Chapter 281: Stingy Li Ye

Words unaligned, half a sentence too much; Wu Jinyuan claimed she'd only waste five minutes of Li Ye's time, but less than two minutes passed before they parted ways in anger.

Li Huai and Yang Yu hurried over, nervously asking: "Li Ye, what did you do to offend that foreign guest?"

"Offend a foreign guest?"

Li Ye frowned: "No way. At most we just didn't hit it off—hardly counts as offending anyone."

"No."

Yang Yu shook his head slowly, watching Wu Jinyuan's retreating figure, and declared firmly: "You definitely offended her. Based on my years of keen observation of women, you offended her badly."

"Hahahaha~"

Li Huai and Li Ye burst out laughing.

Li Ye sneered: "Come on, Brother Yang, don't exaggerate like that. You're well into your twenties and still single—what 'keen observation of women'? You'd do better calling it 'twenty years of singlehood experience.'"

Yang Yu waved his hand seriously: "Those involved are confused; those watching see clearly. Precisely because I've never been caught in love, I see the truth."

"Just now, when that foreign guest called your name, her eyes sparkled with delight—but then, in an instant, she turned cold and indifferent. Can you really not sense that shift?"

"I didn't notice."

Li Ye answered half-heartedly—he was sharp enough to detect Wu Jinyuan's sudden resentment, but he certainly wouldn't admit it now.

Today, if Wen Leyu hadn't stayed home, she'd have interrogated Li Ye for this.

A young, wealthy female foreign guest? Are we filming "Love on Lushan"? Dare to show even a flicker of lust, and I'll scratch your face off, you heartless scoundrel.

"Sigh~"

Yang Yu sighed regretfully: "Li Ye, you've missed a golden opportunity. From my experience, if you'd just invited her to Donglaishun, she'd probably have said yes. Forget other things—your chance of studying abroad would've skyrocketed."

"."

Li Ye sucked in a sharp breath, studying Yang Yu intently—could this guy actually have some insight?

Wu Jinyuan had genuinely invited Li Ye to dinner.

But the next moment, Yang Yu clamped his arm around Li Ye's shoulder: "Brother, don't regret it. Even though the foreign guest left, me and Old Li will treat you to Donglaishun—no need for much, just three jin each."

Li Huai grabbed Li Ye's other arm, wailing: "Five thousand U. . dollars! Five thousand! You're a wealthy man who throws money around—surely you won't mind one meal at Donglaishun?"

"."

Confirmed: these two were just after a free meal—no "keen observation" at all.

"Donglaishun's too far. Today I'll treat you to lamb noodles—next time we'll go to Donglaishun, okay?"

"You stingy bastard—swap hotpot for noodles?"

"When have I ever been stingy? It's summer—you don't find hotpot too hot? Tomorrow I'll treat you to roast duck."

"Now you're talking! Come on, let's eat three bowls each—make this dirt-rich miser suffer, he treats money like it's nothing!"

Li Huai and Yang Yu urged Li Ye to hurry, as if delaying another second might make him donate his wallet again.

It wasn't their fault—five thousand U. . dollars still carried enormous weight in this era.

After "Wangxiang Gujun" was published, Hong Kong sent a portion of foreign exchange to Beijing University each month; the school, in its mercy, allocated a little to the Lonely Army Literature Society.

Li Ye, Yang Yu, and Li Huai were the core members; occasionally they'd get thirty or twenty yuan, which they clutched like treasures—anyone asking to borrow would hear, "Already exchanged it out."

Then Li Ye donated five thousand U. . dollars all at once—this was downright monstrous.

"What do you mean 'treating money like nothing'? I call it dedication, understand?"

Li Ye scowled: "I'm about to join the organization. Next time I'll frame you for lacking dedication."

"Pfft~"

Li Huai sneered: "I, Li Huai, am upright and honest—I don't even have ten yuan in my pocket, just a red heart. Where's my money gone? Speak with evidence, comrade."

"."

……

Li Ye, Li Huai, and Yang Yu rode two bicycles south for over ten miles, leaving the two freeloaders both annoyed and amused.

"Hey little brother, are you feeling guilty or trying to treat us to Donglaishun? We're almost at the Forbidden City!"

"If you can eat it, after three bowls of noodles we'll head to Donglaishun—right up ahead."

Li Ye led them to an alley entrance east of Beijing Zoo, stopped, and entered "Chen's Noodle Shop."

This small shop was run by Jiang Xiao's mother, Chen Jinhua; since Wen Leyu, Li Yue, and Jiang Xiao had gone to the countryside to pick peaches, Li Ye came here to wait for her.

Inviting these two shameless freeloaders for noodles was both convenient and part of another plan.

"You're stingy to the extreme—cycled twenty miles just to eat at this tiny shop?"

Li Huai and Yang Yu grimaced but followed him inside.

But inside, they found the shop small yet spotless, with a glass cabinet displaying pork, braised eggs, and other side dishes—clearly not just selling noodles.

Just as they were about to loudly order and overcharge Li Ye, a woman peeked out from the kitchen.

"Li Ye's here? Come in, sit down! Have you eaten yet? Wait a moment—I just kneaded egg noodles, I'll make you a cold noodle bowl."

Li Huai and Yang Yu fell silent. They joked freely with Li Ye daily, but in front of acquaintances, they'd never embarrass him.

"Auntie, no lamb noodles today?"

"Too hot—nobody eats lamb noodles in this weather. Lamb won't keep, so I didn't make any. If you want, I can go make some now."

"No need, Auntie, I was just asking. Bring us six bowls of cold noodles and two plates of pork head meat."

"Six bowls? Wait a moment—I'll get it done fast, very fast."

Only then did Chen Jinhua realize the two behind were with Li Ye; she hurried to roll noodles and boil water.

Li Huai whispered to Li Ye: "You know the owner here?"

Li Ye said: "My classmate's mother. After her daughter came to Beijing for school, she missed her so badly she fell seriously ill. Later, my classmate and her mother decided together to move to Beijing."

Hearing Jiang Xiao and her mother's story, Li Huai immediately gave a thumbs-up: "Impressive. A parent's love knows no bounds. Your classmate has real courage—most people wouldn't dare bring their mother to Beijing to struggle for a living."

After hearing Li Ye's words, Yang Yu became curious: "Li Ye, if my mother came to Beijing, could she make it?"

Li Ye replied: "If she's willing to work hard, she can definitely make it. If you're going to bring her, come soon—once more outsiders arrive, it'll get harder. Just this year, rent rose twenty percent."

"True. Living in Beijing is tough."

Yang Yu fell silent, lost in thought.

Soon after, Chen Jinhua brought out three bowls of cold noodles, topped with cucumber, carrot, and crushed peanuts—green, red, fragrant, and appetizing, perfect for August heat.

The three devoured them noisily; Li Huai actually ate three bowls, while loudmouth Yang Yu only finished two.

As they neared the end of their meal, Li Yue pulled up in a Volga outside the alley.

Jiang Xiao carried two large baskets; Li Yue and Wen Leyu lifted a big bamboo crate between them, laughing as they entered the shop.

Li Yue spotted Li Ye and adopted her big-sister tone: "Little Ye, still eating? Come help us! No sense at all."

"No need, no need—I'll handle it. He hasn't finished eating yet!"

Before Li Ye could move, Jiang Xiao set down her basket and rushed back, replacing Wen Leyu, helping her sister carry the crate of vegetables into the kitchen.

Yang Yu, more observant, noticed the vegetables and asked Li Ye: "Is this little shop doing well? Vegetables won't last long in this heat."

Li Ye whispered: "It depends on location and taste—but I think they could earn enough for a house in two or three years. Last year I saw a courtyard in Zhongguancun for only 4, 00 yuan!"

"4, 00 yuan?"

Yang Yu began calculating quietly—he was the chief writer of "Wangxiang Gujun" and received a decent share of royalties.

But no matter how he crunched the numbers, he still fell far short of 4, 00 yuan.

Finally, he looked at Li Ye: "Li Ye, how much do you think we could sell the film rights to 'Wangxiang Gujun' for?"

Li Ye thought: You finally get it. If you didn't, I couldn't help you further.

The filming of "Wangxiang Gujun" was clearly set, but the TV station and Wu's Cultural Communications Group were powerful; Beijing University treated it as just a copyright, barely caring.

If you, the chief writer, don't fight for yourself, who will raise your pay?

Even if you gain ten or twenty thousand U. . dollars, and the school gives you one or two thousand, you as chief writer could take two hundred—exchange it on the black market, and you've got your house.

At that moment, Li Yue finished her work and came out, cheerfully greeting Li Ye and the others.

"Little Ye, these are your friends?"

"My classmates—brothers from the Literature Society."

Then Li Ye introduced them: "This is my sister Li Yue. That's my classmate Jiang Xiao—from Beijing Aviation College. They're both sales reps for Pengcheng Factory No. 7. If you ever need new dresses or clothes for your future girlfriends, go to them."

"Hello, I'm Li Huai. We absolutely adore this little brother of yours, hehe."

"Sister, I'm Yang Yu. Though I call Li Ye 'little brother' daily, he's helped us a lot—especially in writing. You wouldn't believe it: our Literature Society couldn't get anything published until Li Ye came."

Li Huai: "."

Li Ye: "."

Holy hell, Yang Yu, how old are you? Calling someone 'sister'? Have you no shame?

Li Ye watched coldly, fingers clenched tight with a crackling sound.

He'd brought them here to build connections—Jiang Xiao and Li Yue would both settle in Beijing; more friends meant more paths.

But now it seemed that usually humble Yang Yu was being unscrupulous.

【Spit~—Watch this punch】

(End of Chapter)