A simple two-word assessment was the best evaluation for Qin Fen; ordinarily, people begged Inzarota just for a word, so his initiation of conversation with Qin Fen was seen by others as an immense honor.

Lambda and the others were even more shaken. Although they attended different schools, they had all arrived in Hanzhou on the same flight from the largest airport in Europe.

When Song Jia introduced them, Inzarota hadn't even offered a basic nod of acknowledgment, let alone spoken or greeted them; he had just coolly settled into his assigned seat.

As for Lin Liqiang, he was certainly smooth with words. However, he only engaged in conversation with the female classmates accompanying Song Jia. As for the men? He was even more brusque than Inzarota.

At least Inzarota had spared them a glance; Lin Liqiang hadn't even bothered to look, charging toward the cluster of girls with an air of desperate need.

If they hadn't learned during Song Jia's introduction that this Young Master Lin was the heir to the Biochemical Beast Group, the slighted male students would have long since felt compelled to teach this scoundrel, who looked utterly driven by base instincts, a lesson.

"Old Qin, what are you doing in Hanzhou?" Lin Liqiang asked, Inzarota’s gaze posing the same unspoken question.

Qin Fen decided not to conceal anything from his two comrades. He pulled them aside and quickly scribbled the context and details of the mission onto the back of both their hands.

These two were also geniuses; even though they had to grasp the meaning entirely by feel, it wasn't too difficult for them. The classmates who came with Song Jia were now whispering amongst themselves, dispersing to quiet corners to send discreet inquiries to their families, hoping to uncover exactly who Qin Fen was as quickly as possible.

Song Jia naturally knew what they were doing, but she didn't stop them. Qin Fen’s résumé was indeed sparse. If there was anything strange about it, it was his brother.

Of course, a brother whose traces were completely untraceable, in Song Jia's estimation, was likely dead, perhaps having met with some sudden calamity, otherwise, not a single lead would exist.

Because of this, Song Jia found it difficult to bring up Qin Zhan with Qin Fen.

"Unfair!"

When Song Jia walked back to the trio, she protested with clear dissatisfaction.

"Huh?" Qin Fen blinked, then understood, murmuring softly, "It's really nothing. ^^First release^^"

"They all know; I should know too."

Was this jealousy? Or coquettishness? Qin Fen couldn't quite tell. As he hesitated, a sharp pinch landed on his lower back.

Lin Liqiang had acted! Qin Fen reacted instantly. Their rapport was so established that a simple pinch conveyed the message: tell Song Jia.

Although experts and professors in this era were often deceptive, Qin Fen deeply trusted the advice of Lin Liqiang, the connoisseur of romance.

"Fine."

Qin Fen stepped aside with Song Jia. The moment his finger touched her palm, a sensation akin to, yet not, electricity pulsed from his fingertip.

This non-electrical current startled Qin Fen profoundly, and Song Jia felt the same shock.

Opportunities to touch a woman's skin were exceedingly rare for Qin Fen. With Song Jia, whom he harbored good feelings for, this single touch brought forth an indescribable feeling.

Song Jia lowered her head, her cheeks flushed crimson. Where was her usual Little Queen demeanor? She looked completely like a young girl experiencing her first stirrings of love.

Qin Fen steadied his emotions and placed his fingertips back on Song Jia's palm. His fingers traced rapidly across her skin, sending a tingling sensation from her palm up her arm to her spine. Her heart felt like a small, wild white rabbit beating frantically against her ribs.

He quickly and briefly explained the mission details, then swiftly withdrew his fingers.

After a few seconds of silence, Song Jia looked up at Qin Fen in confusion: "That's it?"

"That's it," Qin Fen nodded.

"This..." Song Jia's cheeks were redder than a ripe apple, and her voice dropped to a whisper, "Write it again... I zoned out just then..."

Zoned out? Lin Liqiang, straining to listen from afar, nearly choked on a suppressed laugh, nearly giving himself internal injuries. Now he finally had leverage against Song Jia! If this girl dared to bully him again, he'd repeat today's conversation to her!

After writing it again, surprise gradually dawned on Song Jia's face. Once Qin Fen had finished, she bravely grasped his palm and quickly wrote a few characters there. ^^First release^^

Qin Fen wasn't unfamiliar with these characters.

Just moments ago, after he explained things to Lin Liqiang and Inzarota, Lin Liqiang had written something similar on his palm, though Lin Liqiang's request was slightly more demanding.

"Since you’re guarding the Fei Xin Girls’ Band, ask for an autograph!" This was Song Jia’s demand. As a pampered darling of heaven, she too had her favorite idol group.

To use family influence to secure an autograph would be too embarrassing and pointless. Since Qin Fen coincidentally had the opportunity, Song Jia wasn't letting it pass.

"Even better, leave a ** lip print next to the signature!" This was Lin Liqiang's supplementary condition.

"Lin Liqiang just asked me—are the autographs from this band really that hard to get?" Qin Fen wrote with his finger while his mind drifted elsewhere.

"Of course! It’s not that they're aloof; I heard it’s a policy set by their manager," Song Jia replied, finding this method of communicating on Qin Fen’s palm quite amusing, her previous shyness completely gone.

"Oh? Can their autographs be sold for money?" Qin Fen wrote on her palm, asking the question that had sprung up almost instinctively since he learned autographs could be valuable.

"Yes, and for quite a lot," Song Jia wrote back, looking at his bright eyes and instantly understanding what he was planning.

The thought of what Qin Fen intended to do quickly brought another scene to Song Jia's mind, and upon its arrival, she involuntarily shuddered.

"What’s wrong?" Qin Fen found Song Jia's reaction strange.

"While the autographs can fetch money, those who buy them won't thank you. Fans who can't get one will hate you, thinking you’ve commercialized their idol's sacred signature, which is a grave insult to the idol. By then..." Song Jia paused before writing, "Fei Xin Girls' Band is a hugely popular idol group. If things go wrong, their crazed fans might actually do unimaginable things to you."

After finishing this, Song Jia offered a wry, helpless smile. Seeing Qin Fen’s intensely shining eyes, she knew her warning had failed to have any positive effect; in fact, it might have worked in reverse.

Song Jia guessed correctly. After hearing her warning, Qin Fen felt even more convinced that selling the Fei Xin Girls' Band autographs was a venture worth pursuing for profit.

According to Instructor Hao’s lectures on psychology, this was clearly an opportunity to make money.

To pass up such a chance to earn? Qin Fen shook his head. If he truly did that, he feared he'd suffer sleepless nights for the next decade.

The struggle for survival had deeply embedded the idea of legitimate earning into him. "My treat!" Lambda said, his smile appearing easygoing, but internally, he was irritated by the situation.

The tickets for the treat wouldn't cost much, but being railroaded into paying by someone else would sour anyone's mood.

Since the person who had initiated the provocation was paying, Qin Fen immediately dropped his objections. He quietly told Lin Liqiang, "I'll treat you to McDonald's."

"Great!" Lin Liqiang looked famished, as if Qin Fen were offering him a banquet fit for royalty.

The classmates accompanying Lambda exchanged subtle smiles; the venue chosen this time was perfect.

What was an amusement park for? Fun! These children of influence might not excel at everything, but playing? They certainly wouldn't be left behind! That was their specialty!

Song Jia walked beside Qin Fen, quietly asking if there were any other exciting things about the army, urging him to share more.

Lin Liqiang, standing nearby, also questioned Qin Fen about the quality of the women in the military, wondering if those in uniform inspired an irresistible urge to conquer them upon sight.

The army? Qin Fen sighed deeply and looked up at the white clouds in the sky.

Yes! The army! His comrades in the recruit camp must be training right now.

"Hurry up! Hurry up! Hurry up! You bunch of softlings, push yourselves! The recruit field training is coming! If you embarrass me, see how I deal with you!"

In the recruit camp, Squad Leader Yan gripped a black rubber baton, sitting in a Jeep and relentlessly barking orders at the exhausted, training recruits.

Recruit field training! This was an excellent stepping stone for those new soldiers who lacked family connections but wanted to make a name for themselves in the military!

Across the world, the training atmosphere in every recruit camp reached its most fervent peak since they enlisted.