Rejected by the Campus Belle, I Find My True Love-Chapter 238 - 236: Setting their Sights on Xue Yang

「February 17, the eighth day of the lunar new year.」

Early that morning, Xue Yuanqing and Zhong Hailan left for work. They had insisted on rushing back at noon to see Xue Yang off, but in the end, Xue Yang had to talk them out of it, joking that he was still counting on them for financial support. When they thought about it, each of them taking half a day off was equivalent to a full day of missed work, which meant losing their perfect attendance bonuses for two months. Furthermore, with the Lunar New Year just ending, taking leave meant they would also miss out on various post-holiday benefits, like the red envelopes for returning to work. That was over a thousand yuan—almost enough for their son’s living expenses for a month. With that in mind, they decisively went to work, leaving in the morning without a hint of hesitation.

Xue Yang slept in until ten o’clock. His flight was scheduled to take off at 2:30 PM, so leaving after breakfast would be perfect. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Breakfast, a century egg and pork congee, had been prepared by Mrs. Zhong before she left for work. Xue Yang was nearly moved to tears as he ate it.

This is Mom’s best dish, and she waited until the day I leave for school to finally make it. What a little schemer.

Just as he finished eating, Yang Xiaozhi’s voice called from outside the door.

"Cousin, I’ve come to take you to the airport!"

As Xue Yang placed his bowl in the sink, Yang Xiaozhi was already in the yard, brewing tea at the outdoor table. Leaning in the doorway, Xue Yang asked, "Can you drive?"

Yang Xiaozhi’s face reddened slightly. "No, I can’t."

"Then I’ll just go by myself. No need for you to spend money on a taxi."

"It’s no problem. I borrowed a car from a buddy of mine and got him to give you a ride."

Yang Xiaozhi’s buddy actually had a connection to Xue Yang. He was an old elementary school classmate named Luo Hang. Back in their first year of junior high, they had even skipped class together to go to an internet cafe. Unlike Yang Xiaozhi, Luo Hang had gone to high school. However, his college entrance exam scores were so poor that he could only get into a regular vocational college, where he basically just messed around. Still, since his family had a bit of money, his life wasn’t too bad. Reportedly, once he graduated, his family would pull some strings to arrange a job for him. His whole life seemed to be planned out, a world apart from someone like Yang Xiaozhi, who hadn’t pursued his studies and had no connections. The most obvious difference was that his family bought him a car right after he got his driver’s license. Even though it was just a modest Jetta, for kids their age, it was incredibly impressive.

"That works." Not having to take a taxi himself was for the best.

Xue Yang didn’t want his parents to see him off because he knew that working people lost a lot of benefits when they took time off. That, in turn, would affect their mood for some time, and he didn’t want to see them like that.

Gripping the steering wheel, Luo Hang glanced at Xue Yang in the rearview mirror. "If Xiao Zhi hadn’t told me it was you, I honestly wouldn’t have recognized you."

Xue Yang was wearing a black T-shirt and white casual pants. His hair was a bit long, so he had used some mousse to casually sweep up his bangs. With the car window halfway down, the wind dislodged a stray lock of hair, giving him an air of mature nonchalance.

Luo Hang had originally agreed to drive Xue Yang to show off. So what if Xue Yang got into university? Luo Hang was still the one who owned a car first. Besides, Xue Yang would have to worry about finding a job after graduation, while his own family would arrange one for him. But upon seeing Xue Yang, it was as if a huge stone was lodged in his throat, and he couldn’t get a single boastful word out. This was especially true with Xue Yang sitting in the back, leaning lazily against the seat while rapidly tapping something on his phone. He looked very busy. It gave Luo Hang the illusion that he was merely the driver, chauffeuring his boss to the airport for a major business deal.

At that moment, Xue Yang was chatting with Lin Xi. She was asking what time he would arrive in Yancheng so she could come pick him up.

"The flight takes off at 2:30. I should land around 6:00 PM. You don’t have to come too early."

"Don’t worry, I’ll head over when it’s almost time. I guarantee you’ll see me the moment you exit the airport."

Lin Xi glanced at the large floor-to-ceiling windows, through which planes continuously took off and landed. Not far away, Uncle He sat watching his young miss, who would occasionally giggle foolishly at her phone before gazing into the distance with a look of anticipation. It was obvious who she was chatting with and who she was waiting for. Knowing Xue Yang was coming to Yancheng today, Lin Xi had woken up early and arrived at the airport before ten, as if doing so would bring her closer to him. Uncle He had long grown accustomed to seeing Lin Xi like this. Compared to the young miss who used to constantly defy the chairman, the current Lin Xi had changed so, so much.

"Cousin, Luo Hang is talking to you," Yang Xiaozhi said, turning back from the passenger seat.

Only then did Xue Yang look up. "Hmm?"

Seeing his cousin’s dazed look, Yang Xiaozhi turned back to Luo Hang and gave an awkward laugh. "My cousin isn’t usually like this. He’s probably just a little absent-minded because he’s about to leave home."

Luo Hang changed the subject. "I heard you guys acquired the Liming Auto Repair Factory."

"It wasn’t me, it was my cousin. I’m just benefiting from his good fortune."

Luo Hang’s expression shifted. "That place is so remote. A lot of cars pass by, but they hardly ever stop there. Taking over that shop is pointless; you’ll just lose money."

"We thought it through carefully before we took over the shop."

"Instead of letting it lose money, how about this? I’ll take a small loss, and you can transfer the shop to me."

At this, Xue Yang raised his head slightly, surprised that this rundown auto repair shop was so popular.

Yang Xiaozhi immediately bristled. "Luo Hang, what do you mean by that? Are you trying to get your hands on our shop?"

"I just heard that the former owner sold all the tools as scrap. That means you can’t do anything now but sit there and lose money. I just thought I’d help you out."

Now, even the impulsive Yang Xiaozhi seemed to realize something was wrong. He and Xue Yang hadn’t told anyone about buying the shop, not even their families. So how did Luo Hang know? And only the three of them—himself, Xue Yang, and Brother Zhang—knew about the tools being sold. How did Luo Hang find out about that, too?

Xue Yang, however, stayed silent, continuing to text Lin Xi on QQ.

"Xue Yang, it’s snowing. Will that affect the flight?"

"If it’s not too heavy, it won’t."

"That’s good."

"What are you wearing today?"

"I’ll take a picture for you."

After about two minutes, Lin Xi sent a close-up photo. She was wearing a small black shrug—the first time she had ever worn black, and it suited her temperament perfectly. Her full head of hair cascaded down her back, styled with a thick, airy fringe. When she smiled, faint dimples appeared, making her look both adorable and imposing.

However, upon closer inspection, the background behind her seemed oddly familiar.

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