Under the public eye, An Nuonuo naturally wouldn't accept Jiang Xu's kind of request.
After giving Jiang Xu a disdainful roll of her eyes, loaded with devastatingly flirty power,
she rode off on her bicycle first.
Jiang Xu grinned and followed her.
After returning home, Jiang Xu received a phone call from the problem child, Jiang Xiaoyan.
It was that affected, excessively sweet and cloying girly voice again,
which made Jiang Xu's skin crawl.
"GaiGai, have you eaten yet, did you miss me, what are you up to?"
Jiang Xu replied, "Haven't eaten yet, didn't miss, just on the phone with a little brat."
"Humph," Jiang Xiaoyan pouted, "You're so mean, always bullying me."
Jiang Xu: "..."
He was somewhat at a loss for words.
Thankfully, she wasn't by his side.
Otherwise, he definitely would've given her a good thrashing.
Jiang Xu said with silent resignation, "Did you call just to disgust me? If there's nothing else, I'm hanging up."
Jiang Xiaoyan pouted, "Aww, why are you so heartless?
Here I am taking the initiative to contact you, you at least could be a bit happier, you stinky man.
I've got some good news for you—I've got my hands on those two residential buildings.
No plans to sell them, just going to collect rent,
which can be around two to three million a year.
Say something nice; I'll be supporting you in the future."
Jiang Xu heh'ed a cold laugh.
What was so great about that?
He was about to have a residential building of his own very soon.
There was absolutely nothing to be envious about, okay?
Jiang Xiaoyan continued, "I'll be returning in a couple of days.
Tell me what present you want, and I'll buy it for you."
Jiang Xu: "Send me a ton of gold, thanks."
Jiang Xiaoyan: "Hey, the signal is bad here, ah, I'm hanging up first."
Sounds of beeping came through the phone.
Jiang Xu curled his lips.
After dinner and a shower, Jiang Xu continued to type away.
Actually, based on the current stock of novels on Nuomi Website,
it was possible to go live.
It's just that if the foundation wasn't solid enough, more problems might arise later on.
It was just like what is said in Fantasy novels,
insufficient foundation means forced breakthroughs, making it difficult to reach higher realms in the future.
In the end, he decided against this idea.
The next morning when he woke up, Jiang Xu made up his mind.
To avoid the risks of delay, it was better to mortgage the family's several properties.
It should be enough.
Moreover, since his parents were traveling, it was the perfect opportunity.
After washing up, Jiang Xu didn't even bother to eat breakfast.
He dressed in casual clothes
and took all three property deeds, bank cards, ID card, and household registration and such.
He headed for his family's restaurant.
The restaurant wasn't open at this hour.
An Nuonuo unlocked the door and went upstairs to her parents' bedroom.
After searching through everything,
she found two property deeds and two hundred thousand in cash.
To prevent it from not being enough, she took the cash as well.
At the same time, Jiang Shan and Chen Yue, who had woken up early to watch the sunrise at the beach, sneezed simultaneously.
The couple looked at each other and said in unison, "Strange, why do I have a bad feeling?"
Jiang Xu called his homeroom teacher again to ask for a half-day leave.
This time, the teacher didn't agree so easily.
"Jiang Xu, you're the best in our class.
You should focus your energy on your studies."
He was afraid that Jiang Xu might take a wrong turn.
Jiang Xu said with a smile, "I understand, Teacher. It's just that I've been studying late lately.
Because I'm planning to be the top scholar in our province."
He wasn't deceiving the teacher; he wasn't just saying it.
Jiang Xu really intended to do just that,
He had thought long and hard before coming up with this plan.
The most effective and currently very likely achievable course of action.
If he could become the provincial top scorer in the college entrance examination,
it would be like adding a layer of invincibility to himself.
By that time,
Zhang Xiaohui would have to think twice about the cost of taking him on.
Upon hearing his plan, the homeroom teacher agreed without hesitation.
Should Jiang Xu really succeed,
it would mean a promotion and a raise for the teacher, marrying into wealth, and reaching the pinnacle of life.
Glancing at the time, it was seven o'clock, so he randomly picked a breakfast joint.
"Hm?"
Jiang Xu's gaze sharpened.
He spotted Fu Yanjie.
However, at that moment, Fu Yanjie failed to notice Jiang Xu.
He was fawning over a girl in jeans and black stockings,
with wavy long hair and fashionable attire.
The girl seemed to be a few years older than Fu Yanjie.
Her face was heavily made-up, and she spoke with a squeaky voice.
"Sister Jingjing, thank you for treating me to breakfast."
The girl called Jingjing cooed in reply, "What's there to thank me for?
You've taken me out to eat and given me gifts. It's only right that I treat you."
Fu Yanjie grinned foolishly, his heart warming.
"I'm done eating," said Jingjing as she touched her lips and stood up to pay,
then she let out a sigh.
Fu Yanjie hurriedly asked, "Sister Jingjing, what's wrong?"
Jingjing hesitated before shaking her head, "Never mind, it's nothing. Even if I told you, you wouldn't be able to help."
"Sister Jingjing, you're underestimating me!" Fu Yanjie patted his chest:
"I'm known as the Little Overlord of Jiang City; there's nothing I can't do!"
Jiang Xu listened and cringed on his behalf.
You're blowing your own horn in a very stiff and awkward way.
Yet, Jingjing chuckled at his bravado.
With a face full of admiration: "You're so amazing; I'm honored to know you."
Fu Yanjie felt incredibly pleased with himself.
Jiang Xu shook his head slightly, knowing that Fu Yanjie had been played.
This woman's tricks didn't seem particularly clever to him.
But for handling a simple and naive young man like Fu Yanjie, they were more than enough.
Under Fu Yanjie's persistent questioning, Jingjing finally revealed her 'trouble'.
"Alas, you know, I've never attended college.
I've been wanting to enroll in a course that teaches nail art.
It's just that the tuition is quite expensive; I'm still short twenty-five thousand.
It looks like I'll need to scrimp and save for a long time before I can gather the funds."
Upon hearing this, Fu Yanjie didn't hesitate to say, "And here I thought it was some major issue.
So it's just about money; I'll give it to you."
Jingjing 'gasped in shock',
quickly shaking her head: "No, no, no, this is my own matter.
How can I let you pay for it? I would feel terrible."
Fu Yanjie grew anxious: "Don't you consider me a friend?
A friend is supposed to help each other out, right?"
"It is indeed like that, but..." Jingjing hesitated.
"Don't hesitate, it's decided," Fu Yanjie said with a grandiloquent air:
"Sister Jingjing, let's go get the money now."
Jingjing was very touched: "Thank you, I will definitely repay this money."
Fu Yanjie: "Sister Jingjing, you're belittling me now.
A mere twenty thousand—if you had to repay it, how could I continue to hold my head high around here?"
Then Jingjing's laughter, like ringing bells, followed.
Jiang Xu couldn't help but facepalm.
The poor kid got conned and he doesn't even realize it.
Forget it, never mind him for now.
After breakfast, Jiang Xu headed to the bank.