Chapter 10, Freedom and Dignity

It is no longer possible now

Alright, where do you want to go

Knowing that Chen Xin was criticizing himself, Su Yifan still felt a wave of shame from his words. He was well aware that his parents were working hard to improve their family's circumstances. Most of the time, the pull of reality was so immense that it made it difficult for one to soar.

Chen Xin felt both pleased and displeased upon hearing this. The pleasure came from the fact that she could still command this Chuan Ge, while the displeasure stemmed from Chuan Ge's attitude

Of course, this was still under the circumstance that Chen Xin felt a bit threatened by Su Yifan. In the past, Chen Xin would never have said such things to Su Yifan.

"Don't talk about changing the world; can you change your own life?" Chen Xin looked at Su Yifan with disdain and continued to press on, "I can take Shui Xin to Hai Shang Ming Yue for dinner every day and buy her Hermes bags. Of course, Shui Xin is certainly not that vulgar of a woman, but can you give her what she deserves?"

In fact, Su Yifan is well aware that he used to be quite close to Cheng Shuixin, and no one ever considered him a threat. Chen Xin's eagerness to express his stance is likely due to Cheng Shuixin's overly attentive and proactive behavior towards him in recent days, which has led to some rumors.

"What kind of talk is this? Chen Shao, you are being too distant..." Upon hearing Chen Xin's promise of benefits, Chuan Ge's mood finally improved significantly, no longer displaying the lethargic attitude from earlier

"Neither of my parents is particularly capable," Chen Xin disdainfully reassured Chuan Ge, "and he isn't someone who can fight; he doesn't have many friends either"

This can be seen as witnessing a person's true face after tearing off their disguise. Upon seeing Chen Xin threaten him, Su Yifan realized that he seemed to understand the ridiculous veil that had once separated people from one another

Chen Xin furrowed her brows slightly, as the difference in taste between people was too great; this was the song she disliked the most.

"Brother Chuan, I didn't mean to trouble you on purpose." Chen Xin, while trying to adopt a sincere expression like her father's, spoke into her Bluetooth earpiece, "It would be more troublesome for me to approach someone at school; since we see each other often, it could escalate easily. If you intervene and give him a slight scare, he will know it's me but won't have any evidence. I think this level of intervention is just right."

What do you mean by saying that

The changes hidden beneath Su Yifan's calm exterior instilled a sense of crisis in Chen Xin for the first time

Characters like Su Yifan, who are indifferent, are of no concern to Chen Xin at all regarding his opinions

In the past, Su Yifan would probably have asked, "Why"

"This has nothing to do with temper," Su Yifan said seriously to Chen Xin in the car. "Whether it is freedom, dignity, or will, these are all my own choices. I must respect them and cannot give them up lightly. Someone told me this."

"Alright, I'll take a look around the school later. You send me this guy's photo or something via MMS." Brother Chuan is quite trendy, "Let's wait a few days. Your dad still wants me to keep an eye on the convoy these days; work is picking up as spring approaches"

Recalling Su Xiaoqing's seemingly effortless remarks, Su Yifan grew increasingly impressed by this sister.

"I never expected you to be so ambitious." Chen Xin continued to mock Su Yifan, "Can these things buy you a decent outfit or treat a beautiful woman to an authentic Western meal?"

In the past, Su Yifan would never have commented on such matters. Today, for some reason, he found it exceptionally amusing. He coldly retorted, "How old are you? Is it interesting for you to tell me this?"

Su Yifan knew that Chen Xin had little affection for him; the so-called joyride was likely an opportunity to discuss something. Normally, Su Yifan would feel somewhat timid upon hearing such words, but now he felt a sense of calmness in his heart.

Su Yifan turned to stare at Chen Xin, who was sitting in the driver's seat, without saying a word

Chen Xin ignored Su Yifan's actions and retorted through the car door: "It's not that I look down on you, but do you really think you can give Cheng Shuixin what she wants?"

After hanging up the phone, Chen Xin felt that she was acting quite strangely today. How could the sense of superiority, which she usually concealed so well, be exposed in front of Su Yifan, a weak individual with no advantages? Was it merely because Cheng Shuixin had recently become so attentive to Su Yifan?

"As for you, Su, I have finished speaking today. Whether you do it or not is your business, and any consequences are of your own making"

"When do the strong ever need to consider the feelings of the weak? Don't forget, many people not only have fists, but also money and privileges. That is a world you will never be able to touch. You may not feel it now in school, but once you graduate from university, you will realize just how vast the gap is between people." Chen Xin pretended to be mature as she lectured Su Yifan

There were still quite a few people around the *picture* book in the evening, but Chen Xin didn't even glance at them. She turned off the engine, took out a pack of cigarettes from her coat, lit one for herself, and did not ask Su Yifan if he wanted one.

The lofty image that Chen Xin had previously constructed now appeared ugly and laughable in Su Yifan's heart at this moment

Chen Xin indeed hoped that Su Yifan would express his opinion about her beloved car, but unfortunately, the young man who had just held hands with Su Xiaoqing at BMW a couple of days ago showed no signs of surprise, which left Chen Xin feeling somewhat displeased

Su Yifan understood that Chen Xin's politeness and social graces were performed for the majority and were only directed towards those she felt needed to be treated with courtesy

Freedom? Will? Chen Xin revealed a mocking smile, and compared to his peers who had seen more, he even felt an impulse to turn back and ridicule Su Yifan once again

Faced with Chen Xin's suddenly exposed true colors, Su Yifan was even too lazy to say anything. Chen Xin attempted to pressure himself with words, but he did not want to refute the other party sentence by sentence.

A few days ago, if someone had said this about Su Yifan, he would probably have felt an inexplicable sadness and anger. Now, with Chen Xin so openly looking down on him, Su Yifan is surprisingly not that angry.

Chen Xin exhaled a puff of smoke and spoke without leaving any room for doubt

I sang several lines of "Above the Moon" before the call was finally connected

The Jaguar swiftly and steadily traversed the streets that were beginning to bustle, and soon arrived at the Muhe Wharf

Chen Xin's intention in seeking out Su Yifan is certainly not to discuss romantic feelings. As it is now late winter and early spring, there are fewer people here, making conversation more convenient

Su Yi turned her head away from Chen Xin, the air outside the car was cold and fresh, much more comfortable than inhaling secondhand smoke inside the vehicle

Having said this, Su Yifan opened the car door and got out

With a background?" Brother Chuan instinctively asked a key question first; a person like him is not afraid of major issues, but rather of troublesome matters

Chen Xin's expression quickly fell, the previously lofty demeanor completely vanished

Looking at Chen Xin, who was sitting in the driver's seat and exhaling smoke, Su Yifan couldn't help but feel that this boy was quite immature. In order to achieve the effect of threatening others like an adult, he specifically lit a cigarette before bringing up this topic

The so-called Muhe Wharf is a small scenic area on the mother river of Binhai City. The wharf's dilapidation is even more unreliable than that of Sydney's Darling Harbour, consisting of a few broken wooden planks and some rotten piles. Yet, it has somehow earned a sign designating it as a cultural tourism site from the Binhai City and the Tourism Bureau, which is displayed at the management office nearby. However, there is an open-air park around the wharf that is very popular among young couples in love, serving as a land that bears witness to various miraculous states of intimacy.

Su Yifan's disdainful expression was quite on point, which made Chen Xin feel a surge of anger. He even thought about getting out of the car to confront Su Yifan, but then he reconsidered his own status and the disparity between them, which made him hold back.

At the entrance of the community, after two people watched Cheng Shuixin's figure disappear, Chen Xin turned to look at Su Yifan and asked, "Shall we go for a drive?"

Chen Xin would absolutely not admit that he felt threatened today

In fact, Su Yifan had guessed what Chen Xin wanted to say to him

Chuan Ge's attitude was within Chen Xin's expectations. These ruffians speak of righteousness, but when faced with a situation, they tend to retreat and observe first. It is now the 21st century, and the days when one could get by with sheer passion are long gone. As long as there are troubles, there will certainly be a lot of complications that follow.

Chuan Ge fell silent for a moment, likely contemplating the seriousness of the matter. After a while, he confirmed, "Is it really just a scare? No need to cause any injuries?"

It is undeniable that Chen Xin's words carry immense weight, each word resonating with the gravity of reality. When they strike a person, they can cause intense pain in both body and heart

Thus, Chen Xin opened with a conclusion

"Fresh flowers, applause, attention, and a good material life," Chen Xin said loudly to Su Yifan, who was standing outside the car door. "Do you think romance comes without a cost? What is the price of taking a travel photo in the Maldives? Even if you take a selfie in the car, the emblem on the steering wheel makes a completely different impression, whether it’s a Mercedes or a Hyundai"

Upon careful consideration, Chen Xin is currently only in high school. It will take years until he graduates from university and then hones his skills for a few more years before he might have the chance to take over his father's position. That is all a matter for many years down the line. For someone like Brother Chuan, who lives day by day, there is certainly no need to show him respect

Chen Xin scoffed and said, "What do you think there is? What more do you need? As long as there are fists and money, can you handle it?"

"Hello, Young Master Chen, your call is quite rare. What business do you have with someone as idle as me?" A rough voice, tinged with a hint of laziness, seemed to hum respectfully, but anyone could tell that he held little regard for this 'Young Master Chen'.

Thank you, Brother Chuan. "I am not an unreasonable person; I just cannot let you work in vain."

No need. Chen Xin considers himself to be a tasteful second-generation rich individual, believing that demeanor is often very important, even if it lacks substantial meaning, just a hint will suffice

Looking at Chen Xin, who had both hands on the steering wheel, Su Yifan shook his head: "You really do talk a lot of nonsense"

Behind is Muhe Wharf. Su Yifan glanced at the still frozen river surface in the distance and, through the half-lowered car window, retorted to Chen Xin: "So you can only seek balance in these aspects, right?"

Chuan Ge chuckled twice: "Alright, Chen Shao, let's skip the formalities, shall we? If there's something you need, just speak up. If it's within my capability, would I dare not assist you?"

Su Yifan sighed; he thought he would not be involved in these jealous disputes because of Cheng Shuixin, but it seems he ultimately could not avoid them

"That is your opinion," Su Yifan said more directly, "We have different views, and you need not use your perspective to undermine me; this will only make me look down on you even more"

Chuan Ge is not the kind of mindless thug. He chuckled and said, "If that's the case, why don't you get a few friends from the school team to deal with him? It wouldn't be good for us to go to the school; if people find out it was you who did it, it wouldn't sound good, would it?"

In Chuan Ge's eyes, Chen Xin's father is truly a person of significance, while Chen Xin, as a high school student, is merely a child whom he cannot even be bothered to show superficial respect to

Su Yifan, I am not someone who likes to beat around the bush. You cannot be so close to Cheng Shuixin in the future

Su Yifan sat in the passenger seat, and he could see his own expression in the rearview mirror

Consider this: what can you offer Cheng Shuixin? If there is wind and rain, can you shield her? Even if Cheng Shuixin were truly with you, could you withstand the combined efforts of us?

Chen Xin's words were quite vulgar, even carrying a hint of nouveau riche suspicion. Su Yifan had to admit that such vulgar statements held considerable power, especially when uttered by a wealthy second-generation like Chen Xin who was not short on money

After Chen Xin drove away from Su Yifan's line of sight, she gradually slowed down and pressed the dial button in the car. A garish ringtone of "Above the Moon" came through her Bluetooth headset.

An unprecedented impulse surged within Su Yifan, causing his scalp to tingle. The intense anger he felt after being insulted, akin to that of a book being disrespected, made his breathing become erratic

What does Cheng Shuixin want? Su Yifan is very clear: she wants the world's attention on her, rather than that of a specific person. Cheng Shuixin is undoubtedly loved by many, yet in her heart, she may not hold anyone dear.

Chen Xin hesitated for a moment, weighing her words before saying: "Brother Chuan, I won't speak in vague terms with you. Today, I had a bit of an unpleasant incident with a classmate."

Chen Xin could see Su Yifan's anger, yet she remained completely unconcerned as she said: "Don't think that Cheng Shuixin has such a good relationship with you; do you really think she could be interested in you? Let me be honest with you, even if Cheng Shuixin were truly blinded and you managed to pursue her, do you think you would have a peaceful life?"

Chen Xin's words revealed a strong disdain, which was in stark contrast to his usual graceful demeanor

Cheng Shuixin knew that, for someone like Chen Xin, one's home address was certainly not a secret

Chen Xin's anger was provoked again: "You have quite a strong temper, don't you?"

"Calling me 'Brother Chuan' like that isn't an insult, is it?" Chen Xin said with a smile as she slowly started the car, continuing, "I've been wanting to have a meal with you for a long time. Do you have time tomorrow?"

Chen Xin is currently enjoying the feeling of belittling others with language. He pointed at Su Yifan's nose and continued, "The most important thing is that I am of much greater use to Cheng Shuixin. You are well aware of your own value, more than anyone else."

After finishing the meal, Chen Xin insisted repeatedly, and Cheng Shuixin finally agreed to let Chen Xin drive her home, of course, taking Su Yifan along as well

Chen Xin scoffed and said, "You don't know, do you? A few people in our school have made an agreement that as long as it's not one of them who wins over Cheng Shuixin, they will join forces to make that guy regret it."

Chen Xin turned her head to look at Su Yifan as if she did not recognize him and said, "Let us go to Muhe Wharf."

Chen Xin wanted to say something harsh, but felt that doing so would seem even more embarrassing. After glaring at Su Yifan for a few seconds, she drove away.

Seeing that Su Yifan did not respond, Chen Xin took a puff of his cigarette, then threw the remaining half out of the car window, landing it at Su Yifan's feet

Su Yifan could not help but say: "Why should that be? Can't you all be a little less childish?"

Watching Chen Xin shout in exasperation, Su Yifan suddenly felt a bit better.

At this moment, Su Yifan instead became calm and retorted, "What is the purpose of joining forces?"