Perhaps this feeling is related to experience. BossDan Brooks and Chad Bennett were classmates in high school, so it’s hard to believe Chad Bennett’s story about the two of them attending some elite school. Halfway through, Dan Brooks dropped out. From what Chad Bennett vaguely let slip, Boss Brooks’s father lost everything in the hotel business, and the whole family returned to their hometown, right here on Laodingshan. In recent years, thanks to the rise of tourism on Laodingshan, they opened a farmhouse restaurant in the village, and their family’s situation has finally started to improve a bit. For Dan Brooks, who has been through such ups and downs, Victor Smith always felt he had an extraordinary aura about him. Unlike those Chinese department guys who recite poetry under the moonlight, in the four years they’d been classmates, Dan Brooks was always tutoring, delivering takeout, selling cooked meat, and even catching fish and shrimp with his two brothers to make money. This almost half-work, half-study life had even delayed his regular studies.

The more hardship he saw, the more respect Victor Smith felt for his roommate. He thought that if he were in the same position, he might not do any better than Dan Brooks, and might not be able to live as optimistically as he did.

Sure enough, they hadn’t been quiet for long before the fun started again. The car got onto the secondary road, and Dan Brooks teased Chad Bennett: “Bennett, why aren’t you reporting on your studies and life while I was gone? Judging by your look… there’s probably nothing to report, right? With me gone, you must not be eating well, sleeping well, or having any fun, right? Don’t be discouraged—have fun today, tomorrow we’ll go to my place and eat well, I guarantee you’ll sleep like a dead pig and be in heaven… Wait, what’s up? Why are you more serious than usual? Don’t tell me you’ve got your eye on some girl again?”

If no one had brought it up, it would have been fine, but as soon as it was mentioned, Victor Smith laughed and chimed in: “Oh wow, Boss, you’re sharp—not only did you notice Bennett is more serious, but you even figured out the reason.”

“Who is it, Bennett? Tell us. If you’re feeling down and can’t handle it, you’ve still got your suave big brother here,” Dan Brooks said, boasting a bit.

“Cut it out, who’s feeling down? I’m making it official: my idol is no longer Teacher Cang, it’s now our class beauty, Emily Walker… Boss, you don’t know, but today Emily Walker said I’m the most handsome guy in our class. I figure she must be into me,” Chad Bennett said, a bit narcissistically, rubbing his cheek, looking a little embarrassed.

Suddenly, the car screeched to a halt, startling Dan Brooks. He turned to look at Victor Smith, surprised and delighted, and pointed at Chad Bennett: “While I was gone, what did he eat to boost his brain? He’s actually making up stories now.”

Dan Brooks figured it was probably just Chad Bennett getting carried away after reading some fantasy novel again. Emily Walker was the type raised with strict family discipline, proud and ambitious. Not to mention guys like Chad Bennett, even in the whole Luyuan, there might not be anyone who could catch her eye. But unexpectedly, Victor Smith smiled and said, “Brother Brooks, three days apart and you have to see him with new eyes—this time it’s actually true. Emily Walker really did say Bennett is the most handsome. Boss, you’re handsome too, but that’s just to set off Brother Chad’s presence, right, Bennett?”

Chad Bennett was always the type that if you called him fat, he’d start panting. Hearing this, he was delighted, jumped in, and started showing off. He and Victor Smith went back and forth, finally explaining what happened today. Dan Brooks understood—so it wasn’t that the class beauty was being flirty, it was just Junior Chad being self-indulgent. But saying that out loud would be too discouraging, so Dan Brooks smiled and switched to an encouraging tone: “See, Bennett, what did I say? If you wait long enough, the clouds will part and the sun will shine through—finally, a girl has noticed your inner beauty. So, how about it? Want Junior to ghostwrite you a love letter that will shake heaven and earth? You’d better hurry up and confess—graduation is coming soon… right, Junior?”

“Right! As the sages say, ‘A fair lady is a gentleman’s desire.’ If you don’t go after her now, it’ll be too late. Once you leave this village, there won’t be another shop like this,” Victor Smith agreed, patting his chest and taking on the job: “Don’t worry, I’ll plagiarize all the famous love letters from history for you, guaranteed to win the beauty’s heart.”

Dan Brooks and Victor Smith were of the same mind, egging on silly Chad to go after the class beauty—maybe it would add another romantic story to Luyuan. But Chad Bennett was a bit clever for once, and pouted: “Forget it, your sappy love letters are useless. I’ve changed my mind—I’m going to confess to her face.”

“Wow, Brother Chad, you’re awesome!”

The two of them were overjoyed and gave him a thumbs up. If that’s how it was going to be, the fun was only going to get bigger.

But unexpectedly, Chad Bennett turned a little discouraged and said, “But I’m just afraid she won’t like me. If I really confess, do you think she’ll spit in my face!?”

Dan Brooks and Victor Smith exchanged glances, both grinning mischievously. If that scene really happened, it would be even more entertaining than Ah Q chasing after Mrs. Wu—definitely something to look forward to. They had to encourage him, so the two of them, one on the left and one behind, egged him on. Victor Smith said seriously, “No way. If she didn’t like you, why would she say you’re handsome?”

“Exactly, Junior is right. We may be a little bit more handsome than you, but that’s just to set off your presence. How could she possibly bear to spit in your face?” Dan Brooks fanned the flames.

Victor Smith chimed in again: “Think it through, Bennett. Even if you don’t succeed, it’ll still be a beautiful memory. But if you do, it’ll be amazing, right?”