The beautiful CEO falls in love with me
Chapter 744 - 720:

Chapter 744: Chapter 720:

Li Ruo was left dumbfounded upon hearing this. That bastard Ye Chen actually snatched so much money from the Japanese?! But how could Li Ruo know that all that money was buried in Japan itself? At that time, Ye Chen fled with his brothers, almost cornered with nowhere to run by the Japanese military. With so much baggage, it was definitely a burden, so the Heavenly Reversal Gang immediately buried these priceless treasures in a hidden location in Japan, planning to dig them up in the future.

"Shit, that much?!" Zhang Bufen almost fell off his chair when he heard that.

"Exactly!" Ye Chen grinned and said, "But, none of that money is for you!"

"Then you really have to attend this charity event. You should donate more, shearing the wool right off the sheep!" Zhang Bufen laughed heartily.

"Alright, for that comment alone, I’ll go!" Ye Chen laughed.

"Then it’s settled!" Zhang Bufen’s eyes lit up with anticipation. On that evening, he planned to fleece Ye Chen thoroughly; otherwise, he wouldn’t deserve to be called Zhang. Having gotten Ye Chen’s confirmation, Zhang Bufen promptly took his leave with his people, but before leaving, he pulled out a pack of Panda cigarettes from his pocket, ostentatiously lit one, and strutted out in front of Ye Chen.

"Wow, Panda cigarettes, huh!" Ye Chen muttered, then looking at the cigarette stub in the ashtray that Zhang Bufen had smoked, he said, "What a waste of a Zhonghua, just because it was boxed in a Red Double Happiness pack, how could it be so devalued? Sigh, some people just have no taste, they can’t appreciate the finer things!"

Cough...

Zhang Bufen had just walked out when he nearly stumbled—his face turned beet red. Without looking back, he left the scene as if he wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into. He felt the sting of indignation upon realizing that the cigarette Ye Chen had given him was also a Zhonghua, just disguised in a Red Double Happiness pack. Shit, no wonder it tasted so rich, but... At this thought, Zhang Bufen sighed deeply, cursing himself for being blinded.

As soon as Zhang Bufen left, Li Ruo immediately asked, "Are you really going to that charity event?"

"Definitely!" Ye Chen nodded and said, "Without me, wouldn’t it be too boring?!"

"Hehe, I’m going too!" Li Ruo said with a smile.

...

As night fell, Ye Chen walked to Jianghuai University and waited at the entrance for Liu Momo to show up. It was already the fourth year, meaning, starting next month Liu Momo would formally graduate and leave the school to officially become a member of society.

At the school gate, there were many new faces and even more familiar ones. Some people recognized Ye Chen and waved at him.

"Ye... Ye Chen?!" A dirt-smudged man, incessantly flipping materials in the grill by the roadside, caught sight of Ye Chen and immediately greeted him excitedly. Ye Chen was taken aback and asked, "You... who are you?"

"Don’t you recognize me? I’m Fatty Liu, the former owner of Liu Ji’s Barbecue Shop over here!" the man said excitedly.

"Ah, it’s you?!" Ye Chen exclaimed in surprise, asking, "Wasn’t your Liu Ji’s Barbecue Shop doing well? What happened...?"

"Ah, it’s a long story. Come, take a seat here, I’ll treat you to a drink!" Fatty Liu hurriedly pulled Ye Chen to sit down on a small stool next to him. He then called over a middle-aged woman who was sorting materials to help with the barbecue. The woman glanced at Ye Chen, washed her hands, and took over Fatty Liu’s work.

Fatty Liu handed Ye Chen two bottles of beer and then opened one for himself. Taking a sip, he began to recount his lamentable and winding life story. After the Mad Dragon Gang threw their weight around Jianghuai City, Fatty Liu, like many other shop owners, chose to venture elsewhere to start a new business. Unfortunately, his entrepreneurial journey was fraught with setbacks. His once-prosperous barbecue venture was ruined, and after consecutive failures, Fatty Liu fell into despair and subsequently drifted into the gambling world.

With gambling being a surefire path to loss, Fatty Liu ended up squandering even the small nest egg he’d saved for his own funeral, incurring a mountain of debt in the process. However, with the encouragement of his wife, Fatty Liu picked himself up again. Despite having lost all his capital, he restarted his barbecue business—his old line of work. Today marked one month since he had reopened, and coincidentally, he ran into Ye Chen. Fatty Liu told Ye Chen that his greatest dream in life was to earn enough money to repay his wife.

After listening to Fatty Liu, Ye Chen felt that life was just like that, with its ups and downs. Some people have smooth sailing, while others face turbulent times. God created humans and bestowed upon each a unique life; your smooth sailing today doesn’t guarantee that the future will be the same.

"Come on, drink up!" Fatty Liu held a bottle of liquor, tears streaming down his face. In his eyes, perhaps he had already faced enough of life’s storms, but to many others, all he had been through was nothing more than a play. Once the play ended and the curtain closed, it all became irrelevant to him.

Ye Chen was one of those who watched this play. Fatty Liu drank crazily with Ye Chen, and the middle-aged woman beside them didn’t utter a single word of complaint. It was clear that she was strong-hearted and gentle in appearance. Eventually, Fatty Liu collapsed onto the table, thoroughly drunk. Ye Chen said to the woman, "Fatty Liu is a good man, take good care of him!"

After saying this, Ye Chen left ten bright red banknotes on the table and then left the place.

Not long after he walked away, another call came in. Ye Chen had a global phone plan, so losing his phone or SIM card didn’t matter—he could replace them anytime. After answering the call, Ye Chen learned that it was Young Master Wei. After a long time without contact, Young Master Wei had actually called him.

"Ye Chen, I’ve already completed fifteen races, and now I’ve got the super license for formula racing. In another month, I’ll be officially participating in formula racing!" Young Master Wei couldn’t help but sound proud as he spoke. This man who once had dealings with Ye Chen now had a tone full of confidence. Excited, he said, "Ye Chen, I’ve realized my life’s dream, what about you?!"

Young Master Wei’s last phrase deeply touched a chord within Ye Chen’s heart. Whether it was Fatty Liu or Young Master Wei, they both represented the current society—one from the grassroots, the other a rich second-generation. They belonged to different social circles, but they both had the heart to advance. Although their dreams were worlds apart, at least they had goals and life aspirations. But what about himself?

"Congratulations!" Ye Chen replied with a faint smile.

"My efforts have been recognized. Li Hao even wants to run formula racing with me!" Young Master Wei exhaled and said, "I just got my super license and you’re the first one I’m telling because you are the most important man in my life!"

"Shit, I’m not into that stuff!" Ye Chen laughed out loud.

"Haha, neither am I!" laughed Young Master Wei. "But still, I have to thank you, Ye Chen. If it weren’t for that conversation we had back then, I wouldn’t have such an ambitious goal. I’ll always remember that we should live for our dreams!"

"That’s right, we should live for our dreams!" Ye Chen nodded, "You’ve gotten the essence of it, you’re not that aimless young punk anymore, keep it up, I believe in you!"

"Haha, thank you!" Young Master Wei grinned, "I just wonder if Li Hao will die of anger when he hears this news. I need to go tell him right away!"

After hanging up the phone, Ye Chen felt a mix of emotions. Fatty Liu’s life was a tragedy, but the future was yet unknown. Young Master Wei’s life was full of struggle; even though he had been young and naive, at least he was still young. Isn’t there a saying: Always youthful, ever reckless.

Young Master Wei had the capital to be reckless, which was his youth. Fatty Liu didn’t have that; he was already in his forties, middle-aged, and had to start all over.

A cool breeze blew under the evening sky, making the May climate particularly pleasant. Ye Chen looked at the bright street lights around him and couldn’t help but quicken his pace. Life requires constant progress—once you stop moving forward, you fall behind.

At the entrance of Jianghuai University, it was lively with chirping swallows and singing orioles. Groups of girls were all dressed in sexy camisoles and black stockings, no wonder there was a throng of boys hanging around the school entrance, all there to check out the girls.

Ye Chen stood aside, cigarette in his mouth, when a senior student approached and asked with a smile, "Dude, got a light?"

Ye Chen was generous, handing over his lighter. After lighting his cigarette, the student handed it back to Ye Chen and curiously asked, "Here to check out the girls too?"

"Heh, kinda!" Ye Chen nodded.

"Ha, what a coincidence, me too!" The student flashed a grin, and they chatted about this and that. Soon a girl appeared and the student immediately went over to her. To Ye Chen, it seemed like a simple attempt to strike up a conversation and maybe get her number. Ye Chen didn’t pay much attention, but to his surprise, another guy showed up—a scene that Ye Chen once experienced on a bus.

The new guy kissed the girl and then bragged smugly to the guy who had asked for the lighter. The student came back to Ye Chen, clearly annoyed. He complained, "Shit, getting all smug over a girl I’ve already been with!"

"Ha, did you get turned down for a number, and then her boyfriend showed up?" Ye Chen smiled wryly.

"Cut it out," the student snapped grudgingly. "That woman is from the Arts Department, and we’ve been fuck buddies for half a year. I just wanted to say hi to her today, but she ignored me. Then this guy shows up, tells me ’this is how you pick up girls,’ and starts kissing her. Needless to say, that’s her boyfriend."