CHAPTER 360: CHAPTER 359 MIDNIGHT BELL RINGING

"Follow me!"

As soon as Zhen Yu came down the stairs, she called her brother to follow and directly led him to the wonton shop.

Xiao Gu was still watching the store on the first floor. Seeing the siblings walk in together, his expression stiffened for a moment.

Zhen Yu thought it was because he was surprised to see Zhen Yan, so after a quick greeting, she headed upstairs.

Sure enough, Xiao Gu’s voice came from behind, "Zhen Yan, are you staying at home tonight?"

Zhen Yan: "Yeah! I’m going up first, we’ll talk later tonight."

Xiao Gu: "Okay!"

As soon as Zhen Yan entered the room, Zhen Yu said, "Lock the door!"

"Oh!" Zhen Yan complied and asked while locking, "What did you tell mom? Why were you delayed so long?"

Zhen Yu didn’t answer him directly but said instead, "Brother! Back then, you delayed your studies by a year to take care of me! After your birthday this year, you will be eighteen!"

"Why bring this up all of a sudden?"

"Because you’re about to be an adult! It’s time you had your own career!"

Zhen Yan was stunned!

"Little sister! Are you joking!?"

"I’m not joking," Zhen Yu said in a flat tone, "I’m seriously discussing this with you."

"Not joking!?" Zhen Yan looked at his sister intently for a while and then laughed, "Then tell me! Where is my career supposed to be?"

"Internet café!"

"What?! The internet café is ours! How can it be considered my career?!" Zhen Yan suddenly couldn’t sit still.

"Sit down! Be steady!" ordered Zhen Yu sharply.

"Your career, of course, requires you to start it yourself! I’m not talking about the internet café here in Qi City!"

Zhen Yan sat back down, but his mind was a bit foggy, "Start it myself? How should I start?"

"From now until your college entrance exams, there’s a year and a half left! My plan for the internet café here in Qi City is to expand operations in six months, and accumulate initial capital in one year! After your college entrance exam results come out, you should know which university you’ll attend! Then you immediately buy a shop near your university, use the two months of summer vacation to start the branch! The bulk of the initial capital is for buying the shop, the smaller portion is for renovation, computer tables, chairs, and other pre-opening expenses, you don’t need to worry about the computers!"

"Is this... for real? Little sister, are you serious?!" Zhen Yan was shocked, mouth agape, "All by myself?!"

"Yes! I won’t accompany you," stated Zhen Yu decisively.

"You’ve seen how this internet café started from nothing, I believe you can do it! If you have any doubts or can’t handle something, you can always call me!"

Zhen Yan looked excited but also revealed a hint of uncertainty, "Can I, really do it?"

"You have to believe in yourself! For the next year and a half, whenever you are tired from studying, think about this plan, prepare early to avoid being flustered later on."

Zhen Yan fell silent for a while, then nervously said, "I still feel a bit unsure,"

"Do you remember this saying?! Nothing is too difficult for one who sets their mind to it! As long as you have the will and put your heart into it, you can definitely do it! At the worst case scenario, there is just not much foot traffic, first set up the stall!"

After his sister’s such resolute words, if he didn’t agree, he’d really look foolish! Zhen Yan pursed his lips and nodded heavily, "Mm!! Brother will definitely prepare early! I... I should be able to do this!"

Hearing her brother’s not so confident words, Zhen Yu chuckled lightly, "Brother, follow me and say, ’I can definitely do it!’"

Zhen Yan: "I can definitely do it!"

"Louder! Say it three times!"

Zhen Yan: "I can definitely do it! I can definitely do it! I can definitely do it!"

By the last repetition, Zhen Yan had truly inspired himself, shouting loud and clear!

Zhen Yu immediately responded: "Brother! I believe you can do it!"

Zhen Yan looked at his sister with a silly smile, confidence gradually gathering in his eyes.

—

Considering that Zhen Yan needed time to digest what she had said tonight, after giving him enough encouragement, Zhen Yu sent him downstairs.

It was already past half-past ten at night. If it weren’t for the fact that tomorrow was Sunday and both siblings were off work, Zhen Yu wouldn’t have talked to her brother so late.

Xiao Gu had likely gone back to sleep by now; the first floor was empty, the door was bolted from the inside, probably done by Gu Qing.

Zhen Yu unbolted the door and let her brother out, watched him walk into the internet café before she closed the door and bolted it again.

Turning around, Zhen Yu glanced at the landline on the counter on the first floor. It seemed her plan to call Han Mingyue tonight was not going to happen.

It’s so late! He must have already been asleep...

With a sense of regret, Zhen Yu was just about to go upstairs to the bathroom to freshen up when she suddenly heard the telephone ring.

Who could it be calling so late?

Could it be... him?

Zhen Yu rushed over and picked up the phone just after it rang once!

"Hello?"

"Xiao Yu! Why are you getting home so late? Are you okay?!" Han Mingyue sounded very distressed.

"???" Zhen Yu was taken aback by the question, and it took a few seconds before she said, "What happened?! I came home right after evening self-study!"

Now it was Han Mingyue’s turn to be taken aback! He stuttered and inadvertently blurted out, "But, but when I called at nine, Gu Qing said you hadn’t come home from school and didn’t know where you went!"

Zhen Yu ground her teeth and remained silent.

What a nasty little girl!

Though they had said they weren’t going along the same path anymore, there was only one road back home! Zhen Yu clearly arrived at the ’home’ doorstep right after Gu Qing today! Even before Zhen Yu entered the internet café, Gu Qing had even deliberately turned her head to glare at Zhen Yu!

Yet, in less than half an hour, she could lie with a clear conscience and trap people...

Actually, even if Gu Qing picked up Zhen Yu’s call but didn’t call anyone, or even didn’t pass the message to Zhen Yu, Zhen Yu could understand her.

After all, the relationship between the ’two families’ wasn’t like before, they had no obligation!

But to tell Zhen Yu’s boyfriend that she wasn’t coming home in the middle of the night! That was a bit too malicious!

Gu Qing was clearly ruining Zhen Yu’s reputation!

Even if Gu Qing’s intelligence was tax-free, and the lies she told were not perfect, so what? The seeds of doubt had already been sown! Whether it sprouts depends on what Han Mingyue thinks...

What’s more fatal! In long-distance relationships, when faced with such situations, explanations are equivalent to cover-ups, and speaking too much truth might make things murkier. Normally, people faced with this situation are really in a dilemma, whether to explain or not to explain...

Zhen Yu’s silence made Han Mingyue keenly aware of something unusual.

It seems this wasn’t an unintentional mistake! Gu Qing was intentionally deceiving him!