"The interview is almost over. As a student about to take the Gaokao, is there anything you'd like to say to the other candidates?"
Backstage in the auditorium, Du Bing asked the final question of the interview.
Ye Xuan pondered for a few seconds. "I'll just say one sentence."
"What sentence?" Du Bing asked.
"Before the universe is settled, you and I are both dark horses."
Du Bing's eyes lit up. "This line from *Cai Gen Tan* is simply spot-on for encouraging the candidates."
Ye Xuan looked slightly surprised.
Although *Cai Gen Tan* was ranked among the three great strange books, not many people had read it; it was nowhere near as popular as the Four Great Classical Novels.
Back in 2004, the phrase "Before the universe is settled, you and I are both dark horses" had not yet gone viral.
Yet the beautiful host was able to quote its source without a moment's hesitation.
This woman possessed quite impressive literary literacy!
Du Bing proudly lifted her chin and thought to herself, *I'm no pretty vase, you know.*
She wasn't just Mingcheng TV Station's top beauty host; she was its top talented woman as well.
Earlier, Ye Xuan had shown off his sense of humor.
Now it was her turn to showcase her literary talent.
After the interview concluded, Ye Xuan asked about the broadcast time.
Du Bing smiled. "After editing, it will air tonight at 8:00 PM on Mingcheng Good News. Thanks for accepting my interview, Ye Xuan. Hope our paths cross again~"
With that, she proactively reached out to shake Ye Xuan's hand.
*Not even leaving a contact number...*
Ye Xuan grumbled inwardly, smiling and nodding. "May our paths cross again."
Once they parted ways, he sighed, "Du Bing, oh Du Bing, whether you can change your destiny really depends on whether fate brings us together again..."
Finished muttering to himself, he picked up the bag containing his certificate, silk banner, and check, and walked out of the auditorium.
He checked the time—it was still a quarter to twelve.
"No point going back now, I'll smoke a cigarette first."
With that thought, Ye Xuan found a deserted, shady spot, pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and began blowing smoke rings.
Carefree as he was, this was still a school after all.
To avoid getting caught by teachers, he kept a watchful eye on his surroundings.
Just as he was halfway through his cigarette, a shadow appeared around the corner.
Ye Xuan's brow twitched, and he hurriedly tossed the cigarette away.
Just as he used his foot to scrape up some dirt and bury the butt, Gui Jianchou's figure appeared around the corner.
The moment their eyes met, Gui Jianchou grinned.
He had been plotting how to get back at Ye Xuan.
Never did he expect to catch him red-handed so quickly.
Smoking on school grounds—a disciplinary warning wouldn't be going too far, right?
Ye Xuan was actually amused.
Running into each other three times in two days—what kind of bad karma was this?
"Director Qian, fancy meeting you here," Ye Xuan greeted him first.
Gui Jianchou forced a smile and nodded, then frowned. "Why is there a smell of smoke around here?"
As he spoke, he moved to sniff Ye Xuan's mouth for the scent of tobacco.
To his surprise, Ye Xuan beat him to it by pulling out a piece of Wrigley's chewing gum, popping it into his mouth, and saying, "Yeah, I smelled it too. The smoke is so strong it got all over my clothes."
Gui Jianchou's mouth twitched as he stood his ground. "Finished with your interview?"
"Yup, just finished."
"What are you doing here?"
"I smelled smoke and came over to see who was smoking."
"Did you see who it was?"
"Not really, they probably heard me coming and ran off."
The two exchanged rapid-fire questions and answers with almost no pause in between.
Seeing that Ye Xuan wasn't taking the bait, Gui Jianchou pulled a pack of Hongtashan cigarettes from his jacket, drew one out, and handed it over.
Ye Xuan hurriedly waved his hands. "Director Qian, I don't smoke."
Gui Jianchou smiled. "No, just hold it for me for a second while I tie my shoelace."
A flash crossed Ye Xuan's eyes as he took the cigarette like a pen.
Gui Jianchou's pupils constricted slightly as he made a show of tying his shoelace.
As soon as he stood back up, Ye Xuan moved to return the cigarette to him.
Unexpectedly, Gui Jianchou pulled out his phone instead. "Look at this, is there something wrong with my phone?"
With that, he handed the phone over.
Ye Xuan hurriedly tucked the cigarette into his school uniform pocket and freed up his hand to take the phone.
Gui Jianchou felt a pang of frustration, having hoped the kid would tuck the cigarette behind his ear.
This brat was as sly as a monkey; he wouldn't take the bait!
"Doesn't seem to be anything wrong with it. Want to make a test call?"
Ye Xuan feigned inspection for a moment and made a move to dial.
Gui Jianchou quickly snatched the phone back. "Never mind, I'll have someone else look at it. Where's my cigarette?"
Ye Xuan let out an "oh" and pulled the Hongtashan cigarette out of his pocket.
Gui Jianchou took it, shoved it into his mouth, and began making a great show of searching for a lighter.
Any ordinary person would probably have pulled out a lighter to help him spark it by now.
But Ye Xuan was a transmigrator.
If he got caught by such a clumsy trick, he might as well just run headfirst into a brick wall and die.
"Don't have a lighter? Would you like me to go borrow one for you?" Ye Xuan asked, suppressing a smile.
Gui Jianchou's mouth twitched. He waved a hand and said, "Forget it, I won't smoke. Hurry up and get back to your classroom."
"You got it, goodbye Director Qian."
Not until Ye Xuan's figure disappeared around the corner did Gui Jianchou pull a lighter from his breast pocket.
*Click.*
*Puff.*
Exhaling a ring of smoke, Gui Jianchou muttered with lingering melancholy, "This kid really isn't simple..."
***
Just as Ye Xuan was approaching the entrance of the teaching building, he happened to run into Zhang Guangming, who was looking for him.
"I was just about to look for you. Xiao Nanzhi's mother called me a moment ago, saying she has something she wants to discuss with you. She's waiting for you at the school gate."
Ye Xuan froze. "What is she looking for me for?"
He had already drawn a clear line between himself and Xiao Nanzhi!
Zhang Guangming shook his head. "She didn't say on the phone. You'd better go on over."
"Got it." Ye Xuan was about to leave when he suddenly remembered something. "Oh right, Lao Ban, I'd like to take the afternoon off to take these things home."
With that, he lifted the bag in his hand.
Zhang Guangming slapped his own forehead. "Right, hurry up and take them home. Do you need me to go with you?"
That was a huge sum of fifty-two thousand yuan!
He was worried someone might rob Ye Xuan halfway!
"No need, I can manage by myself. I'm off, bye."
Ye Xuan waved his hand and scurried off toward the school gate.
From a distance, he spotted a red car parked by the entrance.
Ye Xuan knew this was He Yurong's ride—a BMW 318i.
Back in 2004, the total number of motor vehicles in Long Country was 27.42 million.
Among them, private cars numbered 6 million.
In other words, out of 1.3 billion people, fewer than 6 million families could afford a private car.
And the BMW 318i retailed for 348,000 yuan back then, coming to nearly 40,0000 yuan on the road.
Calculated against the local average wage of 1,500 yuan, an ordinary person would have to work for 22 years without eating or drinking to afford one.
It was a proper luxury car!
As Ye Xuan hurried up to the entrance, He Yurong stepped out of the car and beckoned, "Xiao Ye, over here."
Ye Xuan smiled and nodded. "You're looking for me?"
A flash crossed He Yurong's eyes.
This kid didn't even call her Auntie anymore.
Knowing she was in the wrong, she continued in a soft voice, "Mm, I hope I didn't interrupt your classes?"
Ye Xuan nodded. "Of course it interrupted them."
"..."
At that moment, He Yurong had no idea how to respond!