Boss Lu: A reborn life is destined to be without regrets!
Chapter 124 - 109. San Mao and He Xi

Chapter 124: 109. San Mao and He Xi

"Hey, are you busy tonight?"

During the final day of the National Day holidays, the main road was bustling with traffic.

The compact Golf moved steadily through the traffic.

Mou Keyan’s business debut was scheduled for after the start of school, so naturally, Mr. Lu’s answer was that he wasn’t busy.

"What would you like to eat tonight? Let’s have dinner together."

"You mean swindle another meal from me?"

Lu Jincheng teased with a smile.

"I’ll treat!"

Zhong Ruixi glared at him.

"Then I want to eat the slippery pork slices from the third cafeteria, I haven’t eaten there in a long time."

"Sure, let’s get the cafeteria auntie to serve you half a pound of rice, maybe it’ll stuff you."

The two chatted in the car until they smoothly drove into National Avenue and stopped at the entrance of Nanhu University.

They agreed to meet at the third cafeteria at six in the evening, and with reluctance, Zhong Ruixi waved goodbye and headed back first.

...

Lu Jincheng pushed open the door to Room 603 and found his other two roommates surrounding Qiang Zhihao, showering him with compliments.

"Brother Qiang! I’m calling you brother now, take me for a ride sometime, I’ve never been in a BMW before!"

"No way, Qiangzi, your family spoils you too much, right? It’s unbeatable!"

Qiang Zhihao crossed his arms, his eyes squinting into a small gap, unable to hide the smirk on his face.

"Ah, during the National Day holiday, it was my grandfather’s big birthday, all kinds of distant relatives came back..."

Qiang Zhihao changed into a sporty designer outfit, and where there had been a few books on his desk, now sat the latest Apple laptop, phone, and tablet trio.

Besides these digital gadgets displayed openly, a set of brand new keys hung on his belt, the blue and white logo clearly visible.

"What does the relatives returning have to do with you getting a car?"

Zhang Gaoqiang asked curiously.

"You’re silly, Lao Zhang. For families like Qiangzi’s, distant relatives might meet once in eight hundred years; whenever they meet, they definitely bring each other some gifts."

Liu Yisheng put it diplomatically.

Speaking of which, those digital products were gifts celebrating Qiang Zhihao’s university admission, actually a form of veiled competition for favors.

With uncles and aunts gifting phones and tablets, Qiang Zhihao’s family would inevitably have to reciprocate with gifts of equal or greater value.

Otherwise, they would lose face.

Favor is a cycle, spinning round and round, hard to step out of its bounds.

Qiang Zhihao’s grandfather was an elder of Jiang City and part of the first batch of university students after college entrance exams were reinstated. He first entered politics and then went into business, accumulating considerable experience.

Leveraging the birthday celebration, the whole family was gathered, and in a good mood from a bit of drink, they started discussing the next generation.

Someone mentioned, nowadays, having a car makes it easier for young people to find a partner.

The old man heard this and decided on the spot, agreeing to buy Qiang Zhihao a BMW 3 Series.

As the saying goes, clothes make the man and saddles make the horse; with the oldest grandson now in university, it was time he started dating!

No problem!

Qiang Zhihao drove the BMW straight to the dormitory building, stepping out with his back straight.

He faced glances from all directions, walking as if a breeze followed him.

"Ah, it’s just a car for getting around, nothing much to see."

No matter how hard he tried, Qiang Zhihao couldn’t suppress the smirk, making polite remarks while acting all pretentious.

"Alright then, if the brothers want to go for a joyride, I can’t really say no."

"Let’s go, Lao Lu, come down and check it out! Qiangzi got a car!"

Just when Lu Jincheng returned to the dorm, he was immediately grabbed by his roommates and they all headed downstairs.

Sure enough, below the Management College dormitory building, quite a few students had already gathered around the Monte Carlo blue BMW, pointing and discussing.

After all, no teacher would park there, as they all had their designated parking spots.

Where did this rich second generation spawn from?

Qiang Zhihao, a few ten meters away, proudly reached for the keys on his belt and pressed the unlock button.

Under the eyes of the onlookers, he opened the driver’s side door and sat down with his roommates.

"Brother Qiang, how much did this car cost?"

Zhang Gaoqiang touched here and there, unable to hold back his curiosity.

"About three hundred seventy or eighty thousand."

Qiang Zhihao turned on the stereo, and Jay Chou’s "der" melody began to play softly.

"That expensive?"

Zhang Gaoqiang was surprised, calculating the price, he commented,

"This car, in our hometown in Gansheng, could give a dowry to marry a wife..."

Gansheng, those who know, know.

Three hundred eighty-eight thousand, no taking back, no bargaining.

"What?"

As soon as these words dropped, the quick-reacting Liu Yisheng jumped in shock.

"Lao Zhang, what did you say? Are you kidding me?"

"What’s up?"

Zhang Gaoqiang blinked, clueless.

"What did you just say, how much for the dowry?"

"Three hundred eighty-eight thousand, what’s up?"

"Shit!"

Liu Yisheng, who had thought he misunderstood, suddenly froze.

"Wait, what kind of custom is that in your place? Does the bride’s family take the dowry back to their minor home?"

He continued to probe.

"Yes,"

Zhang Gaoqiang nodded.

"Oh... I see."

Liu Yisheng covered his chest, relieved.

"They don’t take the money back, just two blankets."

Zhang Gaoqiang finally finished the sentence.

"...."

At this, even Qiang Zhihao couldn’t hold back, "Lao Zhang, are you fucking kidding me?"

In this era, in slightly more developed cities, dowry was rarely mentioned.

Even if it was, it was more a formality between families.

The notorious reputation of Gansheng had not yet spread nationwide.

"I testify; he’s not joking. Just be secretly happy with the three-eighty-eight."

Lu Jincheng, playing with his phone in the passenger seat, didn’t even look up as he casually said.

"In a few more years, it will become six hundred and eighty-eight thousand."

"Why look for a troublesome wife then?"

Liu Yisheng was righteously indignant, "If I were Lao Zhang, I wouldn’t give a penny."

"If you don’t give, there are plenty of others who will."

Lu Jincheng just smiled and didn’t speak.

"Come on, Lao Zhang, you’re so frugal, you’re not planning to start saving for the bridal price since starting university, are you?"

"What else can I do?"

"..."

Ironically, it was Qiang Zhihao who drove a new car taking everyone for a ride, but the atmosphere somehow shifted to another topic.

"So, I’m really envious of you guys, whether it’s Lao Lu, Qiangzi, or doctor."

Everyone came from different regions and except for Lu Jincheng, none had heard of such an exaggerated custom.

People advised Zhang Gaoqiang for quite a while, but he showed no reaction, thoroughly brainwashed.

In fact, in today’s highly developed productive forces, other than the pain brought by injuries and diseases that objectively exist, all other sufferings are brought to oneself by individual values.

"If you can’t find a girlfriend, you’ll have to go back for an arranged marriage, and accept the reality."

Zhang Gaoqiang whispered.

"You should try harder!"

Liu Yisheng was angry at his lack of effort.

"I’ve been trying! Lao Lu agreed to let me help out at his studio, I’ve been analyzing data every day the past two days."

"You let Lao Zhang into ’Golden Stone’?"

Qiang Zhihao turned his head, curiously looking at Lu Jincheng.

"Yes, there’s a position that fits Lao Zhang well; he doesn’t mind the hassle."

Lu Jincheng nodded with a smile.

"That gives you a lot more chances to get off the singles list, Lao Zhang."

Qiang Zhihao changed his expression, pressed the accelerator deeper, and said earnestly.

"’Golden Stone’ studio is full of beautiful women. Just now, the senior I’ve been dating told me she passed the interview; you’ll get to interact closely with these people, you’ve got a shot!"

"Who?"

Lu Jincheng turned his head.

"Jiang Yu."

"Oh~ I interviewed her, she’s quite nice."

Having mentioned the name, Mr. Lu remembered this person.

"Yeah, I think she’s pretty good too."

Qiang Zhihao straightened his back, his tone filled with a different implication.

"The senior you were dating cautiously, was it her?"

Lu Jincheng asked again.

"Lao Lu, you really see right through me."

Qiang Zhihao couldn’t help squinting his eyes, clearly pleased with himself.

"...Congratulations, congratulations, you’ve got what it takes."

Mr. Lu recalled Jiang Yu’s self-introduction and stopped speaking.

This guy’s probably over his head; can Qiang Zhihao handle it?

...

...

Qiang Zhihao drove everyone around Nanhu Lake for a whole round, found an empty lot, and let Liu Yisheng and Zhang Gaoqiang have some fun revving up the car, basking in praise.

"Guys, how about a little barbecue?"

As they arrived at the gates of Nanhu University, Qiang Zhihao seemed reluctant to end it.

"I won’t go, I have a date."

By the time he returned to the dorm it was nearly six o’clock, Lu Jincheng changed his clothes, and headed straight to the third canteen.

Despite the crowd, he instantly noticed the tall Zhong Ruixi.

Back in her dorm, she had changed into attire that made her look effortlessly relaxed from the vibrantly pretty girl to a mellow university student.

She appeared completely unadorned—besides her naturally striking face, her attire looked exactly like a university girl who could jump into bed at any second.

Loose sleep pants and a pair of pink flip-flops, with just a long-sleeved T-shirt thrown on, only the versatile tote slung across indicated she was really out and not just cozily in her room.

Looking around, only real beauties dare dress so casually on a date.

"Let’s go, I just topped up my meal card!"

Lu Jincheng walked up to her; Zhong Ruixi pulled out her meal card from her tote bag, shook it at him with a smile brimming.

"Aunty, I’d like a dish of slippery pork slices and the home-style stir-fry pork..."

The two made their way up to the top floor of the third canteen and slowly advanced through the line like worms.

Zhong Ruixi stood in front of him, waving her hand to order food from the canteen aunty.

"I’m telling you, I have a weak stomach."

While searching for a seat, Lu Jincheng, carrying his brimming tray, whispered into Zhong Ruixi’s ear.

"Hmm?"

"The doctors say I’m suited for soft meals."

"Go away, driving all this way and you’re still spouting such nonsense, you smooth talker!"

Zhong Ruixi turned her head away, laughing so hard she almost quaked.

"I’d believe you if your studio closed down."

"What if it really does close down?"

Lu Jincheng found two places and they sat down facing each other.

"Here, let me swipe your meal card; canteen food, sissy can afford it."

Zhong Ruixi slightly lifted her chin, spreading open her hand to hand over the meal card to Lu Jincheng.

As a typical Northern girl, she naturally had an air of boldness.

As long as she considered you one of her own, she would generously give without sparing, sincerely offering her heart.

And precisely because of this, those men who flaunted their wealth and tried to pave their way with money could never get close to her.

"Boss Zhong this generous?"

Lu Jincheng didn’t accept the card, just smiling teasingly at her.

"Not bad, just the canteen— for delicacies, I can’t afford it."

Zhong Ruixi picked up a piece of slippery pork slice, placing it naturally in Lu Jincheng’s bowl.

"What if I ate too much even in the canteen?"

Lu Jincheng asked again.

"Not much, not much."

Zhong Ruixi raised her head, the ceiling lights casting on her side face as if reflecting warmth.

She looked at the bowl across containing a four-liang (200 grams) serving of rice, her eyes sparkling.

"I could even eat less in the future."