7: Chapter 7 A Chance Encounter with an Ex-Girlfriend

When the peach turned from two halves into four, Meng Yawen, who was diligent and responsible and frequently looked back to check on her students' status, hurried over, supported Zhao Xiaoshuai, and pressed stop on the treadmill.

"Brother Zhao has such perseverance. Even though his body is so weak that he's running until he's losing consciousness, he's still persisting!"

[Detected that Meng Yawen's favorability has exceeded 100, upgrading to Acquaintance. You can claim the current favorability treasure chest.]

Supported by Meng Yawen as he walked slowly, Zhao Xiaoshuai finally caught his breath and had the time to check the prompt from his Cheat Dad.

"Come to think of it, I have some uncollected favorability treasure chests from before. I might as well open a few now to see what's inside."

He first claimed a few one-heart favorability treasure chests from his former colleagues.

[Obtained multiplier card (permanent), attribute points * 2]

[Obtained multiplier card (permanent), attribute points * 2, primary skill card (Slacking off)]

...

"Attribute points? Good stuff! It's a good thing I said goodbye to a few colleagues before resigning. However, only one chest yielded a skill card; it seems to depend heavily on luck."

He then opened the treasure chest of his former team leader. The team leader was a bronze-framed character, so the treasure chest was also a bronze treasure chest.

[Obtained bronze multiplier card (permanent), attribute points * 3]

"Average, I suppose. It's a pity it didn't drop any special rewards."

He looked at Meng Yawen's silver favorability treasure chest again, but after thinking it over, he didn't claim it.

"Meng Yawen has a high rating. If her rating increases a bit more later, reaching eight points to become a gold-framed character, then if I claim this treasure chest later, will it turn gold?"

"Brother Zhao, have you recovered? You can't stop exercising. Let's go do some fat-burning aerobics."

"I'm about ready. Let's go."

Zhao Xiaoshuai had only ever seen a physique like Meng Yawen's in heavily edited photos online. Everything that should be large was large, and everything that should be slender was slender. It could be said that a single point less would be too thin, and a single point more would lack beauty.

Every movement she made while doing aerobics naturally drew all his attention, causing him to forget his fatigue.

Using herself as a medium, she perfectly transformed the abstract operation of force into visible waves. Those ripples spreading out were the best textbook!

She was simply a natural-born fitness coach; it was magnificent, no more words needed!

Zhao Xiaoshuai loved learning very much, but his body clearly had its own ideas.

After several more sets of stop-and-go exercises, even with the support of such beauty, Zhao Xiaoshuai couldn't hold on anymore.

Feeling weak all over, he invited Meng Yawen to go to the water bar on the second floor to chat for a while.

"I'll call you Yawen from now on, you don't mind, right?"

The water bar had those high, backless round stools. Meng Yawen sat upright on one, and from the side, her curves were even more pronounced and alluring.

Her cute little mouth was pursed into an O-shape as she recklessly sipped a cup of milk tea, seemingly completely unafraid of the massive calories contained within it.

Hearing Zhao Xiaoshuai's words, she quickly swallowed the pearls and lightly licked her lips with her little tongue:

"Brother Zhao, what are you saying? I should be the one thanking you for helping me out of a tight spot today!"

"I'm still a student and didn't know how to handle that situation. It really cost you, I'm so sorry."

Meng Yawen felt quite favorably toward the big brother who had just helped her, and she was almost willing to talk about anything.

From their conversation, he learned that she was a senior in the Sports Department at Chuncheng University.

Although her family background wasn't particularly wealthy, it was a well-off family above the average line.

During her student days, surrounded by admirers, she got a bit carried away and had no interest in studying. Plus, being lively and active by nature with good physical talent, she ended up studying sports.

However, she wasn't interested in high-intensity competitive sports. She usually just did moderate exercise and had figured out a set of fitness and shaping methods through her own research, which resulted in her perfect physique.

"Actually, I almost wanted to resign today, but I was reluctant because I made a bet with someone annoying at school. If you hadn't helped me, Brother Zhao, I wouldn't have known what to do."

"Oh? What kind of bet did you make?"

"We bet that we couldn't use connections and would only count our salaries, comparing our income after three months. Today, Brother Zhao helped me earn over ten thousand in one go; I've practically won this bet! Thank you so much!"

"What is the penalty for the loser?"

"The loser has to apologize to the other person on the school playground in front of everyone and admit that they are inferior."

Zhao Xiaoshuai chuckled, his memories of college stirred up. This was youth.

From their chat, he learned that the reason for their feud was simple: competing for the title of campus belle.

Ordinary universities often don't have a definitive campus belle; they mostly have department belles, unless the school has an active online community and busybodies fanning the flames, which gives birth to a so-called campus belle.

The annoying person she mentioned was a bit vain. As soon as she enrolled, she created hype on the school forum and was touted as the campus belle. Driven by her competitive spirit, Meng Yawen also posted a selfie, and from then on, things spiraled out of control.

That person was completely suppressed by Meng Yawen but was very unwilling to accept it, so she used various petty tactics, like spreading rumors, to attack her. Over the years, the two of them had already developed real animosity.

Forcing them to bow their heads to each other was undoubtedly a huge punishment.

After resting enough, seeing that it was time for lunch, Zhao Xiaoshuai wanted to stand up, but he stood up too quickly and felt a little dizzy.

Unconsciously, his left hand swung out, and Meng Yawen happened to come over to support him with concern.

Very soft, and very bouncy.

Authentic.

Assuming it was an accident, Meng Yawen didn't pay too much attention to it. "I still feel like my thanks aren't enough. Since it's noon, let me treat you to a meal."

"I happen to know a place nearby that has light meal sets, so it won't interfere with your weight loss."

Zhao Xiaoshuai naturally agreed happily. After taking a shower, he followed the beautiful woman out, feeling refreshed.

There was a commercial street near the fitness center; it was quite bustling, and that shop was inside, just a five-minute walk away.

The two ate and chatted. The young girl was quite lively and cheerful, often letting out silvery laughter and showing crescent-moon-like smiling eyes.

However, Zhao Xiaoshuai couldn't keep up with many of the things she talked about.

After starting work, his pressure increased, and he only had a few fragments of time left to play a few games for distraction.

Binge-watching dramas, anime, entertainment news, social hot topics... he didn't have time to pay attention to any of it, unless it was a major event that everyone knew about.

Coupled with the information cocoon, he could feel a deep generation gap between him and Meng Yawen.

Even though there was only a difference of about six years, it seemed like they didn't live in the same era.

The young girl was sensible. Seeing he wasn't interested, she quickly changed the subject and started chatting about daily life.

"Many of my classmates, even though their family backgrounds are average, carry bags that cost thousands or even ten thousand. I don't know where they get the money."

"I also have a bag I've had my eye on for a long time that costs over thirty thousand. Although I can't afford it, looking at it every day makes me feel much better."

"If only I were as rich as you, Brother Zhao!"

"Then I'd buy two of the bags I like and switch them out every day!"

The young girl probably didn't have many ulterior motives and was just chatting about whatever came to mind, but Zhao Xiaoshuai was clearly paying attention. He wanted to test whether money and material goods could truly be unstoppable in a woman's heart.

"Just now when we were coming here, I noticed you looked at that LV store several times. The bag you like is from there, right?"

"Hehe, so Brother Zhao, you noticed."

"Anyway, it's still early. Shall we go take a look?"

"Sure, anyway, even if we don't buy anything, just looking is satisfying enough."

As agreed beforehand, Meng Yawen paid for the meal, and Zhao Xiaoshuai didn't fight her for it.

The cashier at the front was a handsome young man who had noticed the beautiful woman at that table earlier. She was the level of beauty he would have to muster up courage just to chat with.

He originally thought that the beautiful woman must have brought one of the meal tickets from her fish pond out to kill time.

As a result, he didn't expect that when it came time to pay, it was the beautiful woman who treated, and she even looked happy about it.

What was even more outrageous was that the loser had a very normal expression, as if it were a matter of course.

The young man couldn't help but doubt life. "No, how does this make sense?"

The LV store wasn't far, just a few steps away.

Stepping into the store, Meng Yawen walked briskly toward the bag she remembered, but Zhao Xiaoshuai unexpectedly ran into an acquaintance.

His ex-girlfriend, Chu Ziqing, and her current tall, rich, and handsome boyfriend.

At this moment, Chu Ziqing was fully focused on making a difficult choice between two bags.

Her boyfriend seemed a bit impatient; he said something to her and then left the store, perhaps to find a place to smoke.

Looking up, Chu Ziqing happened to see Zhao Xiaoshuai at the door. She looked at her boyfriend leaving with some nervousness and vigilance before putting down the bag and walking quickly toward Zhao Xiaoshuai.

She didn't look him in the eye, and her voice was very low, but it was loud enough for him to hear:

"Why are you pestering me? We're already over. Can you act like a man!"