While eating and chatting, Chou Ping learned that Luo Mengting had grown up in the United States and was a good friend of Selena.
Since Selena and Mike had only been dating for less than two months, it was normal for Chou Ping not to know Luo Mengting.
This explained why Mike was willing to introduce such a beautiful girl to him – a typical case of "don't eat where you live!"
During the meal, Mike was very active and tried several times to facilitate interaction between Chou Ping and Luo Mengting.
Chou Ping, of course, cooperated accordingly.
However, Luo Mengting's attitude towards Chou Ping remained indifferent, scratching at his heart like cat claws.
After an hour, the dinner ended, and Luo Mengting stood up to bid farewell. Chou Ping had initially planned to invite her to explore Chinatown or elsewhere, but her not-so-polite response of "no time" quickly rejected that idea.
As Luo Mengting left, Selena followed to see her off. Inside the restaurant, Mike and Chou Ping exchanged puzzled glances.
Mike spread his hands, looking somewhat helpless. "Chou, it seems Miss Luo doesn't have a favorable impression of you."
Chou Ping dismissed it, saying, "It's okay; I'll make her realize my excellence in the future."
"Haha, buddy, you've got the confidence. I can rest easy now!" Mike laughed.
"Get lost, I'm two months older than you!"
"All right, Mike, if there's nothing else, I'll head off."
"Why? I wanted to invite you for a drink in the afternoon."
"Forget it, I have something to take care of."
"What could you possibly have to do?" Mike asked, slightly puzzled.
"Learn the piano!"
Mike was speechless, "Well, okay, study hard. In two months, I'll ask Selena to help you arrange another meeting with Luo.
By then, make sure she knows how outstanding you are!"
Towards the end, Mike couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Chou Ping left without looking back.
He was genuinely determined to learn the piano. Today's events made him realize that in the previous resets, he had indulged in extravagant and hedonistic activities, mostly driven by the allure of money.
Having money indeed allowed him to be carefree.
However, in terms of true substance, he couldn't compare to even the seemingly carefree Mike. This guy, apart from having good physical fitness and stamina, didn't seem to possess any remarkable skills. His academic performance had been average, and although his family had invested heavily to send him to the United States for education, he hadn't shown any outstanding achievements.
Now, with an excellent opportunity before him and the ability to relive two days indefinitely, Chou Ping decided to enrich himself. He resolved: from now on, he wouldn't only rely on money to conquer women but would also captivate them with substance.
In his impressions, there was a private piano training center next to the apartment where he lived. Chou Ping directly took a taxi back to the neighborhood of his apartment, heading straight for the target.
He knocked on the door, and a young girl opened it. "Hello, may I ask whom you're looking for?"
"I'm looking for Teacher Tammy."
"Please wait a moment; Teacher Tammy will be right here."
The reason Chou Ping chose this training center was partly because it was close to home, and partly because he had seen an advertisement posted by Teacher Tammy on the bulletin board of the apartment. According to the ad, she had been a pianist accompanying an international symphony orchestra, with many other titles and awards to her name.
Without making Chou Ping wait long, a woman with graying hair, looking at least fifty years old, arrived at the door.
Seeing this woman, Chou Ping raised an eyebrow. He had seen her before – she was the one who ate hamburgers with him in the fast-food restaurant that evening.
"Hello, I'm Tammy. What can I help you with?" Chou Ping interrupted this not-so-pleasant memory and smiled, "Hello, Teacher Tammy, I want to learn piano from you."
Tammy raised her eyebrows slightly, giving Chou Ping a once-over. "Aren't you supposed to be at work? If you just want to make some noise on the piano, I believe you don't need to come to me. But if you want to make progress, it requires long-term accumulation."
Chou Ping nodded, "I understand all of that, but I really want to give it a try. Are you free now?"
Tammy hesitated, "Wanting to learn is one thing, but my energy is limited. I can't teach too many people. Currently, I already have two students in my class. How about you come tomorrow afternoon? I don't have any students then."
For others, coming tomorrow would be fine, but for Chou Ping, there was no tomorrow on his Saturday, only yesterday.
"Can I come on Friday?"
"Sorry, Friday might not work. It's my busiest day. I not only teach piano but also need to prepare a sumptuous lunch for my children. In the evening, I spend quality time with my husband..."
Chou Ping pulled out his wallet and took out a stack of crisp green dollars, smiling, "What if these are just my two days' tuition fees?"
The eyes behind Tammy's glasses, originally somewhat cloudy, suddenly sparkled.
"Oh, since you're so eager to learn, I'll allocate six hours per day to teach you. However, that's my limit."
Chou Ping sneered inwardly. The so-called limited energy and inner substance seemed to be easily replaced by money. Watching the two students whom Tammy had just sent away, Chou Ping knew she hadn't lied.
Entering the house together, Chou Ping saw a piano in the living room. Tammy warmly invited him to sit down.
"What should I call you, sir?"
"Oh, I'm Chou Ping, just call me Chou."
Tammy nodded, "Chou, from your sitting posture, I can tell you haven't learned piano before, right?"
Chou Ping's mouth twitched twice. If he had learned before, he wouldn't have embarrassed himself so much in front of the goddess.
"I indeed haven't learned before. Please start from the basics, Teacher."
"All right. Given your enthusiasm for the piano, I'll make sure to teach you well!"
As she said this, Tammy even reached out to touch the $2,000 that Chou Ping had just put in his pocket.
Gosh!$1,000 per day! Even in her younger years, accompanying a band, she had never earned such a high income.
"Let's start by adjusting your sitting posture."
The thick stack of dollars made Tammy extremely enthusiastic, and she immediately switched to teaching mode.
An hour later, Tammy's face no longer displayed the initial warmth. She swore that if it weren't for the money, she would definitely kick this disrespectful kid, who was defiling the piano, out of her training center. It wasn't racial discrimination; it was pure disdain for this guy's piano talent.