Lu’s mother immediately nodded: “Yes, yes, yes, he’s a professor! Without him leading Guifan in experiments, this thing definitely wouldn’t have worked out!”

Lu Guifan nodded and said, “That’s for sure. I just provided an idea, made a hypothesis, and Professor Yang is the one who turned that hypothesis into reality.”

“And… a young man with a treasure is at risk. Guifan is still so young. If only his name is on the patent, all sorts of unsavory characters will come looking for him to use this patent, and that would truly lead to endless trouble. With Professor Yang there, he can provide protection for Guifan. If someone needs to use this patent, they will first go to Professor Yang, and they won’t bully Guifan on patent usage fees. This is indeed the joint result of the two of you; it wouldn’t have happened without either of you.”

After hearing Jiang Ruotang’s words, both Lu’s father and Lu’s mother felt it made sense.

Lu Guifan looked at Jiang Ruotang beside him and felt a very peculiar sense of contradiction. Most of the time, Lu Guifan felt that Jiang Ruotang was pure and passionate. He treated people with clear likes and dislikes; anyone he drew into his circle, he would embrace and protect. At other times, he felt that Jiang Ruotang was different from him; he wasn’t a hothouse flower. He had seen the good and evil of human nature, and he made decisions not just based on the present but also far into the future, which wasn’t like an eighteen-year-old student. Yet, this sense of contradiction was full of mystery to Lu Guifan. Both his pure side and his farsighted side were full of charm, attracting those around him to draw closer.

---

That evening, Jiang Ruotang sat obediently at his desk, doing homework. Lu Guifan rested his chin on his hand, gazing at Jiang Ruotang’s peaceful profile. He suddenly realized that his encounter with Professor Yang was no coincidence; perhaps Jiang Ruotang had planned it for him all along. First, he arranged for his mother to work at Lawyer Hong’s house, then, during the New Year, he created an opportunity for Lu Guifan to meet Professor Yang, who had returned from abroad. But… was Jiang Ruotang so confident that he could gain Professor Yang’s appreciation?

“Hmm? Hey, hey, why are you spacing out?” Jiang Ruotang waved his hand in front of Lu Guifan’s face, bringing Lu Guifan back to reality.

“Nothing.” Lu Guifan stroked Jiang Ruotang’s head, resting one hand on the back of his chair and holding a pen in the other, explaining relevant knowledge points to Jiang Ruotang.

Realizing what Jiang Ruotang had done for him, Lu Guifan felt his heart brimming with emotion. Besides his parents, Jiang Ruotang was the only person in Lu Guifan’s eighteen years of life who had planned for him without regard for personal gain.

“Hey, you’re still using this pink pen? I thought the ink cartridge would have run out long ago.”

“I replaced the cartridge.”

“By the way, I’m very curious,” Jiang Ruotang leaned down, resting his chin on his arms, and looked at Lu Guifan, “That day, I brought you a bunch of pens, why did you specifically choose this pink one?”

“You want to know why?” Lu Guifan smiled. This guy really shouldn’t smile; once he does, the warmth in the corners of his eyes and eyebrows is captivating.

“Yeah, hurry up and tell me!”

“If you still care about this question ten years from now, I’ll answer you then.”

“Ah… why be so mysterious… we’re both guys, can’t you just be straightforward?”

Lu Guifan didn’t speak, just tapped the practice paper with his fingertip. “Since we’re both guys, be straightforward and do the rest of the problems.”

Jiang Ruotang thought for a moment. Ten years from now, he’d be twenty-eight, the same age he and Lu Guifan separated in his previous life.

“I’m pretty happy,” Jiang Ruotang suddenly said.

“Happy about what? You’ve solved this problem so complexly, you’ve tangled yourself up.”

“I mean ten years… it means you also hope we’ll still be together in ten years.”

“Hmm, let’s hope our ship of friendship hasn’t capsized in ten years.”

“Then let it capsize,” Jiang Ruotang whispered.

Lu Guifan’s brow furrowed: “Why?”

“If you still care about this question ten years from now, I’ll tell you the answer.” After saying that, Jiang Ruotang lowered his head and continued working on the problems.

He figured Lu Guifan, who didn’t browse the internet much for jokes, definitely wouldn’t be able to guess.

---

After the winter break, Zhao Changfeng received an invitation for a tryout from Capital University of Physical Education. This was essentially a selection process, and he was so excited he couldn’t sleep, even going for a marathon run in the cold weather. Jiang Ruotang was also very happy for him when he heard the news.

As Jiang Ruotang was mixing protein powder for Zhao Changfeng in the kitchen, Zhao Yunshu came up to him. “Thank you for Changfeng’s matter.”

“Huh? Mom, what are you talking about? This is the result of Changfeng’s own hard work.”

“But I know you’ve been planning a lot for him behind the scenes. For example, you noticed he needed to eat high-protein foods to control his body fat percentage. It was also you who told Huaiyuan that he must find a professional and reliable trainer for Changfeng, which allowed him to make rapid progress in a limited time. Even with Meng Yang, his teammate’s tricky intentions, you had the foresight to warn Changfeng; otherwise, Changfeng would have worn those shoes without any precautions and surely injured his foot. This opportunity for a tryout at Capital University of Physical Education also came about because you collected many of Changfeng’s game videos and made his highlight reel into a video to send to the coach at Capital University of Physical Education.”

Jiang Ruotang hadn’t expected that everything he had done would be seen and remembered by Zhao Yunshu. “Mom, I… what I did was simply what I should do as his older brother.”

In his previous life, Zhao Changfeng drove a ride-sharing car to earn money, all to buy cancer-targeted drugs for Jiang Ruotang. Such a profound bond, Jiang Ruotang cherished in his heart. What he was doing for Zhao Changfeng now was not even a tenth of what Zhao Changfeng had sacrificed for him in his previous life.

“So I also hope that you… no matter what you need help with, you can tell me,” Zhao Yunshu said.

Jiang Ruotang smiled, “There really is something.” He told Zhao Yunshu about the Little Sweet Fruit’s financing. Bank loans were limited after all, so they needed to develop more shareholders.

Zhao Yunshu thought for a while, “You didn’t tell your father about this because you didn’t want Huanyu Pictures to get involved, right?”

“That’s right, because Lin Chengdong is still at Huanyu Pictures, and I don’t want someone like Lin Chengdong as a shareholder in Little Sweet Fruit.”

Zhao Yunshu nodded, “I can’t say you should relax, but I know who is reliable. I’ll help you talk to them. Send me the relevant information.”

“Alright, mother and son going into battle together!”

Zhao Changfeng had been in a state of euphoria since receiving the tryout notification. He suddenly snapped out of it, realizing that Zhao Yunshu was whispering with Jiang Ruotang again, and said discontentedly, “What are you two talking about! Don’t keep it from me! I want to join too!”

“We’re talking about investing and stuff. Are you interested?” Jiang Ruotang asked with a smile, propping his chin on his hand.

“I have no money, so I’m not interested, hmph.” After saying that, he walked away, his head held high, like a child who had won a toy.

Jiang Ruotang turned and asked Zhao Yunshu again, “By the way, I heard there’s a recent TV series called ‘Drunken Immortal Stage,’ which is a xianxia drama?”

Zhao Yunshu nodded and said, “Yes, the producer of this TV series once came to Huanyu Pictures to seek investment, but Lin Chengdong wasn’t optimistic, and the executives who followed Lin Chengdong naturally wouldn’t vote in favor.”

“Why?”

“For the same genre, two years ago there was the ‘Sword Inquiry’ trilogy, which became popular across all TV stations. After that, other xianxia dramas didn’t have good ratings. From the plot to the character designs, they were all imitating ‘Sword Inquiry,’ like a clumsy imitation. Audiences also experienced aesthetic fatigue.”

Jiang Ruotang smiled, “Drunken Immortal Stage’ has a web novel as its original work, so it already has recognition and a readership. ‘Drunken Immortal Stage’ is also a bit anti-trope, which caters to younger tastes.”

“Unfortunately, the meeting has already concluded, and it’s unlikely that ‘Drunken Immortal Stage’ will be reconsidered.”

“My point is, you should read the script as an independent investor. If my dad has idle funds, you can invest for him.”

“Ruotang, you… I feel like you’re not someone who’s immersed in web novels, but you seem very confident that ‘Drunken Immortal Stage’ will succeed?”

Jiang Ruotang sighed inwardly. He couldn’t tell her about the past ten years, especially which movies and TV series would become hits—he knew them all clearly. “Mom, do you believe in metaphysics? I’m really a ‘Koi’ [a lucky person], you know.”

Zhao Yunshu was amused, but Jiang Ruotang’s investment vision was indeed very good. Previously, he had advised Zhao Yunshu to invest in Soaring Technology, and they made a fortune.

Later, he had them make some investments in Chengjiang, and unexpectedly, they encountered a large real estate group for negotiations and earned several times their initial investment. Although Zhao Yunshu didn’t know Jiang Ruotang’s source of information, their family assets were at least double what they used to be. Since the little ‘Koi’ had given a new hint, Zhao Yunshu decided to learn more about “Drunken Immortal Stage.”

Actually, Jiang Ruotang’s purpose in doing this was also to invest Jiang Huaiyuan’s liquid funds, so that when Lin Chengdong tried to drag Jiang Huaiyuan into a money laundering scheme, Jiang Huaiyuan wouldn’t have money to invest in that film. Even if Jiang Ruotang didn’t keep a close eye on it and Jiang Huaiyuan agreed to film that money laundering movie from his previous life that harmed people without consequences, the loan application couldn’t bypass Zhao Yunshu. As long as he didn’t invest his own money, it would definitely be easier to extricate himself than in his previous life.

---

Early the next morning, Zhao Changfeng dragged his suitcase to the capital. Without his incessant chatter, Jiang Ruotang inexplicably felt a bit lonely. On his way to school, Jiang Ruotang sent many messages to Zhao Changfeng.

[During the tryout, if the coach doesn’t give you a chance to play, you have to actively fight for it. Being overly reserved and modest is foolish!]

[If you do get to play, don’t just focus on your own performance. Make sure to pass the ball to your teammates more often, help shooters with screens, and actively rebound to organize counterattacks! Make your teammates feel your value!]

[The heating in the capital is very strong, so drink plenty of water, or your nosebleeds will scab over.]

…

Unconsciously, Jiang Ruotang had sent him several messages. Looking at the chat interface, which he had spammed, Jiang Ruotang exhaled, thinking how he was acting like a nagging mother. Zhao Changfeng might even be calling him “Xianglin Sao” behind his back. Wait… Zhao Changfeng probably didn’t know who Xianglin Sao was.

Just then, Zhao Changfeng replied: [Brother, you’re so good to me.] Jiang Ruotang’s eyes welled up for some reason.

---

The provincial mock exam was drawing closer, and Jiang Ruotang had clearly become the focus of his friends’ support. His deskmate, Lu Guifan, tutored him in mathematics and physics. Jian Sha was responsible for teaching Jiang Ruotang various English techniques. According to Jian Sha, she could score above 130 in English exams, but she rarely did practice problems, relying entirely on test-taking strategies. After listening to her tips, Jiang Ruotang found that even if he didn’t know many words, as long as he pinpointed the keywords in the questions, he could still get high scores in English reading comprehension.

Cai Ji focused on chemistry. This guy could get full marks in chemistry, but unfortunately, this偏科大神 (piān kē dà shén – literally “partial subject master,” meaning someone exceptionally good at one subject but not others) initially couldn’t grasp Jiang Ruotang’s way of thinking. He scratched his head bald but couldn’t help Jiang Ruotang break through his mental blocks.

Jian Sha smiled and said, “I bet the class monitor can.”

“I don’t believe it! Class monitor, you try!” This was Cai Ji’s last stubborn stand.

Perhaps it was a misconception, but Jiang Ruotang thought he heard a soft chuckle from Lu Guifan. He reached out and moved the practice paper in front of Jiang Ruotang closer. Just then, Cai Ji squeezed over, determined to hear what method the class monitor had to save Jiang Ruotang.

Who knew Cai Ji came over so suddenly that he bumped into Jiang Ruotang? Jiang Ruotang was already close to Lu Guifan, and with this bump, their cheeks directly touched.

“Ouch—”

Jiang Ruotang was about to steady himself on the table, but who knew Lu Guifan pulled back slightly, and due to inertia, Jiang Ruotang’s face once again pressed against Lu Guifan’s. Lu Guifan, however, remained expressionless, while Jiang Ruotang felt his face burning red. He absolutely couldn’t blush; he had to control it, control it, or Jian Sha would notice, and not only notice but also tease them both.

“Are you seated properly?” Lu Guifan’s voice held a hint of tenderness, “Passengers, please fasten your seatbelts.”

“Seatbelt fastened, old driver, please start the car.” Jiang Ruotang bet Lu Guifan didn’t know what “old driver” meant.

“Then I’ll start explaining.”

Cai Ji, observing from the side, found that Lu Guifan was simultaneously explaining knowledge points, organizing relevant knowledge structures, and solving problems with Jiang Ruotang. Some problems that Jiang Ruotang couldn’t understand were actually due to unfamiliarity with related knowledge points and a lack of solid foundation, so naturally, he couldn’t “fly.” After learning, Cai Ji imitated the method and finally managed to teach Jiang Ruotang, exhaling with a sense of accomplishment.

Jiang Ruotang also looked forward to the mock exam, wondering if he could achieve a satisfactory ranking with the combined efforts of so many experts.

---

Meanwhile, Lin Lu, sitting diagonally in front, couldn’t help but turn back to look at Jiang Ruotang. He was surrounded by people, treated with sincerity. No one was close to him because he was the son of a famous director; instead, it was because Jiang Ruotang himself seemed to have a gravitational pull, attracting them.

Since Bai Yingchuan, that luminous presence, hadn’t returned to class yet, Lu Guifan became the core of the students’ conversations.

“Actually, the class monitor is really handsome, especially after he changed his glasses, his level instantly went up!”

“And he’s especially patient and gentle when explaining problems. I don’t know why I used to think he was cold and annoying.”

“But the real VIP service belongs to Jiang Ruotang. I overheard Cai Ji and Jian Sha chatting; supposedly, there was once a time when the class monitor thought of more than a dozen ways to explain something just so Jiang Ruotang could understand… I’m so envious!”

“Sigh… the class monitor isn’t a central air conditioner; he’s just a warm guy for Jiang Ruotang alone…”

“I used to sit next to him, and I was actually afraid to talk to him, and I didn’t dare ask him a single question… it’s so much pressure to sit next to him. I always felt like if I yawned in class, he’d warn me with his eyes, but actually, he doesn’t care about the people around him at all…”

“You actually didn’t seize this enormous fortune! Look at Jiang Ruotang; he practically goes to the class monitor every day to do problems, and his grades are like a rocket!”

Some students would even pretend to follow the teacher with their eyes, but they were actually looking at Lu Guifan, who sat in the second-to-last row. Sometimes his arms rested naturally on his desk, sometimes he propped his chin with one hand, and other times, when Jiang Ruotang was distracted, he would gently tap his forehead with his fingertip. God knows how much the classmates loved to watch Lu Guifan tap Jiang Ruotang’s head. Every time, a tiny smile would grace Lu Guifan’s lips, as if a jade sculpture had suddenly gained a soul and came to life.

---

Before the first mock exam, Bai Yingchuan returned from the film set. He had a fresh haircut, and his entire demeanor was more open and poised, as if he had become more mature and refined than before. The scene of Bai Yingchuan being surrounded by layers of people reappeared. He brought three boxes of pastries from a famous old brand in the capital and opened them to share with everyone. Even students from the next class rushed over, and in no time, three large boxes full of pastries were snatched clean.

Bai Yingchuan looked back, but Jiang Ruotang was looking down, biting the end of his pen, apparently grappling with some difficult problem. Just then, Bai Yingchuan received a call from his agent, Sister Yu. With less than two minutes until class, he quickly went out into the hallway.

“Yingchuan, the Central Station Movie Channel just contacted me! They want to invite you to record a video introducing the weekend cinema! I think this is a rare opportunity, so I accepted it for you. You just need to find a photography studio in Shengshi with a simple set, and the Central Station can add other effects themselves. The script has also been sent over!”

“Which movie?”

“‘Lights in the Mountains,’ a story about a college student teaching in a poverty-stricken mountain area…”

“I’ve seen that movie; I know the plot. It was an excellent film at the Zhuri Awards the year before last, and one of the lead actors was Teacher Feng Moshan.”

Sister Yu nodded vigorously: “Yes, yes, yes, this resource must have been recommended by Teacher Feng for you. The guests for the Central Station Weekend Cinema have always been outstanding young actors or seasoned performers. You’re not only the youngest but also the only ‘traffic idol’!”

Bai Yingchuan knew that this was Teacher Feng Moshan’s encouragement and expectation for him, a deliberate effort to promote him, hoping that instead of relying on his youth to get caught in the traffic dividend, he would focus on improving his acting skills.

“Sister Yu, same request, don’t use this for marketing.”

“I also think it’s good not to market it. The Weekend Cinema has high ratings, and fans will definitely promote you. Plus, it’s a good way to slap Qilin Video in the face. Don’t they think canceling all cooperation with you would make you suffer? They’re overthinking it!”

The class bell rang, and Bai Yingchuan had to hang up. As he walked into the classroom, he looked towards Jiang Ruotang again. Jiang Ruotang was sitting upright, but he looked a bit sleepy and rubbed his eyes. He was truly… adorable. Bai Yingchuan sighed faintly and returned to his seat. He didn’t want to continue like this; it felt like there was an entire universe separating him and Jiang Ruotang. Even during class, when Bai Yingchuan pretended to follow the teacher’s movements and looked back at Jiang Ruotang, their gazes never overlapped. Bai Yingchuan had never known that he would need a teacher’s cover just to look at someone he wanted to see, just like the protagonists in those unrequited love novels.

---

It wasn’t until lunch break that he could send a message to Jiang Ruotang: [Thank you for your advice, it helped me a lot. I’d like to treat you to a meal.] He had actually prepared himself for Jiang Ruotang to say “no problem,” or “it was nothing,” but Jiang Ruotang replied: [Okay, should we go to the same place as last time for dim sum?]

Bai Yingchuan’s fingers stiffened. He had originally wanted to go to a nicer, more expensive place, but after a whole semester, he had long discovered that Jiang Ruotang had no “rich person’s whims.” He could eat roadside grilled gluten with a joyful expression.

After the New Year, the cafeteria of Beicheng Guangyao Middle School also reopened. Everyone had been eating takeout or bringing their own meals for almost a semester, and finally, they could have hot, communal dishes. Lu Guifan, Cai Ji, and Jian Sha had all agreed to go together. Jiang Ruotang could only quietly tell Lu Guifan, “I’m not eating with you guys today.”

“You don’t like the cafeteria?”

“No, I’m going to eat with Bai Yingchuan.”

“Oh?” Lu Guifan’s eyebrow arched slightly.

Jiang Ruotang leaned close to his ear and said, “We have something to discuss, serious business.”

Lu Guifan paused, frowning slightly, and looked sideways at Jiang Ruotang, “Why does that sound like an excuse a man gives when he’s going out to fool around?”

“What? Class monitor, look at my righteous face, who would want to fool around with me!”

Lu Guifan chuckled softly, “I only see a pair of flirtatious ‘peach blossom’ eyes.”

Originally just bantering with Lu Guifan, Jiang Ruotang never expected that he actually had “peach blossom eyes” in the other’s eyes. Peach blossom eyes… they should be beautiful eyes, right? Jiang Ruotang’s heart beat a little faster, and he deliberately tilted his head, saying, “Hmph, young master is off to fool around then!”

Lu Guifan said calmly, “Don’t come back until you’ve made a name for yourself.”

Lin Lu originally wanted to go to the new cafeteria with Bai Yingchuan for lunch, but he didn’t expect him to go out again, and with Jiang Ruotang. “I haven’t eaten with Ruotang for a long time either, can I join you guys?” Lin Lu asked with a smile.

Bai Yingchuan patted his shoulder and kindly said, “It’s not very convenient. Next time, okay?”

Lin Lu really had to exert a tremendous effort to keep his expression from falling apart. What kind of mind-altering potion had Jiang Ruotang given Bai Yingchuan?

“Then go early and come back early. The first class this afternoon is Old Man Wang’s.”

“Mm.” Bai Yingchuan turned and left. This also gave Lin Lu endless imagination. Why did Bai Yingchuan meet Jiang Ruotang alone as soon as he returned? Were they pretending to be distant in front of others, but secretly together behind his back?

---

At the usual spot, Bai Yingchuan’s baseball cap, black-rimmed glasses, and mask covered his face completely. They entered a private room. This time, Jiang Ruotang ordered crispy roasted pigeon and “mouth-watering chicken,” along with a few dim sum items.

“Thank you for your advice on how to get along with Old Man Feng. He even introduced me to resources from the Central Station Movie Channel.” Bai Yingchuan looked at Jiang Ruotang very seriously.

Jiang Ruotang was holding the pigeon wing, making a crisp crunching sound, “That’s also because your attitude was sincere. Old Man Feng has very sharp eyes. If you tried to feign humility or deference in front of him, that would be showing off in front of an expert, and he would look down on you even more.”

“This New Year, Qilin Video released a blessing short film. Almost all the actors they had collaborated with appeared, but I wasn’t in it. They didn’t change their attitude because of my mother’s lobbying.”

“That’s inevitable. They’ll continue to be investigated after the New Year, so their anger towards you won’t dissipate that quickly,” Jiang Ruotang paused for a moment. “Do you want to try collaborating with other smaller platforms to prove your commercial value to Qilin Video?”

“Smaller platforms… which one?” Bai Yingchuan asked curiously.

“Little Sweet Fruit,” Jiang Ruotang smiled. ” Little Sweet Fruit not only survived the encirclement by Qilin and Yunfeng Video, but even Qilin’s former vice CEO jumped ship to Sweet Fruit. This platform is about to transition to paid content. Do you want to try it?”

“But I heard… Little Sweet Fruit’s current user base is young people, mainly anime, games, and cosplay. Is it suitable for me?” Bai Yingchuan was skeptical.

“I’ve been in your fan groups.” This single sentence made Bai Yingchuan’s heart tremble slightly. This was the first time Jiang Ruotang had mentioned the past in front of him.

“So I know your fans’ age group and preferences very well,” Jiang Ruotang said with a smile. “They are young, and many of them love anime, playing online games and RPGs, but they are used to finding free resources online and are not Sweet Fruit users. There are many talented artists among your fans who have created many comics for you, which are widely circulated in the fan circles. If you join Little Sweet Fruit, these comics can be seen by more people. So I think you are very suitable to be Little Sweet Fruit’s promotion ambassador, and it’s very likely to be a win-win.”

Jiang Ruotang’s thought was simple: In his previous life, he almost “spun silk until his death” for you. Last month, he gave you such good advice. Is it too much to use your traffic to promote Little Sweet Fruit? Of course not.

After listening, Bai Yingchuan was a little tempted, but he also felt that Little Sweet Fruit was too small. Compared to Qilin and Yunfeng, Little Sweet Fruit only had a few million users…

“Think about it, if you become a promotional ambassador and the data is good, it will prove your fan appeal. Previously, Qilin disliked your fans for being too extreme, but this time, let them feel the purchasing power of your fans. Once your traffic appeal is proven, and it’s effective traffic, Qilin Video will probably regret it bitterly.”

This sounded very tempting. Of course, this was also Jiang Ruotang’s technique of “drawing big cakes” (making grand promises) learned from Lin Lu over the years. The only difference was that Lin Lu’s cakes were made of air, while his, though not guaranteed to be delicious, were at least substantial.

Bai Yingchuan was slightly moved. “What if my traffic redirection to Little Sweet Fruit doesn’t have the expected additive effect?”

“Then it’s easy to explain,” Jiang Ruotang smiled. “Your fans will help you say that Little Sweet Fruit’s traffic is low, that Sweet Fruit and your fan base don’t match, that Little Sweet Fruit isn’t good, and so on. ‘Saving face’ is your fans’ strength, although you haven’t needed to save face so far.” At this moment, Jiang Ruotang’s expression was confident. Even though he didn’t make any promises, his frank attitude was like a guiding light.

Bai Yingchuan raised his hand and rubbed his forehead. If only… I had met you earlier. When you were most passionate about me.

“But the problem is, if Little Sweet Fruit doesn’t actively contact my team, Sister Yu won’t actively contact them either. In their minds, Little Sweet Fruit is a second-rate website, the kind that has users but no commercial value.”

“Then let’s wait and see,” Jiang Ruotang said with a chin-propped smile.

“Little Sweet Fruit… I heard it changed owners last month. You don’t happen to have shares, do you?” Bai Yingchuan asked. Jiang Ruotang didn’t hide it and nodded, “Yes, I have shares.”

Bai Yingchuan just assumed Jiang Ruotang liked this kind of e-generation interactive website, so he poured money into it. But he believed that even if it was burning money, Jiang Ruotang would burn it effectively.

“But, Qi Yanzhe, the youngest son of the Qi family at Hongtian Borui, is a major shareholder of Little Sweet Fruit. Are you investing in a competitor?”

“I am me, and Huanyu is Huanyu. I think Qi Yanzhe thinks the same way: he is he, and Hongtian is Hongtian,” Jiang Ruotang smiled. “Does it sound like those adolescent young masters in TV dramas wanting to escape adult control, not knowing the immensity of the world?”

“No… I think you all have great ideas and courage.”

---

Back at school, Jiang Ruotang returned to his seat and leaned his head towards Cai Ji. “Cai Cai, how’s the food at the new cafeteria?”

Cai Ji immediately nodded and said, “Delicious! Today they had lotus root patties, crispy on the outside, stuffed with lots of meat inside, and the sauce was fragrant too! And the stir-fried chicken with chili, the wok hei (breath of the wok) was amazing—you won’t need to order takeout anymore!”

“Hmm.” Jiang Ruotang stroked his chin, showing an expectant expression.

“You ate quite well outside too,” Lu Guifan lowered his eyes, looking at Jiang Ruotang’s stomach.

Jiang Ruotang lowered his head and quickly leaned forward, hiding his stomach under the table.

“What did you eat?” Lu Guifan asked again.

“Nothing much… just ordered a crispy baked char siu bao, but the other person was controlling their weight, so I ate all three.” After saying that, Jiang Ruotang yawned. He was really too full and felt very sleepy.

“Sleepyhead, get some rest. If you dare to yawn in Old Man Wang’s class, he’ll make you stand in the back row to wake up.”

“Mm…” With a sound, Jiang Ruotang immediately lay down.

The window on the other side of the classroom was open. Geng Yu and Xie Liang were leaning against it, chatting. The sunlight shone directly onto Jiang Ruotang’s seat, a bit glaring. Jiang Ruotang had to bury his head on the other side, incidentally pulling his jacket over the back of his head.

Lu Guifan noticed this, stood up, went to the window, and discussed it with Geng Yu and Xie Liang. Xie Liang was worried that Geng Yu would say something like, “What does Jiang Ruotang’s nap have to do with me?” but unexpectedly, Geng Yu only glanced at Jiang Ruotang and nodded, pulling the curtains shut.

Xie Liang was curious: “Geng Yu, weren’t you at odds with Jiang Ruotang before? I thought you’d argue with the class monitor?”

Geng Yu said calmly, “That was because someone instigated it before. He’s not a bad person, and my parents also say his family is very easy to deal with. My dad previously helped Lin Chengdong and ended up losing everything. My mom followed Zhao Yunshu and actually made a lot of money. And their family never boasts. Whether asking for help or collaborating, they always clearly explain the risks. They are honest people.”

“Ah? This is the first time I’ve heard you praise someone so highly.”

Since the joint exam cheating incident, Geng Yu had become much more low-key. His entire third year of high school was essentially wasted, but unexpectedly, he had now settled down to study seriously, planning to retake the exam next year.

After Xie Liang returned home, he told his parents about Geng Yu’s changes and the Geng family’s evaluation of Jiang Huaiyuan and his wife. His mother happened to be the director of Shengshi Development Bank. After listening, she looked thoughtful. Today, Zhao Yunshu came to her to discuss the Little Sweet Fruit loan. Other members of the credit committee were very conservative about this large loan. Xie Liang’s mother felt that she could study it further when she returned to the bank the next day.

---

That same day, after Bai Yingchuan returned home, he brought up the idea of collaborating with Little Sweet Fruit to Bai Yue and his agent, Sister Yu. As expected, Bai Yue immediately objected.

“You know Lin Chengdong also thinks it’s a shame to waste Little Sweet Fruit’s millions of users. He thinks he could buy it, package it, and then resell it for tens of millions! But he won’t even touch Little Sweet Fruit. Do you know why?”

“Because he has a partnership with Yunfeng Video, and Yunfeng wants Little Sweet Fruit to disappear. Even if Lin Chengdong packaged Little Sweet Fruit well, it would be hard to find a foolish buyer to take over.”

“You understand the reasoning, so why would you still touch Little Sweet Fruit? Not to mention, Little Sweet Fruit’s current CEO, Gao Cheng, was kicked out by Qilin. If you collaborate with Little Sweet Fruit, you’ll be going against Qilin, and it’ll be even harder to mend your relationship!”

Bai Yue found that many of Bai Yingchuan’s recent ideas were beyond her control, and her voice involuntarily rose. There was a subtle tension between mother and son. However, Bai Yingchuan’s voice and expression were surprisingly calm, probably influenced by Jiang Ruotang. When analyzing the flow of benefits, he sounded like an observer. Bai Yingchuan’s composure made the experienced Bai Yue, who was used to the industry, seem highly emotional by contrast.

“Mom, do you think Lin Lu instigating fans to attack Qilin Video was really Lin Chengdong trying to push me towards Yunfeng Video? Qilin is already being investigated. Yunfeng Video should have seized the opportunity to cooperate with us. Sister Yu, have you received any olive branches from Yunfeng?”

Sister Yu was silent for a moment, then took a slight breath: “No.”

Bai Yue calmed herself down and said, “You can publicize the fact that you’re going to be a guest commentator for the Central Station Weekend Cinema, right?”

“It’ll just be a fleeting trend. Aside from sounding good, what’s the point or value?” Bai Yingchuan’s lips curled up in a sneer, with a cruel insight into reality. “Yunfeng Video wants to leave me high and dry. What happens to a traffic star with fans but no acting gigs?”

As if struck by a silent bullet through the heart, Bai Yue finally felt uneasy upon hearing this.