From the parking lot to Starbucks, it was still some distance.

All the way, Su Xiao stayed by Qin Heng's side, deliberately keeping her distance from Yuan Si. She always felt Yuan Si's smile was insincere and dangerous, and she subconsciously wanted to keep her distance.

Yuan Si also noticed this, and his expression turned slightly gloomy, his gaze on Qin Heng growing even more displeased.

When they reached the entrance of Starbucks, the female server inside immediately came out to greet them, bowing respectfully to Yuan Si.

"Welcome, boss. Please come in."

Yuan Si nodded slightly and said with a smile, "I've invested a bit here, so they call me boss. No need to be surprised."

Then, he walked ahead, a smile on his face.

The two female servers also followed by his side, their faces full of flattery.

"Starbucks is the largest coffee chain in the world and is very popular in China too. Investing in it is a sure win," Yuan Si explained with a smile. "By the way, Qin, do you know the origin of the name Starbucks? You're a high school senior; you must have a broad range of literary knowledge, right?"

"I don't know," Qin Heng said indifferently. "I've never paid attention to such a low-class coffee shop."

He rarely drank coffee, and when he did, it was always prepared on the spot by the world's most professional baristas. He would never set foot in a place like Starbucks.

"..." Yuan Si's lips twitched slightly. He suddenly seemed as if his throat were stuffed with chicken feathers, unable to utter another word.

He had originally wanted to mock Qin Heng for the first part of his statement, but after hearing the second half...

What does he mean he's never paid attention to such a low-class coffee shop!? A poor brat like him! Does he even know how to drink coffee!? Damn it!

Yuan Si was nearly exploding with anger but still had to maintain a smile.

The two female servers following him also looked displeased, glaring at Qin Heng. Who even talks like that!?

PFFT. Su Xiao couldn't help but chuckle. Qin Heng's remarks were truly amusing.

Seeing Su Xiao's smiling face and her delicate frame still quivering from laughter, Yuan Si felt a surge of heat, wishing he could drag her into a hotel and have his way with her right then and there.

However, it was broad daylight, and this wasn't America, after all. He didn't dare.

AHEM! Yuan Si cleared his throat, no longer paying attention to Qin Heng. He turned to Su Xiao with a smile and said, "Since you don't know, Qin, let me explain. Starbucks comes from America, and the name is derived from American author Melville's novel 'Moby-Dick'. Teacher Su, I've heard you quite like this novel?"

The two female servers by his side immediately let out sounds of admiration.

"Boss Yuan is truly erudite. We only learned this after we started working here."

"For Boss Yuan, this is nothing! He's a Harvard graduate, a truly talented student!"

Su Xiao, however, gently shook her head and said lightly, "I read that novel in high school but haven't read it again since."

"Is that so." Yuan Si's expression turned somewhat awkward, but he maintained his smile, though his heart seethed with malicious resentment. Damn it, how dare she not give me face! Just wait until I get her into bed, then I'll show her!

But now wasn't the time to make a move. He had to suppress the urge for now.

Yuan Si led Qin Heng and Su Xiao, along with the two female servers, into a private room.

The private room's decor was incredibly lavish, with golden threads inlaid into both the tables and chairs, and even diamonds embedded in the coffee cups—a level of luxury unfathomable to the average person.

Yuan Si looked at Qin Heng. He really wanted to see the "poor student's" shocked expression. But reality disappointed him: Qin Heng's face remained unchanged as he simply took his seat.

Even Su Xiao didn't seem very surprised.

Yuan Si's expression shifted slightly, but he still smiled and said, "Starbucks didn't originally have private rooms. However, last year I invested three million here, so they had three rooms installed. It seems the returns are quite decent now."

"Yes, our Boss Yuan is so far-sighted. This Starbucks was on the verge of closing, but it's thriving now, all thanks to his arrival."

"That's right, Boss Yuan is truly a business genius. It's said that during his time at Harvard, he secured a one million US dollar investment with his business acumen."

The two female attendants kept flattering him.

"Hahaha! That's all in the past. I'm just a minor manager in a company now," Yuan Si laughed, shaking his head. He then said to Su Xiao, "Teacher Su, from now on, consider this Starbucks your own. Anyone you bring can have their bill on the house."

"That won't be necessary. I don't actually like coffee that much," Su Xiao gently shook her head, declining.

"I see," Yuan Si nodded, seeming a bit regretful. Then he turned to Qin Heng with a smile. "Qin, as Teacher Su's student, and even coming out with her, you must be quite good at your studies. Are you planning to apply for Tsinghua and Peking University, Zhejiang University, or perhaps stay local and go to Fudan University?"

"I'm not that good at studying," Qin Heng chuckled. "Teacher Su just told me that if I work hard, I could probably make it into a second-tier university."

"Hey, Qin Heng!" Su Xiao glared at him. "I was just showing concern for you!"

"A second-tier university, huh? That's not very good," Yuan Si said, shaking his head. "Ah, Qin, you're young and might not understand how cruel societal competition is. With an education like that, you'll struggle everywhere. Look at me. I returned from studying abroad at Harvard, and I can only manage to be an executive at a subsidiary of Tianlong Group worth ten billion, with an annual salary of only a few million. There's no room for advancement—it's truly worrying."

"Mr. Yuan is an executive at a Tianlong Group subsidiary?" Qin Heng asked, a peculiar expression on his face.

"Alas, yes. I originally wanted to go to Daqin Group, but they simply didn't want me," Yuan Si sighed. "Qin, let me tell you, many companies won't even glance at a second-tier university graduate. It's tough to find a job."

"That's not a problem. My family has some connections, so I'm not worried about finding work," Qin Heng said nonchalantly, managing to suppress his laughter.

Daqin Group, with a market value of several trillion, belonged to his family, and he was its sole heir.

"It seems Qin's family is doing quite well," Yuan Si said, a faint smile on his face. "May I ask what your family does?"

"My parents run a small business in Beijing. My sister and I study in Tianhai," Qin Heng stated plainly. "Oh, and we have a tenant living with us."

He was an honest person and always spoke the truth. Every word was genuine, every sentence factual, without an ounce of falsehood.

"Oh?" Yuan Si was slightly startled. He sized up Qin Heng, his eyes narrowing slightly. He became even more contemptuous. In Yuan Si's mind, it took but a moment of imagining. The image of an ordinary local Tianhai family took shape. As he saw it, Qin Heng's family, being locals, were merely lucky enough to own an apartment. However, with no one particularly capable in the family, his parents probably had to go to Beijing to find work, leaving him and his sister to study in Tianhai. Even then, their financial situation was likely dire; they probably had to rent out a room just to get by, earning only a thousand or two a month. So poor! No wonder the kid didn't have any decent clothes. He really is just a poor wretch...

Yuan Si sneered inwardly, convinced he had Qin Heng all figured out.

"You've got it tough, Qin, studying in Tianhai and taking care of a younger sister," Yuan Si sighed. "And you have to consider, you're about to go to college. Tuition and accommodation fees all cost money. If you get a girlfriend, that's even more expensive. Without tens of thousands a month, wouldn't you be short-changing the girl? Here, this card has a hundred thousand yuan..."

SLAP!

Yuan Si threw a bank card onto the table. Tilting his head up, his gaze mocking as if looking at a beggar, he chuckled and said, "Go on. If you can make all the customers in this coffee shop laugh, this card is yours."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.