Chapter 48: Secret to Flirting – Gotta Have Money
After leaving the western restaurant, Jiang Zhou drove Chu Yuwei and Su Nan back to University Town.
Because his car couldn’t fit everyone, Chu Yuwei’s roommates had to take a separate taxi.
By now, night had fallen deeper.
The wide street had only a few scattered cars.
Chu Yuwei sat in the front passenger seat, watching Jiang Zhou.
Su Nan was in the back, watching Chu Yuwei.
The atmosphere in the car was oddly quiet and tense.
Suddenly, Jiang Zhou spoke, startling Chu Yuwei. “Why are you staring at me?”
She snapped out of it, realizing she’d been watching him the whole ride. “N-No reason… just glancing around.”
“I told you last time, this handsome face of mine charges fees. You planning on a dine-and-dash?”
Chu Yuwei shot back, “But you’ve looked at me too, and I didn’t charge you!”
Jiang Zhou glanced at her and smirked, “You think yours is worth charging for? Not even as good as Su Nan’s.”
“You—!” Chu Yuwei turned away angrily, grinding her teeth.
Su Nan, dragged into it, was also annoyed.
What did my size have to do with any of this?!
I was doing part-time work, thank you very much. I am selling culture, not myself!
Outside, the wind rustled the plane trees lining the road.
The Toyota Corolla came to a stop in front of Qingbei University.
The gate was empty, lit only by the glow of a lone streetlamp.
“I’m heading in now, Jiang Zhou,” Chu Yuwei said as she opened the door, reluctant to leave.
“Go on, and quit wandering around at night. Sooner or later, you’ll run into the real thing.”
Jiang Zhou grinned. “When I get a real girlfriend, I’ll bring her to meet you. Maybe you two can become besties.”
“No way! I don’t want to be besties with your girlfriend!”
“Too bad. If I say you’re gonna be, then you are. Now go get some sleep.”
Chu Yuwei lowered her head and walked away with a complicated expression.
She knew it. He just had to mess with her before the night ended.
And bringing his real girlfriend to meet her? That was a straight punch to the heart.
He clearly knew how she felt and still played dumb.
Just as she reached the dorm gate, Jiang Zhou called out, “Come back here!”
“You said the belt was for me, right? But you didn’t give it to me. So who’s it really for?”
Chu Yuwei paused, then snapped, “I changed my mind. I’m not giving it to you anymore.”
Jiang Zhou frowned, “So I treated you to that meal for nothing?”
“If you want a belt, go ask your real girlfriend to buy one for you. Not even worth using it on a dog like you!”
“Where are you gonna find a dog as handsome as me?!”
“Even that big black dog wandering the food street is better-looking than you!”
Jiang Zhou turned to Su Nan. “Tell me honestly, am I handsome or not?”
Su Nan lifted her eyes, coolly. “Scumbag.”
“Alright, I’m docking half your pay.”
“Ugly and a scumbag.”
Meanwhile, Chu Yuwei stormed back onto campus, but as she walked along the lake, she began to feel regret.
Why did she always let her pride get the better of her?
Would it have hurt to just give him the belt?
Was she really going to wait until he had a girlfriend to feel sorry?
She stopped walking, suddenly conflicted.
Just as she was about to turn back, her roommates arrived.
“Yuwei, were you waiting for us?”
“Let’s go back to the dorm.”
Chu Yuwei hesitated. “Was Jiang Zhou still at the gate?”
“Nope. He drove off when we got out.”
“Oh… okay. Let’s go.”
And just like that, she returned to the dorm full of thoughts.
But oddly, she didn’t feel too upset.
Because she knew that Jiang Zhou had made her go into the restaurant on purpose.
He might’ve seemed overbearing, but he was clarifying something: that he didn’t have a girlfriend.
Meanwhile, Jiang Zhou dropped Su Nan off and stumbled back to his own dorm.
Red wine usually didn’t hit hard, but three times in one night was a bit much.
Add some cold wind from driving? He was nearly wobbling.
Back in the dorm, his roommates — Xu Haodong, Gao Wenkai, and Zhang Guangfa — had been waiting all night.
After all, Jiang Zhou was the dorm’s living legend.
Dinner with three girls in one night?
How could they sleep without hearing about it?
As soon as he opened the door, the three jumped off their beds.
“Old Jiang! Did it work? Did you have a showdown?”
“Not bad,” Jiang Zhou replied, collapsing into a chair. “Some surprises, but overall, a success.”
Hearing that, the three were instantly in awe.
“Bro, open a class! We’ll kneel and take notes!”
“You guys really wanna learn?”
Jiang Zhou looked at their eager faces and nodded. “Actually, flirting is easy. You just need one thing.”
“What thing?! I’ll go get it right now!”
“I’m done with online flirting, I want the real thing!”
“I don’t wanna be a simp anymore, Brother Jiang, save me!”
Jiang Zhou grinned and held up a finger. “I had dinner with three girls tonight. Four, if you count the surprise encounter. Total cost: ten thousand yuan.”
“…How much did you say?”
“Ten grand. And that’s not counting gas.”
The three immediately stood up in disbelief.
Ten thousand?! That was enough to visit the “Pink Alley” in West City ten times over!
Xu Haodong looked at his hand dramatically. “My girlfriend is still the best. Frugal and sensible!”
Zhang Guangfa nodded. “I’ll stick to online relationships. At least I won’t starve.”
“I could use that money to buy breakfast for my goddess and her boyfriend for three years!” said Gao Wenkai.
Suddenly, they all felt better.
Sure, simping was hard, but at least their wallets weren’t empty.
No such thing as a perfect world, it seemed.
Jiang Zhou glanced at them. “What’s wrong? Don’t wanna learn anymore?”
All three in unison: “Forget it! Too expensive. That’s price gouging!”
“Bunch of cowards,” Jiang Zhou scoffed. “No wonder you’re all jealous of me.”