Chapter 159: 90: A Family by the Spring Chapter 159: So Romantic, His Fiancée Is So Happy

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Protagonist:

Lin Xiyu

"Still want to compare?"

Guben spun the basketball on his right index finger, a carefree and effortless motion that once again drew a wave of fervent attention.

His opponent was not so comfortable, being roasted over a fire by him!

In the next offensive round, even if he didn't miss a single shot and made them all into the basket, he could only barely manage a tie.

Judging by the current situation, Guben was clearly more skilled, and the possibility of him not missing a single ball was almost zero.

Playing meant losing, not playing also meant losing.

At this moment, in this situation, Wei Ming was truly caught in a dilemma.

"I concede."

Continuing to play offered no chance of victory; after agonizing for a long time, he could only reluctantly give up.

What he gave up was not just a match, but also the woman he admired; he knew this well, lowered his eyelids, and his expression was very desolate.

"Senior Wei Ming..."

His pursuers' eyes were all red, some covering their mouths, sobbing softly.

—

"Hahaha, buddy, I knew you'd win."

Wang Fan laughed recklessly and flamboyantly, again drawing the dissatisfaction of the girls.

If looks could kill, he would have died no fewer than a hundred times by now.

"Just luck."

Guben smiled humbly, casually tossed the basketball backward, and precisely shot it into the basket.

"Wow."

The basketball court erupted in "wow"s again; even those who weren't basketball enthusiasts, purely melon-eating crowds, were conquered by his superb ball skills, and their gazes toward him grew even more fervent.

"Tsk...."

Wang Fan clicked his tongue and teased with a smile, "Don't be humble; if you call this luck, how are professional players supposed to live?"

"The court at Huashi University isn't bad; we'll have another match if we get the chance."

Guben ignored Wang Fan; as he passed in front of Wei Ming, he patted his shoulder.

"Are you really a student of Fudan University?"

Wei Ming suddenly raised his head and asked again, unwilling to accept it.

"Genuine."

Guben didn't stop walking, heading straight for Lin Xiyu: "This year's SD Province Provincial Top Scholar, his name is still hanging at the gate of Jinan No. 1 High School; you can go see for yourself if you don't believe me."

"Provincial Top Scholar?"

Wei Ming's eyelids twitched violently a few times, incredulous: "Why didn't you go to Peking University or Fudan University, and come to Shanghai to study instead?"

"Because my fiancée is in Shanghai; wherever she is, I am......."

Guben spared no effort in striking down his love rival; coming before Lin Xiyu, he took her hand in front of everyone, raised it to his lips, and lightly kissed it.

"Wow, so romantic!"

"His fiancée is so happy."

"I wish someone could love me like that."

The wind direction at the basketball court changed again; whether male or female, their gazes toward Lin Xiyu were full of envy.

At this moment, Lin Xiyu instead became the most composed person present.

She blinked her eyes, pretending to gaze deeply at him, a hint of teasing flashing in her eyes: "If I hadn't asked you this question before, I would have really believed it."

Guben: "......."

You know how to ruin the atmosphere.

"Hehe."

Lin Xiyu rarely saw his embarrassed expression and couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Let's go."

Guben didn't want to linger any longer, protecting her as he squeezed out of the crowd.

"Where are we going?"

Lin Xiyu was just about to habitually say, "I still need to study," but Guben cut her off.

"Don't you want to improve your English listening and speaking grades?"

"Yes."

"Then come with me."

Guben didn't bother explaining, dragging her out of the school gate.

—

Outside Huashi University.

In a specialty store selling Sony Walkmans, Lin Xiyu looked at the small and mini Walkman, her small heart jumping excitedly.

"Having a Walkman will make practicing listening much more convenient."

Guben had the salesperson take out the Walkman to try it on the spot.

"Wow, that sounds great."

Lin Xiyu put on the earphones, overjoyed: "Much better than a recorder, very clear, not a bit of noise."

"A recorder's sound quality can't compare to a Walkman..."

The salesperson, seeing business come, pushed hard: "And the Walkman is small and mini, only palm-sized, very convenient to carry. Now many young people like Walkmans; you could say it's very fashionable. Wearing earphones while shopping or riding a bike has become a trend."

"Fashionable or not doesn't matter, as long as I can practice listening well."

Lin Xiyu loved it, liking it more the more she looked.

"If you like it, buy it."

Guben took out his wallet, intending to pay.

"I'll buy it myself. It's too expensive; always having you pay, I'm too embarrassed."

Lin Xiyu glanced at the Walkman's price, her eyes twitching involuntarily.

One thousand yuan, enough for two months of her living expenses.

So damn extravagant!

—

"Being polite with me?"

Guben pinched her cheek, eyes full of pampering: "That little money of yours, don't you still need to help your female cousin stock up? Keep it for yourself."

"Sigh."

Hearing about stocking up, Lin Xiyu rubbed her brow in a headache.

"What's wrong now?"

Guben raised an eyebrow, smiling and teasing: "I buy you something and you're not happy, looking like a bitter vegetable flower, your eyes and nose almost wrinkled together."

"Worried to death."

Lin Xiyu sighed mournfully: "It's all Wang Fan's fault, that jinx. I just patched things up with Li Qing, planning to get a batch of export-turned-domestic foreign trade clothing through her, and he comes running to cause trouble. I'm afraid Li Qing really gets dumped by him, and in turn resents me. All my hard work this past month would be wasted."

"Her family does export business?"

Guben raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised: "You even have this in mind, keeping it so secret, not even telling me..."

"I wanted to tell you once I had definite news."

Lin Xiyu smiled sheepishly explaining: "Your studies are heavy, and you're usually busy. I didn't want to disturb you with these trivial matters."

"Nothing is more important than you."

Guben pampered her to the extreme: "Your matters are what I should care about most."

"The little girl is blessed to have found such a good boyfriend."

The salesperson took the money and handed over the packaged Walkman, smiling ambiguously.

"So many people say that..."

For the sake of the Walkman, Lin Xiyu smiled and went along.

"Your mouth is so sweet."

Guben's eyes flashed, pleasantly surprised.

"It's a fact; I didn't say anything false..."

Lin Xiyu's ears turned red, giving him a sweet smile in return.

"My girlfriend rarely compliments me; looks like I need to perform a bit more."

Guben smiled teasingly and extended his hand to her: "Let's go. Let's go to the nearby shops to buy some English songs and tapes for listening practice."

"Mm-hmm."

Lin Xiyu's eyes lit up, happily placing her hand in his palm.

Guben gripped tightly, holding her hand, and the two left the specialty store together.

—

"Your buddy looks a bit cold at first glance, hard to get along with, but when he smiles he's so gentle, looks like he dotes on people more than you, much more charming."

In the coffee shop diagonally across, Li Qing saw Guben and Lin Xiyu come out of the store across the street through the glass.

Guben held her hand walking on the outer side, deliberately slowing his pace so she could follow at her own rhythm.

Lin Xiyu didn't know what he said, smiling happily; across the street one could see her bright smile like a flower.

"Not drinking anymore. What's good about coffee? It's bitter to death."

Wang Fan impatiently threw the spoon into the tray and stood up from the chair.

"Hey, hey, where are you going?"

Li Qing saw him say leave and leave, hesitated a little, but still gave up the coffee and chased after him.

"To the bar."

Wang Fan came to the roadside and casually hailed a taxi.

"I'm going too..."

Li Qing was unwilling to be left behind by him; she opened the door herself and got in.

"You're a woman; what are you going to the bar for?"

Wang Fan propped his hand on the car door, eyes showing displeasure.

"You can go, why can't I?"

Li Qing's eyes showed provocation: "Don't tell me there's your lover in the bar, you don't want me following, getting in the way of your good deed."

"Tsk."

Wang Fan clicked his tongue, very speechless: "You woman really are..."

"Really what?"

Li Qing bounced around in the thunder zone, challenging his bottom line: "We agreed, during our relationship you can't have other women."

"Even so, aren't you being too controlling?"

Wang Fan slammed the car door shut, turned and left in a bad mood: "If you want to go, go yourself, I'm not going."

"Hey hey, wait for me."

Li Qing tossed ten yuan to the driver, then chased after him from the car.

"Young people these days, tsk tsk..."

The driver looked at the ten yuan he'd earned for nothing, smacked his lips a few times, and found it rather indescribable.

——

"That's Wang Fan and Li Qing..."

The commotion across the road also startled Guben and Lin Xiyu.

Lin Xiyu watched Li Qing run out of the car, chasing after Wang Fan in a rather disheveled state, and couldn't help but feel anxious for her.

"This bet, she's sure to lose."

Guben spoke her heart for her.

"What's so good about Wang Fan?"

Lin Xiyu couldn't understand: "Why does Li Qing like him?"

"Different strokes for different folks."

Guben had his own view: "Perhaps they were originally the same kind of people."

"You mean Li Qing?"

Lin Xiyu's eyes showed surprise: "You think she's like Wang Fan, also a playboy princess, not faithful in love?"

"Otherwise?"

Guben smiled and asked back: "If she were like you, a virtuous wife and good mother, could she bet so casually with people? Even if Wang Fan is handsome and rich, with a normal girl's mindset, meeting this kind of man shouldn't she be more cautious? Who wants to become a plaything, abandoned by a man after being used? So-called conquest is just an excuse for being unfaithful."

"Meeting Wang Fan is truly her calamity..."

Lin Xiyu held her forehead and sighed lightly: "She's really pitiful, she could bet with anyone, but she just had to bet with him."

"That Wang Fan brat..."

Guben analyzed without any emotion: "It must be said, whether in looks or daring, in the Second Generation Rich circle, he is outstanding. He's still young now, in the initial stage of capital accumulation. Once he succeeds in his career, more women will like him. To him, Li Qing is just one passerby among them, unable to stir up any waves."

"Hmph."

Lin Xiyu huffed a laugh, teasing him with a smile: "This time you've really opened my eyes, I didn't expect your evaluation of him to be so high?"

"Childhood friends, after all."

Guben nodded seriously: "I don't understand him, how could I let him pester me, pester me for so many years?"

"You know he pesters you?"

Lin Xiyu almost laughed out loud: "When I first heard him say he'd pester you for a lifetime, I thought this person was a rascal, I didn't expect you tacitly agreed..."

"Each takes what they need."

Guben also smiled: "My purpose isn't pure either. If there wasn't something I valued in him, I wouldn't cooperate with him."

"This is male friendship?"

Lin Xiyu smiled playfully, with a hint of teasing.

"I suppose so."

Guben deliberately misinterpreted her meaning: "The friendship of wearing the same pair of pants since childhood."

"Hahaha."

A funny image flashed through Lin Xiyu's brain, and she almost laughed herself breathless.

"Is it that funny?"

Guben didn't understand, looking at her in surprise.

"Hahaha."

Lin Xiyu didn't answer, still laughing nonstop.

Guben smiled helplessly, giving up the idea of pursuing it further.

——

With a portable cassette player, practicing spoken English and listening got twice the result with half the effort.

Lin Xiyu fell in love with this mini cute little thing as if possessed, wearing earplugs all day, either listening to English songs or on the way to listening to English songs.

Classic English old songs she listened to one after another, among them Whitney Houston's I Will Always Love You, she knew it by heart, could recite it backward.

To express gratitude to someone who bought her a portable cassette player, she copied the lyrics of that song exactly as they were, wrote them on paper, and sent it to Fudan University in the form of a love letter.

Guben received the letter, first stunned, then understanding its deep meaning, he smiled knowingly, and also borrowed a song, Sealed With A Kiss, to send her a reply letter.

Thus, the two seemed to be addicted to this game, expressing feelings to each other with English songs, at a frequency of once a week, truly making many people envious.

Li Qing felt jealousy rising in her stomach, gnashing her teeth.

Guben's roommate at Fudan also teased him recklessly, having a girlfriend from the English department, the taste of love even carried a sour and rotten flavor.

University life passed in tension and busyness, in the blink of an eye another month passed.

Mid-November, northern temperatures dropped sharply, every household began using stoves for heating.

The female cousin remitted 5,000 yuan from the post office, urging Lin Xiyu to wholesale some sweaters as soon as possible and send them back, she wanted to use the sweaters as thank-you gifts, giving them to clients who signed renovation contracts before New Year's Day, to boost performance.

Lin Xiyu deeply admired her female cousin's business acumen; for her female cousin's money-making plan, she, as a female cousin, naturally had an inescapable responsibility and must contribute her share.

Li Qing and Wang Fan's relationship was not going smoothly, her mood was like a roller coaster, unpredictable.

Lin Xiyu didn't want to meddle in their affairs, but couldn't avoid it; for the past few days she had been keeping to herself, rarely having deeper exchanges with her.

The plan originally to purchase goods from her parents' foreign trade company fell through; fortunately, these days she hadn't been wandering Shanghai's streets and alleys in vain, dealing with small vendors, she had already found out the wholesale channels for sweaters.

After receiving the payment, on the first weekend, early Saturday morning, she climbed up from bed at five-thirty, took the first bus of the morning, and went to the Wool Sweater Wholesale Market in the suburbs of SH City.

—

Shanghai sweaters were famous nationwide; not only local small vendors from Shanghai, but also out-of-town middlemen came here to stock up.