The younger generation, starting from where the wind blows...

Chapter 347 Fellow Suckers...

Guan Yuqing's face lit up with joy after she finished the call.

"I have good news for you, my brother helped me buy a ticket."

Zheng Youen poured cold water on Guan Yuqing's enthusiasm: "I advise you not to be too happy too soon. First of all, you have to make sure that the ticket is real. If you buy a fake ticket and get scammed, that's a small matter. It would be embarrassing if you couldn't get in."

Given Guan Zhenlei's past unreliable behavior, Guan Yuqing was also somewhat worried.

Seeing Guan Yuqing's troubled expression, Zheng Youen sighed helplessly.

"Okay, once you get the ticket, I'll have someone check if it's real."

Guan Yuqing's eyes lit up.

"Do you have connections?"

Zheng Youen shrugged.

"No."

Guan Yuqing's smile froze instantly.

Are you kidding me?
Zheng Youen said calmly, "What kind of connections do you need to verify a ticket? Just find a scalper, say you have two tickets to sell, and if they accept them, they're genuine; if they don't, they're fake."

what?
Guan Yuqing was completely stunned.

Male dormitory of Yanjing Trade and Art College.

Lu Xiaobei dragged over a chair and sat down, placing her hands on the back of the chair. She watched with great interest as Guan Zhenlei boasted about how fast he could type, how he made a call the moment he saw the post, and how he successfully snagged two tickets to the New Year's Eve gala.

After hearing this, Lu Xiaobei pouted.

It has to be said that Guan Zhenlei was incredibly lucky, as he happened to run into Zhu Suosuo reselling two tickets.

It's a case of finding a bargain.

However, we can't let this guy get too cocky.

"Your sister has the tickets, but what about Li Bei?"

"Then there are two tickets, right? One for my sister and one for Li Bei."

Guan Zhenlei had already planned it out. He would not only ask Guan Yuqing to reimburse him for the two tickets, but also have her buy his girlfriend Li Bei's plane ticket to Shenzhen.

Anyway, Guan Yuqing has an insider deal with the airline, so she can buy tickets very cheaply.

"You sure know how to take advantage of your sister," Lu Xiaobei snorted irritably.

Why didn't you ask your sister to help pay for the hotel and umbrella as well?
Guan Zhenlei argued vehemently: "How can this be called taking advantage? This is called being family and not speaking like outsiders."

"I think you should ask your sister first whether she wants one ticket or two tickets. What if she wants two tickets to go with a friend?"

Guan Zhenlei scoffed, "My sister's friend and my girlfriend, how could she not tell which is more important?"

Lu Xiaobei looked up at Guan Zhenlei:
"What if he's my boyfriend?"

"Don't joke around, my sister just became a trainee captain, how could she have time to find a boyfriend?"

Lu Xiaobei laughed when she heard this.

"If you can find a girlfriend, why do you think your sister can't find a boyfriend? She's beautiful and has a good job. Do you know how sought-after girls like her are in the dating market?"

Guan Zhenlei objected immediately upon hearing this.

"What kind of talk is that? My sister is so eligible, why would she need to go on blind dates? She's had plenty of suitors since she was a child."

So you knew?

Lu Xiaobei shrugged and didn't continue.

Guan Zhenlei thought to himself that Lu Xiaobei's words made sense, so he quickly took out his phone and called Guan Yuqing again.

"Sis, why do you need two tickets?"

"Going with friends? No, sis, there's something I've been keeping from you: I have a girlfriend."

"Yes, she also wants to go to the New Year's Eve gala with me."

On the commuter bus, Guan Yuqing put down her phone with a troubled expression.

Before he could even speak, Zheng Youen's voice rang out from the side.

“I heard everything. I don’t want to go anywhere for New Year’s Day. I just want to stay home with my mom. You and your brother’s girlfriend can go together.”

Guan Yuqing kept apologizing.

"You've done something, about checking tickets?"

"Why bother checking tickets? No need to check them anymore."

Seeing Guan Yuqing stunned, Zheng Youen continued, "Don't misunderstand, I'm not saying this out of anger. Since your brother is going to bring his girlfriend along, shouldn't he be the one to check the tickets? If he buys a fake ticket, it's your brother who will lose face."

"But--"

Guan Yuqing had just opened her mouth when Zheng Youen raised his hand to interrupt her.

"I helped you because we're good friends. Now that it's your brother's business, it has nothing to do with me. It's your business if you like being a brother-supporting demon, but don't drag me into it."

Perhaps realizing that his words had been too harsh, Zheng Youen then sincerely suggested to Guan Yuqing:

"If I were you, paying for the ticket would be more than enough. Seriously, your parents are still alive and well. Let whoever's son he is, let him spoil him. Why are you, as his older sister, worrying about this?"

Guan Yuqing was completely speechless.

-

Xiaoman Hutong.

Zhang Guangzheng stood at the entrance of the courtyard, glancing at his watch every now and then, his face full of anxiety.

They agreed that he would just go in, say hello, and come out, but almost half an hour has passed and Wang Niulang still hasn't come out.

After waiting another five or six minutes, Wang Niulang finally walked out of the courtyard with a group of elderly men and women seeing him off.

Zhang Guangzheng immediately went to greet him.

"Master, why did it take you so long to go in?"

“I haven’t been back for almost half a month, haven’t I? These old neighbors have been thinking about me. I can’t just say hello and leave when we meet, can I? I’ve been sitting in this house for a while, and that’s how it got to this point.”

As Wang Niulang spoke, he glanced at Zhang Guangzheng.

"What, are you getting impatient?"

This time, Zhang Guangzheng did not deny it.

"Master, it's not that I'm anxious, but I heard that tickets for Hunan TV's New Year's Eve Gala are in high demand. I'm worried that if we go too late, your friend's tickets will already be sold to someone else."

"What are you thinking about?"

Wang Niulang raised his hand as if to strike, but Zhang Guangzheng quickly raised his hand to cover his face.

Of course, Wang Niulang was just trying to scare Zhang Guangzheng.

"I've already made arrangements with someone, how can he possibly sell the tickets to someone else?"

Zhang Guangzheng quickly apologized and admitted his mistake.

But the more humble Zhang Guangzheng appeared, the angrier Wang Niulang became.

He pulled Zhang Guangzheng aside.

"Before we see them, I'll ask you one last time: are you really sure you want to buy those two tickets?"

Zhang Guangzheng nodded firmly.

Even so, Wang Niulang still earnestly advised, "Let me tell you, if you want to invite someone to Shenzhen to watch the New Year's Eve gala together, the ticket price is a small matter. The round-trip airfare, food, and accommodation will cost at least several thousand yuan. You work hard and save money for something else, why do you have to waste it?"

Zhang Guangzheng knew that Wang Niulang meant well, but he still didn't listen to a word he said.

His eyes were filled with fervor and longing.

"Master, just like Stephen Chow said in the movie, what's the difference between a person who doesn't have dreams and a salted fish?"

Wang Niulang interrupted him impatiently:

"You know that's a movie, but life isn't a movie."

"To put it bluntly, she's a flight attendant with tons of suitors. Why would she be interested in a doorman like you? Just because you tirelessly accompany her mother to square dancing every day?"

Even such harsh words failed to wake Zhang Guangzheng up.

"Master, you are knowledgeable and experienced, please give me some advice. When I get to Shenzhen, what kind of hotel should I book, and how should I arrange my itinerary during the day?"

Looking at the hopeless Zhang Guangzheng, Wang Niulang was utterly speechless. Good advice was useless against this damned fool!
With a sigh, Wang Niulang walked straight into the alley.

Zhang Guangzheng quickly chased after him.

The two arrived together under the big locust tree in the middle of the alley, next to which was Youfeng Courtyard.

Seeing that the courtyard gate was half-open, Wang Niulang was wondering whether he should knock on the door and go in to take a look.

Just then, the door of the neighboring courtyard house creaked open.

Chu Xiaoyu came out, holding two tickets to the New Year's Eve gala.

Their eyes met, and both of them froze in surprise.

"What a coincidence! I was just saying I'd ride my bike to the alley entrance to wait for you!" Chu Xiaoyu said with a smile as she walked forward, glancing at Zhang Guangzheng standing behind Wang Niulang.

Is this the friend Wang Niulang mentioned who wanted to take over his two tickets?
“I just came from the tenement building too, and I was just about to call you.”

As Wang Niulang spoke, he turned around and introduced Zhang Guangzheng to Chu Xiaoyu:
"He's the friend of mine who wanted to buy tickets."

Chu Xiaoyu shook hands with Zhang Guangzheng and handed over the two tickets in front of Wang Niulang.

"Brother, did Brother Wang tell you about the ticket price?"

Zhang Guangzheng immediately took out a thousand yuan that he had prepared in advance from his pocket, handed it over with both hands, and asked Chu Xiaoyu to count it.

Chu Xiaoyu simply stuffed the money into his pocket: "No need to count it. You're Brother Wang's friend, I trust you."

After saying that, he put an arm around Wang Niulang's shoulder and said, "It's been a long time since we last met. Shall we go inside and chat for a bit?"

Wang Niulang couldn't refuse, and was about to invite Zhang Guangzheng along.

"Master, I'm on the night shift today. If there's nothing else, I'll head back to the hotel."

Wang Niulang waved his hand.

"Go."

Overjoyed, Zhang Guangzheng carefully tucked the two tickets into his pocket and turned to leave.

Wang Niulang withdrew his gaze and followed Chu Xiaoyu toward the courtyard house next to Youfeng Courtyard.

They agreed to go inside and talk, but Chu Xiaoyu led Wang Niulang towards the three-wheeled motorcycle parked at the door instead.

Seeing Chu Xiaoyu insert the car key and straddle the seat, Wang Niulang finally realized what was happening.

"Are you going out?"

"Don't just stand there, come on up, I'll take you to a nice place."

Wang Niulang got into the carriage with some skepticism.

Chu Xiaoyu twisted the throttle, and the motorcycle roared toward the other end of the alley.

As they passed Sun Xin's house, Wang Niulang joked with Chu Xiaoyu, asking if they should invite Sun Xin to come along.

As a result, Chu Xiaoyu drove past Sun Xin's house without saying a word.

Wang Niulang finally realized something was wrong.

Is Chu Xiaoyu having a falling out with Sun Xin?

The motorcycle drove out of the alley and quickly stopped in front of a barbecue restaurant.

Chu Xiaoyu was an acquaintance of the shop owner. After getting out of the car, she quickly ordered the dishes and even asked the owner to bring her two bottles of baijiu (Chinese liquor).

Wang Niulang became increasingly certain that Chu Xiaoyu must have encountered something upsetting, and quickly offered some words of comfort:
"Let's not drink, okay? If you drink too much, I won't be able to ride your three-wheeled horse."

Chu Xiaoyu nodded in agreement and turned to ask the shopkeeper to replace the baijiu with beer, just two bottles.

Wang Niulang finally realized that Chu Xiaoyu just wanted to have a couple of drinks and confide in him about her troubles.

After the two bottles of beer were served, Wang Niulang opened one and handed it to Chu Xiaoyu, then took one for himself.

The two clinked glasses, and Chu Xiaoyu took a sip first.

As he put down the wine bottle, Wang Niulang's voice rang out.

"What happened? You look like you're drowning your sorrows in alcohol. Did you have a fight with Sun Xin?"

Chu Xiaoyu nodded and was about to drink again when Wang Niulang stopped her.

"This isn't the first time you two have had a falling out, is it really necessary to make such a fuss?"

"As for!"

Chu Xiaoyu slammed the wine bottle down on the table: "Do you know why I have two tickets to the New Year's Eve gala?"

Wang Niulang glanced at Chu Xiaoyu.

I didn't know before, but I do now.

"You were planning to go with Sun Xin, but Sun Xin didn't agree?"

Chu Xiaoyu nodded.

He had asked a friend in Shenzhen to buy these two New Year's Eve party tickets two months in advance.

I originally wanted to give Sun Xin a surprise, but—

Thinking of this, Chu Xiaoyu grabbed the bottle and gulped down two more mouthfuls of wine.

This time, Wang Niulang didn't stop him. He waited until Chu Xiaoyu put down the wine bottle before advising him:

"We've known each other for so many years, so don't take offense at my harsh words. I've seen Sun Xin since she was little. She's ambitious and has high standards. By the time you've achieved success, she'll already be an old maid. You can wait, but she can't."

That was actually a very tactful way of putting it; it was practically saying that there was no chance for the two of you.

Chu Xiaoyu remained silent after hearing this.

Wang Niulang picked up the wine bottle and took a sip by himself.

"That guy who bought the ticket from you, he's even more outrageous than you. He met a flight attendant at work before, and for some reason, he fell in love with her. He went to great lengths to find out about her, and in order to get closer to her, he even went to the park to dance with her mother."

Chu Xiaoyu also took a sip of wine.

"This guy is pretty brave."

"Yong? He's just a simpleton. To say he's a toad trying to eat swan meat is an understatement. He doesn't even know what he does. A hotel doorman trying to woo a flight attendant who has a house and a respectable job in Beijing? What makes him think he can do that?"

"Didn't you try to persuade him?"

"I tried to persuade him, but he wouldn't listen."

Wang Niulang shrugged. "I reckon he won't turn back until he hits a brick wall this time."

Chu Xiaoyu sighed.

How could he not realize that Wang Niulang was referring to him?

The more I thought about it, the more annoyed I became, and I was just about to change the subject.

Just then, my phone rang.

When I picked it up, I saw it was a call from Sun Xin.

Chu Xiaoyu answered the phone immediately.

"Sun Xin, is something the matter?"

Do you still have those two New Year's Eve concert tickets?

Chu Xiaoyu gripped her phone tightly, glancing at Wang Niulang across from her.

"Yes, have you changed your mind?"

Wang Niulang was speechless for a moment.

All those words I just said were wasted.

"No, it was Fenghua and Siyi, who live in the same courtyard as Sun Xiang, who asked me where they could get tickets. I thought you happened to have two, so I asked you."

Chu Xiaoyu was greatly disappointed after hearing this.

But he's also very proud. He just said the tickets were still there, and he really couldn't bring himself to tell Sun Xin that they'd already been sold.

Wang Niulang stood up from across the table and snatched Chu Xiaoyu's phone.

“Sun Xin, it’s me, Wang Niulang… Unfortunately, Chu Xiaoyu has already agreed to transfer those two tickets to me. Why don’t you ask someone else?”

(End of this chapter)