Chapter Four: Bumping Into Acquaintances

Jiang Lianlian heard Chen Tianming clearly when he grumbled he had lost three million yuan, and she was worried that he would tell Jiang Bei that she was the cause.

Now, Jiang Bei was asking her to act coquettishly toward Chen Tianming. The guy had just taken advantage of her; she didn't think she had the nerve to speak up.

Jiang Lianlian noticed Jiang Bei was still winking at her, but when she raised her head and saw Chen Tianming's half-smile, she felt so guilty that her scalp went numb.

She dared not disobey Jiang Bei, but Chen Tianming had leverage on her, and Jiang Lianlian feared offending either side!

"Is there something you want to say, Lianlian?" Chen Tianming spoke first, smiling at Jiang Lianlian.

Jiang Lianlian shivered and stuttered unintelligibly before she turned to her brother and finally squeezed out, "Jiang Bei, I have classes in the afternoon, so I gotta go."

She left like a bat out of hell before they could react.

Chen Tianming laughed and ignored Jiang Bei's dark expression as he patted his shoulder. "I have something later, so I'm leaving too," Chen Tianming said and went downstairs without any care for Jiang Bei's emotions.

'What's next on the agenda?' Chen Tianming narrowed his eyes and looked at the warm sunlight outside the house. 

Noting his intention, the butler quickly asked, "Which car would you like to drive today, Young Master?"

Chen Tianming turned around and looked at his mansion as he asked, "When are my parents coming back?"

"Master and Madam went on a trip. They plan to return in a month," the butler answered respectfully.

"Okay, sign me up for a business management training course, the best one. Also, I'll be taking the champagne-colored Maserati." 

Everything finally felt real to Chen Tianming at this moment.

Being reborn gave him the freedom and ability to control his fate and live without regrets.

The Chen family's fall was due to internal and external problems. Back then, he was ignorant and incompetent and only knew how to spend money. Therefore, when his parents passed away unexpectedly, he was a mess when he took over the Chen Corporation; he couldn't turn the tide and manage the corporation at all.

Even with the shallow experience from his previous life and the support of the Villain System, Chen Tianming still planned to improve himself. After all, he wanted to bring the Chen Family to a higher level.

The butler quickly handed the car keys to Chen Tianming. He rubbed the markings on the keys and let out a long sigh of relief. 

This was the beginning of his new life.

Chen Tianming got into the car.

Where's he heading off to, you ask? Why, going out and experiencing the joys of life, of course!

Chen Tianming was traumatized by those dark days, so he couldn't help but have a revenge-spending mentality. He drove to the biggest shopping mall in A City and started his shopping spree.

When he saw anything he liked, he would swipe his card and buy it!

Before he knew it, Chen Tianming had arrived at a clothing store. As soon as he entered, he saw a group of 'old friends' surrounding an even more familiar person.

It was Duan Fei and his rabble; they had someone trapped within their circle. Chen Tianming couldn't make out what they were saying to the captive before the group burst out laughing.

As mentioned, the poor captive was also Chen Tianming's old acquaintance.

He was Du Qiao.

In his previous life, Chen Tianming met Du Qiao for the first time when he saw Du Qiao being bullied at school. Helping him was a casual thing for Chen Tianming, and he didn't expect Du Qiao would be the only one willing to lend a hand when he was in trouble.

At that time, Du Qiao was starting his own business and didn't have much money, but he gave all he had, 3,000 yuan, to Chen Tianming.

Chen Tianming would remember this kindness for the rest of his life.

Perhaps it was because he had changed his fate, but now he met Du Qiao ahead of time. However, the system didn't prompt him to choose like it did before.

Regardless of the system reward, Chen Tianming would help him anyway.

Chen Tianming smiled, "Hey, isn't this Young Master Duan?"

Duan Fei's family was just a nouveau riche and was viewed as an upstart by high society. Chen Tianming was mocking him by using that appellation.

But Duan Fei was a one-track-minded person. He thought the title 'Young Master' was a sign of recognition, so he puffed out his chest. "Why are you here?"

"Shopping," was Chen Tianming's curt response. He looked at Du Qiao, who had his head lowered and was wearing a shop assistant's uniform. 

He raised his eyebrows and greeted, "Du Qiao, it's been a while." Chen Tianming spoke so naturally that everyone thought he knew Du Qiao.

Even Du Qiao was shocked. He could tell that Chen Tianming, dressed head to toe in luxury brands, had a higher social status than Duan Fei, who sported a mix of authentic and fake brands. How could someone like Chen Tianming know him?

"Hello, have we met before?" Du Qiao asked tentatively.

Chen Tianming smiled. "Yes, we've met, but you might have forgotten."

Chen Tianming looked at Duan Fei and the others behind him and asked curiously, "Why are you guys still here? Are you shopping for clothes?"

Chen Tianming laughed at his own words and continued disdainfully, "But I'm afraid the clothes here aren't what Young Master Duan can afford."

Duan Fei's face paled and then reddened. Chen Tianming was right; a piece of clothing here was priced in the ten thousand. He was here to make trouble for Du Qiao.

Duan Fei had asked Du Qiao to bring out a bunch of clothes in the guise of trying them on just now, but he didn't buy anything.

The female shop assistant only looked on coldly from the side. She didn't defend her colleague Du Qiao; instead, she was brown-nosing Duan Fei.

Chen Tianming took in the entire scene.

Noticing Chen Tianming's expensive outfit, the female shop assistant immediately came over, almost fawning as she said, "Sir, I'll be the one to serve you."

Chen Tianming smiled and shook his head, pointing at the clothes that Duan Fei and the others had touched, "These, these, and these…"

Under the waiter's expectant gaze, Chen Tianming slowly spat out three words, "None of them."

The female shop assistant's face scrunched before quickly smoothing out. Just when she thought Chen Tianming was a penniless poseur, he spoke up again, "Ring up the rest for me."

'Whatever, as long as he's buying.' The female shop assistant beamed with joy.

 Just as she was about to pack the clothes for Chen Tianming, he suddenly said, "I'm not talking to you; I'm asking Du Qiao to ring up my order."

In luxury stores like this, shop assistants would receive commission once they made the sale, so Du Qiao will gain quite a sum from completing Chen Tianming's order.

Chen Tianming wasn't a philanthropist; he just wanted to help Du Qiao discreetly.

The smile on the female shop assistant's face froze. She had already picked up a piece of clothing and tried a more forceful approach. "It's okay; it's all the same anyways…"

"I don't want the clothes you're holding either." Chen Tianming said coldly.