...
「Time: 8:53 PM. The rain had stopped.」
Outside the Golden Grand Hotel.
"Brother Tang, we've been waiting for six or seven hours. You don't think Shen Ning'Er is coming out, do you?" a monkey-faced youth asked the impatient pretty boy in front of him.
The pretty boy, dressed in a suit, viciously threw the half-smoked cigarette in his mouth to the ground and stamped it out with his gleaming leather shoe.
"Of course she's not coming out, idiot."
Tang Weiwei had always considered himself no ordinary pretty boy. Besides his considerable strength, he actually preferred to solve problems with his brain, thus showcasing his talent for being a man of both brains and brawn.
"Then why are we waiting here?" the monkey-faced Ah Si asked, not quite understanding.
"You don't get it. This is called an 'investment,'" Tang Weiwei said with a confident expression. "A woman's heart is a needle in the ocean. The colder a woman seems on the outside, the more passionate she is on the inside. They love a man who's romantic with a touch of rogue, rebellious but still handsome. Especially since it was raining tonight. I waited in the rain for this long; Shen Ning'Er definitely saw it."
"But... the rain stopped?" Ah Si said, looking up at the sky.
THWACK!
It was a sharp rap on the head.
Tang Weiwei tilted his head back. "The rain may have stopped, but at least it rained. It's the thought that counts."
"Brother Tang, you're so eloquent! You truly are the super-elite most likely to get into the Military University!" Ah Si said, rubbing his head, so moved he was on the verge of tears.
"Get into the Military University? Hmph. As long as I hand this thing in, I can get into the Military University in the City of Hope whenever I want," Tang Weiwei said, patting his jacket pocket.
"What's so amazing?"
"Ask what you should, not what you shouldn't."
"You're right to lecture me, Brother Tang. So... should we keep waiting here?" Ah Si immediately stopped asking questions.
"We've waited long enough. The time is ripe," Tang Weiwei said, his gaze fixed on a huge floor-to-ceiling window on the eighth floor of the Golden Grand Hotel. A besotted smile appeared on his lips.
"What are you going to do, Brother Tang?"
"There's just one last step. If I can get a hotel master key, I can get into Shen Ning'Er's room. Then, I'll present the gift I prepared with both hands. The fire in Shen Ning'Er's heart will surely be ignited by my persistence, hehe..."
"Get into Shen Ning'Er's room?!" Ah Si's expression changed. "Brother Tang, isn't that a little too risky? Shen Ning'Er is a soldier, and a powerful one at that. Plus, Lieutenant Qin is also staying at the hotel. If something goes wrong..."
"What could go wrong? I'm just going to give her a gift. Is Shen Ning'Er going to kill me for it? Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Don't you get it? Besides, even in the worst-case scenario where Qin Tianxiong finds out, he can't do anything to me. Hmph. There are some things you don't know. Qin Tianxiong secretly contacted my dad a week ago. Forget it, you wouldn't understand even if I told you!" Tang Weiwei said, looking completely fearless.
"No, Brother Tang, what I mean is... why don't we just knock on the door?"
"Propriety! Do you know what propriety is? If I knock on the door, Shen Ning'Er will definitely worry about her reputation. But if I can get into her room and launch a surprise 'attack,' showing her my absolute sincerity, do you think she'll still be able to maintain her reserve?" Tang Weiwei was full of confidence.
"You're amazing, Brother Tang! So we... Huh? Brother Tang, look! Isn't that... Gao Neng?!" As Ah Si spoke, he happened to spot Gao Neng staggering along in the distance.
"Gao Neng? Yo, it really is him!" Tang Weiwei's eyes lit up.
At Third Senior High School, you couldn't find a second person with Gao Neng's level of good looks. Add to that his perennial first-place rank in theoretical scores, and it was impossible for Tang Weiwei not to know who he was.
Right now, however, Gao Neng was carrying a large black sack half as tall as he was. It was bulging and pressed down on him, looking quite strange.
"What's that kid doing here so late? Don't tell me he's also trying to woo Shen Ning'Er?" Ah Si looked puzzled.
"Woo Shen Ning'Er? He wouldn't have the guts. Besides, from what I know, countless underclassmen at school have thrown themselves at him, and he's never given them a second glance. However, Gao Neng has always wanted to go to the City of Hope. I'd guess he's trying to use this opportunity to suck up to Lieutenant Qin. Look at that big bag on his back. Nine times out of ten, it's the gift he prepared." Tang Weiwei believed he had an eye that could see through anything.
"So we just ignore him?"
"Ignore him? What a waste! You've been following me for so long, how have you not learned to play to people's strengths? Do you know what Gao Neng is best at?"
"Scavenging junk?"
"Hahaha, the kid is pretty good at scavenging junk, that's true. But I'm talking about his other skill: he's handsome enough. Wherever there are women, that face can smooth over a lot of trouble. Ah Si, go get Gao Neng. Remember to be polite. We're civilized people; we disdain the use of force, understand?"
"Got it, Brother Tang!"
...
Soon, Gao Neng was brought before Tang Weiwei.
Gao Neng usually wouldn't pay much attention to a run-of-the-mill pretty boy like Tang Weiwei, but Tang Weiwei's father was somewhat famous: Tang De, the vice-principal of Third Senior High School.
An art teacher who had somehow become the vice-principal, and an existence that even Li Qingping didn't dare to easily offend. His sphere of influence was naturally not limited to just Third Senior High School.
Since Gao Neng knew of Tang De, he had a vague impression of Tang Weiwei as well.
"What is it?"
"Gao Neng, I have a business proposition that could make you rich overnight. Interested in discussing it?" Tang Weiwei had no idea what Gao Neng was thinking. After all, in his mind, no matter how handsome Gao Neng was, he should still be respectful to him.
"Of course!" Gao Neng's face lit up with joy, and he looked like he was about to pull the other boy into a big hug.
"Ahem..." Tang Weiwei coughed twice, a disappointed look on his face. "Can't you be a little more reserved? Even a tiny bit? You're first in our grade, for crying out loud. Shouldn't you at least ask what I need you to do before you decide? Prudence, you know? Honestly, you're making this very unsatisfying for me."
"Oh? Is that so... In that case, I'll go back, and you can ask me again?" Gao Neng said, as if suddenly enlightened, and turned to walk away.
"Wait, I'm in a hurry. I'll get straight to the point. Lieutenant Qin dropped something when he had lunch with my dad. My dad asked me to bring it to him, but I forgot which room he's in. Go find out for me."
"Does it pay?"
"Five Alliance Coins."
"Only five? What happened to getting rich overnight?" Gao Neng sounded less than satisfied.
"Oh? You want to earn more?" Seeing Gao Neng's expression, the smile on Tang Weiwei's lips finally widened. 'Everything is going according to my plan!'
'So what if you're handsome? So what if you're first in our grade?'
"If there's more to be made, who wouldn't want to make it?" Gao Neng acted as if he hadn't even seen the smile on Tang Weiwei's face.
"Alright then, I'll give you a chance. I estimate Lieutenant Qin is probably asleep by now. If I knock on the door to deliver the item, I might disturb his rest. If you can get me a master key for the Golden Grand Hotel, I'll give you fifty Alliance Coins. How about it?"
"Get a master key?! If I get caught, I'll be treated like a thief. Besides, security at the Golden Grand Hotel is really tight..." Gao Neng looked hesitant.
"Don't worry, I've already looked into it for you. The night shift changes over at 9:30. If you slip in then, no one will notice. Besides, even if you are discovered, you have your ways, right?" Tang Weiwei said with a smile, looking at Gao Neng's exquisitely perfect face.
"Is that so..." Gao Neng continued to hesitate.
"Enough nonsense. Just say if you can get it or not," Ah Si said, growing impatient.
"One hundred Alliance Coins. Not a single coin less," Gao Neng said, gritting his teeth as if he had just made an incredibly difficult decision.
"Deal," Tang Weiwei agreed readily.
"Where's the money?"
"Here's fifty Alliance Coins as a deposit. If you can find out the information and get the key card, I'll give you another fifty. My integrity is top-notch!" Tang Weiwei tossed the fifty Alliance Coins into Gao Neng's hand and then made his guarantee with a righteous expression.
"But I remember Chen Xiaotian said you had him steal an exam paper last time and didn't pay him," Gao Neng said, looking unconvinced.
"Is there any proof? Don't listen to baseless rumors. How dare that Chen Xiaotian slander my good name! I'll cripple him later. Are you going or not? If not, I'll find someone else!" Tang Weiwei said, getting angry.
"Of course I'm going. Who would turn down a chance to make money? I'll go right now." Gao Neng didn't give him a chance to object, turning and slipping in through a side entrance of the hotel.
After watching Gao Neng go inside, however, Ah Si wore a confused expression.
"Brother Tang, don't we already know where Shen Ning'Er is staying? Why did you have him go find out? And you even had him ask about Lieutenant Qin? Most importantly, that's a hundred Alliance Coins... just to steal a hotel master key? I'm great at that stuff!"
"What do you know? Don't you see how conspicuous that kid is? Having him ask about Qin Tianxiong's room is a strategy of misdirection. It doesn't matter where Qin Tianxiong is staying. What matters is that once he starts asking around, the hotel staff will definitely remember him. That's our 'evidence.' Even if he's not caught stealing the key card, we can pin it on him if something goes wrong. How can a perfect plan not have a fall guy?" Tang Weiwei tilted his head back slightly, a cold smirk playing on his lips.
"A fall guy? Hahaha, Brother Tang, you're brilliant! And with that big sack on his back, he really looks the part!" Hearing this, Ah Si couldn't help but laugh as well.