chapter 7

"I just came back a week ago," Tang Qingyu smiled, looking at Chen Luo seriously. "Hey, I haven't seen you in a few years. You seem more handsome!"

Before Chen Luo could respond, a female voice chimed in, "Qingyu, is this your friend?"

Chen Luo turned and saw a beautiful girl approaching with two cups of coffee.

"Zimo, let me introduce you. This is Chen Luo, my middle and high school classmate," Tang Qingyu said, pointing to the girl. "This beauty is Zhou Zhimo, my college classmate and girlfriend."

As Chen Luo watched Zhou Zhimo, she also examined him. She noted his handsome appearance and indifferent demeanor, which made him seem different from the average person. She smiled, "What a coincidence to meet classmates here."

"Yeah, I didn't expect such a coincidence. Meeting a classmate right after returning home is wonderful," Tang Qingyu smiled at Chen Luo. "Do you mind?"

Chen Luo smiled, "Of course not. It's a pleasure to be in the company of two beautiful women."

After Tang Qingyu and Zhou Zhimo sat down, Tang Qingyu asked, "It's been nearly seven years, hasn't it?"

Chen Luo nodded, "We graduated high school at eighteen, so yes, seven years. How about you? Have you graduated yet?"

"Still using that old title," Tang Qingyu laughed. "But it's been years since we graduated."

Chen Luo laughed, "No matter how many years pass, you'll always be the goddess of our school. If you posted a message in our high school class group, a bunch of guys would instantly call you the goddess."

Tang Qingyu shook her head, smiling, "I prefer to stay silent in that group. It's overwhelming to keep up with all the messages."

Zhou Zhimo laughed, "Was Qingyu that popular in high school?"

Chen Luo smiled, "She wasn't just popular; she was the dream lover of all the boys in school."

"Is that so exaggerated?"

Zhou Zhimo looked at Chen Luo with a smile, "Does that include you, Chen Luo?"

Chen Luo froze for a moment, then smiled, "Of course, I dreamed of the goddess Tang for many years."

His admission sounded like a joke, making everyone laugh, including Tang Qingyu.

"I don't believe it. We sat next to each other for a year, and you never said anything to me," Tang Qingyu said, squinting at Chen Luo.

Chen Luo smiled, "Do you know how many warnings I received from your admirers? They'd come to threaten me, making me too nervous to talk to you."

Both Tang Qingyu and Zhou Zhimo laughed heartily, attracting attention from others in the coffee shop.

"Really? I never knew that!" Tang Qingyu laughed, tears in her eyes.

Chen Luo continued, "Those guys wouldn't tell you they threatened me. Eventually, I got used to it and didn't tell you. That's why we didn't talk much until you went abroad."

Tang Qingyu laughed even more, while Zhou Zhimo, confused, sensed a deeper story between them.

"Hey, stop laughing! What's going on?" Zhou Zhimo asked.

Tang Qingyu, gasping for breath, said, "Do you know why I recognized him immediately after seven years?"

"Because he looks good?"

Chen Luo, having fused divine genes twice, had an improved appearance with bright, clear eyes and baby-like skin, enhancing his overall attractiveness.

Tang Qingyu grinned, "No, it's because he took the blame for me once in high school."

She recounted a high school incident: during a math evening study session, Chen Luo, having played online games overnight, fell asleep. Tang Qingyu, engrossed in a romance novel while listening to music, accidentally hummed aloud, drawing the attention of the class. Quick-witted, she hid her headphones and novel, leaving Chen Luo to be blamed by their math teacher, Yang Guofan, who thought he was sleep-talking.

Zhou Zhimo laughed, "So your math teacher thought he was dreaming?"

Chen Luo nodded, "Yes, and I didn't know the truth until the next evening study session."

Both Tang Qingyu and Zhou Zhimo laughed heartily again.

"Oh, it's been a long time since I laughed this hard," Zhou Zhimo said, gasping for breath.

Chen Luo waited for the two women to finish laughing and chatting before he realized that Zhou Zhimo wasn't from Jiangcheng but from Jingcheng. She had come to visit Tang Qingyu. Both had recently graduated with MBAs from Harvard and were planning to return to China to develop their careers.

When they learned that Chen Luo had been laid off and unemployed for over a month, they kindly offered to help him find a job. Chen Luo politely declined. He appreciated their willingness to help and knew they were capable of it, but he didn't want to owe them any favors. Moreover, he believed making money would be easy for him.

Given the current popularity of "Second Life," Chen Luo knew he could easily make money by selling game test qualifications. Even if he charged tens of thousands for them, many people would be eager to buy.

After declining their offer, Tang Qingyu changed the subject and suggested they have dinner together. Chen Luo, who had always liked Tang Qingyu, agreed with a smile.

After the meal, they exchanged contact information and said their goodbyes. Chen Luo knew that he and Tang Qingyu were on different paths now, and she hadn't shown any special interest in him. He also knew that a major catastrophe was expected within three years, making it an unsuitable time to pursue a relationship.

However, Chen Luo's indifferent attitude piqued the interest of both Zhou Zhimo and Tang Qingyu.

"Qingyu, your old classmate doesn't seem desperate, and he's not interested in you," Zhou Zhimo chuckled.

Tang Qingyu rolled her eyes, "Do you think everyone has to love me like I'm a RMB?"

Zhou Zhimo laughed, "You're cuter than RMB!"

Tang Qingyu, embarrassed, pushed Zhou Zhimo away, "Stop it!"

The two women laughed and played for a while, then drove off in a flashy red Ferrari.

Chen Luo, meanwhile, went shopping for clothes and groceries. He needed new clothes because his old ones didn't fit anymore. Once home, he decided it was time to make some money. With only 20,000 yuan in savings, he knew he had to find a way to support himself without taking a traditional job.

While selling game test qualifications was one option, he also considered enabling a recharge function in the game or opening a video reward function. However, these ideas were quickly dismissed because they could attract unwanted attention from major game companies and even the government.

Chen Luo decided to sell game test qualifications directly. During the first test, some people had offered 10,000 yuan for it, though the price later skyrocketed to 50,000 due to the non-transferability of the game accounts.

Using the game forum's background, Chen Luo found the phone numbers of those who had expressed interest in buying test qualifications. He chose five numbers from Jiangcheng and contacted them from a remote location using a landline.

All five buyers, eager and willing to pay, quickly agreed to meet. To stay safe, Chen Luo disguised himself with sunglasses and a mask before heading to the first meeting place: Dark Blue Internet Cafe.

The cafe's owner, Zhang Lesheng, greeted him eagerly and led him to the office. Chen Luo handed over the account details and waited while Zhang tested it. When the account worked, Zhang was ecstatic. He paid Chen Luo the agreed amount and then hesitantly asked if more test qualifications were available for purchase.

Chen Luo took the money and left, knowing he could easily sell more qualifications if needed.