Chapter 9: An Unexpected Encounter

Shen Zheming had just arrived at the base of the Minxing Education building when the institution received notice.

He had chosen to strike Minxing first because it had the largest investment share among the few institutions and was also the largest in scale.

The general manager and deputy general manager of Minxing, alerted by their subordinates, hastily gathered the most authoritative teachers and rushed downstairs to welcome him.

The group surrounded Shen Zheming, introducing the various sections of the institution while leading the way.

“Ahead are our one-on-one and one-on-two private tutoring classrooms. Each room is equipped with the most advanced teaching technology. From the windows, you can see our… our…”

The deputy general manager’s enthusiastic introduction came to an abrupt halt.

Shen Zheming followed his gaze.

In the farthest small classroom down the corridor, Ding Wei—whom he had seen just a few days ago—was sitting at his desk, furiously writing and answering questions.

Beside him, by the window, another person was lying face down on the desk, asleep.

Apparently finding the indoor light too glaring, they had taken off their jacket and draped it over their head.

Their breathing was steady and deep, clearly they were sleeping soundly.

The teacher adjusted their glasses and whispered instructions to Ding Wei, looking helpless.

Deputy General Manager Jian did not dare look at Shen Zheming’s expression.

If someone could fall asleep during their exclusive one-on-two class, wasn’t that saying their lessons were boring enough to induce sleep?

Jian pushed open the door, walked over, and lightly tapped the desk twice, trying to wake the sleeper.

The sleeping person did not stir.

Gritting his teeth, Jian lifted the jacket off their head.

Lu Shi frowned, the bright, almost glaring light irritating him.

He lifted his head impatiently, two red marks pressed into his face.

“Didn’t I say I wasn’t listening…”

Seeing the person standing at the door looking down at him, Lu Shi stopped mid sentence.

He retracted his earlier thought. This wasn’t fate; it was a cursed coincidence.

It was as if heaven, by letting him be reborn, deliberately wanted to anger him. When he tried hard, it was worse than just going with the flow, and whenever he didn’t want to see Shen Zheming, he always ended up running into him.

Today, Shen Zheming was dressed in minimalist black and white. A lapelled coat defined his shoulders cleanly, the fit loose yet not tight. Black straight leg trousers made his legs look long and straight.

Lu Shi’s thoughts wavered. Staring at Shen Zheming, he remembered that in the previous life, he had actually seen him long ago.

Back then, after a year of hard study, he had entered Capital University. But he had been assigned to work at a family branch company and had hardly attended classes.

One time, nearing the final exams, Lu Shi had to cram all semester’s material overnight. He sat in an empty classroom, and when he couldn’t stay awake any longer, he lay down to rest. He was woken up by voices outside the window.

Lu Shi had always had a temper, and he was especially grumpy when woken up.

He lifted his head to see which idiots were making noise outside, and found Shen Zheming standing under a tree, surrounded by a few people.

Shen Zheming stood tall, his demeanor sharp and dazzling, impossible to miss. At that time, he was dressed just as casually as now.

Lu Shi didn’t remember how long he stared—maybe less than a second, maybe a full six or seven.

Either way, before the group outside noticed his gaze, he turned away and resumed flipping through the hundred page textbook, eyes bloodshot.

Beside him, the deputy general manager quietly admonished, “Your parents paid for you to come here, not to sleep.”

Lu Shi snapped back to reality, leaned back against his chair, hands in his pockets. “What’s the big deal if I sleep a little? I already know most of it anyway.”

The manager and teacher exchanged glances, seeing the words ‘shameless boasting’ in each other’s eyes.

If you already know it, why are you here in a tutoring class? Too much money to burn?

The atmosphere in the room grew tense.

Suddenly, Shen Zheming, who was standing by the door, turned sideways. “Show me the other areas. Leave him alone.”

The deputy general manager was startled, wiping cold sweat from his forehead.

Luckily, Shen Zheming didn’t seem upset. Even the curve of his lips hadn’t changed at all, as if this incident meant nothing to him.

Ding Wei, taking advantage of the teacher’s absence when they went out to talk, leaned over and whispered, “Brother Lu, you’re amazing.”

Lu Shi stretched his neck. “What’s up?”

Ding Wei said, “If I suddenly came from a small place to a big city, I definitely couldn’t be as optimistic and carefree as you. Everything’s unfamiliar here, and my biological parents are like strangers. I’d be walking on eggshells every day. Even if I had to fake it, I’d act like a good kid, afraid to displease them. No way I’d dare sleep in class.”

Lu Shi replied, “Is that so?”

Ding Wei gave a thumbs up. “I sincerely admire you.”

“What if I told you I actually study seriously? I sleep and go to class every day, rarely go out, and bury my head in books?”

Ding Wei said, “Then you wouldn’t be you. Look at how you are now—so real. I think being with you is really comfortable.”

The irritation from being woken slowly faded. Lu Shi twirled a pen. “For that comment, I’m taking you to a bar tonight.”

“Huh? Huh?” Ding Wei looked troubled. “That’s not good. If my dad finds out, he’ll whip me with his belt.”

Lu Shi laughed. “What’s wrong with balancing work and rest? Uncle Ding… your dad will agree.”

In the end, worn down by Lu Shi’s repeated ‘your dad will agree,’ Ding Wei completely lost his resolve and happily followed along.

Lu Shi had never really drunk at a bar before. When he was upset or work went badly, he would drink alone at home.

Capital was bustling, full of wealthy people. High society was just a larger circle; walking into a famous bar might easily lead to running into an acquaintance. Lu Shi didn’t want to be seen and have it get back to his parents.

But times had changed. Now, under the dazzling lights of the bar, Lu Shi clinked glasses with Ding Wei.

“How’s your dad’s health lately?”

Lu Shi’s sudden question caught Ding Wei off guard.

“Pretty good, I guess. Healthy. Why do you suddenly care?”

Lu Shi pulled out his phone and recommended a traditional Chinese medicine clinic specializing in bone setting, massage, and wellness to Ding Wei, pretending to be casual as he sipped his drink. “Didn’t you say your dad drives a bus and sits all day, and his back is bad?”

Ding Wei’s mind was buzzing. “Huh? Did I say that? When?”

“Cough, never mind. Anyway, this clinic specializes in correcting scoliosis and relieving herniated discs. You can have your dad try it.”

This was a clinic Lu Shi had searched for a long time in his previous life but never had the chance to tell Uncle Ding about.

Ding Wei stared at Lu Shi with a complex expression.

Lu Shi was actually three years younger than him. How could he be so old fashioned, paying attention to things like that?

Still, Ding Wei was deeply moved. Just the fact that Lu Shi paid for his tutoring classes had already moved him to the point of wanting to kneel and kowtow to Lu Shi.

Ding Wei was wondering whether he should go up and dedicate a song of gratitude to Lu Shi.

Nearby, in another booth, someone nudged Huo Qian, who was flirting with a pretty girl.

“Whoa! Master Huo, look—isn’t that that guy from the Chen family? Even he’s here drinking.”

“Pfft, a country bumpkin who’s lived who knows where for eighteen years—does he even know how to appreciate alcohol? Has he ever drunk foreign liquor? He’s probably just curious. A strong drink like that, he’ll be down after one glass.”

“Over under, half a glass.”

Huo Qian had only seen Lu Shi twice, the first time at the Chen family birthday banquet, standing in the crowd watching the excitement.

Most of what he knew about Lu Shi came from gossip among friends.

Behind his back, they called him a country bumpkin, a hick, a fool. But at the last class reunion, Huo Qian noticed that although Lu Shi looked a bit frail, he seemed completely at ease, not at all like someone who hadn’t seen the world.

Huo Qian squinted, watching for a while. Urged by his friends around him, he pushed aside the girl next to him, a glint of interest in his eyes. “I’ll go test him.”

Ding Wei rarely drank, and after one glass he was already a bit tipsy.

He went to the restroom, and when he came out, he saw a group of people from a nearby booth stand up and head towards them.

Lu Shi was sitting in the booth, scrolling on his phone and waiting for him.

Ding Wei rubbed his eyes and looked carefully.

At the head of the group was Huo Qian.

What the hell were they up to?

Even someone as dense as Ding Wei could tell that some of them wore mocking expressions and seemed intent on causing trouble.

Were they going to pick a fight with Lu Shi?

Huo Qian was Shen Zheming’s childhood friend. In the entire Capital, aside from the Shen family, the Huo family was the largest. Even if Lu Shi’s family had money, they couldn’t afford to offend the Huo family.

Ding Wei wished he could punch himself from an hour ago. He should have insisted and dragged Lu Shi away, kept him out of the bar.

If a conflict really broke out, with so many on the other side and just the two of them, even if Lu Shi could fight, it wouldn’t be enough.

Ding Wei was so anxious he felt his hair falling out. He pulled out his phone and opened the long silent high school group chat.

He didn’t expect to add Shen Zheming, but in his mind, only Shen Zheming could control this Huo Qian.

Taking a deep breath, Ding Wei’s trembling finger tapped to add Shen Zheming.

Don’t reject, don’t reject, don’t reject…

Eh?

Ding Wei thought his eyes were playing tricks on him.

He stared blankly at the new friend appearing on the screen.

It had been accepted in an instant?

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