Chapter 48: A Beautiful Time and Scenery (Third update, requesting recommendations!)

"I want everyone to know that this fish pond has been leased by her."

As the words fell, the area finally fell silent.

Looking at Jiang Chen's serious expression, Li Shurui, Zheng Jingjing, and even the pond manager were all left stunned in the wind.

"Young man, are you playing a joke on me?"

The pond manager wasn't unaware of these young people's identities; they were all students from Donghai University here on a trip.

"Do you have any idea how much it costs to lease a pond like this?"

"Money isn't an issue."

Jiang Chen remained unmoved.

Li Shurui said nothing, silently staring at the solemn Jiang Chen. She couldn't help but recall the bloody scene of Bai Haoran self-harming, as well as their conversation in the car this morning.

That was right.

The reason Jiang Chen was lucky enough to be selected for this autumn outing was entirely thanks to her.

Li Shurui's original intention was simply to figure out what was going on with Bai Haoran, but she had been interrupted by Jiang Chen at the time.

As for the so-called billionaire status, she certainly didn't believe it.

However, Li Shurui couldn't help but begin to suspect that Jiang Chen's background might not be as simple as it appeared on the surface; otherwise, Bai Haoran's bizarre behavior would be impossible to explain.

A billionaire was unlikely, but as for leasing this fish pond, perhaps he truly had the means?

"I'm sorry, there's something wrong with him."

Zheng Jingjing, of course, knew nothing of the context. Feeling that Jiang Chen was just bragging, she pointed apologetically to her head and hurriedly dragged him away before the pond manager could lose his temper.

"What nonsense are you talking about!"

Once they had walked a distance away, Zheng Jingjing snapped, "It's one thing to embarrass yourself, but you have to drag Shurui down with you? This is a tourist area! Do you know how much it costs to lease a pond this big? At least hundreds of thousands! Can you even afford that?! Do you really think you're some billionaire?!"

"I think you've watched too many TV dramas!"

Zheng Jingjing gave him a look of utter hopelessness.

She was being relatively polite; if it were anyone else, they might have called Jiang Chen brainless or an idiot.

Li Shurui remained silent to this day, her expression looking somewhat strange.

"Shurui, let's go."

Zheng Jingjing couldn't be bothered to stay with the guy any longer. She pulled Li Shurui away, muttering, "Shurui, why didn't you say anything just now? This guy almost made you look like a fool along with him..."

The two girls gradually drifted away.

"What? Did you have a fight?"

The club president, Hu Heng, walked over.

Jiang Chen shook his head and let out a long sigh.

"Don't lose heart."

Hu Heng comforted him with a smile. "I'm quite familiar with Shurui and Jingjing. Although they seem hard to approach on the surface, they are definitely good people. Sincerity can move even stone. Besides, you should know, the only reason you were able to participate in this activity was because Shurui personally requested your name."

Hearing this, Jiang Chen was quite surprised.

"Shurui?"

"That's right. It has nothing to do with me; otherwise, why was Luo Peng rejected? So, in her heart, your importance is quite significant."

Hu Heng patted Jiang Chen on the shoulder, said "keep it up," and walked away with a smile.

Jiang Chen stood there, letting out a wry smile.

If you want people to know, you must act.

It seemed that through the incident with Bai Haoran, Li Shurui had begun to harbor suspicions about him.

His "secret" likely wouldn't stay hidden for much longer.

————

In a classroom at school, time is hard to endure, but under this natural scenery, time flowed like water.

The afternoon passed quietly.

The sun set behind the mountains, and the starlight appeared—clear and romantic, like a painting.

In the courtyard.

The members of the Mountaineering Club had set up the prepared grills and various ingredients, joyfully holding a picnic.

The boys who had caught something while fishing in the afternoon were not stingy in contributing their spoils.

Fan Feiyu actually had the best results, catching over a dozen.

"Cheers!"

The aroma of meat wafted through the air as fat sizzled on the grill.

More than twenty club members gathered around the grill tables, raising their glasses together.

"The president picked a great spot this time. I don't even want to go back."

"Everyone longs for the big cities, but I think the countryside is the real place to be. Look at this night view, it's beautiful."

"If I make money in the future, I'll open a farmhouse restaurant too. I'll fish when I'm free, grow vegetables, feed chickens... I'll live a life of leisure!"

A group of young people talked loudly and freely.

"Senior Jiang, are you really pursuing Li Shurui?"

Fan Feiyu sat with Jiang Chen, clinking their canned beers together.

"Yeah."

Jiang Chen tilted his head back and took a sip of beer.

Fan Feiyu instinctively glanced to the left.

That was where Li Shurui and Zheng Jingjing were sitting. Although they weren't far away, it felt as though the two of them were maintaining a certain distance from the group.

"Senior Jiang, pursuing a girl like her is very hard work."

Although they had only interacted for a day, the real Jiang Chen completely overturned the image from the rumors. It wasn't that he wasn't a "simp," but he was different from the typical impression of one.

Fan Feiyu didn't know how to describe it.

It was an indescribable feeling, but once he stripped away his prejudices, he felt that this "famous" senior was actually a decent person.

"She is the flower of the Arts Academy. There aren't many girls in school who can compare to her beauty. Don't you like her?" Jiang Chen asked.

Fan Feiyu shook his head.

"I have self-awareness. How could someone like her look at me? I'm just an ordinary guy from a small city. I'm satisfied just being able to survive successfully in Donghai. I don't dare think too much about anything else for now."

Jiang Chen ate his meat skewers in silence.

Realizing his words might have been misinterpreted, Fan Feiyu hurriedly explained, "Senior Jiang, I didn't mean anything else. Actually, I really admire your courage. A toad that doesn't want to eat swan meat isn't a good—"

The more Fan Feiyu explained, the more he messed up, becoming incredibly embarrassed.

"It's fine, I understand what you mean."

Jiang Chen smiled nonchalantly and raised his drink to clink with him. "Many people call me a toad; I've long since gotten used to it."

Fan Feiyu froze, then broke into a smile.

"Senior Jiang, you really are a fascinating person."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

Fan Feiyu drank his beer, smiling without saying more.

As the drinking spirit rose, a boy brought out a guitar from somewhere and began to sing and play under the moonlight and evening breeze.

Many girls clapped and cheered.

An activity like this was inherently social in nature.

"Luo Peng just called me to ask how things were going here. I told him everything is going smoothly. He said you used to be in the Guitar Club? Why don't you go up and show off a few moves?"

Hu Heng walked over with his drink, clinked with Jiang Chen, and lowered his voice with a smile, glancing toward Li Shurui's side.

"This is a great opportunity; don't waste it."

"Yeah, Senior Jiang, go for it!"

Fan Feiyu also eagerly encouraged him, enjoying the spectacle.

"It's been so long since I last played. Forget it."

Jiang Chen shook his head with a smile.

"Why so modest? That's not your style. You can't let such a beautiful night go to waste."

Regardless of whether Jiang Chen wanted to or not, Hu Heng announced loudly, "Next, we invite the great talent, Jiang, to play a song for everyone! Let's give him a warm welcome!"

Upon hearing this, everyone turned their eyes toward Jiang Chen in unison. Their expressions varied, but regardless of what they were thinking, they all broke into enthusiastic applause.

(End of Chapter)