Chapter 44: A Collaboration Between a Major Corporation and a Convenience Store?

7:26 in the evening, Lin Feng stared blankly at the girl standing before him.

Under a pale yellow jacket, she wore purple leather pants and black studded shoes. Her makeup was heavy—blue eye shadow with dark purple lipstick, thick bangs swept over her head...

Wait...

Was this really Xiao Nuan?

Lin Feng was utterly dumbfounded.

Yet Zhang Xiaonuan gazed at Lin Feng in disbelief for a moment. Then, the corners of her dark purple lips lifted, and she flashed him a brilliant smile.

“Brother Xiao Feng?!”

She shouted and rushed forward, arms wide for a bear hug. Lin Feng’s mouth twitched, and he instinctively dodged to the side.

Good grief, with how tight money was these days, if any more makeup got on his clothes, not even the strongest detergent would get it out...

Noticing Lin Feng’s evasive move, Zhang Xiaonuan immediately looked wounded. “Brother Xiao Feng, don’t you recognize me? I’m Xiao Nuan!”

Lin Feng sucked in a sharp breath. It wasn’t that he didn’t recognize her—he just barely dared admit it!

In his memory, Zhang Xiaonuan had always been such an obedient little sister. How had she become like this...

He parted his lips, not knowing what to say.

Zhang Xiaonuan quickly added, “Brother Xiao Feng, my mom said you graduated years ago and went off to work for a big company. How come you’re here?”

Lin Feng was just about to find an excuse when Auntie Zhang appeared at his side.

“Your Brother Xiao Feng is taking a break. He saw how busy I was and came over to help out for a few days,” Auntie Zhang smoothly rescued him from the awkward moment.

Lin Feng looked at her gratefully.

Auntie Zhang beamed, “While Brother Xiao Feng has some free time, hurry and bring out your homework! Let him tutor you for a bit.”

Apparently unwilling to listen to her mother’s nagging, Zhang Xiaonuan gave a reluctant “Oh,” grabbed Lin Feng’s arm, and dragged him into the back storeroom.

Auntie Zhang shook her head helplessly, about to return to the cashier’s counter, when a shout from outside drew her away.

In the storeroom, Zhang Xiaonuan pulled Lin Feng down onto her pink stool, eagerly opened a drawer, and pulled out a notebook.

“Brother Xiao Feng, look! I’ve been writing the diary you told me to keep every day. My mom won’t buy me a phone, so I had no idea how to contact you...”

Seeing the phone number written on the notebook’s first page, Lin Feng’s nose tingled with emotion.

When he graduated, Zhang Xiaonuan had come to his school to ask for his phone number. He’d left it, thinking they’d probably never be in touch again. Within a few years, he’d changed his number for work, never expecting she’d keep the old one all this time...

A sudden wave of warmth flooded his heart.

He said softly, “Xiao Nuan, I’ve changed my number. Let me write down the new one for you.”

“Okay!” Zhang Xiaonuan quickly replied, handing him a pen from the drawer.

Lin Feng wrote his new number in the diary, then asked, “Xiao Nuan, your mom said you’re seeing someone?”

At that, Zhang Xiaonuan’s expression soured.

“Did my mom send you to talk me out of it? Ding Qi treats me really well. I won’t marry anyone but him, so don’t try to persuade me!”

She scratched her head irritably, stuffed the diary back in the drawer, and slammed it shut.

Won’t marry anyone but him?!

Lin Feng’s mouth twitched—those words were nothing if not the essence of youth.

He chuckled, “I’m not here to talk you out of it. If you say he’s good to you, what exactly does he do?”

Hearing this, Zhang Xiaonuan was finally a bit more willing to talk to him.

She thought for a moment. “Ding Qi buys me milk tea every day, and he takes me out on his motorbike—Brother Xiao Feng, let me tell you, that bike cost over forty thousand yuan! He only rides with me. You have no idea, everyone at school is so jealous!”

Lin Feng: “....”

“That’s it?” he asked, mouth twitching.

“Yeah!” Zhang Xiaonuan grew more excited, “He only takes me! And it’s so cool. He even had an eight-thousand-yuan sound system installed on it. When we ride, everyone on the street stares at us!!”

Probably because you’re so loud...

Lin Feng was at a loss for words.

All he could think was, girls truly need to be well provided for—otherwise, who knows which bleach-blond punk might run off with them someday...

“Brother Xiao Feng, Ding Qi said he’s taking me for a ride tomorrow night. Come with us! I’ll show you how cool his bike is and introduce you...”

She was so excited, clutching Lin Feng’s arm and refusing to let go.

Lin Feng didn’t need to meet Ding Qi to know exactly what kind of character he was.

If only he had more money, he’d take Zhang Xiaonuan out to see the world for herself!

He shook his head and sighed, “I’m not free at the moment. Let’s look at your homework instead.”

His words poured cold water right over her excitement.

Though Zhang Xiaonuan was less than thrilled, she obediently pulled out her textbooks.

It was worse than he’d expected. With just a glance, Lin Feng saw she’d barely studied since the start of her second year of high school—her books were covered with doodles, and some of the text was blacked out with marker...

He winced—what was he supposed to do with this kid?

But he’d promised Auntie Zhang to help, and she’d always been so good to him. He could only do his best.

After one lesson, he wasn’t sure if it was his stern expression or strict tone, but by the end, Zhang Xiaonuan was visibly impatient.

It wasn’t until after ten at night that Lin Feng finally left the convenience store.

Back at his rented room, the pressure weighed heavily on him. Zhang Xiaonuan’s foundation was weak, though he knew she was smart. If she put in some effort and he continued tutoring her, she should at least be able to get into a decent university.

The problem was, she didn’t want to study at all...

Lin Feng sighed, deciding he’d save up again after repaying Li Hao, and then take Zhang Xiaonuan out to broaden her horizons...

Time flew by. He’d been working at the convenience store for a week.

He ate and drank at the shop, managed to pay back Li Hao, and still had a thousand yuan left. That would cover his expenses for the month.

As usual, early Monday morning, he hurried to the shop to help Auntie Zhang with the groceries.

But as soon as he arrived, he saw several renovation workers busily replacing the store’s sign, and a huge crowd had gathered at the entrance, the line stretching all the way down the street...

Before Lin Feng could react, Auntie Zhang waved at him with a radiant smile.

“Xiao Feng! Hurry, come here!”

He stepped forward in confusion, “Auntie Zhang, what’s going on?”

She was beaming. “Let me tell you, out of nowhere, a boss came by and offered to let our shop carry a co-branded sign. I’ll get fifty percent of the profits!”

“A co-brand?” Lin Feng was stunned. Co-branding with a convenience store?

That was great news! With a big company’s name, the shop would attract plenty of customers.

Judging by the long line, the street was about to get lively.

But he needed to be careful about the contract...

Remembering how much he owed Auntie Zhang, Lin Feng couldn’t help but offer a word of caution. “Auntie Zhang, did you read the contract carefully? Be careful not to get scammed.”

To his surprise, Auntie Zhang waved him off excitedly. “Don’t worry! It’s a big company—one of the top three in Beijing!”

Now Lin Feng was even more worried.

A top-three company, co-branding with a convenience store?

That sounded like a scam if he’d ever heard one!

He quickly said, “Auntie Zhang, there are a lot of scams these days. Please be careful. Why don’t you let me look over the contract for you?”

Seeing Lin Feng’s worried expression, Auntie Zhang grew nervous too. “Alright, you look it over. I don’t really understand these things...”

Lin Feng nodded, taking the contract from her.

But when he saw the large characters at the top—“Yihan Group”—his heart sank.