Chapter 26: Encounter with a Rival in Love

“Ling Tian, stop boasting already. Just take the money honestly,” Dai Jin said as he pushed the cash back toward Ling Tian. He truly didn’t believe Ling Tian had money. In his eyes, even if Ling Tian did, it wouldn’t be much—certainly not as much as he himself had, and nowhere near Shi Xiaocai’s wealth.

Ling Tian was taken aback by Dai Jin’s words. Clearly, he still lacked the aura of a true tycoon. He’d only been pretending for a few days, yet already no one believed his claims of wealth. It seemed he’d have to prove it with action at the right moment.

“Just wait,” Ling Tian replied, retreating to his room. A few minutes later, he emerged carrying a hefty stack of cash, amounting to over a hundred thousand, and adorned with several flashy accessories—gold chains, a gold watch, a large diamond ring—all gifts from his mother meant for impressing women. Their value surpassed even Dai Jin’s own jewelry.

“Whoa!” Dai Jin’s mouth dropped in astonishment; he admitted he’d misjudged Ling Tian this time.

“Amitabha! Benefactor, spare a few rings for me!” Shi Xiaocai came forward, holding his golden begging bowl. He too realized he’d underestimated Ling Tian; Ling Tian was a low-key fellow after all.

“Go away! My rings are for picking up girls, just like my mother told me—give one to any girl I like. You’re not a girl, so I won’t give you one. Unless you want them for wooing women too?” Ling Tian grinned mischievously.

“Forget I said anything,” Shi Xiaocai quickly replied. He had no desire to court women—Song Xiaomei was already driving him mad.

“Now do you believe I’m wealthy? Heh, hurry up and take your money back.” Ling Tian pushed the cash back toward Shi Xiaocai and Dai Jin.

“Alright, just let me know if you ever need anything,” Shi Xiaocai replied. He enjoyed collecting donations but was generous with friends, torn between keeping his monk’s vows and dealing with Song Xiaomei’s persistent presence—a contradiction in himself.

Dai Jin didn’t immediately pocket the money. Instead, he circled Ling Tian twice, nodding with excitement in his eyes, then glanced at Yuan Bao before speaking:

“Ling Tian, you should always wear these from now on. As for Yuan Bao, I’ll pay to get you some golden accessories too. Heh.” Dai Jin was clearly thrilled.

“Do you not know what to do with your money?” Yuan Bao looked at Dai Jin in confusion, unsure of his intentions.

“My thinking is this: our 518 dormitory used to have only me and Shi Xiaocai radiating golden vibes. Now Ling Tian’s joined in, leaving only you out. So, big brother here will pay to equip you with gold as well. That way, when the four of us go out together, we’ll look absolutely stunning!” The more Dai Jin considered his plan, the more he liked it. He was average-looking but craved attention, and felt he hadn’t yet received enough.

Ling Tian felt Dai Jin was more like his mother’s real son—obsessed with gold, wanting everyone around him to be as flashy as he was.

“Dai Jin, it’s bad enough you act like a fool yourself, but don’t drag me into it!” Yuan Bao glanced at the glittering Dai Jin, feeling a headache; he disliked the idea.

“No way. As long as you live in this apartment, you can’t be the exception. Tycoon gold is the trend now—maybe we’ll attract more girls this way. Ling Tian must keep up the look too, heh.” Dai Jin was relentless.

“Yuan Bao, just listen to Dai Jin. It’s only a gold chain and a few rings. When you’re short on cash, you can pawn them for money,” Ling Tian chimed in. He originally disliked the idea, finding it a bit foolish, but suddenly realized the four of them acting foolish together might be fun. He’d lived seriously in his past life—this life was meant for some mischief, a rebound from all that suppression.

“Alright, fine!” Seeing Ling Tian agree, Yuan Bao decided it was better to fit in than stand out. Since he didn’t have to pay himself, he might as well play the tycoon.

“Excellent! Haha, we’ll be the most dazzling group at Jianghai University—way cooler than the F4 on TV!” Dai Jin laughed, imagining girls swooning over him.

After some idle chatter, everyone prepared to rest. Song Xiaomei reluctantly bid farewell to Shi Xiaocai and returned to Lin Youya’s villa. She wished she could sleep beside Shi Xiaocai, but he firmly refused.

…

The next day, the sun shone brightly. The four of them, gleaming with gold, headed straight for Lin Youya’s villa.

Along the way, their golden adornments drew plenty of attention. Dai Jin and Shi Xiaocai carried it well—Dai Jin was dressed in designer brands, Shi Xiaocai’s look was striking overall—but Ling Tian and Yuan Bao looked awkward. Their clothes were the same old, costing only a few hundred, and the gold jewelry seemed out of place, making them look like nouveau riche farmers.

Dai Jin had wanted to force them into designer outfits, but Ling Tian and Yuan Bao refused. After all, what’s a tycoon without a bit of rustic charm? Ling Tian hadn’t had enough fun with it yet.

Their movements had already been reported to Li Feng by some observant students, and yesterday’s events were relayed in detail to Lin Feng.

Hearing that the four were heading toward the villa, Li Feng’s rage ignited. He smashed his cup to the floor—a habit of his when angry, though unfortunately all his cups were expensive. Truly a wastrel!

“Hmph! Bringing money to Lin Youya’s villa? That Ling Tian really thinks Lin Youya cares about a hundred thousand? Ridiculous! Let’s go—time to meet this Ling Tian!” Li Feng stood up, followed by two bodyguards, both carrying the same arrogant air as their master.

Ling Tian and his friends walked on, laughing and unbothered by the stares of other students. Dai Jin was especially proud; from now on, they’d be a golden spectacle at Jianghai University.

Just as they neared the villa, the path was suddenly blocked. At the front stood a tall, handsome man, with two shorter and plain-looking men behind him—clearly his followers. They deliberately barred Ling Tian and his friends.

Ling Tian sensed their hostile gaze and frowned, though he didn’t feel any danger. Even if these men were looking for trouble, their abilities weren’t impressive.

What annoyed him was that these people disrupted his mood for flirting. If he didn’t lose his virginity soon, how could he face his past self or the original owner of this body?

“Amitabha, as the Buddha says: Good dogs don’t block the road! Gentlemen, please step aside!” Shi Xiaocai, seeing their aggressive demeanor, knew they were troublemakers and stepped forward.

Dai Jin, Ling Tian, and the others were amused by Shi Xiaocai’s remark, aware of his skills and eager to watch the show.

Li Feng was infuriated by Shi Xiaocai’s words. Pointing and cursing, he shouted, “Bald monk, I was here to settle things with Ling Tian, but since you’re looking for trouble, I’ll oblige! You two, teach him a lesson!”

He signaled to his bodyguards, who lunged at Shi Xiaocai from both sides, aiming punches at his face. Shi Xiaocai smiled, leaned back slightly, and easily dodged their attacks. At the same time, he swept his leg out, targeting both their lower bodies—a classic move befitting a Shaolin disciple.

Thud! Thud!

In just a single exchange, the two bodyguards fell to the ground in humiliating fashion, utterly embarrassed.

“Hahaha!” Dai Jin and the others laughed heartlessly. With Shi Xiaocai as their powerhouse and Ling Tian as a formidable expert, none of them feared trouble.

“Useless!” Li Feng was enraged by his men’s incompetence, though he continued to act arrogantly thanks to his family’s status.

Li Feng cast a contemptuous look at Ling Tian and his friends, then fixed his gaze on Ling Tian. Seeing Ling Tian dressed so plainly and less handsome than himself, Li Feng spoke with disdain, “You must be Ling Tian?”

“I am Ling Tian. And who are you?” Ling Tian disliked him at first sight—another rich family’s young master, acting all high and mighty. Hmph, in both this life and the last, he was a rich young master himself, but never as arrogant as this guy. He despised those who relied on their family’s power rather than their own abilities.

“I’m Li Feng, from the Li family. Let me be clear—Lin Youya is the woman I’ve set my sights on. If you know what’s good for you, stay away from her, or you’ll regret it!” Li Feng threatened fiercely.

“Li Feng? What’s your relation to Li Youran?”

Suddenly confronted by a rival in love, Ling Tian intended to teach this brat a lesson, but upon hearing his name, he recalled Li Youran mentioning she had a cousin named Li Feng studying here. Could this be him?

“Huh? Why do you ask?” Li Feng hesitated. Yes, Li Youran was his cousin, and they were close, but few at the school knew this. Some ignorant friends had even advised him to pursue Li Youran when he failed with Lin Youya, which earned them a scolding.

How did Ling Tian know about this? Had he heard something?

“Youran mentioned she has a cousin here named Li Feng. Is that you?” Ling Tian observed Li Feng’s reaction and guessed correctly. Since he was his future brother-in-law, Ling Tian decided to show some restraint.

“Hmph! You dare call my cousin by her name? What’s your relationship with her?” Li Feng, realizing Ling Tian knew, had nothing to hide, but was furious at Ling Tian’s familiarity with Li Youran.