Chapter 24: Stunned?

“I’m a boy, I can handle a little hardship. I still think…” Yu Qing hesitated, feeling like he was taking advantage of Cheng Yuan.

Cheng Yuan shot him a look. “You’re a boy—so stop fussing! Just think of it as me treating you this time, alright? Next time we make money, we’ll split it evenly. That’s easier to calculate anyway.”

Splitting it evenly is easier to calculate.

For Yu Qing, a top student at First High, that kind of math was laughably easy.

But knowing she was doing this to help him only made him feel guiltier for how he’d treated her in the past. “Cheng Yuan, I’ve decided—I’ll transfer to Class Ten. That way I can tutor you more easily. We still have a few months. If we work hard, maybe we can both get into university.”

“You? A top student from Class Seven transferring to our regular class? Our homeroom teacher would flay me alive!” Cheng Yuan shuddered. Mr. Yan, Class Seven’s homeroom teacher, was infamous for his strictness.

Yu Qing chuckled, his eyes narrowing into little crescents as his round face crinkled with amusement.

Cheng Yuan leaned against the bus window and gave him a once-over. “Hmm, looks like you’ve lost weight.”

“Really?” Yu Qing looked down at his belly, still carrying a noticeable layer of softness. Lately, he’d been running every morning with Cheng Yuan and Bei Xiaolin, though he felt like he was eating even more than before.

“Yep. Your muscles feel firmer too,” Cheng Yuan said encouragingly. “Keep going! Let’s keep it up until after the college entrance exams.”

Yu Qing:”…..”

Even sitting down, his legs felt like jelly.He’d been planning to skip running next week. But now she was saying run until the exams?It was only November—seven whole months to go!

Cheng Yuan was starting to feel carsick. She leaned against the window, propping her head on the back of her hand. Though her eyes were closed, there was a small slit open. The breeze from the window stirred her long hair, carrying a faint floral scent.

Yu Qing shifted slightly toward the window, sneaking a few glances at her. Sunlight bathed her face in a soft, golden glow. The wind lifted her hair, revealing a side profile that was strikingly beautiful—even with her eyes closed.

He had never seen a girl with such a captivating profile.

He remembered the first time he’d seen her—during the summer after his third year of junior high. It had been scorching hot. Hearing someone selling popsicles outside, he’d slipped into his flip-flops and rushed out. That’s when he’d seen her—Cheng Yuan—in a fluttering red dress, her skin pale as snow. As she ran, her dress billowed behind her like a flame.

He later learned her name and that she’d just gotten into First High. Her family had rented a place nearby to be close to the school. Yu Qing’s warm-hearted mother had quickly become friendly with Cheng Yuan’s family, and before long, he found himself helping Cheng Yuan with her homework and errands…

Until that day.

He would never forget what she said to him that spring.

“No matter how hard you try to please me, I won’t let you have me. My mother married your father. Stop dreaming.”

Her cold words had pierced through him like ice. After that, he’d completely cut her off. Even when they crossed paths, he treated her worse than a stranger.

The bus rumbled along until they reached their destination. Yu Qing followed Cheng Yuan into the city, silently impressed by how smoothly she navigated everything. Before long, she had brought him to Hai City’s wholesale market.

He trailed behind her nervously, unsure how to speak to the shopkeepers. “Cheng Yuan, I…”

“It’s okay, just practice more,” she said cheerfully. Her own confidence had come through experience. In the beginning, she’d been even worse than him. Now, she was quick and decisive, leading him straight to a shirt shop—the very first place she’d sourced goods from.

The owner, Sister Li, was a middle-aged woman with a warm demeanor. Her shirts were high quality and affordable—perfect for resale.

“Sister Li, how much for bulk shirts?” Cheng Yuan asked as they entered the crowded store, filled with shirts in every color and style. The neatly padded shoulders gave them a polished, structured look.

“Students, huh?” Sister Li eyed the two of them—Yu Qing tall and round, Cheng Yuan slim and pretty. Their uniforms gave away their age.

“We’re buying stock to resell in our hometown. Can you give us a good price?” Cheng Yuan asked sweetly, expertly flattering Sister Li’s merchandise. Their rapport from past business helped—Sister Li ended up selling them thirty-five shirts for two hundred yuan, less than six yuan each.

“Thank you, Sister Li!” Cheng Yuan said gratefully, as Yu Qing gathered up the clothes. “We’ll definitely be back for more.”

“Are clothes really this cheap?” Yu Qing asked, clutching the bag, his face etched with confusion. If he remembered correctly, his own shirt had cost twenty yuan, and it wasn’t even as stylish as the ones they were buying.

“Of course,” Cheng Yuan replied. “Otherwise, how would anyone make a profit?”

They moved on to a jeans store she also knew well. She spent the remaining 160 yuan on twenty-four pairs of jeans—more expensive than the shirts but still a great deal.

Yu Qing looked at her suspiciously. “Cheng Yuan… this really your first time here?”

Her heart skipped a beat, but she laughed it off. “It’s just like the market near home. We’re short on time—gotta move fast if we want to earn money!”

When she boarded the next bus, Yu Qing frowned. “Wait… this isn’t the one back to Yi County.”

Cheng Yuan settled into a seat. “Who said we’re going home?”

Yu Qing stared at her, completely dumbfounded.

They had already bought all their stock. So why weren’t they going back?

Before he could ask more, Cheng Yuan led him to a large, bustling department store—a perfect place to sell clothes.

“Hurry, give me an outfit,” she said, grabbing a set from the bag. “Wait here. I’m going to change.”

“Don’t go far! Be careful!” Yu Qing called out, eyes following her until she disappeared into the crowd. His anxiety spiked. What if she got lost? How would he explain that to Uncle Cheng?

Just as he was on the verge of panic, Cheng Yuan reappeared, looking completely different. Her school uniform was gone, replaced by a crisp white shirt and jeans that hugged her slender frame. As she walked, she tied her long hair into a high ponytail, full of confidence and youthful charm.

“What’s wrong? Stunned?” Cheng Yuan asked when she saw Yu Qing still frozen in place, not even unpacking the clothes. She crouched beside him. “How are we supposed to sell anything like this? If you don’t display the goods, how will anyone know we’re selling them?”