Chapter 642: Chapter 226: The School Beauty Senior Who Committed Suicide (Request for Monthly Votes)_3
His five roommates from his past life, his college classmates, the few girls who used to pursue him... A feeling of nostalgic apprehension suddenly washed over Li Yuan. College was often the most unforgettable time in a person’s life. In college, there was ample time, the freest environment, and a youthful, romantic atmosphere, all without the immense pressure of working and starting a family... Scenes from his past involuntarily surfaced in his mind. A slight smile touched his lips.
It was a question from Xia Zhijin that brought him back to reality.
"Li Yuan, what are you smiling at?"
Li Yuan came to his senses and ruffled Xia Zhijin’s hair. "Just thinking about some old times," he said with a laugh.
"We’re at your dorm. Go get some rest. After class, we’ll go to Modu University of Technology together."
"Okay!"
「...」
At 3:40 in the afternoon, the bell signaling the end of class rang right on time.
Under the watchful eyes of the entire class, Li Yuan took Xia Zhijin by the hand and drove straight to Modu University of Technology.
"Zhijin, since this is the first time you’re meeting your cousin, let’s buy her a gift. Do you know what she likes?"
"Ah? Do we need to bring a gift?" Xia Zhijin asked, looking bewildered.
Li Yuan smiled. "You said your cousin treats you really well, so we should get her a little something. It’s the thought that counts. There now, listen to me."
Xia Zhijin looked at Li Yuan, her face beaming with a blissful smile, and whispered, "Then what gift should we get her? I don’t really know!"
Li Yuan chuckled. When it came to giving gifts to girls, he had some experience; after two lifetimes, he had done it countless times. However, those were always gifts from a boyfriend. This was the first time he was giving one in his current capacity.
The gift for this first meeting with her cousin couldn’t be cheap, but it didn’t need to be too expensive either.
The first things that came to mind were electronics: smartphones, laptops, digital cameras, MP4 players, and so on. After that, cosmetics. Bags, clothes, and shoes wouldn’t be very suitable. If he knew her hobbies, he could also get a special gift, like a badminton racket, a table tennis paddle, or a guitar.
"Zhijin, does your cousin own a laptop?" Li Yuan asked.
Xia Zhijin shook her head and replied softly, "I don’t think so. We’ve video chatted a few times, and she was always using her roommate’s laptop."
Li Yuan relaxed and chuckled. "Perfect. Let’s get her a laptop, then. She can definitely use it."
It was only 2008, after all. Students from well-off families could naturally afford laptops, but there were still many from extremely poor families who couldn’t even afford a phone—just like Xia Zhijin used to be...
Hearing that Li Yuan intended to gift her cousin a laptop, Xia Zhijin looked hesitant and stammered, "Isn’t that... too expensive?"
Li Yuan gave a faint smile and patted Xia Zhijin’s thigh. "She’s your cousin, which means she’s my cousin too. Didn’t you say she’s been very good to you? We should be generous. A laptop is just a few thousand yuan, and she’ll get good use out of it in the future."
Xia Zhijin smiled sweetly. The fact that Li Yuan cared so much about her family filled her with a profound sense of happiness.
"Li Yuan, thank you!"
"You silly girl," Li Yuan chuckled. "There’s no need for thanks between us."
"Let’s head to the mall first and pick out a computer for your cousin."
The two drove to Longyu Mall and returned to the same store they had visited before. There, they bought a laptop of the exact same model as Xia Zhijin’s.
「...」
Outside the gates of Modu University of Technology, Chu Yanyan was looking around anxiously, anticipating the appearance of a familiar figure.
She had just started her junior year. She was swamped with courses for her major and juggling a part-time job, so she had no time to visit her younger cousin. She had planned to visit during the National Day holiday, but her cousin told her that she had already returned to Shancheng with her boyfriend. They had even met her grandmother and father...
She recalled the phone call with her father, who was far away in Shancheng. He had praised her cousin’s boyfriend to the high heavens, calling him one of a kind, and mentioned that he had even bought a mansion in Shancheng for her cousin worth one or two million yuan... All of this gave her great expectations for this cousin-in-law she had yet to meet.
"Cousin, I’m over here!"
Suddenly, a familiar voice pulled Chu Yanyan from her reverie.
Chu Yanyan immediately recognized the voice and looked in its direction.
Not far away, she saw a graceful figure waving excitedly at her. Behind the figure was a sleek BMW SUV.
"Zhijin!" Chu Yanyan’s face lit up with joy, and she hurried over.
Xia Zhijin waved excitedly, her face beaming with the joy of a family reunion. "Yanyan!"
Even though Chu Yanyan had often seen her cousin before, she was still dazzled by her appearance now. The Xia Zhijin of the past, while very pretty, had been somewhat self-conscious due to her family’s situation. She often kept her head down and was nowhere near as radiant and confident as she was at this moment.
Chu Yanyan affectionately squeezed the hand of her cousin, whose life had been so difficult. "Zhijin," she teased with a smile, "it’s been nearly three months since we last saw each other. You look even more beautiful than before! It seems your boyfriend is treating you really well."
Her cousin’s teasing brought a blush to Xia Zhijin’s exquisite face. She looked at Yanyan, who was slightly shorter but just as beautiful and possessed a more mature air, and shyly returned the compliment. "Yanyan, you’re very beautiful too!"
