158: Chapter 156 Midnight Call 158: Chapter 156 Midnight Call Li Dajiang and Zhang Zhongxiao did not linger there for long.
After packing up the few snuff bottles, they exchanged a few polite phrases with Chen Hai and then hurriedly left.
The Qianlong imperial copper enamelled snuff bottle with western painting they bought from Chen Hai was a bit damaged, but Zhang Zhongxiao seemed to have a particular fondness for it.
Feeling rather good, he had only reached the corridor outside the guest room when he told Li Dajiang that they should find a place to have some fun and properly celebrate.
It was anybody’s guess how those two guys planned to celebrate!
In any case, Chen Hai, who had escorted them to the door of their room, felt their smiles seemed somewhat lascivious.
After closing the door behind him, Chen Hai sat back down in the chair next to the tea table and lit a cigarette for himself.
He took out the check and looked at the numbers over and over, carefully putting it away only after making sure everything was correct.
“This is twenty-four millionaires here!
I should turn this check into cash when I get back!”
“After all, carrying too much cash on me while taking the bus is inconvenient and asking for trouble!”
I should go back to my hometown first and leave a hundred thousand yuan for my parents.”
“With such a large sum of money, buying a house and a shop in the county, plus moving their household registration, should be more than enough…”
Thinking to himself , Chen Hai’s face inadvertently broke into a smile.
Good news brings good spirits.
Though his perspective had broadened considerably after attending university in the capital, to him, two hundred forty thousand yuan was still an enormous fortune.
The very thought that such a large sum of money was in his pocket made it impossible for him not to feel elated.
Lost in thought, the sudden sound of the doorbell jolted Chen Hai awake.
“I barely know a few people here!”
“Who would come knocking at this time?
I’ve had this room for three days, and if I don’t call for it, they shouldn’t be coming on their own?”
“Could it be that Li Dajiang and Zhang Zhongxiao have turned back and want to take me out to join in their fun?”
With these thoughts rushing through his mind, Chen Hai quickly stood up and walked to the door in a few steps, opening it.
When he saw the figure outside, he was utterly dumbstruck, speechless on the spot.
“Sister Qing, how come you’re here?
Was it you who called me earlier…” After a moment, he barely managed to squeeze out these few words.
“I wanted to give you a surprise.
Chen Hai, are you not happy to see me?” Ye Qingqing smiled at him cheerfully and waltzed straight into the room.
“No, I’m naturally happy to have Sister Qing visit me!”
Scratching the back of his head, Chen Hai quickly explained, adding, “I thought you would still be in the Capital City, I never expected you to come over to Haizhu City!”
“You always just give me the runaround!”
“I was in the hospital for a few days, and you didn’t think to come and see me, to sit and chat with me.”
“As soon as I got out, I thought about properly thanking you, my savior, and if it weren’t for asking my older brother, I wouldn’t have known that you’d come straight to Yuedong!”
“Tell me the truth, is it because what I said while you were doing divination for me hurt you, and you’re still angry with me…”
Pouting, Ye Qingqing complained to Chen Hai.
Perhaps it was because, at the most despairing moment when she was about to completely sink into darkness, Chen Hai suddenly appeared before her eyes and pulled her out, giving her a new lease on life.
In her heart, she had developed a special feeling for Chen Hai that was hard to describe.
When she couldn’t see Chen Hai, his image would often appear in her mind.
And now, with Chen Hai actually before her, her heart fluttered uncontrollably like a small deer.
“Sister Qing, I…” Chen Hai opened his mouth as though he wanted to say something.
But before he could speak, Ye Qingqing cut him off: “I was born in ’75, and started school early.
Don’t look at me being in my second year of university, but in terms of age, I just turned eighteen, probably even younger than you!”
“Just call me Qingqing, calling me Sister Qing doesn’t suit at all!”
Hearing this, Chen Hai felt embarrassed.
The reason was simple; Ye Qingqing was right, she was indeed much younger than him.
Being a poor student, failing grades and repeating years were common for him.
While most people spent about six years in elementary school, and those with good grades might even skip a grade,
Chen Hai himself had spent eight long years in elementary school due to failing twice.
I won’t call you Sister Qing, I’ll just call you Qingqing!”
“The incident that happened the day I did divination for you, I’ve long since forgotten it, how could I still be angry with you!”
“I came to Yuedong because I had real business, not at all to avoid you…”
With a helpless expression, Chen Hai sighed and explained.
“If you’re not mad at me, if you didn’t intentionally avoid me, then that’s good!” A few words seemed to significantly cheer up Ye Qingqing.
After hesitating for a moment, she looked at him with concern and spoke again, “My brother told me that you arrived here from the 16th, how are things going?
Do you need my help?”
“A sister of mine, her husband works in Haizhu City, just a word from her and whatever you need to do here will go smoothly, like having a green light all the way, making your work twice as effective.”
Hearing Ye Qingqing say this, Chen Hai hurriedly waved his hands.
He declined politely, “The matter I needed to handle is almost done; there’s no need to trouble your sister!”
“I was thinking, maybe tomorrow or the day after, I’ll leave this place and head back to Capital City!”
“By the way, Qingqing, aren’t you supposed to be in school?
How come you’re here?”
Rolling her eyes at Chen Hai, Ye Qingqing responded with a smile, “Aren’t I still on sick leave?
I’ve just left the hospital, so naturally, I should properly thank you, my life-saving benefactor.”
“I came to Haizhu City – tell me, what else could I be here for?”
She glanced at Chen Hai and, seeing that he was as unresponsive as a block of wood, she continued, “As long as everything’s handled, that’s fine.
Come on, accompany me for a stroll!”
“You don’t look like you’re short of cash.
Why wear these clothes and shoes?”
“Some are grimy, and some are already washed to the point of being whitened – can you even wear these?”
Without giving Chen Hai a chance to retort, Ye Qingqing pulled him and headed outside.
When women go on a shopping spree, time becomes irrelevant, but many men who accompany them often feel as though time has stretched into an eternity.
“Chen Hai, come, what do you think of this watch?
“Chen Hai, come, try on these clothes?”
“Chen Hai, those shoes you’re wearing are so dirty.
Just toss them, I’ve just bought you a few pairs; pick one and put them on quickly!”
Accompanying Ye Qingqing on her shopping trip, Chen Hai originally thought that she was preparing to shop for herself.
But as they continued, he realized that he had been completely mistaken.
All the stores Ye Qingqing wanted to visit were men’s clothing stores, and all the watches, clothes, shoes, etc.
that she bought turned out to be for Chen Hai.
She kept saying that it was to repay Chen Hai for saving her life.
He tried to refuse her kindness repeatedly, but he just couldn’t escape it.
Over the course of the afternoon, Ye Qingqing spent tens of thousands on Chen Hai.
And Chen Hai himself had gloriously gone bankrupt.
Excluding the cash check of two hundred and forty thousand in his pocket, the several thousand he had brought were reduced to mere tens of yuan.
There was Ye Qingqing, buying this and that for him, even his three-to-seven parted hair was forced into a visit to a well-decorated hair salon, where a stylist was hired to redesign his look.
Not wanting to feel like he was living off a woman, Chen Hai naturally reciprocated by buying Ye Qingqing some clothes and jewelry – that’s where all his money went! Newest update provıded by 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩·𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖·𝘯𝘦𝘵
At past eight in the evening, having already had dinner outside, Chen Hai, carrying bags big and small, and exhausted, finally returned to Room 1808 at New Beauty Hotel.
“A romance where the households are mismatched is hellish…”
After organizing the things Ye Qingqing bought for him, Chen Hai leaned against the hotel room’s large bedhead.
Lighting a cigarette for himself, he sighed helplessly.
He could clearly sense Ye Qingqing’s feelings for him.
He had thought about giving her a chance to pursue him, but now, he felt almost out of confidence, somewhat afraid!
Just half a day of togetherness had already bankrupted him.
If this continued, what would happen?
“She’s truly a great girl, but our different upbringings have led to some incompatible values…”
“Forget it, I’ll avoid her as much as I can in the future.”
“Even if she covets my body, I’m a man she’ll never have!”
He took several deep breaths, silently thinking to himself.
Regardless of her looks or family background, it’s undeniable that Ye Qingqing is top-notch – an ultimate ‘rich and beautiful’ that countless people long for.
But Chen Hai would surely feel incredibly tired if he didn’t want to be a “kept man” – this relationship would be exhausting.
Leaning against the bedhead, his mind was swirling with thoughts.
After the long shopping trip, he felt incredibly worn out and yet, he couldn’t fall asleep.
Dingaling…” At past eleven at night, the telephone by the bed suddenly rang.
“Chen Hai, there’s no hot water in my room.
Could you come over and take a look?” It was Ye Qingqing calling.
She was extremely tired from the afternoon’s outing too.
Being a girl, she obviously wouldn’t return to the same room as Chen Hai.
Instead, in New Beauty Hotel, she opened another room for herself, right next to Chen Hai’s.