Too Much Money Has Always Made Parting Painful

"Wouldn't that be too fake?"

Shen Qian couldn't help questioning it.

The story sounded riddled with holes no matter how he heard it. At the very least, Shen Qian himself didn't believe it.

"Ah!" Zhu Deyong waved a hand. "Isn't that the nature of advertising? There'll always be some exaggeration. But the point isn't the story—it's that you really are at our place."

"What do you mean?" Shen Qian was a little confused.

"A role model!" Zhu Deyong said seriously. "The power of a role model is the strongest. It'll also put a lot of parents at ease. Combined with the nationwide reputation of Jiuzhou Martial Arts Hall, they'll naturally lean toward our branch."

Shen Qian nodded and asked no more questions. Zhu Deyong somehow produced a contract and handed it to Shen Qian to read.

There were not many clauses in the contract, and Zhu Deyong explained each one clearly. It was roughly about using Shen Qian's name and likeness for publicity, as well as requiring Shen Qian to have no further dealings with competitors like Sihai and Jiutian...

The contract term was two years. Shen Qian's compensation was the hundred-thousand-yuan stored-value card and permanent Black Diamond membership.

"Two years is too long." Shen Qian shook his head, deciding to be honest.

"You'll only be nineteen in two years. That's not long, is it?" Zhu Deyong smiled.

"But by then, I definitely won't be at my current level." Shen Qian spoke calmly and confidently.

"One year?" Zhu Deyong compromised.

"Still too long. Three months." Shen Qian named the term he could accept.

Zhu Deyong nearly jumped to his feet.

But he quickly sat back down.

Because Shen Qian said, "In three months, the college entrance exams will be over."

Zhu Deyong carefully studied Shen Qian's expression and said thoughtfully, "You mean you'll give me another surprise by the time of the college entrance exams?"

"But the college entrance exams test more than just martial arts scores."

Shen Qian said nothing, merely smiling.

"Fine, three months!" Zhu Deyong gritted his teeth and slapped the table, then pulled out another contract.

Seeing that the three-month term had already been filled in, Shen Qian was speechless. "...President Zhu, you were prepared for this?"

"It's a negotiation. Naturally, you have to consider every possible outcome."

Zhu Deyong chuckled. "Still, three months really is the shortest term I can accept. As for afterward, if we've built up our reputation and the South City branch is still lukewarm, then that's my problem!"

At that moment, Zhu Deyong displayed the powerful confidence unique to a businessman.

Shen Qian signed without hesitation.

Early in the morning, Shen Qian rode the public electric bus to school. Thinking of Zhu Deyong's green face earlier, he really wanted to laugh.

There was an additional minor clause in the contract: all food and drinks below the standard tier in the hall would be free for Shen Qian.

Then the two of them had breakfast together.

Shen Qian ate thirteen bowls of shrimp wontons.

Zhu Deyong had little appetite.

"Freeloading makes me happy!"

Shen Qian couldn't help humming a little tune.

The college entrance exam countdown at the school gate had forty-five days remaining. The campus finally seemed to have an air of impending storm... Well, maybe that was just an illusion, because Shen Qian saw a boy and girl making out in the little grove.

When he entered Class 109, Wang Yangming, who had already arrived, gave Shen Qian a strange look. "Why are you here?"

"What do you mean? Can't I come?" Shen Qian was baffled.

"No... Isn't Ding Yi leaving? Aren't you going to see her off?"

"Hm?" Shen Qian froze. "When?"

"This morning. She and Lin Xiaoqian talked about it in the group chat last night... Didn't you see it?" Wang Yangming was extremely puzzled.

"...Help me ask for leave."

Shen Qian tossed his backpack to Wang Yangming and turned to leave.

When Shen Qian had gone missing, Ding Yi had rushed back overnight from North Capital. The entire class already knew about it. After getting over their initial bitterness, the boys could only accept the fact that the utterly ordinary Shen Qian had somehow won over the most beautiful girl in No.7 High School's history.

At that moment, everyone broke into good-natured laughter.

Shen Qian clasped his hands in greeting. Under the startled gaze of the math teacher who had just entered the classroom, he quickly disappeared out the door.

Jing City Civil Aviation Airport.

To save time, Shen Qian had hailed a motorcycle taxi on the road. He jumped off, smoothed his messy hair, casually pulled out a hundred yuan in cash, and tossed it behind him. "Keep the change!"

"What are you doing? It's two hundred!" the motorcycle driver snapped angrily.

The entire act falling apart, Shen Qian could only apologize while digging out another hundred and stuffing it into the man's hand.

As he hurried into the airport, Shen Qian looked down at the time. There were seventeen minutes until ten o'clock.

He had glanced through the group chat records from last night on the way over. Ding Yi had told Lin Xiaoqian her flight was scheduled for exactly ten. Considering that passengers had to board in advance, he probably wouldn't make it in time...

Shen Qian's heart sank.

Ding Yi had ignored him lately, but she still answered when he called. She just showed no expression and listened as Shen Qian talked.

Later, Shen Qian realized that she might have been waiting for him to explain what happened with Huo Ling'er. But there was no way to explain something like that...

And making an even bolder assumption, Lin Xiaoqian and Ding Yi could clearly have chatted privately, so why had they talked about this in the group chat in the middle of the night?

Most likely, they had said it for him, Shen Somebody, to see.

At that hour, Shen Qian had been getting a massage.

If he didn't show up to see her off either...

"This is rough!"

Having grown much smarter lately, Shen Qian began rapidly formulating Plan B and Plan C in his head.

Unfortunately, the system, which only knew how to spout cheesy pickup lines, was completely useless for this sort of thing... because love had no formula.

After entering the airport lobby, Shen Qian first spent five minutes at the counter before sprinting toward the boarding gates.

His eyesight was now extraordinary. After searching around, he immediately spotted Ding Yi, carrying a small suitcase and waving goodbye to Lin Xiaoqian.

"Halt!"

Just as Ding Yi was about to turn and enter the passageway, Shen Qian shouted and swiftly parted the crowd as he rushed over.

Ding Yi paused when she heard the shout. Then she saw Shen Qian hurrying toward her, and in the end, she stopped.

A dark-blue long coat, snow-white skin, black hair casually pinned behind her head—standing there with her tall, slender figure, the girl seemed to steal every color from her surroundings.

"What are you here for?" Ding Yi asked flatly, still using that neither warm nor cold tone.

"Of course I'm here to see you off." Shen Qian answered firmly.

"You sure came at the right time. One second later, and you wouldn't have been able to see me off." Ding Yi's face remained expressionless as she delivered the cutting words.

"It's all my fault. I was so absorbed in training last night that I didn't check my wristband."

Shen Qian quickly smiled again. "But if I hadn't seen you this morning, maybe that wouldn't have been a bad thing."

Just as Ding Yi was wondering what he meant, Shen Qian took out a plane ticket from his pocket.

"I bought an afternoon flight. Worst case, I'll follow you to North Capital and make you treat me to a meal."

Ding Yi fell silent.

She only stared at the plane ticket in Shen Qian's hand, her eyes growing bright and sparkling.

"How much was it?" Ding Yi asked.

Hearing that her tone had returned to its usual coolness tinged with gentleness, Shen Qian let out a breath of relief. He waved a hand and said calmly, "For you, no amount of money is worth mentioning."

Nearly five thousand...

But Shen Qian's heart was bleeding.