Chapter 43

“You came here alone to drink coffee?” Fang Qingye typed back.

“Yeah, nothing to do, heard a new café opened so I came to sit awhile. Are you on a date? With which girl? Let me guess… probably the pretty one on the left, right?”

“Sort of.”

“Hmm, good taste. Go ahead and chat with the girl—I won’t disturb you.”

“Alright.”

Fang Qingye put his phone back in his pocket.

Indeed, scrolling on your phone during a date with a girl was impolite, though he wasn’t particularly interested in this one.

Chen Wan was indeed beautiful, but she wasn’t his type.

The three chatted a while longer; after finishing their coffee, Chen Wan got up to leave, and Du Juan naturally followed.

“Let me see you back,” Fang Qingye decided to be chivalrous once more.

“No need, thank you,” Chen Wan politely declined.

Since she refused, Fang Qingye didn’t press—watching them leave, he paid the bill and prepared to go.

At that moment, his QQ phone buzzed again; Fang Qingye guessed it was Xia He, and when he pulled it out, it was indeed her.

“Already finished your date? Come sit down and tell me how it went.”

Xia He was quite the gossip.

But if he went back now, his mom would grill him—better to delay going home.

Thinking this, Fang Qingye paid his bill, picked up his unfinished coffee, and walked over to sit across from Xia He.

“How was it? Good?” Xia He asked with concern.

“No chance,” Fang Qingye replied lazily.

“Huh? Did you not like her, or did she not like you?”

“I think neither of them liked the other.”

“Heh… so you two didn’t click?” Xia He laughed.

“Possibly.”

“Hey, what’s the girl’s name you went on a date with? Where does she work? I feel like I’ve seen her before?” Xia He’s gossip instincts flared again.

“Her name is Chen Wan. She’s a host at the county TV station,” Fang Qingye answered honestly.

“No wonder—I thought she looked familiar. She hosted the cultural evening for Women’s Day this year, organized by the county women’s federation. Beautiful and elegant, looks a bit like the actress Liu Shishi!” Xia He said.

“Beautiful? There are plenty of beautiful girls in this world…” Fang Qingye smiled: “So what if she looks like Liu Shishi? I’m not interested in movie stars or TV hosts.”

“Heh, you’re picky. I wonder what kind of girl you’ll end up with,” Xia He chuckled.

Fang Qingye lifted his coffee cup and took a sip, saying nothing.

While Fang Qingye and Xia He chatted in the café, Chen Wan and Du Juan walked side by side along the street, arms linked, chatting intimately.

“Chen Wan, you don’t seem too impressed with Fang Qingye, do you?” Du Juan asked.

Chen Wan was candid: “Yeah, you noticed too.”

Du Juan was puzzled. “I think Fang Qingye is quite nice—very handsome.”

“He is handsome, but that’s not what I look for in a boyfriend.”

“I know—you care about family background and job,” Du Juan, who knew her friend well, said: “But Fang Qingye’s background isn’t bad—he works at a bank, good workplace, high salary.”

“How high can his salary really be? Can it match someone in business? More importantly, no future prospects. Did you hear him say he works in the General Office? That’s like being stuck in some obscure government unit—trade union, women’s federation, archives bureau—what’s the point?”

Chen Wan spoke logically; Du Juan paused, then said: “His family is good too—both parents are teachers, and his father is the principal of Chengguan Middle School.”

“So what if he’s a principal? It’s just a vice-county-level administrative post—and he’s already at the top. He’ll never become director of the Education Bureau,” Chen Wan countered.

“His second uncle is the director of the Caizheng Bureau.”

“That’s his second uncle, not his own father. If his own father were director of the Caizheng Bureau, I’d agree.”

Hearing this, Du Juan couldn’t help saying: “You’re… too materialistic.”

“I’m not materialistic—I’m forced into it,” Chen Wan stopped walking and looked at Du Juan seriously: “You know my family background is ordinary, no powerful relatives. I’ve always been worse off than you. To change my fate, I have to rely on myself. Luckily, my parents gave me good looks—I must make full use of them to find my own happiness.”

“Alright, alright, you’re sharp—I can’t argue with you,” Du Juan pouted.

Chen Wan smiled and linked arms with her friend again, then suddenly thought of something: “Hey… Du Juan, you think so highly of Fang Qingye—why don’t you date him yourself?”

“He wouldn’t look at me,” Du Juan’s expression darkened.

Hearing this, Chen Wan was surprised: “You haven’t even tried—how do you know?”

“We’ve played badminton a few times. My cousin and Liu Dong—the guy from the Propaganda Department—played together, laughing and chatting. Later, Liu Dong even invited my cousin to play again. But Fang Qingye? He just played in silence, never said a word… Sigh, if only I were as pretty and fair-skinned as you.”

We’ve played badminton a few times—my cousin and Liu Dong, that boy from the Propaganda Department, laughed and chatted while playing, and later Liu Dong even invited my cousin to play again. But Fang Qingye? He just kept his head down, never said a word... Sigh, if only I were as beautiful and fair as you.

“It doesn’t matter—he doesn’t want you, we don’t want him either,” Chen Wan comforted her friend, secretly feeling a small sense of satisfaction.

I may not have your family background, but I’m prettier than you.

I must hold onto this advantage tightly.

Du Juan was a carefree girl; her gloom faded quickly. She shoved her hands in her pockets, looking smug: “You’re right! Come on, I’ll treat you to bubble tea—it’s way tastier than coffee.”

“Sure, glad you’re paying,” Chen Wan said.

“No problem—we’re best friends.”

The two girls chatted and laughed as they walked toward a bubble tea shop on the street.

The next day, Fang Qingye heard from his second aunt that Chen Wan said they weren’t compatible and hoped Fang Qingye would find someone better.

His first date ended in failure.

His second aunt comforted him over the phone: “Xiao Ye, don’t lose heart! I’ll find you someone even better!”

“Second aunt, no need, really—I’m not ready to date right now,” Fang Qingye finally voiced his true feelings.

“How can you say that? If you don’t hurry up, all the good girls will be taken!”

How can that be? If we don’t hurry and find one, good girls will all be snatched up by others!

Fang Qingye didn’t know how to convince his second aunt, but he was secretly glad the date had failed.

Time drifted lazily into early July; the students went on summer vacation.

Of course, that had nothing to do with Fang Qingye.

The plum rain season finally ended, but scorching sun replaced the drizzle; temperatures surged sharply to 30 degrees. Riding his little scooter home after work, the sun burned his face painfully. Fang Qingye decided to take a vacation.

As a regular employee at the bank, he was entitled to five days of paid annual leave under national policy.

Add in the weekends on either end, and he could rest nine days total!

Being in the system really was good…

Being within the system is really good...