Movie: Get Alpha Dog at the start

Chapter 1567 Stealing the Show

Just after Liu Yuan and Han Ling entered the hall, several more couples arrived.

"Take care, and I wish you both a long and happy marriage." Qin Hao casually offered auspicious words, watching them disappear into the hall entrance. He glanced down at the cardboard box; inside was only a lonely bouquet of flowers.

He dusted off his hands and began to gather the scattered leaves and cut flower branches together, preparing to throw them away later.

Qin Hao tidied up at a leisurely pace, glancing up at the passing crowd every now and then, waiting for the last sucker—or rather, the "destined one."

The night breeze was a bit colder than in the afternoon, and the lanterns at the entrance of the auditorium swayed gently in the wind, casting flickering shadows. Qin Hao pulled his cotton-padded coat collar up even higher, put his hands in his sleeves, and leaned against a pillar, looking quite relaxed.

A few minutes later, a series of hurried footsteps approached. Qin Hao looked up and saw Chen Qiming hurrying towards them, following a girl. Chen Qiming was wearing a black leather jacket tonight, and his hair was styled. He looked much more energetic than usual, but his expression was somewhat tense, as if he was afraid of losing the person in front of him.

The girl walking ahead had long, glossy black hair cascading over her shoulders, swaying gently with her steps. She was tall and voluptuous, a red wool coat accentuating her curves. Compared to Han Ling's aloof, ethereal beauty, this girl possessed a more alluring and seductive charm; every smile and gesture carried a captivating allure.

"Qin Hao, what are you doing here?" Sun Yumei walked up, stopped, and tilted her head to look at him in confusion.

Qin Hao pointed to the "billboard" that hadn't been taken down yet, and said without any hesitation: "Selling flowers."

Sun Yumei glanced at the advertisement, then at the lone bouquet of flowers in the box, her tone tinged with surprise: "Just one bouquet?"

"This is the only bunch left; the rest are sold out," Qin Hao replied casually, continuing to tidy up the trash without even looking up.

"What? They're all sold out?" Chen Qiming exclaimed from behind.

Sun Yumei glanced at Chen Qiming with displeasure, her brows furrowing slightly: "What's wrong? You startled me with your sudden outburst."

Chen Qiming quickly apologized with a fawning smile: "I didn't mean to. I just didn't expect so many idiots... to spend money on this thing."

"What sucker?" Sun Yumei's eyes narrowed slightly, her tone carrying a hint of displeasure: "You have no romance at all. Roses represent love."

Upon hearing Sun Yumei's words, Chen Qiming's eyes lit up, and he immediately seized this opportunity to curry favor. He turned to Qin Hao, pointed to the last bouquet of flowers in the box, and said urgently, "I'll buy this last bouquet. How much?"

Qin Hao's lips curled slightly as he slowly uttered two words: "Twenty!"

Chen Qiming was taking money out of his pocket, his hand already inside, when he heard the number and his expression froze instantly: "Didn't you say it was ten yuan yesterday?"

“Things are valued for their rarity,” Qin Hao said seriously, his expression as solemn as if he were giving an academic presentation. “Besides, King You of Zhou almost lost his throne by lighting the beacon fires to amuse his concubine. Is twenty yuan expensive?”

Chen Qiming's lips twitched, his expression like he'd swallowed a fly. He opened his mouth, trying to bargain: "Could you make it cheaper?"

Before she could finish speaking, Sun Yumei impatiently interrupted, her voice clearly irritated: "Are you going to buy it or not? If not, I'm leaving."

After saying that, he made a move to turn around.

"I said I wouldn't buy it." Chen Qiming suppressed his heartache, took out his wallet from his pocket, pulled out two ten-yuan bills, and handed the money to Qin Hao. His fingers were trembling slightly, and his eyes were full of resentment.

Qin Hao took the money, took the last bouquet of roses out of the box, and handed it to Sun Yumei.

Sun Yumei took it, lowered her head to smell it, and a satisfied smile appeared on her face, a smile that was particularly bright under the red light of the lantern.

"That's more like it." She glanced at Chen Qiming, her impatience largely gone.

Qin Hao rolled up the remaining cardboard, scraps of leaves, and cut flower branches together, preparing to take them with him. He bent down to gather the items into a pile, and was about to turn and leave when Sun Yumei called him back.

"Hey, Qin Hao, where are you going?"

"The flowers are all sold out, of course I'm going back to the dorm to sleep," Qin Hao said without turning his head, tucking the roll of trash under his arm and turning to leave.

Sun Yumei stepped forward and called out to Qin Hao.

“This is our last New Year’s Eve party at university, let’s go in and have a get-together.” Sun Yumei’s voice was a little softer than usual: “Next semester we’ll be looking for internships, and we might never have the chance to see each other again.”

Chen Qiming stood behind Sun Yumei, constantly giving Qin Hao meaningful glances. He had finally managed to get an appointment with Sun Yumei and had spent a huge sum of twenty yuan to buy her a bouquet of flowers to please her. If Qin Hao also went along, wouldn't his entire plan be ruined?

Qin Hao, however, seemed not to have noticed Chen Qiming's hint and readily agreed: "Okay, you guys go in first, I'll throw this trash away and come find you."

"It's settled, I have a performance later," Sun Yumei reminded her.

Qin Hao completely ignored Chen Qiming's resentful, murderous glare and smiled slightly: "Is that so? Then we really can't miss it."

After saying that, he turned and walked towards the trash can.

Chen Qiming stood there, staring at Qin Hao's retreating figure. His lips moved, but he ultimately said nothing. Sun Yumei had already turned and walked towards the auditorium entrance, so he had no choice but to hurry after her, cursing Qin Hao a hundred and eighty times in his heart.

A few minutes later, Qin Hao finished throwing away the trash, clapped his hands, and walked into the auditorium.

Inside the auditorium, the stage was brightly lit, with a huge banner for the New Year's Eve gala as the backdrop. Red lanterns and Chinese knots hung on both sides of the stage, creating a festive atmosphere everywhere.

The auditorium was packed with students, who sat in twos and threes, sharing their friendships from the past four years of university. The atmosphere was lively and cheerful.

"Qin Hao, over here."

Not far away, Sun Yumei stood on tiptoe and waved to Qin Hao. Her long hair shimmered softly under the lights, and her red wool coat stood out in the crowd. Chen Qiming, standing next to her, looked rather unpleasant, his lips pursed as if someone owed him two hundred yuan.

Behind him, Liu Yuan was fawning over Han Ling—Liu Yuan was holding two bottles of soda and was eagerly handing one to Han Ling while saying something. Han Ling tilted her head slightly to listen, a polite but distant smile on her face.

Qin Hao walked through the crowd. As soon as he got close, Chen Qiming couldn't help but approach and question him: "Qin Hao, that's not fair! You sold the same flowers to Liu Yuan for ten yuan, but sold them to me for twenty..."

Before Chen Qiming could finish speaking, Qin Hao interrupted him directly: "Didn't I tell you? Things are valued for their rarity. If you don't believe me, go search all over Beijing right now. If you can find a flower like this, I will not only not charge you a penny, but I will also give you twenty yuan back."

He paused, glanced at Sun Yumei who was holding a bouquet of flowers not far away, and added, "Besides, roses are a token of affection. If you always equate them with money, you're just being cliché."

Chen Qiming was speechless for a moment, his mouth opening and closing repeatedly, like a fish thrown ashore. Although he knew in his heart that Qin Hao was making excuses, he couldn't refute the concept that "roses equal sentiments" in front of Sun Yumei.

Sun Yumei, standing to the side, glanced at Chen Qiming with disdain, her tone clearly impatient: "Fine, it's just ten yuan. If I had known you were so stingy, I would have bought it myself."

"No..." Chen Qiming cried out that he was wronged, his face showing a wronged expression like Dou E. He had clearly spent money, so why was he being blamed?

At this moment, Liu Yuan stepped in to help defuse the situation, patting Chen Qiming on the shoulder with a smile: "Chen Qiming is just joking with Qin Hao. They always do this in the dorm, they like to tease each other."

“Yes, I was just joking with Qin Hao.” Chen Qiming immediately followed up.

Sun Yumei naturally didn't believe Liu Yuan's nonsense. She wasn't stupid; Chen Qiming's pained and resentful expression didn't seem like a joke. However, she didn't expose him. Although she looked down on Chen Qiming's stingy nature, she didn't want to lose a readily available "wallet."

Perhaps sensing the awkward atmosphere, Han Ling spoke up at the right moment, saying to Sun Yumei, "Our show is almost here, let's go backstage to change our clothes."

"Okay, let's go." Sun Yumei took the opportunity to agree and followed Han Ling as they turned and walked towards the backstage area.

After Sun Yumei and Han Ling had walked away, Chen Qiming walked up to Qin Hao, gritted his teeth, and said in a low voice, "You did this on purpose, didn't you?"

Qin Hao spread his hands: "You can't blame me for this. You insisted on showing your stingy side in front of Sun Yumei."

"You..." Chen Qiming was so angry that his face turned red.

Liu Yuan quickly stepped in to smooth things over, standing between the two: "It's just ten yuan, let's both keep quiet. Today is our last New Year's Eve party, let's not ruin our harmony."

Chen Qiming's face turned red from holding back his anger, and his chest heaved violently. He was the one who was killed, so why wasn't anyone speaking up for him?

Looking at Chen Qiming's aggrieved face, Qin Hao felt no sympathy whatsoever. If it were anyone else, he naturally wouldn't care about charging an extra ten yuan, but Chen Qiming deserved it all.

This guy is a complete good-for-nothing. After graduating, he lost everything in the stock market. His father-in-law not only helped him pay off his debts, buy him a car and a house, but also funded his restaurant. In the end, he cheated on his wife and wanted a divorce.

Qin Hao ignored Chen Qiming and scanned the crowd. The auditorium was filling up, and the stage lights were growing brighter; the gala was about to begin. His gaze slowly moved through the crowd, finally catching sight of a familiar figure in an inconspicuous corner—Xiao Ran.

The lights in the auditorium dimmed, the spotlights on the stage came on, and the host walked onto the stage to announce the official start of the New Year's Eve gala. After several performances, it was finally the dance troupe's turn to perform.

"Next, please enjoy the dance 'Tianshan Girl,' performed by the school dance troupe."

As the narration ended, the stage lights shifted to a warm red, and the dynamic melody of Xinjiang dance resonated throughout the auditorium. The entire dance troupe, dressed in red dresses, delicate hats, and light dance shoes, filed out and formed a neat formation on the stage.

Han Ling stood at the very front of the group; she was the lead dancer.

As the music began, the girls in the dance troupe started to dance gracefully.

Han Ling possesses a cool and aloof temperament, her every movement precise and elegant, like a snow lotus blooming on an iceberg. Sun Yumei, on the other hand, is quite the opposite; her dance is passionate and fiery, her waist supple as a willow, each spin carrying a wild charm.

Two completely different temperaments collided and intertwined on the same stage, drawing applause and cheers from the surrounding classmates. Liu Yuan and Chen Qiming were naturally the two most enthusiastic. Liu Yuan's hands were almost red from clapping, and his eyes never left Han Ling's figure. Chen Qiming was not to be outdone, shouting loudly, wishing the whole audience knew that he was cheering for Sun Yumei.

Xiao Ran remained standing quietly in the crowd, like a stone Buddha, neither clapping nor cheering, and without even a change in expression. But his gaze was fixed on Han Ling, swaying with her every movement.

Five minutes later, as the music faded, the performance came to an end amidst cheers and applause from the students. The dancers in their red dresses remained frozen in their final pose on stage as the lights dimmed and applause surged.

A few minutes later, Han Ling and Sun Yumei returned from backstage, having changed into casual clothes. Han Ling had changed back into her off-white wool coat, her hair neatly combed, and she still looked clean and fresh. Sun Yumei, on the other hand, had changed back into her red wool coat, her long hair cascading over her shoulders, making her appear even more alluring under the lights.

"Han Ling, you danced so well, you were just like a fairy." Liu Yuan immediately went up to her, his smile as bright as a flower, his eyes filled with undisguised admiration.

Chen Qiming quickly scooped up Sun Yumei and leaned in, saying, "I was stunned just now. You're so beautiful."

Sun Yumei glanced at Han Ling unconsciously, a slight smile playing on her lips, carrying a hint of provocation: "Oh, really? Then tell me, who dances better, me or Han Ling?"

Chen Qiming froze instantly, his smile frozen on his face.

While he hesitated, Sun Yumei had already shifted her gaze from him to Qin Hao beside her: "What do you think?"

Qin Hao was taken aback when he was singled out. After a moment of surprise, he said seriously, "In terms of this dance alone, you performed better than Han Ling."

Sun Yumei's eyes lit up, and she hurriedly asked, "Oh? Why?"

Hearing this, Han Ling also looked at Qin Hao. Although she appeared indifferent on the surface, there was a clear hint of resentment in her eyes. She was very confident in her dance skills. During her four years in the school dance troupe, she had always been the lead dancer, and no one had ever said that she danced worse than others.

Qin Hao explained unhurriedly, "You are dancing Xinjiang dance. Whether it's the music, makeup, or costumes, it's all about being unrestrained and passionate. Han Ling has a rather aloof temperament, and she wasn't very relaxed when she danced. Some of her movements were too tense, and she didn't fully release that unrestrained feeling."

He paused for a moment, then turned his gaze to Sun Yumei: "Sun Yumei is quite the opposite. This dance highlights her sexy figure, and she is more uninhibited than Han Ling when she moves. That passionate and unrestrained feeling is very consistent with the temperament of the dance itself."

"Therefore, I would say that Sun Yumei danced the best in this particular dance."

Listening to Qin Hao's reasoned analysis, Sun Yumei couldn't help but show a smug look on her face. She slightly raised her chin and glanced at Han Ling out of the corner of her eye, her eyes conveying, "Did you hear that?"

She had practiced this dance for a long time, refining each movement dozens of times, all to outshine Han Ling at tonight's party. Now, someone had finally stated this fact publicly, and so logically. How could she not be smug?

However, Sun Yumei was still somewhat surprised. She looked Qin Hao up and down. Qin Hao, who usually kept a low profile, actually knew so much about dance and spoke about it in great detail.

After hearing Qin Hao's words, Chen Qiming was filled with regret, feeling as if a million ants were gnawing at him. If only he had learned some dance knowledge himself, and could have spoken eloquently about it, he might have won Sun Yumei's heart. Such a good opportunity had been given away to Qin Hao, and the more he thought about it, the angrier he became.

Seeing that Han Ling's expression was a little unpleasant, Liu Yuan quickly spoke up to defend her, "What? I just think Han Ling danced the best..."

Before she could finish speaking, Han Ling interrupted her, saying, "Sun Yumei did perform better than me today."

Seeing that Han Ling had actually given in, Sun Yumei felt an immense sense of comfort, as if she had eaten a ginseng fruit; every pore of her body seemed to be radiating pleasure. She had been competing with Han Ling for three years, and had never won so beautifully. She also found Qin Hao more pleasing to the eye, her gaze lingering on him for a few more seconds, unable to suppress the smile on her lips.

Chen Qiming saw this and felt incredibly jealous. Suddenly, an idea struck him, and he suggested, "Shall we find a place to get something to eat?"

According to Chen Qiming, Qin Hao, like Xiao Ran, was short of money and never participated in such gatherings. As long as Qin Hao didn't go, he would have a chance to spend time alone with Sun Yumei.

"Okay." Liu Yuan agreed without much thought, then turned to Han Ling: "Han Ling, what would you like to eat?"

"Let's have a barbecue."

Sun Yumei and Han Ling had no objections. After all, according to custom, the men always paid for these kinds of meals, and Liu Yuan and Chen Qiming wouldn't let them pay either.

However, to Chen Qiming's surprise, Qin Hao actually agreed.

"I'll invite Xiao Ran and the others too. I said I'd treat you to dinner after I sell all the flowers, so don't say I broke my promise."

Chen Qiming and Liu Yuan were both taken aback and looked at each other in bewilderment.

"Qin Hao, how much money did you make selling flowers this time? Why are you so willing to spend it?" Liu Yuan asked curiously, his eyes wide.

Qin Hao said casually, "It's not much, about two thousand yuan."

There were over 300 roses in total. After deducting those damaged during transportation, they were bundled into more than 200 bouquets, each costing ten yuan, and sold for over 2,000 yuan. Subtracting the 360 ​​yuan spent on the flowers and the 20 yuan spent on colored paper and ribbons, the net profit was approximately 2400 yuan.

Liu Yuan and Chen Qiming exchanged a glance, both with expressions of disbelief. Liu Yuan's jaw nearly dropped, while Chen Qiming's eyes were wide open like saucers.

"How much? Two thousand?" Liu Yuan's voice changed, and the people around him turned to look.

"You earned two thousand yuan in just one day?" Chen Qiming repeated, his tone filled with shock and envy. He quickly calculated in his mind how many pairs of sneakers or how many hot pot meals he could buy with two thousand yuan.

Sun Yumei and Han Ling were also shocked. This was 1992, when an ordinary worker in Beijing only earned about 300 yuan a month. Qin Hao earned in one day what a worker would earn in half a year.

Chen Qiming even had a thought: if he ever needed money in the future, could he bring some roses to the school to sell?

"It's nothing," Qin Hao waved his hand, feigning emotion, "This little bit of money isn't even enough to start a business. We still need to keep working hard."

Liu Yuan and Chen Qiming's lips twitched; they almost choked on their own words. Two thousand yuan wasn't enough for start-up capital? That was a huge boast!

Han Ling didn't care too much. She didn't value money much. She just nodded slightly, her expression remaining calm.

Sun Yumei's eyes lit up. What she was interested in wasn't the two thousand yuan, but the fact that someone could earn two thousand yuan a day. Did that mean he had a higher chance of making big money in the future? She was calculating in her mind, and her interest in Qin Hao grew even stronger.

"Let's go find Xiao Ran." After saying that, Qin Hao took the lead and walked towards the direction where Xiao Ran was standing.

Chen Qiming followed behind, feeling incredibly frustrated; Qin Hao had stolen all the limelight for him tonight. (End of Chapter)