Chapter 34: Splash Them Awake!

The pedestrian street started with snack stalls, followed by restaurants, and then further down were supermarkets, bathhouses, barbershops, and open-air barbecue stands.

At that moment, the girls from Finance Class 3 had just come out of the supermarket, carrying bags of daily necessities. They chatted and laughed as they walked back, their cheerful voices and lively presence drawing the attention of quite a few male college students along the way.

"Qingqing, don't you think the guys in our class are kind of subpar?"

"Yeah, not a single one catches my eye."

The girl called Song Qingqing nodded noncommittally. She wore heavy makeup, false eyelashes, and had strands of her hair dyed a striking teal, making her the center of attention wherever she went.

"No way, I think that Jiang Qin guy is pretty decent," Pan Xiu chimed in with a differing opinion. She wasn't particularly striking in looks, but her gentle demeanor gave her a certain cute charm.

Song Qingqing frowned slightly. "Which one's Jiang Qin?"

"The one who sits by the window in the back row. About 1.8 meters tall, clean-cut and handsome. You didn't notice him?"

"Nope, didn't see him."

"What about you, Jiang Tian? Did you notice him?"

Jiang Tian, a long-legged beauty with a slightly babyish voice, nodded. "Yeah, I have some impression of him. He's good-looking, sure, but he's kind of low-class." She recalled how Jiang Qin and Cao Guangyu had flaunted their phones to act like big shots and found it laughable, feeling a vague sense of disdain.

Pan Xiu flashed a sly smile. "Guess what? I heard Jiang Qin's planning to pursue Qingqing."

Jiang Tian's eyes widened. "For real?"

"Yup! One of his roommates, Ren Ziqiang, told me just now when we were chatting."

"Qingqing, your charm's unreal! It's barely the start of the semester, and you've already got a suitor?"

Song Qingqing found it amusing. "Do I look that approachable? How come anyone and everyone thinks they've got a shot at me? Hilarious."

Jiang Tian thought back to Jiang Qin's appearance. "Honestly, he's not bad-looking. He passes my standards. Qingqing, you really not interested?"

"Tian Tian, you're too naive. What's the point of being handsome if he's broke? You know how high-maintenance I am—I'm not about to date some guy from an average family. He's jealous over a 3,000-yuan phone—how's he supposed to buy me makeup?"

"Fair point. Jiang Qin definitely can't afford to keep up with you."

Just then, Pan Xiu's gaze shifted northward, and she quickly grabbed their arms. "Look, that's Jiang Qin!"

Song Qingqing and Jiang Tian turned to see Jiang Qin stepping out of Nanshan Restaurant. Their eyes lit up. "He is pretty clean-cut. Should we go say hi?"

"Why not? Chatting's free."

Pan Xiu, a notorious gossip enthusiast, immediately stepped forward and called out to Jiang Qin.

At that moment, Jiang Qin was simmering with frustration and didn't want to deal with anyone. But seeing they were classmates, he reined it in—after all, it was the start of the semester, and he wasn't the type to burn bridges with everyone.

The girls from Finance Class 3 were blunt. They marched right up and asked if he liked Song Qingqing, while Song Qingqing stood to the side, chin raised, exuding an air of superiority.

Jiang Qin was floored. I'm here to make money—why do I keep getting tangled up with girls? Someone needs to splash some cold, yellow reality on them, damn it.

"Jiang Qin, you're not getting shy, are you?"

"Shy my ass. That's just Ren Ziqiang talking nonsense. You'd be better off believing in ghosts than him."

The girls burst into laughter, thinking, Guys are all the same—caught in the act and too scared to admit it.

But before they could process further, a stunning figure dashed out of Nanshan Restaurant, shoving through them in a huff and grabbing Jiang Qin's arm.

When the girls from Finance Class 3 saw her face, they froze, their eyes widening in shock.

This girl was breathtaking—her every feature radiated vibrant charm, her figure was impeccable, and her face was exquisitely refined.

Song Qingqing, the self-proclaimed beauty of Finance Class 3, suddenly felt a pang of insecurity in her presence, instinctively stepping back half a pace.

"Jiang Qin, what exactly is it you don't like about me? Why are you acting like I'm a stranger?"

"Chu Siqi, I don't have anything against you. I just want us to part on good terms."

Chu Siqi pressed her lips together, tears welling in her eyes. "Then why did you suddenly stop liking me?"

Jiang Qin took a deep breath, trying to keep his voice steady. "Focus on your studies. I promise you'll meet someone you really like soon enough. As for us, there's no chance."

"I don't care! You have to like me—only me! You don't get to leave unless I say so!"

"You're really something else."

Jiang Qin didn't want to waste another word. He turned to leave, but Chu Siqi wouldn't let go, insisting he agree to keep liking her.

The girls from Class 3 were dumbfounded—first, because this girl was drop-dead gorgeous, and second, because it was unthinkable that someone this stunning would cling to Jiang Qin so desperately.

Before they could snap out of it, another equally dazzling girl emerged from the restaurant. She apologized to Jiang Qin first, then grabbed Chu Siqi's arm.

"Siqi, let's talk about this back inside."

"Hong Yan, I thought you were my good sister—why do you have to like Jiang Qin too?" Chu Siqi glared at her, resentment flashing in her eyes.

Hong Yan's expression dimmed. "I didn't even know you two knew each other."

Chu Siqi trembled with anger. "Let me tell you, he's not into you. He's only getting close to you to piss me off!"

"Let's not talk about this now. We'll sort it out when we get back, okay?"

Seconds later, Wang Huiru came running out too. No one understood this messy situation better than she did. After weighing her options, she didn't hesitate—she dragged Chu Siqi back into the restaurant, leaving only Hong Yan and Jiang Qin behind.

The two stood face-to-face, the atmosphere growing heavy.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know about you and Siqi," Hong Yan said, starting with an apology.

Jiang Qin shook his head. "I don't have a damn thing to do with her. Don't let this stress you out."

Hong Yan's eyes widened slightly. "Really?"

Jiang Qin, with forty years of life experience, realized for the first time that some things couldn't be explained with words alone. "Today's been a mess. Let me treat you to a meal another day, and we'll talk then."

"Okay. Just the two of us next time?"

"Deal."

Jiang Qin gave a faint smile, turned, and walked off, disappearing into the bustling crowd of the pedestrian street. Hong Yan took a couple of deep breaths, steadied herself, and headed back into the restaurant.

The only ones left on the street were the girls from Finance Class 3, still reeling from what seemed like a dramatic showdown.

"I don't think Jiang Qin's actually into Qingqing," Pan Xiu said out of nowhere after a long pause, jolting the others awake.

They exchanged glances and nodded. Pan Xiu was right—those two girls fighting over Jiang Qin were both dazzling beyond compare. Song Qingqing didn't hold a candle to them. This wasn't some idol drama—there was no way Jiang Qin would settle for less. How could he possibly like Song Qingqing?

Song Qingqing's face darkened, her shopping bag crumpled in her grip.

She'd come here to toy with Jiang Qin from her lofty "goddess" perch, only to have him steal the show and leave her feeling unworthy. It was unreal.

And when Jiang Qin left, he hadn't even spared her a glance—something the proud Song Qingqing couldn't stomach.

Since when did I become someone who could be ignored? I'm the prettiest girl in Finance Class 3!

But thinking back to those two girls, she realized she didn't even have the right to be mad. That, perhaps, was the most humiliating part of all.