Chapter 112: To Each Their Own

"Ugh—"

Shao Ziyang had lost count of how many times he had burped, and he also didn't know how many times he had eaten until he felt like vomiting. But looking at the food still on the table, he picked up the red wine and downed it like a soft drink, rested for a moment, and then continued to eat.

"Eat faster, this steak is pretty good."

Seeing that Yang Tianxing had barely touched his chopsticks, Shao Ziyang felt a bit anxious himself.

Yang Tianxing shook his head: "I've already eaten. Don't feel bad about the money, it's only 800 yuan. Your health is what matters, don't stuff yourself until you ruin your stomach."

Shao Ziyang went silent at once.

Yang Tianxing didn't let him off: "Doesn't Aunt Huang give you 600 yuan for living expenses a month? Scrape some together over two months; if it's not enough, I'll lend you some more. You'll still be able to treat Jiang Mumu to another meal."

Hearing this, Shao Ziyang's chewing slowed down.

Yang Tianxing neither scolded nor persuaded; he just used this soft blade to stab at Shao Ziyang's heart, making him feel miserable.

After the meal, Yang Tianxing helped settle the bill. After going downstairs, Shao Ziyang looked at the second-hand Santana: "Your car?"

"A friend's. I'll drive you back."

Shao Ziyang hesitated for a moment before opening the passenger door and getting in.

"Didn't want to get in just a moment ago?"

Yang Tianxing asked while steering the wheel.

Shao Ziyang didn't make a sound. After a while, he took out 300 yuan and said: "I only have this much, I'll pay back the 500 yuan next month."

Yang Tianxing didn't take it: "Take it back, I'm not short of this 300 right now."

Shao Ziyang was stubborn; he threw the 300 yuan directly onto the car, turned his head, and looked out the window without speaking.

Yang Tianxing cursed: "What the hell are you taking your anger out on me for? It wasn't me who made you play the host."

"Who's taking their anger out on you."

Shao Ziyang refused to admit it.

His thoughts were very complicated right now. At first, being unable to pay was worry; then, Yang Tianxing coming to help was gratitude; later, being spoken to so harshly by Yang Tianxing, combined with the genuine pain of losing money, made him feel particularly conflicted.

So, seeing Yang Tianxing with a car, Shao Ziyang suddenly felt very annoyed.

Yang Tianxing chuckled: "I helped you pay the bill; it's one thing not to be grateful, but you're actually returning kindness with enmity."

Shao Ziyang turned his face away and ignored him. After a while, he spoke up himself: "You used to chase Xiao Zhi too. She didn't accept you, so how did you get her to chase you back later?"

"First, you need to get it straight: Tan Zhizhi and Jiang Mumu are fundamentally different."

Yang Tianxing emphasized: "If Tan Zhizhi doesn't like you, she won't take it even if you offer her mountains of gold and silver. If she does like you, she'll accept it even if you give her an ordinary paper bag. Do you think Xiao Zhi would do what happened this noon?"

Shao Ziyang thought for a moment and silently shook his head.

Yang Tianxing continued: "Secondly, there were feelings between Xiao Zhi and me. Not to mention our parents know each other, even if we were just classmates, it was only a thin sheet of paper between us. Once that paper is poked through, becoming boyfriend and girlfriend is a matter of course."

"Then have you poked it through now?"

Shao Ziyang asked.

Yang Tianxing nodded: "Poked it through, but then I sewed it back up."

Shao Ziyang knew it was because of Liu Jiaoyue, and he cursed in his heart: "Scumbag!"

Upon arriving at the gate of the Industrial University, Yang Tianxing handed the 300 yuan to Shao Ziyang again: "You can't be a scumbag, but don't be a 'lick-dog' either. Consider this 800-yuan Western meal today as tuition."

Shao Ziyang opened his mouth to say something, but stopped himself.

Seeing this look, Yang Tianxing knew the 'lick-dog' would continue to lick; no amount of persuasion would be useful.

He tossed the 300 yuan out, closed the car window, and drove away.

The paper money was blown by the wind, scraping lightly against the ground and making a "zi-zi" sound. Shao Ziyang bent down and picked the money up again.

He didn't return to the dormitory either, but went to a nearby internet cafe. After logging into QQ, he found Jiang Mumu and left her a message: "How was lunch? Do you want to go together again next time?"

Then he stared at the computer screen, waiting for the moment the QQ avatar would flash.

……………

After returning to school, Yang Tianxing received a notice for a Youth League Committee meeting, likely to discuss the Spring Sports Meet.

There were quite a few students sitting in the Youth League Committee office building's conference room. Yang Tianxing took a look; the men were all quite handsome, and the women were very pretty. He hadn't expected Guan Shuman to be a fan of good looks.

Before long, "Long-Black-Straight" Guan Shuman walked in wearing flat-soled sneakers. She brushed back her smooth long hair: "Meeting now. We are mainly discussing whether the Finance Institute's Spring Sports Meet will proceed as usual?"

"What is the opinion of the school leadership?"

Zou Jun, the president of the Institute Student Union, asked.

Zou Jun was a senior at the Finance Institute and had already been confirmed to stay at the school as a counselor; he was now Guan Shuman's capable assistant.

Guan Shuman shook her head: "The school leadership wants us to discuss it first and then deliberate based on our opinions."

Zou Jun pondered for a moment and said: "I think the Spring Sports Meet could be suspended this year. After all, the epidemic is serious now. Although there are no suspected cases in Chang'an District yet, it's better to be safe than sorry."

His thinking was already considering things from the school's standpoint, prioritizing safety and stability.

"Bai'an, what are your thoughts?" Guan Shuman asked.

Gu Bai'an, the vice president of the Institute Student Union, cleared his throat and said with a smile: "Respected Teacher Guan, President Zou, and fellow students, hello."

"I think that although the epidemic is serious now, the Spring Sports Meet should still be held, because it can stabilize everyone's psychological state and encourage students to exercise more instead of staying cooped up in the dormitory smelling white vinegar all day."

Zou Jun glanced at Gu Bai'an and didn't speak.

Gu Bai'an was a famous rich second-generation at the Finance Institute. While Yang Tianxing drove a second-hand commuter car, he was already showing off in the Finance Institute driving an imported Lexus.

The two student union representatives had opposing opinions. Guan Shuman asked others, and while Yang Tianxing supported Gu Bai'an's idea, many people supported Zou Jun. In the end, even Guan Shuman decided to abandon this Spring Sports Meet from the perspective of safety.

After the meeting ended, Gu Bai'an ran into Yang Tianxing while going downstairs and walked up to him: "Just now in the meeting, you said you were going to take the whole class mountain climbing?"

Yang Tianxing nodded: "I've noticed everyone's spirits haven't been very high lately, so I plan to organize a spring outing activity."

Gu Bai'an agreed very much: "University students should be as proactive as you. It's too listless like this now."

The two chatted for a while, and just as they were about to say goodbye, Yang Tianxing suddenly brought up a matter: "There's a classmate in my class who wants to join the broadcasting station. I won't go find Teacher Guan; can you help get it done on your end?"

Gu Bai'an was stunned for a moment. The two hadn't been very familiar before; he only knew Yang Tianxing was a school entrepreneurship representative and quite famous within the Humanities and Social Sciences Department, but he hadn't expected Yang Tianxing to make such a direct request.

"Someone at the broadcasting station recently quit to study for the postgraduate entrance exam; why don't you call that classmate over to take a look, and if it works out, arrange for her to give it a try," Gu Bo'an said after some thought.

Yang Tianxing called Deng Yidi over, and also quietly sent a message saying: "Dress up nicely, the vice-chairman of the college student union is interviewing you in person today."

Before long, Deng Yidi arrived, wearing a knee-length leather skirt and heavy, glamorous makeup; as soon as she reached his side, the scent filled his nose.

Yang Tianxing couldn't help but shake his head, blaming himself for not being clear; perhaps in Deng Yidi's mind, being a little prettier meant being a little more revealing.

However, Gu Bo'an stared in a daze, and before Deng Yidi could speak, he said to Yang Tianxing: "I think she's quite good; arrange for her to try out at the broadcasting station when the time comes."