OBS Chapter 1306 Getting cocky? A wake-up call!
Chapter 1306 Getting cocky? A wake-up call!
Chapter 1306 Getting cocky? A wake-up call!
In the height of summer in Jingzhou, the days are long and scorching. In the blazing heat of July, the sun generously pours its scorching golden rays onto every corner of the city. The air is so stifling that it seems to solidify, and even the cicadas in the trees seem to be chirping weakly.
Inside the girls' dormitory at Jingzhou Normal University, Song Yunping was hunched over her desk on the lower bunk by the window, fine beads of sweat glistening on her forehead, dampening a few strands of hair clinging to her cheeks.
An open English book lay before her, next to a stack of notebooks filled with writing and an imported tape recorder with a flashing red light.
The headphone cord was wrapped around her slender neck, and clear, slow American pronunciation came through the headphones: "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog."
As she listened, she quickly and accurately wrote down the sentences she had just heard in a blank notebook, her expression focused, her delicate eyebrows slightly furrowed, revealing a tenacious spirit.
English was the biggest challenge she faced after entering university. During her high school years, in that remote mountain village school, English instruction was almost non-existent.
When she got to university, there were no special English tutoring courses for lower-year students. Her Chinese department also didn't have any dedicated English courses, so she had to audit classes in the foreign language department.
Her roommates, Li Mei and the others, were quite puzzled by this.
"Pingping, we're in the Chinese Literature Department, English won't affect graduation, why are you working so hard?"
Song Yunping simply took off one earphone, looked up and smiled, revealing a row of pearly white teeth, her eyes clear and firm: "It's okay, the early bird catches the worm. It's never a bad thing to learn more."
Another roommate, Zhang Xia, whose family was slightly better off, put down her novel and teased meaningfully, "I think Pingping's ambition isn't in Chinese, but in English. Is she trying to follow in the footsteps of some overseas person?"
She winked and said, "Looking at those parcel shipping addresses, they're either Hong Kong or the US. 'International Express'...tsk tsk, so fancy."
His tone carried a hint of curiosity, but even more so, envy.
The other girls in the dormitory chimed in, chattering amongst themselves.
"Yes, Pingping, tell me honestly, do you have family members abroad?"
"Those tape recorders must be expensive, right? They're not easy to buy in China."
"If only we had these learning opportunities..."
Faced with her roommates' well-intentioned yet inquiring jokes and envy, Song Yunping simply smiled gently, neither denying nor admitting, her cheeks slightly flushed.
Just then, the dormitory door was pushed open with a bang, bringing in a wave of heat and a figure.
"Song Yunping!" Lin Fangfang rushed in, her chest heaving, a barely concealed, ambiguous smile playing on her lips. "Someone's looking for me! Downstairs! Quick, come down!"
Without even looking up, Song Yunping, still writing a complex English phrase in her hand, casually asked, "Who is it?"
His voice carried a hint of habitual helplessness and wariness.
In college, she was beautiful and had an outstanding temperament, so she had quite a few suitors. From the artsy young man playing guitar downstairs in the dormitory to the son of a cadre riding a brand-new bicycle, to the talented guy in her department who wrote love letters and tucked them into his textbooks... The experience of being bothered by them made her feel a kind of conditioned reflex of being tired of the phrase "someone is looking for her".
Lin Fangfang chuckled, clearly not intending to let her off easily. She strode to the table, reached out without hesitation, and decisively pressed the pause button on the tape recorder.
The hissing sound of the tape abruptly stopped.
Lin Fangfang put her hands on her hips, leaned forward, looked at Song Yunping, and deliberately drew out each word: "Who else could it be? Of course it's—that person you're obsessed with!"
"Huh?" Song Yunping didn't react for a moment. Her hand holding the pen stopped, and she looked up blankly at the mischievous smile on Lin Fangfang's face.
Lin Fangfang laughed heartily at her silly look: "Oh, silly girl! Think quickly, who do you most want to see?"
Suddenly, a figure popped into Song Yunping's mind.
"The person looking for...looking for me..." Song Yunping's voice trembled slightly, a tremor she herself didn't even notice: "Is their surname Lei?!"
This question was like setting off a gossip bomb in the dormitory!
"Wow—!" Li Mei and her two other roommates practically jumped up from their seats instantly, rushing to the window and practically pressing their faces against the glass to look down.
Lin Fangfang was even more smug, as if she had uncovered a shocking secret, and laughed even more heartily with her hands on her hips.
"Look! Look! You still said it wasn't your boyfriend! Now you've been exposed!" Lin Fangfang pointed at Song Yunping's instantly flushed cheeks and mercilessly exposed her: "Song Yunping, this is irrefutable evidence! You just said 'haunted by her dreams,' and you immediately thought of 'that guy surnamed Lei'! Haha!"
Song Yunping's face was as red as a boiled shrimp, and a mixture of shyness and urgency welled up inside her.
She jumped to her feet, the chair legs scraping loudly on the concrete. "Oh dear! Sister Lin!" she stomped her foot in embarrassment and anger, both anxious and furious. "Tell me right now, is it him?!"
Seeing that she was really anxious, Lin Fangfang stopped her exaggerated smile, cleared her throat, fanned herself with her hand, and said slowly, "Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore. Look, the person is waiting by the big locust tree downstairs in our dormitory. Hurry up and go! Don't keep them waiting!"
Song Yunping hurriedly tidied her hair and clothes, rushing out of the dormitory without even packing her notebook. Behind her, she heard her roommates' good-natured laughter.
When she reached the stairwell, Song Yunping suddenly stopped, took a deep breath, and forced herself to calm down. She slowly walked down the stairs, her heart beating faster and faster.
In the open space in front of the dormitory building, a gleaming black Crown sedan was parked, shining brightly in the sunlight. Beside the car stood a tall, handsome young man, the sleeves of his white shirt rolled up to his elbows, revealing his muscular forearms. He was looking down at his watch, his profile particularly striking in the shade of the trees.
Song Yunping unconsciously slowed her pace.
At the same time, the windows of the dormitory building opened one after another, and heads popped out. Lin Fangfang and Wang Li leaned on the windowsill, pointing excitedly.
"Wow, this car is so impressive!"
"That's a Crown, an imported car, it costs tens of thousands!"
"Look at that guy, he's so handsome!"
"When did Pingping meet such a rich boyfriend?"
These whispers reached Song Yunping's ears, and her face flushed even more. Qin Hao seemed to sense something, looked up at the dormitory building, and met Song Yunping's gaze.
He smiled slightly and walked towards her.
"Have you been waiting long?" Song Yunping asked softly, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes.
Qin Hao shook his head: "Just arrived." He looked Song Yunping up and down: "You've lost weight again."
Song Yunping glanced at herself subconsciously: "I feel alright, right? By the way, weren't you in the US a few days ago? When did you get back?"
"I just got off the plane last night." Qin Hao opened the passenger door. "Come on, I'll treat you to something nice today. Girls who are too thin aren't pretty."
Song Yunping blushed as she got into the car. The air conditioning was on full blast, and the leather seats emitted a faint, pleasant fragrance. This was her first time riding in such a luxurious car, and she was so nervous that she didn't know what to do with her hands and feet.
Qin Hao walked around to the driver's seat, fastened his seatbelt, and turned to ask, "What do you want to eat?"
"Huh?" Song Yunping was taken aback: "Whatever."
Qin Hao chuckled lightly, "Then let's go to the Jingzhou Grand Hotel. I've heard their Huaiyang cuisine is quite good."
As the car slowly drove out of the campus, Song Yunping finally relaxed a little. She secretly glanced at Qin Hao's profile and noticed that he looked more mature than when they last met, with a more resolute jawline and a more composed expression.
"Where's Xiao Yangxun? Why didn't he come with you?" Song Yunping asked, trying to make conversation.
Qin Hao stared straight ahead, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Him? He's much busier than me."
"oh?"
"Haoran International's foreign trade orders have surged. He has to keep an eye on production progress while also dealing with various forces eager to get a piece of the pie." Qin Hao shook his head: "That kid's in high demand now, he's constantly being invited to dinners."
Song Yunping nodded thoughtfully. She knew that Haoran International was a company Qin Hao founded in Hong Kong, specializing in foreign trade. Yang Xun, as Qin Hao's capable assistant, was responsible for liaising with factories and government departments on the mainland.
"By the way, how are your parents doing lately?" Qin Hao suddenly asked.
When her family was mentioned, Song Yunping immediately started talking: "They're doing great! Dad's exoneration procedures are all done, and now he walks with his back straight in the village. Mom still talks about you all the time..."
Qin Hao listened quietly, occasionally offering a few words of agreement. The car drove through the narrow streets and finally stopped in front of the Jingzhou Grand Hotel.
This hotel was the most upscale hotel in Jingzhou, catering to foreign guests, with uniformed greeters standing at the entrance. Song Yunping followed Qin Hao somewhat nervously, whispering, "Brother Hao, we really didn't need to come to such an expensive place."
Qin Hao turned back and winked at her: "Don't worry, Yang Xun has a reserved private room here; he can just keep it on the company's tab."
Song Yunping was taken aback for a moment, then realized what he meant and glared at him reproachfully: "Isn't the company yours? In the end, it's still your money that's being spent!"
Qin Hao laughed heartily, drawing the attention of the guests in the lobby.
Just then, a waiter hurried over: "Mr. Lei, Mr. Yang is entertaining guests in a private room. Should I inform him?"
Qin Hao waved his hand: "No need, just give us another private room."
"Alright, please follow me."
The waiter led them to a tastefully decorated private room. Landscape paintings hung on the walls, a pristine white tablecloth covered the table, and a crystal chandelier cast a soft glow.
Song Yunping sat down carefully, afraid of making a mess. The waiter handed her a gold-embossed menu. She opened it and almost cried out in surprise—the cheapest vegetarian dish cost several yuan, equivalent to half a month's living expenses!
"Order what you like," Qin Hao said gently, noticing her hesitation.
Song Yunping bit her lip and finally ordered only the cheapest stir-fried vegetables. Qin Hao shook his head helplessly, took the menu, and skillfully ordered several signature dishes.
While waiting for the food, Song Yunping asked curiously, "Are things going well for you in America?"
"It's not bad," Qin Hao said casually. "It's just that I wasn't used to it at first; foreigners have a prejudice against 'Made in China' products."
"What should we do?"
"Later I came up with a solution." Qin Hao was about to explain in detail when the door to the private room was suddenly pushed open.
Yang Xun stood at the doorway, his face flushed, followed by several equally drunk middle-aged men. He had clearly drunk quite a bit; he could barely stand and had to hold onto the doorframe to avoid falling.
"Hao, Brother Hao!" Yang Xun shouted, his tongue thick with laughter, "When did you get back? Why didn't you tell me?"
Qin Hao's smile gradually faded, and his gaze sharpened: "What? Do I need to report my return to you beforehand?"
These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Yang Xun's head, instantly sobering him up a bit. Behind him, a burly man with a menacing face pointed at Qin Hao and yelled, "Who are you? How dare you talk to our CEO Yang like that!"
The air in the private room seemed to freeze. Qin Hao put down his chopsticks, stared directly at Yang Xun, and remained silent.
Yang Xun broke out in a cold sweat. He whirled around and slapped the man across the face: "Are you blind?! You don't even recognize President Lei?"
The man staggered from the blow, clutching his face and staring at Qin Hao in disbelief. The others instantly sobered up, their faces turning deathly pale—this young man before them was none other than the legendary "Boss Lei," the true owner of Haoran International!
"Are these all company employees?" Qin Hao asked coldly.
Yang Xun lowered his head, like a child who had done something wrong: "Yes."
"So, today isn't a business engagement?"
Yang Xun opened his mouth, as if to explain something, but in the end he just nodded dejectedly.
Qin Hao picked up a napkin and wiped his hands: "Go back and sober up. Come find me at the hotel tomorrow."
Before Yang Xun could say anything more, Qin Hao turned to Song Yunping and said softly, "Never mind them, let's continue eating."
Yang Xun could only slink away from the private room with his men. As he closed the door, he took one last look at Qin Hao's retreating figure, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
Song Yunping stirred the soup in her bowl somewhat uneasily: "Yang Xun, he..."
"Don't worry." Qin Hao placed a piece of food on her plate. "It's not a matter of principle. It's just that Haoran International is developing too fast, and he's gotten a bit arrogant. We need to keep him in check."
Yang Xun is still too young. He went from going door to door, exchanging steamed buns for eggs and begging people, to now having factory directors of large state-owned factories vying to curry favor with him. It's inevitable that he's become a bit arrogant in just two years. Besides, Qin Hao doesn't have anyone he can trust to replace Yang Xun for the time being, and he doesn't intend to kill him off.
Song Yunping nodded thoughtfully.
After dismissing his men, Yang Xun paced back and forth at the restaurant entrance, his heart filled with increasing fear. He knew all too well that his current success was entirely due to his connection with Qin Hao. What if…
Yang Xun simply stood at the restaurant entrance and waited. Every now and then, acquaintances would come up and invite him in for a drink, but Yang Xun was in no mood for drinking with them at the moment. He could only patiently send them away. Finally, after more than forty minutes, Qin Hao came out with Song Yunping.
"Brother Hao, it's me." Yang Xun quickly came to greet him.
Qin Hao interrupted him: "I told you, come find me when you're completely sober."
Yang Xun wrung his hands anxiously, "I'm sober now! Really! Brother Hao, I know I was wrong."
Qin Hao opened the car door and let Song Yunping get in, then said to Yang Xun, "Tomorrow morning at nine o'clock, room 808 of the Jingzhou Hotel."
Watching Qin Hao's car drive away, Yang Xun stood there, unable to resist slapping himself twice.
"Serves you right for getting carried away. Giving you a beating wouldn't be too much."