Chapter 31
"Class monitor, who's this beauty? She doesn't look like she's in our class, does she?" Wang Wei, with his sharp mouth and monkey-like cheeks, was the first to ask.
"Who says she's not in our class? It's Wang Mengmeng! Don't you recognize her?"
"Pfft!"
"Wang Mengmeng?"
"She's Wang Mengmeng? Wasn't Wang Mengmeng a two-hundred-pound fatty? Holy shit!"
"You're really Wang Mengmeng? The tank Wang Mengmeng actually transformed into a beauty? I'm going blind!"
"Wang Mengmeng used to have a crush on me. I feel like I'm at a huge loss now!" The boys in the private room, one by one, had their eyes practically popping out of their sockets. Even the other girls were completely dumbfounded. It seemed no one had expected that Wang Mengmeng, the most disliked fatty in the class, would actually be a beauty after successfully losing weight.
Her appearance was easily at an 8-out-of-10 level. This image reversal was simply too shocking; even Lin Fei was almost stunned.
At this moment, the last girl finally pushed open the door and walked into private room 520.
The instant she appeared, all the boys in the class held their breath. The atmosphere inexplicably became tense. Yu Tian and Wang Mengmeng were already considered beauties, but in front of this girl, they seemed to lose all their color.
Her eyebrows were like distant mountains, her face pure and otherworldly, as if she were a fairy who had walked out of an ancient legend. Her eyes were like autumn water, her form ethereal and jade-like, a convergence of all spiritual beauty. She was both beautiful and intelligent. Unlike the common "internet celebrity face," her first impression was enough to be unforgettable. Before seeing Xia Zhimeng, you might not have known that a woman so beautiful could exist in real life.
Lin Fei had never given a woman a score higher than 9.
Even the school beauty, Zhang Yuning, was only just a 9. Even the popular streamer with millions of followers, Xu Xinyu, was only a little over 8. But Xia Zhimeng... she could truly be scored over 9. To put it mildly, out of the thirty boys in their high school class, it seemed twenty-nine had a secret crush on Xia Zhimeng, and the last one probably had questionable sexual preferences!
Xia Zhimeng had been very beautiful back then. Without makeup or dressing up, her bare face had captivated the entire school. And now, she was even more stunning!
Her entrance instantly stole the show. All the other girls present felt that under Xia Zhimeng's dazzling radiance, they looked utterly ordinary, as if a swan had entered a flock of ugly ducklings. No comparison, no harm.
So infuriating!
"Zhi... Zhimeng, you're finally here! It's been years, and you're even more beautiful!"
Fan Mingrui, the ever-confident and elegant young master, actually revealed a rare hint of nervousness the moment Xia Zhimeng appeared!
"Yeah, my WeChat was hacked a while back, so I didn't save anyone's contact info. I'm so sorry about that!" Xia Zhimeng replied politely.
Just then, Lin Fei, who had gone unnoticed in the crowd, actually stood up. He walked with firm, unwavering steps towards Xia Zhimeng.
"Classmate Xia Zhimeng, it's been three years. We almost lost touch completely. Let's add each other on WeChat, so we don't lose contact again!" Lin Fei boldly asked for her contact information, seemingly paying no mind to Fan Mingrui at all!
"Simp Mode Activated. Target: Xia Zhimeng. Age: 21. Height: 166cm. Weight: 46kg. Appearance Score: 9.2. Target's favorability towards Host: 0 points. If target's favorability exceeds 95 points, the mission is a success. Reward: 10% of the funds consumed during this mission. Reward: 35 Enhancement Points (Enhancement Points can be used to strengthen Host's physical attributes, including Constitution, Strength, Agility, and Spirit). Reward Skills: English, French, Russian, Korean."
Before Simp Mode activated, Lin Fei had held a sliver of hope in his heart. He hoped Xia Zhimeng might have a decent impression of him. Although he had never confessed back then, he had at least made efforts. He had fought for her and secretly followed her home to protect her. To be honest, he had hoped she would notice these things. But clearly, reality was cruel.
The way Xia Zhimeng looked at him was as if she had no impression of him at all. In the goddess's eyes, he was nothing more than a passerby from start to finish. It was all too real.
"Classmate, you are...?"
"Lin Fei. You don't remember? I used to sit behind you!"
"Ah! Lin Fei, it's you! I remember now!"
Xia Zhimeng looked as if she had just realized who he was. It seemed she really did remember Lin Fei, though whether it was genuine or not was anyone's guess.
Lin Fei felt a pang of hurt and bitterness. Only now did he realize that he had never held any significance in Xia Zhimeng's heart, even though he had silently given so much... But what did that have to do with her?
A girl who was outstanding in every way, why should she care about an ordinary guy?
How many male classmates had pursued her, had secret crushes on her, had written her love letters? Who the hell were you, Lin Fei?
Since you were so ordinary, what right did you have to be treated differently?
Once he understood this, Lin Fei quickly adjusted his mindset. He used to be a nobody, but now, he was going to be the most dazzling guy in the room!
"You can scan me," Lin Fei said without further ado, pulling out his phone and opening his WeChat QR code.
"Okay!" Xia Zhimeng nodded and took out her phone to scan it. She didn't refuse, mainly because refusing a high school classmate's WeChat request would have been unreasonable.
Fan Mingrui watched as Xiao Ruoyu actually added Lin Fei on WeChat, and his mood soured instantly.
You fucking nobody!
You fucking loser!
Why aren't you just staying quiet in a corner? Why are you trying to get attention in front of the goddess?
Fuck your grandpa, you still haven't given up?
A toad like you wants to eat swan meat?
Fan Mingrui cursed wildly in his heart, but on the surface, he remained gentle and refined, the picture of grace.
"Lin Fei, go call the waiter to serve the food. And while you're at it, go buy a few decks of cards outside. The guys can play some cards if they get bored." Fan Mingrui waved his hand dismissively, ordering Lin Fei around as if he were a subordinate.
"Aren't there cards on the table?" Lin Fei pointed to a brand-new deck of cards on the table.
"I told you to go buy some, so go buy some. Why argue? With only one deck, how can so many people play?"
"We're not here to play cards anyway!" Lin Fei remained unmoved. You little shit, really think you're somebody? Daring to order your grandpa around? Am I giving you too much face?
"Lin Fei, why are you being so argumentative? Mr. Fan told you to buy a couple of decks, just go buy them. Are you short on cash? How about I give you twenty bucks? What's all the whining about?" Wang Wei suddenly chimed in.
"Huh? So that's Lin Fei? I didn't recognize him just now. I heard from a friend at Hangzhou University that this guy, Lin Fei, seems to be quite well-known at their school!"
"Is Lin Fei that awesome?"
"Heh, he's only famous for being a simp. You guys don't know, this guy has been chasing a girl since his freshman year. He's been at it for three years and still hasn't gotten her. To buy her iPhones and designer bags, his own living allowance wasn't enough, so he often borrowed money from Liu Shumao. Because of this, I don't know how many times I argued with Liu Shumao. If it weren't for Lin Fei, Liu Shumao and I probably never would have broken up!" Yu Tian suddenly said, her eyes turning red.
Because she was vain and had been tricked into sleeping with someone before initiating the breakup herself, she didn't dare blame Liu Shumao now, so she shifted the blame to Lin Fei.
"Holy shit!"
"Hey, miss, be reasonable, will you?"
"What the hell does me borrowing money from Liu Shumao have to do with you two breaking up?"
"And when did I 'often' borrow? I only borrowed three times in total!"
"Liu Shumao had a 2000 yuan monthly allowance and gave you 1200 of it. He only stopped for three months, and you hold that against him?"
Lin Fei was speechless.
Yu Tian's words caused an immediate stir. All the old classmates present looked at each other. Both the boys and girls now looked at Lin Fei with a hint of contempt.
"Name: Xia Zhimeng. Favorability: -10 points. Total points: -10."
"Yu Tian, what are you doing? Why are you talking about Lin Fei like that? He didn't do anything to you. Our breakup was our own problem. Can you stop blaming others all the time? Don't you know what you did yourself?" Liu Shumao immediately stepped in to explain.
But it seemed no one was listening anymore, especially the girls.
"Liu Shumao, how have you changed too? I remember how attentive and caring you were when you were pursuing Tian Tian. How can you act like this now that you've broken up? Are all men like this? You don't know how to cherish what you have once you get it? It seems you're a scumbag too!" a girl in a floral dress scolded on the spot.
"Pfft!" Liu Shumao almost spat out a mouthful of old blood upon hearing this. I was the one who got cucked, and Yu Tian was the one who broke up with me. And you're blaming me?
"Sisi, don't talk about Shumao like that. Actually, Shumao was very good to me. It was my own fault that I wasn't good enough, which made Wen Zhu sad. Last month, when Lin Fei asked Wen Zhu for money, I disagreed and we had an argument..." Yu Tian spoke, leaving her sentence hanging.
She even genuinely believed that from start to finish, this was all Lin Fei's fault. If Lin Fei hadn't borrowed money from Liu Shumao, they wouldn't have argued. If they hadn't argued, she wouldn't have impulsively thought of dumping Liu Shumao. If she hadn't had that thought, she wouldn't have met Liao Yonghui, that scumbag who tricked her into sleeping with him!
Then Liu Shumao would still be doting on her. So, in the final analysis, it was all Lin Fei's fault!
Liu Shumao was just bad at choosing his friends!
Yu Tian's words only deepened the misunderstanding.
"Lin Fei, I know you and Liu Shumao are good friends, but you can't affect their relationship just because of that, can you?" Wang Wei said.
"Damn it, I look down on people like you the most. Borrowing money from your brother to chase girls, and you can't even succeed? If you don't have money, why are you making such a fuss? If you can't afford expensive gifts, don't pretend to be a big shot!"
"Being a simp is one thing, but dragging your brother down with you. Forget it, I won't say more. This kind of person has no shame at all!"
Wave after wave of ridicule.
Wave after wave of discussion.
Made the atmosphere extremely awkward!
The most vicious of the mockers were the few sycophants who had been flattering Fan Mingrui earlier. They were practically laughing in Lin Fei's face, showing no regard for classmate camaraderie.
"Lin Fei, I mean, if you're really short on money, you could have come to me. Why make things difficult for Liu Shumao? And cause trouble for the couple." Fan Mingrui put on a show of being righteous, as if he were always willing to be generous when a classmate was in trouble.
Watching Lin Fei being scolded by Yu Tian, ridiculed by their classmates, and looked down upon by the girls, Fan Mingrui felt immense satisfaction. Today's display of superiority and humiliation was simply perfect.
Using Lin Fei's vileness to highlight his own nobility as Young Master Fan, and doing it right in front of Xia Zhimeng - it couldn't have been more satisfying! So you wouldn't behave, huh? You probably don't even know how the word "death" is written!
Liu Shumao, who had been enduring this for a long time, really couldn't stand it anymore.
"Yu Tian, that's enough! You've really gone too far! Why is it that when you make a mistake, you never look for the reason in yourself, but always shift the blame? I used to dote on you, love you. Even when it was clearly your fault, I wouldn't force you to reason with me. You said you didn't like to hear big lectures, fine! I wouldn't lecture you! I would apologize to you first, I would coax you first. No matter whose fault it was, I was the one to back down first. Because I'm a man. I thought you would understand my magnanimity, I thought you would know I was always giving in to you. But in the end, you actually thought it was my fault?? It was your constant pushing that made me lose my principles and my dignity as a man. I admit, I was a fool! But it was you who suggested the breakup, and you who betrayed me first! Lao Lin borrowing money from me wasn't the reason we fought, and he always pays it back! It's you who's greedy, you who's blinded by greed! What right do you have to badmouth my brother? Who the hell do you think you are?" Liu Shumao roared the last sentence.
He had been living under a lot of pressure lately.
Last time they broke up, he didn't say a word, just silently drove away in his Koenigsegg. But he always felt a suffocating anger in his chest that he had to let out. This time, Liu Shumao finally roared out what was in his heart.
A person's patience has its limits! Should an honest person just be bullied? You think too highly of yourself!
"Liu Shumao, you..." Yu Tian was stunned!
Liu Shumao had never yelled at her.
Never!
And now, for the sake of a Lin Fei, he was yelling at her, asking who she thought she was?
She felt that the Liu Shumao who used to dote on her was truly gone, seemingly beyond redemption.
"Lao Liu never used to have this kind of temper. He's usually a very mild-mannered guy. Could it be that Yu Tian really did something to let Lao Liu down?"
"Liu Shumao is a real man. For his brother, he'd even give up his woman!"
"But is a guy like Lin Fei really worth being treated as a brother?"
Lin Fei also gave Liu Shumao a surprised look. He didn't expect this guy to be so tough today, actually turning against Yu Tian on the spot. As expected of a true brother of over ten years. A united front was the right move. He'd remember this show of loyalty!
"Forget it! Forget it! Both of you, say less. Today we're not talking about other things, nor about personal relationships. It's rare for all of us to get together, so don't make the atmosphere so stiff!" Class monitor Li Jie stepped in to speak. She was a person with high emotional intelligence and could get along with almost every classmate. With her intervention, the atmosphere in the private room eased up a bit.
"Mingrui, I heard you've been doing pretty well lately? You're making short videos on Douyin?" Li Jie suddenly asked.
"So-so. Besides attending classes and studying, I do some part-time video shooting in my spare time. I've been at it for about half a year and have over two million followers." Fan Mingrui glanced at Xia Zhimeng with a smile, automatically entering "show-off mode." He would normally be too embarrassed to brag like this, as it would seem forced, but since Li Jie asked, showing off felt natural.
"You already have that many followers? I thought you just started. With so many followers, you must be earning a lot, right?" Li Jie continued.
"Not too much, just a hundred thousand or so a month. I just treat it as pocket money. Although my family can support me, as a man, I can't just rely on them forever, right? Besides, I'm really not interested in the education industry. Later on, I plan to open my own new media studio, then gradually scale it up to a media company, producing movies and TV shows and whatnot!" Fan Mingrui began to pontificate, showing off like crazy.
He disclosed his income, making most of the students' eyes pop. The female students, in particular, were now looking at Fan Mingrui with obvious admiration, including Yu Tian. Many of the old classmates present were uncertain about their own futures. After graduation, they might not even find a job paying five thousand a month. But look at Fan Mingrui. Not only was he a rich second-generation heir, but he was also earning over a hundred thousand a month himself from making short videos and streaming.
He was only a junior! Comparisons are odious!
"Boss Fan, no more words. I'm following you from now on. When you start your company, you must remember your little brother here!" Wang Wei said obsequiously.
"We'll see, we'll see. We're all classmates. If I can help, I definitely will." Fan Mingrui was overflowing with an air of superiority, getting into his groove.
He felt that even Xia Zhimeng was looking at him with newfound respect. It seemed that only a successful man could most easily attract a goddess's attention. Just having the title of a rich second-generation heir wasn't enough; you had to have your own career. A rich second-generation heir who only spends his family's money is just a wastrel. A rich second-generation heir with his own business is a truly classy young talent. The feeling they give off is completely different.
Soon, the waiters started serving the food. Over twenty classmates sat at a 10-meter-long, 1.6-meter-wide rectangular table. Everyone eating together didn't feel crowded at all.
Lin Fei was in a great mood and had a good appetite. He didn't seem the least bit awkward, eating and drinking heartily as if nothing had happened after being ridiculed just moments before.
Honestly, anyone with a shred of self-respect probably wouldn't be able to eat.
But Lin Fei? He completely ignored everyone's contempt and ridicule, his shamelessness reaching an infuriating level.
"Lao Lin, are you okay? If you feel uncomfortable, we can just leave." Liu Shumao leaned over and whispered.
"It's fine! I'm just going to send a message first!" Lin Fei waved his hand.
He opened the "Hangzhou Second Generation" WeChat group. In the past few days, it seemed quite a few new people had been added, all brought in by friends. The group's size had expanded to thirty-four people. This was mainly because each "second-gen" had different circles. When they showed off, they would say they were in the same group as "Brother Tianshen," and that the group leader was Brother Tianshen himself. Then people would want to join...
Brother Tianshen's reputation and status were now undeniable.
As the group leader, Lin Fei @'ed everyone and sent a message.
"Your daddy is about to show off. Assemble at the Four Seas Hotel!"
The moment this message was sent, the entire second-generation group exploded!
"Holy shit! Brother Tianshen has summoned us!"
"Damn it, which blind bastard dared to offend Brother Tianshen?"
"The Four Seas Hotel? Wait a minute, I'm fucking nearby. I can be there in twenty minutes!"
"Alright! Brothers, get your gear ready! Brother Tianshen has spoken, we can't skimp on the spectacle!"
*****
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