Chapter 63: Business Knocking at the Door

Yan Ziyue was not afraid of Nie Cairu at all. She chuckled and said, "Did I call anyone a dog?"

"Nie Cairu, why are you getting so worked up?"

Xu Yuanjie said sarcastically, "Nie Cairu, this is the first time I've ever seen someone eagerly volunteer to be a dog. You truly live up to your title of being the eternal runner-up."

Nie Cairu's face twisted with anger. She wanted to rush over and hit Yan Ziyue and Xu Yuanjie, but she didn't dare, knowing she was no match for the two of them.

Suddenly, a triumphant smile appeared on her face. "Don't think I don't know what you two are doing behind the scenes. I'm going to tell the teacher later."

Yan Ziyue and Xu Yuanjie: "Oh!"

Nie Cairu didn't expect such a reaction from them, and her triumphant expression froze. "Do you think I'm joking?"

"I am genuinely going to tell the teacher later."

Yan Ziyue and Xu Yuanjie ignored her completely.

Xu Yuanjie beckoned to Zhu Xinyu.

Zhu Xinyu glanced at Nie Cairu, walked over, and stood beside Xu Yuanjie. "You two have offended Nie Cairu so badly. She's definitely going to find ways to make things difficult for you in the future."

Nie Cairu had good grades. Although she had a few minor flaws, the teachers loved her, and many students liked to cluster around her.

Now that Yan Ziyue and Yuanjie had treated her like this in public, she would surely hold a grudge.

Xu Yuanjie cast a sidelong glance at the fuming Nie Cairu and sneered, "Offended? What offense?"

"Does Nie Cairu think the school belongs to her family?"

"We didn't provoke her. She started by insulting us first. Are we not even allowed to fight back?"

Yan Ziyue nodded in agreement. "We'll go talk to Teacher Zhang about this later, just in case someone tries to twist the truth in front of her."

"I'll go right now." Before the words had even faded, Xu Yuanjie bolted out of the classroom and headed toward the teachers' office.

Yan Ziyue paid him no mind.

She lifted the cloth covering the bamboo basket to see what kind of food was inside.

Instantly, a rich and intense aroma wafted through the air.

It immediately drew the attention of many students in the classroom, who turned to look over.

"I smell fried potatoes! It smells so good! I can tell just by the smell that a lot of oil was used."

"I smell fried meat patties! Oh heavens, I want to eat some, what should I do?"

Quite a few students ran over to Yan Ziyue, staring intently at the bamboo basket and swallowing hard.

Fried meat patties, fried potatoes, and a small bowl of braised pork—how lavish!

"Yan Ziyue, a-are you selling these meat patties?" A student from a relatively well-off family finally couldn't resist the aroma, asking with a blushing face and a stammer.

Yan Ziyue's mind sparked with a business idea when she heard this; perhaps this method could actually work!

"I am."

She picked up a meat patty, broke it into numerous pieces, and distributed them to the surrounding classmates. "Have a taste of this meat patty. Not only is there plenty of meat inside, but a lot of oil was used too, and it tastes amazing."

Some students felt too embarrassed to take any, waving their hands repeatedly and backing away, yet they craved the meat patty all the same.

Those who wanted to buy or take advantage of the free food grabbed a piece of the meat patty and shoved it straight into their mouths.

Yan Ziyue finished distributing the rest of the meat patties, handing one to Zhu Xinyu as well. "Everyone, have a taste."

"If you like them, I can have fresh meat patties, fried potatoes, and the like delivered every noon."

A thick aroma of meat patties hung heavily in the classroom, growing more alluring by the second.

The students who had eaten their samples licked their fingers, gazing longingly at the remaining meat patties and other food left in the bamboo basket.

"These meat patties are seriously delicious. Every bite is full of meat and oil, it's so fragrant!"

"I want more! Yan Ziyue, how much is one of these meat patties? I want to buy one."

Yan Ziyue held up six fingers. "Six cents each."

"If you buy for the first time, I'll throw in two pieces of fried potatoes for free."

For many students, six cents was not a small sum. They wanted to buy but couldn't afford it, so they could only take a few more deep breaths of the fragrant air.

It smelled so good!

The students from well-off families either handed Yan Ziyue six cents or twelve cents.

"I want a meat patty, and don't forget to give me two pieces of fried potatoes."

"Now I can finally take big bites of a meat patty."

Yan Ziyue had four meat patties left, a pile of fried potatoes, and a small bowl of braised pork.

The meat patties sold out in the blink of an eye, and even the braised pork was completely gone, leaving only the pile of fried potatoes.

Fried potatoes were far too common in every household, so no one wanted to buy them.

Yan Ziyue handed a third of the fried potatoes to Zhu Xinyu and said to the classmates with a beaming smile, "Classmates, if anyone wants to eat meat patties or other items tomorrow, someone will deliver them to the school at noon."

"Just let me know here."

The few students who had eaten the meat patties and braised pork were the first to raise their hands and place orders.

"I want a meat patty! Yan Ziyue, I want two meat patties, make sure to have someone deliver them tomorrow at noon."

"Yan Ziyue, can you make steamed pork with rice flour instead of braised pork tomorrow? Braised pork is what the school cafeteria makes the most. I want steamed pork with rice flour."

The other students were dying of temptation, discussing pooling money with a few others to buy a single meat patty or a bowl of meat to satisfy their cravings.

Consequently, more than a dozen students told Yan Ziyue they wanted meat patties and the like.

Yan Ziyue beamed from ear to ear. Look at that, just look at that—wasn't the business rolling in right before her eyes?

Zhu Xinyu thought to himself, "... "

The more he looked at Yan Ziyue, the more he felt she and Yuanjie were "birds of a feather." These two were genuinely exceptionally gifted at making money.

"I'm back!" As soon as Xu Yuanjie returned, he caught the rich scent of meat. "Meat patties? Braised pork?"

"The school cafeteria didn't make braised pork or meat patties today. Did you guys go out and buy these?"

Several classmates pointed straight at Yan Ziyue in unison. "She brought them."

Xu Yuanjie rushed over to Yan Ziyue and accused her, "You had good food, and you didn't even think of me?"

"That's too much!"

Yan Ziyue handed him a third of the fried potatoes and winked mischievously. "All right, fine, here are your fried potatoes."

Xu Yuanjie understood her cue and decisively skipped the topic. "I'll let you off this time since you know what's good for you."

He grinned broadly at Nie Cairu. "Nie Cairu, I've already spoken to Teacher Zhang. Just wait for Teacher Zhang to come looking for you."

"You guys sell things behind everyone's backs and don't even focus on studying, yet you think you're in the right?" Nie Cairu was somewhat afraid of being scolded by Teacher Zhang, but she stiffened her neck and retorted.

Xu Yuanjie let out a laugh. "Teacher Zhang said that as long as we don't let it interfere with our studies, it's fine to sell things after school lets out."

"Besides, my parents are the ones selling things, not me or Yan Ziyue."

Right at that moment, a student from the next classroom stuck their head in and called out, "Nie Cairu, Teacher Zhang wants you to come to her office."

Xu Yuanjie gave a cheery whoop. "Nie Cairu, hurry up and go."

No matter how much Nie Cairu didn't want to go, she had no choice but to head to the teachers' office.

Xu Yuanjie finished off his fried potatoes in a few bites, pulled something wrapped in a handkerchief from his pocket, and grinned.

"Money earned from selling study notes."

He whispered as he unfolded the handkerchief. "I've already divided it in advance. Take a look and see if there are any issues."

He handed Yan Ziyue and Zhu Xinyu their respective shares, then distributed the rest to the top-ranking students.

"Xu Yuanjie, why are you giving them money?" a student asked curiously.