It wasn’t till they have been on the college bus returning to high school that Shen Shao took out the goodies from Gu NingZhao and shared them with everybody.

When he obtained again to his dorm room, he observed there have been some new small home equipment. Regardless of the very fact they’d been away for 2 weeks, there wasn’t any mud. Every thing was spotless.

“You’re again?” Gu NingZhao walked by the door holding a canned drink. When he noticed that Shen Shao had sweat on his face, he opened the can and handed it to Shen Shao. “Have one thing to drink.”

“Thanks.” Shen Shao took a sip and noticed Gu NingZhao bend all the way down to function the water dispenser. “Are you the one who put in the water dispenser?”

Gu NingZhao nodded. He went over and picked out some books from the small bookshelf beneath his loft mattress. He set them on the desk in entrance of Shen Shao. “For you,” he mentioned with an off-the-cuff expression.

Just a little puzzled, Shen Shao picked up the 2 books. They have been each about electronics and know-how and appeared to be printed with prime quality paper. He seemed up and noticed that Gu NingZhao was in entrance of his pc and wasn’t taking a look at him. Shen Shao discovered a spot for the books on his shelf and thanked Gu NingZhao.

Gu NingZhao nodded with out taking a look at him. He was finding out a collection of wavy graph strains on his pc.

Shen Shao gave the graph a more in-depth look. Was Gu NingZhao taking a look at shares? Shen Shao thought-about his personal desk, which was comparatively empty. He wanted to purchase a pc too. Laptop specs weren’t nearly as good as they might be sooner or later, however he couldn’t maintain off on shopping for one simply because all the things could be sooner ultimately.

Apart from, he was a pupil finding out IT. If he didn’t have his personal pc it could appear to be he didn’t care about finding out.

Not lengthy after, Wang Hao and Xiong Gang additionally returned. They noticed that Shen Shao didn’t have a lot of a tan and felt jealous. Wang Hao grabbed a glass of chilly mineral water and took a deep swallow, then sighed. “It seems that even ultraviolet rays are merciful to engaging folks.”

“No worries. When God closes a door, a window opens elsewhere.”

“What sort of window?”

“Possibly you’ll meet a woman with irregular style in guys?”

Wang Hao: “…”

It was too laborious to make buddies with a wise aleck like Shen Shao.

After navy coaching, everybody rapidly grew to become busy. Earlier than they’d even settled in to school life, it was already Nationwide Day. Wang Hao and Gu NingZhao have been each going to spend the vacation at house. Xiong Gang determined to go to his aunt’s home, leaving Shen Shao alone within the dorm.

Wang Hao invited Shen Shao to affix him, however Shen Shao declined. He was planning to make use of his free time throughout the vacation to purchase a great pc and consider enterprise alternatives.

On Nationwide Day, Shen Shao went to the native pc market to purchase a pc. He plugged within the community cable when he obtained again. Community speeds have been comparatively sluggish, and there wasn’t as a lot data accessible on-line as there could be ten years later. Nonetheless, there have been already entrepreneurs who have been laser-focused on the Web sector.

Throughout this era there have been a number of well-known Web portals in China. A few of these websites would fail after a couple of years, however others would forge a brand new path and grow to be well-known all through the nation.

Shen Shao thought-about going into this line of enterprise. In the intervening time he had a number of million in property. Though it wasn’t that a lot when it comes to capital, one other founding father of an Web portal had barely one-tenth Shen Shao’s present property when he arrange his web site. Later that particular person grew to become one of many 100 richest folks in China.

Clearly probably the most essential factor about launching a enterprise wasn’t a scarcity of cash, it was a scarcity of alternatives and contacts.

After considering it over, Shen Shao made a tentative plan. He additionally thought-about going into meals and digital manufacturing. Ultimately he determined to determine the way to get one other sum of cash first.

What was the quickest method to get cash proper now with out breaking the regulation?

Shen Shao considered it for some time. There was just one method to go: put money into shares. However proper now was a weak interval for the Chinese language inventory market, and it wasn’t one thing he targeted on in his final life. Probably the most he remembered was overhearing the French chef the place he labored sometimes say issues in clumsy Chinese language about enjoying the market.

The yr 2002 occurred too way back and his reminiscences weren’t clear. The principle factor he recalled was that the French chef misplaced his shirt speculating in shares and sighed with remorse about not shopping for shares in a sure firm.

However he couldn’t keep in mind the corporate’s title….

The subsequent day, Shen Shao went to a inventory buying and selling middle downtown. He seemed up on the show display screen within the foyer with the checklist of ticker symbols largely in pink, hesitating whether or not to gamble.

As he stood there, he noticed a girl bawling and pulling at a person’s arm whereas different folks stared on the digital board with bloodshot eyes, as in the event that they couldn’t consider the shares that rose yesterday have been plummeting at the moment.

Ultimately he purchased some shares. After spending all of final evening rigorously looking out his reminiscences, he recalled that the French chef appeared to have mentioned the share worth of a little-known firm rose almost ten occasions in simply two weeks and plunged to the underside a couple of days later. That was the corporate whose shares he purchased, assuming he remembered accurately.

Shen Shao suspected that some type of illicit manipulation was behind this inventory’s actions, so he didn’t purchase too many shares. If the inventory rose as he hoped, he might make investments extra money.

A few days later, the inventory started to rise, however maybe to keep away from attracting suspicion, the rise wasn’t too dramatic. When Shen Shao noticed this, he took the chance to purchase much more.

In the course of the subsequent few days the inventory soared like loopy, attracting numerous consideration.

At that time Shen Shao stopped listening to the inventory market. The Nationwide Day vacation ended and he returned to high school. On Thursday afternoon when he didn’t have class, he hurried again to the buying and selling middle. He wished to promote his shares. By now they’d risen greater than ten occasions in worth.

After the inventory soared so excessive, lots of people piled in to purchase it. Earlier than Shen Shao left the change, he seemed behind him on the crowd of speculators who have been nonetheless going loopy. His palms have been a bit chilly.

It was already darkish by the point he obtained again to high school. He opened the door to his dorm room and noticed that the lights weren’t on. He was reaching for the change when he heard Gu NingZhao’s voice.

“The place did you go this afternoon?”

“I went to commerce shares downtown.” Shen Shao didn’t trouble to cover something. As he spoke he turned on the sunshine and noticed a thermos on his desk. Stunned, he checked out Gu NingZhao. “Did your loved ones ship some meals?”

“There have been numerous leftovers.” Gu NingZhao seemed away, frowning barely. “You need to commerce shares?”

Shen Shao opened the thermos. It was an insulated meal container with three layers together with rice, greens, and soup. Every thing seemed pristine. This was what he known as leftovers?

“Did you already eat?” Shen Shao thought there was an excessive amount of meals for one particular person.

“A short while in the past… I’m not hungry.” Gu NingZhao turned away and seemed out the window, as if it revealed a gorgeous scene that attracted his full consideration.

Shen Shao took out his personal lunch field and divided half of the meals. Then he dragged a chair to the desk and mentioned, “Let’s eat collectively. It’s not as enjoyable to eat alone.”

Gu NingZhao sat down on the chair. His face wore an expression like, “Because you don’t need to eat alone, I’ll reluctantly accompany you”. He slowly and methodically moved his chopsticks.

“I offered my shares at the moment.” After consuming his fill, Shen Shao wiped his mouth. “The water within the inventory market is just too deep for me to play in.”

Gu NingZhao nodded. When Shen Shao obtained as much as wash the thermos, he adopted, silently watching Shen Shao roll up his sleeves to disclose his pale arms.

“When you have questions on shares later, I may give you recommendation.” Gu NingZhao glanced at Shen Shao’s arms a couple of occasions earlier than he hurriedly mentioned this sentence. Then he turned away and sat down in entrance of his pc once more.

When Shen Shao rotated and didn’t see him, he knew Gu NingZhao will need to have returned to his pc. He completed packing up the thermos and mentioned, “OK, then since we’re so shut, I’ll depend on you sooner or later.”

Gu NingZhao touched his reddish ears. The textual content on the pc display screen had all become a meaningless jumble.

Though Gu NingZhao’s mind was stuffed with tiny dancing cartoon characters, his face… nonetheless had no expression in any respect.

Wang Hao pushed open the door and scurried inside. These days this was his common means of returning to the dorm. “Xiao Shao, what are you going to depend on NingZhao for?” After taking one or two steps, he sniffed the air. “What have been you guys secretly consuming? It smells so good.”

“Since we ate it secretly, it must be good, proper? Who made you spend all day outdoors taking a look at cute women?” Shen Shao walked to his desk and turned on the pc. “They are saying all the beautiful women are finding out artwork and design. You could have all of the luck.”

“Hey now, even when that’s true, none of them like me. However a few of them like the 2 of you.” Wang Hao sat down beside Shen Shao. “This afternoon some women requested me about you and Gu NingZhao. They have been cute, too. How about it? Are you ?” 

After saying this, Wang Hao felt his scalp start to tingle. He seemed round and noticed Gu NingZhao looking at him. Clearly the opposite pupil was simply trying, however Wang Hao out of the blue felt responsible for no purpose. What was occurring?

“What’s so nice about it? If Gu NingZhao and I have been nearer to common, do you assume they’d nonetheless have an interest?” Shen Shao patted Wang Hao on the shoulder and mentioned earnestly, “Males shouldn’t pay an excessive amount of consideration to appears. Crucial factor is discovering somebody whose emotions are honest. If the one purpose they like somebody is their face, it could possibly’t probably be real love.”

Wang Hao slapped away Shen Shao’s hand. Just a little sullen, he mentioned, “A man who’s eaten his fill doesn’t know what it’s like for these of us who’re ravenous. I solely want I had a woman who likes me due to my appears. Sadly, that’ll by no means occur on this lifetime.”

“What are you so fearful about? You find the money for to make up for all the things.” Shen Shao shrugged. “You don’t care in the event that they’re honest, so what’s the distinction between attracting them together with your face and attracting them together with your cash?”

Wang Hao contemplated this rigorously for greater than ten seconds then requested severely, “Xiao Shao, why do I really feel such as you’re mocking me?”

“Oh, you observed?” Shen Shao glanced at Wang Hao with amusement. “You already know you may’t commerce cash for real love. It’s the identical with appears.”

After joking with Wang Hao sufficient, Shen Shao added mildly, “If I wished to discover a lover, I’d search for somebody who can dwell with me and settle for my strengths and weaknesses. Which means my activity proper now could be to make my strengths extra apparent so my future lover can be pleased with me. Don’t beat your self up about one thing that’s so trivial. Your future spouse is best than that, proper?”

“So, what you’re saying is… laborious work is what issues?” Wang Hao felt that Shen Shao was in all probability proper, and he couldn’t argue.

“That’s one other method to put it.” Shen Shao smiled and patted him on the shoulder once more. “I consider you’ll discover a girl who will love you and cooperate with you for a lifetime.”

“Yeah.” Wang Hao nodded solemnly. He felt extra clear-headed now.

Gu NingZhao seemed away with out saying something. He silently felt that every one of Shen Shao’s standards match him completely.

“I’m going downstairs to purchase one thing. Anybody need me to carry one thing again?” After 9 o’clock at evening, Shen Shao was hungry and wished to purchase a snack.

“Get me a chunk of bread,” Wang Hao mentioned, sticking his head out of the mosquito internet over his mattress. “The type with a number of cream filling.”

Shen Shao checked out his more and more rotund physique and silently nodded.

“I’ll go together with you.” Gu NingZhao, who was studying, put down his guide and walked over to Shen Shao.

Shen Shao nodded. Since Xiong Gang didn’t need something, he and Gu NingZhao left the dormitory collectively.

Most boys’ dorms have been full of life, and Hua U was no exception. Shen Shao checked out Gu NingZhao beside him and felt that he didn’t fairly slot in with the high-spirited ambiance. Each time Gu NingZhao was round, the folks and issues round him appeared to blur robotically. While you glanced over, he was the one factor you observed.

Excellent appears, excellent background, excellent means—in each means he was a winner. Possibly ten years from now he’d be on the high of the “Most Wished-For Husband” leaderboard.

Neither of them spoke alongside the best way, however the ambiance didn’t have a hint of awkwardness. After Shen Shao completed procuring, he noticed that Gu NingZhao was nonetheless empty-handed. “You didn’t purchase something but?”

Gu NingZhao casually took one thing from the shelf and handed it to the clerk, then took out a fifty yuan invoice and waited for his change.

Shen Shao silently seemed on the field of cutesy bear cookies. He didn’t assume Gu NingZhao’s style was… so distinctive.

They walked again with a handful of snacks. After they reached a tree-lined path, they heard a woman crying. There appeared to be a boy beside her who was saying one thing in an impatient voice.

Gu NingZhao’s face was expressionless. He was going to maintain strolling however Shen Shao stopped him. Gu NingZhao out of the blue felt a heat breath in his ear—Shen Shao was whispering to him.

“Don’t go over there. It’ll be awkward in the event that they see us. Let’s go that means.” Shen Shao pointed to the trail beside them. He was about to drag Gu NingZhao that course when he heard a loud smack. Somebody was simply slapped within the face.

“Scumbag! No marvel you by no means beat Gu NingZhao for first place all these years in highschool. You should be second place for ten thousand years! Jerk!”

The slap was too loud, and the insults have been too enthusiastic. Shen Shao couldn’t faux to not hear it.

Shen Shao checked out Gu NingZhao, who was nonetheless expressionless, then seemed on the barely darkish tree-lined path. He hesitated whether or not to proceed strolling. If the boy fought again, that woman may be in hassle.

“Shen JiaYue, you really hit me?!” The boy was clearly mad. Shen Shao couldn’t see his face, however he might inform from his voice how agitated and indignant he was. In spite of everything, being slapped by a girl you weren’t speculated to hit again was upsetting.

Nonetheless, an important query was, who have been these two folks? Even once they have been breaking apart they needed to fireplace pictures at harmless bystander Gu NingZhao?

—

The writer has one thing to say:

Second Younger Grasp Gu: This tree-lined path is very nice. Why is that silly X right here? I simply need to stroll alongside this forested path with Xiao Shao. Why is that so laborious?

Shen Shao: Poor little prince of getting shot whereas mendacity down…

TL Notes:

Photographs fired at harmless bystander Second Younger Grasp Gu – 躺枪 (quick for 躺着也中枪) – web slang: shot whereas mendacity down, unfairly focused, collateral injury, wounded regardless of being harmless

pc market – 电脑城 – pc metropolis – Normally it is a market stuffed with rental cubicles the place a wide range of digital gadgets and parts are on the market

ticker symbols largely in pink – 上大多一路飘红的股票 – In components of Asia together with China, pink is a affluent colour and signifies a inventory went up in worth. MC may be taking a look at a chart from a Western inventory market or perhaps Hong Kong(?) the place pink means the worth went down

Transliterated names, locations, and titles—new on this chapter:

Shen JiaYue – 沈家悦

[ Project Page | Ko-Fi ✿ | Other translations by Confectioner ]