Chapter Twenty-Nine: Friends from Afar

The meal ended with Yun Yiyi and the other girls holding back tears as they ate. They had originally planned to give Yang Xiaofan a run for his money, hoping to ease the sting of their own envy. Unexpectedly, they ended up being thoroughly shown up once again. Fortunately, the wagyu beef and caviar were delicious, and the ’82 Lafite was exceptionally smooth—these luxuries offered a small consolation to the three girls.

After dinner, there was no further opportunity to take advantage of Yang Xiaofan, who drove them back to their dormitory. As for Qin Nuanyu, Yang Xiaofan whisked her away for an evening out.

Watching the BMW speed away, disappearing around the dormitory corner, the girls sighed wistfully.

“Take a guess—do you think Nuanyu will make it back tonight?”

“She probably won’t, right? Yang Xiaofan treats her so well, Nuanyu’s bound to give in. That’s how it always goes in the novels.”

In truth, Qin Nuanyu, moved time and again by Yang Xiaofan’s gestures, had long since surrendered her heart. No matter how principled a woman might be, Yang Xiaofan’s approach was simply irresistible. This wasn’t just sweet talk—it was a full-on assault. Coupled with his mysterious array of skills, he had thoroughly taken root in her heart, leaving her unable to refuse him.

“Where are we going now?” Sitting in the passenger seat, Qin Nuanyu lowered her head and asked shyly.

Yang Xiaofan smiled. “I heard the view by the sea is lovely tonight. How about a walk together?”

“Mm,” she replied with a nod.

The thought of just the two of them going to the beach, under the cover of darkness and the whispering wind, made her heart race. She dared not imagine what might happen next—how embarrassing!

Thanks to the M5’s impressive performance, they arrived at the seaside in no time. The place was tranquil and deserted; only the wind and the rhythmic crash of waves against the rocks filled the air. The moon seemed to merge with the sea on the eastern horizon, joining the stars above in a scene of extraordinary romance.

Hand in hand, they walked onto the sand, both hearts pounding furiously. Just the two of them, alone—it was exhilarating.

To break the tension, Yang Xiaofan was the first to speak. “So, class monitor, how did you like dinner tonight?”

“It was wonderful,” Qin Nuanyu nodded.

A meal costing twenty or thirty thousand—how could it not be good?

“That’s great. I was worried you might not like it and end up hungry.”

“No way, I enjoyed it a lot. My tummy is so full it’s almost round.”

“Really? It looks the same as always to me.”

“Of course not—look closely!” Qin Nuanyu puffed out her little belly, making herself look adorably plump.

Yang Xiaofan’s heartbeat quickened. He took her hand, gazing deeply into her eyes. “It’s autumn now—would you like to have the first cup of milk tea of the season? My treat.”

Qin Nuanyu lowered her head even further, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’m afraid not tonight.”

“Why not?”

“‘When friends come from afar, is it not a joy?’”

Yang Xiaofan was stunned.

“Are you serious? No way! I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long.”

Qin Nuanyu covered her mouth, laughing softly. “I knew you had ulterior motives bringing me here. Too bad—seems even fate is on my side, keeping this big bad wolf from gobbling me up.”

Yang Xiaofan looked at her mischievous, cherry-red lips and suddenly grinned. “Are you sure fate can stop me?”

“???”

...

A little over an hour later, Qin Nuanyu returned to the dormitory, where her friends greeted her with curiosity.

“Hey, Nuanyu, how come you’re back? Weren’t you out with Yang Xiaofan?”

She replied irritably, “Don’t mention that scoundrel to me.”

“Huh? Yang Xiaofan treats you so well—did he bully you?”

Fang Nan joked, “Maybe Yang Xiaofan wouldn’t bully Nuanyu, but his ‘brother’ might not be so considerate.”

“Oh!” The girls exchanged knowing looks, while Qin Nuanyu shot them a fierce glare.

“Can’t you girls ever keep your minds out of the gutter?”

“Oh? How do you know what’s on our minds?” they teased.

Face flushing, Qin Nuanyu retorted, “I’m done with you—I’m going to brush my teeth and go to bed.”

Chen Wanyi frowned prettily. “That’s odd—didn’t Nuanyu already brush her teeth before she went out? Why brush them again? Three times a day—is that really necessary?”

“Well, her status is different now, isn’t it? She’s a rich lady now—image matters.”

...

Meanwhile, Yang Xiaofan, having dropped Nuanyu off, returned to his own dorm. For the first time, he felt a happiness he’d never known before, as if he’d finally parted ways with his own right hand.

Gu Hao had already returned and was working on a project proposal. Seeing Yang Xiaofan come in, he called out cheerfully, “You’re back.”

Yang Xiaofan nodded. “Everything settled with the auction?”

“Of course. With President Mu on the case, everything went perfectly. President Liu found a renovation company for us—they’ll start work tomorrow, and in a week, we’ll be ready to hold the auction. I’ll use this time to prepare the promotional campaign.”

“Good, but don’t make the advertising too ostentatious. Our target audience is wealthy collectors—ordinary folks can’t afford these paintings.”

“I know. We’re focusing on that clientele. I’m planning a few special promotions for them—like referral bonuses for successful sales at auction.”

“I’ve also come up with a membership system. If they pay for membership, they get priority queuing and private commissions. Just a little perk to attract regular clients.”

“Not bad. I knew you had a knack for business.”

Gu Hao beamed with pride. “I may not be as good as you at painting, but when it comes to business, I’m a pro.”

After a brief pause, he spoke again. “By the way, there’s something I wanted to discuss.”

“Go ahead.”

“If we’re going to run an auction house, we need to set up a company structure. Each auction will be taxed, of course. But we could also do some business under the table to avoid heavy taxation. What do you think—should we have a public front and a private side to save on taxes?”

“Absolutely not. If we’re going to do this, we do it by the book,” Yang Xiaofan replied firmly.

He had no desire to invite trouble. He didn’t have the connections or influence yet, and if someone with an agenda decided to target him, he could lose everything overnight. He’d rather make honest, clean money.

Besides, one shouldn’t only think of themselves. As a citizen of China, wasn’t it right to contribute what he could to the country?

“Understood. From now on, I’ll keep accurate records for every auction and pay all required taxes.”

“Good. With that, I can rest easy. Get some sleep—we’ve got a busy day ahead tomorrow.”

“Yes, sir.”