It wasn't surprising to find Qin Ran here. She had just finished her classes and knew that Li Jie would be meeting Yu Shuman today. Since she was heading to the subway to go home, it was a perfect opportunity to catch up with her. Qin Ran couldn't help but chuckle at Yu Shuman's words. Despite the salary Qin Ran paid her, which was quite substantial, Yu Shuman was still frugal, saving every penny she could. She even mentioned to Qin Ran before that she was saving up to repay the kind person who had helped her.
At her current savings rate, Yu Shuman would need several years to accumulate enough.
Not one to stand on ceremony, Qin Ran took a sip of the coffee Yu Shuman handed her. Li Jie had been thoughtful; although she preferred her coffee extra strong, the drinks she had ordered for Yu Shuman's roommates were milder, likely something like mocha lattes with added milk and sugar.
Qin Ran also preferred stronger coffee, not because she liked the bitterness, but because it kept her alert. Over time, she had developed a taste for it. However, she was still a lively university student, and there was nothing wrong with enjoying a sweet mocha latte from time to time!
As they walked back to the campus, Qin Ran sipped her coffee, deciding that being with her senior was more important than catching the subway home.
Yu Shuman couldn't stop talking, even with the cold wind blowing around them. She had to take a few deep breaths now and then to warm herself up but kept on chatting nonetheless. She shared many things, most of which she had already discussed with Li Jie. At one point, she said, "I'm so glad I was honest with my boss. At first, I was worried. I thought if I told her I didn't want to follow the company's original plan and wanted to become an actress, she might get angry."
"She wouldn't."
Qin Ran's tone was firm, but Yu Shuman thought she was just being reassuring. She laughed softly, and in Qin Ran's eyes, it was utterly endearing.
"Luckily, she wasn't upset. And my boss isn't like other entertainment company bosses. She didn't plan to squeeze me for quick profits but instead wants me to have a long-lasting career. She arranged for Li Jie to find me many acting classes. I feel really lucky to be a part of 99 Entertainment."
After a brief pause, Yu Shuman added, "No wonder my boss is a successful businesswoman. She has the kind of boldness that not everyone has. I wonder if I'll ever have that kind of decisiveness when I'm her age…"
Qin Ran felt something was off and couldn't help but ask, "Senior, how old do you think your boss is?"
Yu Shuman hesitated before replying uncertainly, "She's at least forty, right? After all, she's so wealthy…"
In a way, Yu Shuman wasn't wrong. If you combined her previous life with this one, she was at least forty, if not older. However, as a newly minted adult, Qin Ran felt a bit uneasy. She took another sip of her coffee to hide her awkwardness.
She couldn't possibly admit she was an old woman.
Their walk wasn't long, and as much as Qin Ran wanted to keep walking with Yu Shuman, they soon arrived at the dormitory building. Just as Qin Ran was about to muster the courage to invite Yu Shuman to dinner, her senior spoke first.
"Schoolmate, what are your plans for the New Year?"
"The New Year?" Qin Ran thought about it. She'd probably spend it in her newly purchased, luxurious apartment, playing games, watching anime New Year's Eve events, and enjoying some good food. She answered, "I'll be spending it alone."
As soon as Qin Ran replied, Yu Shuman asked, "How about spending the New Year at my place? Don't worry, we won't stay long. After exams, I have to go back to work, so I'll only be home for a couple of days. It won't interfere with your winter break plans."
Qin Ran barely registered the rest of what Yu Shuman said; her mind was a whirlwind after hearing the invitation. She quickly responded, "I'll go." Her tone was firm, almost as if she feared Yu Shuman might change her mind.
Yu Shuman smiled. "Great, then send me your ID number later, and I'll book the train tickets." Qin Ran was about to say more, but she was interrupted by another student. It was her class president, who was on her way back to the dorm and happened to pass by them. She spotted Qin Ran and called out, "Qin Ran!"
Qin Ran turned around, and the class president quickly made her way over. After nodding in greeting to Yu Shuman, she addressed Qin Ran, "The advisor is looking for you. She messaged me to tell you to see her as soon as possible. It seems urgent."
Reluctant to leave Yu Shuman's side, Qin Ran hesitated, but Yu Shuman, sensing the urgency, lightly patted her on the shoulder. "You should go. Don't keep her waiting!"
With no other choice, Qin Ran said goodbye to both Yu Shuman and the class president and headed toward the advisor's office.
The advisor had been waiting for Qin Ran in the office. When she arrived, he greeted her with a warm smile and offered her a cup of hot water from the dispenser. After she sat down, he got straight to the point.
"I wanted to talk to you about the financial aid for next semester. I know you didn't apply for it at the start of the term and have been supporting yourself with part-time jobs. But as your advisor, I can't ignore this. I want to make sure you're getting all the help you need. After all, your main focus should be your studies, not working to make ends meet. I've heard you've even moved off-campus for better job opportunities. I won't interfere with your part-time work, but you should be careful not to overextend yourself. Don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it."
The advisor spoke at length, and Qin Ran, though moved by his concern, waited for him to finish before responding. She knew he had her best interests at heart, but she truly didn't need financial aid. With the system's support, she was far from being in need.
When she finally had the chance to speak, Qin Ran chose her words carefully. "Thank you for your concern, but I don't think I need the financial aid."
The advisor looked at her disapprovingly, ready to offer more encouragement, but Qin Ran continued, "There's something you might not know. After I graduated from high school, a lawyer representing a distant relative contacted me about an inheritance. Because of that, I don't qualify as a financial aid recipient anymore."
The advisor was taken aback, momentarily at a loss for words. He couldn't very well say, "Why didn't you tell me?" After all, it wasn't something people usually announced, as it could easily come across as boasting.
Qin Ran added, "Thank you for all the effort you've put into this, but I think the aid would be better used for someone who really needs it."
With that, she downed the cup of water, stood up, and bowed to the advisor before quickly leaving the office. She had no intention of applying for financial aid. At the start of the semester, she hadn't applied for any loans or aid because she didn't need them. What she hadn't expected was that her advisor would still encourage her to apply.
It was clear the advisor was a dedicated and caring person.
She couldn't deny that she had received a lot of support from the state over the years. Now that she had the means, it was time to give back. Qin Ran summoned the system, planning to make a donation to the Hope Project in Yu Shuman's name, as well as contribute to other welfare causes.
Qin Ran knew the system could provide her with unlimited funds. Although she had initially worried about how this might affect the world's economy, the system assured her that it wouldn't, so she was free to spend as she pleased. She had questioned the system's logic before, but given that she was a time traveler, nothing seemed too out of the ordinary anymore.
Having settled her thoughts, Qin Ran left the building, a smile spreading across her face. It wasn't just the advisor's kindness that made her smile; it was the joy of being invited to spend the New Year with Yu Shuman.
For the past three years, they had rarely seen each other during the holidays. Except for the first year when they met a few times during winter break, Yu Shuman had been busy with part-time jobs in Beijing and hadn't returned home since. The thought of spending the holiday together was enough to make Qin Ran giddy with excitement.
After her initial happiness subsided, Qin Ran started to worry: What should she bring as a gift when visiting Yu Shuman's mother for the first time?
She didn't want to give something too expensive, as it wouldn't align with her "poor student" persona. But she also didn't want to bring something too cheap, fearing it might give the wrong impression. If Yu Shuman's mother later discovered that Qin Ran was well-off, she might think poorly of her for bringing such a modest gift.
With her mind preoccupied with gift-giving, Qin Ran sighed and headed home. After much deliberation, she finally decided on the perfect gift for Yu Shuman's mother. The next day, after class, she dragged Wu Assistant to a famous tailor shop in Beijing.
This was one of the ideas she had come up with after a sleepless night—custom-made clothing. These garments were incredibly expensive, but they were exceptionally comfortable and tailored to the wearer's exact measurements. The tailor would add subtle, unique details, but the clothes wouldn't bear any labels.
Unless someone was in the know, they wouldn't be able to recognize the garment's origin. This meant Qin Ran could easily pass it off as a cheap item, explaining that it had no tags or labels because it wasn't worth much.
The shop assistant greeted Qin Ran warmly and asked if the client needing measurements had arrived. But when Qin Ran replied, "No need for measurements," the experienced assistant was taken aback, momentarily at a loss.
"Uh… what?"