40: Chapter 40 Speculation 40: Chapter 40 Speculation Li Ying’s words clearly had a provocative intention, but some people just happened to kind of challenge.
“Li Ying, look at what you’re saying.
Am I, Chen Hai, the kind of person who lacks courage?”
Chen Hai chuckled, fully aware of the purpose behind Li Ying’s words at that moment.
However, he didn’t take it too seriously.
If he had money in his pocket yesterday, he would have definitely accepted Hu Zhiyong’s invitation right away.
After all, this reunion after their college entrance exams was the best time they had spent together as classmates.
Many years later, thinking back on this barbecue under the sunset could even bring back memories of their vanished youth.
“Chen Hai, since you’re not a coward, then does that mean you’re willing to join us for this gathering?” With a sly face, Li Ying struck while the iron was hot and asked quickly.
Li Ying was one of the initiators of this gathering, not just Hu Zhiyong.
However, out of more than fifty classmates, only about a dozen were willing to attend the reunion in the end.
Li Ying had always felt that, as an organizer, the gathering was a real failure.
That’s why the moment she saw Chen Hai, she set her sights on him.
If she could successfully get Chen Hai to attend the gathering, wouldn’t that mean she was better than Hu Zhiyong?
Maybe the failure of the gathering had nothing to do with her and was simply because the other two organizers lacked the capability and weren’t up to the task.
“Li Ying, it’s true I rejected Hu Zhiyong yesterday.”
“But if a few beautiful ladies like you invite me to the gathering, that’s definitely another matter!”
Hee hee, he laughed dryly a few times as he replied.
Although he was talking to Li Ying, his eyes were constantly glancing over Lin Lan.
It couldn’t be helped, among the girls present, Lin Lan was the prettiest, and she was also the best acquainted with Chen Hai.
Recently, Chen Hai felt somewhat ashamed of himself, thinking he was worlds apart from Lin Lan.
At that time, he was a bit cold towards Lin Lan.
Also, because of their college entrance exams, everyone was busy with revisions, and their relationship had become much more distant.
But now, the exams were over.
Having divined a fortune for Boss Li and with a few thousand yuan in his pocket, Chen Hai’s confidence soared, feeling that the distance between him and Lin Lan no longer seemed so vast.
Looking at Lin Lan in front of him, beautiful as a flower, his heart began to harbor some different thoughts.
“Lan, you really have a big influence.
Chen Hai needs you to personally invite him for him to agree!”
Li Ying, on the side, naturally witnessed this scene.
She nudged Lin Lan with her elbow and covered her mouth, jokingly saying with a laugh.
“Chen Hai, if I invite you to the class reunion, will you really attend?” Compared to the quirky Li Ying, Lin Lan was truly much simpler.
She glanced at Chen Hai and asked.
“Of course!” Nodding assertively, Chen Hai smiled in response.
His pockets weren’t empty, and bumping into Lin Lan and Li Ying, he had already been inclined to attend the gathering.
Lin Lan’s invitation was just the step he needed, giving him a suitable excuse.
“Well then, it’s settled, Chen Hai, us girls happen to be in need of someone to carry our bags!”
Li Ying, who was nearby, quickly hammered down the final say, setting the matter straight ahead.
As she spoke, she also casually raised the shopping bags in her hands and made a face at Chen Hai.
“Sorry, Li Ying, but I still have some things to take care of.
When are you meeting up with Hu Zhiyong and the others?
Once I’ve finished, I’ll come find you!”
Chen Hai shrugged his shoulders in response.
Shopping with women was the most painful of tasks.
Languishing already in a weakened state, with his spirits slightly dampened, to serve as a free pack mule for the women before him—unless he was out of his mind, he wouldn’t just agree to it.
“Meet at 2 PM by the docks in Shuang State!”
Lin Lan was always easier to talk to.
Before Li Ying could speak, she was the first to promptly share with Chen Hai the answer he wanted to hear.
“Haha, thanks, Lin Lan.
I’ll take care of my own stuff, but don’t worry, I’ll definitely be there at the docks at 2 PM to meet up with you all!”
After a laugh, Chen Hai greeted everyone and then turned toward the direction of the post office and strode away.
“Lin Lan, there couldn’t actually be something going on between you and Chen Hai, could there?” Watching Chen Hai’s retreating figure growing distant, and then turning to look at Lin Lan before her, Li Ying asked with a funny look, teasing her.
“There’s nothing of the sort, Li Ying.
I just think Chen Hai’s a good person, and he’s helped me a lot.
That’s why I’ve been closer to him…”
Flushed and bashful, Lin Lan’s face turned as red as an apple.
Her voice grew softer as she spoke, until, by the end, probably only she could hear herself.
“Still not willing to admit it?
Just look at you; I knew it.
You definitely have feelings for Chen Hai.
Perhaps you’ve always had a crush on him!”
Li Ying covered her mouth, giggling as she teased.
While the two joked around, another classmate, Sun Fang, said, “Ying, Lan, do you really think Chen Hai will keep his promise and meet up with us at the docks?”
“What do you mean by that, Fangfang?” Lin Lan, with a frown, hurriedly asked, puzzled.
“As far as I know, Chen Hai’s family isn’t very well off.
Back when he was boarding at school, he would usually just have a bowl of white rice and some pickles brought from home in the cafeteria.”
“If I’m not mistaken, the reason he turned down Hu Zhiyong’s invitation yesterday must be because he couldn’t afford it.”
“Just now, in front of us, he probably didn’t want to lose face, so he casually agreed to attend the gathering.”
“Look, as soon as he turned around, he’s already bolted out of sight.
If he had money in his pocket and real confidence, he certainly wouldn’t act .”
Sun Fang’s words carried a mocking tone, and disdain was clearly written on her face.
On the other hand, Li Ying, who came from a well-off family and rarely worried about money, now spoke up.
In her view, pitching in ten yuan each for a post-exam gathering was a trifle, quite effortless.
She had never considered that there might be someone in the class who would even find it difficult to contribute this ten yuan.
“Ying, Fangfang, I’ve just about finished buying what I need to buy.”
“I got something to take care of for a bit, so you guys go ahead and stroll around here.
I’ll come find you in a while!”
With a complex expression, Lin Lan seemed to be pondering something in her mind.
After biting her lip and saying goodbye to Li Ying and Sun Fang, she picked up her bags, and quickly walked in the direction where Chen Hai had vanished.