I pay for the beautiful dream you once gave me

Lin Yuan left decisively, not bothering to notice the expression of the girl who had bought him milk tea at that moment.

Naturally, he didn't see her chase after him later, crying uncontrollably at the entrance.

Lin Yuan's state of mind was like a line from a certain movie: "I'm not trying to prove how much better I am than others; I just want to prove that I will definitely take back what I lost with my own hands!"

Although the situation Lin Yuan faced was far different from that in the movie, what was similar was his and the protagonist's state of mind—the pursuit of a clear and unobstructed Dao heart.

The one thousand yuan Lin Yuan transferred to her was not given out of sympathy or regret, but to resolve a lingering thought in his own heart.

Having climbed out of the mud pit after graduation, Lin Yuan was no stranger to the ups and downs, especially on the day of the interview, when he felt quite flustered.

Even with the system, but due to the system not being powerful enough, Lin Yuan was still very nervous on the day of the interview.

If he didn't pass, the only remaining path was to continue delivering food for another year and try again next year.

Therefore, on the day of the interview, the cup of milk tea he received before the interview was one of the few bright spots against the dark and gloomy backdrop of Lin Yuan's life at that time.

Consequently, in the period that followed, Lin Yuan often recalled the figure who gave him milk tea that day.

She smiled sweetly, her hair danced in the wind, and a halo seemed to emanate from her.

What is the purpose of postgraduate studies? To change one's fate.

Why change one's fate? To not worry about three meals a day and to have a warm home.

And the girl from that day would occasionally appear in Lin Yuan's dreams thereafter.

This was not because Lin Yuan was infatuated with the girl herself, but rather because Lin Yuan's perfect life plan required such a character, and that girl seemed very suitable for the role.

Passionate men dream big, and beautiful dreams must have something to rely on.

Although Lin Yuan didn't explicitly project the splendor of his dreams onto her, seeing her dressed like that in such a place just now made Lin Yuan's heart tighten involuntarily.

He couldn't distinguish whether it was disappointment or sadness after his dream was shattered.

In short, it was somewhat uncomfortable.

So, in the end, Lin Yuan repaid her with a cup of milk tea.

But just one cup of milk tea was not enough to encompass the complex emotions in Lin Yuan's heart, because what that girl gave Lin Yuan that day was more than just that one cup of milk tea.

'Since you love gold leaf, I will give you gold leaf today.

This will also resolve the slight ripple in my Dao heart.'

Therefore, Lin Yuan's one thousand yuan repaid the emotion she gave him that day—'I am paying for the beautiful dream you once gave me.'

Unfortunately, Lin Yuan doesn't have much money now.

His remaining savings, combined with various subsidies he just received from Good Group, totaled less than ten thousand yuan.

This amount of money isn't even enough for him to buy a laptop with better specifications.

To get Liu Huzi to promote the small software for collecting delivery riders data, he still needs to squeeze out a lot of money to bribe him.

He also needs to save some money for food and drink to sustain himself until he receives his intern salary.

Therefore, this one thousand yuan was already the limit for Lin Yuan at this time.

Letting his wallet bleed once, and letting himself learn a lesson, remembering this feeling of loss.

—

Lin Yuan didn't dwell in his recent emotions for too long; the road ahead was still long, and he had more important things to do.

—

Xia Ye returned early to the cramped single room she shared with Song Xiaoxiao.

She stared at the payment received record on WeChat for a long time, lost in thought.

Click, the lock tongue moved, then a creak, and Song Xiaoxiao returned.

With another person in the room, it immediately felt even more crowded.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Song Xiaoxiao asked, approaching Xia Ye with concern, "The store manager over there said you didn't seem to be in a good mood, and also said you didn't want to work anymore?"

Song Xiaoxiao had recommended Xia Ye to the Meow Aww Fun Play store; Song Xiaoxiao occasionally worked part-time there as well, but for Song Xiaoxiao, that kind of place was just where she earned some pocket money.

"I met someone today, and he transferred one thousand yuan to me."

"You finally decided to take escort orders?" Song Xiaoxiao knew that Xia Ye only agreed to be a greeter and wouldn't take escort orders.

Now, hearing her say she received a thousand yuan, which was clearly more than a day's pay for a greeter, she naturally thought that.

"No, I didn't take any orders."

"Ah? You didn't take any orders, and he gave you a thousand? He just gave you a thousand for free? He just looked at you and tipped you?"

Xia Ye didn't know how to answer for a moment.

Song Xiaoxiao quickly imagined, "Things are looking up, and you don't want to do it anymore?" Song Xiaoxiao then pretended to exclaim, "Xia Ye, you didn't, you weren't spotted by some rich and handsome guy, were you?"

"No, nothing like that," Xia Ye quickly explained, "We've met that person before, he's the one who delivered food at school.

Before, because I couldn't find my delivery, he made a wasted trip, so I bought him milk tea."

"A delivery riders?" Song Xiaoxiao's expression grew even more confused, "A delivery riders gave you a thousand for free? Is delivering food that profitable now?

I've only heard of people losing five hundred to earn a five-yuan delivery fee."

"I think... I think he's a good person.

He gave me money because he didn't want to see me like this now."

"Uh... after he gave you the money? Did he also give you a pep talk? He didn't encourage you to study hard and improve every day, did he?"

"No, besides adding a note when he transferred the money, he didn't say anything else."

"What was the note?"

"Look," Xia Ye showed her the transfer record, "'You shouldn't be here.'"

"Tsk, tsk," Song Xiaoxiao said with disdain, "Save it, sis.

I advise you to be careful in the future; don't run into some psychopath.

He gives you a thousand yuan without saying a word; how much does he earn delivering food for a day?

Maybe one day he'll be waiting for you on your way home from work..."

Xia Ye shook her head like a rattle-drum, "No, he wouldn't.

His expression was very righteous, which made me feel very ashamed.

He didn't have a hint of malice."

"Bad people don't carve words on their faces."

"I believe he was encouraging me.

I've decided, I won't do this anymore.

I'll still go to an institution to teach dancing."

"Aren't you already teaching dancing at an institution?

If you could earn enough to pay for your Purple Arts postgraduate tutoring class, you wouldn't have asked me to introduce you to earn extra money."

"I can teach dancing all day, mornings, afternoons, and evenings.

Although money is hard to earn now, I can work multiple jobs.

If all else fails, I can always work at a milk tea shop, right?"

"You're going to be a milk tea beauty?"

"I mean, selling milk tea properly."

Song Xiaoxiao said mockingly, "Don't you feel tired anymore?

Aren't you complaining that the tutoring agency doesn't make money anymore?

You suddenly understood?"

Xia Ye's face immediately showed worry, but after a brief struggle, Xia Ye still made up her mind, "If a delivery riders is working so hard, what right do I have to give up on myself?"

"Oh! You think working there is giving up on yourself?"

Xia Ye quickly reacted, "Xiao Xiao, you know I didn't mean that."

"Oh, well, never mind.

I was just joking with you.

You're a good girl from a good family; it's indeed difficult to ask you to do that kind of work.

But, given your conditions, there's no need for you to earn that kind of hard-earned money..."

"I've decided, don't try to persuade me."

"Bah! When did I ever persuade you? You make me sound like a madam.

I'm clearly just feeling sorry for you... sigh, never mind.

Are you hungry? I'll take you for a late-night snack.

I got a big order today."

"I... I... I'm not hungry." Xia Ye stubbornly refused.

Because she couldn't allow herself to both despise earning money that way and enjoy the money Song Xiaoxiao earned that way.

Song Xiaoxiao obviously saw Xia Ye's concerns, "What are you thinking? I enjoy this work.

Xia Ye, listen to me, you can't always measure others by your own standards.

If you truly don't look down on me, you should even more righteously follow me and freeload on food and drinks."

"Really, really?"

"If worse comes to worst, just consider it a loan from me.

You can have your top-ranked delivery riders brother pay for it later, you know."

"Xiao Xiao, don't talk about him like that."

"Okay, okay, I won't talk about your top-ranked brother."

"He's not..."