My Arrogant Young Lady

“But I need to work…” Runtu said after thinking for a moment, understanding my feelings.

“I have money, I can give it to you!” I said.

"You...can give me money?" Runtu asked in surprise.

“Yes, I can give you money, I can help your grandma move into an apartment…” I started to say, but then I suddenly realized something was wrong. I’m just an ordinary person now, I still think of myself as the heir of the Wang family. As I spoke, my confidence began to wane. “I’ll be getting a job soon, as a manager at an internet cafe. My monthly salary is 1,500 yuan, and I can give you half of that.”

"..."

Chapter 173 Dog Bro Finds Me a Partner

“If you need money, just tell me, and I’ll pay you back when you get your salary.” The next day, Runtu gave me two hundred yuan and then went to work outside the school.

Holding the two banknotes Runtu lent me, I felt a surge of emotion. I was no longer the prince, and I didn't have a single penny left. The job I found at the internet cafe hadn't even been offered yet, and feeding snakes these past two days had drained my meal card and my remaining cash. Even if I got a job, my monthly salary would only be 1,500 yuan, while Runtu, working on a construction site outside the school, could earn 5,000 or 6,000 yuan a month.

Compared to me, Runtu's job is practically a high-paying job.

Clutching the money in my hand, I thought to myself that I must make a fortune and then support Runtu. But where am I going to earn this money?

Thinking about all this, I prepared to feed the little snakes I had brought. I had attracted all the snakes around the school; there were about twenty of them. One was venomous, and the rest were non-venomous. To find more snakes, and more venomous ones, I had to go to other places outside the school.

Just as I was about to leave the dorm, Huang Gou called out to me from behind. He'd drunk quite a bit yesterday and was just waking up with a headache. He rubbed his hair vigorously, then pulled out ten yuan and said to me in a hoarse voice, "Wang Xi, go buy me a bottle of mineral water and a wrap. I drank a bit too much yesterday, and my head hurts. Thanks for your help. With the rest of the money, see what you want to buy; consider it my treat."

Yesterday I drank with Huang Gou; he drank quite a bit, and so did I. Because of my martial arts training, I felt much better this morning. Seeing Huang Gou looking unwell, I nodded and left the dormitory.

I ran into Runtu while buying bottled water downstairs. He had bought a loaf of bread and was waiting to pay at the cashier. Seeing me come down to buy something, Runtu asked me, "Wang Xi, didn't you just say you weren't going to eat breakfast? What's wrong? You've come down to buy something to eat so quickly?"

“No, I bought it for the yellow dog,” I said.

"The yellow dog made you run errands?!" Upon hearing my words, Runtu's eyes widened instantly.

"Yeah, he had a headache, so I came down to buy him some things. It's nothing, we're all roommates, walking a few more steps won't kill me," I said to Runtu with a smile.

"Wang Xi, you've changed." Runtu looked at me with a complicated expression.

After paying the bill, Runtu and I parted ways. He went to work, while I bought some wraps and took them back to the dorm to give to Huang Gou. Seeing the change I got back, Huang Gou lit a cigarette and looked at me in surprise, "Wang Xi, aren't you going to buy something to eat?"

"No, I'm not very hungry," I said.

"Oh, so you don't mind if I ask you to buy something for me, right?" Huang Gou asked me.

"Hehe, you have a headache and aren't feeling well, so what's wrong with me buying you some things? We're roommates, isn't it only natural to help each other out?" I smiled at Huang Gou.

"Okay, from now on you'll be working for me. I'll protect you if anything happens. What are you planning to do later?" Huang Gou asked me.

"I might go to class?" I concealed my secret about raising snakes.

"Classes? Are you kidding me? Our school doesn't even have teachers, what kind of classes are we talking about? Which school did you go to before? Why are you being so obedient? This is a noob school, not your old good school," said Huang Gou.

“I’m at Nancheng No.1 Middle School,” I said.

"Oh? Nancheng No. 1 Middle School, that's a good school. I heard the teaching quality is quite good, and there are quite a few wealthy students there. Your school is quite famous, isn't it? Young Master Bao and the Prince? Do you know Young Master Bao and the Prince?" Huang Gou asked me.

"I don't know him..." I said.

"I know them, I'm on good terms with both of them." With that, the yellow dog got up and started getting dressed.

"..." After hearing what the yellow dog said, I blinked, a little confused.

After I got dressed, Huang Gou put his arm around my shoulder and we walked outside. As we walked, Huang Gou said to me, "Young Master Bao's family is quite wealthy; they own a cosmetics company. The young master is the behind-the-scenes boss of your Nancheng No. 1 High School; his family is incredibly powerful. He even has bodyguards with him to school every day, right? It's said that even the very powerful and well-liked Hao Ren Group's young master in our province treats him with utmost respect. I know both of them; if anything comes up, a word from me at Nancheng No. 1 High School can carry weight."

"Wang Xi, you're pretty good, handsome, and you can hold your liquor. You've cleaned our dorm spotlessly since you arrived, everyone has a good impression of you. I asked you to buy something earlier, and you didn't make a fuss, unlike our previous roommates. Terrible. From now on, you'll hang out with me, I'll show you around, I'll not only make sure you have food every day, I'll also make sure you can pick up girls." As he spoke, Huang Gou hugged me and chuckled.

"Was there a roommate before me?" I asked.

"Don't mention him. He's nothing but acts like a big shot all the time. We all hate him. He even made us drop out of school. You're great, much better than that guy," Huang Gou said.

"Oh, so what are we going to do?" I asked.

"Let me introduce you to someone!" With that, Huang Gou pulled out his phone. Without even asking if I had a girlfriend, he said into the phone, "Honey, what are you doing? Why don't you call Li Jiaqi and Zhang Shixue out later? Let's hang out together. A new guy joined my dorm, he's pretty handsome and a nice guy. Li Jiaqi always says there aren't any handsome guys, right? I'll show her what a handsome guy is!"

After hanging up the phone, Huang Gou put his arm around me and we walked out of the school. Then we hailed a taxi and told it to go to Carrefour near the North Station.

On the way, the yellow dog kept sending WeChat messages on his phone. I didn't say anything, just looked helplessly at the scenery outside the window.

I fed the snakes yesterday; they can last a day or two even if they're hungry. I figured I was bored anyway, so I'd let the yellow dog play with me for a bit, and I'd feed the snakes again when I got back tonight.

After drinking last night and meeting him this morning, I now understand what kind of person Huang Gou is.

Yellow Dog is just an ordinary hoodlum, vain and a bit of a braggart. But he's a decent person; he didn't bully me just because I'm new. On the contrary, he was very polite to me. I treated him well, and he returned the favor tenfold. He's also a bit naive, adorably naive. He wanted to introduce me to someone without even knowing what kind of person I was.

Yellow Dog was very friendly to me, and I knew he might be sad if I refused his kindness. So I didn't refuse; I thought it would be nice to play with him. Making more friends would help ease the pain of losing Zhang Xuan. As for finding a partner, I had absolutely no interest in it.

Whether it's my fiancée Xi'er, my sister An Yao, or my good friend Tang Ning, they are all very beautiful girls. And not only are they beautiful, but their temperament is also outstanding. Even Shan Shan, who likes me, is now a big online celebrity. With so many wonderful girls around me, it's hard for me to be attracted to other women.

Because it was morning, Carrefour wasn't open yet when we arrived. There was a KFC outside, so Huang Gou and I sat there waiting for his girlfriend and her two best friends.

After sending a WeChat message, Huang Gou put his phone in his pocket, looked me over carefully, and said, "Wang Xi, you have a very elegant air about you. Are you from a very wealthy family?"

"Brother Dog, I don't have any money at home," I said.

"No way, you're quite fair-skinned. Your clothes are always very clean, and you always smell like a girl. Even if your family isn't rich, they treat you pretty well. But it's okay, it would be great if you could date Li Jiaqi or Zhang Shixue, their families are both wealthy. But Zhang Shixue might be a problem, she's very picky. She doesn't like most guys, even though many people like her, she doesn't even talk to them. Let's focus our attention on Li Jiaqi, I'll help you get her." As he spoke, Huang Gou grinned mischievously again.

"What's the name of the heir of Nancheng No. 1 Middle School?" I suddenly asked.

"..." The yellow dog was stunned after hearing my words.

"What's his name?" I asked again.

"Li Qi, I guess?" Huang Gou thought for a moment and said.

After hearing what the yellow dog said, I realized that he really didn't recognize me. Not only did he not recognize me, he didn't even know my real name. That's fine, it saves him the trouble of finding out my identity. Right now, I just want to be an ordinary person and live like an ordinary person.

I spent over an hour in KFC with Huang Gou when three girls walked in through the window. As soon as they entered, a pleasant fragrance filled the air. All three girls were beautiful; the one in the lead had curly hair. She looked only eighteen or nineteen, but matured like a woman in her early twenties. Wearing a long denim skirt and ankle boots, she sat down next to Huang Gou. Then, after looking me up and down, she said, "Huang Gou, is this the handsome guy you were talking about?"

"How about it, isn't he handsome?" Huang Gou excitedly asked the girl next to him as he put his arm around her.

"He's quite handsome," the girl smiled. Then she nodded slightly at me.

"Hello, sister-in-law." I smiled and nodded at her.

As for the other two girls, they stood beside my sister-in-law. They were both even prettier, especially one tall girl who always had a gentle smile on her face and exuded elegance. Just a quick glance at the quality of her clothes told me that this girl came from a well-off family.

“This is my brother Wang Xi. This is Li Jiaqi, her family owns a restaurant. This is Zhang Shixue, her dad is the deputy captain of our North District Traffic Police Brigade. Hehe, being a traffic cop is lucrative. And the deputy captain, well, needless to say…” As he spoke, Huang Gou chuckled rather slyly.

Although he wanted me to pursue Li Jiaqi, he clearly favored Zhang Shixue more. It's just that Zhang Shixue was the prettiest of the three girls, and her family was also better off. He felt I wasn't good enough for her and that I could never win her over. But he didn't know that even a girl as outstanding as Zhang Shixue was just an ordinary person in An Yao's eyes. If Zhang Shixue's father were to be greedy for money, things would be fine; but if he didn't, ten years' salary probably wouldn't be enough to buy the car An Yao drove.

“Huang Gou. My dad is just an ordinary civil servant; he doesn’t earn much.” Zhang Shixue frowned, a little unhappy, after Huang Gou revealed her family background.

"Hey, Zhang Shixue, you're so beautiful, don't be so modest. Even if your dad isn't greedy, earning over ten thousand a year wouldn't be a problem, right? And your mom, she's the director of the household registration office in Beicheng. Her annual salary must be quite high, right? I saw your Honda CRV last time, that's not a car that ordinary people can afford." As he spoke, Huang Gou's eyes became envious.

"..." After hearing what Huang Gou said, Zhang Shixue took a deep breath, frowned, and remained silent.

"Hehe, Yellow Dog, you've told us about our family backgrounds, how about you tell us about your brother's family background too? Don't think I don't know what you're thinking. You want to find your brother a girlfriend, right? Your brother is quite handsome, but what's the use of being handsome? Hehe, I don't want a girlfriend who takes the subway every day!" Li Jiaqi spoke up from the side, crossing her arms and pursing her lips.

"Li Jiaqi, what are you saying? My brother isn't well-off, but can I introduce him to you? Let me tell you, his family is incredibly powerful. I won't say what his parents do, but they earn hundreds of thousands a year like it's nothing!" Huang Gou shouted.

As soon as Huang Gou finished speaking, he quickly winked at me. Huang Gou's girlfriend was shocked, staring at me blankly with her beautiful eyes for a long time.

"So rich?" Huang Gou's girlfriend exclaimed.

"I never expected your friend to be so rich." Even Zhang Shixue couldn't help but turn her head and look at me in surprise.

Seeing the two girls' shifty gazes as the yellow dog looked at me smugly, I felt helpless. I thought to myself, why would this yellow dog brag for me just to help me get a girl? Money is money, and no money is no money. What's the point of bragging if I end up with a girl just to get her?

Thinking of this, I quickly explained to them, "Don't listen to what Brother Gou is saying, there's nothing wrong with my house..."

"Heh!" Before I could finish speaking, Li Jiaqi interrupted me with a cold laugh. Then, Li Jiaqi looked coldly at Huang Gou and said, "Huang Gou, how can you brag so much? If you have money, you have money; if you don't have money, you don't have money. We didn't say anything about you using sweet talk to trick our Lanlan into your hands, but now you've brought this loser here to trick us?"

"Your friend's clothes probably aren't brand name, are they? And the style is from two years ago. Even many junior high students wouldn't wear clothes like that now, right? Yellow Dog, do you have any shame?"

"And you, you're not bad looking, and I had a pretty good impression of you. But you've really disappointed me now. I never thought you were this kind of person, trying to seduce us by having Huang Gou make up a fake identity for you? It's fine if you don't have money, but can't you have some backbone? Let me tell you, I will never be with someone like you. Someone like you will never be worthy of a rich person like me!" As she spoke, Li Jiaqi pointed at me with her slender finger.

"..." After hearing Li Jiaqi's words, I blinked and looked confused again...

Chapter 174 The Flames of War in the Provincial Capital

At this moment, Li Jiaqi felt utterly disappointed. Initially, when she saw the boy the yellow dog brought, she had felt a spark of attraction. Although he was dressed in cheap, somewhat outdated clothes, he was good-looking and his clothes were clean. Especially his demeanor, which was different from many boys she had met. His unique aura made her feel a stirring of attraction.

If he pursues her earnestly, she might consider it.

But now she felt a bit contemptuous of men. Growing up in a well-off family, she'd met many men. Her positive impressions made her think this guy would be different. Even if he wasn't rich, she assumed he was honest and kind, and could show her a side that would attract her. Now, it seemed this guy was no different from the losers she'd met before. Like Huang Gou, they all wanted to find a rich partner so they could avoid decades of hard work in the future. This get-rich-quick mentality disgusted Li Jiaqi.

Even knowing she'd gone too far, her straightforward nature led her to blurt out her thoughts. Perhaps, this blow would awaken him to his mistakes and motivate him to strive for success from now on. Although he didn't have wealthy parents, with hard work, he could achieve some success in the future. Becoming a small business owner, he could indeed earn hundreds of thousands a year and become a tycoon.

"Jiaqi, you've gone too far." Standing next to Li Jiaqi, Zhang Shixue frowned slightly.

"Heh, I'm doing this for his own good. Once he gets to Beicheng No. 13 Middle School, there's no future for him. And now, he actually wants to be a gigolo and swindle women out of their money. Shixue, only innocent girls like you and Lanlan are easy to fool. This guy doesn't even deserve to fool me." As she spoke, Li Jiaqi gave me a look of utter contempt.

Seeing Li Jiaqi's expression, I felt utterly helpless. I had initially wanted to explain myself after hearing Huang Gou brag about me, but this girl didn't give me a chance. Now, even if I wanted to explain, I couldn't.

Fine. Then I won't explain anymore. Anyway, I'm not interested in them. Zhang Xuan is gone. Once the pain in my heart subsides, I'll focus on loving Xi'er. Zhang Xuan has already made Xi'er make huge concessions. I can't let Xi'er suffer any more. Even if I'm no longer the heir of the Wang family, I should still wholeheartedly be a good boyfriend.

However, seeing that I didn't explain, Li Jiaqi was even more surprised. Still seemingly angry, she glared at me and said, "Kid, don't you want to explain yourself?"

"No, it's my fault. I bragged to Brother Gou and fooled him. I'm sorry for making you unhappy. I'll never pretend to be rich again," I said to Li Jiaqi.

"What!?" Upon hearing my words, the yellow dog's expression changed drastically. Then, the yellow dog's gaze towards me became uncertain.

"Huang Gou, your friend is such a braggart. You've been so good to him, treating him like a brother. Sigh, I thought this trip would help Jiaqi find a good partner, but it looks like we've made a wasted trip." Huang Gou's girlfriend frowned, glanced at me, and then sighed softly.

"No, no, no, my friend wasn't bragging. He's a really nice guy, even better than I imagined. I'm just saying this on his behalf..." Huang Gou's face immediately turned red after hearing his girlfriend's words.

"Brother Gou, I'm sorry, I made your friend unhappy. If there's nothing else, I'll head back." With a smile, I stood up to say goodbye.

Seeing that I was leaving, the yellow dog's face turned even redder. Li Jiaqi also seemed a little embarrassed, feeling that what she had just said was a bit too much.

As I stood up to leave, Zhang Shixue gently grabbed my arm. Her fingers were long and slender, snow-white, and she exuded a pleasant fragrance; she possessed a refined air. Smiling, Zhang Shixue looked at me sincerely and said, “Wang Xi, Jiaqi is my best friend. She went a little too far just now, and I apologize on her behalf. Lanlan is also our best friend; she's dating your brother, Huang Gou, who's also one of our friends. Whether you're rich or poor, we won't look down on you. As long as you stop bragging, we'll still consider you a good friend. Don't go yet; let's go see a movie together later.”

Seeing Zhang Shixue speak softly and gently, and her words saved my face, I couldn't help but glance at her, thinking that this girl was actually very kind-hearted. She was also quite tall, and her pointed chin was somewhat similar to Zhang Xuan's. Looking at the girl in front of me, my impression of her improved considerably.

“Yeah, even if you don’t have money, we’re still brothers. You’ll always be my best brother. Don’t leave yet, let’s go see a movie together and then have a meal. I’ll cover everything today!” Huang Gou quickly grabbed me and said.

“Yes, don’t leave. Jiaqi didn’t mean to say that to you. As long as you don’t brag anymore, we’ll still consider you a good friend. My boyfriend is a big shot in the underworld; he works at Night Owl. Let him treat us to dinner and a movie. It’s more fun if there are more of us together,” said Huang Gou’s girlfriend.

"No, no, no, you've misunderstood. I'm not angry. I just have something to take care of..." Seeing everyone trying to comfort me, I quickly told them.

"Wang Xi, don't go, okay? Give me some face! If you leave, I'll never be able to be your brother again!" Huang Gou suddenly tightened his grip on my hand, and his eyes were filled with sincerity as he looked at me.

"Alright then." Understanding what the yellow dog meant, I sighed softly.

By now, I've figured out Huang Gou's background completely. He probably found a rich girlfriend, and to be worthy of her, he has to boast to elevate his status. His real identity is definitely not some gangster boss; at most, he's just a small-time hoodlum. After all, I know Ye Weiyang's boss, and that place is just one of my uncle's many businesses. And I not only know Ye Weiyang's boss, but I also know all of his important underlings.

If I hadn't come to Huang Gou's rescue and silently taken the blame for him, I might have implicated him, making his girlfriend think he was deceiving her best friend for me, causing her to resent him and sowing the seeds for their eventual breakup.