The white rose I picked up cried and said she liked me.

The group chatted and laughed along the way, and before they knew it, they had arrived at the entrance of a finely decorated restaurant.

This restaurant, named Time Villa, is an upscale establishment. Its overall decor is luxurious and grand, with gilded embellishments at the entrance and bright lighting, far surpassing the style of ordinary street-side eateries.

Even the elegantly poised hostesses at the entrance are outstanding in temperament and beautiful in appearance, each with a model-like figure and looks, making them exceptionally pleasing to the eye.

Su Zhe, Xiao Chen, and Luo Chen gasped and took two steps back when they saw the magnificent signboard.

Just by looking at the storefront, you could tell that this restaurant was definitely not cheap, and it was far beyond the reach of these cash-strapped freshmen.

"Old Jiang, how about we go to another place?" Su Zhe swallowed and whispered in Jiang Xun's ear.

Jiang Xun waved his hand and smiled nonchalantly, "It's okay. This restaurant just looks high-end, but I have a membership card with a big discount. After the discount, it won't cost much. Tonight's dinner is on me, so everyone can eat as much as they want without feeling guilty."

Upon hearing this, the eyes of the other three people lit up instantly.

Xiao Chen grasped Jiang Xun's hand and asked excitedly, "Is it really, Godfather?"

Jiang Xun smiled and nodded:

"Of course. We come from all over the country, crossing mountains and seas to gather in the same university, the same class, and even the same dormitory. It's a rare fate. The friendship we share as classmates is far more precious than the cost of a few meals."

"Godfather, please accept my bow."

......

With Jiang Xun's offer of hospitality as a safety net, the three of them completely let go of their psychological burdens and became less reserved, following him into the restaurant.

Xu Nian followed slowly behind the group, her gaze falling on Jiang Xun's back, a faint hint of approval flashing in her eyes.

This young man, though not old, is insightful, sensible, and has extremely high emotional intelligence. He speaks and acts with thoughtfulness and propriety, and is exceptionally good at winning people over.

Coupled with financial resources and a broader perspective far exceeding those of ordinary college students, it is evident that they come from a wealthy family and have received top-notch family education and upbringing since childhood.

Given time and with some refinement, he will surely become a person capable of standing on his own.

Led by the waiter, the group sat down in a private room.

After taking the menu from the waiter, Jiang Xun handed it to the group of people around him: "You guys order first. I come here often, and I rarely have any bad dishes. The taste is always pretty consistent. Just order what you like."

Su Zhe, Xiao Chen, and Luo Chen exchanged glances, their understanding unspoken.

Although Jiang Xun offered to treat everyone and didn't have to pay out of his own pocket, no one took advantage of the fact that someone else was paying to order random dishes.

When traveling, it is most important to maintain propriety and decorum. Even if the friend who is hosting seems to be well-off, it is still extremely impolite to ask for an exorbitant amount or to squander money.

So the three of them each chose an affordable and home-style dish and stopped eating, without making any further selections.

After the three of them finished ordering, Jiang Xun turned the menu to Xu Nian, who was standing to the side: "Uncle Xu, it's your turn."

Xu Nian waved her hand gently: "No need, I'm not picky about food. I'll eat whatever you order, so there's no need to make special arrangements for me."

"That won't do, Uncle Xu," Jiang Xun said seriously. "My father once taught me that when you invite friends out to dinner, each guest must order at least one dish. Otherwise, if the dishes ordered by others don't suit your taste, there will be nothing to eat."

"Some people don't have enough to eat, but it's because the person who invited them wasn't hospitable or considerate. So Uncle Xu, you shouldn't stand on ceremony."

These words made Xu Nian look at Jiang Xun with even higher regard.

Indeed, only excellent family education can raise such a well-mannered, insightful, and sincere child.

Having said that, Xu Nian stopped refusing, took the menu, and chose two home-style dishes that suited her taste.

Then, Jiang Xun retrieved the menu, ordered the restaurant's signature main dishes and specialty snacks, and then handed it back to the waiter.

Not long after, all the dishes were served.

Jiang Xun's words were true; the dishes at this restaurant were indeed of extremely high quality, with an enticing aroma and appealing colors, making them a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate, greatly stimulating everyone's appetite.

As Jiang Xun took the lead in picking up his chopsticks, the others began to eat as well.

As the teenagers ate and chatted, they gradually let go of their awkwardness and became accustomed to talking about their families and past experiences.

Su Zhe's family was relatively poor. He came from a mountain village, and his father died early. His mother raised him alone with great difficulty.

Fortunately, he lived up to expectations, achieved excellent academic results, and won scholarships multiple times, which greatly relieved the pressure on his family. He was a true test-taker from a small town.

When asked why he didn't apply to better universities in other cities with his grades, he replied that he had received financial assistance from the Sinian Group when he was a child and wanted to work for the Sinian Group after graduation. Because the headquarters of the Sinian Group is in Yuncheng, he applied to universities in Yuncheng.

Jiang Xun criticized his thinking: "Su Zhe, your idea is too idealistic. When big companies recruit graduates from universities, they value the prestige of the university and the reputation of the platform, not the region. Even the bottom student from a top university has a much stronger university reputation than the top student from an ordinary university. Your choice of university is actually a bit of a disadvantage."

This straightforward analysis made Su Zhe, who had never been exposed to workplace rules and had a limited perspective, instantly panic.

He gripped his chopsticks tightly, his eyes filled with confusion and anxiety. He felt hopeless about entering the Sinian Group and almost burst into tears.

Xu Nian couldn't help but chuckle and comforted her, "Don't be anxious. Personal ability is also very important. As long as you are good enough and have a solid foundation, you will always have a chance."

He knew the inside story. In fact, Sinian Group had a certain number of fixed recruitment quotas for Yuncheng University every year. After all, the founder, Xu Xi, was a graduate of Yuncheng University. Prioritizing the recruitment of graduates from their own school was a way of taking care of their juniors.

Moreover, he was the former largest shareholder of the Sinian Group. With his influence, arranging for someone to work in the group would be a simple matter of a word.

If, after spending these years together, he felt that Su Zhe was a good person, he wouldn't mind giving this hardworking, exam-taking student from a small town a chance.

Xiao Chen's family background wasn't as bad as Su Zhe's, but it wasn't exactly outstanding either.

My parents are both ordinary employees with stable but not high incomes. They also have a long-term mortgage, making daily expenses difficult and putting them under considerable financial pressure.

So although Xiao Chen had a dream of becoming an e-sports player, it remained just talk.

He knew how hard his parents worked to earn money, and that going to university honestly and getting a stable job in the future to help support his family was the most realistic way out.