Early the next morning.
Huang Jun followed Li Jing to the hotel buffet for breakfast.
"Jingzi, this luxury hotel really is different."
Walking down the hallway of the restaurant, Huang Jun saw an array of meticulously arranged dishes, with Chinese and Western foods complementing each other beautifully.
Though Huang Jun pretended to be unfazed, his eyes darted around, dazzled by the variety.
Before Li Jing could arrange anything, Huang Jun had already grabbed a tray and started selecting his breakfast.
Li Jing, however, was immune to hotel breakfasts, finding them mostly the same. He casually grabbed some food and found a seat in a booth for two.
After waiting for a while without Huang Jun returning, Li Jing frowned in confusion and was about to call him when he saw a bulky figure carefully carrying a full tray walking over.
"Quick, quick, quick, get this cup of coffee for me, I can’t hold it!"
After taking the coffee, Li Jing glanced at the pile of food on the tray and quipped, "Are you here for breakfast or to stock up?
Why not just take the whole place while you’re at it?"
"It’s a buffet anyway, eat as much as you want without extra charge."
With the loaded tray safely down, Huang Jun sighed in relief, tossed a pastry into his mouth, then curiously asked as he sat across from Li Jing:
"By the way, how much was the room you booked last night? Eight hundred or over a thousand? It’s too expensive. I usually only stay at places that cost three or four hundred."
At this, Li Jing sipped his milk, calmly corrected him, "It’s five thousand eight per night."
Huang Jun spat out the bite of beef he was chewing and stared wide-eyed, "How much? Five thousand eight? For one night? Just for that suite? Why don’t they just rob us?"
Watching his friend’s shocked face, Li Jing continued calmly, "Our suite includes breakfast. If breakfast wasn’t included, eating here would cost 288 per person."
"This buffet breakfast costs 288 per person?"
Huang Jun’s eyes widened even more.
Immediately, with a serious look, he got up and headed back to the food area, "No way, I think I can eat some more."
After breakfast, having eaten enough for five people, Huang Jun was still shaking his head in regret, "I should have done an hour of cardio first thing this morning to empty my stomach before breakfast. What a loss, what a loss!"
Li Jing glanced at his friend’s protruding belly, "A loss? I’m afraid if you eat any more, they’ll kick us out."
"What are you saying? I’m helping you get your money’s worth."
Huang Jun complained, "You’re not thinking this place is too cheap, are you? Yesterday, with internet, meals, and the three-day hotel stay, you’ve already spent nearly thirty thousand."
Li Jing nodded without denying, actually thinking the price could be higher, so his system could reward him more.
After yesterday’s spending, his system had refunded nearly three hundred thousand, making a net profit of two hundred seventy thousand after costs.
And as of now, his savings had reached tens of millions, so a few thousand or ten thousand in expenses didn’t feel significant.
As the two of them walked out of the hotel lobby, Huang Jun, following Li Jing, couldn’t help but ask, "Jingzi, why are you up so early? Do you have any plans for today?"
Thinking of going online yesterday afternoon, Huang Jun grinned in anticipation, "How about we go online again? Those game companions were great, I even dreamed of their voices last night..."
"Li Jing, over here."
Suddenly, a gentle voice came from the side.
Huang Jun looked surprised and turned his head in shock, "No way, you didn’t call the game companion here... Zhou Li?!!"
Turning around, he saw a naturally clean face, and his eyes widened.
Yet Zhou Li was confused, "What game companion? Did you invite some other girls?"
"No, it was Huang Jun who called them." Li Jing seemed to have expected her arrival.
Huang Jun quickly explained, "Hey?! I didn’t call anyone!"
Seeing the two about to leave shoulder to shoulder, Huang Jun hurriedly shouted, "Wait, where are you guys going?"
Li Jing turned his head, "We’re going for a walk, enjoy yourself at the hotel."
Zhou Li also turned around with a blushing face and apologized, "Sorry, Huang Jun, I only invited Li Jing..."
Watching them turn back and leave together, Huang Jun was dumbfounded, as if struck by lightning.
Then, he protested indignantly:
"Come on! A bachelor is still a man, okay? I need some female companionship too!"
On the city sidewalk, plane tree leaves danced in the wind, spinning and parting, overlapping and parting once more, eventually landing in their respective places.
Li Jing and Zhou Li walked under the rows of plane trees, the breeze brushing their faces, much like a newly dating couple with a hint of shyness.
Li Jing glanced at Zhou Li beside him, noticing her clothes were not only bright and clean, but the seams of the sleeves had straight creases, clearly indicating new clothes worn for the first time.
Did she go out of her way to buy new clothes just for today?
Though he didn’t get up too early himself and had to wait for Huang Jun to finish the heap of breakfast, it was still only around ten in the morning now.
Finding a store open at this time to buy new clothes wasn’t easy.
Thinking of this, Li Jing hesitated for a moment, then said, "Your outfit looks great today, it really suits your style."
As expected, as soon as he spoke, Zhou Li looked up with eyes full of delight.
Clearly, Li Jing’s compliment struck a chord with her.
Looking at her bright, clear eyes, Li Jing smiled, "Of course, it’s true."
Being affirmed again, Zhou Li blushed, lowered her head, and replied softly, her joy evident.
Then, nervously fidgeting with her skirt’s hem, she bravely said, "Thank you for being willing to come with me. Yesterday I didn’t..."
"Yesterday’s incident wasn’t your fault."
Before she could finish, Li Jing interrupted, "You don’t need to feel guilty or apologize to me. In fact, it was my problem."
At this, Zhou Li couldn’t help but look up at Li Jing’s profile, conflicted and complicated.
Then she lowered her head again, saying, "No, you weren’t wrong either."
Upon hearing her brief yet firm response, Li Jing was surprised, not expecting her to defend him, and after a moment of silence, he said, "Thank you for understanding."
After that, the two once again fell into silence.
Li Jing’s heart remained calm. Even after Zhou Li specifically added him as a friend to invite him out today last night, there wasn’t much surprise.
Towards Zhou Li, the only concern in his heart was not wanting to hurt this earnest, innocent girl.
If she made the first move, Li Jing certainly wouldn’t refuse.
Her external qualities alone far surpassed most girls, not to mention she was also a clean and pure girl. Such words are not found in the dictionary of those women chasing money.
But if she wasn’t ready, he would never force it.
Such girls, if something happens before they are ready, one must take responsibility, not just throw money and leave.
At least, Li Jing still believed he wasn’t someone who would heartlessly leave after getting what he wanted.
And after a restless night of tossing and turning, Zhou Li put aside all other messy thoughts, deciding just to follow her heart and simply spend time with Li Jing, even if it was only for a day.
Because she feared that if she missed this opportunity, she might never see him again in the future.
Years of longing, Zhou Li only wanted to put a complete ending to it.
Even though she still hadn’t figured out how to interact with Li Jing, she knew that by doing this, at least she wouldn’t regret it.
Thus, these two individuals with different thoughts walked side by side to the end of the street.
"There is Lishui University of Technology."
Seeing the huge arched gate, steeped in history and time, Zhou Li took a deep breath and turned to Li Jing, invitingly saying:
"Let’s go inside and take a look around. It was always something I wanted to do with you, stroll through the campus.
Although it’s not our school, I imagine the atmosphere isn’t too different."
Hearing this, Li Jing’s expression shifted slightly as he looked at the academy not far away that had nurtured countless students, nodding:
"Sure, I haven’t been to a campus in years. I wonder what’s different about schools these days."
Zhou Li, hearing this, looked ahead and silently thought:
Times have changed. Schools may not change, but surely the people are no longer the same.