Can a Woman Chase a Man?

After closing the office door, he took down the folding bed Li Xiongye had mentioned from the wall cabinet, but he couldn't fall asleep.

Right, there was still one phone call he hadn't made.

Lin Qiye dialed the number.

"Mom, are you asleep?"

"Asleep my ass. I'm doing the books. Your dad took on a city landscaping project, and the two of us have been so busy lately we're spinning in circles."

"A big project? Congratulations."

"Cut the crap. Get to the point."

"I sold Dalong Baili."

"Good. I haven't had time to watch it lately anyway. How much did you make?"

"Two hundred and thirty thousand."

"What? Let me see."

Mom Lin logged into the trading software. When she saw that bright red number, she excitedly covered her mouth.

Then she shouted.

"Old Lin, get over here! Your son made a fortune again!"

Dad Lin, who had just finished showering, walked into the bedroom. "What are you yelling for? Your voice is already loud enough. Are you afraid the neighbors won't hear?"

"What am I afraid of? Come look."

Dad Lin was dragged by the arm and sat down by the bed, staring at the computer screen.

He wore the same astonished expression.

Dad Lin felt sour. "It's only been half a month. Damn it, I worked my ass off to land that project and only made a few tens of thousands. The kid moves his fingers and earns enough for us to live on for years." He was genuinely jealous. Dad Lin had practically run his legs off just to secure the landscaping project, yet his son could make more with a few taps of his fingers.

"Who are you cursing? Your hide itching?" Mom Lin glared at him, angry at his foul mouth.

Dad Lin was terrified of his wife and hurriedly explained, "Slip of the tongue. Our son's got promise."

"Of course he does. Our son's been smart since he was little. Oh, right, the call's still connected. Talk to him."

"What's there to talk about? Tell him not to focus so much on making money that he neglects his studies. If he can't graduate from college, I'll still break his legs."

A chill ran down Lin Qiye's spine. His father wasn't just saying that casually. It looked like he couldn't let his studies fall behind.

Still, there were some things he had to mention.

"Mom, I also took over an Internet Cafe. It's on the street outside the school."

"Internet Cafes cost money. Where did you get it?"

"When I was trading stocks, I helped a big boss make a fortune. He gave me this Internet Cafe as payment."

Dad Lin's voice came from the other end of the phone. "Same thing I said before: don't let it interfere with your studies. That's my only requirement. You have to finish school, at least get your diploma."

Mom Lin chimed in as well. "That's right. Money can be earned anytime, but you only get one chance to study. Don't get that mixed up."

"Got it. Oh, Mom, Dad, National Day is coming up. How about you come to Kun City? I'll show you around."

That was a good idea. Dad Lin and Mom Lin discussed it and figured the project would be finished soon anyway, so they could take the chance to rest.

Before hanging up, Mom Lin specifically reminded him, "We'll come the day before National Day. Talk to your girlfriend and tell her not to go home. The four of us can go out and have fun together."

After the call ended, Lin Qiye laughed. He hadn't expected his mother to still be hung up on the matter of his girlfriend.

Tian Nina's image surfaced in his mind. He lay on the bed, pulled the blanket over himself, and gradually fell asleep.

When he woke up in the morning, Lin Qiye put away the folding bed and recalled what his parents had said the night before.

Then he went to the computer and began typing.

"Now that the Internet Cafe and company matters are settled, formulate the next-stage plan."

[Recommendation for the Manager: Allocate twenty percent of future profits toward purchasing equipment and upgrading Computing Power in an orderly manner.]

[Recommendation: Expand the number of machines in the Internet Cafe first. I need greater Computing Power and storage space.]

It was a good suggestion, and Lin Qiye accepted it.

He continued asking questions.

"Also, I need to complete my studies, but I've long forgotten everything I learned before. Do you have a way to solve that?"

[Understood. Both the Manager and I traveled through time from the future. In this era, humanity still uses the primitive method of mechanically memorizing knowledge.]

[The most effective solution: the Brainstem Stimulation Learning Method. I learned of this method from the Internet. Electrical stimulation through equipment can greatly enhance brain activity and memory capacity on a physiological level.]

Lin Qiye was stunned. "Describe it in detail."

[The specific implementation details are classified. Information leaked onto the Internet indicates that it was originally used to treat psychiatric patients. It was later discovered to greatly enhance mental capacity and is an indefinitely classified military secret.]

"Forget it, then."

Good lord. Lin Qiye realized that after acquiring Intelligent AI, he had already stepped onto an unknown path.

The countless secrets hidden throughout the Internet lay completely exposed before him.

This wasn't something he could handle.

Forget about any brainstem stimulation. What if it fried him into an idiot? Relying on Intelligent AI to cheat was much more dependable.

Just then, his phone rang.

It was Jiang Dabao.

"Big Lin, you have to be in the classroom by nine this morning. Professor Wang specifically asked for you during roll call."

This was bad. His leave of absence had probably been discovered. If he couldn't talk his way out of it, he would definitely fail the course.

Lin Qiye quickly cleaned himself up, left the Internet Cafe, and hurried toward the school.

Halfway there, his phone rang again.

"Hello."

No one answered.

But someone lightly tapped his shoulder.

When he turned around, he saw Tian Nina.

Tian Nina had changed into casual clothes today, her hair tied in a ponytail. She looked fresh and lively.

"My mom said that if you want to understand a man, you need to observe the details of his life over a long period of time. I've decided. I'm following you these next few days to see what exactly you do."

"You're serious?" Lin Qiye looked at her earnestly.

Tian Nina instinctively wanted to step back, but she straightened up instead. "Could I be joking?"

"Fine, then. I'm going to class. Want to come?"

"Of course. By the way, what's your major?"

"International Economics and Trade. Impressive, right?"

"Stop bragging. Graduates from that major are suited to being order clerks. What's so impressive about it?"

The two gradually grew more comfortable with each other, chatting and laughing as they headed toward the classroom.

The classrooms for International Economics and Trade were located in the southeast corner of Southwest University of Industry, on the second and third floors of the Department of Economics' dedicated teaching building.

Lin Qiye and Tian Nina arrived at the third-year classroom before class began. The room was bustling with noise.

The moment they saw him, people immediately started shouting.

"Big Lin's here!"

"Boss Lin graces us with his presence, bringing glory to International Trade Class 3."

"Big Lin, can't your Internet Cafe give us a better discount? We've been classmates for three years, after all."

He couldn't refuse such enthusiasm. If he didn't satisfy these classmates, they would definitely mock him for the rest of his life at every reunion after graduation.

Lin Qiye spoke up. "Fine. Tomorrow, I'll get a batch of VIP membership cards. Recharge one hundred and get one hundred fifty extra. That's enough friendship for you, right?"

Of course it was enough. Recharge one hundred yuan and they would get two hundred fifty yuan in Internet fees. They weren't at the Internet Cafe every day; many of them probably wouldn't use it all up in a year.

Such generous concessions satisfied the classmates, and they specifically saved him and Tian Nina two adjacent seats near the back.

After sitting down, Tian Nina whispered, "If you keep doing this, won't you go bankrupt before long?"

Lin Qiye quietly fooled her. "No. This is called traffic economics. The more people stay in the Internet Cafe, and the longer they stay, the more ways I have to make them spend money."

In reality, it was all just a pretext. What did the Internet Cafe's little losses matter? Intelligent AI could easily earn it back.

Tian Nina wanted to say more, but a white-haired professor entered, and the classroom instantly fell silent.

The professor put on his glasses, picked up the roster, and began calling names.

When he reached Lin Qiye's name.

"Lin Qiye."

"Here."

Professor Wang, with his head of white hair, paused. He looked kindly at Lin Qiye and beckoned. "Come here."