Yang Zhenzhen also recovered, energetic and lively, like a cute little Peppa Pig.
"I want to lose weight. When I get down to 100 jin, I'll date you."
"Then I'll have no hope in this lifetime!"
Yang Zhenzhen kicked at me, and I lazily dodged. Her legs were thick and short, and it would be a miracle if she could even kick me.
As we spoke, we both entered the cafeteria together. Yang Zhenzhen got two servings of breakfast. I won't list the categories, but when I say two servings, I mean two full trays of food.
"Didn't you say you were going to diet?"
"I've given up. Anyway, I have no chance of dating you."
Yang Zhenzhen's words, though spoken casually, carried a hint of sadness. I looked at her seriously: "Yang Zhenzhen, you are a painter, and I am The Schemer. We both have the ability to not care about worldly opinions. Give me a chance, and give yourself a chance. Let's try, and if it doesn't work out, we can part ways."
"Just hearing you say this makes me very happy. I'm going abroad. I'll be graduating early and leaving next month."
"Where to?"
"At an art exhibition, a foreigner took a liking to my painting. He wants to be my agent and promote my work."
"Male or female?"
"Male, quite handsome, with a high nose and blue eyes."
"Then I definitely can't let you go. It sounds like you'll lose both money and affection."
Yang Zhenzhen was silent for a moment before murmuring, "Tang Nan, I'm really happy to have met you. I'll probably never forget such a memorable experience. I have two dreams: a memorable romantic experience and to be a true painter."
I didn't say anything. I had money, but I couldn't stop Yang Zhenzhen from pursuing her dream. Finally, I forced a smile: "Good luck."
"Mhm, I'm not crying. I'm not crying. I'm just a little happy thinking about becoming a true painter."
As Yang Zhenzhen spoke, tears streamed down into her food tray. My heart ached, yet I was happy for her. "Oh, that painting that's afraid of detergent sold. It should be credited today. The buyer contacted me."
When I said this, Yang Zhenzhen's tears continued to fall as she stared at me blankly.
"I told the buyer that the painting is afraid of detergent, and he said that laminating it would solve the problem. I don't really understand, but they bought it for five million. Alright, I'm leaving now. I haven't had breakfast, and suddenly I don't have much of an appetite."
I didn't look back on the way out of the cafeteria. I didn't dare to see Yang Zhenzhen's final expression. After leaving, I transferred five million to her account. Then, I called the exhibition staff and asked them to laminate the painting and deliver it to the empty room.
...
After finishing my classes for the day, I went to the room. It was fully furnished and ready to move in. Two paintings hung on the walls: one was of a wind-swept pine forest in inverse, and the other was a river drawn with vegetable broth.
I sat cross-legged on the sofa, thinking, "There should be a sofa here, and a 42-inch TV in front of it. The kitchen needs a refrigerator so I can have a Coke when it's hot."
Just then, there was a knock on the door. Puzzled, I opened it to find Senior Sister Qianqian carrying a small red suitcase.
"Senior Sister, how did you know about this place?"
Senior Sister ignored me and walked around, inspecting. "The kitchen hood fan is not good; it needs to be European style. The refrigerator should be the largest. Install a water heater in the bathroom, and also a small water heater in the kitchen. Don't buy a chaise lounge for the sofa; it takes up too much space. A vacuum cleaner, a clothes iron, these things are all necessary. The master bedroom should have a round bed; it's cute and pretty. I don't like the curtains; replace them. They need to be blackout curtains."
I stared at her, dumbfounded. Finally, I managed to interject, "Senior Sister, this is a rented apartment."
"Buy it."
"Why?"
"It's convenient! From today on, I'll be staying in the master bedroom, and you'll stay in the secondary bedroom. Of course, you can choose to live with me. After all, we'll be living together for a long time. The sooner we break through that barrier, the more convenient it will be."
I swallowed, suppressing the turmoil in my heart. "No, let's still maintain a distinction between main and secondary. Senior Sister, aren't you going to deal with 'Logical Paradox'? Why are you staying here?"
"Master said you have more than enough intelligence but lack the ability. I'm responsible for training you for a year, and then we'll go deal with 'The Mentor' together."
'The Mentor' must be the founder of 'Logical Paradox.' I still remember what Long She Gui said: no matter how you lose a game, as long as you use the right method, you will eventually win. This is the paradox. This is also the origin of this chilling scam organization.
The founder of this organization was established by 'The Mentor' and Long She Gui. 'The Mentor' is the core, and Long She Gui is a free spirit, helping 'The Mentor' gather talent everywhere. Qin Sisi, Liu Chenxi, Leng Yan, Lin Zhijun—these people were all discovered by Long She Gui. This is only what I know; there is much I don't know. I imagine they are all under 'The Mentor's' manipulation, flowing into society to fulfill their dreams.
"Senior Sister, let me ask you, is 'The Mentor' more powerful than Long She Gui?"
"There's no such comparison, but 'The Mentor' is definitely harder to deal with than Long She Gui."
"Why?"
"Because 'The Mentor' is not in China. If we want to deal with him, we have to go to his territory. If our battle were a movie, then 'The Mentor' would be the protagonist, and we would be the villains."
I wasn't bothered by us becoming villains. Instead, I was eager to try. I said to the world, "Is it really okay for us to start closed-door training now? Do we need to go to Beijing to help Old Ghost?"
"You helping Master? Forget it. Just don't cause him any more trouble."
Hearing this, I felt a bit awkward. Qianqian looked around again. "Set it up according to my instructions. Buy sample furniture as much as possible, so there's no formaldehyde smell. Today, buy this apartment, and I'll be here in three days. Oh, and to the outside world, say I'm your girlfriend."
"Senior Sister, don't take away my right to fall in love."
"You can fall in love with me."
"No, by the way, Sister, can I buy a computer and get broadband installed?"
"This is your home!"
"It doesn't feel like it!"
...
From that day on, I began living with Senior Sister. After class, I would open the door and enter the house, hearing Senior Sister's distinctive pigeon-like laughter from my room. I walked into the room. Was my gaming computer, which cost eight thousand yuan, and the 100-megabit broadband, meant for watching movies?
"Senior Sister, this is my computer."
Hearing me say this, Senior Sister, wearing a soft pajama, looked up at me and offered me a bag of potato chips with only crumbs left, her eyes alluring. "How about we watch together!"
I froze for about a second, then instinctively shook my head. "No, is there any food?"
"I bought groceries. They're in the refrigerator."
"Should I cook it?"
"Do you expect me to?"
"Can I use the computer to look up recipes?"
"I heard you studied cooking." Senior Sister immediately exposed my little ploy.
...
I gave up. I went to the kitchen to take a look. The ingredients were quite complete. I had studied cooking, so cooking should be no problem. As I was cooking, the doorbell rang. A man in a suit and tie walked in. I looked at him curiously. He scrutinized me from head to toe. "Tang Nan?"
"Who are you?"
"Su Jingran, I'm a lawyer."
"Is there something you need?"
Lawyer Su handed me a business card with the name and phone number of a doctor at a blood center. I looked at it back and forth twice, then looked at Lawyer Su with surprise. "What is this for?"
"Tomorrow morning, between ten and twelve, please come to the hospital for a paternity test."
"Paternity test? With whom!"
"Fang Yue, Mr. Fang. We have evidence to prove that you are the son Mr. Fang lost many years ago. As long as the paternity test is successful, you may receive tens of millions in inheritance."
Hearing Lawyer Su say this, I looked at him again. I didn't think he was crazy. I pondered for a while and felt that this matter was related to Senior Sister. I looked at Lawyer Su again and said seriously, "Leave me a business card. I'll consider it."
"That's tens of millions in inheritance."
"Stop talking nonsense. If you annoy me, I'll give you ten million and have you be this son for me." After saying that, I glanced at the stunned Lawyer Su again. "Would you like to stay for dinner?"
"No, no need."
"Then don't delay my cooking."
I saw Lawyer Su out, took the business card from the blood center, and showed it to Senior Sister, asking her seriously, "What's going on?"
Senior Sister looked at the business card back and forth twice. "What is this? Donating blood?"
"A lawyer just came and asked me to do a paternity test, saying there's an inheritance of tens of millions waiting for me?"
Hearing me say this, Senior Sister picked up the business card and looked at it again. "This is a trap, isn't it?"
"You didn't arrange it?"
Senior Sister shook her head.
"You really didn't arrange it?"
Senior Sister directly took out her phone, dialed a number, and pressed the speakerphone. Old Ghost's warm voice came from the other end: "Qianqian, you miss me!"
"Master, there's something here about Junior Brother inheriting an inheritance. Did you arrange it?"
"What inheritance? I don't know! It's probably a trap. Tang Nan has parents and money. Why would he inherit someone else's inheritance?"
"You really don't know?"
"I really don't know. Let Qianqian arrange it. I have something to do here. Qianqian, I'll send you an address. Send me some Inner Mongolian lamb slices when you have time."
"Okay, Master! We'll hang up then. I'll arrange it."
Senior Sister hung up the phone. Her obedient and docile demeanor immediately disappeared, and she looked at me sternly. "Tomorrow, you'll do the paternity test, and buy ten catties of lamb slices. I'll mail them to Master."
"This has nothing to do with us. Let's not get involved."
"A large trap for wealth, a small trap for the heart. No matter what their intentions are, this is a good opportunity for your training."
I frowned. Senior Sister looked at me. "Don't understand?"
"I understand!"
"If you understand, go cook."
The next day, I went to the blood center. The old gentleman I was doing the paternity test with was named Fang Yue. About twenty-five years ago, he and his wife worked at a slaughterhouse. Their three-year-old child was left at home and went missing.
Where did this child go? They were stolen, kidnapped, and never found. It has always been a heartache for Fang Jing and his wife, Yu Rong.
Hearing this situation, I turned to leave. Can we stop this? I'm only twenty-four this year. Their son went missing twenty-five years ago. At that time, their son was already three years old. Now he's twenty-eight. Do I look twenty-eight?
As I turned to leave, the doctor stopped me, saying that since I was already here, it would be good to let Mr. Fang have peace of mind. I frowned. This was clearly a bribe!
Long She Gui was right. I'm an hawk. I don't care who my opponent is. If you drag me into something for no reason, you'll just have to face the consequences.
Come on, paternity test. The results will be out in three hours. I'm not leaving. I'll wait here...