Who Would Fall in Love After Being Reborn?

Chapter 258: The Warm Man Who’s Not Even a Good Troll

TL: Etude Translations

As evening fell, the night crept in from the mountaintops, rendering the world silent except for the chirping of insects.

The students of the Finance Class 3 busied themselves in the dimming twilight, preparing for the night’s bonfire party.

Ren Ziqiang had initially decided to showcase his cooking skills by preparing a lavish dinner for everyone. However, to his surprise, Jiang Tian ordered a self-service barbecue. Hearing Ren boast about his culinary expertise, Jiang Tian pondered and then assigned him the simple task of sprinkling chili powder.

“Ren Ziqiang, since you’re such a good cook, you must be able to sprinkle it evenly, right?”

“…”

Ren was dumbfounded, thinking that great cooking skills were no match for damn good abs.

He wished he had heeded Brother Jiang’s advice to work on his abs earlier. Even sprinkling chili powder could have been sexier…

“Brother Jiang, do you eat spicy food?”

“And your partner?”

Feng Nanshu turned his head smartly: “His partner eats it.”

Soon, the ingredients and tools were neatly arranged, and the large barbecue grill was filled with fiery red charcoal, covered with a wire mesh.

Everyone began to pick out ingredients from the plates, placing lamb, beef, and pork belly on the grill. The melting fat dripped onto the coals, creating a crackling sound.

Sometimes, too much fat melted and caused a burst of flames in the stove, eliciting excited screams from the girls around.

The thing about barbecues is the atmosphere, especially when you do it yourself, the ambiance is even more intense.

As they waited for the food to cook, the sky turned completely dark, with stars gradually appearing in the night.

Jiang Qin sat slumped in a chair, leaning back with a can of beer in hand, drinking and listening to the idle chatter around him.

“Eating barbecue isn’t a great choice. Not only is it not filling, but it’s also expensive. Take this skewer of meat; it’s less than an ounce. A pound of lamb costs twelve yuan, which can make about thirty skewers, but the boss dares to sell it for one yuan each. It’s a rip-off.”

Zhuang Chen, either to show off his mathematical skills or his worldly wisdom, babbled to Jian Chun beside him.

Hearing this, Jiang Tian’s expression turned visibly sour.

Visiting a rural resort was all about enjoying the leisurely atmosphere, and outdoor barbecues were part of that experience.

After all, if you want to be full, you can be full anywhere. For these college students out for fun, there was no need to fuss over cost-effectiveness in such a setting. As long as it’s interesting, that’s what counts.

After a while, vegetables were served, and Zhuang Chen put on a know-it-all face, going on and on.

“If meat can have half this profit margin, then these potatoes and eggplants are even more profitable. How much does a plate of spicy shredded potatoes cost? Tsk tsk…

I bet the owner of this rural resort makes more money than Jiang Qin.”

Zhuang Chen’s mindset was complex. As a warm man, he didn’t mean to say these things, but he wanted to emulate Jiang Qin, talking about economic benefits as if it made him seem more mature.

However, he missed the mark on some points.

If Jiang Qin were to say this, he would just curse the boss for being greedy, never blaming Jiang Tian’s choice. Overcharging is the business owner’s heartlessness; what does it have to do with the buyer?

Many people are like this, unclear about the main contradiction. Even if they didn’t mean to, those listening would feel uncomfortable. So, throughout his speech, no one paid him any mind, not even Jian Chun, who pretended not to hear.

But Zhuang Chen was addicted, enjoying the feeling of everyone silently “listening to him talk,” and began to complain about chili skins and fish tofu.

When the waiter brought out slices of steamed bread, his sarcasm reached its peak.

“Old Zhuang is right. You don’t realize it until you do the math. It’s shocking. It’s more economical to eat communal meals.” Zhang Guangxu didn’t want Zhuang Chen to show off alone and quickly chimed in, feeling proud.

Jiang Qin listened amusedly, thinking these two were truly something. Indeed, where there’s a Zhuge Liang, there’s a Pang Tong.

Then he picked up a skewer of grilled chili for Feng Nanshu, feeding her until her tongue was on fire.

“Old Ren is really honest, sprinkling red chili powder on green chilies?”

Jiang Qin hurriedly passed her a beer, helping her soothe the spiciness.

Just then, Huang, the owner of the rural resort, rushed out of the house, scanning the yard before his gaze locked onto Jiang Qin.

He had spent the afternoon studying the group-buying model and was astounded by its simplistic but lucrative approach.

Especially when he saw a remote store making thousands of sales a day, he couldn’t wait to approach Jiang Qin about joining the platform.

To him, Jiang Qin was like a god of wealth, as the resort’s all-inclusive service for one more guest meant significant profit.

“Mr. Jiang, I’ve decided. I want to join the group-buying platform!”

“Great, welcome to the platform, Mr. Huang. But I don’t have a contract with me. Here’s my secretary’s number. Call her when you’re free, and she’ll arrange for someone to handle your contract and onboarding.”

Jiang Qin gave him Wei Lanlan’s number.

After exchanging numbers, Zhuang Chen continued his endless chatter. Seeing this, Jiang Qin whispered something to Huang, who nodded in agreement, his brow furrowing slightly.

“Actually, Zhuang Chen is right; barbecues really aren’t cost-effective,” Jiang Qin suddenly spoke up, surprising everyone, including Zhuang Chen, who didn’t understand why Jiang was seemingly supporting his point. But before Zhuang could react, Jiang continued, “But tonight, everyone can eat to their heart’s content because all the food is on the house.”

Under the firelight, Jiang Qin, holding a can, seemed to be surrounded by a halo as he spoke casually. Indeed, as Zhuang had said, the cost of a barbecue was not high, especially since it was self-service, eliminating labor costs. So, for Mr. Huang, the resort owner, waiving the bill was a minor matter.

The announcement was met with cheers from everyone, except Zhuang Chen, whose face stiffened and mouth twitched uncontrollably. His criticisms about the expense had inadvertently set the stage for Jiang’s grand gesture.

“Brother Jiang is truly impressive. If I were a girl, I’d fall for him too,” Ren Ziqiang thought, continuing to sprinkle chili powder.

At that moment, Jian Chun couldn’t help but ask, “Jiang Qin, did that owner agree to collaborate with you?”

“Yes, the West Suburb Resort will join the group-buying platform. We’ll launch some discount coupons soon. You guys can help promote it when you have time.”

Jiang Qin reached for his can to take a sip, but realized it was empty, and beside him, the little rich lady’s cheeks were already flushed.

Meanwhile, the “family members” who had come along were whispering among themselves in shock.

“The group-buying platform is his? The one that encompasses all dining, living, and entertainment for the four major universities?”

They couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed, realizing why the three most attractive girls in Finance Class 3 were so eager to serve Jiang lunch. His aura wasn’t just about looks; it was like a damn superpower!

Jiang Qin, unaware of these whispers, would have retorted if he had heard them.

“Who says I lack looks? Look at how Feng Nanshu is smitten, her legs going weak!”

During this, Ren Ziqiang, in charge of sprinkling chili powder, had lost count of how many rounds he’d done, now stopping near Jiang Qin and Feng Nanshu.

“Ren Ziqiang, Jiang Qin’s partner still eats it,” the little rich lady whispered.

Ren, taken aback for a moment, eventually caught on and sprinkled chili powder over their skewers.

At around nine in the evening, the barbecue party ended, and everyone moved indoors. Some continued their card games from the afternoon, while others played truth or dare.

Jiang Qin took the opportunity to change his clothes, as the smell of smoke and grease was uncomfortable. But when he returned, he found Ding Xue leaning against the window, chatting with Feng Nanshu.

Due to the pressure of her upcoming postgraduate exams, Ding Xue had barely participated in the trip’s activities, except for flirting with Cao Guangyu.

Jiang Qin had let his guard down, thinking Ding Xue wouldn’t have the mood to teach Feng Nanshu any tricks.

But now, the little rich lady, with her mouth slightly open and eyelashes fluttering, looked as if she had learned something fascinating, her eyes sparkling.

Seeing this, Jiang Qin panicked, immediately shielding Feng Nanshu and looking alert.

“What are you doing? I’m not going to eat her!” Ding Xue said, puzzled.

“Don’t lead my little rich lady astray.” Jiang Qin shouted down the hallway, “Old Cao, come take your girlfriend away quickly. She’s too dangerous!”

Ding Xue was pulled aside by Cao Guangyu, looking confused, “I didn’t do anything, did I? Why am I dangerous?”

“Last time at the dinner, you called me ‘big brother’ and asked me to feed you. Feng Nanshu picked up on that, and now she does it all the time. Jiang Qin is at his wits’ end, unable to resist it.”

“She’s scared of that? That’s hilarious.”

Cao Guangyu smacked his lips, “Old Jiang, that bastard, has few weaknesses, but anything related to Feng Nanshu is his Achilles’ heel. It’s like tofu meeting brine – each meets its match.”

Ding Xue looked back at Jiang Qin and Feng Nanshu, whispering to themselves, “Can a relationship really be like this?”

“I’m telling you, Ding Xue, don’t teach Feng Nanshu your cute voice tricks, or I’ll be broke this semester.”

“When the hell have I ever acted cute? I’m naturally super cute! You wanna die?”

“…”

…

Warm man = considerate person.

Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong are historical Chinese figures; you can search them up if you’re interested.

Also, I’ve decided to start using the name Etude Translations when it’s more than one person working on the translation. I think it’s more standard practice too?