After the Gaokao ended, the class planned to hold a Teachers’ Appreciation Banquet, but they could not agree on a date until the thirteenth.
Everyone still needed to take the Graduation Photo, so they discussed it in the Group Chat that day.
The Group Chat was lively, and nearly everyone spoke up. Only Lin Hao was still lurking.
Fang Zhanpeng sent Lin Hao a private message and asked, “Lin Hao, where are you?”
Lin Hao replied, “Working part-time.”
Fang Zhanpeng continued, “The graduation photo and the teachers’ appreciation banquet—you’re not coming?”
Lin Hao said, “I don’t have time. You guys have fun. I’ll transfer you one hundred; help me buy gifts for the teachers.”
Fang Zhanpeng thought for a moment, then typed a line: “That’s a little inconsiderate of you. It’ll give people something to gossip about. Are you afraid to see Xu Yanyu?”
Lin Hao considered it, then sent him his location: “I’m not in Guicheng right now. I’m in Jinling.”
Fang Zhanpeng was shocked. “Awesome, you’re really in Jinling!”
The Teachers’ Appreciation Banquet and the Graduation Photo were the most important events after graduation. Fang Zhanpeng felt that Lin Hao’s absence was a great shame.
Lin Hao told him, “Don’t dwell on it. Any gossip will be about me anyway. As long as I don’t care, it’s fine.”
Fang Zhanpeng said, “At this rate, Xu Yanyu will think you’re avoiding her and look down on you even more.”
Lin Hao said, “Whatever. We’ve already broken up.”
After they finished chatting, the class monitor also messaged Lin Hao and asked where he was.
Lin Hao told her he could not come.
The class monitor brought it up in the group chat. This time, only Lin Hao’s absence was certain, which made the others somewhat puzzled.
After reading the messages, Xu Yanyu indeed assumed that Lin Hao did not dare face her.
Xu Yanyu chatted with her best friend.
Her best friend said, “This Lin Hao isn’t anything special. Yanyu, you were right to break up with him. He has no sense of responsibility.”
Meanwhile, on the other side.
The homeroom teacher called Lin Hao’s mom to ask about his situation.
Ye Huilian said, “Lin Hao is working in the countryside and can’t make it back in time.”
The Homeroom Teacher frowned. “Working in the countryside? But this activity is important. Are you sure you don’t want him to come back? Even taking a day off would be fine.”
Ye Huilian had no choice but to say, “Wait a moment. I’ll talk to Lin Hao, then tell you.”
“All right.”
The two of them hung up.
Ye Huilian called Lin Hao and said, “Son, can you ask for leave and come back? Your Teacher and classmates all want to eat at the Teachers’ Appreciation Banquet and take the Graduation Photo with you. Mom thinks it would mean something to you.”
Lin Hao refused. “No, Mom. I’m not in Shangou Village. I’m in Jinling.”
“What! You’re in Jinling? Why did you run so far away?”
Ye Huilian looked astonished.
Lin Hao smiled. “Mom, my job changed, so I came to Jinling. It’s the same wherever I go to make money.”
Ye Huilian’s brows knitted tightly. “Tell me honestly. Did things not go well for you in the countryside, so you ran off to have fun?”
Lin Hao said frankly, “No. You can ask Uncle Lin.”
Ye Huilian did not quite believe him, so she called Lin Yaoyang.
Lin Yaoyang laughed heartily. “Lin Hao is a sensible boy. He got promoted to Deputy Manager of Lychee Purchasing and now earns one thousand yuan a day.”
“One thousand a day?”
Ye Huilian’s mouth fell open. Then she became delighted—her son had made something of himself.
Sure enough, her son was not as useless as she had thought. He knew how to get ahead.
Though Ye Huilian was happy, she did not forget to ask, “Why did you go to Jinling?”
Lin Yaoyang said with a laugh, “We came to take care of a few matters. We’ll be back soon, so you can rest assured.”
At this point, Lin Yaoyang wanted to tell Ye Huilian what he had kept in his heart.
But then he remembered that he had made a promise to Lin Hao, so he did not reveal anything.
In the end, Ye Huilian called Lin Hao’s Homeroom Teacher and told her that he would not attend the Teachers’ Appreciation Banquet or take the Graduation Photo.
In her eyes, this was an opportunity for her son to rise above the rest, and she could not interrupt him.
The homeroom teacher inevitably felt somewhat regretful upon hearing this.
However, the homeroom teacher suggested, “You can ask Lin Hao to take a photo and send it over. Later, we can edit him into the graduation photo.”
Ye Huilian said, “All right, I’ll notify him.”
Lin Hao took a photo with a luxurious hotel in the background and sent it to the homeroom teacher.
After seeing it, the homeroom teacher exclaimed, “Well, look at him!” Lin Hao seemed to have a bright future.
That same day.
Lin Hao received a message from Su Qingwei.
Su Qingwei was delighted. “Classmate Lin Hao, we held the Teachers’ Appreciation Banquet and took the Graduation Photo. Did your class hold them too?”
Lin Hao said, “We did, but I didn’t attend.”
Su Qingwei sighed and typed, “You missed such an important event.”
Lin Hao said, “I’m going to take a shower.”
Su Qingwei said, “Don’t stand me up. The lychee from that day is all gone, and I want to come find you again.”
Lin Hao replied, “I’m not in the countryside. I’m in Jinling.”
Upon hearing that he was in Jinling, Su Qingwei became interested and asked, “What are you doing there?”
Lin Hao said, “I came out to meet a friend and take care of a few matters along the way.”
Su Qingwei pouted. “You went to Jinling without calling me. Honestly.”
Lin Hao sent a flirtatious expression. “Then come.”
Su Qingwei said, “I don’t know you.”
Lin Hao sent an exasperated expression, and the two ended their chat.
Because Lin Hao missed the Teachers’ Appreciation Banquet and the Graduation Photo, everyone gossiped about him.
Fang Zhanpeng was angry and even wanted to hit someone, but he managed to restrain himself.
In the end, the Homeroom Teacher sent Lin Hao’s photo to the Class Monitor and asked her to edit him into the Graduation Photo.
The Class Monitor was surprised. Lin Hao looked handsome in the photo—a fine-looking young man dressed with exceptional taste. The background was unusual too; its style suggested that it was not an ordinary place.
In fact, after arriving in Jinling, Lin Hao bought two sets of clothes for himself. Both were branded and cost more than one thousand yuan. He did not wear his countryside clothes.
Thus, his overall level rose at once.
After the Class Monitor edited him into the Graduation Photo, Lin Hao stood out from everyone else. He was far too conspicuous.
The class monitor asked Lin Hao, “Don’t you have any other photos?”
Lin Hao said, “That’s the only one. I don’t have any others.”
The Class Monitor was speechless. If they sent out a photo like this, the other students would probably mock it and assume someone had edited Lin Hao’s clothes into the picture.
Jinling.
That evening, Lin Hao and Lin Yaoyang went to attend Xu Mingyuan’s banquet.
Xu Mingyuan had a son named Xu Ying, who was the same age as Lin Hao.
Xu Ying was a genuine Second-Generation Rich Heir. At the dinner table, he sized up Lin Hao.
Xu Mingyuan said impatiently, “If you have something to say, say it. Don’t stare at Lin Hao like that.”
Xu Ying said something astonishing. “Lin Hao, how about I give you a watch?”
Lin Hao looked puzzled. “Why would you give me one?”
Xu Ying smiled faintly. “I want to be friends with you. Besides, giving you a watch would let me get close to the beautiful women around you.”
So that was his real intention.
Xu Mingyuan’s eyes were filled with disdain. He felt that this son was hopeless and could not compare with Lin Hao.
Lin Hao laughed. “How do you know there are beautiful women around me?”
Xu Ying said solemnly, “My intuition never fails. You must have great luck with women!”
At that moment, Xu Mingyuan put down his chopsticks and said, “Stop talking nonsense here. Go see how your grandfather is doing.”
“Yes, dad!”
As he spoke, Xu Ying rose and left the dining table.
Lin Hao grew curious. “Boss, what happened to the Old Master?”
Xu Mingyuan sighed. “Alas, the Old Master has been paralyzed on one side and bedridden for years.”
Lin Hao’s heart stirred. “Actually, I can save more than just flowers and plants. I can also perform life-saving.”
Xu Mingyuan’s breathing stopped for a moment. Only after a full three seconds did he say, “Say that again!”
Lin Hao said slowly, “I can treat illnesses. Perhaps I can examine the Old Master.”
Xu Mingyuan grew agitated. This was no dream. He stood up and said, “Lin Hao, if you can cure the Old Master and let him get out of bed and move around, I’ll give you an enormous reward.”
“What reward?”
“I can give you an apartment—an apartment within jinling pass.”
Lin Yaoyang sat beside them, stunned by their conversation, his jaw hanging open.