Chapter 17: President Wang of AAA Catering
“Weren’t you the ones who told me to speak my mind boldly?”
Wang Can spread his hands wide, putting on an innocent expression that made him look harmless.
“Tsk tsk tsk, you all talk like seasoned experts, but when it comes down to it, you act like elementary school kids,” Yang Shuang shook his head with a knowing look.
Just as he finished speaking, Zhang Bailan’s phone buzzed.
The four of them quickly looked at the screen. The girl with the username “Maiden’s Heart” had actually sent a photo showing off her legs.
What the hell? Is this really happening?
Even Wang Can was stunned, his face full of disbelief.
Were girls on apps in 2012 really this open?
The room fell into a brief silence.
Chen Xiaobei and Yang Shuang exchanged a glance, then quietly returned to their seats, resuming their arm training.
Wang Can glanced at the two of them, then at the leg photo on Zhang Bailan’s phone, and finally pulled out his own phone.
“Hey, isn’t anyone going to help me reply? How am I supposed to respond?” Zhang Bailan looked confused at the other three.
All he got in response were crisp “clicks” of phones being shaken repeatedly, one after another...
For a full half hour, Wang Can acted like a tireless robot, mechanically shaking his phone over and over.
He had to admit, the person who invented the “Shake” feature was a true genius.
Although the girls he matched with were either too far away or unremarkable in appearance, each shake brought an inexplicable anticipation for the next one.
It was addictive.
Checking the time, it was already 9 p.m.
Wang Can felt he couldn’t continue this downward spiral—wasting his prime youth on meaningless mechanical motions was simply unacceptable.
“One last shake!”
He raised his aching arm again.
“This distance shows 800 kilometers? Too far, no... This profile picture looks like a guy? Pass...”
Half an hour slipped quietly away...
“Click click click... Ding~”
Just as Wang Can resolved to put down his phone once more, a nearby female user popped up on the screen, username “Jiang Xue.”
Wang Can glanced at the profile picture—a blurred back view from the side and behind, exuding a faint chill.
Though the full face was unclear, the silhouette of the upper body and the faint side profile sketched the image of an outstanding beauty.
“You’re the one.”
Wang Can opened the chat window and sent a smiley face.
About a minute passed, just as Wang Can thought she wouldn’t reply, “Jiang Xue” sent a message.
“Judging by your avatar, you’re a student at Shen University? Why such an old-fashioned username like ‘AAA Catering King’?”
Wang Can raised an eyebrow, finally someone noticed his username.
“To be honest, I was once an internet CEO, but was betrayed by cunning capitalists. When the bubble burst, shareholders abandoned me, and capital chased me away. This time reborn, I will start with catering to reclaim everything that’s mine. Here’s a selfie, listen to my revenge plan.”
This time Jiang Xue replied quickly: “Do you happen to have a grandpa who sells tea?”
Interesting. She caught my joke—definitely an experienced net surfer.
Wang Can smiled and replied, “No tea-selling grandpa, but I do have a billionaire dad.”
Jiang Xue: “Oh? What kind of new scam is this?”
Wang Can: “Ladies, choose your words carefully. This might be your one and only chance to marry into a wealthy family. Treasure it.”
Jiang Xue: “Hahaha, well then, you have to tell me which wealthy family I’m marrying into so I can prepare mentally.”
Wang Can’s fingers danced nimbly over the keypad. “I dare say, you really have some imagination.”
Jiang Xue quickly answered, “Classmate, which department and class are you in? I think you’re funny. Let’s meet.”
Without hesitation, Wang Can replied, “Economics and Management, Class 2, Chen Xiaobei.”
Jiang Xue: “Really?”
Wang Can: “Of course not. Do you take me for a fool?”
The chat window went quiet for a moment before Jiang Xue sent: “You’ll regret not meeting me.”
Wang Can put down his phone and chuckled, thinking, only a fool would meet you.
Still shaking his phone with a steady rhythm, Chen Xiaobei suddenly heard Wang Can laughing and looked over in confusion. “Old Wang, what’s so funny? Found a pretty girl?”
“More than that. The girl actually asked me out.”
“Damn, you’re bluffing.”
Wang Can sighed. Why is it that when I tell the truth, no one believes me?
...
At 10 p.m., the archive room in the office building was still brightly lit.
Cui Xixi, responsible for administrative work at the School of Economics, was busy organizing the new student files of the Economics Department.
After hitting the final Enter key, she finally sighed deeply and rubbed her sore neck.
“Finally done.”
Tidying her desk, Cui Xixi picked up her somewhat heavy briefcase and turned off the light, preparing to leave.
Just then, her phone rang unexpectedly.
Seeing the caller ID, she pressed the answer button with a hint of surprise.
“Hello? Professor Jiang?”
“Ms. Cui, are you still at the office?”
A gentle, soft female voice came through the receiver.
“Yes,” Cui Xixi replied, turning the light back on and setting down her bag.
“That’s great. Sorry to trouble you, but could you check if there’s a student named Chen Xiaobei in the past few cohorts of the Economics and Management class?”
“Sure, just a moment.”
Cui Xixi immediately sat back down, expertly opened her computer, and began searching the records.
“No rush.”
About five minutes later, Cui Xixi picked up the phone again. “Professor Jiang, are you still there?”
“Yes.”
“There is indeed a student named Chen Xiaobei registered in this year’s Economics and Management Class 2.”
“Really?” There was a clear pause on the other end. “Then please send me the basic information and photo IDs of all the students in that class. Lunch is on me tomorrow.”
“Professor Jiang, you’re too kind,” Cui Xixi smiled. “I’ll send it right away.”
“Ms. Cui, just call me Yixue from now on.”
“All right...” Cui Xixi was momentarily stunned but then smiled knowingly. “Yixue.”
...
The next morning.
Wang Can crawled out from his warm bed, while Yang Shuang and Zhang Bailan had already finished washing up and stood in front of the mirror adjusting their military training uniforms.
Chen Xiaobei’s bed was still curled under a thick, bulging blanket.
Seeing this, Wang Can lazily jumped off his bed, grabbed a washbasin, and rushed to the empty bathroom.
The most frustrating thing in a guys’ dorm in the morning was waiting in line for the bathroom.
Often, you hadn’t even finished when someone outside was grasping toilet paper, crossing their legs tightly, and knocking on the door repeatedly to hurry you up.
When Wang Can walked out of the bathroom with wet hair, Chen Xiaobei was still motionless under his covers, like a corpse.
“What’s wrong with Dog Bei?” Wang Can asked curiously.
Yang Shuang snickered mischievously. “Last night I got up at three to use the bathroom and heard him shaking his phone under the covers.”
“Wow, so dedicated. Did he find anyone in the end?”
Zhang Bailan, dressed in his training uniform, shook his head. “No, his phone screen was lit up this morning. I glanced at his chat window with a studious attitude but found it full of messages just saying, ‘Look at legs.’”
“Did any reply?”
“One did. It asked why he wanted to see legs. Bei replied because his own legs were short, so he wanted to see longer ones.”
“And?”
“The reply was... ‘Short legs are good, they look longer,’ and then he got blocked.”
“Ha!” Wang Can burst out laughing.
Today’s first joy came from Chen Xiaobei.