Chapter 069: Patek Philippe

This was a wristwatch as beautiful as a fair maiden. The moment it touched his hand, there was a refined, delicate sensation—the exquisite, flawless curves, the dazzling, radiant glass, every detail exuded an air of luxury.

The only thing Lin Yu found familiar was the emblem formed by the combination of a knight’s sword and a priest’s cross.

With the advent of the new era, the things favored by the young gentlemen had shifted from antiques, calligraphy, and famous opera singers to luxury cars, renowned watches, and movie stars. Thus, Lin Yu often chatted about luxury cars and watches when interacting with others. Compared to real aficionados, he only had a surface-level understanding and had never actually owned one.

Even so, he could sense the value of this wristwatch because its beauty was omnipresent.

“Lin Yu, this watch isn’t yours. You’re just holding onto it for someone else,” Qi Yue suddenly said with a playful smile.

“Damn!” Upon hearing Qi Yue’s words, Lin Yu was instantly stunned, reminded of a classic advertising slogan for a world-famous watch.

“No one ever really owns a Patek Philippe. You merely look after it for the next generation.”

Of course! That emblem—it was Patek Philippe! The undisputed king of the watch world, always imitated, never surpassed—a legendary existence!

Even though Lin Yu, having lived a second life, was already quite composed, he couldn’t help but draw a sharp breath, and spoke with a tone tinged with reproach, “You spendthrift! Is it really a Patek Philippe? How much did it cost?”

“It’s alright, not that expensive, actually a bit cheaper than I expected,” Qi Yue replied with a nonchalant grin. She didn’t mention the price, afraid Lin Yu wouldn’t accept it.

Remembering the line from the advertisement—‘merely looking after it for the next generation’—her cheeks flushed, a shy expression overtaking her. Though Qi Yue usually acted carefree and brash, the long absence of her parents had left her with a subtle sense of insecurity deep down.

“Just tell me how much!” Lin Yu nodded to Yang Zhilin, who stood quietly to the side, her face indifferent, then pressed Qi Yue.

Upon being asked, Qi Yue looked nervous, timidly extended a single finger, and glanced at him apprehensively.

“Ten thousand? That’s barely acceptable, though still too expensive.” Lin Yu commented, and then motioned for Qi Yue to help him put the watch on his left wrist.

At this moment, Yang Zhilin, who had been silent, suddenly smiled and said, “It’s a hundred thousand. The original price was 138,888, but after a discount, it was a hundred thousand.”

“…How extravagant can you get?” Lin Yu was at a loss for words. If this had been his previous life, wearing a watch worth a hundred thousand would have left him unable even to walk straight down the street.

Fortunately, in this life, his mind was calm and composed. Still, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement. Clearly, he was not utterly immune to vanity.

He didn’t dwell on the watch or ask how Qi Yue had come up with so much money. Instead, Lin Yu suggested they get something to eat. Though his body was in pain, he was still hungry.

Parking his bicycle with a flourish in a designated space, Lin Yu, along with Qi Yue and Yang Zhilin, entered Grancy Point.

Since they had a reservation, they passed through the central hall and went straight to a private room. Lin Yu and Qi Yue sat facing each other, with Yang Zhilin seated to Qi Yue’s left.

Though Grancy Point wasn’t a particularly high-end place, its freshness was its charm—from the décor to the furnishings, everything was brand new, giving off a pristine, untouched feeling.

Once seated, Lin Yu left the ordering to Qi Yue and Yang Zhilin; his upper body ached everywhere, and he wasn’t in the mood for conversation.

The two girls casually ordered dishes like lily shrimp with egg, honey-glazed chicken wings, Hong Kong-style pork chops in tomato sauce, French crème brûlée, fresh mushroom cream soup, and a decent bottle of red wine, then began chatting.

“Xiao Yu, today your big sister went all out—we three will live like the upper crust for a day. Zhilin and I went to the finest spa in Bincheng this afternoon, the Lady Ziyu Club, and now we feel wonderful!” Qi Yue suddenly blurted out as they chatted.

“Silly girl, is one day enough for you?” Lin Yu replied with a slight smirk. The pain made him crave a cigarette, but when he reached for his pocket, he remembered he’d lost his pack.

Noticing this, Qi Yue grinned smugly, then pulled out a pack of Huanghelou cigarettes with elegant calligraphy on the packaging, along with a sharp-edged Zpioo lighter.

“Hehe, didn’t I say? Today you’ll live like the upper crust,” Qi Yue laughed, taking out a cigarette and lighting it for him.

In reality, to avoid the harms of secondhand smoke, most Western restaurants prohibited smoking. But since they were in a private room, no one would intervene—a tacit rule in many such establishments, mirroring the unspoken norms of society.

Hearing Qi Yue repeatedly insist he should live like the upper crust for a day, Lin Yu was genuinely moved, feeling the girl’s stubborn, endearing foolishness.

Taking a few puffs of Huanghelou, Lin Yu felt the pain in his body ease. With a determined look in his eyes, he said, “One day isn’t enough. I don’t want to be a temporary member of the upper crust. I want a lifetime contract.”

With perfect timing, Yang Zhilin interjected, “If you want a lifetime contract, given today’s circumstances and rising costs, you’ll need at least tens of millions.”

“Then let’s earn tens of millions, or even hundreds of millions—more if we can! I’m getting ready to start my own business; call it a head start for the slow bird,” Lin Yu’s gaze brimmed with ambition.

No matter the system—socialist or capitalist—money makes money. Thinking back to the ambush earlier that day, Lin Yu resolved to accelerate his rise; after all, money is the driving force behind everything.

As for today’s incident, he knew that even if he called the police, Zhang Yang would just find someone else to take the fall. It wouldn’t hurt him in the slightest, so Lin Yu couldn’t be bothered to go to the station.

By 2002, the era of reform and opening up had been in motion for years, and college students starting businesses had become commonplace. Yet, when Qi Yue and Yang Zhilin heard a high schooler like Lin Yu talk about entrepreneurship, they still found it hard to accept. In their minds, shaped by the exam-oriented system, a high school student’s first duty was to study.

It was the ingrained thinking fostered by their education.

Just then, there was a knock at the door—the server was bringing their food. And the server turned out to be someone they knew: Lian Jin.

The moment Lin Yu saw him, he realized Lian Jin had lost his job managing security at Phoenix Bar. Whether he’d quit or been fired, he couldn’t say.

Lian Jin, too, immediately recognized Lin Yu, and upon confirming it was him, his eyes lit up with excitement and surprise.