Study System: I'm a 38-Year-Old Student

Chapter 364 - 244: Activating Farm Mode!

It’s said that Shen Yixiao’s girlfriend is actually Shen Yanran’s good friend.

"We’re not short on waiters anymore, but we’re still looking for a resident singer. Can you sing?"

Hu Tingting didn’t reject Luo Yao outright but tossed the problem back to her, since she knew for sure Luo Yao couldn’t sing—otherwise, when Liu Meiyu just got on stage to ’audition,’ Luo Yao probably would’ve volunteered herself too.

Just like Hu Tingting expected, Luo Yao shook her head in frustration. "Sister Tingting, I’m an art major. My singing is only KTV level, definitely not cut out for the stage."

"I see, well, I’ll let you know when we’re short on waiters again."

Hu Tingting didn’t shut down the conversation, thinking she’d ask Shen Yanran about it later.

"Sister Tingting, please remember me if you need someone!"

"I’ve got nothing going on during the holidays, I can be here anytime!"

Luo Yao put her name forward quickly.

"Alright, got it!"

Hu Tingting nodded. Just then a customer came over asking for a photo with her, so Luo Yao sensibly returned to the bar.

Once she’d finished with the customer, Hu Tingting went looking for Shen Yanran, who was hiding in the kitchen.

"Yanran, are you and Luo Yao close friends?"

"She said she wants to work part-time at the bar."

"Huh?"

Hearing that, Shen Yanran was instantly speechless, "Aunt Tingting, you didn’t say yes, did you??"

"Nope."

"Isn’t she Xiaoxiao’s ex-girlfriend?"

Hu Tingting voiced her suspicion.

"Yeah."

Shen Yanran admitted right away, then added, "Things are pretty awkward between us now, please, don’t let her work part-time here!"

"Don’t worry, I figured that out, so I didn’t let her."

Hu Tingting wanted to give herself a pat on the back—good thing she was clever, otherwise it’d be easy to end up with unnecessary trouble.

The next day.

Having finished his last exam, Shen Qiushan kicked off his first winter break.

And for this break, he set himself a little goal: rack up ten million Scholar Index points!

The methods he currently knows for earning Scholar Index points are mainly three:

Attending lectures, taking exams, and entering competitions!

Of course, there’s also the most basic way: studying or doing practice papers.

But that’s the slowest route.

Taking exams and entering competitions are way faster.

But large-scale exams are rare; competitions come around a bit more often.

Shen Qiushan searched online for upcoming Go or Chinese chess tournaments, and quickly found two national competitions.

One was "The 12th National Amateur Go Grand Prix," and the other, the "Qingyang Cup National Chinese Chess Championship."

Both events are well-established national competitions, held for many years, with a huge following.

And sign-up for both is online—Shen Qiushan filled out the registration forms straight away.

The preliminary round of the "Qingyang Cup National Chinese Chess Championship" starts in Beijing a week later.

Shen Qiushan just happens to be going to Beijing with Zhao Ruihai and the other Sanjiang University electronic tech competition team members to pick up an award, so he can conveniently join the competition.

While Shen Qiushan mulled over how to rack up more Scholar Index points, his phone suddenly rang.

It was the class’s vice-adviser, Liu Qingwu.

Since Shen Qiushan had been staying at home recently and rarely visited the faculty dorms, he hadn’t seen the ever-calculating Liu Qingwu for days.

"Teacher Liu, anything I can help with?"

Shen Qiushan, as class monitor, got called on by Liu Qingwu for all manner of class affairs.

"Old Shen, are you on campus?"

"Can we meet up?"

Liu Qingwu didn’t specify over the phone, just invited him, though her voice was different from usual—nasal and thick, as if she’d been crying.

"I’m at the Red Rose Tavern."

"Could you come over to the faculty dorms?"

"Uh, alright."

Shen Qiushan hesitated a moment but still agreed.

No matter the reason, this semester Liu Qingwu, as the class vice-adviser, had really looked out for him.

And since she clearly wasn’t doing well, Shen Qiushan couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.

The drive from the tavern to the faculty dorms only took a few minutes, and soon Shen Qiushan was at Liu Qingwu’s door.

He knocked.

A moment later—

The door opened. Liu Qingwu was dressed to perfection as always, and maybe because of the holidays, her outfit was even bolder than usual today.

A strapless red bodycon dress clung to her curves, showing off her figure with white skin between neck and chest, and a deep, shadowy valley peeking out.

But clearly, her state was off—her eyes swollen, immaculate eye makeup all smeared, proof she’d had a major crying fit.

"Teacher Liu, what happened?"

Once inside, Shen Qiushan cut straight to the point.

"Something happened at home."

"My little brother was tricked and taken to northern Myanmar. They’ve contacted my family, demanding five hundred thousand in ransom!"

"My parents just don’t have that kind of money. They gave us three days, said if they don’t see the money after three days, my brother will never come back..."

"It’s been a day already. Just now, when they video called my parents, they cut off one of my brother’s fingers. My mom fainted on the spot and has been taken to the hospital..."

"We simply can’t come up with the money. We borrowed from everyone we could, relatives and friends, only put together a bit over two hundred thousand. Still short twenty-eight..."

Once she got to this point, Shen Qiushan already understood what she wanted.

She wanted to borrow money. Simple as that.

"Send me your bank card number."

To Shen Qiushan, two hundred eighty thousand is just a drop in the bucket!

No, not even a drop—maybe a flake off a drop!

With billions to his name, plus his hacks, two hundred eighty thousand was nothing!

But this sum was enough to push Liu Qingwu’s entire family to the brink!

This is the cruel contrast of life!

For the rich, a few hundred thousand is pocket change, just enough for a handbag.

But for ordinary people, it’s a mountain they can rarely climb, enough to drive them to despair.

"Old Shen, you..."

Liu Qingwu knew Shen Qiushan had money, but hadn’t expected him to be so direct, not even naming a single condition.

Honestly, before coming to Shen Qiushan, Liu Qingwu had already asked three or four of her "pond fish"—her orbiters.

She really hadn’t wanted to show her most desperate side to Shen Qiushan, especially since this mess was about her family background.

But when Liu Qingwu turned to those orbiters, she realized flattery and gifts were no problem.

When it came to real money, though, her dogs turned cautious.

Some claimed they didn’t have any; others started laying out their demands.

There was one guy who always seemed honest, but he told Liu Qingwu: for two hundred eighty thousand, he’d play ’dog’ for her for three years!

Zero results, so Liu Qingwu had no option left but to bite the bullet and hit up Shen Qiushan.

What she didn’t expect was that Shen Qiushan didn’t hesitate for a second.

"Send me the number!"

"You said it’s urgent, right?"

Seeing Liu Qingwu just staring at him, not reacting, Shen Qiushan pressed her again.

"Oh! Okay!"

Snapping out of it, Liu Qingwu immediately sent her account number.

"It’s my mom’s bank card, name’s Li Guilian!"

Sending the number, Liu Qingwu also explained.

"Got it."

Shen Qiushan nodded and did the transfer right on his phone.

"The money’s been sent."

"Tell your mom to check the account!"

Once the transfer was done, Shen Qiushan showed Liu Qingwu the confirmation page.

"Great! I’ll call her now."

Liu Qingwu hurried to call her mother.

Meanwhile, Li Guilian had already seen the SMS saying two hundred eighty thousand had arrived.

But what Liu Qingwu didn’t know: her mother Li Guilian was not in the hospital at all. She was kicking back at home on the couch.

The ’brother kidnapped in northern Myanmar,’ Liu Xiaojie, was sitting right beside her. Seeing the bank SMS, he grinned wider than the curve on an AK-47.

Li Guilian quickly hung up on her daughter, then beamed at her son: "Your sister’s always acting broke. She’s a university teacher, how could she have no money?"

Liu Xiaojie chuckled, "Told you this would work!"

"Mom, now that we’ve got the cash, can we finally buy an apartment for the wedding?"