Chapter 764 764: First love???
Chapter 764 764: First love???
For the rest of the day, Ling Qingyu and Xiao Yue returned to the hotel and accompanied Mo Yunxi and Yin Jingfei after the latter two had settled their necessities.
Since they had arrived in Country A, it would be a pity not to tour around. From monumental historical sites to museums, the group visited nearly everything.
The girls witnessed no muggings, no gunshots, and no pickpocketing. Of course, aside from the carefully chosen locations, it was the heavy-duty SUV convoy that deterred criminals.
Ling Qingyu wasn't about to believe that safety and security ranked high here. She had experienced it once in the former Province N; she thoroughly understood how difficult it was to separate infested hives.
Yang Qingyue had succeeded due to numerous coincidences in her favor. An ordinary official would have struggled from day one and soon given up under the pressure.
She had met Ling Qingyu. She had a powerful mother who could exert pressure and instill apprehension in foes. She also had a capable childhood friend and a network within the intelligence system.
Nevertheless, the entourage drew attention everywhere—a group of women with excellent figures and attractive faces. Each of their temperaments radiated with intensity.
Both men and women alike were drawn in. It couldn't be helped when her girls were cool and handsome. Some raised their phones to record, eliciting frowns from her girls.
Naturally, Ling Qingyu knew she herself was the most talked about. Her beauty, even among her attractive confidantes, overshadowed everyone. She feared they would definitely on those shorts and crazy posts, had she not asked Athena to appropriately control the electronic footprint of themselves.
Whispers and gossip were bound to erupt, but the crowd held their breath when Ling Qingyu's gaze swept in their direction. They felt as if invisible hands had tightened around their necks.
It couldn't be helped—when Ling Qingyu grew annoyed with the overcrowding, her emotions influenced those around her.
Oblivious to everything, Mo Yunxi and Yin Jingfei were beyond excited, prompting Ling Qingyu to shake her head secretly. What was there to see besides historical legends? Everything here was urbanized.
However, perhaps only Ling Qingyu felt that way, as the other girls were enjoying the tour. Even if they were responsible for security, who said they couldn't indulge while working?
In fact, Ling Qingyu preferred the campus area, where the infrastructure wasn't so congested, allowing space for natural-themed parks and playgrounds for children.
Meals were taken at the hotel. Noting the excellent staff service, elegant decorations, and prime location, Ling Qingyu decided to buy the entire hotel outright. She would continue observing for another week.
Yes, she had become the crazy rich Asian she once hated and mocked in movies. Except Ling Qingyu always felt somewhat disappointed that her dream of face-slapping never truly happened. Somehow, it never occurred to her.
The next three days were no different, as they continued touring around the state—mainly within the current city. The armored convoy was bound to raise suspicion among local law enforcement.
Fortunately, the mayor had handled everything. Whenever officers searched the plate numbers, the system flagged them appropriately.
After all, racists, fascists, and tyrants alike were typical bullies who feared the truly powerful. They would never make rookie mistakes that could ruin their lives—especially when it came to major capitalists.
Actually, these bullies— bootlickers— dared not confront them in the first place without checking the system because they weren't willing to commit offense to the powerful.
Even if Ling Qingyu's group were criminals, no one volunteered to check, unless pressured from above.
During those tours, Ling Qingyu temporarily forgot about everything—her ambitions and her worries. She stayed grounded in the moment, indulging herself with her girls. Neither she nor Xiao Yue mentioned their previous discussions.
If Tang Ziyi, who was busy planning guerrilla operations, smuggling routes, and building relationships, knew about her leisurely freedom, Ling Qingyu shuddered at the thought.
Nope. She would never tell Tang Ziyi the truth. She had no desire to be dragged into accompanying clandestine operations.
In the end, the joy ended on the sixth day. The time came when Mo Yunxi and Yin Jingfei could no longer spend more time with her. Both had to attend classes and learn from their mentors.
Not that they couldn't skip classes. Everyone was an adult, and no one strictly enforced attendance. However, respecting mentors and elders was the bare minimum.
Even though the professors wouldn't have minded—and might have even smiled if a doctor and nurse pair played around—Ling Qingyu was their biggest donor, and only fools would drive away their sponsors. Still, Mo Yunxi and Yin Jingfei chose to remain humble and continue learning.
After all, the pursuit of knowledge never ended at any age.
Their respectful behavior earned approving nods from the professors. With disciplined and talented students, along with a wealthy background supporting their research, what more could they ask for?
Furthermore, the head professor was beaming with pride, puffing out his chest as he strutted past other departments with his nose held high.
His arrogance infuriated his colleagues, leaving them helpless as envy burned within them like molten lava. He mingled in front of their eyes repeatedly that a ban was issued in his name from entry to their department.
However, the professor beamed even more brightly with pride. His display of satisfaction became a burden for Ling Qingyu, as other departments began seeking her presence.
Several professors even contacted Mo Yunxi and Yin Jingfei, befriending them in hopes of building connections with her.
Heck, she never knew academicians could sometimes be so obsessed with money in their pursuit of knowledge.
Ling Qingyu silently greeted Mo Yunxi's head professor inside her mind and had to avoid meeting his colleagues in case she was maneuvered into attending invitations.
Though she doubted they could manipulate her directly, Mo Yunxi and Yin Jingfei were more susceptible to such approaches.
Although donations didn't cost her much—the amount could be recovered within a week, or a month at most, with Athena's assistance—she wasn't keen on sponsoring projects unrelated to her interests.
Perhaps data was valuable, but with Athena, she didn't need to personally participate to obtain it.
Besides, given the perilous elite control and the despicable nature of certain capitalists, Ling Qingyu doubted that the final research products would align with the innovators' original intentions.
Unless she owned the laboratory and its resources, she had no intention of investing in the health sector. This visit was merely to support and uphold her confidantes' reputations.
Ling Qingyu was someone who held a slight grudge after being exploited by her motherland; she had even halted her initial plan of upgrading the country's technology because of it.
If not for Gu Yi, Ling Qingyu might have withdrawn entirely—lying low while gradually decoupling and monopolizing sectors so her group could sustain itself independently elsewhere.
It might be arduous for ordinary businesswoman but she was fully equipped with cheats to hassle the struggle like nothing.
Much less this foreign Country A, despite its thriving opportunities for capitalists. Not to mention, she was disgusted by the numerous networks exposed in those rumored files.
Except for the university circle, nobody felt saddened by the end of accompanying Mo Yunxi and Yin Jingfei. The doctor and nurse were immersed in their new adventure.
Meanwhile, Ling Qingyu recently received an email from one of her alumni. Yes, she had traveled here to attend the reunion next month—something she had been unable to do in the past despite relentless invitations.
Despite her repeated absence, the invitations had never stopped over the years. Now that she had agreed to attend, many were surprised.
Naturally, some admirers from her university days still lingered, clinging to unrequited feelings. Perhaps the reason her former self had refused to fly to Country A was to avoid them. Among them, one man was the most persistent—and he was the one who emailed her.
Unfortunately, this guy had helped her greatly in the past. When she established the foundation that would later be headed by Tao Ling, he contributed the most by connecting her with legal practitioners.
Despite living overseas, his network still extended across Country C. Most importantly, his advice had refined and polished both Athena's framework and her own setup.
Vice versa, of course—she never owed anyone, nor did she like to.
Then why had both her former and current selves tried to distance themselves from him? The answer lay beneath a convoluted love triangle. Well, Ling Qingyu had been the innocent bystander.
Regardless of her firm rejections, the man had persisted throughout their university years and continued to make his presence known from time to time.
She couldn't completely cut off a friend simply because of romantic complications, could she? Especially when he had never crossed the line.
The email was meant to catch up and inquire about her whereabouts. As soon as Ling Qingyu responded, his reply arrived almost instantly, as if automated—complete with a booked location for them to meet.
In fact, Ling Qingyu had slight complaints about her predecessor. No matter how clearly the former self had expressed rejection, there was always a trace of incongruity—as though she held a favorable impression of him, perhaps even a hint of intimacy beyond mere friendship. First love or like perhaps?
At the time, her zeal to return home and her ambition to confront her cheap father—so that her mother and aunt could stand tall again—had overshadowed everything else.
Luckily, her inherently guarded heart had built strong defensive walls. She prioritized business and never indulged in love. Otherwise, the current Ling Qingyu would be vomiting blood in frustration.
She wondered whether her so-called fiancée and this lawyer were meant to be love rivals in some dramatic novel, existing solely to escalate the tension.
Yep, this man was a lawyer. Quite interesting plot between ruffians god of war protagonist and scholar.
Provided she wasn't the heroine.
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