That evening, Group One, along with a few girls from Group Three like Ge Luming, went to Haidilao.
Everyone joked about “tearing into He Xiaoyuan,” but in the end, over a dozen people spent less than 3,000 yuan.
He Xiaoyuan jokingly said, “You’re hopeless,” prompting Zou Fanping to suggest they continue to KTV.
While Zou Fanping and Ge Luming were singing ‘Love’s Main Track’, He Xiaoyuan received a voice call from Lu Chen. Holding the phone with one hand and covering his ear with the other, he stepped out to the hallway.
Outside, the man’s amused voice came through: “Having a lively night?”
He Xiaoyuan: “Yeah, we’re at KTV now.”
Lu Chen: “Looks like I called at the wrong time.”
He Xiaoyuan: “I’m not singing, just picking songs for them.”
Lu Chen teased: “Why aren’t you singing? Too many mic hogs?”
He Xiaoyuan: “There are plenty tonight. I sing just okay anyway.”
Lu Chen chuckled lightly: “I haven’t heard you yet—can’t judge ‘okay’ just yet.”
He Xiaoyuan laughed: “Lu Ge, are you a professional song critic now?”
Lu Chen: “Not now. Next time you sing, I’ll judge.”
…
They chatted happily while He Xiaoyuan stayed in the corridor outside the KTV room.
At one point, the room door opened. Yuan Miao and another guy came out, saw He Xiaoyuan smiling on the phone, and jokingly patted his shoulders as they passed.
He Xiaoyuan, holding the phone, glanced at them in confusion. Yuan Miao mouthed silently: Lu Ge?
He Xiaoyuan nodded, and Yuan Miao gave him a knowing grin.
He Xiaoyuan didn’t understand at the time.
Later, after finishing his call and returning to the room, Yuan Miao, who had just come back from the restroom, joined him.
Sitting down, He Xiaoyuan asked curiously: “Why were you laughing at me outside just now?”
Yuan Miao shook her head repeatedly: “Nothing, nothing.”
Then she added: “Hey, do you talk to Lu Ge like this every day?”
He Xiaoyuan frowned in confusion. “What do you mean?”
It didn’t seem like a big deal.
Yuan Miao replied, “Answer me first—do you talk to Lu Ge like this every day? Then I’ll tell you why I asked.”
He Xiaoyuan thought for a moment: “No.”
He hadn’t called yesterday, the day before, or the day before that. Though they had met on the 11th-floor terrace those days.
Hearing the denial, Yuan Miao raised a hand to her chest and said, relieved: “Good, good. I can relax now.”
He Xiaoyuan: ?
Yuan Miao picked up a small plastic fork from the fruit plate, speared some fruit, and handed it to him, all while chattering: “It’s nothing, really—it’s just you overthinking. Eat some fruit, eat some fruit.”
He Xiaoyuan accepted the fruit, puzzled by her behavior, muttering, “You’re acting a little… like ‘Chuan-fied’ today.”
“Chuan-fied”—an inside joke in Group One—meant being sharp-tongued and sarcastic, like Zou Fanping, not a compliment.
Yuan Miao laughed and scolded: “You’re the one who’s ‘Chuan-fied’—you’re always ‘Chuan-fied’.”
Two days later, He Xiaoyuan checked his account and saw the 400,000 had been deposited—after taxes, to his surprise.
Sitting in the office, he quietly stared at the balance. He had never held so much money before. Finally, he could pay off all his debts.
He had imagined this moment countless times: what would it feel like to be debt-free? Would he be ecstatic? Emotional enough to cry?
But now that it had come, he felt no overwhelming emotion. He simply knew he could clear all his debts—and that was enough.
He thought silently: Is it because I’ve grown up, graduated, and started working? Am I maturing?
At this moment, he felt somewhat unfamiliar with himself, yet pleased and comforted by the fact he had become stronger, more resilient.
He looked forward to becoming even better, even stronger.
That evening, instead of heading straight to the dorm, he went to a large mall near the company.
For the first time, he walked alone into a luxury brand store on the first floor—a place he had always felt was beyond his reach.
The staff, seeing his handsome features and refined aura, welcomed him warmly, asking if he needed any assistance.
He Xiaoyuan’s gaze swept over the polished shelves. Calmly, he said, “I want to buy a bag.”
…
On Saturday, he went to Xu Ruomeng’s apartment.
She had been working late on a case, barely sleeping, and opened the door like a ghost. Collapsing onto the sofa, clutching a pillow, she muttered: “I’m so tired… capitalists aren’t human…”
Half-lidded, her eyes fell on the large shopping bag he carried. Assuming it contained groceries, she weakly gestured toward the kitchen: “Put it there first.”
Then she paused. The bag’s color and logo were too familiar. “Hm?” She snapped upright.
Seeing the familiar luxury brand, Xu Ruomeng sprang from the sofa, shouting: “He! Xiaoyuan!”
Her eyes wide, she covered her mouth in disbelief: “You bought me a bag?!”
He Xiaoyuan stepped closer, handing over the bag with a smile: “See if it’s the one you’ve been wanting. I don’t think I got it wrong.”
Xu Ruomeng tore open the bag, removed the box, unwrapped the layers, revealing the dust-covered bag inside. She collapsed onto the sofa, covering her face in excitement.
It was the bag! The one she had always wanted!
“Ahhhh!!!”
Suddenly remembering something, she lifted her hands and stared at him: “Where did you get the money? Did you rob a bank?!”
He Xiaoyuan laughed: “Or… I just got first place and the 400,000 bonus?”
Hearing this, she screamed again: “Ahhhh! You got first place?!”
She jumped on him in excitement.
“You’re amazing! How could you… actually buy me the bag!”
Mid-pounce, she suddenly paused: “But why buy me a bag? To pay off debts, right?”
He Xiaoyuan explained with a smile: “There was more than enough, more than enough for the bag.”
Her excitement exploded anew, and she lunged at him again.
That day, they ate at Xu Ruomeng’s apartment. Despite her exhaustion, she insisted on cooking a full meal to celebrate his first-place win.
Of course, with her long-desired new bag, she wasn’t sleepy at all; she could keep cooking and working late without a care.
During dinner, Xu Ruomeng casually discussed the leftover portion of the 400,000: “You paid off debts and bought the bag—about 200,000 left. Do you want to save it? Or buy a car for easier commuting?”
He Xiaoyuan didn’t respond immediately.
She counted on her fingers: “You’ve always wanted a small apartment around 2.5 million. With a 30% down payment, that’s 750,000. Add taxes and fees, roughly 850,000. You have 200,000, leaving 650,000. If you save strictly, in two years you can have it; more relaxed, maybe three years.”
She calculated, pleased with the numbers: “Then in two or three years, you’ll have your own place. Keep saving, and the renovation money will be ready too.”
He Xiaoyuan, however, said: “Xiaomeng, I already spent that money.”
Xu Ruomeng’s eyes widened in disbelief: “What? You spent it?!”
The next day, Sunday evening, He Xiaoyuan arrived twenty minutes early at the Hong Kong–style café they had agreed upon.
He felt pleased with himself for being early. Following the waiter inside, he took a seat at an empty table. Just as he sat down and looked up, he spotted Lu Chen not far away.
Surprised that Lu Chen had arrived even earlier, he waved subtly and got up. “Lu Ge.”
Lu Chen glanced up from the menu. “So early?”
He Xiaoyuan sat across from him, placing his backpack beside the chair. “You’re even earlier than me.”
“I just got here too,” Lu Chen replied, handing him the menu. “Take a look. What do you want?”
…
Having met a few times on the 11th-floor terrace, their second meal together felt surprisingly familiar.
They ate while chatting casually, the atmosphere relaxed and warm. After finishing, He Xiaoyuan went to pay the bill.
Stepping out, he said, “Thanks, Lu Ge, for letting me treat you this time.”
Lu Chen replied, “Next time it’s my turn.”
He Xiaoyuan: “Then the time after next, I’ll go again.”
Like two children taking turns playing with a toy, their pre-planned alternation was endearingly rigid. He Xiaoyuan found it amusing; Lu Chen’s lips curved in a faint smile.
They strolled casually through the mall until it was time to leave. Lu Chen prepared to drive He Xiaoyuan back to the dorm.
Just as they approached the elevator, He Xiaoyuan called out, “Lu Ge.”
Lu Chen turned. He Xiaoyuan took a few steps forward, stopping in front of him. He stood there, looking serious, as if gathering courage to speak.
“What’s up?” Lu Chen asked.
He Xiaoyuan looked at him silently, then unzipped his backpack, took out a paper bag, and, after shouldering the bag again, pressed his lips together. He handed the bag over with both hands, determined.
Lu Chen, surprised, asked, “For me?”
He Xiaoyuan nodded.
Lu Chen didn’t refuse. He took the bag, glanced inside, and asked, “What is it?”
Still silent, He Xiaoyuan seemed unsure how to explain. Sensing his hesitation, Lu Chen smiled gently: “May I open it?”
He Xiaoyuan nodded again.
Under He Xiaoyuan’s watchful gaze, Lu Chen removed a velvet box from the bag. He could already guess what it was: a watch. Opening the box confirmed it.
The price was obvious—likely six figures.
Lu Chen immediately thought this must have been bought with He Xiaoyuan’s bonus.
Spending so much on a watch as a gift?
He raised a subtle eyebrow but kept his expression calm, letting his gaze fall on He Xiaoyuan.
He Xiaoyuan met his gaze and said slowly, “I bought it especially for you, Lu Ge. Please accept it.”
Lu Chen remained composed. “How much?”
He Xiaoyuan hesitated but, seeing Lu Chen’s calm, reassuring presence, finally said, “Two hundred thousand.”
Two hundred thousand—half of his bonus.
Lu Chen was silent.
He Xiaoyuan stammered a little, explaining, “I hesitated before, worried you wouldn’t take it.”
His eyes were clear, earnest, fixed on Lu Chen: “But I still bought it. I thought, after being in the company this long, everything has gone smoothly thanks to your guidance. My rotation went so well because of your help.”
He Xiaoyuan’s nervousness and awkwardness stemmed from giving such an expensive gift—20 million yuan’s worth of watch.
He had never had this much money before, never bought such an expensive gift. He was unsure if it was appropriate, if Lu Ge would accept it, or whether Lu Chen, a high-ranking executive who casually handled hundred-thousand-yuan cars, would even value a 200,000-yuan watch.
Lu Chen saw the young man’s awkwardness and understood. He knew he couldn’t refuse or ignore it, but he also couldn’t accept it without thought.
With a gentle voice, he asked, “Why spend so much on a gift for me?”
He Xiaoyuan looked back at him, blinking: “Hm?”
Lu Chen fixed him with a steady gaze. “Don’t you think it’s too much?”
It was a lot. At least for He Xiaoyuan, 200,000 was indeed a huge sum.
He Xiaoyuan considered, then replied, “It’s not about the money, nor should gratitude be measured in currency. I just feel that if it weren’t for your guidance, Lu Ge, I wouldn’t have achieved first place.”
Lu Chen remained composed. “All for a watch as thanks, and it cost 200,000?”
The gift’s price for gratitude seemed so high.
He Xiaoyuan fell silent, looking down for a moment. Then he lifted his gaze, eyes shining under the mall lights, and said firmly, sincerely: “Because I think you’re worth it.”
“The 400,000 bonus felt like windfall money. Half of it I can use for myself, but for the remaining 200,000… I thought about saving it, spending it, but in the end, I wanted to spend it on you.”
He spoke with effort: “Partly as a concrete expression of my gratitude, and partly to show the depth of my feelings through the value.”
He added: “Besides, didn’t you say before that ‘relationships and goodwill are a form of hard power’?”
“So spending this money on the watch is also me learning to maintain my relationship and goodwill with you.”
Every word was earnest, every gesture filled with heartfelt sincerity.
He kept coming across as that clumsy—like a gentle, soft-bodied jellyfish, extending its pliant yet resilient tentacles, curious and tentative as it probed an adult world and a set of social rules it didn’t yet understand.
It left Lu Chen silent, even as something in his chest was stirred—aching and soft.
And those four words, “Lu-ge is worth it,” hit his heart like a heavy blow, sending a tangle of emotions spreading through him. He Xiayuan—this boy—how sincere must he be in the way he treats people, to remember others’ kindness so carefully, to want to express gratitude and return that goodwill? How pure must his heart be, to pull off this kind of “spending without hesitation,” treating money as something secondary?
And how foolish did he have to be, to say something like “worth it” to a so-called “company colleague” he hadn’t even known for very long?
He Xiayuan…
Almost the moment He Xiayuan finished speaking, Lu Chen took the watch out of its box and put it on his wrist. He lifted his hand slightly to take a look, smiled, and said frankly, “It fits perfectly. I really like it. Thank you.”
He Xiayuan clearly hadn’t expected such a direct, unreserved reaction. His eyes flickered as he looked over in surprise.
A moment later, he broke into a happy smile and nodded firmly. “I’m glad you like it.”