Chapter 110: The Fear of Comparison Among Men
TL: Etude
As the noon class ended, Jiang Qin rose and announced his departure, followed closely by Feng Nanshu, who hurried after him.
This scene evoked a bitter sentiment among most of the male students. Their discomfort stemmed not only from Jiang Qin’s inexplicable charm that attracted the aloof and graceful Feng Nanshu but also from a more crucial point: why were some girls, far less attractive than Feng Nanshu, also far less amiable?
It seemed only fair to possess at least one of two qualities.
If not blessed with beauty, couldn’t one at least emulate Feng Nanshu’s charm and obedience? And if one was temperamental and unreasonable, couldn’t they compensate with physical attractiveness?
Yet, Feng Nanshu embodied both traits: she was both charming, obedient, and beautiful, exclusively engaging with Jiang Qin, a man of no remarkable distinction. This stark contrast was painfully evident.
“I really want to know the story between Feng Nanshu and Jiang Qin. I can’t comprehend why she’s so attached to him,” said Zhang Guangxu, a dorm mate of Zhuang Chen, unable to hold back his curiosity.
Zhuang Chen replied with a faint smile, “Indeed. Apart from being wealthy, Jiang Qin doesn’t seem to have any other merits. But wealth isn’t really a merit, is it, Chun Chun?”
“What counts as a merit, then?” Jian Chun asked indifferently.
Zhuang Chen was momentarily perplexed.
He knew Jian Chun always disdained the stereotypes of the wealthy, frivolous, or sleazy. Yet, why did she suddenly consider wealth a merit? Slightly irritated, Jian Chun suggested, “Let’s hurry to the cafeteria for lunch, and then you can accompany me to South Street to visit the old lady.”
“Okay, I’ll carry your books.”
After lunch, under the bright autumn sun, Jiang Qin and Feng Nanshu leisurely made their way to South Street, heading towards the alley at the very end.
By then, a crowd had already gathered at the entrance of Huimin Fruit Shop. The fruits had been sold out since early morning. People even requested to buy the apple crates for storing old books, but the elderly owner refused to sell them or accept any donations.
Jian Chun, Zhuang Chen, Song Qingshui, Jiang Tian, and Cao Guangyu had arrived earlier, all moved by the scene before them.
“Popularity is king,” Jiang Qin thought, reminded of the fan-economy of the future.
Hearing the word ‘king,’ Cao Guangyu’s eyes lit up, puffing up his chest, “I haven’t really put in my full effort yet.”
“Old Cao, you boast so confidently, yet when it comes to real action, you accomplished something significant. Don’t you feel any enlightenment?” Jiang Qin glanced at him.
“When did I ever boast?” Cao Guangyu retorted, unconvinced.
Jiang Qin replied with a look, “If you never boasted, why are you still single?”
Cao Guangyu was about to respond, “Aren’t you also…” but stopped mid-sentence upon seeing Feng Nanshu, radiant and enchanting next to Jiang Qin, and wisely closed his mouth.
Yes, these two were always known as just friends.
Yet, many couples who were inseparably close often envied their way of interaction. The reason was apparent without saying.
“Comparing oneself to others can be disheartening.”
“What?” Jiang Qin was momentarily puzzled.
Cao Guangyu spat, “Nothing, I’ll find someone too!”
Meanwhile, Jian Chun stood quietly to the side, listening to Jiang Qin and Cao Guangyu’s conversation, her eyes reflecting a mix of complex and indiscernible emotions.
There were two boys she disliked the most since her arrival at Linchuan University.
The first was the frivolous Jiang Qin, and the second was the greasy Cao Guangyu.
She felt that neither of these two men were as good as Zhuang Chen, who was polite and gentlemanly. However, as things stood, she realized that being a gentleman didn’t seem to hold much value after all.
Yesterday, during the accident, Zhuang Chen had gone pale, repeating the words “Are you okay?” over and over. But looking back, she realized he was more flustered than herself, only able to express concern verbally without really being able to do anything.
Some people are indeed good with details but fall short when it comes to handling major issues…
While others might not be as meticulous in everyday matters, they are decisive and clear-headed when it matters most.
This contrast was painfully striking, leaving Jian Chun at a loss for words, unsure of how to face Zhuang Chen, who had always liked her.
She felt uncomfortable realizing that Zhuang Chen was not only inferior to Jiang Qin but now seemed even less competent than Cao Guangyu.
“Chun Chun, let’s go. The old lady is fine now,” Zhuang Chen said softly.
Jian Chun nodded, “Yes, let’s go. We’re not needed here anymore.”
At that moment, a ripping sound was heard. Everyone turned to see Jiang Qin tearing apart an apple crate, revealing a plain, unprinted side.
He whispered something to Feng Nanshu, who obediently took out a pen from her bag and wrote two characters on one side and two different characters on the other.
“One side says ‘Open for Business’, the other ‘Sold Out’.”
After Feng Nanshu finished writing, she darkened the characters and handed them to Jiang Qin, who then drew a circle under “Open for Business” and a cross under “Sold Out.”
“Old lady, hang this on your door. Flip to the circle when you have fruits for sale, and to the cross when you’re sold out. This way, people won’t keep knocking on your door, and you won’t have to keep explaining,” Jiang Qin advised.
“That makes sense. I understand now,” the old lady said, looking at the sign. “I may not be able to read, but the writing is beautiful, and so is the person who wrote it.”
Feng Nanshu’s eyes sparkled, “You’re a good person.”
“You all are good people,” the old lady said, her eyes misty.
The female students from the Finance Class 3 were all silent at this scene.
Hanging signs like ‘Open for Business’ and ‘Sold Out’ were common business practices, but at that moment, aside from Jiang Qin, no one else had thought of doing it.
Yes, increased foot traffic and a wider customer base were good, but having to repeatedly explain when out of stock was a disturbance, especially for an elderly person.
Hanging a sign like this made everything clear at a glance, eliminating the need for further explanation.
Most importantly, Jiang Qin had considered that the old lady couldn’t read and used simple, understandable symbols to convey different messages.
Jian Chun fell silent too.
Some people are not only capable of handling significant issues but also adept at managing details; it all depends on whether they want to or not.
Jian Chun turned to Zhuang Chen, “Do you now see what merits Jiang Qin has besides being wealthy?”
“Hmm, he does have some clever ideas,” Zhuang Chen admitted with a hint of admiration.
…
In the following two days, Jiang Qin kept visiting the general office, accompanying Professor Yan in tea drinking, gardening, and sunbathing. However, the professor remained tight-lipped about his past failed venture, unwilling to divulge more.
Jiang Qin knew Professor Yan had his shadows.
Everyone in this world has their own shadows.
He had his too, and he was also reluctant to speak of them.
Nevertheless, Professor Yan was quite happy. Having a young person to chat and drink tea with made his otherwise monotonous work hours much more enjoyable.
Additionally, Professor Yan was puzzled by something. Although Jiang Qin was only an eighteen-year-old young man, his way of speaking and acting was exceptionally adept, showing no signs of immaturity. Instead, he possessed a maturity far beyond his years.
Even though he sometimes acted inappropriately, cracking various jokes, these could also be seen as a form of adult humor, piquing curiosity.
In the evening, with the sky awash in sunset hues, Jiang Qin accompanied Professor Yan for a walk around the sports field before returning to the general office.
There, a delicate gift box lay in front of Cao Xingyue, adorned with a card that read, “Chen Anhua loves Cao Xingyue.”
“Wow, senior sister, did you receive another sweet little gift from your boyfriend?”
“Jealous, aren’t you?”
Cao Xingyue turned around with a smug look, but upon noticing Professor Yan behind her, she quickly glared at Jiang Qin.
Jiang Qin chuckled, then escorted Professor Yan off work and returned to the general office to chat with Cao Xingyue.
“Senior sister, what projects had Professor Yan supervised before?”
Cao Xingyue pondered, “I’m not sure. I joined after the professor was rehired. In these two years, besides your website, I haven’t really seen any significant entrepreneurial projects.”
“Is that so…” Jiang Qin felt a bit disappointed and then turned to ask about a drama-loving senior colleague who seemed absent lately.
“He quit.”
“Why?”
Cao Xingyue lowered her voice, “Professor Yan gave me a very important recommendation. He felt it was pointless to stay.”
“So it’s just you here now? That must be tough.”
Jiang Qin knew that, though the entrepreneurship center lacked notable projects, it was still inundated daily with students submitting applications for credit. Just the preliminary sorting of these forms was exhausting.
“Professor Yan has requested additional help from the university. They’ll assign two junior sisters to assist me soon. But speaking of this, I owe you thanks. If it weren’t for your project, I might not have received this opportunity.”
Jiang Qin was surprised, “How is that related to me?”
“Your project is the one I’m in charge of, and it’s been the most successful in recent years,” Cao Xingyue said, her mood visibly lifted.
Jiang Qin nodded, glanced at the porcelain cup she received as a gift, and then at Cao Xingyue’s smile, “Do girls really get so happy receiving gifts?”
Cao Xingyue looked up at him, “Weren’t you the one who said you’re not into dating? Why suddenly interested in this?”
“I never said I want to give anyone a gift. Just a pure inquiry,” Jiang Qin replied nonchalantly.
“Alright, I’ll tell you. Whether it makes one happy depends on who sends it and what it is. As long as it’s a meaningful gift from someone you like, no girl would be unhappy.”
After a moment of thought, Jiang Qin asked, “What if it’s just a simple gift?”
Cao Xingyue scoffed, “Who would give a gift just for the sake of it?”
“…”
HAPPPYYY SINGLE DOG DAY!!!!!! 😀
Visit freewe𝑏(n)ovel.𝘤ℴ𝑚 for the best novel reading experience