Chapter 33: He Dared to Strike the Chairman

The owner of Xiaoyu Barbecue is a man from the Northeast. Like Chen Yuan, he shares a partial hometown connection, and his speech is always tinged with a questioning tone.

The shop has two floors. The best-decorated part of the place is the hostess’s face; her makeup skills rival those of a professional bricklayer—layered perfectly and completely free of caking.

When they reached room 201, six people were already inside—four men and two women. There were a few items on the table, though not many; it seemed the order hadn't fully arrived, accompanied by a few bottles of beer.

Jiang Shuyi was dressed quite impressively, wearing black shorts and a small white tank top that highlighted her rounded chest. The person sitting next to her was undoubtedly Jin Yechao.

"Come, come, come, we were just waiting for you!"

Jin Yechao was very enthusiastic, ushering Chen Yuan inside and saving him a seat. The remaining four members—three men and one woman—appeared a bit reserved. The girl had a ponytail and a small, round face, looking quite cute.

Everyone introduced themselves, getting a sense of each other's backgrounds. The girl’s name was He Xiaoxi, and the three men were Li Yongan, Huang Shengyuan, and Wang Haoqi. Li Yongan was the student who had accompanied Jiang Shuyi to the hotel the day before to secure sponsorship.

"So it was you," Wang Haoqi said first. "I saw you playing on the court the other day. You shook that sophomore department head until he looked like a sieve."

When you are a department head, people treat you differently, but in private, you are just an ordinary sophomore, and no one bothers to put on airs.

"Coming through, coming through! The garlic-scented crucian carp is ready."

After a short while, a server entered and placed the ordered dishes on the table. There was quite a lot of food.

"Ahem, ahem..." Jiang Shuyi cleared her throat and said, "Let me state the rules of our department: the fish head must always point toward the great Department Head Jin. Don't forget that."

He Xiaoxi covered her mouth and giggled. "Should the sharp ends of the barbecue skewers also point toward Brother Chao?"

"Not bad, not bad! You've got potential. I can tell you're cut out to be a department head."

*Slap!*

Jin Yechao struck the table. "Department Head Jiang, go ask the kitchen if those kidneys are being processed yet."

"They're currently going through the approval process."

"Hahaha..."

The two of them played off each other, neither taking themselves too seriously, and the atmosphere at the table was exceptionally relaxed. Just then, Huang Shengyuan, who had gone to the restroom, returned and said:

"I went out to buy cigarettes just now and saw the Literature and Art Department eating at the Hometown Grilled Fish place next door."

"Let them eat; don't worry about them."

Jin Yechao pushed the menu toward Chen Yuan. "See what else you want to eat and order it yourself. We have a budget; we aren't spending our own money. There's plenty here, but if it's not enough, just order more."

"That works."

Jin Yechao lit a cigarette and said, "I saw the video of you two going one-on-one posted on Douyin. You made him look like a total fool. The basketball tournament is the main highlight of the sports festival next semester; you should participate. You might even place."

"I'll see how things go when the time comes. I'll probably join."

"Don't pay any mind to that guy, Li Dongyang," Jin Yechao said, exhaling a cloud of smoke. "I’ve always felt he isn't quite right in the head. If he didn't have that Grade 10 violin certification, he probably wouldn't have become a department head at all."

"He probably thinks that because he has a little talent, he's a true 'artistic youth'."

Jiang Shuyi’s mockery was equally ruthless. "During the school orientation, he kept asking me for budget money. I don't know what he was thinking. The sponsorship money didn't go into my pocket; if he’s so capable, he should go ask the student body president for money."

"He did the same to me, asking me to pull in more funding. He said he needed to rent costumes for some key freshmen to participate in the campus top ten singers contest. He's such a poser; he acts as if the Literature and Art Department is superior to the rest of the student union."

Jin Yechao took a drag of his cigarette, smacked his lips, and added, "First the orientation gala, then the top ten singers contest—it's all Literature and Art Department work, which has made him a bit full of himself."

"He had a girlfriend before, but they broke up after only a short time. I happen to know that girl, so I learned a bit about the situation," Jiang Shuyi said. "I heard he’s an only child from a three-generation line, and his circumstances are quite good. He grew up being constantly praised, and with that bit of talent—the Grade 10 violin—he probably thinks he’s heaven’s chosen one, capable of anything."

After hearing what Jiang Shuyi said, Chen Yuan immediately understood why Li Dongyang gave off the impression of being out of touch with reality. He wasn't misreading the situation; he was just misreading himself.

"Alright, alright, let's stop talking about him."

Jin Yechao raised his beer. "This is our department's first get-together. Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

The meal was quite pleasant. Not to mention Jiang Shuyi, who was a pro at teasing Jin Yechao throughout the meal.

Jin Yechao was also a very outgoing person. After a few bottles of beer, everyone quickly bonded. In his words, the so-called department dinner was just a gimmick—using the opportunity to make more friends was better than anything else. It was no wonder he was able to become the head of the External Relations Department; his mindset for making friends was perfectly suited for the job.

During the meal, Chen Yuan also learned a few things. Besides the upcoming top ten singers contest, there would be debates, poetry recitations, innovation competitions, and a series of other activities, including the sports meet next semester. In short, there were plenty of activities during the freshman year; there was always something for everyone.

The External Relations Department had plenty to do, but that didn't include Chen Yuan. The work in External Relations was optional—do it if you want, ignore it if you don't. It was very free.

"Brother Chao, look."

As the group walked out of the barbecue shop, they happened to see Li Dongyang coming out of the Hometown Grilled Fish place with a group of people. Compared to the External Relations Department, the Literature and Art Department had more girls. Among them was one with an exceptionally high level of beauty—stunning. Her long, black hair hung down naturally, her skin was fair, and her features were refined. She was beautiful in a delicate and natural way.

Standing there, she instantly became the focus of the crowd.

While the others were chatting and laughing, she followed silently behind, seemingly not saying much. Chen Yuan had a vague impression of her; he remembered she had performed on stage during the orientation gala, though he had forgotten her name.

The two groups met, and when Li Dongyang saw Chen Yuan, the smile on his face froze instantly.

Jin Yechao smiled and waved a greeting, but didn't go over to talk, simply leading his department members away.

"Let's go, don't pay him any mind."

"Why do I feel like the look he gave Chen Yuan was a bit off? Like he wanted to fight," Jiang Shuyi remarked.

"He doesn't have the guts."

Jin Yechao, a burly man from the North, was not one for small details, throwing an arm around Chen Yuan's shoulder. "If he gives you any trouble, tell me. I'll help you take him down."

"You got it."

After the meal, Chen Yuan realized that Jin Yechao had a strong sense of camaraderie and a fearless, devil-may-care spirit. Judging by his attitude, let alone Li Dongyang—if he had one or two helpers, he’d probably have the nerve to fight the student body president himself.