С нетерпением жду весеннего ветерка!

Глава 118

People are in high spirits when they have good news. Zhang Hongwei was all smiles, but then he asked cautiously, "Does it have to be Beijing? Isn't C University pretty good too?"

Shanglin and Xialin looked at each other, then exclaimed in unison, "Mom!"

Qiu Jianguo laughed heartily and waved his hand, "Come on, come on, Dad's treating today. Eat whatever you want, don't try to save your dad money!"

Zhang Hongwei rolled her eyes at her husband and chuckled, "Keep acting all high and mighty. Do you even have any money?"

"Men with money go bad"—this was a story Qiu Shanglin had subtly instilled in his mother through storytelling, making her absolutely determined to control the family finances. Qiu Jianguo could be rich, but he had to remain under her control. Zhang Hongwei knew exactly how much money Qiu Jianguo had. He had just paid for raw materials yesterday, and Qiu Jianguo had at most two hundred yuan left. He was just pretending!

Qiu Jianguo rubbed his nose: "I may not have money, but my daughter can't? At worst, we'll go to Little Wine Fairy, and I'll put it on my daughter's tab!"

Shanglin was both amused and exasperated, and scolded, "Dad, is this a treat? It's clearly ripping people off!"

Xia Lin stuck out his tongue: "You're rich, why are you afraid of getting ripped off?"

Seeing his sister make a move to hit him, he ran away in a flash: "I'm going to change my clothes. We're eating crabs today, and nobody's allowed to stop me!"

Shanglin laughed and scolded, "You've got a picky palate, so what if you get too full!"

Xia Lin opened the door, peeking out a crack, and playfully shouted, "I'd rather die than not!" Before anyone could react, he quickly closed the door and laughed triumphantly to himself.

University

It's that time of year again when new students start school.

Beijing F University welcomed its freshmen. Starting a few days ago, students and parents poured into the school, arriving two days before the official start date. The senior students, temporarily assigned to guide the new students, were extremely busy. They had just finished answering questions from the freshmen when parents came in with even more inquiries.

The freshmen, their faces slightly shy, nervously surveyed the place where they would be living for the next four years; their parents, carrying large bags and bundles, offered worried yet proud words of advice: study hard, get along well with your classmates, be well-behaved and don't fight or cause trouble...

F University is one of the nation's renowned mixed-industry key universities, especially famous for its humanities programs. Getting into this university means a high degree of certainty about future employment. Everyone here has fought tooth and nail to get in; they are all top students in their respective schools. While they may feel slightly uneasy in this unfamiliar place, most are in high spirits and full of enthusiasm.

The school was filled with cars that came to see their children off. Some had local license plates, while others had traveled from afar. Parents' love for their children was profound, and most families came together, supporting their white-haired grandparents, crying and wiping away tears.

The temporary parking lot on the playground was full, forcing many vehicles to park outside. A new Audi with local license plates was parked at the school gate, and the driver leaned out and asked:

"Excuse me, are there any parking spaces left?"

Student Union President Zhou Ji, covered in sweat, said, "I'm so sorry, it's full."

The Audi driver turned his head back and seemed to say a few words to the people in the back seat. It was noon, and the crowd was thinning. Zhou Ji ran over, smiling, "Park the car outside, I'll take you inside." Even if the car drove in, it wouldn't be able to get through.

The back door opened, and a calm, slightly indifferent voice was heard first: "Brother Hua, you can go back now. I can get in by myself."

A person got out of the car, which made Zhou Ji's eyes light up.

She wore a high ponytail, bangs that reached her eyebrows, a light pink cotton shirt with a subtle plaid pattern, charcoal gray pencil pants, and a pair of new Nike sneakers. Her outfit exuded youthful energy, yet her expression remained indifferent. When Zhou Ji's gaze met hers, she seemed momentarily taken aback, before breaking into a smile and politely nodding, "Hello."

She turned around and went to the car to get her bag.

Zhou Ji was momentarily stunned by the dazzling smile. After regaining her composure, she smiled awkwardly to cover it up and said, "Hello, junior sister. My name is Zhou Ji. Which department are you in?"

Seeing that the other person was struggling to take out a large backpack, I quickly offered to help.

"Qiu Shanglin, a freshman in mass media." Contrary to her expression, she spoke very frankly.

Zhou Ji exclaimed with delight, "I'm also from mass media—that 'junior sister' title really wasn't for nothing!"

The driver, who had just gotten out of the car, took a suitcase from the trunk and stood in front of them: "Let me take you inside." His voice had a slight Northeastern accent, but strangely, it was also mixed with a soft, southern accent.

Shang Lin smiled and took the box: "No need, you're quite busy too, I can go by myself. Please thank Ye Yao for me."

Seeing that someone was helping him, Hua Zi stopped insisting. He looked at Shang Lin, hesitated, and finally didn't say what he really wanted to say. Instead, he told him, "Go ahead, take care of yourself, and call the office if anything happens."

Shang Lin smiled and agreed to everything, then walked into the campus accompanied by Zhou Ji.

Zhou Ji helped her sign the forms at the freshman registration desk. A little while later, they went to collect their bedding and daily necessities. As he led her toward the girls' dormitory, someone suddenly rushed out from the side, grabbed Zhou Ji, and exclaimed, "Have you heard? Fan Chen is also studying at our school this year, in our department. She just came to register, and wow, all the girls rushed up to her like crazy! I can hardly believe it, Fan Chen, that's Fan Chen!"

He was extremely excited, spitting as he spoke.

Zhou Ji was a little embarrassed and struggled to get away: "Stop messing around, my junior sister is here!"

"Junior sister? Ha, no, Fan Chen is a boy, he's a junior brother, our direct junior brother! Good heavens, I can't believe it, it's Fan Chen, Fan Chen, Fan Chen!" He shouted Fan Chen's name as if the other party had magic power, attracting the attention of the surrounding students.

Zhou Ji was extremely embarrassed. He struggled to break free and awkwardly explained to Shang Lin, "Don't pay attention to him, he's crazy!"

Only then did the other person notice Qiu Shanglin's presence. After looking her up and down, they whistled in amazement: "Wow, beautiful!"

He took the initiative to extend his hand and introduce himself with a grin: "Ren Feng, everyone calls me Fengzi, also known as the 'Crazy Person'." Putting aside his appearance and attitude, just look at his outstretched hands, which were covered in sweat and dirt, making them dirty. Most pretty young girls wouldn't like to shake hands with him.

When Zhou Ji saw his old friend using this trick again, he was afraid that Shang Lin would feel embarrassed and unable to back down, so he quickly stepped in to help him out. Unexpectedly, Qiu Shang Lin also smiled and shook hands with him readily: "Qiu Shang Lin, it would be better if Senior Brother were less crazy!" He casually teased him.

Seeing that she didn't look down on him like other girls, Ren Feng was overjoyed. He grinned and patted her shoulder with his paw: "Alright, Qiu Shanglin, right? From now on, your senior brother will protect you!"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a deep voice called out from not far away: "Shanglin!"

They looked up at the sound and saw a boy with a buzz cut, thick eyebrows and big eyes, who was not exactly handsome but had a heroic air about him walking towards them.

"I told you to wait for me, why did you come here on your own?" When they walked up to them, the other person didn't bother to greet them and just scolded Qiu Shanglin.

Qiu Shanglin's smile vanished long ago, and she said coldly, "I have hands and feet, why can't I do it myself!"

The person who came was Li Changsheng.

Seeing Shang Lin's cold attitude, he felt his enthusiasm had been met with indifference. He touched his nose, didn't argue, and politely introduced himself to Zhou Ji and Ren Feng: "Hello, senior brothers, my name is Li Changsheng, I'm Shang Lin's friend. I'm also a freshman this year, in the architecture department!"

He had a broad and open face, and a cheerful and generous demeanor, making it impossible to feel any ill will towards him. Zhou Ji smiled as well: "My name is Zhou Ji, and this is Ren Feng. He's helping Qiu with her luggage—oh, we're both her senior classmates."

Not satisfied with Zhou Ji's introduction, Ren Feng chuckled and extended his hand: "My name is Ren Feng."

Zhou Ji had clearly introduced him earlier, yet he repeated it, and then deliberately tried to shake hands with Changsheng. Changsheng shook hands without hesitation, saying, "Please take care of me, Senior Brother."

A smile played on his face, but the strength in his hand didn't match his smile. The two men with ulterior motives were secretly competing under the guise of shaking hands. Although Ren Feng had brute strength, he was no match for Li Changsheng, who had practiced martial arts for many years. His grip was painful, but he couldn't cry out in pain because of his pride, and he didn't want to admit defeat, so he could only endure it.

Shang Lin ignored their undercurrents and turned his back to look around the campus. It was Zhou Ji who noticed Ren Feng's expression and quickly smoothed things over: "Li Changsheng, right? Can you help me with Qiu's luggage?"

This finally freed Ren Feng.

Ren Feng was unwilling to admit defeat and glared at Li Changsheng. However, Li Changsheng was 1.8 meters tall, and he lost the battle in terms of imposing presence. Changsheng lowered his head slightly and glared back at him, arrogant and unruly.

Suddenly a group of girls ran by, screaming, "Fan Chen is here! Fan Chen is here!" Their voices were high-pitched and shrill, as if they had been given stimulants.

After they ran past, Zhou Ji handed the luggage to Li Changsheng and took Ren Feng to continue maintaining order. Before leaving, Ren Feng muttered, "See? I told you Fan Chen was coming, but you didn't believe me!"

Shang Lin racked his brains trying to remember who Fan Chen was, but he couldn't recall. He shrugged and let it go.

Changsheng, on the other hand, was so humble and submissive that she found it very uncomfortable to watch. She scolded him, "Alright, stop pretending! Who knows what you'll say to Mom when we get back, don't tell her I bullied you!"

After Changsheng's college entrance exam results were released, he returned to Guangzhou with Sun Yihan. However, once the application process was over, he secretly slipped back to Zifang Town without telling anyone. As the saying goes, even a strong woman can be won over by persistent suitors. When Qiu Shanglin met Li Changsheng, such a persistent and stubborn guy who didn't know what giving up meant, even a blockhead like her blossomed.

Shanglin tacitly approved, Xialin vigorously promoted it, and Qiu Jianguo and his wife pretended not to know. By the time they were about to head north at the end of the summer vacation, they were already a well-known couple among their relatives and neighbors.

Everyone praised them highly, saying that the two were childhood sweethearts who knew each other well and got into the same university, which must be fate!

Only Aunt Zhang Chunhua made a sarcastic remark: "Who knows if it's fate or someone with ulterior motives. At such a young age, she doesn't seem to have any ambition, chasing after Shanglin. Who knows if she's after him or his money!"

Ever since she learned that Shanglin was wealthy, she has been coming up with all sorts of bad ideas that make everyone unhappy. She introduced her nephew to Shanglin and tried to place people in the company. It's both funny and exasperating. Because she is an elder and there is also the relationship between her and her uncle, people can't really openly confront her.

Fortunately, my uncle has improved a lot over the years and has learned to be grateful. He has worked at Mocha Company for many years, enjoying a prestigious position, but without real power. He is happy to take the money without doing any work.

Shang Lin had considered that family-run businesses were not conducive to development and integration, especially with a large number of family members. Those in power might want to manage but dare not, or dare not speak their minds, creating a vicious cycle. However, arranging for his uncle to work at the company was a last resort. At Mocha, he knew to restrain himself and was too embarrassed to make mistakes and be scolded by his niece. If he were with his parents, he would likely remain a tyrant, causing even more headaches.

The younger uncle behaved adequately, though not worth the salary he was paid. But Shanglin thought that family harmony was paramount, so for the sake of his grandparents, he decided to consider it as if he were paying for the care of this elder himself.

While it's easier to get things done with family members, Shanglin strictly controls the number of relatives within the company. All relatives who can join the company, except for the younger uncle, must have genuine talent and skills to justify their salary. Moreover, they are not allowed to attempt to interfere with the company's operations in the name of kinship.

As a result, the Mocha Cat brand has thrived over the years. It is a top-tier brand in China, and while it may not be considered top-tier internationally, it has at least made a name for itself in the second or third tier.

Mocha Cat is developing steadily, its bougainvillea is booming, occupying half of the southern flower market, and has established multiple flower cultivation bases in Suzhou, Yunnan and other places. It has also jointly established a vegetable new variety development and research institute with the National Research Institute, and its development is in full swing.

The land she bought appreciated wildly, and then appreciated even more. Qiu Shanglin was optimistic about the real estate market. Whenever she had money, she would buy land and buildings. When the land and building prices rose, she would resell them and use the profits to buy more land and buildings. According to the professional financial advisor she hired, excluding the Nine Bougainvillea Company, the total value of the Mocha Cat brand and the land she owned would exceed 100 million yuan.

Shanglin scratched her head. Without realizing it, she had become a billionaire.