36: Class reunion

"Brother Chen Li... thank you!"

She choked up, no longer able to control herself. She took a step forward and threw her arms around him in a tight hug.

The girl's sudden embrace brought with it the fresh scent of her hair and the warmth of her body. Chen Li's body stiffened slightly before he relaxed.

It had to be said that although she looked somewhat thin and frail, the soft touch and full curves against his chest were indeed quite substantial and not to be underestimated.

Feeling the girl's slight trembling in his arms and seeing the soaring Affection Level in the system, Chen Li thought to himself:

"System, bind Gu Qingcheng."

[Binding in progress...]

[Binding complete]

[One slot bound: Gu Qingcheng. Current Affection Level: +55]

[Friendly Reminder: Binding slots are full]

After leaving the Hospital, Chen Li headed straight for the Villa, thinking that Meng Yu would surely have finished buying everything today and he would wait for her at the Villa... Zhao Yue timed it perfectly, driving her brand-new BMW and arriving at the venue for this class reunion—Juxiang Pavilion—neither early nor late.

The timing was calculated perfectly, just as most of the classmates were arriving one after another. At that moment, several guys were exchanging pleasantries at the entrance.

She deliberately parked her car in the most conspicuous spot in front of Juxiang Pavilion. After parking, she pushed open the door,

and as she stepped out gracefully, she instantly drew the gazes of several classmates at the door.

"Zhao Yue? Is... is this car yours?" A male classmate wearing black-rimmed glasses was the first to approach,

his tone filled with disbelief as his eyes darted back and forth between the car and her.

Zhao Yue gently closed the car door with a faint smile on her face. "Yeah, my family just bought it for me. It's just for getting around."

"Wow! A bmw 7 series! This must cost over a million, right? So cool!" another male classmate exclaimed, unable to resist reaching out,

wanting to touch the car's body but hesitating, afraid of leaving fingerprints.

"Zhao Yue, you have to look out for us old classmates from now on."

"We'll help each other out."

Zhao Yue nodded slightly. Deep down, she felt quite a bit of disdain for this group of 'country bumpkins' who looked like they had never seen the world,

but at this moment, the undisguised shock and envy in their eyes were like sweet spring water, making her feel incredibly satisfied.

The group walked together into the reserved private room, which was already filled with quite a few people.

It was bustling with noise, the air thick with the warmth of a long-awaited reunion and a subtle hint of competition.

Their arrival naturally caused another small stir, as familiar classmates stood up to greet them.

Zhao Yue, whose Appearance and grades were both mediocre, usually had little presence in such settings, but a few people still greeted her.

Her outfit was immediately noticed by several classmates who knew their brands—from the clothes to the accessories, LV and Chanel logos were everywhere... This entire ensemble silently declared its high price tag.

One fair-skinned, handsome guy had been following her with his gaze, intentionally or not, from the moment she walked in.

He had clearly recognized her designer labels, and a glint of shrewdness flashed in his handsome eyes, as if he were sizing up a suddenly appearing piece of precious prey.

Although Zhao Yue was chatting calmly, she could still clearly feel those invisible but dense gazes.

There were the constant exclamations and promotion from the classmates she had entered with,

and there was also the curiosity and scrutiny from other classmates as they re-evaluated her.

Sure enough, within moments... "Zhao Yue is driving a bmw 7 series worth over a million."

This news exploded in the private room until almost everyone knew.

One must know that the vast majority of classmates present had come by bus or subway today, or at best, by ride-hailing services.

Someone like her, who drove themselves and in a top-tier luxury car, was absolutely one in a million.

Just then, the last two classmates walked into the room.

If Meng Yu were here, she would definitely recognize one of them as Li Tingting, and the other was actually Gu Qingcheng.

Gu Qingcheng hadn't wanted to come at all, but she couldn't resist Li Tingting's repeated invitations.

This friend had helped her a lot during school, so it was hard to refuse her, and she reluctantly tagged along.

When Li Tingting and Gu Qingcheng appeared at the gathering, it was as if they brought their own spotlights, instantly drawing everyone's attention.

Li Tingting came from a wealthy family and was the recognized wealthy and beautiful woman of the class. Not only was she sweet-looking, but her temperament was also outstanding.

She had always been the goddess in the boys' hearts and an object of secret envy for the girls.

She was seen greeting everyone with a beaming smile, her behavior appropriate and generous, naturally becoming the center of attention.

And Gu Qingcheng, standing beside her, was breathtakingly beautiful—she was the campus belle recognized by all the boys in the class and even the whole school.

The moment she appeared, she captured the gazes of almost every male present, making even Li Tingting beside her seem lackluster in comparison.

The two happened to be seated next to Ma Rong, and Zhao Yue watched Gu Qingcheng sit down right beside her with cold eyes.

As her gaze swept over the other's pure and stunning profile, a long-suppressed fire of jealousy suddenly surged in her heart.

Why? Why were Li Tingting and Gu Qingcheng always the main characters in the spotlight?

Why could they always easily obtain all the attention and affection?

Zhao Yue gripped her glass tightly, her knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

The meal proceeded amidst laughter and chatter, as everyone enjoyed the food in a harmonious atmosphere... "Tingting, I heard there's a handsome guy playing basketball at your school called..."

"Qingcheng, how is your mother's health?"

...The topics revolved almost entirely around those few people. Zhao Yue, who wasn't getting much attention, felt her jealousy flare up completely.

Just then, the waiter brought the last dish. Gu Qingcheng happened to be standing nearby and reached out to take the plate to place it in the center of the table.

No one noticed the imperceptible cold sneer that crossed Zhao Yue's lips.

Timing it perfectly, she turned and stood up in one fluid motion, her shoulder bumping squarely into the plate in Gu Qingcheng's hands.

"Ah!"

Gu Qingcheng cried out in shock at the sudden impact.

The plate fell to the floor with a crash, and the food inside splashed all over Zhao Yue's clothes.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" Gu Qingcheng apologized hurriedly, her face turning pale instantly.

"Where are your eyes looking?"

Zhao Yue stood up abruptly, her voice sharp and piercing. "Didn't you see I was about to get up?"

"I really didn't mean it..."

Gu Qingcheng looked helplessly at Zhao Yue's soiled clothes. "Can I wash it for you?"

"Wash it?"

Zhao Yue sneered. "Do you even know what brand this is? This is Chanel, over thirty thousand yuan. You think you can just wash it?"

Li Tingting, standing nearby, couldn't take it anymore. She had seen clearly that the accident was caused by Zhao Yue suddenly standing up.

"Zhao Yue, that's enough!"

She took a step forward, shielding the trembling Gu Qingcheng behind her. "It was clearly you who suddenly stood up and bumped into her. Why are you blaming Qingcheng?"

"Li Tingting, this is none of your business."

Zhao Yue glared at her furiously. "Don't think you're so great just because you drive a BMW 5 series. This dress of mine cost thirty-two thousand yuan, and you must pay for it today!"

Hearing that number, Gu Qingcheng felt the world spinning.

She did have some money, but that was the life-saving money Chen Li had given her for her mother's medical treatment. How could she use it to pay for a dress?

But if she didn't pay... Seeing the situation, the surrounding classmates came over to mediate:

"We're all classmates, let it go, Zhao Yue."

"Yeah, Qingcheng didn't do it on purpose."

But these pleas only made Zhao Yue angrier. "She has to pay. This is the first time I've worn this dress."

"I... I can't come up with that much money all at once..."

Gu Qingcheng was so anxious that tears welled up in her eyes.

She thought that if there was no other way, she would have to use Chen Li's money first and find a way to explain it later.

"No money?"

Zhao Yue mocked, "There are so many online lending platforms these days, go borrow some!"

"Thirty-two thousand, right? I'll give it to you."

Li Tingting grit her teeth and took out her phone to make a transfer.

"No, Tingting, I can't let you pay this..."

Gu Qingcheng hurriedly grabbed her hand.

But Li Tingting had already quickly completed the transfer. She said coldly to Zhao Yue, "The money has been transferred. Qingcheng, let's go."

Watching their departing backs, Zhao Yue sat down with a cold face, but her knuckles gripping the phone were slightly white from the force.

Just as she was feeling both resentful and secretly smug, a figure sat down in the empty seat next to her.

A faint, pleasant scent of men's cologne wafted into her nose.

"Zhao Yue, long time no see."

The newcomer's voice was gentle and smiling. "You were very brave just now... You should take action to protect your rights."

Zhao Yue looked up at the sound, and her heart suddenly skipped a beat!

Sitting beside her was the school hunk she had secretly crushed on throughout her entire High School years—Liang Xin!"}],