Chapter 125: Mengyan's message
"I think I have seen the two of them before!" Lan Ling frowned and said in deep thought.
"You have seen them before?" Yang Ming was astounded to hear that.
"They look familiar, but I can't remember." Lan Ling shook her head and gave off a slight smile. Then she reverted to her original cute face. "Nevermind. I don't want to think about it. Just keep all the photos."
Yang Ming nodded his head. There are many people who look alike and familiar. There is no need to explore the root of the matter. He took a chair, then he took down all the photos with Zhang Bing and stored them in the cabinet.
Lan Ling was obsessed with cleanliness. She wiped away the dust in the house, then she washed the toilet bowl and mopped the bathroom.
Yang Ming had to go home tonight, so he couldn't stay here. He instructed Lan Ling to be aware of her safety. If there was anything, contact him via SMS. They brought their SIM cards back from Yunnan, so a phone call had high roaming charges here.
After they went out of the apartment door, Zhang Bing couldn't hold back his laughter. "Yang Ming, isn't this keeping a mistress in a love nest?"
"F***, why? Are you jealous about it? If you're jealous, find yourself a girlfriend then. I think Uncle Zhang would be happy to buy you a house!" Yang Ming looked at Zhang Bing with contempt. This guy is such a hypocrite.
As expected, Zhang Bing said with a sour face as he heard it, "Nevermind. You know me too. I don't like commitment. Which woman would follow me? I prefer sex videos and one night stands which are much more exciting!"
"Fine, I don't like my woman to be sleeping with others. I don't have such a good mentality." Yang Ming was quite traditional in this. Although Yang Ming had a virgin complex, he didn't discriminate against non-virgins. The most important part was being faithful to her husband after they became a couple. This was what Yang Ming hoped for.
"Oh, yeah, but then again, how do you plan to deal with the problem of Chen Mengyan?" Zhang Bing thought of one key issue. "You can't be thinking of dating the two of them at the same time, right?"
"Don't mention it. I have a headache thinking about it!" Yang Ming shrugged. "This is your fault too. You kept on dragging me to look for prostitutes. It is great now. I found myself a wife!"
"What's wrong with prostitutes? There are many people who look for prostitutes, but no one would take one back home!" Zhang Bing looked at Yang Ming with a half smile. "You're the first one I know!"
"You didn't notice that many wives of bosses came from the brothel as well!" Yang Ming thought of the internet novels he read before.
"The point is you aren't a boss!" Zhang Bing shook his head. "I don't know what you were thinking. Although she is cute, you brought her back without knowing anything about her background. Nevermind. I don't want to say too much. You decide for yourself."
"What should I decide? It's you who brought up the topic! Don't you tell Chen Mengyan about any of this. Let me think about it first." Yang Ming said.
"Do I look like someone with loose lips? Relax. I'll help you to keep it under wraps!" Zhang Bing patted on his chest like he was responsible for it.
After Yang Ming went home, it was about 6 p.m. Yang Ming's parents had gotten home from work. They were happy to see Yang Ming back.
"Big Ming, your skin is tanned now!" Yang Dahai tapped on his son's shoulder. "How was it? Did you enjoy the trip?"
"It was quite fun. After I earn money in the future, I'll bring the two of you to have a tour there. The scenery is great!" Yang Ming put down his luggage with a smile.
"Good, our son has grown up! With these words, your dad is satisfied." Yang Dahai was joyful after he heard that.
"En, we should retire when Big Ming starts working, then it's our turn to enjoy life!" Mother Yang was happy. Whose parents wouldn't like such words?
"Our boy's mother, are you still thinking about your son's salary?" Yang Dahai signaled Mother Yang. "It's so hard now for a university student to get a job. Most of them are waiting for a job at home. Even when they have a job, their starting salary will be low!"
"Hehe, I'm just saying. When our son has a girlfriend, there will be more expenses. How can we get money from our son?" Mother Yang understood the reasoning naturally. "We should give more allowance to our son!"
"That's a must if you want to have grandchildren. It's impossible without investing some capital. Nowadays, which girl would follow a person without money?" Yang Dahai nodded his head and said.
"Dad, mom! What are you guys talking about? I can start earning money after a few more days, so you guys don't have to work so hard. Just spend as you like. I think I can handle my academic fees on my own!" Yang Ming thought for a second. He decided to distribute some of his earning to his parents. Of course, he couldn't tell them all about it. After all his extraordinary abilities were really strange. He was afraid to terrify his parents.
"You can start earning after a few days? Why do you say so?" Mother Yang asked doubtfully. Yang Dahai looked surprised too.
"It's like this. I decided to work during the holiday. I'm planning on doing both part-time work and study." Yang Ming said.
"Working? Doing part-time work and study?" Mother Yang froze, then she asked worriedly, "How could that be? What job are you working? Are you sure about this? I have seen the newspaper. Those black-hearted bosses usually deduct part-time workers' salaries. Many of them worked for few months and didn't get anything in return! Don't you fall for it!"
"Yeah, Big Ming. Don't you get cheated by others. There are many cheaters nowadays." Yang Dahai was worried. "I have also heard that some businesses are illegal. You need to be careful!"
"Dad, mom, don't worry about it. It's not as scary as you both have mentioned." Yang Ming laughed. "There are many part-time workers, and they're fine too."
"You're different from others. You don't have any experience in society, and you're still young!" Yang Dahai said immediately.
"Dad, let me finish speaking. The place that I'm going to work at is Uncle Zhang's company. That's Zhang Bing's dad!" Yang Ming explained, "We have agreed that I would work for him."
"Zhang Bing's dad's company? Isn't it a jewelry business? What can you do?" Mother Yang asked curiously, "Do people want a male salesperson?"
"Mom!" Yang Ming was dumbfounded. "Can your son only be a salesman? Why can't I do something that's more technical?"
"Technical? You don't know about jewelry. What can you do?" Mother Yang was puzzled.
"On this trip to Yunnan, I have discovered that I'm talented in the field of gemstones. So I'm working on this." Yang Ming said, "Even Uncle Zhang praised that I have good taste in picking gemstones."
Yang Ming's half-truth had relieved Father Yang and Mother Yang. After all, it's a company of a classmate's family. Therefore, it shouldn't be anything messed up.
"Right, then you study well and focus on work. Just take whatever pay they offer and be satisfied!" Yang Dahai instructed.
"I know." Yang Ming could only temporarily come up with such an excuse. After all, he couldn't say that he earned money through his exceptional abilities.
That evening, Yang Ming's family had dinner together. Yang Ming opened up his luggage and took out some presents from Yunnan. "Dad, mom, these are for you!"
"Aiya, it's good enough that you came back already. Why did you buy so many presents?" Mother Yang said this, but her smile was very bright.
"They are special local products and small handicrafts from Yunnan. They didn't cost much. You two can give them to others as presents or as acts of kindness." Yang Ming said, "You need to try those two rice noodles with plastic seals. They taste really good."
"Alright, your dad and I will taste it tomorrow morning!" Mother Yang said with a smile.
At night, Yang Ming turned on his computer. He launched QQ. Then, he received a few messages.
Wild Female Teacher: "Are you there? Play Landlords with me."
Wild Female Teacher: "Say something!"
Wild Female Teacher: "You aren't there?"
Wild Female Teacher left about ten messages. Their contents were more or less the same.
There were a few messages from I'm a Superstar, but those weren't important messages. They were messages such as "are you there" etc. Yang Ming turned it off right away.
What especially excited Yang Ming was that "Xiao Yan" a.k.a. Chen Mengyan had left him some messages!
Xiao Yan: "Yang Ming, it's me, Mengyan. I heard that you went to Yunnan for a trip. Remember to bring me some presents!"
Looking at Chen Mengyan's message, Yang Ming didn't know whether he should be happy or sad. Chen Mengyan referred to herself as "Mengyan" for the first time, which meant that Chen Mengyan no longer considered Yang Ming as an outsider!
Besides, Chen Mengyan didn't mention anything about the previous incident at all, which meant that Chen Mengyan had probably regretted what she did. Moreover, the slightly playful sentence "Bring me some presents!" was completely in a flirtatious tone.
Yang Ming didn't know what to do. If it was a few days ago, Yang Ming would be ecstatic, but now, he had Lan Ling, and everything wasn't the same. Although he still loved Chen Mengyan, he couldn't be with her anymore.
Chapter 126: Romantic Encounter on the Train
Yang Ming wished to give Chen Mengyan a call, but he couldn't. Although the misunderstanding wasn't as severe as Yang Ming perceived, a new problem arose.
Aside from Lan Ling's voodoo problem, would Chen Mengyan accept Lan Ling? Would Lan Ling accept Chen Mengyan? Could it turn out just like a web novel where I can sleep with multiple people? I could fantasize about it but to make it real, it wasn't quite feasible. Right now, the girls were quite sly. Who would share a man with others?
The next morning, Yang Ming went to visit Fang Tian. He brought some Yunnan products to him. Yang Ming sympathized with Fang Tian because he didn't have any children and his wife betrayed him.
Yang Ming visited Fang Tian's house only once before, but his memory was quite good, so he managed to find it.
The door opened. Fang Tian saw it was Yang Ming and he welcomed him with enthusiasm. "Why are you free to visit an old man like me today?"
"Uncle Fang, I just came back from Yunnan, and I bought some of their local specialties for you." Yang Ming brought a bag into the house as he smiled.
"What have you brought? I am just an old man who can't eat much." Fang Tian shook his head and smiled. "You can still think of me. Thank you, little fellow."
"Uncle Fang, you don't have any sons. I am quite free as well, so I am here to visit you!" Yang Ming didn't have an immoral nature. On the contrary, he was a kind person. He joined the hoods in the past because of Su Ya. He had given up on himself then. All in all, he didn't enjoy that kind of lifestyle.
"Hehe. How can I wish for more? Come again when you are free!" Fang Tian said, "Don't buy anything if you come and visit again. An old man like me still has some money. You don't have any income yet."
"Alright, I will only bring myself to visit you next time." Yang Ming didn't decline it. Although he was going to be a millionaire soon, it was soon in the future rather than right now!
"Yang Ming..." Fang Tian hesitated a little while, and he spoke, "Have you seen Bao Sanli and his guys at all?"
Fang Ting was hesitant just now because he didn't know Yang Ming very well. He felt that his innate character wasn't bad hence he didn't speak.
"Bao Sanli? He was released?" Yang Ming was surprised. In his time in detention hall, his connection with Bao Sanli was great. If he was released, he should go meet him.
"En, not long after you left, Bao Sanli was summoned to the court. Because both parties were responsible, Bao Sanli compensated the other party with a sum of money. They didn't sentence him to prison." Even though Fang Tian had an apathetic appearance, he still had a clear train of thought when he spoke. It was hard to imagine he was the crazy old man who sang at midnight.
"Hehe, I do miss them a bit!" Yang Ming smiled. "Oh, ya, Uncle Fang, have they returned your prior assets?"
"Prior assets? Hehe. It was all confiscated!" Fang Tian smiled as though he didn't care.
"You were acquitted. Shouldn't your prior assets return to you? You can apply for it!" Yang Ming suggested.
"Return to me? Forget about it. It is my fault to not recognize her true nature. I had put all my assets under the woman's name!" Fang Tian shook his head. "Do you think she would return it to me?"
Yang Ming nodded as he heard the old man. "That's true. Let's forget it."
"Yup, I am trying to forget about it now. The country has given me enough financial assistance for me to live out my old age!" Fang Tian smiled.
At this moment, Yang Ming's phone rang. As he took it out, he saw it was from Zhang Bing. Yang Ming gestured an apology to Fang Tian and accepted the phone call. "Hey, why are you looking for me?"
"Yang Ming, where are you? Haven't we agreed to meet up at my house today? The rocks that we gambled at Yunnan have arrived. Let's head to my father's office!" Zhang Bing shouted through the phone.
"Alright, I understand. I am at a friend's house right now. I will be there soon." Yang Ming finally recalled the appointment they made yesterday.
"Alright, I'm waiting for you. Come here quickly!" Zhang Bing hung up the call.
"Is your friend looking for you? You should go now." Yang Ming's speaker was quite loud. Hence, Fang Tian could overhear Yang Ming's conversation.
"Hehe, it's just a fellow brother." Yang Ming nodded. [1]
"Did you go to Yunnan for rock gambling?" Fang Tian suddenly asked.
"En, I am just playing around." Yang Ming nodded.
"Be careful on your own. Recently, there are people keeping an eye on rock gambling... Nevermind. You are just playing around. Nobody else will notice." Fang Tian was thinking aloud.
Perhaps the speaker had no intention, but the listener determined the will. Yang Ming immediately asked, "Uncle Fang, what are you saying? Someone is keeping an eye on it? What do you mean?"
"Nothing much. I heard there are people who specialize in the grand theft of imperial jade trading. You don't have anything exceptional on your hands, so you don't need to worry about it." Fang Tian easily brushed it off with one sentence. It was clear that he didn't want to speak too much.
However, Yang Ming was in doubt. Why did Fang Tian mention this to him suddenly? In fact, I just lost my imperial jade recently! Would he know something?
Yang Ming quickly rejected those thoughts. Fang Tian was acquitted recently. He always stayed at home. How could he know anything about it? Probably, he saw it on the news.
Yang Ming didn't ask further. He bid farewell to Fang Tian and left.
Fang Tian's house was in the suburban area. On the other hand, Zhang Bing's house was in the city center. There was no bus with a direct route going there. Luckily, there was still the train. Yang Ming bought a train ticket that covered half of the train journey. He stood behind the safety line as he waited for the train.
The train was much more on time compared to a bus. A train came not long after. Yang Ming boarded the train. There weren't many people on the train, but there were no seats. Just a few people stood on the train.
Yang Ming found a place that had a more comfortable handrail as he braced himself. The train reached the next station quite soon. A student stood up as he got off the train not far from Yang Ming.
Yang Ming noticed it and went over for the seat. After all, the journey to Zhang Bing's house would take half an hour. Even though Yang Ming had a sturdy physique, he didn't want to keep standing like an idiot.
However, a girl holding a thermal food container also noticed the seat. She reached the empty seat at almost the same time as Yang Ming. If the person was a male or a bad girl, Yang Ming would not hesitate to push the person aside and take the seat.
Yang Ming wasn't someone with lots of sympathies. The cruelty of society had separated him from the teachings of Wu Jiang Si Mei [2]. But, it was different right now. The person in front of him was a pretty girl. The girl seemed to be quiet. There were traces of exhaustion on her delicate cheek.
It was easy for people to sympathize with this kind of girl. People would uncontrollably pity and protect her.
There were many amazing girls beside Yang Ming - Lan Ling with her rejuvenating aura, Chen Mengyan with her youthful spirit, and Zhao Ying with her fine ladylike air. There was almost an absence of such an aura on the girl. She carried an aura which spoke of her helpless but not hopeless life. She could be exhausted but she was still resolute.
"You… take the seat..." said Yang Ming as he looked at the girl and smiled. But, why was this girl so familiar to him? Had he seen her before? In Yang Ming's memory, there wasn't such a great pretty girl!
Lin Zhiyun noticed the man in front of her, and she was caught off guard. Her face flushed. Why is it him? I actually met him again! Lin Zhiyun was nervous. From Yang Ming's expression, it seemed he didn't recognize her. Lin Zhiyun was relieved slightly. But, she didn't know why she felt a lingering sadness.
As a matter of fact, she couldn't blame Yang Ming for not noticing her. She wanted to sell herself to Yang Ming that day. At that time, the light was quite dim. Yang Ming couldn't see clearly. Also, Yang Ming didn't want to establish contact between them.
"I can stand for a while. I'm close to my destination." Lin Zhiyun said softly.
"Quickly go ahead and take the seat. I am just training my body. If I sit down, it won't be effective!" Yang Ming said as he flexed his arm and showed off his muscles.
"Hehe. Thanks..." Lin Zhiyun couldn't help but smile as she covered her mouth. The man in front of her was quite humorous!
As he saw Lin Zhiyun smile, Yang Ming was stunned for a while. Initially, Lin Zhiyun with her delicate face had moved Yang Ming. He never imagined that her smile was so charming. A smile from a pretty girl could overturn everyone's manner.
"Ah. Eh." At this moment, the train suddenly stopped. Both of Yang Ming's hands were not on the handrails, and he was posing like a gymnast. Due to the momentum of the train, Yang Ming plunged forward. In front of him, Lin Zhiyun just sat down.
With a sound of "Peng!", Yang Ming fell directly into Lin Zhiyun's arms. His head landed on her chest...