Over these years, he had changed his mobile number numerous times, and very few people knew his current number. So how could Teacher Yao Danhong have it? She must have made a considerable effort to find it. Li Zhongnan was thrilled to realize this – the teacher still cared about him!
Arriving downtown and observing his shabby look, he headed straight to a high-end clothing shop. He had been invited by his beautiful head teacher – he could not disappoint, he had to look smart!
Pulling on some leather shoes, trousers, and a white shirt, he spent a good fifteen minutes admiring his reflection in the mirror. The more he looked, the more satisfied he became. He looked mature, handsome, and suave - a sure sign of success. How he wished he wasn't so tanned.
Leaving the store under the scorching midday sun, he decided it was too hot, and perhaps the timing wasn't suitable for a date. So, he decided to relax at the sauna before the expected rendezvous.
At dusk, Li Zhongnan called Yao Danhong and agreed to meet at the Shangdao Cafe. Leaving an hour early, he passed a flower shop and bought 99 roses.
His heart was fluttering, rather more than the first time he had dated a girl. Yao Danhong may not be the most beautiful, her figure and looks maybe slightly inferior to Zhao Yi, but she was the one who affected him the most, the one he wanted to protect, and the one he couldn't forget.
He entered the cafe, bouquet in hand, and sat down to wait.
From time to time, a few pretty girls stole glances at him. He was rather pleased with himself – money did have its advantages. Even the poorest guy could become wealthy and handsome. Well, the clothes didn't cost that much, just 1800 bucks.
As promised, Yao Danhong arrived.
He jumped to his feet and thrust the bouquet in front of her, chuckling stupidly, "Xiao Yao, these are for you."
"What for?"
Yao Danhong looked at him suspiciously. The flowers, the white shirt... It was as if she was on a blind date. The thought made her blush and she became a little nervous. Strangely, she had gone on numerous blind dates in the past two years, but this was the first time she felt jittery.
Li Zhongnan stuttered for a while before saying, "Teacher Yao Dan…I… I apologize for the last time!"
Having said that, he slumped back onto the chair, regretting his outburst. He had initially planned to hand her the flowers and express his feelings the moment she arrived and take her by surprise…
However, due to embarrassment, he couldn't utter the words.
A wave of relief passed over Yao Danhong. She took the flowers and placed them aside, feeling a bit guilty, "Last time, I was pretty harsh too."
"It's okay, I didn't mind!" Li Zhongnan grinned foolishly again. The usually quiet Xiao Yao would only flare up if she cared deeply about him. Yao Danhong hesitated for a moment, staring at him, "Ah Nan, I know you best. Something must have happened in the university, right? Can you tell me?"
Li Zhongnan's grin froze on his face. He initially wanted to brush off the topic with a joke, but he ended up shaking his head and smiling, "Let bygones be bygones."
Seeing his reluctance to open up, Yao Danhong felt a pang of heartache. Yet, Li Zhongnan tried to lighten up the mood again, "Xiao Yao, your fiancé is not good! He looks like a slick oil-head, clearly a man with no sense of responsibility. You should dump him quickly!"
Yao Danhong was startled, "Fiancé? I don't have one!"
Looking at the head teacher's reaction, Li Zhongnan chuckled. So, it was just a misunderstanding, that guy was just trying to annoy him out of jealousy. He added, "The one who held your hand at the gates of Nangang Middle School!"
He deliberately emphasized the "hand-holding" part; he was still a little annoyed about it.
Yao Danhong blushed, seemingly in realization, "Ah Nan, you got it all wrong. I was too angry that day and didn't notice it. He was just a blind date arranged by my family."
Upon hearing this, Li Zhongnan breathed a sigh of relief. Then he felt nervous again and asked, "Have they set you up with a lot of blind dates?"
Yao Danhong answered, "Yes, I am still single. So, my family is a bit anxious. They have arranged quite a few dates for me this summer vacation!"
The summer vacation started not long ago, and she had already been set up on numerous dates. At this rate, it won't be long before she finds someone she likes. Li Zhongnan felt overwhelmed upon hearing this and blurted out, "What's happening with the world! It's an era of free love – your parents...!"
Realizing that he had almost criticized her parents, he quickly switched his tone and teased her, "Teacher Xiao Yao, it's a good thing, isn't it? Did you like any of them?"
Yao Danhong just smiled and said, "They were okay. All from good backgrounds and will solid income."
"Oh!"
Hearing her words, Li Zhongnan sighed with disappointment. He realized he had no chance. He gave up on confessing his feelings, feeling dejected. As things stand now, he's just a scrap collector and even if she agreed to date him, her parents certainly wouldn't agree.
However, he still felt a pang of defiance and asked, "So, how good was good? Did they have a net worth of over 100 million?"
"Well, they should all have that much. Otherwise, my parents wouldn't have arranged the dates," Yao Danhong laughed shyly and said, "Ah Nan, I actually never told you this, but my family is quite wealthy. They are into air-conditioner distribution business, and the company's turnover is counted in billions!"
Before leaving, she added, "Let's not talk about me for now! You're still collecting junk… I have found a job for you in Goat City."
Moved by her gestures, it seemed she had put in a lot of effort to get him a job without even conducting an interview. However, he would probably have to disappoint her. It wouldn't be a problem for him to leave Northrealm, but changing jobs was completely out of the question.
Shaking his head, Li Zhongnan said, "Xiao Yao, thanks, but I am not planning to change jobs. I quite enjoy collecting scrap."
On hearing his words, Yao Danhong pleaded, "Ah Nan, I have no bias against your profession or any intention of looking down upon you. But, wouldn't it be better if you have a better starting point, a bigger platform?"
Li Zhongnan shook his head and said, "Xiao Yao, I cannot agree with you. There's no best platform, only the most suitable one. So, I am sorry."
Hearing his refusal again, Yao Danhong got angry, "Li Zhongnan, why are you so stubborn? What's so good about collecting scrap?"
Thinking about all the efforts she had put in, reaching out to her classmates and friends, all for a decent job for him. After he rejected her again, she felt wronged.
Li Zhongnan looked at her and smiled, asking, "Teacher Yao Danhong, would you believe me if I told you I can make a billion in a year?"
Yao Danhong skeptically asked, "By collecting scrap?"
Li Zhongnan confidently affirmed, "Yes!"
Yao Danhong lost her temper, "Li Zhongnan, have you gone mad? Wake up and listen to me. Come to Goat City for the job."
To become a millionaire by starting from scratch and collecting scrap in a small place? That's a joke! She knew she was a rational person, how could she believe such words!
But Li Zhongnan just laughed and said, "Whether I'm crazy or not, it'll be clear in a year!"
Then, he stood up and walked away.