I have few friends, but many childhood sweethearts.

Chapter 368. The Pomegranate Scandal
Xu Qingfan's decision to create a music app wasn't impulsive. While Xiao Ruanwen played a part, the main reason was to pave the way for the anticipated boom in short videos a few years later.

Having memories of his past life, he was very clear about the power of intelligent push algorithms and how shocking short videos could be to foreigners who were still in the blog era.

If they can single-handedly break through the long-standing media blockade imposed by foreign media, the Haowei Group will be virtually invincible in China, ensuring smooth sailing for both him and Zhang Chunxue's careers, as well as the political careers of the Zhang and Li families.

And at that time, he might be able to ignore the opinions of most people and take all five girls for himself.

The thought of the grand blueprint that might appear in the future filled Xu Qingfan with excitement.

"Brother Fan? Little Fan? Brother Fan, why aren't you talking to me!"

Xiao Ruanwen's waving hand in front of him pulled Xu Qingfan back to reality. Looking up, he realized that the group had unknowingly left the campus.

"I was thinking about something, what did you say? And how dare you call me 'Xiao Fan'!" Xu Qingfan smiled apologetically, then tapped the girl on the head in an annoyed tone.

"Woo!"

Xiao Ruanwen covered her forehead, which had just been hit, feeling wronged. If it weren't for being moved by Fan Ge's decision to start a company for her, she would have pounced on him and taken a bite.

"Ruan Wen is asking if Fan Ge has time to run a company since he's still in school?" Wu Lingyu came to the rescue at the crucial moment, smiling gently at the two of them.

"Oh, you guys are talking about this?" Xu Qingfan slapped his head, and all the girls turned their gazes toward him.

“I don’t need to worry about the specific recruitment. The engineers were poached directly from the company’s existing team. My job is to propose the software’s functions and ideas. Juan Jie handles the specific coordination and reports to me regularly.”

Xu Qingfan essentially serves as both CEO and COO in the new company's structure. The original staff, personnel, finances, and technology were transferred from the existing company. The marketing department is temporarily not needed, and Lin Juan is his personal secretary, who acts as his personal envoy, as if he were personally overseeing affairs of state.

"Isn't Brother Qingfan too tired? High school studies are so heavy." Lin Wanning made a pitiful puppy face.

Xia Xiaoxiao also felt a pang of anxiety, and made a decision in her heart: [If that brat's grades fall behind, I'll deliberately do poorly on tests and wait for him forever!]
Seeing the concerned looks from everyone, Xu Qingfan was deeply moved. He said casually, "It's fine if I don't participate in competitions in high school. Actually, it's the same. It's just that I used the time I spent participating in competitions in elementary and middle school to start a company."

They had unknowingly arrived at the door of their new home. Wu Lingyu stepped forward, entered the password to open the door, and pleaded, "Then I won't participate in the competitions in high school anymore. Brother Fan, can you teach me about the company?"

“Me too! Me too! I want to learn too!” Xiao Ruanwen was the second to respond.

"Then Yi Yi and I will also help Qing Fan with his work!"

Xia Xiaoxiao glanced at him and said in a calm tone, "Just tell me if there's anything I can do to help."

Xu Qingfan pushed away Xiaobai who pounced on him and smiled brightly: "Great! We just happen to need five more eye-catching little secretaries. You're in luck."

"Cut~"

The five girls let out a long hiss, and then couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Amidst the flowers and under the moon, Xu Qingfan felt that life was so wonderful.

The next few days were filled with terrible weather. During the five-day military training, no one even went to the parade ground once, and they didn't get any sun exposure.

It wasn't until Friday afternoon, when all the new students were in the conference hall for a military training debriefing meeting, that a light drizzle was still falling.

"I believe that every drop of sweat shed by the students will not be in vain. Their dark skin has forged a tenacious will, and their lofty aspirations and pursuit of excellence will lay a good foundation for their upcoming high school life."

Finally, I wish all students a fulfilling and happy three years of high school life, so that when they look back on their youth, they can confidently say, "I have no regrets about my youth!"

After Principal Song Dongsheng finished his speech, the thousands of teachers and students in the audience applauded.

However, if you listen carefully, you'll notice that there seems to be muffled, suppressed laughter mixed in with the applause.

"Hahaha, you idiot! You've never been in the sun, you have such dark skin!"

"Hilarious, he didn't even break a sweat."

"Hahaha!"

Only after the disbandment was finally announced could the students stop holding back their laughter.

The sixteen-year-old boy was full of vigor and high spirits. After Xu Qingfan took off his green military cap, many girls who were looking around suddenly turned their attention to him.

He Caiting wasn't the only one who filmed him that night. Being stuck at school during military training was already boring, and after a few days, Xu Qingfan had become a source of emotional support for many girls to get through it.

He Caiting was worried that her reckless actions would offend her crush, so apart from secretly bringing him breakfast on Monday, she didn't approach Xu Qingfan again.

He casually put his hat on Xiao Ruanwen's head: "Let's go, we'll talk outside."

"Damn it~ You cuckolded me, Fan-ge!" The girl cursed as she took off her hat, but Xu Qingfan had already followed the flow of people out.

"Fan-ge, are you taking the bus back later? I'll go with you!" Xie Rui had made a friend of Wu Lingyu during his week of military training, so he said familiarly.

“Sure, but we need to go home first. Do you mind waiting a bit?” Xu Qingfan smiled. He had a good impression of this dark-skinned female sports student from the countryside.

"It's alright, it's alright. Dian Dian already told me that there are a lot of people on the bus right after school, so we can just wait and avoid the crowds!" Xie Rui patted Wu Lingyu's shoulder and waved with a smile.

Moreover, she was quite curious about what the homes of the campus heartthrobs and goddesses were like.

After leaving the conference room, people realized that the dark clouds that had been hanging overhead had disappeared, and the sky was a clear blue with not a single white cloud in sight.

"Brother Qingfan!"

Lin Wanning and his two companions, who had been waiting at the door, jogged up. After learning that Xu Qingfan was accompanied by five incredibly beautiful childhood sweethearts, no girl dared to approach Xu Qingfan in public for the next few days.

Many female classmates privately added him on QQ, but unfortunately Xu Qingfan had set his QQ to block strangers from adding him.

"Let's go." Xu Qingfan rubbed Lin Wanning's head and pushed her and Zhang Yiyi's shoulders to continue walking forward.

It's probably because Xia Xiaoxiao is aloof by nature, while Lin Wanning and Zhang Yiyi both exude the aura of wealthy heiresses.

Xie Rui felt quite natural when she was with Xiao Ruanwen or Wu Lingyu, but when she faced the three girls, she felt cautious and apprehensive.

"Is Xiaoyu going home this week?" Lin Wanning, who had been initiating the conversation, asked first.

"Yes, it's been almost half a month since I've been home, I have to go back." Wu Lingyu smiled sweetly. The company driver would take her back, so traveling back and forth to Hong Kong was very convenient.

The girl can now enjoy the convenience that Xu Qingfan brings her without feeling guilty, and no longer feels guilty for troubling the driver.

"Hahaha, when your uncles and aunties see that Xiaoyu is even fairer than before military training, they'll be stunned!"

Laughing and joking all the way, the seven of them quickly returned to their new home.

Xie Rui looked at the imposing bronze gate in front of him and couldn't help but swallow.

"There's a vicious dog inside. Aren't you afraid of dogs?" Xu Qingfan asked Xie Rui, who was visiting for the first time, with a smile after entering the password and opening the door.

"Oh, no, it's nothing. The dogs in our village are all afraid of me." She smiled somewhat awkwardly.

"Our Xiaobai is very well-behaved, isn't it, duck?" Lin Wanning crawled under Xu Qingfan's arm and, after entering the house, grabbed Xiaobai's paw and greeted Xie Rui.

A smart country dog ​​will not bark its teeth when its owner brings friends over, but will only bark when a stranger enters its territory. Xiaobai is clearly one of them.

"What a beautiful pine tree and yard!" Xie Rui was amazed at first glance by the lawn, potted plants, and bougainvillea.

"Welcome to my home!"

"Brother Qingfan's cooking is delicious! Let's eat together next time!"

The group warmly welcomed Xiaoyu's new friend. Even Xia Xiaoxiao, who was usually quiet in front of strangers, nodded in approval.

Soon, several girls warmly invited her into the house to sit down, and then they served her tea, cakes, and snacks. The unexpected joy overwhelmed Xie Rui.

After she finished her third piece of cake, she finally couldn't help but ask cautiously, "Aren't we going back?"

Just then, Xu Qingfan came downstairs after collecting the laundry and checking the doors and windows. He smiled and said, "Collecting the laundry took a little time, I'll be right back after I tidy up." The real reason was that there was some traffic on the way home from school, and the car sent by the company had just arrived at the door.

The girls had already changed back into their usual clothes. As for their military training uniforms, they left them in the laundry basket to be washed when they came back on Sunday.

"Doesn't a dog have to ride the bus?" Xie Rui reminded Xu Qingfan as they left, seeing him leading Xiaobai on a leash.

None of the five girls spoke, so Xu Qingfan kindly explained, "There's a ride available, so you don't need to take the bus."

"Oh, okay." Xie Rui could only nod, feeling a little embarrassed after eating and taking things.

However, considering that they said they would have to throw it away if they didn't take it with them, and also considering her younger siblings at home, Xie Rui ultimately packed up the leftover cake and snacks and took them with her.

One detail when they got on the bus made the naive young woman nervous: the driver got off the bus to wait for them, opened the door before they got out, and then closed it again after they got on.

Xie Rui had only ever seen such a scenario in TV dramas. In her mind, she vaguely labeled the group of people as being from very wealthy families. However, considering that their attitude towards her wasn't one of condescension or charity, Xie Rui felt that she shouldn't be too pretentious.

Who says you have to look at money when making friends!
"By the way, Xie Rui, what's your address? We're going the same way, I'll take you home first."

"I'm here." Before the person in question could answer, the iPhones in their pockets started ringing one after another.

"What are you talking about?" Xu Qingfan said speechlessly, turning off the Siri app that he had activated. "Xie Rui" and "Siri" sound quite similar, to be honest.

"Hahahaha!"

"Hehe~ Brother Fan, your broken Mandarin!"

The five girls burst into laughter instantly, but Xie Rui, the person involved, didn't get the joke at all.

"Hehe." In the end, Lin Wanning patiently explained the reason to her, and she gave an awkward laugh.

“My home is in Shitan. You can just take me to Guagreen Square. There is bus number 10 that goes there directly.”

"It's alright, it's just an extra ten kilometers or so. By the time you get back by bus it'll be almost dark, it's not safe." Xu Qingfan waved his hand, and the driver understood and changed the route.

"Okay, okay." Xu Qingfan's words seemed to carry the air of a superior, and Xie Rui did not have the courage to refuse, so he could only nod weakly in agreement.

Wu Lingyu held the girl's hand. She could really understand how the girl felt at that moment. When she was still the ugly duckling, she also felt inferior when she visited a family in Wanning.

But now the ugly duckling has transformed into a swan, a swan that won't migrate with the climate and will stay by Fan Ge's side forever.

It's a mutually beneficial arrangement with Xiao Jianbiao. Most of the drivers in the Haowei Group are veterans. For example, the middle-aged woman driving in front of us may not look like a veteran, but she was a well-known driving expert in her company when she was in the army.

The car maintained a steady but not slow speed and soon arrived at the rocky beach area.

Guided by Xie Rui, they quickly made their way to a village after many twists and turns.

After Xu Qingfan opened the car door for her, the girl pointed in the direction of her home and said to them, "That's my home up ahead. Wait for me. I grow pomegranates at home, the kind that are especially sweet local pomegranates. I'll go pick some for you!"

"It must be one of those soft, fragrant pomegranates. I rarely see anyone selling them anymore. I didn't know you grew them!" Xu Qingfan said, feigning surprise.

"Mmm, the soft center is so delicious!"

"Thank you, Siri!"

None of the five girls were materialistic or snobbish, so they expressed their gratitude.

"Okay, then I'll take a little more for you!" Xie Rui was unusually shy, and after a bashful smile, he slung his backpack over his shoulder and rushed home.

Soon, the six saw Xie Ruichong return home and come out of the door with three women and one man, four little followers, skillfully climbing the tree and picking the few remaining fruits hanging on it.

This is a pomegranate variety unique to the south, called Rouge Red, also known as Chicken Shit Fruit.

The former is because its flesh is a rosy red, while the latter is not because it smells like chicken droppings, but because ripe rosy red fruit is as fragile as tofu and crumbles easily when squeezed, and if it falls on the ground and is stepped on, it looks just like chicken droppings.

However, due to transportation difficulties and the high susceptibility to pests, fewer and fewer people are growing it in recent years.

The five of them quickly picked all the remaining pomegranates, and Xie Rui led her younger siblings back, running back together.

"That's all we have left. If you like them, I'll pick more for you next year when they're ripe," she said apologetically as she handed over a large bag of pomegranates.

The oldest of the three little girls was probably in the third grade, while the youngest was only a little over 1.2 meters tall. The only boy was only up to Xie Rui's thigh, hiding behind her and peeking at the five fairy sisters.

“Okay, Xiaoyu’s mom’s braised duck necks are especially delicious. I’ll bring you some another day.” Xu Qingfan nodded and accepted the duck necks with a smile.

"What are you doing! You're giving away pomegranates from home again, aren't you?!" Just then, a man's voice, clearly indicating a deficit, shouted at them.

Xie Rui's hand, which was handing Xu Qingfan the pomegranate, was visibly trembling, and the three little girls who had been blinking their big, curious eyes began to tremble even more.

Soon, a middle-aged man, reeking of alcohol and with an unsteady gait, appeared before him.

Xu Qingfan frowned slightly in displeasure, but quickly recovered and said politely, "What's your name, uncle? Is this pomegranate tree yours? We just happened to pass by and wanted to buy some."

The middle-aged man glanced at the car in front of him and started cursing: "What are you selling? The Party Secretary at the east end has already reserved these pomegranates. If you pick them all now, do you know how much money I'll lose!"

At this moment, Xie Rui, who was called "Dad," felt ashamed and his throat tightened, and he felt an urge to cry.

"Go home and cook! Don't think you're so important just because you've read a few books!" The middle-aged man slapped her without any politeness.

Lin Wanning and the others were startled at first, then they all showed angry expressions.

"Dad and the others are me."

Xie Rui didn't want his new friend to be taken advantage of, so he forced himself to continue speaking despite his grievances, but was interrupted by Xu Qingfan.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't know this happened. How much do you think is appropriate for me to compensate you?"

The middle-aged man's eyes lit up, and he continued to put on airs, saying, "The secretary originally promised to buy it for fifty yuan, so you can give me a hundred yuan and we'll call it even, or else!"

Xu Qingfan choked. He had been prepared to be ripped off and then report the extortion to the police, but it turned out to be only 100 yuan, which didn't even meet the threshold for filing a case.

He glanced at the other person's puffy eye bags and thought, "Could it really be this dramatic? A gambling father and a sick mother?"
"I'm so sorry, so sorry. We didn't ask clearly enough. Please accept this hundred yuan as an apology." Because Xie Rui was Xiao Yu's friend, Xu Qingfan maintained a friendly demeanor throughout.

"Hmph! Learn your lesson next time. It's only because I'm easy to talk to that you're not easy to get out of here. If it were Li the Fool from the village entrance, you wouldn't be able to leave!" The middle-aged man chuckled as he snatched the money from the man's hand, then walked away without even glancing at it.

"I'm sorry. I'll pay you back the hundred yuan when I'm in school," Xie Rui said, his eyes red and his voice choked with emotion.

Xu Qingfan winked at her mischievously: "The bill I just gave your dad was counterfeit. I never thought I'd be fooled myself. I've been keeping it in my wallet."

"Look~" He took out his wallet to show her. "It was originally tucked in here, but now it's gone."

"Huh?" Xie Rui was stunned and speechless for a moment. Although the person who was deceived was her father, she felt a strange sense of satisfaction.

"Haha, it's true! Brother Qingfan used to keep the counterfeit money here, but it's gone now!" Lin Wanning leaned in to look, his eyes lighting up instantly.

"I also testify that this is true!"

"Hahaha, I can testify too!"

The atmosphere inside the car suddenly became cheerful, and Xie Rui stopped crying.

"Thank goodness, it's just a counterfeit bill. I won't return the hundred yuan to you then," Xie Rui said with a sigh of relief.

"What do you mean by counterfeit money? Just don't secretly report me," Xu Qingfan said with a smile.

"would not!"

"Ha ha ha ha."

(End of this chapter)