Going home for the Chinese New Year with a year-end bonus of 100 million

"Yang Fan? How familiar you are with that." Chen Zhiyuan sneered.

"Qingyue, you've been deceived by him!"

Do you know why he approached you?

"It's all for your status! How many resources can a university president bring him?"

Lin Qingyue's face turned pale with anger: "You're talking nonsense!"

"I'm talking nonsense?" Chen Zhiyuan took out his phone from his pocket, opened a few photos, and said.

"Look at these! These are the 'projects' he's invested in—an AI project by a few students, a beauty blogger, and an e-sports hotel!"

He shoved his phone screen right in front of Lin Qingyue:

"Anyone with a brain wouldn't invest in a project like this!"

Why did he vote for you?

Looking at the photos, Lin Qingyue calmed down: "Chen Zhiyuan, you investigated him?"

"Shouldn't I investigate?" Chen Zhiyuan put his phone away.

"I want to see what kind of person could make you care so much."

He paused, then his tone became earnest: "Qingyue, wake up."

"This Yang Fan is just a brainless nouveau riche."

"Ten out of ten of the projects he invests in will lose money!"

"He's spending money now just to please you and get closer to you."

"What will he do once he achieves his goal? Have you thought about that?"

Lin Qingyue took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down:

"Chen Zhiyuan, first of all, Yang Fan is my friend, and I won't allow you to say that about him."

"Secondly, he invests in these projects because he sees potential in young people, not because of what you said."

"You're optimistic about the potential of young people?" Chen Zhiyuan thought to himself, as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world.

"Qingyue, you're a highly educated person, how can you believe such nonsense?"

What is the success rate of college students starting their own businesses?

"Less than five percent! If he invests a million, he'd be lucky to get back a hundred thousand!"

"That's his business," Lin Qingyue said. "He has his reasons for wanting to vote."

"What logic is there? They've got water in their brains!" Chen Zhiyuan became increasingly agitated as he spoke.

"Qingyue, don't be fooled by him! He's doing this for you! I've seen this kind of thing countless times!"

Lin Qingyue finally lost her temper: "Chen Zhiyuan, please leave."

"Qingyue..."

"Get out!" Lin Qingyue pointed to the door. "Now! Immediately!"

Looking into her cold eyes, Chen Zhiyuan knew that there was no point in saying anything more.

He gritted his teeth and placed the flowers on the table:

"Okay, I'll go. But Qingyue, I hope you'll think it over carefully."

Don't wait until you've been scammed to regret it.

After saying that, he turned and left, slamming the door shut behind him.

The office fell silent.

Lin Qingyue stared at the glaring red roses on the table and remained silent for a long time.

Then, she picked up the flowers, walked to the trash can, and threw them in without hesitation.

……

Yang Fan's hot pot restaurant at 6:30 pm.

It was the evening rush hour, and the restaurant was packed with customers, with people queuing outside.

Yang Fan was looking at materials in a small private room on the second floor—detailed business plans for the thirty projects in the entrepreneurship competition.

He read very carefully, occasionally taking notes with the pen inscribed with "Never Forget the Original Intention".

Suddenly, a commotion arose downstairs.

"Big brother! Is big brother there?"

It was Zhou Yao's voice, so loud and boisterous.

Yang Fan put down his pen, walked out of the private room, and stood at the top of the stairs looking down.

Zhou Yao wore a black tight-fitting T-shirt, ripped jeans, and a pink high ponytail today, looking youthful and energetic.

She was standing in front of the cashier, talking to Lin Xiaoyu.

"Zhou Yao?" Yang Fan came downstairs. "What brings you here?"

"Big brother!" Zhou Yao's eyes lit up, and she skipped over, "I wanted to play with you!"

"Playing?" Yang Fan raised an eyebrow. "I'm busy here."

"What are you so busy with?" Zhou Yao pouted. "You've been busy for days, it's time to relax!"

Lin Xiaoyu whispered from the side, "Brother, Zhou Yao has been waiting for you for half an hour."

Yang Fan checked the time: 6:40.

He had arranged to meet Lin Qingyue at seven o'clock, and he had twenty minutes to spare.

"Tell me, what do you want to do?" Yang Fan asked Zhou Yao.

"Play billiards!" Zhou Yao's eyes lit up.

"I know a newly opened billiards hall with amazing facilities! Hey bro, wanna come with me?"

Yang Fan was both amused and exasperated: "Playing billiards? You came all this way just for that?"

"That's right!" Zhou Yao said matter-of-factly.

"My brother's a total shut-in, he can't do anything but play video games. Of all the people I know, you're the only one who's good at billiards!"

That's true.

Yang Fan used to enjoy playing billiards, and his skills were quite good.

"Just the two of us?" Yang Fan asked.

"Otherwise what?" Zhou Yao blinked. "Big brother, you're not afraid to go out with me alone, are you?"

Yang Fan rolled his eyes at her:

"Goading me won't work. But... I don't have anything else to do tonight anyway, so I might as well play along."

"Yay!" Zhou Yao jumped up happily. "Let's go! Let's go now!"

"Not now," Yang Fan said. "I have a dinner appointment at seven o'clock, so I have to go there first."

Zhou Yao's smile vanished instantly: "You made plans with someone? Who is it?"

"Is it any of your business?" Yang Fan turned and walked upstairs.

"If you really want to play billiards, wait until I finish eating. Around 8:30."

Zhou Yao's eyes darted around, and she followed them:

"Big brother, you didn't make an appointment with... Principal Lin, did you?"

Yang Fan paused, turned to look at her, and asked, "How did you know?"

"Just a guess!" Zhou Yao laughed smugly.

"You've been going to school so often lately, and you're always staring at your phone and grinning like an idiot, something's definitely up!"

Yang Fan ignored her and returned to the private room to continue reviewing the documents.

Zhou Yao didn't stand on ceremony. She pulled up a chair, sat down, and looked at Yang Fan with her chin in her hand.

"Big brother, what's going on between you and Principal Lin...?"

"Friend." Yang Fan said without looking up.

"Friends?" Zhou Yao pouted. "Would friends call you every day? Would friends give you a pen? Would friends..."

"Zhou Yao," Yang Fan interrupted her, "if you keep gossiping, you can forget about playing billiards tonight."

"Okay, okay, I won't ask anymore!" Zhou Yao quickly raised her hands in surrender.

"Then hurry up and watch it. After you've watched it, we'll go eat, and then we'll play billiards!"

Yang Fan shook his head and continued reading the project plan in his hand.