The large lights in the cafeteria had long been turned off, leaving only the dim ultraviolet sterilizing lights. Although the two couldn't clearly see each other's faces, Shen Youchu knew that Chen Hanxing was staring at her. She felt a bit like a child who had been caught sneaking around on the internet by her parents. However, unusually, today the "parent" listened to her explanation and didn't get angry.
Chen Hanxing took the rag from Shen Youchu's hand, and with a "rip," tore it into two pieces. "How much is left to clean?" he asked.
"Two more rows," Shen Youchu replied weakly.
"We'll each clean one row, then head back," Chen Hanxing said.
From time to time, pairs of couples walked out from the corner seats, holding milk tea, curiously glancing at the two cleaning, before quickly bowing their heads and pushing open the rubber door curtain to leave. It looked like they were sneaking around doing something they shouldn't.
By 10:40 pm, the cafeteria was completely cleaned. Chen Hanxing walked ahead with a cigarette in his mouth, while Shen Youchu jogged behind. The cold, clear moonlight bathed the main road of the College of Finance.
Neither of them spoke, and Shen Youchu felt uneasy. When they passed the garden under the girls' dorm, Chen Hanxing suddenly stopped and said, "The willow tree has sprouted."
Indeed, it was late February in Jianye, and after the cold snow, a tender green spring sprouted from the branches of the willow tree—delicate yet resilient.
After observing it for a while, Chen Hanxing continued to escort Shen Youchu back. At the entrance of the girls' dorm, Shen Youchu hesitated and stammered, "I, I..."
Chen Hanxing waved his hand, "No need to explain. Tomorrow morning, I'll take you to a place."
"I have class in the morning," Shen Youchu glanced at him, not wanting to skip class.
"Then ask the class monitor for leave," Chen Hanxing winked. "I've already agreed on my side."
Shen Youchu paused, feeling something was off but unable to pinpoint exactly what.
After returning to room 602, Chen Hanxing pulled Jin Yangming aside and asked, "Old Six, where can I find a 4S shop in Jianye?"
"What's up, Chen Ge, you want to buy a car?"
"No, I just want to take someone to broaden their horizons."
Jin Yangming immediately became interested, "Chen Ge, you came to the right person. I'm really familiar with all the 4S shops in Jianye. I even went with my cousin when he bought a car."
"What kind of car do you want to introduce—luxury, sports, or family?" Jin Yangming asked skillfully.
"Family car is fine."
"Is it high-end, mid-range, or low-end?"
Chen Hanxing thought for a moment, "Try to cover all of them."
Jin Yangming wasn't bragging; he really knew all the details about car sales in Jianye—locations, prices, and services.
Guo Shaoqiang couldn't help but comment, "Old Six, you know everything, but can't afford anything."
The next morning, Chen Hanxing took Shen Youchu out of school, visiting several family car 4S shops.
"This car is called Mercedes-Benz, priced at 660,000 yuan. The price of just one steering wheel could cover our four years of tuition," Chen Hanxing tried to relate the car's value to their daily lives.
Indeed, Shen Youchu widened her eyes, staring at the sleek silver Mercedes-Benz.
Chen Hanxing said, "Touch it."
Shen Youchu shyly shook her head.
Chen Hanxing stepped forward, grabbed her hand, and placed it on the car hood. "It's fine, just feel it."
The salesperson at the Mercedes 4S store likely noticed that Chen Hanxing and Shen Youchu probably couldn't afford the car, but they didn't ask them to leave. Instead, they served them tea and stood by the glass door chatting and enjoying the sun.
After leaving this store, Chen Hanxing and Shen Youchu visited another dealership.
"This one is called Xiali, priced at 120,000 yuan," Chen Hanxing pointed to a red Xiali.
The brand's service level was quite ordinary, and when Chen Hanxing tried to get closer to feel the car, a male salesperson shouted, "If you're not buying, don't touch it!"
Without saying anything, Chen Hanxing led Shen Youchu away.
At the third dealership, Chen Hanxing pointed at a car and said, "This is a Passat, priced at 225,000 yuan. It's the same car I just drove over."
Shen Youchu looked up and finally understood why Chen Hanxing had brought her out.
"If you worked part-time in the cafeteria, it would take a very long time, maybe by the time you're as old as Grandma, before you could afford a car," Chen Hanxing said with a smile.
Shen Youchu nodded, and Chen Hanxing continued, "But I have to thank you. Apart from my mom buying me a bike when I was little, no other woman has ever bought me a car."
"Actually," Chen Hanxing went on, "there are many cars even more expensive than this. Their prices are so high that if you don't own one from birth, you'll probably never be able to afford it."
Shen Youchu was somewhat confused, but she was also innocent in her simplicity. In an era where the internet had just begun to spread, university students were constantly bombarded by waves of information. With their views still unformed, Shen Youchu's mindset of "if you work hard, you can save enough to buy a car" seemed a bit naïve, but it was like a delicate yet resilient flow, quietly blossoming in the cold winter of the secular world.
At that moment, a young female salesperson walked over and asked, "Sir, are you looking to buy a car?"
"Thank you, but I can't afford one right now," Chen Hanxing replied with a smile.
"It's okay if you can't afford it now. I believe you'll be able to buy one in the future. Could you leave your contact information?" The girl asked, somewhat earnestly. "Please fill out this form."
Chen Hanxing thought the girl was probably around 16 or 17, likely an intern. She was quite attractive and had good communication skills.
"Alright, give it to me," Chen Hanxing said, deciding to help her out. After filling out the form and handing it back, the girl gave him a business card.
"Thank you, this is my business card. I just printed it this morning, and you're my first customer."
"Oh, that's an honor," Chen Hanxing said, taking the card. When he glanced at it, he froze.
"Your name is Zhang Mingrong?"
Chen Hanxing suddenly raised his head, studying the young girl carefully. Her appearance gradually matched the vague impression he had in his mind.
"Yes, what's wrong?"
The girl seemed confused.
"It's nothing. I have a friend with the same name."
"Is she a close friend?"
"Not really. We've only had one meal together," Chen Hanxing replied.
After leaving, as they walked away, Zhang Mingrong stood there, dazed. A boy about the same age walked up to her.
"Mingrong, what happened?"
"I just met a man who told me to cherish the simple things," Zhang Mingrong said.
The boy didn't understand, so he shook his head. "Forget it. You should stay away from people like that. Our teacher told us that society is complicated, and we need to protect ourselves."
Zhang Mingrong nodded silently, glancing at the form again.
Customer name: Chen Hanxing.