Volume 4: Hidden Struggles, Chapter 139: A Simple Task

“By the way, Third Brother, since I happen to meet you, I’d like to tell you that we’ve changed classrooms—it’s in Room 201 of the main building. Make sure not to get lost…” Bai Lei said seriously after finishing with the cabbage, turning to Chu Tianyu.
Chu Tianyu thought to himself, “You’re really too late to warn me! I’ve already gotten lost!”
But fortunately for him, he hadn’t known earlier. In his eyes, the situation had already turned into a beautiful and delightful mistake…
Though feeling happy inside, Chu Tianyu asked curiously, “Huh? Scoundrel, why do you seem different today? Why so serious? It’s not like your usual style of joking around and fooling people. Did you take some wrong medicine?”
“Confucius once said: People always progress. Don’t judge others by old standards!” Bai Lei replied mysteriously.
“What nonsense? Bai Lei, you really must have taken wrong medicine! Is something wrong?” Chu Tianyu exclaimed upon hearing Bai Lei’s unusual words.
Facing Chu Tianyu’s confusion, Bai Lei said disdainfully, “Shut up. You’re the one who’s taken wrong medicine! To be honest, I’ve been focusing on self-cultivation lately—improving both my physical and mental abilities. As for my physique, my increasingly defined muscles already show my strength, which is obvious to everyone…”
Chu Tianyu was sweating. He had only been practicing martial arts for a few days and was already out of breath. It was true that his muscles were growing at a rate of a few microns per year, but that didn’t mean his personality would change that much!
After showing off his “muscles,” Bai Lei suddenly changed tone and continued, “But what I’m emphasizing today isn’t these external things—it’s inner qualities, a person’s true essence!”
“Oh, besides being good at talking and fooling people, I really can’t see any inner qualities in you?” Chu Tianyu said, sweating…
Bai Lei raised one finger dismissively, shook it, and said with a look of profundity, “Prejudice, absolute prejudice! I’ve long given up on such shallow acts as fooling people. To be honest, I’ve started believing in Buddhism lately and am studying Buddhist teachings—like the Diamond Sutra and the Prajna Paramita Sutra—I’ve already made considerable progress…”
Before he could finish boasting, the cabbage made a face at Chu Tianyu and then revealed, “That’s right, the scoundrel isn’t fooling people anymore. His realm has risen so high that he’s now trying to fool Sakyamuni…”

Bai Lei let out a mournful cry and sighed to the sky, “Heaven! Why is it so difficult for a person to change their pride? Oh heavens!” By the time it was his third roar and accusation, he was interrupted by a stern and heavy voice: “Which class are you from? Why are you making noise during class? You! Yes, you—come with me to the office…” When Bai Lei realized what was happening, he saw that the person standing across from him was none other than the newly assigned head teacher, rumored to have the title of “Iron-Faced Yama.” He was standing there alone, while Chu Tianyu, Bao Cai, and the others had long disappeared! Bai Lei cursed inwardly, “A bunch of ungrateful guys!” Then, with a mix of laughter and frustration, he quickly put aside his earlier pitiful attitude, put on a fake smile, stepped forward a few times, and bowed his head as he began to explain things to the head teacher. Faced with Bai Lei, who even dared to deceive Sakyamuni, even the strictest head teacher couldn’t escape being tricked. Within five minutes, he let Bai Lei go and even gave him a hundred yuan, saying emotionally, “Bai Lei, if you have any difficulties, come to me. We can solve them together!” “Mm!” Bai Lei nodded solemnly. “Good, good student. Go ahead and take care of your things. You don’t need to worry about this anymore!” After saying that, the head teacher watched Bai Lei walk away for a while, nodding in approval and murmuring, “What a great student…” … Finally, Bai Lei found those ungrateful guys lurking around the corner, ready to watch. But before he could lose his temper, he heard Bao Cai, Chu Tianyu, and the others talking all at once. “Wow, Old Bai, I really didn’t expect it. Impressive, truly impressive!” Bao Cai spoke first; unusually, he didn’t make any sarcastic remarks, seeming genuinely impressed this time. “Right, right. I think Bai Lei’s practice of Buddhism wasn’t in vain—he definitely has the ability to deceive Sakyamuni!” Da Ge agreed from the side. “Yeah, Bai Lei. I heard the new head teacher is really strict. Who would have thought that with just a few words, he praised and commended you, and even gave you money! You’re really amazing!” Chen Qing was even more envious. “That’s right. With your performance just now, calling it deception would be an insult to your talent. I think Bai Lei can now definitely be considered a master of acting!” Chu Tianyu concluded.

Bai Lei was originally listening to everyone’s praise with great pride, having even forgotten his curses at those ungrateful guys earlier. But the moment Chu Tianyu said his last word, Bai Lei’s expression changed instantly. He yelled at Chu Tianyu, “Hey, Chu Tianyu, how dare you insult people like that? How am I an actor now? You’re good at this—insulting people without using any swear words. What kind of ‘actor’ is that? You might as well just say I’m ugly!”
“I, I didn’t mean that…”
Before Chu Tianyu could finish explaining, Bai Lei waved his hand and shook his head, striking a dramatic pose before interrupting, “Enough, enough! Remember from now on—don’t use terms like ‘actor’ to insult others. I’m a truly handsome idol!”
“Ugh…” Chen Qing couldn’t help but vomit!
…
“By the way, Bai Lei, whether you’re an actor or an idol, how exactly did you trick that old man?” Cai Bo’s curiosity resurfaced after vomiting.
Bai Lei, feeling proud, was about to showcase his eloquence when he suddenly noticed the tense atmosphere around him. Chu Tianyu and the others were staring at him with eyes that could kill a pig, as if they’d execute him with the Ten Terrible Punishments of the Qing Dynasty if he said one more word.
So he quickly changed his expression and briefly explained the whole process. To keep Chu Tianyu, who often skipped class and didn’t know the details, informed, he added a bit more context.
It turned out that due to Chu Tianyu’s long absence, Bai Lei had essentially become the acting class leader. This time, the school student council called on all grades and classes to show spirit of unity, friendship, and mutual assistance by helping poor students. While direct donations weren’t encouraged, it was suggested that meaningful activities be organized to help those in need while also giving everyone practical social experience.
Such an opportunity to stand out and do something meaningful was naturally taken over by Bai Lei. In fact, as soon as he heard about it, he had already planned to organize a large-scale cultural performance. By charging appropriate admission fees, he could definitely make a lot of money—it would be truly meaningful!

The reason Bai Lei could think in this direction was also because he had a strong backing: the friendship between their dormitory and Li Rou’s dormitory. In particular, Da Ge and Bao Cai both dated sisters in the arts field—Da Ge’s partner was an excellent dancer, while Bao Cai’s partner, Xiao Xue, played the piano superbly. With these relationships, even if they were older, they were sure to gain popularity. Even if not, they could at least entertain themselves and, incidentally, foster pure “friendship” between boys and girls, right?

So, under this noble pretext, Bai Lei and his friends went out during class time to prepare things for the party. In Bai Lei’s words, they were going to seek sponsorship by approaching several multinational companies, asking them to put up banners, run advertisements, or sponsor the event.

Unexpectedly, they ran into Chu Tianyu, which led to the incident with the dean. In a moment of quick thinking, Bai Lei pretended to be deeply remorseful. After meeting the dean, he first admitted his mistake of shouting and giving orders during class, then elevated it to a political level and gave a thorough self-criticism. Only then did he casually mention that he was trying to raise funds for this poverty-alleviation initiative. He described how much disdain he faced and how many pairs of shoes were worn out in his efforts, yet he still hadn’t raised a single penny, making him feel extremely ashamed—ashamed of failing the dean’s trust and the classmates’ high expectations. Thus, he could only sigh deeply to express his inner distress…

It was amazing he could come up with such an excuse and explanation. When Bai Lei finished his lengthy speech, everyone present couldn’t help but give him a thumbs up, praising him in unison, “Impressive! Truly impressive!”

“Average, just average!” Bai Lei replied proudly, thinking it was a remarkable response.

“Well, Third Brother, isn’t this meaningful? Since we happened to run into you, forget class for now—come with us to seek sponsorship!” Bai Lei said after the pleasantries.

“Yeah, yeah! The Five Heroes of Beifu haven’t acted together in ages!” Bao Cai added.

Chu Tianyu inwardly laughed bitterly. They were bringing up such a meaningful cause and emphasizing brotherhood—how could he refuse? It seemed his simple wish to attend class properly would be full of obstacles and out of reach.

Not only was Chu Tianyu’s simple wish to have a class filled with obstacles, but their subsequent efforts to secure sponsorships also faced many difficulties. Not to mention talking to the relevant parties, even the receptionists at the door refused to let them in as soon as they explained their purpose. A few did allow them in, but only because those places didn’t have any reception staff and they just broke in. In any case, they were all met with a firm refusal.

Later, at Bai Lei’s suggestion, they changed their strategy. Instead of casting a wide net blindly, they focused on identifying which enterprises, companies, or organizations would be interested in campus culture and economics. With this focus, they pooled their ideas and came up with possibilities like telecommunications companies and radio stations that were closely related to campuses. Surprisingly, once they had specific targets, they went ahead and made contact, and it worked! They secured a five-thousand-yuan sponsorship for a campus package from a telecommunications company and a three-thousand-yuan sponsorship and naming rights deal from a radio station. The radio station even offered to broadcast the event live if it became large-scale enough!

These two sponsorships greatly boosted Bai Lei and Chu Tianyu’s morale. Although it was only a little over eighty thousand yuan, for Chu Tianyu and Bai Lei—two top students—it wasn’t much different from money too insignificant to bother picking up from the ground. Yet the significance and joy they felt were worlds apart.

Bai Lei also took the chance to whisper to Chu Tianyu, “No wonder Li Rou said you always found time to help that pancake vendor at the beginning of school. It turns out that doing things with your own hands and working hard to truly help others is much more meaningful, happier, and more satisfying than making donations from a position of superiority as if bestowing favors.”

Chu Tianyu smiled at Bai Lei without saying a word, his agreement evident without words.

In the following days, Chu Tianyu and Bai Lei devoted themselves fully to organizing the event, failing to attend a single class. Under Bai Lei’s leadership, their booth grew larger and more impressive, and they secured several more sponsorships. With the promotion and support from Li Rou, Xiao Xue, and the entire girls’ dormitory, they received strong backing from all the female students in the art and architecture departments. They offered to bring their own instruments and backing tracks, so as not to add to Bai Lei and the others’ burden.

Faced with their dedication, even Bai Lei couldn’t help but praise, “What a great group of people!”

This also made Bai Lei, Bao Cai, and the others’ faces turn red these past few days—red from excitement, and their eyes red from staying up all night!
“Third brother, can you think of a few more ways to bring those two beauties from Peking University over? It won’t be hard on them, nor will we ask them to perform anything. Just have them come as friendly sponsors to attend. That way, our promotion will be even more impactful and impressive! Hehe, who knows? We might even earn some foreign currency from the ticket sales…” Bai Lei was now completely obsessed, considering every possible factor and resource he could use, leaving no chance unexploited.
“Earn foreign currency?” Chu Tianyu asked doubtfully.
“Of course! I mean, the money from other schools! By the way, Third brother, you won’t refuse to do this small favor, right?” Bai Lei pressed him.
Hearing this, Chu Tianyu broke into sweat. For such a meaningful task, Ouyang Zi Yi would definitely agree, but he couldn’t guarantee Qin Nianran’s participation. Moreover, he didn’t feel comfortable explaining the details to Bai Lei, so he only mumbled, “No, no problem. I’ll just invite them…”
“Mm, right. Have them bring their sports cars too and park them at the entrance of the venue. It’ll be a huge draw—guaranteed to be a hit! Haha, okay, that’s settled then. Third brother, there’s nothing else for you to worry about. With this simple task, you’ve got to back your brother up!” Bai Lei came up with another bad idea and insisted stubbornly.
After dealing with Chu Tianyu and assigning this simple task, Bai Lei left, casting a pleading look at Chu Tianyu as if to say, “My everything depends on you!”
This sent chills down Chu Tianyu’s spine instantly!
Chu Tianyu quickly calculated the time. Today was Tuesday, and the party was on Thursday night. The reason for choosing Thursday was the result of careful analysis by them all—mainly because if it were held on the weekend, everyone would have too many other activities, making it hard to gather everyone together. But on Thursday night, after four days of classes, everyone would be tired, and the attendance should be relatively complete. So holding a party at that time would definitely attract more attention and get more students involved…

It seems there are still two days left to complete this simple task. The main issue is actually Qin Nianran—finding a reason or excuse is key! Thinking of this, Chu Tianyu had an idea and silently exclaimed to himself, “Oh no, how could I forget this? The partnership with Tianxing Group was quite successful after all. Of course, we should find an opportunity to celebrate. Now’s the perfect time to invite her using this party—this way, we avoid awkwardness later, and it’s not the same old routine of sitting in a coffee shop or tea house and having a superficial chat! Great, Bai Lei’s suggestion is really good. Haha, it solves two problems at once!”

Acting on his thought, Chu Tianyu first contacted Ouyang Ziyi, gave her a brief overview of the situation, and directly mentioned Bai Lei’s suggestion. With Ouyang Ziyi’s personality, she agreed right away and said she would come right away to help!

“No, no. Take it easy, don’t rush. Hehe, let me know if you’re free to tell Qin Nianran too, so I don’t have to invite her again…” Chu Tianyu said shyly.

“Hehe, you’re thinking too nicely. I dare not get involved in your relationship with Qin Nianran anymore. You two should resolve it yourselves… Right, Qin Nianran?” Ouyang Ziyi not only refused outright but also addressed the last sentence to Qin Nianran beside her.

Chu Tianyu broke into sweat upon hearing this. He didn’t expect the two of them to be together. And that annoying Ouyang Ziyi still couldn’t keep a low profile. Sigh!

“By the way, do you want to talk to her now?” Ouyang Ziyi teased.

Chu Tianyu decided to go for it since it would be done sooner or later. He said, “Sure, then ask her to pick up the phone so we can talk together!”

“Hello, Qin Nianran, it’s Tianyu from our side…” Chu Tianyu heard Ouyang Ziyi’s arrogant voice on the other end of the phone.

Qin Nianran must be numb to Ouyang Ziyi’s harassment. She didn’t seem to bother arguing with her and simply asked, “What’s up?”

“Oh, it’s like this…” Chu Tianyu repeated what he had said to Ouyang Ziyi earlier, emphasizing Bai Lei’s silly idea of driving a flashy sports car.

“Let’s see… If I’m free the day after tomorrow… we’ll talk then!” Qin Nianran sighed heavily, almost suffocating Chu Tianyu with her breath. It seemed uncertain after all this fuss.

“Is there anything else?” Qin Nianran asked.

“No, that’s all…” Chu Tianyu replied.

“Hey, classmate Ouyang, here’s your phone back. By the way, the phone of this brand you bought has a really poor feel…” Before hanging up, Chu Tianyu heard Qin Nianran’s voice again on the other end. He wasn’t sure if she was really talking about the phone or if there was another meaning behind it.
After hanging up, Chu Tianyu gave a helpless wry smile. Although this simple task seemed completed now, the tone from the other end still carried a condescending attitude, which really gave him a headache.
“Sigh, when will these days of uncertainty and anxiety come to an end? When will I be able to realize my beautiful dream of having three legitimate wives and four concubines living in harmony…”
Before his random thoughts could continue, another phone ring interrupted him. At first, he thought it was Ouyang Ziyi, so he didn’t check the number. To his surprise, it was Xue Ning’er calling.
“Hehe, brother-in-law, it’s Ning’er!” Ning’er’s pleasant voice came through the phone.
“Huh? Why are you free today? Do you not have any performances?” Chu Tianyu replied.
“I just finished. Brother-in-law, didn’t you forget? We agreed last time that I’d give you a solo performance!” Xue Ning’er said.
“Oh, right! That’s great!” Chu Tianyu exclaimed.
“What’s wrong?” Clearly, Chu Tianyu’s sudden rise in pitch surprised Xue Ning’er.
“Oh, nothing much. It’s just that… hehe, you’re really a godsend! We’re planning to hold a cultural event at school to help those in need these days, and we were worried about lacking interesting programs. If you could come and perform as a big star, it would be amazing!” Chu Tianyu said excitedly, while secretly blaming himself for forgetting Xue Ning’er, who was such a true superstar. He deserved it!
“Is that so? I’d be happy to participate in such a meaningful event. What’s your brother-in-law’s task is my task!” Xue Ning’er agreed cheerfully with a smile.
“That’s great! Thank goodness! If Bai Lei finds out now, I wonder if he can still hold his ground,” Chu Tianyu said with a smile too.
“A scoundrel? What scoundrel?” Xue Ning’er asked in confusion.
“Oh, nothing, nothing!” Chu Tianyu laughed.
“By the way, brother-in-law, when exactly is your event?” Xue Ning’er asked urgently, as if suddenly remembering something.
“Tomorrow night at seven o’clock!” Chu Tianyu replied immediately.
“Tomorrow already!” Xue Ning’er exclaimed in surprise.

“What’s the matter? Is it conflicting with your performance?” Chu Tianyu asked urgently.
“No, no, brother-in-law, I won’t talk more. I, I have something to do, so I’ll hang up first…” Before she could finish, Xue Ning’er hurriedly hung up the phone.
Chu Tianyu was left stunned, staring at the phone in confusion for a while before muttering to himself, “Sigh, these little girls really can’t keep their promises! Wait, that’s not quite the right phrase… Anyway, they’re unreliable. I’d better not tell Bai Lei and the others yet. Otherwise, they might not be able to handle it, and if something goes wrong and they can’t come, it would just be another wasted effort!”
Just after making those calls, before he could catch his breath, he heard Bai Lei’s voice again: “Elder Third, you’re free now, right? Could you go do something for me…”
…
This busy schedule didn’t end until Thursday afternoon. Everyone looked at the stage designed by Li Rou and her team—its simple and elegant style, bright and tidy appearance. Every detail reflected their hard work and sweat, filling everyone present with a sense of pride and fulfillment. Even emotional people like Bai Lei and Bao Cai couldn’t help but hold back tears, showing their sense of achievement.
“It’s definitely no worse than the Spring Festival Gala!” Ouyang Ziyi, who arrived later and managed to take control of the situation, nodded in approval.
“Mm, not just no worse—it’s even better, perfect!” Bao Cai said through tears.
“Yes, perfect!” the others agreed in unison.
“Alright, I hereby announce that Chu Tianyu will treat us. Let’s go to the new ‘Xiao Xiang Guan’ restaurant by the school to have dinner first. After that, we’ll take our positions for the official performance at 7 o’clock.”
“Great! Let’s eat. That’s a good idea. Even emperors can’t afford to keep their soldiers hungry. I heard Xiao Xiang Guan’s food is top-notch!” Bao Cai cheered.
“Yeah, and the prices are great too—better than those fancy places like Hui Huang or Rong Yao!” the tall guy said, patting Bao Cai’s head.
“Don’t worry, since it’s the rich who’re paying, we might as well enjoy it!” Ouyang Ziyi said, glancing at Bai Lei.

Others thought Ouyang Ziyi was referring to Chu Tianyu. But since Chu Tianyu was such a wealthy man, they didn’t want to miss out on any benefits. They just pretended to comfort him on the surface and stepped forward to express their friendship and gratitude to him. Only Bai Lei stayed behind, muttering under his breath, “Damn, Ouyang Ziyi is really good at this. She even counts every penny for Chu Tianyu. Look at her ambiguous expression—it seems I’ll have to be the one to give blood in the end! Ugh, why don’t I have a pretty friend who can help me drain someone else’s blood?”

Sure enough, when everyone could hardly eat any more, Ouyang Ziyi signaled Chu Tianyu to take Bai Lei to the “bathroom” and said they would settle the bill when they returned. Just as Chu Tianyu and Bai Lei were about to reach the door, Ouyang Ziyi rushed up and whispered to Chu Tianyu in front of Bai Lei, “Tianyu, please ask Bai Lei to get us a platinum-level VIP card. The food here is really good. That way, we won’t have to carry cash next time we come…”

It was unclear whether she was speaking to Chu Tianyu or directly to Bai Lei. Anyway, Bai Lei heard it clearly and rolled his eyes in exasperation!

…

At 6:10, everything was ready. Everyone was busy and excitedly waiting, except Chu Tianyu, who still had two uncertainties in mind: whether Qin Nianran would come, and whether Xue Ning’er, who kept calling him “brother-in-law” affectionately, would show up. He tried to contact her to confirm her attendance, but she didn’t even answer her phone and eventually turned it off. It was unclear what had happened.

At 6:30, some students began to enter one after another. Aside from the actors and a few roommates who sponsored the event, only a dozen tickets—divided into four tiers: A, B, C, and D—had been sold from the large donation box at the auditorium entrance, with a total value of less than 100 yuan. Ticket A cost 20 yuan, B 10 yuan, C 5 yuan, and D 2 yuan. Most of the tickets sold were of tier C and D…

At 6:40, several school leaders and class teachers who had been invited arrived. Although the event was free, they still bought a ticket each as a show of support. In particular, the head teacher who had already donated 100 yuan was assigned by Bai Lei to the best seat in the venue.

At 6:50, Chu Tianyu and Bai Lei, who were selling tickets at the entrance, finally felt some crowd activity. But it was still far less than what they had expected. No wonder—with so many forms of entertainment available nowadays, who would watch these old-fashioned amateur performances? It’s better to just find a DVD or watch something online, which is far more entertaining!

6:55—Qin Nianran’s bright yellow sports car appeared on time, easing the tension in Chu Tianyu’s heart. Moreover, her car attracted quite a crowd. As her car stopped in front of the auditorium alongside Ouyang Ziyi’s, it really looked stunning!
“Get me a front-row ticket,” said Qin Nianran.
“You’re so punctual! You can put the money directly in the donation box. Ziyi has already arranged a seat for you!” Chu Tianyu smiled.
“Mm…” With that, Qin Nianran dropped the money and, without further words, went to find Classmate Ouyang.
Bai Lei glanced at Chu Tianyu with a teasing look, giving him a subtle nudge and whispering, “Third brother, you’re really my idol. But I’m wondering—how come among these three beauties, Li Rou, Ouyang Ziyi, and Qin Nianran, you’re the only one? And yet you can enjoy all their charms so openly and arrogantly. I’m really impressed by you! Poor me, Bai Lei—can’t even land a simple Blue Moon. What a failure!”
Just as Bai Lei was secretly admiring and envying Chu Tianyu, several extended white Lincoln limousines appeared around the corner.
The first one—Chu Tianyu immediately recognized it as the one he had ridden in with Xue Ning’er. Checking the time, it was 7 o’clock minus three minutes—she was even more punctual than Qin Nianran!
Bai Lei looked at Chu Tianyu in confusion. Without hesitation, Chu Tianyu said, “Don’t ask why. I can only tell you that it’s time for us to become ticket scalpers!”
“What do you mean?” Bai Lei asked, still puzzled. But when he saw the people getting out of the car, he finally understood Chu Tianyu’s meaning.
Xue Ning’er stepped out wearing a snow-white evening gown, waving and smiling at Chu Tianyu who was standing at the door.
“This… this can’t be the fourth one who falls into your clutches…” Before Bai Lei could finish speaking, another person got out of the car. His mind went blank—such a breathtakingly beautiful face, an ethereal and delicate aura, a graceful presence as if she were a fairy descended from heaven. Human words simply couldn’t describe her beauty…
“Xue… Fei… Fei…” Bai Lei stammered, trembling as he uttered those three words.
Chu Tianyu was also stunned—completely stunned. He never expected Fei Fei to appear at this moment. When he saw the car, he thought it was just Xue Ning’er!

When Xue Feifei approached Chu Tianyu, her face filled with tenderness and deep longing, making her throw herself into his arms without hesitation, offering him a passionate kiss without any reservation…
Chu Tianyu was drunk!
Bai Lei was completely stunned!
Xue Ning’er smiled!
Bao Cai and Da Ge were shocked!
The entire scene fell silent!
When Chu Tianyu and Xue Feifei parted, it seemed as if everything returned to normal—everyone started moving around, with shouts and phone noises filling the air.
“Give me two first-class tickets…”
“Give me ten…”
“Stop crowding! I want a hundred…”
“Damn it, sell them to me first—I’ll buy them all!”
“Hey, Lao Liu? Don’t say anything—just come to the auditorium right away…”
“Biao Zi, hurry up and put on your running shoes and come over. Bring some money too! Where? Of course here! Idiot…”
But no matter how noisy it was, it couldn’t compare to Bai Lei, who suddenly roared at the loudest volume he’d ever used: “Everyone, shut the hell up! Da Ge, close the door and stop Bao Cai from coming in—no one’s allowed in!”
With that, he pushed down all the tickets in the donation box with his body and continued shouting, “Chen Qing, quickly add two zeros to the prices of all the tickets on the blackboard and add a note saying they’re limited edition! Queue up properly!”
Fortunately, there weren’t many people outside the auditorium at the time; otherwise, Bai Lei’s sudden price hike would have already led to chaos. The situation might have gotten completely out of control.
Even the few students still outside started complaining persistently. With only seven or eight people around, Bai Lei had no choice but to sell them at the original price. Only one lucky person managed to buy a first-class ticket. The others could only shout—they didn’t have extra money, only three or five yuan each. But it was impossible to ask them to go back and get more money. Likely, by the time they returned, the price would have gone up by two zeros again. So, without further thought, he bought as many tickets as he could—getting in was already a good outcome!

After sending them away, Bai Lei’s hands trembled with excitement. After forcing himself to calm down for a while, he ordered in a shaky voice, “Bao Cai, immediately inform everyone back there of the situation. The performance is postponed by half an hour. Also, pull out a few strong members from our class to guard the entrance and maintain order. Chen Qing, go to the broadcasting station right now and announce over the whole school that the superstars Xue Feifei and Xue Ning’er are making a special appearance as guests. Oh, and mention the ticket prices—add two zeros to the current amount! Chu Tianyu, you, stay with these two… Ah, I can’t take it anymore. Could these two idols sign autographs for me first?”
…
Meanwhile, an ordinary-looking middle-aged man on a bicycle was also extremely excited as he made a phone call: “Hello, hello, President Li, it’s Xiao Zhao. There’s major news, major news! Didn’t you ask me to check on whether our sponsorship for the concert at Beifu Academy was finalized after dinner? Do you know who I met? Xue Feifei and Xue Ning’er… Yes, that’s right, they are it. It’s 100% true—I guarantee it with my head! Yes, it’s definitely the legendary Xue Feifei who’s supposedly retired. She’s right here, not far from me…”
A loud roar came from the other end of the phone: “Call me right away! Mobilize everyone at the station…”