Chapter 63: CH 63

When Jiang Chen, Huo Bo and Shen Xu went over, He Qianmin was surrounded by his classmates. Maybe it was because he was tanned, but he looked much more sunny and cheerful than before.

He Qianmin broke away from his classmates, and trotted to Jiang Chen: “Big Brother.”

Jiang Chen: “Is the morning military training over?”

He Qianmin: “It’s over.”

The others swarmed over and greeted with bright smiles:

“God Jiang.”

“Brother Huo.”

“Brother Shen.”

Jiang Chen nodded to them, and asked He Qianmin with a smile, “Are these all your friends?”

“Yes, yes, yes.” The boy next to He Qianmin hooked an arm over his shoulders and said, “We are all his friends, God Jiang, I heard about your legend when I was in junior high school. Your total score in the last examination reached a new high, I especially admire you!”

“Me too!” Another boy said, “I also admire you so much! Especially Zhang Three Hairs who poisoned so many students, only you drove him away!”

Shen Xu, who was talking to Huo Bo, turned his head when he heard these words, raised his eyebrows and said, “You know Zhang Three Hairs?”

The boy touched the back of his head, a little shy: “My older brother is in the same class as you, his name is Luo Ze.”

Jiang Chen was surprised: “You are Luo Ze’s younger brother?”

A blush appeared on the boy’s tanned face: “Yeah, God Jiang, my name is…..”

“Big Brother.” He Qianmin said: “I’m hungry, let’s go eat quickly.”

After these words fell, Shen Xu’s stomach growled in response to the occasion. He clutched his stomach and said, “I almost forget, I’m almost starving, let’s go.”

Jiang Chen bid farewell to He Qianmin’s classmates: “We’ll go first, it’s nice to meet you all, and I will trouble you to take care of Qian Min from now on.”

The boys nodded one after another: “God Jiang, don’t worry, we will help you take care of him in the future.”

Across the road in front of the school gate, there was a park. Walking along the park in the direction of the Jiang’s, they arrived at the place where they planned to eat in less than five minutes.

This was a Huaiyang cuisine restaurant, built adjacent to one of the lakes in the park, with a quiet environment and relatively high per capita consumption. Two days ago, the preparations for the laboratory opened by Li De for Jiang Chen were completed, and Jiang Chen and Li Nanfeng signed the contract. Compared with the 5 million yuan received in the account, this celebration was not considered extravagant.

He Qianmin only knew that they were going to have a meal together today, but he didn’t know why, until Shen Xu picked up his drink and said, “Come on, let’s toast to celebrate our God Jiang earning his life’s first, no, who knows how many startup money, and set foot on the road to becoming a technology giant! May we overcome obstacles and stand at the top of the world’s technology in the future!”

Jiang Chen and Huo Bo looked at each other with a smile, picked up their cups and stood up. He Qianmin stood up as well and clinked glasses without knowing why.

“Big Brother.” As soon as he sat down, he turned his head and asked Jiang Chen, “What startup money? What did you guys do?”

Shen Xu scooted over and said, “Your brother didn’t tell you? The facial recognition system and voice system he designed were sold to Li De for three years, and the contract was signed yesterday.”

He Qianmin shook his head: “No.”

Shen Xu clicked his tongue: “Why didn’t you tell your brother about such an important matter.”

It was only then that Jiang Chen remembered that he was too busy and forgot to tell He Qianmin. Seeing Shen Xu’s accusing face, he scolded playfully: “I have to keep watch on you every day so you’ll do your practice questions, what else could I think of?”

Shen Xu recalled the fear of being surrounded by the sea of practice questions, hissed, and hugged himself: “Don’t say anymore, I don’t want to recall.”

Jiang Chen laughed, kicked his stool lightly. He turned his head to look at He Qianmin, and explained simply: “Not long after He Qianyang’s birthday, Li Nanfeng and I decided to cooperate, but the laboratory has only been ready for a few days. I was too busy, so I forgot to tell you.”

He Qianmin lowered his eyes, picked up a piece of crab meat and placed it into Jiang Chen’s bowl. He pursed his lips and hummed softly.

Jiang Chen also put a piece of mandarin fish into He Qianmin’s bowl: “Eat more.”

It was past 1:40pm after the meal. Jiang Chen settled the bill, and the four of them hurried to school. Even if it was just the beginning of semester, the urgency of the countdown to the college entrance examination was destined to make the senior high school students enter the intense study mode without transition.

When the afternoon’s classes were over, the first and second years could go home, but the third year students needed to stay for self-study regardless of whether they live in the school dorm or not. Due to the regulations of the Education Bureau, they could not make up classes during the summer vacation. Many teachers could only use the time of evening self-study to speed up the first round of review progress.

When the first period of evening self-study started, Jiang Chen knocked on the door of Fu Jinyu’s office.

“Enter.”

“Teacher Fu.”

Fu Jinyu looked up, and seeing Jiang Chen, he smiled and said, “What is it?”

Jiang Chen nodded: “I’m here to apply for myself and Shen Xu to be exempt from evening self-study.”

Fu Jinyu stopped correcting the pile of homework, frowned and said, “Shen Xu? Come and sit.”

“That’s right.” Jiang Chen sat down on the chair next to Fu Jinyu, and said slowly: “Teacher Fu, you should know about Shen Xu’s grades. He has no problem entering a first rate college so far, but if he continues studying step by step it will be very difficult for him to enter Hua Uni or Yan Uni.”

Fu Jinyu raised his eyebrows: “You mean, Shen Xu wants to apply to Hua/Yan?”

Jiang Chen: “It’s a must.”

“For you or for him?” Fu Jinyu turned the chair, faced Jiang Chen, and said solemnly: “I know you and Shen Xu are good friends. You grew up together and have never been separated, but sometimes, the future is not something you can decide. Jiang Chen, everyone has their own path, can you guarantee that your path and Shen Xu’s path will always be the same?”

Jiang Chen was startled. In the first life, Shen Xu and Huo Bo accompanied him until his death, so that he never thought about whether his two friends were still the same as in the first life. That their dream was to open a company that belonged to them.

He recalled Shen Xu once saying that his dream was to be a pilot, while Huo Bo never revealed what he wanted to do in the future. If he didn’t mention that he hoped to build a company with them in the first place, would they have chosen something else?

“Jiang Chen…..” Seeing Jiang Chen’s thoughtful expression, Fu Jinyu said, “You are very smart and considerate of your friends. These are good things, but sometimes, some decisions can only be made by themselves. If Shen Xu came to me by himself, proposed that he did not want to go to self-study, and then gave me a legitimate and valid reason, I would agree, but if it’s you, then no.”

“I see.” Jiang Chen pursed his lips, paused and said, “Thank you, Teacher Fu.”

Back in the classroom, Shen Xu leaned back and lowered his voice, “How was it? Did old Fu agree?”

Jiang Chen lowered his eyes and shook his head: “I’ll tell you after class.”

The first period of self-study ended soon. Shen Xu turned around and lay on Jiang Chen’s desk, and asked, “What’s the matter? I thought that old Fu would definitely agree to what you say.”

Jiang Chen: “He agreed that I do not need to go to self-study.”

“Then that means he doesn’t agree with me?” Shen Xu clicked his tongue: “But it’s normal for him to disagree, don’t mention him, if it weren’t for you, my parents wouldn’t even believe that I could study hard.”

Jiang Chen was silent for a moment. He raised his eyes and said, “Have you thought about what you want to do in the future?”

Shen Xu raised his eyebrows: “Aren’t we going to be the coolest tech company bosses together in the future?”

“Before I suggested this, what did you want to do?”

Shen Xu thought for a while: “Pilot? But I’m not tall enough, so I might not pass the exam.”

“You can.” Jiang Chen thought of Shen Xu’s growth spurt after their third year of high school, and said, “But aren’t you afraid of heights?”

Shen Xu shrugged: “Yeah, so I gave up.”

“Then what else do you want to do?”

“What? You went to old Fu’s office and now suddenly want to talk about dreams with me.” Shen Xu crossed his arms and asked suspiciously: “Did old Fu say something to you?”

Jiang Chen relayed what Fu Jinyu said to Shen Xu, and said, “I never thought about whether you wanted to do this and made the decision for you. Now that I think about it, I took things for granted.”

“Maybe a little.” Shen Xu nodded expressionlessly, held it for a while, and then broke out into laughter: “You don’t take things for granted, you just think too much, God Jiang, do you think there is any man who could resist the lure of becoming a founder of the world’s top tech company?”

“The kind where——” Shen Xu spread his arms, and made a gesture of pushing out with a look of intoxication: “At the end of the all-white corridor, there is a door made of high-density metal. Once people walk through it, there will be biubiubiu light rays. If it is an enemy, it will directly shoot the light rays, which will melt them in a flash, leaving not even a speck of dust behind. But when I go over, I don’t even need to say open sesame, it will just open with a swipe, and there will be robots patrolling inside who’ll salute me when they see me, and call me CEO Shen…..f**k I need to stop, it’s too f**king cool!”

Jiang Chen was silent for a long time, then patted Shen Xu on the shoulder: “Dream more, you will have everything.”

“What do you mean by that?” Shen Xu kicked him: “Can’t our company be that cool?”

After a pause, Shen Xu asked: “You said that if I ask for exemption from old Fu myself, he’ll agree?”

“He said if you have a valid reason, he will.”

Shen Xu propped his head on his hands in deep thought: “A valid reason…..”

“Does escorting you home every day to prevent you from being hurt by someone with bad intentions count?”

Jiang Chen threw the eraser on the table at him, and Shen Xu caught it with a smile. When the second period self-study bell rang, he turned around and said, “Whether it works or not, I’ll try it later after this self-study period is over.”

…..

On the way back, Jiang Chen asked Shen Xu, “How did you tell old Fu?”

“What else? I slapped the practice questions I did during the summer vacation on his desk, and he agreed.”

Jiang Chen was dubious: “That simple?”

“Of course more than that.” Shen Xu sighed: “My mouth almost dried up just to beg him. You didn’t see that I entered the classroom more than ten minutes late for the third period self-study. It’s because I was busy nagging him and he only agreed because I was too annoying.”

Jiang Chen raised his eyebrows: “That’s it?”

“What else?”

Shen Xu met Jiang Chen’s gaze and was defeated: “Okay, he told me to get in the top 100 in the next monthly exam, otherwise I have to come back to attend self-study after the monthly exam.”

Jiang Chen pondered for a while: “It should be fine.”

“You’re fine, but I have a problem!” Shen Xu held his head and said, “I can already imagine my future!”

While Shen Xu was howling, Huo Bo also arrived at the school gate. Seeing him like this, he looked at Jiang Chen: “What’s wrong with him?”

Jiang Chen told the story with a smile. Huo Bo’s lips hooked up in a smile. He rubbed Shen Xu’s head and said, “And bringing breakfast for one semester, don’t forget.”

“Damn it, do you have to remind me at this time?” Shen Xu slapped Huo Bo’s hand away and said, “The both of you have black hearts, I have to…..” He looked ahead and smiled: “I have to look for little brother Min for comfort.”

Shen Xu waved: “Min Min! Min Min, your big brothers are over here~”

He Qianmin strode over with a dark face: “Shut up!”

Shen Xu grabbed him, not minding his black face at all: “Waiting for your big brothers after classes? How long have you been waiting?”

He Qianmin pushed his hand away, “Big Brother, Brother Huo.”

Jiang Chen smiled and said, “Let’s go, from now on the three of us won’t be going to evening self-study, so you won’t have to wait so long.”

He Qianmin said: “It’s okay, it’s not long.”

The He family rented a place for He Qianmin, which was in Jiang Chen’s community, and coincidentally, it was just downstairs of old Mr. Miao’s apartment.

The night was a bit cooler than the day, and the wind blowing in the park carried the humidity of the lake. The shadows of the teenagers elongated, overlapped, and followed closely behind each other under the street lights.

Shen Xu bumped Jiang Chen’s arm: “Your little brother doesn’t seem very happy.”

When Jiang Chen turned his head, He Qianmin smiled at him. He turned his head back and said, “Really?”

“Probably what happened at noon.” Shen Xu said: “When we part ways later, you can talk to him well.”

Jiang Chen frowned. He turned his head again, only to see He Qianmin’s drooping head, so he nodded: “Okay.”

Shen Xu and Huo Bo bid farewell to Jiang Chen and He Qianmin respectively, and when they approached the community, only Jiang Chen and He Qianmin were left.

Jiang Chen slowed down, waited for He Qianmin to walk next to him, and said, “Qian Min, are you upset because I didn’t tell you about my signing with Li De immediately?”

He Qianmin paused slightly: “No.”

Jiang Chen observed He Qianmin’s expression, and seeing that he really didn’t seem to be unhappy because of this, he was relieved, but at the same time worried: “Then what is it?”

“I…..”

A person suddenly jumped out in front of Jiang Chen and He Qianmin: “Jiang Chen, wait, Second Young Master He——?”

Jiang Chen and He Qianmin raised their eyes at the same time, and after seeing the person blocking the way, He Qianmin narrowed his eyes: “Sun Zhi?”

“Second Young Master He.” After Sun Zhi confirmed that the person in front of him was really He Qianmin, his expression changed: “Why are you here?”

“Is that any of your business?” He Qianmin said coldly, “What are you doing here?”

“I…..” Sun Zhi glanced at Jiang Chen, then looked back to He Qianmin, and said while taking a half-step back: “It’s nothing.”

He Qianmin snorted coldly: “It’s nothing, yet you suddenly rushed out to stop us?”

Sun Zhi: “I just want to say hello to Senior Jiang, I have no other intentions.”

“I don’t remember us being close enough to greet each other.” Jiang Chen smiled and took two steps forward, standing in front of Sun Zhi, “Tell me what you want from me.”

Sun Zhi looked at He Qianmin, who had a cold expression: “Speak.”

“I was thinking…..”

Sun Zhi clenched his fists, his mind stuck in a struggle. He Qianjian had completely given up on him. Not only did he not help him, but he also withheld the money he had not given to him yet and threatened him. If he was expelled at this time, it would be a double loss of money and studies, and this basically meant his life would be ruined. The only person who might be able to save him now was Jiang Chen. He believed that Jiang Chen must want to know who was targeting him behind the scenes, and he could use this to negotiate terms with Jiang Chen.

But he didn’t expect that He Qianmin would be with Jiang Chen. Although He Qianmin and He Qianjian didn’t have a good relationship, he was He Qianjian’s younger brother no matter what. If he told Jiang Chen what he said, he would tell He Qianjian…..Thinking of He Qianjian’s methods, Sun Zhi’s back felt chills. He stepped back and said, “I really just wanted to say hello, I didn’t want to do anything else.” After speaking, he turned around and ran away.

However, he didn’t manage to run away from He Qianmin who had been watching him the whole time, not to mention he didn’t dare to resist at all.

“Are you going speak or not?” He Qianmin pressed Sun Zhi, and said coldly: “I remember that you and He Qianjian have a good relationship. If you don’t tell me, I’ll go back and ask him to see if he knows…..”

“I’ll tell you!” Sun Zhi raised his head, looked at Jiang Chen and said, “I’ll tell you! But I’ll only tell you.”

Jiang Chen stood not far away, and said calmly, “Qian Min is not an outsider, so you can just directly say what you want.”

He Qianmin pressed Sun Zhi’s hand hard. His cold expression shifted a bit, and the corners of his mouth raised slightly.

Sun Zhi didn’t dare to speak, and the three of them remained in a stalemate.

Half a minute later, Jiang Chen walked in front of Sun Zhi, leaned over and said, “No matter what you want to say, this is the last chance.”

Sun Zhi said nothing. Jiang Chen said to He Qianmin, “Let him go, let’s go.”

He Qianmin let go of him with a cold snort, and followed Jiang Chen into the community. Seeing them walking farther and farther away, Sun Zhi gritted his teeth and shouted, “Wait a minute, I’ll tell you!”

Jiang Chen paused, then turned to look at Sun Zhi.

“I’ll tell you who is scheming behind the scenes, and you help me go to the Political Education Office to intercede, so that they don’t expel me.”

Jiang Chen: “If you just want to say this, then forget it.”

“You don’t want to know who wants to harm you? Who wants to break your hand? Who asked me to follow you since your second year of junior high school?”

Jiang Chen pursed his lips: “I know who it is.”

Sun Zhi widened his eyes in disbelief. He looked at He Qianmin and asked, “You know?”

“I know.” Jiang Chen said lightly, “So, if you have nothing else to say, we’ll be leaving.”

“Wait!” Sun Zhi glanced at He Qianmin again, turned to Jiang Chen and said, “You know who is the person who wants to hurt you, and yet you are still so close to He Qianmin?”

“He is him, Qian Min is Qian Min, and anything he does has nothing to do with Qian Min.”

Sun Zhi scrutinized Jiang Chen’s expression carefully, but he couldn’t see any flaws. He said half-believingly, “Then tell me, who is the one who wants to hurt you.”

Seeing that Jiang Chen didn’t speak, He Qianmin was anxious and angry: “Big Brother, who is he talking about?”

Jiang Chen pursed his lips, but Sun Zhi had already seen the answer from his expression. Just when he was full of disbelief, he heard He Qianmin call Jiang Chen big brother, and his eyes fell on his anxious and angry expression. Sun Zhi had no choice but to admit that the relationship between the two might really be very good. Suddenly, a sense of pleasure mixed with malice rose in his heart.

When had a proud young master like He Qianmin cared about someone so much? Sun Zhi wanted to know what expression the second young master of the He family would show if he knew that the person he cared about had been hurt by his family member?

The corners of Sun Zhi’s mouth raised slightly. He looked at He Qianmin, and enunciated word by word: “Let me tell you, the one who asked me to follow Jiang Chen, to break Jiang Chen’s hand, to stab Jiang Chen with a knife, and report on Jiang Chen’s every move is your own brother, He Qianjian.”