Chapter Seventy: Meeting Chen Hua Again

Yan Yizhen was dressed exceptionally well today. A white lace underlay hugged her graceful, curvaceous figure, over which she wore a pale apricot mink vest. Below, she sported a pair of white trousers, making her appear clean and fresh, exuding the aura of a wealthy and refined beauty.

"It's my fault; the shop's been quite busy lately."

Qin Jing truly hadn’t thought to come by early. As a young man, in the heat of passion with Susan, he was focused on their romance. Though his willpower was decent and he never let personal affairs interfere with business, anything else simply slipped his mind.

"Busy? Busy getting cozy with your beautiful shop assistant, perhaps?" Yan Yizhen winked at him, surprisingly down-to-earth. "It's been ages now—have you gotten anywhere yet?"

Lin Xinying, who stood nearby, was dazzled and dumbfounded by the scene: Was this famous campus belle so approachable?

Qin Jing coughed, hurriedly changing the subject. "Let me introduce—this is..." After a brief greeting, Lin Xinying excused himself, somewhat awkward in Yan Yizhen’s presence. Qin Jing didn’t try to stop him. Though they'd shared a dorm in the past, their relationship was only a notch above that of ordinary classmates. Because Qin Jing had long been running his business in school, his friendships with others were generally nothing out of the ordinary.

The two walked and chatted as Yan Yizhen brought Qin Jing up to speed on the school’s situation.

"Since that incident, people around me have really come to respect you. Many have even joined our Green Recycling Club. For the club project approval, Zhang Wei played a big role."

"Every day, we collect around ten secondhand luxury items. Usually, I can price them myself. If I can’t, I send you photos on WeChat. Our daily income is about ten thousand yuan—assuming everything sells, of course..."

"In short, everything is going smoothly. You, our big boss, can just relax and watch the profits roll in."

Seeing Yan Yizhen’s cheerful smile, Qin Jing couldn’t help but ask, "What about Hu Chaoyang? I heard he’s been causing you trouble?"

Yan Yizhen paused, waved her hand dismissively. "Just some minor issues. Not just me—even Zhang Wei could handle him."

"You know I don’t mean it like that. The Hu Chaoyang situation started because of me, so I should be the one to resolve it..."

"Qin Jing, if you talk like that, you make me an outsider. We’re partners, aren’t we?"

Well, he certainly couldn’t treat her as family, either, Qin Jing thought wryly. But seeing Yan Yizhen’s insistence, he said no more, resolving inwardly to deal with Hu Chaoyang that very evening.

"Senior Qin’s here—come see how we’ve set everything up!"

Yan Yizhen led Qin Jing into a large tent at the center of the sports field. They were greeted by Tian Qin, who gave Qin Jing a sweet smile, her delicate features making it feel as if one had tasted honey.

Qin Jing looked up. From inside, it was hard to tell it was a simple tent; it seemed reinforced with steel frames and wooden panels, wallpapered to resemble a new house. The interior was neatly arranged, with a storage area holding cabinets labeled with tags—it was clear the Green Recycling Club had amassed quite a collection.

Beyond that, the tent was ringed with murals bearing slogans and illustrations promoting environmental protection and thrift.

"Very well done," Qin Jing praised, making Tian Qin beam.

Yan Yizhen explained that Tian Qin handled most affairs here—she was the backbone of the Green Recycling Club.

"Anyone here? Someone’s come to donate!" Just then, a familiar voice sounded from outside. Qin Jing turned to see Chen Hua and her friends, with Jiang Yuerong speaking.

"Look, Chen Hua’s here!"

"They say Yan Yizhen only got into this business because she became Qin Jing’s girlfriend. Now that Chen Hua’s come, this is interesting."

"Wasn’t Qin Jing expelled? How does he still have such luck?"

"Tch, what’s so special about Qin Jing? Isn’t he just relying on Yan Yizhen? Thanks to her backing, I hear Hu Chaoyang suffered a major setback."

Today was the Green Recycling Club’s event, with various discounts, so crowds were thick. At Cold Sea Art School, nearly all students were seasoned gossipers. Seeing the two campus belles together, excitement surged.

Chen Hua entered, head held high and chest out, flanked by Jiang Yuerong and her clique, like a queen inspecting her domain.

Then—

"Qin Jing?"

Standing at the entrance, Qin Jing was impossible to miss. Chen Hua was momentarily stunned—she had come partly out of competitive curiosity.

A few days prior, after Jiang Yuerong recounted seeing Qin Jing buy a car, Chen Hua was left conflicted. She wondered, if Qin Jing begged her to reconcile, would she agree? Truthfully, after living with Qin Jing for so long, feelings had grown; she was reluctant to let go. She used to resent him for being "useless," but now that flaw seemed gone—it was tempting.

But in Chen Hua’s mind, it had to be Qin Jing who took the initiative. Yet days passed, and instead of any overture, she received news about Qin Jing’s "new girlfriend," Yan Yizhen. That unsettled her: Why? On the surface, it was she who had dumped him—how could Yan Yizhen fall for him?

She came today to confirm the rumors, only to bump into Qin Jing as soon as she entered.

"A guest is a guest. Chen Hua, are you here to sell something?" Qin Jing asked with a smile.

"No, I’m here to buy. After selling you my Chanel bag the other day, I haven’t found anything I liked."

Chen Hua feigned indifference, knowing Qin Jing had a weakness for her attitude.

To her surprise, Qin Jing replied mildly and handed her off to someone else. "Oh, Tian Qin, please help her."

Sensing the tension, Tian Qin’s eyes darted about, but she still greeted Chen Hua warmly and led her to the storage area, where various luxury bags were displayed. At Cold Sea Art School, if nothing else, secondhand luxury bags were nearly every girl’s staple.

As Tian Qin spoke business with Chen Hua, Yan Yizhen sidled up to Qin Jing and whispered with a smile, "So what’s this about? Your ex-girlfriend came chasing after you?"

Qin Jing forced a smile. "Don’t be ridiculous—I haven’t kept any ties with her."

"I never asked about that. Why are you so nervous?"

Yan Yizhen rolled her eyes at him, secretly feeling a bit pleased.

As the two murmured together, Chen Hua kept glancing at them from the corner of her eye. She couldn’t stand it: She was right here, yet he flirted openly with another woman?

"Ha ha, everyone’s here now!" Just then, accompanied by a hearty laugh, Hu Chaoyang strode in.

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Thanks to Time Flows By 299 for the tip. Something urgent came up this afternoon, so updates may be delayed.