I'll handle your coffee from now on.

"Am I that famous?"

Riding slowly on the auxiliary lane of Zhongguancun Avenue as the sky gradually grew dim, Chen Che asked with a trace of curiosity.

Xu Jiarou instantly understood the subtext of his words. Gripping the handlebars tightly, she slightly shook the front wheel and explained casually, "Not really, you aren't famous."

"Then why do they know who I am?"

Chen Che pursued the question with lingering curiosity. Though he had a rough guess in mind, everything still felt rather hazy.

Composing herself with a faint blush of recollection hidden on her face, Xu Jiarou looked straight ahead and answered simply, "I only have so many friends. The last time Huang Tao mentioned you during our phone call, they happened to overhear..."

Xu Jiarou lied, yet she didn't entirely lie.

It was true that once, while talking on the phone with Huang Tao, she had accidentally let slip Chen Che's name in front of her roommates.

However, Cai Jing's gaze today clearly indicated that she didn't view Chen Che as merely one of Xu Jiarou's ordinary friends; there was definitely more to the story.

Little Xu left that part unsaid.

Seeing this, Chen Che did not press further. Some matters could not be rushed and required time to verify.

He had accepted the system's task regarding Xu Jiarou, which he could choose to complete or ignore—failing to do so simply meant no reward.

As for successfully winning Xu Jiarou's heart, he lacked that sort of utilitarian urgency; there was no need to rush.

Most importantly, she had once stated that she would not date while still a student, and that applied to university as well.

Chen Che wasn't entirely certain of Xu Jiarou's current stance, so it was probably better to save certain conversations for later.

Now that he and Xu Jiarou had lost touch for two years, if he were to confess his feelings right out of the gate, Xiao Xu would reject him one hundred percent of the time.

Even if she liked him, she would still say no.

There was no particular reason; Xiao Xu was simply that kind of person—prudent, content with the status quo, and never taking risks without a sure footing.

"Is it inside the mall?"

Xu Jiarou took the lead in finding a parking spot. Hearing Chen Che's question, she nodded and said, "Yes, there are lots of restaurants inside. If you don't feel like having hot pot, we can look for something else."

"I'm fine with anything. I'll follow your lead."

Chen Che locked his bike alongside hers, glanced at the girl who was lightly lifting her skirt hem to look around, and cast a glance at the yellow shared bike. "By the way, remember to withdraw your deposit. I heard this company is running into trouble; you wouldn't want to get stuck and not be able to get it back."

Following his gaze toward the yellow bike, Xu Jiarou led the way into the mall while pulling out her phone to operate it. "Really? What kind of trouble?"

"Their capital chain probably snapped."

Chen Che did not offer a detailed explanation. Seeing that Xu Jiarou was genuinely preparing to apply for a refund, he casually gestured toward a Mobike nearby. "Actually, that brand of bike is pretty good. Nice to ride."

Some said that pigs could fly in the wind of the times, while others argued that pigs couldn't fly very far.

Little Yellow Bike was a classic example of a pig—possessing a great hand of cards yet playing it atrociously, crashing straight down to its demise.

Its capital chain had already fractured back in 2017, but the true public explosion happened in the second half of 2018.

Deposits could still be refunded at present.

Once autumn passed, however, retrieval would become impossible.

Mobike met a decent end after being acquired by Meituan, but Little Yellow Bike suffered a catastrophic and total collapse.

Its failure stemmed far more from severe internal issues within the company, characterized by chaotic management and abysmal finances.

Learn from the past.

Therefore, in his entrepreneurial endeavors, Chen Che should not merely draw inspiration from successes, but rather learn how to actively avoid failures.

Little Yellow Bike was a textbook example of a company whose reputation and capability did not match its status—its mindset failing the moment it acquired a bit of capital, leading straight to arrogance and downfall.

"I didn't expect you to be so well-informed even while abroad."

When had Little Yellow Bike even appeared?

It happened to coincide with the time Chen Che was preparing to go abroad.

Walking into the mall, Xu Jiarou pursed her lips, a look of curiosity in her eyes as she gazed at the visibly more mature man before her.

Chen Che was still Chen Che.

Yet Xu Jiarou distinctly felt that her old classmate's rate of growth was extraordinarily fast.

Catching Xiao Xu's curious gaze, Chen Che offered no further explanation. Looking around, he smiled casually and said, "My body is in the US, but my heart is in China. Actually, I've always cared deeply about China; I just prefer not to broadcast it."

Hearing this, Xu Jiarou let out a sudden chuckle. "Aren't you broadcasting it right now?"

Following her onto the escalator, Chen Che stood right in front of Xu Jiarou, turned his body back, and said with smug satisfaction, "I'm only telling you. In front of outsiders, I wouldn't even mention it. It's always best to keep a low profile."

"Haha~"

Seeing his solemn and serious expression, Xu Jiarou couldn't help herself. Halfway through her laughter, she hurriedly covered her cherry lips.

Stepping off the escalator, she suppressed her laughter, waved at Chen Che, and pointed in a certain direction with her delicate, fair fingers. "This way, this way."

This was a self-service hot pot restaurant. Being Friday, the place was packed to capacity, filled with a bustling, lively atmosphere of everyday life.

After a brief flurry of fetching food and getting settled at a small table, Xu Jiarou finally couldn't hold back her curiosity and asked, "You came to Beijing—you must have a reason, right?"

Chen Che had claimed on WeChat that he came to Beijing just to hang out with her, but Xu Jiarou didn't believe his nonsense for a second.

Though she hadn't asked up until now, Xiao Xu still longed to know the truth.

"Clack."

Chen Che handed over a bottle of peanut milk and a Beibingyang soda. Grasping his own chilled bottle, he secretly marveled to himself, "You guessed right. There really is a reason."

"What reason?"

Xu Jiarou probed cautiously. He was already on vacation, whereas she still had some time left before hers began.

She was someone who took time to warm up to things.

On WeChat, if Chen Che didn't take the initiative, she wouldn't want to disturb him either.

As for many things, only upon meeting in person—with so much history and emotion backing it up—did she truly dare to ask under the guise of friendship.

Chen Che raised his eyes to look at the girl who had casually questioned him, his movements slowing down involuntarily by a fraction.

When taking a girl out for a first meal together, choosing a self-service hot pot was ideal—it was the quickest way to truly understand a person.

He picked up some sliced meat and dropped it into her side of the pot, wiping away his sweat amid the steaming heat with a smile. "To come see you and share a meal, of course. The last time I wanted to give you a surprise, I didn't expect you wouldn't be around..."

"You're lying."

Xu Jiarou pouted and interrupted him unceremoniously. After pausing for a beat, she smiled gently and cleverly, "If that's true, then when I invited you to my house, you refused to come. Don't blame me for being suspicious; there are simply too many suspicious points about you. I couldn't even reach you on Dragon Boat Festival, and yet you're still trying to talk!"

Seeing Xiao Xu resort to settling accounts after the fact, Chen Che took a sip of his Beibingyang, chuckled softly, and confessed, "I really was in Beijing that day. Since I couldn't rush back in time, I could only send my regards via express delivery."

The Dragon Boat Festival was an important holiday.

Chen Che had launched a full-scale offensive that day, so naturally he had no time to celebrate the festival itself, but he had sent plenty of gifts.

How could the Xu family possibly be missed?

By now, Xu Jiarou was exaggerating somewhat; he merely hadn't answered his phone that day, though he had indeed sent holiday wishes in the morning.

"What were you even doing in Beijing on the Dragon Boat Festival?"

Xu Jiarou pressed further, trying her best to maintain the tone of an inquiring friend making a casual joke.

Catching Xiao Xu's subtle, fidgety movements, Chen Che pretended not to notice and explained truthfully, "I started a company. There were a bit too many things that needed handling over those two days, so I couldn't make it back for the festival."

"A company? You're starting a business?"

Xu Jiarou blinked, not expecting such a bombshell piece of news, though she wasn't entirely surprised either.

Chen Che had matured further, giving her the impression that he could converse fluently and effortlessly with anyone. Coupled with his family's wealth, starting a business seemed rather fitting for him.

Her only lingering puzzle was that Chen Che was still a student, wasn't he? Did he have the energy for that? Wouldn't it be far too exhausting?

Chewing his food, Chen Che smiled. "Yeah, I started a coffee and beverage company. From now on, your coffee is completely on me. How about that—feeling blessed yet?"

"Hehe."

Hearing this, Xu Jiarou curled her lips into a smile. Then, realizing the implications, her gaze drifted over as her tone turned calm. "Did you really open a coffee shop?"

"Mhm."

Chen Che tilted his head slightly to glance at the diners in the restaurant who were secretly peeking at them, then turned back and smiled lightly. "I rode a bicycle here today. Didn't you realize what that signifies?"

"What does it signify?"

Xu Jiarou asked curiously, failing to catch the meaning for a moment as she stopped midway with her chopsticks and stared across the table.

"It signifies that the company is right near your school, which means we can see each other every single day from now on."

Upon hearing these words, Xu Jiarou's cheeks instantly flushed crimson. Amidst the rising steam of the hot pot, she felt a burning heat, especially when she caught Chen Che's mischievous, knowing grin.

"Who wants to see you every day..."

Xu Jiarou mumbled weakly, lowering her head to rest her chopsticks on the plate while poking at the meat, feeling immensely happy inside.

"Alright then, every two days it is."

Chen Che said softly after a chuckle. Catching Xu Jiarou's furtive glances, he added earnestly, "By the way, I'm going on a business trip tomorrow to survey the market. Since I'm not busy right now, would you like to go see a movie tonight?"

Hearing this, Xu Jiarou couldn't help biting the corner of her lip. She picked up her Beibingyang to cool her flushed face and said softly, "Whatever you want."

"Xiao Xu, is 'whatever you want' a yes or a no?"

Hearing Chen Che's persistent question, laced with playful doubt and teasing, Xu Jiarou lifted her chin and declared with composure, "Whatever I want means both are fine! Chen Kaixin, I've noticed you've become number one at teasing people!"

Little Sheep was getting angry. Watching Xu Jiarou seize his words and put on a brave front, she pursed her lips in feigned indignation.

The nickname "Xiao Xu" was something Chen Che had only started using recently. While Xu Jiarou didn't inherently mind the moniker, ever since Cai Jing's teasing remarks, she always felt it sounded a bit strange.

Cai Jing's teasing made it sound like an exclusive, affectionate pet name reserved for couples.

"Alright, alright... My mistake."

The sight of Little Sheep pretending to be angry was rather cute.

It definitely had that specific charm.

Looking at the girl across the table, Chen Che pursed his lips, suppressing a laugh for a long while before it finally escaped the corners of his mouth.

Unable to hold it in any longer, he lowered his chin and chuckled—another wave of muffled laughter.

In the past, he frequently managed to tick Xu Jiarou off. Sulking and getting angry at each other had simply become a habit between them.

Xiao Xu truly was a girl who loved to sulk.

In later years, their mutual friend Huang Tao had created opportunities for the two of them on more than one occasion.

Chen Che wouldn't take the initiative, and Xiao Xu would stubbornly keep sulking.

The more Xiao Xu avoided contacting him...

It only proved that she still harbored feelings for him.

The moment she finally started reaching out to him again would either mean her personality had changed and she had seen the light, or else she had completely given up hope.

Compared to those girls who were reckless and proactive for love, or those who got acquainted and slept together on the very same day...

Perhaps influenced by her family background, Xiao Xu belonged to a more traditional type, carrying a certain lofty, literary air in her temperament.

After dinner, Chen Che took Xiao Xu straight to the cinema, spending a delightful day together.

"Chen Kaixin, watch your step on the way."

He walked Xu Jiarou back to her school.

Beneath the amber streetlights, her little white dress was brushed with a hint of golden light, and its owner was currently waving goodbye.

Seeing this, Chen Che smiled and flashed an OK sign.

Only after that figure vanished completely did he leave the school gate and hail a cab to a hotel near the South Railway Station.