Chapter 40: The Script That Went Wrong

In fact, from the moment Yang Tianxing learned of Wang Jundong's identity, there hadn't been a single word of truth out of his mouth.

Because he hadn't actually applied for the Finance Institute's "College Student Entrepreneurship Support Project"; he had only learned of such a policy while organizing documents for the Youth League Committee, and hadn't had time to take any concrete action yet. Yang Tianxing's original intention today was to discuss and communicate with Zhang Liye.

Unexpectedly encountering Wang Jundong here, and operating on the principle that "one's momentum must not falter," Yang Tianxing quickly changed his plan and started spouting nonsense.

The key was that he really had read the original text, so he spoke with such authority that Zhang Liye was genuinely quite interested.

"You mean to establish a foothold at the Finance Institute, and while capturing the Finance Institute market, radiate out to the surrounding colleges?" Zhang Liye asked.

Yang Tianxing nodded: "Because this project is supported by the school, they will provide several storefronts free of charge that have convenient transportation, high foot traffic, and spacious areas."

In Yang Tianxing's mouth, those abandoned classrooms under the teaching building immediately turned into treasures. Since Zhang Liye didn't know any better anyway, Yang Tianxing bluffed without blushing or skipping a beat.

Of course, Zhang Liye had his own considerations. He thought for a moment and said: "The project sounds quite large when you put it that way. I'll have to go to your school to take a look."

Yang Tianxing agreed without hesitation: "Not only must you inspect it, but you also need to have a good discussion with the leaders of the Youth League Committee about how to push it forward so it can be better implemented."

Hearing Yang Tianxing answer this way, Zhang Liye basically believed him, because Yang Tianxing had actually invited him to meet with the Youth League Committee leaders; that meant the project was nine times out of ten real.

How was Zhang Liye to know that Yang Tianxing was just building castles in the air? He would build one here, then go to Sun Nan to build another, and then mediate between them; he would create this project "out of thin air" even if he had to force it.

"Then when should I go to your school?"

Zhang Liye thought about it and felt the prospects were good, so he wanted to learn a bit more information.

"That depends on when the Youth League Committee leaders have time."

Yang Tianxing said with a smile: "You know how they are, buried in mountains of paperwork and seas of meetings every day."

In reality, this meeting time mainly depended on Yang Tianxing's coordination progress. Even if it failed, it didn't matter; it would just be a waste of some saliva and legwork.

As for face, did one even need that when negotiating business?

Zhang Liye nodded, checked the time, and said: "It's time to eat. Little Yang, stay and have a meal."

"No, no, I still have to go back to school."

Yang Tianxing politely declined.

"Are you looking down on our Shentong Express?"

Zhang Liye insisted on dragging Yang Tianxing to a nearby restaurant for a meal. Of course, the price wasn't high; it was mainly to express an attitude.

……………

After finishing the meal, Yang Tianxing didn't return to school, nor did he go to play games with his roommates. He went straight to the downstairs of the Jiaotong University female dormitory and said to the dormitory manager: "Excuse me, I'm looking for Tan Zhizhi in 303."

The dormitory manager asked: "What is your name?"

"My name is Tan Qingwu," Yang Tianxing replied.

The responsible dormitory manager finished the registration and called the 303 dormitory: "Tan Zhizhi, Tan Qingwu is downstairs looking for you."

The cold war between Tan Zhizhi and Yang Tianxing had lasted from Jinzhou until now. Yang Tianxing had actually called a few times in between, but without exception, they were all hung up on.

The virgin Shao Ziyang had even posed as an "emotional expert" to analyze it, saying that Little Zhizhi had been ready to accept this relationship, but at the critical moment, Yang Tianxing had gone out to fool around again; she must have been so disappointed.

Yang Tianxing couldn't argue that going to a bar didn't count as fooling around; that would be the same logic as Kong Yiji's "stealing books doesn't count as stealing."

"Seeing Tan Zhizhi this time, I still have to make things clear; at the very least, we should continue to be friends."

Yang Tianxing never felt he had done anything wrong by going to a bar; he was single now, after all.

"Is there something wrong with being a bit wild?"

Before long, Tan Zhizhi, wearing pajamas, hurried downstairs, looking left and right. She was also puzzled as to why her dad had come to Chang'an without a word.

Unlike the round, beautiful, egg-shaped face of Liu Jiaoyue, Tan Zhizhi had an exquisite melon-seed face. Although her pajamas were long-sleeved and long-legged, the skin exposed at her neck was as white as snow and frost. As a gust of autumn wind blew, the soft cotton pajamas clung to her body, highlighting Tan Zhizhi's slender and exquisite figure.

Those boys waiting for their girlfriends downstairs were immediately attracted by this stunning beauty, their eyes unable to look away.

"She really is the goddess from our high school days; she didn't lose face for us Jinzhou No. 1 High School after entering university."

Yang Tianxing walked over with a grin: "Stop looking, I just borrowed Uncle Tan's name for a moment."

Seeing Yang Tianxing, Tan Zhizhi immediately understood what was going on and turned around, ready to head back to the dormitory.

Yang Tianxing jumped in front of her to block her: "We can't just go on like this forever, can we? Can we talk through the misunderstandings first?"

"Go talk to the ladies in the bar, I don't want to listen."

The corners of Tan Zhizhi's eyes and brows still carried anger; she was cold and aloof.

"Fine, then you go up. I'll print a banner tomorrow and hang it downstairs at your dormitory."

Yang Tianxing simply started acting like a rascal. He pointed to the trees downstairs at the female dormitory and said: "I'll hang the banner right here, and it will say: 'Tan Zhizhi of 303, rest assured and study at university; I will raise the child all by myself.'"

Hearing such shameless slander, Tan Zhizhi blushed instantly: "Yang Tianxing, are you a rascal?"

"I am a rascal, after all," Yang Tianxing naturally accepted the label without any rebuttal.

Facing such a hooligan, Tan Zhizhi felt a sense of powerlessness. She had intended never to see him again, yet now she had been tricked into coming down once more.

"Then hurry up and say it; once you're done, I'm going up."

Tan Zhizhi turned her body, facing away from Yang Tianxing.

For someone like Yang Tianxing, if Tan Zhizhi insisted on going up, he truly had no way to stop her.

However, as long as she stayed, it basically meant the conflict was already resolved.

"I've been calling you for the past few days, but you haven't answered once."

Yang Tianxing played the victim first. He had indeed called every day, even though he was hung up on every time.

This was not a meaningless persistence, because as Tan Zhizhi listened, her tense shoulders began to relax, and the atmosphere was not as cold as before.

"It's working."

Seeing this situation, Yang Tianxing continued: "That night was because Shao Ziyang had a fight with his mom, so he told me he wanted to find a place to relax..."

It was the same old method: share the blessings, and let your brother share the burden.

"You mean Shao Ziyang took you to the bar?"

Tan Zhizhi turned her head, her eyes filled with suspicion.

Yang Tianxing replied calmly: "He brought up the idea, but I was the one who took him to that place. I was also wrong; I shouldn't have taken him to that kind of environment."

Yang Tianxing split the responsibility in half, with him and Shao Ziyang each taking fifty percent.

Tan Zhizhi actually believed some of this division of responsibility, because it matched her perception of both Yang Tianxing and Shao Ziyang.

Shao Ziyang, that shut-in, often quarreled with his family, and Yang Tianxing had been restless since high school, so it was normal for him to know such places.

"Then what exactly did you two do when you went there?"

Tan Zhizhi was most worried about Yang Tianxing associating with those flashy young ladies.

"We just played some billiards inside," Yang Tianxing said.

"Really?"

Yang Tianxing simply took Tan Zhizhi's phone and dialed the number for Shao Ziyang's dormitory right in front of her.

"Hello, this is Yang Tianxing."

"Little Yang, you haven't looked for me to hang out in a long time. I'll come find you this week..."

"Cut the nonsense. I'm with Tan Zhizhi right now; tell her what we were doing at the bar that night."

"We were playing billiards. Have you and Little Zhizhi made up? Then I'll come find you guys to hang out now..."

"No time."

Yang Tianxing hung up the phone directly, then said to Tan Zhizhi with a sincere face: "See, we really only played billiards."

At this point, Tan Zhizhi also gradually "understood" the sequence of events: Shao Ziyang had argued with his family, so he went to the bar to play billiards with Yang Tianxing to blow off steam; Tan Zhizhi had happened to see them, and since that was the night she was preparing to accept Yang Tianxing, she had been unusually angry.

"Then why did you only come to find me now?"

Hearing Tan Zhizhi ask this question, Yang Tianxing knew he had narrowly passed the test.

He feigned a weary and helpless look and said: "There have been a lot of things going on with the Student Union these past few days. I'm a class monitor and a vice-minister, so I've been exhausted every day. I originally wanted to pour out my stress to you every night, but I didn't expect you wouldn't pick up at all..."

Yang Tianxing thus quietly shifted the blame onto Tan Zhizhi, and she very consciously took it upon herself.

"Little Yang..."

Tan Zhizhi even felt a bit embarrassed.

Yang Tianxing first played the victim, then shirked responsibility, and finally shifted the blame; Tan Zhizhi had already started to calm down, as her personality was naturally a bit willful, cute, and tsundere.

"It's okay, it's all in the past. It's really a pity that we were so close to dating."

Yang Tianxing said magnanimously, expressing his regret over this relationship.

Tan Zhizhi stared at Yang Tianxing for a moment and said: "Yang Tianxing, will you accompany me to the library for self-study tomorrow?"

"?"

Yang Tianxing was completely confused, a giant question mark appearing in his mind.

Normally, shouldn't they have a friendly hug and then forget the past and become friends? Isn't that how it's played out in TV dramas? Why did it feel like the script had gone wrong?

Seeing that Yang Tianxing didn't answer, Tan Zhizhi asked again: "Do you have anything to do on Sunday?"

"Maybe, perhaps I'm free."

"That's good. I'm heading back to the dorm now. Come over early tomorrow, and I'll take you to the Jiaotong University cafeteria for breakfast."