I have few friends, but many childhood sweethearts.

Chapter 411. The Ruthless Capitalist

The extra-long seven-day schedule not only left students dizzy and disoriented, but even the subject teachers began to show signs of rambling incoherently.

If you only have to attend classes five days a week, you'll feel like you just had a day off on Monday, like you just had a day off the day before yesterday on Tuesday, like you just had a day off the day after tomorrow on Wednesday, and like you just have a day off the next day on Thursday. It'll be so easy to get through to Friday when school is over.

However, the dreaded work schedule adjustment ruined this expectation, to the point that every day felt like being in prison. On Monday, I thought, "I'm going to have seven days of classes after this." On Tuesday, I thought, "I'm going to have six days of classes after this." No matter how I thought about it, it was all going to be tough.

"Tomorrow is Saturday. Class representative, come to my office later to get this week's... no, this week is a make-up week. That's all. Class monitor, collect everyone's phones. Class dismissed."

After the last class on Friday afternoon, the homeroom teacher patted his head and left the classroom rambling incoherently.

"My phone, my phone!" Xiao Ruanwen didn't think too much and put her phone on the table.

"Team leader, collect all the team members' hands... wait, why collect their phones?" She paused, suddenly realizing the key point.

Fortunately, most of the students in the class were listless and no one responded to what she had just said.

Xiao Ruanwen stuck out her tongue and sat back down in her seat: "Why does the homeroom teacher collect cell phones for no reason?"

Xu Qingfan had no way of checking the homeroom teacher's mental state, so he had no idea what he had said wrong: "Why don't you go and ask him? He probably just misspoke because he was thinking about his phone."

"Is it about collecting notices? You misspoke and said collecting cell phones." Wang Xuan took out the signed National Day notice.

"It should be, but many students leave early after school. Let's deal with it during evening self-study." Xiao Ruanwen stretched and deliberately hit Xu Qingfan on the head with her arm.

As she typed, she said, "Hehe~ We're not eating in the cafeteria tonight, Wang Xuan and Chen Qi, you two go ahead and eat."

Xu Qingfan didn't interrupt their conversation. Wang Xuan glanced at him one last time and said dejectedly, "Well, okay then."

After the two left, only she and Xu Qingfan were left in the class.

Xiao Ruanwen shook his arm and urged, "Hurry up, Brother Fan! Xiao Xiao, Xiao Yu, and Wan Ning are all waiting for us!"

Xu Qingfan drew a line on the label with the pen, shook his head helplessly, and tore off the label: "Here, take a look."

"Huh~ what is this?" Xiao Ruanwen casually took it and read the contents aloud: "That year you were the same age as me, as young as a naive new song!"

She had been reading intermittently, but after realizing something, she was instantly overjoyed and completely lost.

"Brother Fan, is this a new song? Where's the sheet music?"

Xu Qingfan had guessed this would happen. He pointed to his face, revealing his scheming nature.

Xiao Ruanwen blushed, her initial excitement instantly replaced by shyness: "Mwah~ Alright, tell me the sheet music for the new song already!"

Xu Qingfan was quite satisfied. He put his arm around her shoulder and said as they walked, "I'll hum a few verses for you. The sheet music is at home."

"Hehe~ Hurry up, hurry up!" Xiao Ruanwen's eyes lit up as she looked at the label in her hand.

"I gaze upon the starry sky you once saw~ Let us meet again across a century."

"I look up at the starry sky you once saw~ the earth beneath my feet has changed in time and space."

After briefly notating the melody, she chose her two favorite lines to sing a cappella, "Is this how Brother Fan sings it?"

Xu Qingfan patted her shoulder approvingly: "Almost there. Get familiar with it, and record a short demo when you get home."

"Hehe." Xiao Ruanwen grinned and then lowered her head again to study the sheet music.

A short while later, four girls joined the group. After learning that Xu Qingfan had written a new song, they all gathered around to take a look.

Xu Qingfan acted like a sheepdog, watching over the five little lambs in front of him to prevent them from bumping into telephone poles while walking.

"Why does the lyrics say 'traveling through a hundred years'? 2049 is the 100th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China!" After reading the lyrics, Lin Wanning jogged back to Xu Qingfan's side.

"Think again, what major events happened a hundred years ago today?" Xu Qingfan grabbed the girl's wrist, preventing her from skipping along.

"Hmm, a hundred years ago today, it was 2011 minus 100." Lin Wanning started counting on her fingers. Although it was useless, it was a habit she had picked up in kindergarten.

"It's 1911!" She calculated the answer in her head in just a few seconds, then her eyes lit up: "The Xinhai Revolution!"

"So that's the patriotic theme you were talking about, Brother Fan!" After hearing the conversation between the two, Xiao Ruanwen and the other three came over as well.

“The Wuchang Uprising was on October 10th, so it seems fitting to celebrate it on National Day.” Xia Xiaoxiao nodded in agreement.

"Brother Fan is amazing."

"Brother is amazing!"

Xu Qingfan gladly accepted Xiaoyu and Yiyi's praise. After all, he was going to be a ruthless capitalist in the future. If he didn't even have this much shame, what kind of company would he be running?

"I plan to have someone make an edited video that compares relevant plots from the movie with the current prosperity and peace of the country, and use it as a promotional music video for Ruan Wen's new song."

One moment the country is in turmoil, with patriots fighting bravely, and the next moment we see a strong and prosperous motherland. Just thinking about this visual contrast is enough to make one's blood boil.

"Brother Fan, I promise I'll sing my best!" Xiao Ruanwen clenched her fist.

[This song will definitely get the approval of Grandpa, Grandma, and Dad!]
Xu Qingfan nodded in satisfaction, with the air of a capitalist: "You really need to sing well. I'm counting on you to bring me traffic during the National Day holiday."

"what?"

"What kind of traffic generation?"

All five of them looked at him.

Xu Qingfan was also puzzled: "Didn't I say that?"

"Oh, I don't think I mentioned it. Haoweiyun will be launched on National Day. Remember to download it on your phones then." He thought about it carefully and realized that he had indeed forgotten to mention it.

"You're only telling me now that it's so important?"

"What do you take us for!"

"that is!"

With Xia Xiaoxiao and Xiao Ruanwen leading the way, the five girls immediately rose up in rebellion.

Seeing that things were going badly, Xu Qingfan turned tail and ran: "I think I forgot to turn off the gas at home!"

"You stinky Fan, stop right there!"

"Don't run!"

"Come and chase me! If you catch me, I'll let you have your way with me!"

Running through youth, every step feels like traversing time; within the windswept school uniforms of the teenagers, there is an abundance of youthful exuberance.

Xu Qingfan, the Great Demon King, was eventually defeated by the five Sailor Moon girls. As a price for surrendering, he promised to give them a kiln-roasted chicken on National Day.

"How about another serving of braised pork ribs? Haha, stop touching me!"

"Hmph~ That's more like it!"

"Hehe, Brother Qingfan is so ticklish!" Lin Wanning continued to gently sweep his thigh with his palm.

"Haha~ Wan Ning, stop fooling around!"

"Brother Qingfan is not me!" Lin Wanning immediately withdrew his hand.

Only after Xiao Ruanwen and Xia Xiaoxiao, who had been pressing down on him, left were Xu Qingfan able to get up again.

[Five is still a bit too many, three are definitely no match for me!] He thought to himself.

"If I weren't afraid of hurting you all, even if you all attacked me together, you wouldn't be a match for me!" Xu Qingfan said, rubbing his shoulders.

"Give it a try?" Xiao Ruanwen crossed her legs and jumped back, assuming the starting stance for Taekwondo.

"Give me back my new song!" "Hehe, just kidding~ Fan Gege~" The girl's expression changed 180 degrees in an instant.

"I'm so thirsty. I haven't had a glass of water since I got back." He crossed his legs like an old man.

Before Wu Lingyu could even speak, Xiao Ruanwen had already rushed to the kitchen: "I'll go pour it out, I'll go pour it out!"

Xia Xiaoxiao looked at Xiao Ruanwen, who had been bribed by the stinky dog ​​with just a few words, and thought to herself.

[Would Ruan Wen betray me?]
After a short rest and some playful banter on the sofa, Xu Qingfan got up and went into the kitchen to prepare dinner.

School ends at 4:10 pm on Friday. The soup I made at noon was already ready, so there was still plenty of time.

Xiao Ruanwen needed to familiarize herself with the new song and record demos, while Xia Xiaoxiao, Lin Wanning, and Zhang Yiyi were all outside as spectators, so only he and Wu Lingyu were busy in the kitchen.

As the fat rendered in the wok, it crackled and popped. Xu Qingfan reached out, and Wu Lingyu handed him the drained bok choy.

The tacit understanding between the two was cultivated over more than ten years, like each other's shadows.

"Brother Fan, our teacher asked me today why I didn't participate in the competition, and I said I didn't want to."

"And then?" Xu Qingfan smiled slightly.

"Then the teacher said that winning the competition could guarantee admission to university, but I still said I didn't want to participate, so the teacher gave up." Wu Lingyu still feels a little nervous when she recalls it now, and she pouts playfully.

"If you don't want to participate, then don't participate. Do what you want to do. But Xiaoyu actually dared to talk back to the teacher," Xu Qingfan joked.

Wu Lingyu looked shy and whispered, "Because Brother Fan isn't participating either."

"If I don't participate, Xiaoyu won't participate either. But if I run naked, does that mean Xiaoyu has to run naked too?"

"Pfft~"

The girl's expression was a mix of reproach and delight: "Brother Fan is teasing me again."

Xu Qingfan smiled, feeling a pang of emotion as Xiaoyu grew up.

"You should say no loudly if you don't like something, whether it's from your teacher or your parents," he said, rubbing the girl's head.

"I understand." Wu Lingyu quietly stretched her neck so that he could touch her more comfortably.

[Except for Fan Ge!]
The two worked together seamlessly, and a sumptuous meal of six dishes and a soup was quickly prepared.

Xiao Ruanwen recorded a demo before dinner and played it for Xu Qingfan during dinner.

"Brother Fan, is this okay? I'm not very skilled yet. Maybe we can record it again tonight."

“Let’s record it again tonight. I’ll provide the music with a guitar. The video editing needs to be synchronized with the song, and it’s hard to get it right when singing a cappella,” Xu Qingfan said.

"Hehe~ Let's talk about it tonight, let's eat!" Xiao Ruanwen had been singing for almost an hour and was already hungry, so she immediately turned off the recording and ate.

Having not tasted Xu Qingfan's cooking for almost a month, the five girls had very good appetites, their mouths stuffed full, leaving no room for them to speak.

"It tastes much better than the school cafeteria."

"Burp~ I'm so full."

"I wish I could eat Qingfan's cooking every day!"

After a hearty meal, with every plate empty, Xiaobai will still have to eat dog food tonight.

"Brother Fan, could you tell me about the company?" Wu Lingyu suddenly suggested while they were digesting their food.

"Yeah."

"I want to listen too!"

Xiao Ruanwen and Lin Wanning also chimed in.

"Let me think about it." Xu Qingfan tapped his temple with his index finger, trying to figure out where to start.

"Take Ruan Wen's new song for example. It was actually a marketing campaign I designed. Since it was for the National Day holiday, and given the quality of the song 'Misplaced Time and Space,' the effect of attracting traffic was definitely going to be very good."

"Just advertise that Shanghaowei Cloud can download lossless audio, and also upload those songs Ruan Wen released before."

The five women could understand such a simple explanation, and they had a mysterious confidence in Xu Qingfan's ability to master the secrets of traffic.

After all, if you hadn't experienced it firsthand and seen it with your own eyes, who would have thought that the post that dominated the top forums back then was written by Xu Qingfan when he was still in first grade?

Xu Qingfan spoke at length, and finally concluded: "In short, this new music streaming app is very different from the old one. You'll see when you open the comments section."

"I can't wait for National Day to come!"

"Me too."

It felt like the last five days had been longer than the previous five combined, but I finally made it through the last two days.

The homework from the seven-day National Day holiday filled their schoolbags to the brim, but despite this, the students, now released from prison, were still full of laughter and joy.

This naturally included the six of them. They left their backpacks at their home in the secret base, and the six of them got into the car leaving the port city empty-handed.

The time-traveling video had already been edited, and with Xu Qingfan's half-baked guitar playing and Xiao Ruanwen's singing, it still gave them goosebumps.

This trip out of the port city was to the company's recording studio to record the official version of the song.

Originally, it was only planned that he, Xiao Ruanwen, and Wu Lingyu would go together, but Lin Wanning also insisted on coming, so in the end everyone just went together.

"In a hurry. In a hurry. In a hurry, those years."

"Those fleeting years" is not a four-character phrase!

"Hehe~ May you have abundance every year!"

The six of them played a word-chain game in the car, and time flew by.

It was already 6 p.m. when they arrived at the company. The car drove into the parking lot, and after getting out, Xu Qingfan led the five people directly to the sixteenth floor by elevator.

Apart from Zhang Yiyi, who had been here a few times, the four girls were visiting for the first time. They followed Xu Qingfan curiously. Although it was past the theoretical closing time, nearly 80% of the employees were still on duty.

Five girls curiously observed the corporate slaves (not really) who were still working overtime at six o'clock.

"Why are they still working so late?" After entering Xu Qingfan's office, Lin Wanning winked at him.

The other four women also looked at him with strange expressions.

"No, what's with that look? The software launches tomorrow, so working overtime tonight is normal. Besides, I'm being paid overtime regularly!"

Xu Qingfan defended himself.

"Don't listen to him. The boss is a heartless capitalist. He hasn't approved any leave for me in two months." Lin Juan happened to push the door open at that moment and covered her mouth with a laugh.

"If you slander the boss again, I'll dock your pay!" Xu Qingfan glared.

"See? I told you so!" Lin Juan joked with the five of them for a while, then got back to the point: "Alright, alright, enough joking around. The young boss is a patriotic entrepreneur. Ruan Wen, come with me to record the song first."

"No, just call me a heartless capitalist, then I'll feel more comfortable exploiting you."

"Sister Juan, if he dares to exploit you, we'll help you beat him up!"

"That's right!"

Seeing Xu Qingfan's ears being twisted from both sides, Lin Juan chuckled and said, "Alright, stop teasing Xiao Fan. Let's finish recording the song quickly so we can all go have dinner together."

"it is good!"

(End of this chapter)