Chapter 412 - 263: Too Many Girls Like Me

Chapter 412: Chapter 263: Too Many Girls Like Me

"You sure you haven’t run into any trouble?"

Lin Chu asked again.

This was his last time asking. If the man didn’t want to talk, so be it.

Hearing this, Yang Cheng just smiled and waved his hand. "Oh, I have troubles. The trouble is I have too much money and can’t spend it all. I don’t know how. What, you want to help me out?"

Lin Chu: ?

He gave him a long, hard look, then couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

"Actually, I have the same problem."

"So, I can’t help you with that one. You’ll have to figure it out yourself."

’This guy... is really something else.’

Lin Chu couldn’t tell if he was just putting on an act, if he was serious, or if he was just toughing it out and refusing to admit anything.

However, his sixth sense told him that, most likely, the man was telling the truth.

At Lin Chu’s words, Yang Cheng let out a hearty laugh.

This was what traveling was like. You always met people who were completely different from those in your normal social circle. Most of them were pretty dull, but occasionally, you’d find one or two interesting ones.

He now found Lin Chu to be a little interesting.

He’d watched a few of Lin Chu’s streams. At first, he thought it was just the usual streamer tactic of spending money to buy fame.

But after watching a few more, he discovered... the kid was purely spending money for the sake of it. Just like the comments flying across the screen said, he was just making it rain.

For a young man in his early twenties to have reached this point... he must have quite a story.

"How about you tell me your story?"

"If you don’t mind."

Yang Cheng raised his beer bottle again.

Lin Chu laughed. "Hey, I asked first, so you go first."

The style of their conversation was a world away from the boisterous BBQ stall. Amidst the smoky, lively atmosphere, their chat had an air of innocence and detachment.

"I don’t really have much of a story. I was born, went to school, got a job, got married, had a son, bought a house. Then my son got married, had a child, and I became a grandpa. I kept working. My wife passed away last year, so I came out to travel and clear my head... That’s about it. A lifetime goes by fast! Heh, ’If the spring wind pities the wilting flower, could it grant me youth once more?’"

Prompted by Lin Chu, Yang Cheng shook his head with a smile and concisely summarized his entire life, even capping it off with a line of poetry.

Lin Chu listened quietly, lit a cigarette, and let out a long sigh.

’I’m getting drawn in.’

’I’m getting too drawn in.’

’Wait, no. I’m a young man in my prime. What am I doing getting all empathetic with him?’

"True... sounds like there isn’t much of a story. But hey, men are boys till the day they die, right?"

Raising his bottle, Lin Chu offered a comforting smile.

There really wasn’t much else he could say to console him.

This... was the life of most people.

Yang Cheng clinked his bottle against Lin Chu’s and took a sip. "That’s just something people say. When you get to my age, you’ll understand. Take beer, for example. When I was young, I could drink an entire private room of beautiful women under the table. Now, one bottle is my limit. Any more than that, and my gout flares up."

They looked at each other and couldn’t help but laugh.

’That’s pretty tragic.’

Lin Chu mused on life for a moment before asking with a smile, "So if you could go back to your early twenties right now, how much would you be willing to pay?"

Yang Cheng roared with laughter. "Everything! My house, my cars, my company—everything I have, I’d trade it all. But that’s just a dream. Who would trade with you? Where would you even make such a trade?"

Glancing over at Linlin, then back at Yang Cheng, Lin Chu suddenly had the urge to play matchmaker.

One was in the prime of her youth, with the best years ahead of her, yet she was down on her luck, drinking and playing dice games, squandering it all away.

The other was quite wealthy but no longer young, lost in unspeakable nostalgia for the past, filled with sorrow and regret.

’Only I...’

’Have both youth and money!’

"Your turn. Come on, tell me your story. Satisfy my curiosity."

Yang Cheng said with a smile.

Unconsciously, a small crowd had gathered around the two of them.

Zhou Xiao had been standing behind Lin Chu the whole time, not interrupting, just listening quietly. He looked very "well-behaved," clearly not having given up yet.

Over on the side, Qin Weiliang seemed to feel that Brother Chu was being neglected, so he came over with his glass, his face wreathed in smiles.

Seeing that her earlier attempt at playing hard to get had failed to attract Lin Chu, Linlin now took the initiative to move closer as well.

Faced with this question...

It was truly Lin Chu’s biggest secret.

And one he could never tell anyone.

This was a gathering of strangers, so of course he couldn’t tell the truth, which made Lin Chu feel an indescribable sense of awkwardness.

’—To be honest, I’d like to be sincere, but I really can’t afford the consequences. I’d be a fucking idiot to go looking for trouble, wouldn’t I?’

After a moment’s thought,

Lin Chu decided to sidestep the important details and began with a smile.

"My story and my troubles are that too many girls like me. One hand—no, two hands are almost not enough to count them all, and each has her own charms. Some have great bodies, some have long legs, some are gorgeous, some are seductive, some are rich and beautiful. There’s one who’s young and pretty, still in school, gentle, well-behaved, and sensible. There’s also an older woman who’s a great cook and knows how to take care of a man... All kinds, all vying for my attention. My two kidneys can’t keep up."

Yang Cheng: ...

Qin Weiliang: ...

Zhou Xiao: ...

Everyone: ...was collectively speechless.

’What’s with the humblebrag?’ they thought.

No one suspected Lin Chu was bullshitting.

After all, his capabilities had already been thoroughly proven in just a few streams.

They just felt sour.

So damn sour.

’The lives of these goddamn rich bastards are so fucking amazing!’

Listening to all this, Linlin couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

For no particular reason, she just found it funny. This famous streamer was really something else, daring to say such things in public.

Just then, they heard Lin Chu continue.

"Actually, I’m at the age where I should be getting married. My family is pushing me, and my dad and I are on the verge of a huge fight over it. But... it’s truly hard to choose, and I can’t bring myself to make a decision."

"So what am I to do?"

"Honestly, I don’t have the courage to walk the long road with any one woman. More than that, I don’t believe that if I ever fell from grace, any woman would stick by my side without abandoning me."

"Life has always been like this. Every stage has its own troubles. Back in school, your politics textbook spelled it out crystal clear. What did it say? Contradiction is a universal principle. It never disappears; it just transforms from one form to another."

"Come on, my friends! Let’s toast! Let’s fucking drink! To contradiction! To life!"

Having said his piece with gusto, Lin Chu stood up and raised his glass.

Aside from the main point—the source of his money—these were all his heartfelt thoughts, so it didn’t matter if he said them out loud.

CLINK!

More than a dozen glasses and bottles clinked together, barely fitting in the small space.

"What a fucking eye-opener!"

"Cheers!"

"Marry them! Marry them all! They’re just women!"

"Hahahaha..."

Everyone was shouting at once.

Zhou Xiao smiled nonchalantly. "Men and women are just for procreation. True love is between two men. Brother Chu, if this isn’t working, why not try something else? How will you know if you don’t try?"

Lin Chu shot him a glare and, emboldened by the alcohol, cursed with a laugh, "Get the hell out..."

Qin Weiliang’s face was beet red. He slung an arm over Lin Chu’s shoulder and said with a deeply emotional smile, "Big bro, for a guy like you, having a few extra girlfriends, is that even a big deal? It’s not a fucking deal at all! How about me? I want to be your girlfriend!"

The crowd once again erupted in laughter.

...

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