Chapter 62: God of Wealth

“You sit here first. Pour yourself some water; there are drinks in the fridge. I’m going upstairs to change,” Chen Jin said, the first thing she did when she got home was look for the remote control to turn on the air conditioning.

Ling Yun mentioned that as a pilot, her dietary requirements were very strict. She was currently on vacation, so she could indulge a little. They recklessly decided to try out a newly opened hot pot restaurant, mainly because the aroma was too enticing for them to resist.

The weather was already hot, and eating something so spicy made it even hotter.

Ling Yun took off her hat and jacket, ran her fingers through her short hair, and caught a strong whiff of the hot pot smell on herself. Seeing Chen Jin about to head upstairs, she said, “Grab me a set of clothes; I need to take a shower too.”

“Oh, right, come up to the second floor to wash.”

Ling Yun followed Chen Jin upstairs and saw her closet full of clothes, clicking her tongue in admiration. “You’re living quite luxuriously now that you’ve become rich.”

“Otherwise, what’s the point of getting rich?” Chen Jin laughed, pulling out two sports dresses in different colors of the same style. She tossed a blue one to Ling Yun. “Make do with this.”

Ling Yun picked up the dress and inspected it. Having worn pants every day at school and bought them for convenience, she was almost forgetting what it felt like to wear a skirt.

Chen Jin rummaged through her stash of spare, unworn underwear and threw it over. She intended to find Ling Yun a bra, but after looking at Ling Yun and then at herself, she gave up. “Mine is two sizes bigger than yours; you can’t wear it. I’ll find you a small tank top instead.”

Ling Yun suddenly felt like Chen Jin was mocking her.

Ling Yun was used to taking quick showers at school. She dried her hair a little, ensuring it wasn’t dripping, and hand-washed her clothes, wringing them out before hanging them on the balcony. After calling Chen Jin a few times and hearing the sound of running water from the master bathroom, she turned and went downstairs.

Only then did she have time to examine the decor of Chen Jin’s home. Every casual glance revealed decorative items, figurines, and fresh flowers. She had never noticed before that Chen Jin was such a person of taste.

Her most vivid impression of Chen Jin was when she passed by the adjacent class in their first year of high school and heard Chen Jin yelling at three people, making one of them so angry they almost wanted to fight. Chen Jin said, “I’m sick, you know? I had major surgery before. Go ahead and try hitting me!”

The next time she saw Chen Jin arguing with someone, the other party was cursing so harshly that Chen Jin marched up and hit the person, completely not looking like someone who was “sick.” After the fight, she fainted right there. Ling Yun clearly remembered watching from outside the window as Chen Jin fainted but still managed to cushion herself.

As for how she became closer to Chen Jin, she couldn’t quite recall. Perhaps it was because they frequently stood on the podium together, often heard their homeroom teacher praise “Chen Jin from the adjacent class,” or maybe it was those early mornings when she encountered Chen Jin running on the field, and they would sit on the bleachers, reciting their lessons while waiting for the cafeteria to open perhaps it all started from some time when they exchanged study notes.

She felt that Chen Jin resembled more like someone who had grown up in the courtyard than her companions there, especially when he was seriously focused on something.

Upon returning to Rong City, the first friend she thought of was Chen Jin. It was quite difficult to get in touch with him; she had to go around a long way, even reaching out to Chen Jin’s ex.

The doorbell rang outside the courtyard. Ling Yun called out a few times upstairs, but when she didn’t hear Chen Jin respond, she got up to open the door. She saw a decent-looking man standing outside the courtyard, holding something in his hand, but why did he look at her with such shock?

Ling Yun nodded to him and greeted, “Chen Jin is taking a shower. Do you need to find her? If so, you can wait a bit.”

Shen Baichuan took a deep breath and smiled, “It’s not a big deal. I happened to be in the Dongcheng (East) District today and bought a cake, wanting to give it to Teacher Chen.”

He added, “I’m her neighbor, I live next door.”

“Oh, then why don’t you go back home for now? When Chen Jin comes down, I’ll let her know you’re here.”

“Okay, thank you.” Shen Baichuan turned back to his own house.

As soon as he entered his home, he lowered the air conditioning temperature by two degrees, somewhat doubting himself: So, why did he mistake Chen Jin’s female friend for a man?

When Ling Yun saw Chen Jin coming down, she said, “Your neighbor just came looking for you, saying he wants to bring you a cake. Who is it?”

“Oh, it’s Teacher Shen, also a teacher at our school.” Chen Jin quietly added, “The God of Wealth.”

“The God of Wealth?” Ling Yun found it amusing and urged her to elaborate.

“In short, he’s the God of Wealth who can get big news. Um, the best neighbor in China.” After saying this, Chen Jin asked Ling Yun to sit while she went next door.

“Thank you, Teacher Shen!” Chen Jin weighed the two small cakes in her hand and smiled, “Next time I go out to buy something, I’ll bring you a piece.”

“You’re welcome.” Shen Baichuan, holding a large umbrella to shield himself from the sun, glanced at her home’s open door and asked casually, “Was that your friend who just came out to open the door? I saw her wearing military uniform when you returned.”

Chen Jin nodded, “Yes, she’s a friend from high school. She’s back at her alma mater today for a flight recruitment presentation.”

“No wonder, all of Teacher Chen’s friends are exceptional.”

Chen Jin smiled even more happily, “Indeed, my friend is especially outstanding.”

Then, glancing at the large umbrella above her head and feeling the heat waves outside, she realized she would start sweating again if she stayed longer and hurriedly said goodbye: “Then I’ll head home now. Thanks for the treat, Teacher Shen. I’ll invite you another day.”

“You’re welcome.” Shen Baichuan still held the umbrella, showing no signs of moving.

Chen Jin tentatively stepped out, then quickly retreated and closed the door tightly to keep the air conditioning from escaping.

On the other side of Chen Jin’s house, Professor Song peeked out the door and saw Shen Baichuan standing at the entrance to Chen Jin’s courtyard, looking like a statue.

Professor Song reminded him, “Baichuan, are you looking for Xiao Jin? Did you ring the bell and she didn’t hear? Or you could give her a call. Oh right, do you have her number? If not, you can call from my house…”

Shen Baichuan came back to his senses and quickly said he had just finished talking to Chen Jin about something and that he had no other matters to attend to, so he should head back.

Professor Song shook his head with a smile, and after returning home, he described Shen Baichuan’s dazed stance in front of Chen Jin’s house to Dean Xi, who also laughed, “Young people nowadays are more reserved than in our time.”

“I think Xiao Jin probably never considered that Baichuan might have feelings for her. She doesn’t even have thoughts of dating right now.”

“Young people’s affairs should be left alone. If someone hints at it, I suspect Chen Jin will avoid Baichuan. It’s better to let it develop naturally.” Dean Xi said cheerfully, “This kid has a little strategy in his heart.”

However, Professor Song disagreed, “I don’t see any strategy from him.”

Regardless of whether he had a strategy, it didn’t matter. Xiao Jin currently had no intention of dating. Throwing flirtatious glances at a blind person wouldn’t lead to a relationship.

Ling Yun didn’t like sweet things, so she gave both small cakes to Chen Jin.

“Isn’t your neighbor trying to pursue you?” Otherwise, why would he specifically bring you a cake?

Chen Jin looked up and sighed, “You don’t understand. The gap between us isn’t just a Santana and a dozen luxury cars. You know the Cheng Group, right? His grandfather runs it. He’s also started his own company, which sounds quite impressive. What could he possibly see in me? In life, the most important thing is to be happy. Never get tangled up in trivial matters, or you’ll only bring yourself trouble.”

Ling Yun sized her up and then gave a very sincere assessment, “You’re not lacking in any way.”

Chen Jin stretched out her arms, “The wealth gap is too large.”

After taking a couple of bites of cake, she suddenly exclaimed, “You know, my impression of Teacher Shen was rather vague before, but now that I think about it, he really looks good.”

Just as Ling Yun was about to smile and say something, Chen Jin continued, “His skin looks nice. I’ll ask him for some skincare tips next time. I tell you, I go to the beauty salon every month…”

She rambled on a bit, then suddenly felt somewhat embarrassed, “Do you think my life seems quite dull right now?”

Sometimes she felt a bit lost herself, as it seemed many around her knew exactly what they wanted to do. What she wanted, it seemed, was simply to wait for the next round of land acquisition and demolition?

She felt too embarrassed to compare herself with others.

“Not at all. From what you’re saying, it doesn’t sound dull at all! A rich woman should have the appearance of a rich woman.” Ling Yun rarely let go of her image, leaning back against the sofa and looking up at the crystal chandelier hanging down, “Hearing you so happy makes me feel that my efforts and those of my comrades are worthwhile.”

Beneath the vast sky, countless lights flickered, and friends and family lived in peace and prosperity.

“Now that you say that, I feel even more ashamed.” Chen Jin scratched her face, then said earnestly, “So I’ve decided to take good care of my students and strive to help them become talents who contribute to the country’s construction.”

Ling Yun almost couldn’t hold back her laughter.

“By the way, what were you thinking to actually date that Li Xing from your class?”

Chen Jin handed her a slice of watermelon. “Eat more and talk less. Don’t dig too deep into my past.”

This time, Ling Yun really couldn’t hold it in and burst out laughing, asking for the details.

After understanding the situation, Ling Yun said with a smile, “It turns out that troublesome men affect your financial luck. Hmm, they also affect your career.”

Chen Jin immediately raised her glass to clink with hers. “I said, smart people think this way.”

Ling Yun spent half the day with Chen Jin, chatting away. Usually, Chen Jin would feel sleepy by the afternoon, but today she was especially lively. Ling Yun was really curious about how she studied at the military academy and whether it was completely different from a regular school. An afternoon sun shower had removed a lot of the heat, and by the time the clothes on the balcony had dried, the remnants of the scorching sun had gradually faded, signaling that it was time for Ling Yun to go home.

Ling Yun was on leave for a mission, and she could only stay for two more days. She didn’t mention where she was going, and Chen Jin didn’t dare to ask further, uncertain if it was confidential.

Having the chance to catch up with her long-lost friend for half a day was already rare, and Ling Yun still had to go back home to accompany her family.

On the way back, Ling Yun changed back into her own clothes. Chen Jin drove her back to the compound.

Professor Song was just about to follow Aunt He out to buy groceries when she caught sight of Chen Jin with a young guy in military uniform with his arm around her shoulder. She felt both curious and sorry for Shen Baichuan, but when Chen Jin greeted her, she realized the one with Chen Jin was a girl. It was just that from behind, she couldn’t distinguish their gender and had misinterpreted.

Chen Jin’s friend really looked energetic; Professor Song felt fond of her at first glance and said kindly, “Next time you come to visit Xiao Jin, come over to my house too.”

As they were leaving, Ling Yun saluted Professor Song. She stood there watching until the car drove out of sight, sighing, “Another generation of young people is coming to take over.”

Chen Jin could only drive to the entrance of the Armed Police General Hospital. Going in would require strict checks, so there was no need to go inside. Ling Yun said it was more convenient to walk in.

“Leaving now? Next time, come back and chat again.” Ling Yun closed the car door, waved at her, signaling her to go ahead. She waited until the car was gone before turning back toward the compound.

“Ling Yun, who just sent you back? Nice car!”

Ling Yun looked up and saw Wei Zhenhua, a childhood friend from the same compound, who hadn’t followed in the footsteps of the older generation into the military but instead graduated from college and joined a government department. She heard he was now working at the Investment Promotion Bureau.

“My friend, why? Are you looking for my friend for investment? Hmm, don’t bother; she doesn’t have much money.”

“… I didn’t say I was looking for your friend for investment.”

Ling Yun looked at him with a smirk: Can you even believe what you just said?

Wei Zhenhua felt no embarrassment and said, “What’s our relationship? Your friend is my friend. You usually aren’t in Rong City… Hey! You really run fast! Fine, if you don’t want to say, then don’t. Who can outrun you in the whole compound…”

Chen Jin felt that she might have been stimulated by Ling Yun. After returning to work, she suddenly felt a surge of motivation. Several teachers in the office remarked that she seemed energized, like she had been injected with adrenaline, bustling around with a few class guides to get things done.

Starting Wednesday, new students began to report to school one after another. Chen Jin was relieved that the dormitories for the freshmen were somewhat centralized, so she only needed to run between the boys’ and girls’ buildings. If they were scattered, wouldn’t she have to run her legs off?

Not only were freshmen reporting, but students from other grades were also returning to school, and the outdoor square in the dormitory area was filled with stalls set up by returning students selling necessities for new students.

When Chen Jin took the list to the girls’ dormitory to check on things, she was stopped by someone selling excellent study materials from senior students in the Chinese department. Curious, she took a copy of the handout, flipped to the first page, and saw in the lower right corner:

Chen Jin, Class of 1990, Chinese Department

She almost burst out laughing; she didn’t even know the study materials she had compiled back then could be sold. She hadn’t even given away her materials from when she was studying, and if she organized them, maybe she could sell them for a good price.

“Hey, do you want it? I have materials from freshman to sophomore year.”

Chen Jin smiled and replied, “No need, I have a complete set from freshman to junior year.”

The girl selling study materials didn’t give up and thought to herself, the materials I have have been praised by teachers!

After a couple of minutes, she followed Chen Jin into the dormitory, wanting to continue selling, but then she heard Chen Jin say to the students in the dormitory, “I am your counselor, my name is Chen Jin, and you can call me Teacher Chen. I also graduated from the NTU Chinese Department, so I’m your senior…”

The girl who had just stepped into the dormitory quickly withdrew her leg and slipped away, dragging her classmate along while explaining, “Let’s sell Sister Chen Jin’s materials; she just flipped through the materials, so she must know.”

“Huh? How could she flip through? Didn’t she graduate from university?”

“Now she’s the counselor for the freshmen.”

“… So are we still selling our materials?” They didn’t even have a complete set of materials in hand.

“… Let’s see how it goes. Sister said she has a complete set from freshman to junior year. We could sell other people’s materials too.” It was really too awkward to run into the actual person while trying to sell! Hopefully, they wouldn’t encounter Sister Chen Jin in the department in the future.

Chen Jin made a round, and less than half of the new students had arrived. Almost every dormitory had students’ parents around. When parents met teachers, they inevitably chatted a bit more.

Just like when her mother brought her to school for enrollment, she didn’t meet her counselor, Teacher Chang, but after seeing her two class guides, she couldn’t help but ask them to look after her.

Just as Chen Jin left the girls’ dormitory, she was approached by a parent who pulled the class guide aside to inquire about Chen Jin’s situation.

“This year’s student counselor looks very young. What was Teacher Chen doing before?”

The class advisor replied, “Teacher Chen just graduated this year.”

“Just graduated and already staying at the school as a counselor? Did she also graduate from NTU?”

“Yes, Teacher Chen is from our Chinese Department.” The class advisor continued, “Teacher Chen is quite famous in our major; she always scores first in exams. Originally, she could have opted for a recommendation for further studies, but she didn’t choose that.”

“Ah? Is that so?” The parent felt much more at ease. She thought that older teachers would have more experience managing students, but it sounded like this Teacher Chen was quite good as well.

The class advisor smiled and, after saying a few more things, moved on to the next dormitory.

Many parents who had come to drop off their children had not yet adjusted their mindset. Being able to get into NTU meant that these students had performed well in high school and likely received considerable attention and support from their teachers. However, once they arrived at university, teachers wouldn’t have the energy to keep an eye on so many students, and from now on, they would have to manage their own learning and lives.

Chen Jin went to the boys’ dormitory again, then headed over to the third cafeteria near the library for a meal.

Just as she sat down, Shen Baichuan came over with a food tray and asked if there was anyone sitting across from her. After confirming there was no one, he sat down.

“Do the teachers from the School of Computer Science have to come back to campus so early too?” When Chen Jin was studying, everyone referred to the School of Computer Science as “School of Computer Science,” but looking at Shen Baichuan’s academically serious face just now, she found it hard to say.

“I came back to handle some other matters. Our company donated two hundred computers to the school.”

“…Teacher Shen is generous.” Several buildings at the school were donated by Cheng Group, and some expensive research projects also prominently featured the Cheng Group’s involvement. Teacher Shen truly has a legacy of generosity.

Shen Baichuan smiled and glanced at the dishes on her tray, noticing that she seemed to be able to handle spicy food.

“Is the new student orientation going smoothly?”

“Pretty smoothly, I haven’t encountered any issues yet.” So far, about half of the students had arrived, and she had visited their dorms, finding everyone to be quite normal. After all, if they could get into NTU, it indicated they were smart enough; she just wondered how they would manage in terms of daily life and social interactions.

The conversation paused as Chen Jin was genuinely hungry. Once she started eating, she didn’t stop with her spoon or chopsticks until not a single grain of rice remained on her tray, finally feeling comfortable in her stomach.

“Are you full? Should we go get something else to eat?” Shen Baichuan noticed she was enjoying her meal and that her appetite had improved.

Chen Jin waved her hand, “I’m just right, if I eat too much, it’ll be hard to take a nap later.”

“True. Shall we go home together then? I parked outside.”

If he hadn’t driven past the third cafeteria and seen Chen Jin coming in, he wouldn’t have planned to eat at the school cafeteria. Luckily, he ran into her.

“Sure, thank you, Teacher Shen.” Chen Jin was too lazy to walk back to the college building in the hot weather to get her own car.

When Chen Jin stepped outside, she saw that Shen Baichuan was quite low-key today, driving a black Santana. Compared to his luxury cars, this Santana was incredibly simple.

However, once Chen Jin got in the car, she realized that the interior was still a bit different. Truly, Teacher Shen, even being low-key didn’t mean he neglected himself.

When Professor Song saw a black Santana parked in front of Shen Baichuan’s house, he knew Shen Baichuan was back. Just as he was about to greet him, he saw Chen Jin getting out of the passenger seat.

The smile on Professor Song’s face deepened, and he went back inside to speak with Dean Xi, “You were right; Baichuan has some plans.”

Dean Xi, not understanding, continued examining his programming book with a magnifying glass.