King of Technology: A Fresh Start in 1983

Zhan Yiling pushed open the door, and He Fan was brushing his teeth.

She angrily complained, "Zhang Weixin got a girlfriend, you know? I just happened to catch him, and I'm so mad!"

"I don't know? Where did you see it?" He Fan asked, turning his face away with foam at the mouth.

"Just now, downstairs."

Upon hearing this, He Fan ran to the balcony without even bothering to stop the toothpaste foam from getting into his mouth.

Zhan Yiling called out from behind, "They've already gone far away!"

He Fan turned around and went back to the bathroom, quite disappointed.

After rinsing his mouth, he asked, "What was that woman like? Was she pretty? What was her figure like?"

"Is that all you care about?"

Zhan Yiling rolled her eyes at him. "Why don't you consider whether Zhang Wei has officially broken up with Shu Nan or not?"

"Isn't this considered two-timing? Isn't it like he's eating what he has while eyeing what he doesn't? Should I tell Shu Nan right away?"

He Fan picked up a towel and wiped his face, puzzled. "They should have broken up a long time ago, so what's this talk of 'formal' or 'unofficial'?"

"It's been so long since Zhang Wei asked me to send that letter to Shu Nan, and I haven't received a single letter."

"well…"

Zhan Yiling frowned. "What's most frustrating is that I was the one who introduced that woman to Zhang Wei."

"You're the one who introduced us? Then who else can you blame?"

"No! It was originally to help Zhang Wei's company with publicity, who would have thought that the two of them would actually become boyfriend and girlfriend."

"It's hard to say about things between men and women. Sometimes two people just fall in love at first sight."

"Just like when I was in school, I fell for you at first sight, but I just didn't notice Qin Shunan, who was always by your side..."

"Go away, go away, these are completely different things. How am I supposed to explain this to Shu Nan in the future? It makes me sound like I've become..."

"Tell me, what have you become? A pimp?" He Fan said with a wicked smile.

"Get out of here! What nonsense are you spouting?! With just one sentence, you've insulted all three of us! How annoying!"

...

Seeing that Zhan Yiling was truly angry, He Fan quickly changed the subject, saying, "So, you know that woman?"

Zhan Yiling nodded: "We met when we went to IBM in the United States for a business trip together."

"Is she pretty?"

"Who cares if she's pretty or not? As long as Zhang Wei thinks she's pretty, that's enough..."

"Compared to Shu Nan, who is prettier?" He Fan asked in a different way.

Zhan Yiling shook her head: "There's no comparison. They are completely different people and there's no basis for comparison at all."

"What does she do? What's her name?"

"She works at a newspaper, and her name is Lin Yidan."

"If you had to choose between Zhang Wei and Shu Nan, whose side would you be on?"

"Is that even a question? Of course I'm on Shu Nan's side."

"If I had known things would turn out this way, I definitely wouldn't have introduced Lin Yidan to Zhang Wei."

"Who could have predicted this? These two, really, why did they have to become boyfriend and girlfriend..."

Zhan Yiling grabbed He Fan's arm and shook it, asking, "Anyway, I feel really bad for Shu Nan about this. If I tell her now, she probably won't hate me, right?"

"You want to tell Shu Nan on your own initiative? Is it really necessary?"

He Fan looked unconvinced. "Can you please stay out of this? What business is it of yours what Zhang Wei and Shu Nan's current situation is?"

"If they could be together, they would have been inseparable like us long ago."

"If we can't be together, all your worrying won't help."

"I'm asking you, in your letter, did Shu Nan ask you to monitor Zhang Wei?"

Zhan Yiling shook her head.

Did she mention Zhang Wei in her letters to you?

Zhan Yiling thought for a moment, then shook her head.

He Fan shrugged: "Isn't that enough? Shu Nan doesn't care how Zhang Wei is doing now, or whether he has a new girlfriend, so why are you so concerned?"

"Then...why don't you talk to Zhang Wei and ask him to take the initiative to explain this matter to Shu Nan..."

"I don't care about this kind of blatant attempt to cover something up."

"From what I've observed, Zhang Wei and Shu Nan broke up a long time ago. Why would he need to tell Shu Nan whether he's dating someone new?"

"But as far as I know, Shu Nan has never formally mentioned breaking up with Zhang Wei."

After Zhan Yiling finished speaking, she looked at He Fan with suspicion, "Do you know that Zhang Wei mentioned this to Shu Nan?"

"It's so obvious, why does anyone need to bring it up with anyone else?"

"We never contact each other again, each busy with our own lives. We both know the truth perfectly well, it's a tacit understanding, that's what breaking up is, that's what ending it is."

"After all these years, don't you understand Zhang Wei at all?"

"How could someone as proud as him not have been in contact for almost two years, and then suddenly write to Shu Nan saying: I have a new girlfriend, let's break up."

"What if Shu Nan replies: 'Didn't we break up a long time ago? What does it matter to me whether you have a new girlfriend or not?'"

"How are you going to make Zhang Wei save face?"

"Based on my understanding of him, that's definitely what he thinks."

He Fan then said with certainty, "Moreover, I think Zhang Wei's relationship with this guy surnamed Lin is quite normal, not at all like what you imagine."

"At least not yet, Zhang Wei is still a virgin."

Zhan Yiling exclaimed in surprise, "No way! How can you be so sure about these things?"

"Zhang Wei would never tell anyone, not even you."

"Besides, you don't understand Lin Yidan. Once she starts..."

"Alright, alright! I know this better than you do."

He Fan interrupted Zhan Yiling, chuckling, "Think about it, if Zhang Wei already had the kind of relationship we have with that guy surnamed Lin, would he still need to get up in the middle of the night to wash his underwear so often?"

Zhan Yiling didn't react for a moment and looked at He Fan in a daze.

He Fan, on the other hand, wore a mysterious expression, as if to say to Zhan Yiling: You know what I mean.

Zhan Yiling stared intently at He Fan and shook her head vigorously.

He Fan took Zhan Yiling's hand and walked to the living room, then pulled open the curtain on the balcony.

Pointing to two pairs of underwear hanging on the balcony and a map-shaped stain on the bed sheet, he said to Zhan Yiling, "Really? Don't you understand?"

After Zhan Yiling frowned and pondered for a long time, finally understanding what He Fan meant, she immediately blushed deeply with embarrassment and angrily cursed, "You scoundrel!"

Then he turned his face away.

He Fan was immediately aroused by Zhan Yiling's appearance and pounced on her to hug her.

While struggling to break free, Zhan Yiling yelled, "Stop it! Didn't we agree to go to the amusement park this morning?"

"I've changed my mind. Going to the amusement park on such a windy day would be a waste of time. Let's just stay home and have some fun."

He Fan said excitedly, panting heavily.

Zhan Yiling pushed He Fan away forcefully: "I don't want to! We're talking about Zhang Wei right now, I don't have time to play with you."