Chapter 97: Spare Change That Can’t Be Forgotten
Liou Qingcheng heard the words about making a date, and inexplicably felt nervous.
She hurriedly asked, "Which beauty did you ask out?"
"Beauty?" Lin Tian was stunned.
As far as he knew, there were only three women he knew: Liou Qingcheng, Bai Shishi, and Mei Ruyan who always had a frosty face.
These three, in Lin Tian’s view, each was harder to ask out than the last.
If he truly said he was asking out a beauty, perhaps Liou Qingcheng would be the easiest to approach.
"Miss Liou, don’t make fun of me. With someone like me, how could I ask out a beauty? Where would I find a woman!" Lin Tian smiled wryly.
"I asked out my classmate Wu Yong. We’re from the same dorm, and since it’s not a rest day today, he just called to say he wants to have a meal on Charm Street!"
Lin Tian quickly explained to prevent any further misunderstanding with Liou Qingcheng.
Men truly love men, and men and women are just for reproduction.
For some reason, this phrase popped into Liou Qingcheng’s mind, and suddenly she felt like she’d be a third wheel today.
"So at noon, when I invite you to eat, there might be another person joining, you don’t mind, right?" Lin Tian sought Liou Qingcheng’s opinion first.
Liou Qingcheng nodded, "I don’t mind. Let’s meet on Charm Street at twelve then!"
With Wu Yong there, Liou Qingcheng felt a bit more at ease; otherwise, just a male and female going to Charm Street, what if someone from the school saw them.
Most likely, they’d be thought of as going on a date with Lin Tian!
"Oh dear~ Liou Qingcheng, you scandalous girl, what are you thinking!" Liou Qingcheng quietly scolded herself.
"Alright then, I’ll call you when I get there. I’m almost at the West Square now!" Lin Tian said seriously.
"Okay, be careful on the way!" Liou Qingcheng didn’t forget to show concern.
After hanging up the phone, the taxi arrived at West Square, Lin Tian paid and got out, just pulling out his phone to call Wu Yong when he felt someone patting his shoulder from behind.
No need to think, Lin Tian knew who it was.
"Brother Yong!" Lin Tian turned his head excitedly.
The two used to hang out every day, and only because Lin Tian was expelled did they go this long without meeting.
"Lin Tian!" Wu Yong patted his shoulder.
Even though they were the same age group, Wu Yong looked silly and honest, just like how Lin Tian used to be.
But now Lin Tian’s eyes showed a shrewdness, and his aura seemed much more mature.
This might be the kind of trial society puts people through.
"Where are you hanging around these days?" Wu Yong could also sense Lin Tian’s change and asked curiously.
"Me? I’m rolling with the boss of Xianglong Tea House!" Lin Tian replied casually.
"Whoa!" Wu Yong took a sharp breath.
He was so astonished his jaw almost dropped to the floor.
"Is it that surprising?" Lin Tian couldn’t stand Wu Yong’s exaggerated expression and rolled his eyes, speaking in an annoyed tone.
"I heard that the boss of Xianglong Tea House is a woman, and she’s quite powerful, both rich and influential!" Wu Yong blurted out everything he knew.
"Lin Tian, you better work hard, following her might lead you to great success in the future!" Wu Yong kindly reminded Lin Tian.
"I know!" Lin Tian nodded, still having grand ambitions: "But I’m thinking of dealing with it after the unified exams, see the results then I’ll decide!"
"Alright, let’s not talk about these things. Let’s go eat. Since we’re out to have fun today, let’s not overthink things, just enjoy ourselves!"
Lin Tian didn’t want to continue this somewhat unpleasant topic.
"Let’s go!"
The two headed straight to the West Square subway entrance, put in coins, took their tokens, and went into the carriage.
Once inside, as it was past the morning rush hour, the carriage wasn’t crowded, and there were plenty of empty seats.
Lin Tian and Wu Yong had just sat down when they were drawn to a figure walking in the carriage.
It was a scruffy middle-aged man, wearing patched-up clothes, with a sign hanging around his neck, a plastic bucket in hand, bowing to each passenger he passed.
As the middle-aged man got closer, Lin Tian realized what he was doing.
Turned out he was a beggar, asking for money from kind people in the carriage, but why would a fully able-bodied middle-aged man not work and resort to begging?
After the incident with the little boy last time, Lin Tian couldn’t help but be suspicious whenever he saw a beggar.
Moreover, this middle-aged man in front of him had all his limbs intact; surely, he could find a job rather than begging, right?
Perhaps there’s a story here!!!
"Oh oh... ya ya!" At this moment, the middle-aged man made a humming sound, gesturing to the sign on his neck for the neighboring passengers to see.
Lin Tian glanced at the sign hanging from the middle-aged man’s neck and saw a crooked line of red text.
"One dime, five dimes, unforgettable. Dear sir and madam, be kind, good people will live in peace!"
Lin Tian whispered to himself, "Turns out he’s a mute!"
While Lin Tian was considering, Wu Yong suddenly pulled out a one-yuan coin from his pocket.
"What are you doing?" Lin Tian asked.
"He looks pitiful, so I’m giving him some money. Though I’m also quite poor, it’s the least I can do!"
Wu Yong had a warm heart and couldn’t stand seeing such things.
"I remember the TV saying that people like this are scammers!" Lin Tian recalled news stories often exposing subway beggars.
"Oh ya... oh!"
Just then, the middle-aged man arrived in front of Lin Tian and Wu Yong, bowing while pointing at the sign on his neck.
Wu Yong threw the one-yuan coin into the bucket the middle-aged man was holding, with a fleeting look of disdain on his face, as if giving one yuan wasn’t enough.
Although that expression was fleeting, it did not escape Lin Tian’s watchful eyes; hence he decided to test whether the man was a fraud.
Without a word, Lin Tian pulled out a thousand yuan from his pocket and threw it into the bucket the middle-aged man was holding.
"Holy crap! So much!" The middle-aged man exclaimed, his eyes almost popping out.
"Holy crap! You can talk?" Wu Yong cried out in surprise, his eyes almost popping out too.
The middle-aged man then realized he shouldn’t have spoken, but the amount given was indeed too much; typically, some people might give a hundred yuan at most, mostly it was a few yuan or even sometimes just a few cents.
It was the first time encountering such a generous donation, and it was understandable the middle-aged man spoke out in excitement.
Seeing such a large sum of money, he subconsciously spoke.
Lin Tian had only intended to test him, which is why he was so generous.
Little did he expect to find out the truth about these unscrupulous individuals who deceive people’s kindness.
From the bottom of his heart, he truly despised them!
"So you can talk after all!"
Lin Tian chuckled wryly, quickly reaching into the bucket to take back the thousand yuan.
The middle-aged man now found himself in a dilemma, for how could someone take back the money they’d given?
But unfortunately, he couldn’t open his mouth to speak.
"Give me back my money!"
Seeing Lin Tian take back the money, Wu Yong also reached into the bucket; even though a single yuan wasn’t much, it absolutely couldn’t be given to such a shameless person.
"You!" The middle-aged man couldn’t hold back any longer and retorted, "Taking back a thousand yuan is one thing!"