Chapter 26 Welcome, Young Master Chen
"I-I'm not staying here!"
Yang Xia took one look at Lu Chen and understood his meaning.
It was so embarrassing!
Yang Xia hastily shook his head.
"Dear, I've been so good to you so why don't you be good for me too, and wait here for just a moment? I'll get the money, drive back to pick you up and spend the night together!" Lu Chen subtly eyed Chen Hao as he said this.
It was a reminder to Yang Xia. We're only here today because we want to humiliate Chen Hao. Don't mess this up.
Right, of course!
Yang Xia calmed down at the thought of Chen Hao.
My new boyfriend has to be a hundred times-no, ten thousand times better than Chen Hao!
This is not the time to make a fool of myself in front of him.
"Fine, I'm staying! I know you're loaded anyway!"
Yang Xia raised her voice on purpose. Realizing that Yang Xia had acquiesced, Lu Chen hightailed it out of there. Yang Xia wanted to ask the rest of her friends to accompany her. But Meng Cairu said it was bad to have so many of them out and about, so she took the rest of them home.
Chen Hao was the last to leave. To be honest, it hurt him to see Yang Xia like this.
Really, it hurt!
Lu Chen just left her at the restaurant all alone in the middle of the night. Chen Hao felt a pang in his heart just thinking about.
They had dated for three years, after all.
He'd be lying if he said that love wasn't real.
Even if he constantly felt disappointed with her. Hatred, even.
Even if he kept reminding himself that she was a heartless backstabber.
But it really bothered him to see her like this.
If Yang Xia could find it in her to beg him for help, Chen Hao would probably have softened right there and then.
But Yang Xia did nothing more than shoot him a cold look and hugged her shoulders, which was her way of saying, 'Just you wait, Lu Chen will come for me soon.!' Ah, well!
Chen Hao sighed. If this is how it is, then there's no point making a fool of myself.
Maybe his heart was hurting for a different Yang Xia. Not the materialistic Yang Xia she was right now, but the considerate, affectionate Yang Xia.
Chen Hao left with a bitter taste in his mouth.
Back at his dorm, he thought about it some more. It was supposed to be a great day for him, especially after he got his payback from Lu Chen in front of all his classmates.
So why wasn't he even a little bit happy?
Just then, Yang Hui came over and patted him on the shoulder, "Chen Hao, my man! Just wanted to check on your wallet after that spending spree. I mean, none of us even came close to stopping you back there! Although, it would be nice if you used that 200,000 to pay for your studies!"
Chen Hao smiled, "What? I never said I won 200,000."
"What?"
The boys instantly scooted closer, all with surprised looks.
"Heh, I'd actually won much more than this. This dinner may have cost me several hundred thousand, but it didn't really put a dent in my pocket at II."
Chen Hao explained to them."Then how much did you win, Chen?"""Yeah, man. Don't leave us hanging here, just tell you..."
Yang Hui and the boys were sprawled all over Chen Hao's bed, as if to say, 'You're not sleeping until we get answers.'
Chen Hao, resigned, held up a hand in front of them.
"Five fingers? You won 500,000?" Yang Hui and the others were shocked."Night, guys. I know it's Saturday tomorrow, but I'm still waking up early to study at the library!" Chen Hao yawned nonchalantly and pulled the blanket right over his head.
"Hang on, was it 500,000 or 5,00000?”
The boys said frantically.
It took a lot of pestering and smacking Chen Hao through the blanket before theygave up.
Yelling aside, it doesn't really matter how many zeroes were behind that five. He's rich, that's all we need to know.
They thought to themselves.
Meanwhile, Chen Hao was still stubbornly awake.
Thinking about Yang Xia, of all things.
I wonder if she's still there.
Chen Hao had investigated Lu Chen before. His father ran a factory and gave him about five or six thousand a month as allowance, so Lu Chen should have no more than thirty to forty thousand in his savings. It won't be enough.
And judging by his character, there was no way he'd come back for her.
Chen Hao thought Yang Xia would call him.
But she didn't, not even at midnight.
Hah. Why am I getting ahead of myself like this?
Lu Chen's the one she loves, not you, loser. Chen Hao thought with a weight on his chest.
The next day, Saturday.
None of his roommates were up yet.
Early in the morning, Chen Hao got a call. But it wasn't Yang Xia who called him, it was Li Zhenguo!
Chen Hao got up and took the call in the washroom.
"Morning, Young Master Chen!"
Li Zhenguo greeted him reverentially.
"General Manager Li." Chen Hao smiled. "I was just about to call you, and here you are."
"Your wish is my command, Young Master!"
Chen Hao recounted what happened at the
Homecook Kitchen Restaurant yesterday.
"Is that so? Actually, Young Master, you didn't really spend sixty to seventy thousand. That top-notch red wine you said cost sixty thousand? It's actually produced by one of our own distilleries overseas, so it's really just a thousand's worth in production cost! Ha, ha."
Li Zhenguo smiled. To be honest, even if Young Master Chen was finally spending his fortune, a few hundred thousand was a pitifully small amount.
At least he could tell the CEO that there has been progress, right?
"Young Master Chen, would you like me to return the thousands you spent? You just have to say the word..."
Li Zhenguo said, carefully gauging Chen Hao's reaction.
"Ahem, never mind. Just put it all on the restaurant's tab."
I did think of asking for that money back, actually, Chen Hao thought.
But judging by Li Zhenguo's tone, that amount I spent was mere peanuts to them.
I'll only cheapen my status if I insisted on it.
Might as well put it on the tab. The money Chen Xiao gave me came from these businesses, anyway.
"Anyway, why did you call me today, General Manager Li?"
Chen Hao asked.
"There is a minor issue, Young Master. All the business owners on Jin Ling Commercial Street have heard that your years of being raised poor are over, and they're throwing a homecoming party of sorts for you. Since today's a Saturday, I was wondering if you would have the time to attend?"
Li Zhenguo asked softly.
I was planning on going out today to take my mind off things and whatnot.
But since they're already planning that party, it wouldn't be nice if I spoiled the fun.
And I do need to start socializing more.
Otherwise, I'd be like a dumb little boy.
So he agreed, right then and there.
To make things more grand, the party wasn't held at the Chen family's own commercial street but at an exceptionally big hotel in Jin Ling City.
The Magnificent Restaurant!
After saying bye to Yang Hui and the others, Chen Hao went downstairs for a quick spin before he headed over.
As he passed by the female dorms, Chen Hao looked up just in time to see someone exiting one of the rooms.
It was Yang Xia.
Huh, why is she back at the dorm? Chen Hao thought Yang Xia would have stayed the night with her savior Lu Chen. That was the whole reason Chen Hao had that bitter taste in his mouth.
Yang Xia also noticed Chen Hao and said, "Oh ho, Chen Hao! Side hustling on a weekend? Did you really burn through that much cash last night?"
"Let me tell you, you are no match for Lu Chen. Do you know that he came back within the hour last night? We were going to move out of here, and if it weren't for my period? Hmm..." Yang Xia gloated at Chen Hao, choosing her words specifically to hurt him.
I, Yang Xia, will always be way out of your league!
"Alright!"
Chen Hao let out a bitter laugh. I'm such a fool.
Suddenly, a white BMW 3 Series zoomed through the schoolyard.
After it came to a stop, Lu Chen rolled down his window to beam at Yang Xia. Of course, he also noticed Chen Hao immediately.
"Heh, you thought I'd make myself a laughing stock last night, didn't you, Chen Hao? Sorry to disappoint you, but did you really think I'd be short on cash?"
Lu Chen sneered.
As he said so, he fished out a diamond ring from his pocket.
"Yang Xia! Do you like this ring that I got you?"
"Wow, a diamond ring! It must have cost you at least ten thousand! I guess it goes to show just how rich you are, Lu Chen. Unlike certain lottery winners."
"Of course, Xia. I'll take you someplace good today, and we can shop 'til we drop. Some people can't afford to do that, but we can! Get in!"
Yang Xia looked so excited, she didn't need to be told twice.
Lu Chen shot Chen Hao a condescending look, then stepped on the accelerator and left.
Yang Xia was practically buzzing with excitement. "Chen, tell me how you got the money overnight. And so much of it, too! Did your father give it to you?"
Lu Chen chuckled, driving with one hand and using his phone with the other.
Just as he subtly deleted an app, he said, "Don't worry about it. All you need to know is that Chen Hao has nothing on me!"
"Wow, I feel so blessed right now!"
Meanwhile, Chen Hao had lost his desire to go outside after getting roasted by the two of them.
Where did Lu Chen get all that money, though?
Heh...
Why are you thinking about this? Chen Hao laughed at himself.
He went straight to the library, and didn't leave for quite a while.
Around noon, he called a cab to the Magnificent Restaurant.
It had nothing on Jin Ling Commercial Street, but it came close.
The time he spent studying and in traffic, though, had really added up by the time he got there. Chen Hao had to rush because he was already several minutes late.
Bam!
"Ow! What is wrong with you?"
Chen Hao had only gently pushed one of those revolving doors, but that was enough to hit a lady behind him. Hard.
It wasn't long before a crowd formed around him and the furious lady...