“Hiss… My head hurts so much. That woman was really something.”
Chen Qinglin rubbed his temples in pain, his eyes groggily opening.
“Four times, my legs are completely jelly.”
Just thinking about that woman yesterday made him grit his teeth in hatred… Chen Qinglin, a graduate of a second-tier university, was a sales manager at a food company.
He was very handsome, a bit like Edison Chen before his scandal.
To secure a 10 million yuan deal, he had accompanied a female client and drunk over a pound of baijiu, and… well, you know.
It’s not just men who are lustful.
Fortunately, the lady was true to her word, and the deal was successfully secured.
“Once I get my commission, I’ll definitely go to Heaven on Earth and get my revenge.”
“By then, one person must sing, and one… Holy crap!”
Before he could finish his sentence, Chen Qinglin finally noticed his unfamiliar surroundings.
Four dilapidated bunk beds, two by two, lined the room, with bedding haphazardly piled on them.
Cigarette butts littered the terrazzo floor.
Three enamel mugs sat on an old, dark red wooden study desk.
Holey underwear hung on the yellow plywood door.
Chen Qinglin was utterly bewildered.
“Wasn’t I in a five-star hotel? Where the hell did they bring me?”
“Why does this godforsaken place look so much like a university dorm room?”
“Hiss… Did I just get reincarnated?”
A thought flashed through his mind, and Chen Qinglin grabbed a Nokia phone.
June 10, 2003, 10:30 AM?
“Hahaha, such a good thing has finally happened to me.”
Ring-ring-ring!
The sudden ringing interrupted Chen Qinglin’s wild laughter.
“Hello, Old Bi?”
“Damn it, how many times have I told you not to call me ‘Old Bi’?”
The caller was Chen Qinglin’s university roommate, Yun Tao.
Uh, that nickname, well, it was related to a certain birth control product.
So, ever since their freshman year dorm chat, he had become ‘Old Bi’.
“Alright, Old Bi.”
“You damn… Director Wang wants to see you in his office.”
“Director Wang? Which Director Wang?”
“Director Wang from the Employment Office.”
“Holy crap… I know.”
At the mention of the Employment Office, Chen Qinglin instantly understood.
In 2003, the country fully implemented market-oriented employment reform.
In principle, university students were no longer subject to the ‘assigned job system’.
It was from this year onwards that ‘graduation means unemployment’ became the main theme.
As one of the first batch of ‘affected university students,’ Chen Qinglin could only stay in the big city and fend for himself.
By the time he had accumulated some savings, battered and bruised, he looked back.
While he was working overtime late into the night in the city, others were playing mahjong late into the night in their hometowns.
While he was renting a house in the city, others were buying courtyards in their hometowns.
He had one day off a week, while others worked one day a week.
Forget about the prosperity of big cities, screw that.
Whoever wants to come to this city can come, Chen Qinglin certainly wouldn’t.
In 2003, if he went back to his hometown and found a stable job, wouldn’t he have his pick of wives?
Raise cats, tease dogs, go fishing when he’s free, and have high social status.
Wake up naturally every day, with no mortgage or car loan.
Play the stock market, earn some extra cash, just enough to spend, why bother with anything else?
Isn’t this laid-back life wonderful?
What? You ask why, if he's reincarnated, he doesn’t start a company and become the richest man?
What? Is the richest man not tired? The richest man is more tired than ordinary people, okay?
What? You said without assigned jobs, how can he find a stable job?
Heh heh, those three words ‘in principle,’ those who understand, understand.
Cigarettes build bridges, alcohol paves roads.
To break the rules, you need the capital to break the rules.
Chen Qinglin clicked his teeth, a look of struggle on his face.
“Where the hell am I going to get some money?”
To secure a job, he would need at least a few thousand yuan.
In 2003, the average monthly salary for an urban worker was around 1000 yuan.
Chen Qinglin’s parents were both farmers; relying on his family for money was out of the question.
If he had a few months, he would have many ways to get money.
But the job allocation quota was being finalized in the next couple of days.
Gathering this sum of money in the shortest time was no small feat.
After much thought, Chen Qinglin gritted his teeth, picked up his phone, and dialed… his ex-ex-ex-girlfriend’s number.
It must be said, being handsome definitely had its advantages.
Chen Qinglin never lacked a girlfriend during his four years of university.
Among them, there were naturally quite a few from well-off families.
It’s worth mentioning that even the phone in his hand was a gift from his ex-ex-ex-girlfriend.
Uh, his phone bill was paid by his ex-girlfriend.
For the sake of a laid-back life in the latter half of his life, Chen Qinglin went all out.
Anyway, the other party wasn’t bad-looking, so it wasn't a loss.
“Hello? It’s me.”
“What is it?”
“Got time? How about a breakup hookup?”
On the other end of the phone, Xu Lu was utterly bewildered.
“Chen Qinglin, are you out of your mind? What kind of person do you take me for?”
“You were the one who broke up with me, and now you…”
Chen Qinglin pouted, impatiently interrupting Xu Lu.
“Less talk, are you coming or not?”
Xu Lu wanted to refuse, but she couldn’t bear to part with Chen Qinglin’s handsome face and powerful physique.
After much hesitation, she decided to experience the feeling of love one more time.
“…What time? Where?”
“Now, outside the East Gate, our usual spot.”
Xu Lu???
“Are you out of your mind? In broad daylight?”
“Hurry up, you book the room, take a shower, and wait for me.”
“Damn… Do I also have to treat you to a meal?”
“Alright, then you book the room first, then meet me at Donglai Hotpot.”
“Heh heh, fine, you just wait for me.”
Xu Lu was exasperated by Chen Qinglin’s thick skin, but she also laughed.
But for some reason, she liked Chen Qinglin’s roguish charm.
After all, bad boys get the girls, and good guys finish last, right?
After hanging up the phone, Chen Qinglin sprang out of bed and rushed to the bathroom.
If he wanted to eat soft rice while acting tough, the details had to be perfect.
Wash face, brush teeth, wash hair, comb a side part, and add some mousse.
Change into her favorite blue briefs.
Looking at his chiseled face in the mirror, Chen Qinglin smiled slightly, revealing eight teeth.
“Hmm, I’m really damn handsome.”
After smiling, Chen Qinglin returned to the dorm room, lifted the mattress, and took out two ‘Old Bis’.
After a moment of thought, he put the remaining three into his pocket.
For that 5000 yuan, he was all in.
At worst, he’d just eat more pork kidney later.
Donglai Hotpot.
As soon as he entered, Chen Qinglin spotted Xu Lu.
It had to be said, that woman really knew how to dress up.
A white knee-length dress, revealing a section of smooth calf.
The cinched waist design perfectly accentuated her figure.
Her dark hair cascaded softly over her shoulders, revealing a stretch of snowy white neck.
Her 80-point looks, enhanced by makeup and attire, were elevated to a solid 90 points.
“Have you ordered yet?”
Xu Lu glared at Chen Qinglin, annoyed.
“I’ve finished. Do you need anything else?”
Looking at the menu Xu Lu had written, Chen Qinglin approvingly pinched her cheek.
“Heh heh, so good, you still remember what I like to eat.”
Ignoring Xu Lu’s chiding gaze, Chen Qinglin waved to summon a waiter.
“Bring three plates of pork kidney, two plates of oysters, and… add one plate of chives.”
After the waiter left, Xu Lu looked at Chen Qinglin with a conflicted expression.
She was genuinely a little scared.
This man was already quite strong, and now he had ordered all these things, so… “Do you want to kill me?”
Chen Qinglin looked up and grinned at Xu Lu.
“I brought five ‘Old Bis’.”