Reborn: I'll Never Fail My Childhood Sweetheart Again-Chapter 354 - 144: The Runaway Junior Schoolgirl_2
Huang Hongbo and Li Juan exchanged looks, each seeing the surprise on the other’s face.
There are many nuances to drinking coffee, such as which type needs stirring and which does not, how to hold the cup, and even how to savor the aroma after sipping, all of which require attention.
At the same time, you should not blow on the coffee or make noise while drinking, as these are considered impolite.
Of course, you can choose to ignore these details, but in a Western restaurant, it may make you appear uncouth.
A person who understands how to drink coffee will naturally appear elegant in their actions and demeanor, exuding a subtle sophistication.
Currently, Su Zelin embodies that sophistication. From stirring techniques to swallowing, every detail of his actions is extremely standard. This made Huang Hongbo and Li Juan feel very strange, as such a university student rarely goes to Western restaurants for coffee, and even if they have the money, it’s not usually their taste at this age.
Of course, neither of them knew that for Su Zelin, who frequently visited high-end business venues in his previous life, he knew how to drink every type of coffee, whether it be mocha, latte, caramel macchiato, cappuccino, brüler, Americano, or Viennese.
With the right materials and tools, he could easily brew these types of coffee and perhaps even match the skill of the Arc de Triomphe’s baristas.
It wasn’t that Su Zelin particularly liked coffee; in fact, he preferred tea, but girls like coffee, especially when an elegant gentleman can brew it, making it much easier to win them over.
After taking two sips of coffee, Su Zelin put down his cup and asked, "Uncle, Aunt, I’m not someone who likes to beat around the bush. If there’s anything you want to say, why not just say it directly."
Huang Hongbo and Li Juan were filled with a peculiar feeling.
They had originally come to demand accountability, using various pressure tactics, yet not only did they have no effect, but the other party seemed to be taking the lead.
Seeing that her husband’s approach was ineffective, she decided to speak bluntly.
"Here’s the thing, a few days ago we discovered that Panpan’s card had a missing sum of money, as much as twenty thousand, and this money was transferred to your account."
For someone with Li Juan’s usually irritable temper, her tone was surprisingly calm at the moment.
She had intended to give him a piece of her mind, even in a café.
However, Su Zelin’s pleasing appearance and his consistently courteous demeanor, articulate and composed manner, made it hard for a grown-up to act less cultured than a young man by resolving the issue with rudeness.
Nonetheless, the problem still needed to be resolved.
"That’s right, the money was transferred to me!"
Su Zelin did not deny it, having already guessed their purpose in finding him.
Huang Hongbo and Li Juan were puzzled.
Even with the matter exposed, he acted too calmly, showing no signs of panic or distress.
It was unclear whether to describe him as thick-skinned or possessing an unshakable mindset.
Huang Hongbo took a deep breath: "Su Zelin, can you give us a reasonable explanation?"
"Of course I can. I borrowed that sum from Panpan during the winter break. At the time, I had my eyes on a great investment opportunity which I personally believed would earn money, but felt my available funds were insufficient, so I borrowed some from Panpan, promising her a share of the profits!"
Even though Su Zelin was honest and transparent, the two elders of the Huang family were skeptical.
Li Juan finally had a flash of anger, thinking that although the boy put on a great act, he finally showed a flaw.
A mere freshman, what do you know about investing? Clearly just an excuse.
She held back from lashing out: "May I ask where you invested that money?"
"In the B-share market, during the winter break, when the country reopened the B-share market, I bought a few stocks!"
Su Zelin replied without hesitation.
"The B-share market!"
Huang Hongbo’s eyes widened instantly.
He also dabbles in stocks, so naturally, he knew about it.
However, Li Juan had no understanding: "Hongbo, do you know what this so-called B-share market is?"
"Yes!" Huang Hongbo nodded: "It’s used by the country to attract foreign exchange for companies, but it was opened to domestic investors during the New Year. At the time, many people thought the outlook was promising, and they invested en masse. The B-share index soared, and almost everyone who bought in made money, some as much as three times their investment in three months! But the good times didn’t last long, starting in June, the B-shares began to crash and those who entered later were trapped!"
"Trapped?"
Li Juan frowned, could this also be an excuse from Su Zelin?
But she soon realized she was mistaken.
"In May, I had already sold all my B-shares, and the money borrowed from Panpan, along with part of the profits, was transferred back to her card the day after selling."
Su Zelin’s words left the two elders in disbelief.
They found that he spoke with a sense of authority.
"Uncle, Aunt, if you don’t believe me, you might as well go back and check the passbook. Since Uncle can track my phone number and find out how Panpan and I know each other, you must already know where I live. Jianglan is such a small place; if I had tricked you out of money, I couldn’t just disappear into thin air, right?"
Su Zelin chuckled lightly, appearing relaxed.
As the saying goes, a clear conscience fears no false accusation.
At least regarding Huang Panpan’s matter, he truly did nothing disreputable. In his past life of more than a decade, he hadn’t done anything wrong either; rather, he almost got entrapped himself.
His righteous demeanor left both Huang Hongbo and Li Juan at a loss.
