takes a few moments for a man to mature. For Quan Yafeng, that moment was undoubtedly inspired by Li Bing, which prompted some self-reflection and set him on a true path toward a brighter future.

“Hey, why’d you stop eating? Come on, let’s raise a glass!”

Liu Nan raised his beer, which was so full it was about to spill over. “We don’t have class tomorrow anyway, so let’s go all out tonight.”

“Damn right!”

“Nah, I’m done. I can’t hold my liquor,” Wei Zhen said, waving a hand and clutching his stomach. “I’m already feeling pretty stuffed.”

“You should go sit at the kids’ table.” Liu Nan drank half his glass and didn’t press him.

“You two get to sleep in tomorrow, but it’s a different story for me. I have to get up at eight for my part-time job.”

“A part-time job?” Chen Yuan was taken aback. “Wei Zhen, when did you get a part-time job? You never mentioned it.”

“Just last week. You guys were all busy, so I went for an interview by myself. I spent the morning at the shop, and the boss thought I was a good fit, so he told me I could come in every week.”

“What kind of job is it? HIC—”

“Cleaning, waiting tables, that kind of thing.”

“Then why aren’t you tutoring? Waiting tables is absurd. We’re Landa University students, after all.”

“I’m not cut out for tutoring. I get a headache just looking at little brats.”

“But how much does a waiter even make? 16 an hour? 18? That’s the absolute most you could get,” Liu Nan mumbled, tossing a few peanuts into his mouth.

“80 an hour. I work for about four hours.”

“PFFT— How much!?” Quan Yafeng sprayed a mouthful of beer. Luckily, Chen Yuan and Liu Nan dodged in time.

“You’re not bullshitting me, are you? How could they pay that much? What kind of fancy restaurant is it? Wei, hook a brother up!”

“That sounds too good to be true! I don’t believe it.”

“Believe it or not. But they’re not hiring anymore, sorry. You couldn’t go even if you wanted to.”

Wei Zhen shrugged and rolled his eyes at Liu Nan.

“You’re so full of it.”

’Tutoring paid pretty well, too. A good position could pull in 100 to 300 an hour. If what Wei Zhen said was true, his job was definitely a high-paying one.’

’Four hours of work, and that’s a whole week’s worth of food money.’

“Oh, right, I forgot to tell you guys something. Preparations for the New Year’s Gala are about to start, and our dorm needs to sign up for an act,” Chen Yuan said, remembering Liu Tingyue’s instructions.

“The four of us are just a bunch of guys with no talent. Let’s just skip it.”

“It’s not about talent. We have to sign up, even if we just have to wing it. The other girls in the Arts and Culture Committee have already gotten their roommates to sign up. It’s not guaranteed we’ll even be chosen, so let’s just add our names to the list.”

“Okay, I’m in!” Quan Yafeng clapped his hands. “As students, we should actively participate in school activities. Besides, Yuan is a member of the Arts and Culture Committee. As his ’family,’ we should be even more enthusiastic.”

“Ooh, listen to you. Never knew you were so principled. You just want to get on stage so Li Bing can get a good look at you… Ah, the simple mind of a boy with a crush. I see right through you.”

“Screw you!” Quan Yafeng’s face and neck turned red.

“Let’s brainstorm. We could do a dance, or even throw together a little comedy sketch. We can just treat it as a way to build up some courage.”

“Alright, then.”

The four of them clinked glasses again, though the amounts they drank varied. Wei Zhen, having decided to take it easy, had openly started faking his sips.

The meal lasted an hour and a half. Full of food and drink, they were so stuffed it was a bit of an effort just to stand up.

Chen Yuan was heading in a different direction from the other three. They said their goodbyes at the entrance, and he was the first to grab a taxi.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep