"Li Xuan, over here!"
At 6:50 PM, after Li Xuan got out of the taxi, he looked around. At the same time, a shout rang out.
Li Xuan followed the sound and saw a man about 1.75 meters tall waving his arms and calling out to him. Reality and memory overlapped, and Li Xuan smiled slightly.
This person was Luo Wei, Li Xuan's former classmate and good friend.
"Not bad, you've gotten even more handsome after a few years apart," Luo Wei said happily, stepping forward and punching Li Xuan's chest.
"Luo Wei, I don't recall giving you my phone number. How did you get it?" Li Xuan asked with a slight frown, smiling.
"You must have forgotten. Come on, it's about to start, let's not waste time. This is the most complete turnout we've had from our class in years. Let's go, we'll have a few drinks later," Luo Wei said, momentarily stunned before waving his hand dismissively.
As soon as he finished speaking, he pulled Li Xuan towards the Blue Diamond Hotel. Along the way, Luo Wei explained that their class had gathered at the Blue Diamond Hotel every year for the past six years. And they always used the same private room.
"Li Xuan?" As Luo Wei pulled Li Xuan into the private room, a man who had gained some weight looked at Li Xuan. There was a hint of surprise on his face.
"Huh? It really is Li Xuan. If I remember correctly, Li Xuan disappeared after we graduated. I didn't expect him to show up at our class reunion today."
As the slightly overweight man spoke, another man beside him looked at Li Xuan. After a careful examination, he spoke up, his tone also laced with surprise.
"Back then, he was such a bookworm, he wouldn't know about attending our class reunions. Luo Wei, did you invite Li Xuan?" A man holding a wine glass stood up from the table, glanced at Li Xuan, and spoke with a hint of disdain.
Li Xuan's clothes were all from street stalls, costing less than three hundred yuan in total. In contrast, the speaker was dressed in a suit and leather shoes, all branded and expensive. The Rolex watch on his hand was particularly eye-catching.
"Of course, I invited him. Li Xuan was our class monitor back then, can't he attend our class reunion?" Luo Wei seemed displeased with the man speaking and, after a cold snort, pulled Li Xuan towards an empty seat.
"Wait a minute! Luo Wei, you know Li Xuan hasn't attended our class reunions for the past five years, so the seating has always been arranged according to the number of attendees. This time is no different. If Li Xuan takes a seat, won't other classmates have to stand?"
At this moment, the former's voice rang out again. As he finished speaking, the corners of his mouth curled up into a mocking smile.
"That's right, Luo Wei. It's understandable that you're attending, but bringing this bookworm along? There's no seat for him now. Luo Wei, are you planning to stand yourself?" Before Luo Wei could reply, a short, stout man also stood up and echoed.
"Wang Cheng, Chen Xiang, if I stand, I stand. What business is it of yours?" Luo Wei was also annoyed at this point and retorted.
"Oh, Luo Wei, your temper has really improved. If I remember correctly, the expenses for our class reunions over the years have all been covered by Young Master Cheng. Luo Wei, why do you sound like you're the host?"
"Bringing someone along without even a word of greeting?"
Chen Xiang snorted coldly and blocked Luo Wei's path, saying.
"Exactly, Young Master Cheng covered the reunion expenses every year. Luo Wei bringing someone over without a word of greeting."
"I think Luo Wei is probably trying to show off in front of Li Xuan."
"Back then, Luo Wei and Li Xuan were quite close. What's the use of being good at studying? After all these years, he can't even earn as much as Young Master Cheng in a month."
"That's right. If it weren't for the sake of being classmates, Young Master Cheng wouldn't have invited Luo Wei. Now he's bringing someone along privately, it's just for his own vanity."
"..."
At this moment, the twenty-odd people already seated began to murmur amongst themselves. From their words, it was not difficult to detect their flattery towards Wang Cheng. Li Xuan felt a sense of melancholy, realizing how incorrigible people in this world were.
In the face of money, they even abandoned their human dignity. Such classmate relationships were not worth having.
"I... I..." Hearing everyone's words, Luo Wei's face turned red. However, he couldn't say anything to refute their remarks.
"Li Xuan was invited by me. If you have any objections, we can leave right now." At this moment, a clear voice came from the doorway.
Li Xuan's heart stirred at the sound, and he let out a bitter smile.
Indeed, after receiving Luo Wei's call that afternoon, Li Xuan had recalled whether he had left his contact information with Luo Wei after graduation.
After repeated confirmation, Li Xuan could only guess that there must be someone else behind Luo Wei.
The person speaking now was the one who had informed Luo Wei of Li Xuan's contact information. And that person was naturally Xue Lan.
"Oh, so it was Miss Xue who invited him. Miss Xue, please don't misunderstand. We haven't seen Li Xuan for several years, we were just joking. Miss Xue, please don't take it to heart," Wang Cheng said with a smile after glancing at the newcomer.
He then stepped forward and extended his hand, saying, "Welcome, Miss Xue, to our humble gathering."
"Li Xuan, long time no see." Xue Lan ignored Wang Cheng's overture, not even bothering to shake his hand. Her previously stern expression turned into a radiant smile as she approached Li Xuan.
"Long time no see." Li Xuan smiled as Xue Lan extended her hand, and he also reached out. However, before Li Xuan could grasp Xue Lan's hand, she directly opened her arms and hugged him. A faint scent of Chanel perfume wafted towards him.
"Sit down. We're all classmates, it's good to get together," Xue Lan said, pulling out a chair and smiling. Li Xuan and Luo Wei nodded slightly and then sat down together.
Seeing that Xue Lan had completely ignored him and had even hugged Li Xuan directly, Wang Cheng's wine glass shattered in his hand. Chen Xiang, standing beside Wang Cheng, quickly took the glass and placed it on a nearby wine rack.
"Young Master Cheng, with Li Xuan joining us now, should we reconsider our plan..." Chen Xiang whispered to Wang Cheng.
Wang Cheng snorted, "He's just a bookworm, what's there to fear? As long as we win over Xue Lan, what will you and I lack in the future? However, since this brat is here, let's see how this young master humbles him."
As soon as Wang Cheng finished speaking, his expression changed, and he walked back to his seat with a smile. Chen Xiang glared fiercely at Li Xuan and then left the private room to bring in a chair. Fortunately, the table was large, so Li Xuan's arrival did not cause any significant disruption.
However, Li Xuan's eyes were now cold as he glanced at Wang Cheng and Chen Xiang. Although their previous conversation was very quiet, it did not escape Li Xuan's ears. Their target was Xue Lan. Li Xuan calculated briefly and made his decision.
"Fellow classmates, Miss Xue has just returned from studying abroad. And all twenty-eight of our class are present today. I propose we raise our glasses together to welcome Miss Xue back to our country!"
Wang Cheng picked up his wine glass and said to everyone with a gentlemanly air.
However, his gaze towards Xue Lan clearly held a trace of ardent desire.
Li Xuan snorted at this, his curiosity piqued about Xue Lan's identity that even someone like Wang Cheng coveted her so much.
"Yes, yes, Miss Xue has only recently returned from abroad, she deserves a welcome." Chen Xiang, cooperating wholeheartedly, also raised his wine glass and chimed in.
Hearing this, everyone at the table stood up, wine glasses in hand, smiling at Xue Lan.
"Thank you, classmates. However, today is just a class reunion, there's no need for formalities. This glass, I toast to all of you," Xue Lan said, taking a sip of her wine.
"Xue Lan... Xue... Hmm? Could Xue Lan be the daughter of the second largest conglomerate, the Xue Group?" Li Xuan was still trying to figure out Xue Lan's identity. Combining this with the influence in Hangcheng, the information about the Xue Group suddenly came to mind.
"Li Xuan?" Xue Lan said softly after taking a sip of red wine and sitting down, noticing Li Xuan's dazed expression. xxs
"Huh? What is it?" Li Xuan snapped back to attention and met Xue Lan's eyes.
Her fair skin, exquisite features, and incredibly lively eyes. At just a glance, Li Xuan was slightly stunned by her beauty.
Li Xuan sighed inwardly. No wonder Wang Cheng's gaze was so inappropriate; Xue Lan had indeed blossomed into a woman of unparalleled beauty. If it were his former self, he probably wouldn't dare to meet such beauty in the eye.
"It's been a few years, aren't you going to have a drink with me?" Xue Lan asked, seeing the admiration in Li Xuan's eyes, a slight smile playing on her lips.
However, Xue Lan noticed that Li Xuan's eyes were clear, without the lust that others possessed. Seeing this, Xue Lan's smile grew even brighter.
"Okay, I'll toast you." Li Xuan smiled and picked up his wine glass. After hearing Wang Cheng and Chen Xiang's conversation earlier, Li Xuan had sensed that there were no issues with the wine and dishes on the table. Wang Cheng and Chen Xiang's schemes were likely to be in their future preparations.
After several rounds of drinks and dishes.
An hour later, Wang Cheng stood up again.
"Fellow classmates, it seems everyone has eaten their fill. The next part of our program is our carnival. The Shuitian KTV private room upstairs has already been booked. Let's go have some fun!"
Hearing Wang Cheng's words, Li Xuan's heart stirred.
From the look of things, Wang Cheng and Chen Xiang planned to make their move at the KTV upstairs.