“Breakup season?”
“That’s right. How many college romances actually make it to marriage? Most of them break up quickly when graduation comes and they have to go their separate ways. Not long after the breakup, they’re marrying someone else. A lot of the relationships in college aren’t reliable.”
In order to prevent Jiang Chan from being lured away by some guy, Lin Jinyu spared no effort in talking about how unreliable college relationships were. Seeing that Jiang Chan seemed to be listening, Lin Jinyu pushed forward.
“You’re busy with your company and with school. Where would you even find the time to date? It’s better to wait until your company has grown. Then it won’t be too late to think about it. A girl as outstanding as you will never lack admirers, no matter when. Don’t limit yourself to this little patch of land in front of you.”
Jiang Chan nodded. “Don’t worry, brother. I really don’t plan to date right now. My goal is to conquer the stars and the sea. Dating is a waste of time. What if I run into another Jiang Yu? That would disgust me to death.”
As she spoke, Jiang Chan wrinkled her nose. Lin Jinyu’s hand twitched. “Xiao Chan, people like Jiang Yu are rare. There are still good men in this world. For example, your uncle, or me. You can’t write off an entire group of people just because of Jiang Yu.”
Jiang Chan said, “I know. I’m just saying. As for those scheming types, I can tell with one look. I’m not blind. I can see what others are thinking.”
Chen Dong thought he hid his thoughts well, but Jiang Chan had spent a few years in the business world. She could more or less judge someone’s character.
The reason she hadn’t ripped off the mask was because she wanted to give him some dignity, to let him back off on his own. But right now, it seemed like Chen Dong hadn’t gotten the message and was still staging his little acts of “coincidental encounters.”
“By the way, brother, what made you come pick me up today? Isn’t it usually Auntie that comes?”
Since starting university, it was usually Liang Chen who came to pick her up once a week. For Lin Jinyu, a workaholic, to suddenly show up was a surprise to Jiang Chan. What could make him set aside work and come here in person?
Lin Jinyu glanced at her. “There’s a banquet tonight, and I don’t have a female companion. Aren’t you an adult now? Just come with me as my companion for the evening.”
Jiang Chan instantly understood. She nodded. “Alright, but I’m expensive, you know. Brother, you’ll have to give me something in return.”
Lin Jinyu nodded. “Of course. I wouldn’t make you work for free. But a lot of big bosses are going to be there. I’ll introduce you to some of them. How are you going to thank me for that?”
Jiang Chan pouted, knowing she couldn’t win the argument. She slumped back in her seat in frustration. “Fine, I’ll go, alright? Tha-nk yo-u, bro-ther!”
She practically gritted out the last words. Lin Jinyu seemed to miss the tone entirely and said casually, “You’re welcome. After all, you are my little sister.”
Jiang Chan was frustrated.
It seemed like she never got the upper hand with Lin Jinyu. When she had studied under him before, he had knocked her down with criticism so many times it left her disheartened.
If she weren’t tough enough, she’d have doubted her own intelligence. And now Lin Jinyu was asking her to go as his banquet date but made it seem like she should be thanking him.
Truly a businessman who never loses out.
Lin Jinyu took Jiang Chan to get styled, and she received wave after wave of compliments: good skin, pretty face, nice figure, and so on. Jiang Chan just listened blankly.
After all, it wasn’t her own body. These compliments were for the original host, so she didn’t feel flattered in the slightest.
Over the past few years, Jiang Chan had kept up a strict workout routine. The original host had been a bit frail, but Jiang Chan had trained her into good health. She was now strong and energetic.
Looking at the freshly made-up Jiang Chan, Lin Jinyu said sourly, “I don’t even know which lucky guy is going to end up benefiting. What a waste.”
Jiang Chan picked up the hem of her dress and sat into the car. “You’re thinking too much. I plan to take in a live-in husband.”
Lin Jinyu replied, “A live-in husband? Not bad. Sounds like a good plan.”
That night was the 80th birthday of the grandfather of one of Lin Jinyu’s business partners. As a client with whom he had business dealings, he naturally had to attend.
Usually, he would bring his special assistant, and there was truly no female presence by his side, which was why he decided to ask Jiang Chan. Jiang Chan linked arms with Lin Jinyu and gracefully walked into the grand hall. AA man around twenty-seven or twenty-eight stood at the entrance, welcoming them.
Jiang Chan glanced at him. He was well-dressed and made a decent impression.
The man came over and gave Lin Jinyu a friendly punch on the shoulder. “Jinyu, you’re here. And this is?”
He looked at the young girl’s tense face, which resembled Lin Jinyu’s remarkably.
In a setting like this, Jiang Chan naturally kept quiet and played the role of an elegant accessory. Lin Jinyu smiled. “This is my cousin, Jiang Chan. Xiao Chan, this is Chen Yunsheng. You can call him Brother Chen.”
Hearing the surname Chen, Jiang Chan raised an eyebrow. She had run into a Chen Dong earlier that day, and now a Chen Yunsheng. Was she fated to meet people with that surname?
She brushed off the thought and nodded. “Good evening, Brother Chen. This is the birthday gift my brother prepared for Grandpa Chen.”
Chen Yunsheng looked Jiang Chan up and down with his foxy eyes. “So you’re the little cousin? All the guys in our group have been curious. We wanted to know what kind of person Jinyu’s little cousin would be, the one he’s been teaching himself.”
Jiang Chan said, “I’m just an ordinary person. I don’t have three heads or six arms. I must have disappointed you, Brother Chen.”
Chen Yunsheng clapped his hands. “How could that be? Seeing you is like seeing Jinyu himself. Look how similar your demeanors are.”
Seeing that Chen Yunsheng was about to keep talking, Lin Jinyu grew impatient. They had already been standing at the entrance for quite a while. With people coming and going, if Chen Yunsheng stayed with them, what about the other guests?
“I’ll go give the birthday gift to Grandpa Chen. You go greet the guests. We’ll talk more later.”
Chen Yunsheng understood Lin Jinyu’s temperament. “Alright. Go sit on the sofa for now. Changqing and the others are already here.”
Lin Jinyu waved him off and took Jiang Chan to deliver the gift. The gift was simple but thoughtful. Knowing that Grandpa Chen liked calligraphy and that his own grandfather was into it as well, Lin Jinyu had just taken a scroll from his grandfather’s study.
As expected, when Grandpa Chen saw the scroll, he was overjoyed. He pointed at Lin Jinyu and said, “You little rascal, you just brought something from your grandfather’s collection to use as a gift.”
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