Chapter 137: A Haircut [First Update]

Grateful thanks to the reader ‘ppppp123’ for the generous consecutive rewards!

The Li Family Restaurant was located diagonally opposite the entrance of No. 1 High School. The shop wasn’t very large but was well-equipped. Just a short distance around the corner from the storefront was a small vegetable market, making it very convenient.

Xie Yun had rented this place for quite some time. However, due to renovations and caring for her husband, the restaurant had yet to open.

But today, taking advantage of the start of the school term, the long-prepared restaurant finally opened. Xie Yun and Li Aiguo greeted customers at the door with beaming smiles, their faces full of joy.

Firecrackers popped, red banners were unfurled, and the rich aroma of cooking wafted out from the restaurant. Countless students streamed out of the school gates, drawn by the enticing smell, each choosing their favorite eatery.

Although it was just the opening day, the Li Family Restaurant’s crowd was still somewhat sparse. When Zhang Ye and his companions entered, there were still a few empty tables around.

Without rushing to sit down, Zhang Ye greeted everyone and began helping out, doing his best to assist here and there.

Despite being newly opened, Xie Yun’s restaurant quietly earned a reputation among students. Her dishes were truly delicious; even the simplest meals, under her hands, seemed to possess a magical quality. Each bite released a rich fragrance that burst in the mouth and flowed down the throat, leaving an unforgettable aftertaste.

Xie Yun’s cooking skills were impressive, rivaling those of professional chefs. But what truly made her dishes so delectable was the secret family seasoning she used.

As time passed and word spread, business at the Li Family Restaurant grew steadily. At first, it was manageable, but soon it became so busy that even running nonstop felt insufficient. The influx of students made the already cramped space feel even more crowded.

The gloom that had weighed on them for over half a year gradually lifted as the restaurant’s fortunes improved. Both Xie Yun and Li Aiguo, along with Li Qianqian, wore relaxed smiles on their faces.

...

“Got time? Come out and meet someone with me,” Zhang Ye’s phone rang just as school was letting out.

“What’s up?” Zhang Ye sighed, relieved the teacher had just left. Otherwise, a ringing phone in class would have drawn a stern scowl.

Still, even now, with classmates looking on, having a phone made him something of a rarity—like a panda among students. Normally, crowds of students would flood out of the classroom, but now they gathered around Zhang Ye, their expressions filled with curiosity, as if witnessing something unusual.

“I’m by the school gate. Just come out,” the caller said before hanging up abruptly.

Zhang Ye smiled wryly and shook his head. It seemed that from today onward, he would have to start exercising his own privileges.

In the second year of high school, there were evening study sessions. Although exceptions could be made for special circumstances, and teachers didn’t pay much attention, leaving early like this would certainly cause a stir.

By the school entrance, Zhang Ye searched around but couldn’t find Yuan Yuqing. He quickly pulled out his phone to call her, then glanced around instinctively, only to spot her inside a nearby shop waving at him.

Pocketing his phone, Zhang Ye smiled bitterly. “Sister Yuan, what’s going on? I still have classes.”

“It’s just evening study. Whether you go or not doesn’t matter,” Yuan Yuqing rolled her eyes and then tugged Zhang Ye toward a nearby car. “You didn’t tell Xiang Qing anything, right?”

That didn’t sound like the words of an education bureau director.

“I didn’t say a thing,” Zhang Ye hurried to explain, then looked up in surprise. “Is this your car?” Only now did he realize the sleek BMW beside them was hers.

A government official with a car—quite flashy.

“It’s assigned by the office,” Yuan Yuqing said, shutting the door with a snap and starting the engine. “Sit tight.”

“Who are we going to see?” Zhang Ye asked curiously, a bit uneasy inside.

He regretted agreeing to pretend to be Yuan Yuqing’s boyfriend out of greed at the time. Such a farce was bound to be exposed eventually, and he truly wasn’t cut out for it. But considering how much she had helped him before, he felt too embarrassed to refuse and gritted his teeth to go along.

Now the test was upon him; he could only brace himself, wear a forced smile, and pray nothing went wrong.

“Deng Guxing,” Yuan Yuqing replied, focusing on the road. Soon, she turned into a bustling commercial street and stopped before a beauty salon. “Get out.”

“Why stop here?” Zhang Ye asked, stepping down and immediately noticing the salon’s gleaming sign.

“Of course, to get you made over. You look like a student now—take you in front of anyone like this, no one would believe it,” Yuan Yuqing said, giving him a sidelong glance and walking inside with practiced ease.

The salon was spacious. Several fresh-faced attendants busied themselves styling hair. A woman in her thirties, dressed professionally and with a warm smile, greeted Yuan Yuqing. “Miss Yuan, what kind of haircut would you like today? I’ll have Xiao Chen finish up his current client and help you right away.”

“This is my younger brother. He’s the one getting his hair done today,” Yuan Yuqing smiled and settled on a nearby sofa, picking up a scattered magazine.

“Um, please make me look more mature—somewhere in my twenties would be best,” Zhang Ye said with a smile.

Though his mindset was mature, his youthful face still betrayed his age to the observant.

Now, posing as Yuan Yuqing’s boyfriend to meet someone from her past—a persistent acquaintance—there would surely be some struggle. He couldn’t afford to be the target of any attack.

“Got it,” the stylist nodded knowingly and summoned a long-haired young man over—Xiao Chen.

Xiao Chen’s skills were impressive; his scissors flew deftly, creating an illusion of chaos that masked precision.

As the scissors clicked away, Zhang Ye didn’t focus on his hair but instead studied Yuan Yuqing through the mirror’s reflection.

She wore a flowing pink dress, vastly different from her usual sharp attire. Her exposed skin was as translucent as snow. She lowered her head, flipping through a few magazines without interest, then shifted her gaze to Zhang Ye as he was styled.

Through the mirror, their eyes met. Both seemed to believe the other hadn’t noticed their gaze. Neither hid their attention; unblinking, they admired each other’s features.

Yuan Yuqing’s figure was truly remarkable—curvaceous and alluring. Even sitting on the sofa, the gentle swell and the lazy aura she radiated, combined with her unique charm, held one’s gaze captive.

After about half an hour, Zhang Ye washed his hair and, under Xiao Chen’s finishing touch, looked into the mirror again—his face showing a look of astonishment.

Thanks to the haircut and some subtle makeup, he genuinely appeared several years older. Now, stepping out, people’s gazes would certainly be different from before.

Most importantly, the more mature visage gave him a newfound sense of charm.