⚹
On the other side, Zhang Chaohe, who had successfully shaken off the parental surveillance debuff, had already fastened his seatbelt. Cheng Jixue counted down in her mind, and sure enough, she heard Zhang Chaohe ask excitedly, "What are we having for lunch?"
When a goose isn't working, it seems there really are only two options in its life: what to eat and what to do. Cheng Jixue looked at him and asked, "Mr. Zhang, would you mind eating at a street food stall?"
"Okay, okay!"
Anyway, Zhang Chaohe was just an ordinary little goose, and he didn't have any bad habit of having to eat at Michelin-starred restaurants. He was even excited when he heard that he was going to eat at a street food stall—he hadn't eaten at a street food stall since he came to this world!
The main problem is that I don't have many friends, and it would be too pitiful for me to eat at a street food stall all by myself.
When he arrived, he discovered that he was still a country bumpkin – the "street food stall" that Cheng Jixue mentioned seemed to be just a restaurant with a street food stall decor.
The store vividly recreates the atmosphere of the old port streets, with neon signs and old street scenes making people feel as if they are in the port city at the end of the last century.
The place is brightly lit, bustling and vibrant, with a truly immersive atmosphere.
When Zhang Chaohe opened the menu, the numbers following the dish names stung his eyes even more.
Oil-soaked bamboo shoots: 298 per serving.
Braised beef brisket with fish maw: 321 per serving.
Dionysus Fried Eggs: 82 per serving.
Zhang Chaohe: Even though I have a nine-figure balance in my bank account, I still feel that ordering food is a painful thing.
Cheng Jixue ordered several dishes, and seeing that Zhang Chaohe hadn't said anything, she considerately asked, "Mr. Zhang, don't you like this place?"
Zhang Chaohe thought to himself, "Luckily, I'm wearing a mask so no one can see my expression..." He cleared his throat and said, "It's nothing, you ordered well, keep ordering."
Listening to Cheng Jixue skillfully and calmly order the dishes, Zhang Chaohe calmly let his mind go blank—why does it feel like I'm the only one who's truly poor?
While he was lost in thought, Cheng Jixue had already neatly set out the tableware for him. To recreate the style of a street food stall, the chopsticks in the shop were the old-fashioned disposable chopsticks, only they were polished smoother and heavier.
After thanking Cheng Jixue, Zhang Chaohe went to the restroom to wash his hands. However, when he returned, he found two young girls and a man wearing glasses sitting opposite Cheng Jixue.
He subconsciously slowed his pace and quietly hid behind the doorway at the corner, intending to assess the situation before deciding whether to show himself.
Both girls were beautiful and had excellent manners. Although the boy was less handsome, his clothes looked quite expensive. Zhang Chaohe pressed his tongue against his cheek and listened patiently to the short-haired girl.
Her voice was strong, bright, and sweet: "Fei Jie and I are both at the Provincial Peking Opera Troupe now. I estimate that Fei Jie will be transferred to the National Peking Opera Troupe next year!"
"Xiaoru—" the long-haired girl scolded her playfully, then quickly said to Cheng Jixue, "Senior brother, I heard you've debuted as a big star! Congratulations!"
“My boyfriend is the CEO of Zhongchong Construction. If you need any help with arranging things, just let me know!” She nudged the man sitting next to her—Zhang Chaohe was sitting right in front of her, the light was bright and unobstructed, and his glasses flashed a sinister green light.
Those eyes were clearly filled with a flippant, appraising look.
Although the other party nodded politely, their posture made Zhang Chaohe feel uncomfortable.
"By the way, does your senior have a girlfriend yet?" Xiaoru and Sister Fei exchanged a glance and smiled sweetly. "If not, how about I ask my brother-in-law to introduce you to someone in the industry? Being an actor, it's always good to have some connections."
Surrounded by these three people, Cheng Jixue looked like a weak and helpless kitten from behind: "Thank you for your kindness, I..."
Zhang Chaohe coughed and casually straightened his collar. Because they were standing close together, all three of them looked up at him simultaneously.
He doesn't have a girlfriend, but he has a boyfriend.
The young man's jacket gleamed under the neon lights, and he wore a baseball cap with a chain hanging down his head. He stood behind Cheng Jixue, one hand resting on her shoulder with a doting gesture. Although he had a slightly roguish air about him, his upright posture and demeanor inexplicably made people feel that he was no ordinary person.
Why is he wearing a black mask on his face?
Zhang Chaohe: "..."
Damn, I finally managed to look cool but forgot to take off my mask!
A note from the author:
Xiao Cheng: I could have beaten him, but since he's going to put on an act, I'll strategically beat him and make him pay!
It seems like going out for fun during the ambiguous stage of a relationship can't be called a honeymoon, right?
Here's a little treat for my baby today!
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
Chapter 46
"Waiter," Xiaoru gestured, "Let's share a table—"
Since neither side of the dishes had been served yet, and we were old classmates meeting up, it was only natural that we shared a table.
Xiaoru looked at Zhang Chaohe curiously: "Why are you always wearing a mask?"
"I have a bit of a cold," Zhang Chaohe said to Cheng Jixue while texting—the two of them got into character too quickly, and didn't even have time to rehearse their lines, so they could only communicate stealthily via WeChat.
Zhang Chaohe: "Who is this?"
Cheng Jixue: "The eternal runner-up."
Zhang Chaohe: "Are you on good terms?"
Cheng Jixue: "It doesn't seem very good."
Zhang Chaohe chuckled and put down his phone. He very affectedly took Cheng Jixue's hand. Cheng Jixue was a little shy, and her fingers trembled slightly as she tried to pull back, but Zhang Chaohe forcefully grabbed her hand and squeezed it affectionately.
Fei Jie subtly frowned slightly, then naturally began the conversation: "How's it feeling being a celebrity, senior? Do you make a lot of money?"
Cheng Jixue smiled and nodded, her eyes sparkling: "It's alright, I earn quite a lot, but it's not stable."
Sister Fei looked at him with heartache: "Sigh, we mainly came to see Teacher Zhao this time. She often thinks of you. Would you like to come with us to see Teacher Zhao tomorrow?"
Cheng Jixue fell silent. He looked down at the plate in front of him, his expression dejected and dejected: "No... I... I always feel sorry for Teacher Zhao's guidance."
Behind the scenes, this person gently hooked Zhang Chaohe's palm with his fingertip.
Zhang Chaohe: Received.
He immediately grasped Cheng Jixue's hand and comforted her, "Your classmates are here too, go see your teacher, I'll go with you."
Xiaoru and Feijie: An elderly person looking at their phone on the subway (jpg);
Perhaps feeling disgusted, Xiaoru quickened her pace: "Sigh, that's true. Who would have thought that Teacher Zhao's beloved student, who used to sweep first place in all sorts of competitions, couldn't even get into the provincial Peking Opera Troupe!"
Fei immediately interrupted him: "How can you talk like that, Xiaoru? The reason why my senior brother couldn't get into the provincial academy was simply because of his gender. Everyone saw what he looked like back then!"
Cheng Jixue's boyfriend seemed shocked and hurriedly asked, "Huh? Why is that? Since Xiao Cheng is so talented, why doesn't the Provincial Peking Opera Troupe want him?"
Cheng Jixue seemed very anxious and tugged at his hand to stop him, saying, "It's not what you think, don't ask anymore!"
Xiaoru felt a surge of joy—back then, Cheng Jixue was so aloof and arrogant, always in a hurry and rarely interacting with others, yet he managed to sweep first place in every competition. He was like a dark cloud hanging over everyone's heads; so many teachers praised his talent, saying that the grandmasters were chasing after him to feed him.
So what?
Still, they can't even get into the provincial Peking Opera theater.
On the day the shortlist was announced, Xiaoru smiled so hard her face was crooked. She deliberately congratulated Sister Fei loudly, and then greedily watched Cheng Jixue leave the scene alone, her back ramrod straight.
That feeling seemed to have returned—although she didn't know why her senior brother's personality had changed like this, she was overjoyed to see Cheng Jixue's vulnerable appearance as she anxiously tried to stop her boyfriend.
She added maliciously, "Actually, senior brother, we had a feeling you'd be rejected... Have you forgotten? Sister Fei has won many more national awards than you. Sigh, the identity of a male student in a female role is really limiting!"
Cheng Jixue remained silent, staring intently at the plate in front of him with his head down, perfectly embodying the pitiful look—Zhang Chaohe bet he was laughing! He could even feel his hand trembling!
Zhang Chaohe, channeling his inner movie star, unleashed his fury, exclaiming indignantly, "Huh? This policy is so unfair! So you've never even won a national award?"
Xiaoru laughed inwardly: This idiot, didn't you see your partner is even more upset?
However, Zhang Chaohe suddenly changed his tune, looked up at Xiaoru seriously, and said, "You should thank the national policy! Since Xiao Cheng can't participate, don't you have a chance to win first place?"
Xiaoru and Sister Fei's expressions both froze at the same time.
Zhang Chaohe was still loudly nagging, determined to carry on the tradition of asking about salaries and achievements from all the relatives during holidays: "Sister Fei, you won the gold medal? Congratulations!"
This time, Xiaoru and Sister Fei fell silent.
Zhang Chaohe actually took out his phone, pretending to check the award records: "Which year was it? Sigh, to be honest, I don't really know much about Peking Opera..."
Cheng Jixue, feigning concern, tried to dissuade her, saying, "Oh dear, it's a real pity you didn't win the gold medal, but Sister Fei has already done her best!"
He rested his hands on the table, his gaze sincere and earnest: "Honestly, Sister Fei, I really envy you all for having the opportunity to compete for such an honor. No matter the outcome... you are all amazing!"
Zhang Chaohe put away his phone under Xiaoru's terrified gaze. She had just breathed a sigh of relief and gritted her teeth, preparing to try again, when Cheng Jixue's boyfriend added cheekily, "Sigh! If you had participated back then, would you have had a chance to win the gold medal?"
Cheng Jixue smiled shyly—what was most infuriating was that although his smile was very shy, it didn't have any hint of femininity. Perhaps it was because his face was too beautiful, giving him an air of both delicate beauty and noble elegance: "It should be about right, but why make so many 'ifs'?"
Xiaoru: This conversation is going to fall apart, isn't it?
At the crucial moment, Sister Fei stepped in and turned the tide—she tossed her hair, gave a fragile smile, and looked incredibly pitiful and heartbreaking: "Senior brother is right, why ask so many 'what ifs'?"
Two scheming women are competing on the same stage, with their respective "husbands" watching them intently from behind.
Fei Jie pulled her boyfriend's hand and patted it with a sigh: "Since it's destined that you can't go down this path, it's not bad to try your luck in the entertainment industry. At least you can make money. If you need anything, just tell your junior sister. I'll definitely help if my boyfriend can!"
Faye's boyfriend straightened up, changing from a half-reclined position to a sitting position, seemingly preparing to join the fray.
The other person had a cool and aloof demeanor, and his gaze was direct with a hint of arrogance. He was clearly a wealthy young man who had always been in a high position. He adjusted his glasses and smiled politely: "Since you are Feifei's senior brother, please feel free to ask if there is anything I can do to help. If I have any friends who like to have fun and are making a web series or something, you are welcome to join if you are interested."
Zhang Chaohe thought to himself, "What? Just a web series? I really thought you could get Cheng Jixue some good resources... Is that all?"
He was still complaining when the other party suddenly changed the subject and launched a direct attack on Zhang Chaohe: "This Mr. Zhang just said he's also in business? What kind of business is it? We could cooperate if there's an opportunity."
Zhang Chaohe: He gave a perfunctory answer: "My family has a business, I was just playing around."
Fei Jie's boyfriend smiled; he had already figured out what was going on with this guy—he must have a small factory at home, and he was just lazing around all day, bragging to everyone that he was a CEO.
Does he look like a CEO? These days, all sorts of ridiculous "companies" are popping up everywhere; anyone can call themselves a CEO!
He calmly pressed on, "So, what kind of business does Mr. Zhang's family own?"
You were being sarcastic and sarcastic towards my girlfriend just now, weren't you?
Cheng Jixue anxiously tugged at her boyfriend's sleeve.
Xiaoru was secretly laughing to death when she saw this. Why did you stop talking?
I love you, but I can't say it?
At this moment, Zhang Chaohe was indeed seriously considering what kind of industry his family's business should be classified as—real estate, finance, biotechnology, or healthcare.
What exactly did Chairman Zhang do to make his fortune?
Never mind, I'll just pick one randomly.