Chapter 32
After sending the message, Lin Fei continued to eat.
Fan Mingrui sat in the host's seat, pontificating with grand gestures, already carrying himself with the air of a leader.
"Boss Fan, let me toast you. You're the most successful one in our class. Earning over a hundred thousand a month before even graduating, only you have that kind of capability!"
"Mingrui was the campus heartthrob back in school, and he's just as impressive now!"
"Boss Fan is so awesome. He's handsome, comes from a good family, is capable himself, and is a top-tier university graduate. He's perfect in every way!" said Gu Sisi, Yu Tian's best friend, her face flushed with shyness. If she didn't know Fan Mingrui was into Xia Zhimeng, she would have thrown herself at him long ago.
Thinking about how impressive Fan Mingrui had become, everyone's gaze inevitably fell on Xia Zhimeng. She was the one who had rejected him back in the day. They wondered if she regretted it now.
But Xia Zhimeng remained calm from start to finish, not at all shocked by Fan Mingrui's monthly income of over a hundred thousand.
Her composure wasn't an act. When you've met people who earn millions, even tens of millions a month, or who have built billion-dollar listed companies, a monthly income of over a hundred thousand truly seems ordinary. One's perspective determines their outlook and stature. Different circles mean different people.
Xia Zhimeng's own family background was extraordinary. She was fluent in five languages and she had naturally met some exceptionally outstanding people. During her sophomore year, she had been an exchange student in the UK for a year. World-renowned universities, returnee elites, gatherings of the powerful - she had attended them all.
Fan Mingrui could only show off in front of his classmates. If he were really taken out to be compared, there were no fewer than four digits' worth of young people in Hangzhou alone who were more outstanding than him. Xia Zhimeng naturally had no reason to think highly of him.
After a few drinks, Fan Mingrui was starting to get a bit carried away.
"Zhimeng, to be honest, I've never forgotten you all these years. I..."
Just as Fan Mingrui was about to launch into a sentimental confession, a guy wearing black-rimmed glasses sitting in the corner suddenly exclaimed excitedly, "Holy shit! Xiao Miao Dou is eating at the Sihai Restaurant! And she's live streaming!"
The guy with glasses was named Zhang Chao, a chubby otaku. Even during the meal, he couldn't resist watching female streamers on his phone, making him something of an outcast.
"Xiao Miao Dou? The number one dance goddess on Douyu, Xiao Miao Dou? She's really in Hangzhou?" a guy asked in surprise.
"You bet! You have no idea how popular she is right now. Just this morning, Brother Tianshen gifted her over ten thousand Super Fires. Her popularity is exploding now, over five million!"
"Let's go, let's go check her out. I'm a fan of Xiao Miao Dou too. Maybe we can get a photo with her!" another guy egged them on.
"I'm not a fan of Xiao Miao Dou; I'm a fan of Brother Tianshen. He's the real deal. You guys might not know, but he's in Hangzhou right now. He's the admin of a top-tier second-generation rich group chat. Just yesterday, a buddy of mine mentioned he might be able to pull me into the group. Maybe then I could invite Brother Tianshen out for a meal!" Fan Mingrui continued to brag, shamelessly padding his own reputation.
Hearing this, Lin Fei almost spat out his food.
"I'll be damned. You're using my name to show off?"
"The real Brother Tianshen is sitting right in front of you. Aren't you embarrassed?" Lin Fei glanced at Li Yuntao with amusement, though he truly hadn't expected Xiao Miao Dou to be eating at the Jiuzhou Restaurant, let alone doing an outdoor live stream.
"Boss Fan is awesome! If you can really have a meal with Brother Tianshen, that means you've broken into the tycoon circle, stepping into high society in one go!" Wang Wei said enviously.
"Brother Tianshen has gifted two to three hundred million in gifts across various streaming platforms. This big shot's net worth must be at least in the tens of billions!" the classmates chattered amongst themselves.
Fan Mingrui felt his own prestige rise a few more notches.
Lin Fei thought, "Having a meal with me means stepping into high society? So that's the standard for getting into high society?" He had previously wondered how to break into the legendary high society, and it turned out that in others' eyes, he was high society!
No problem there.
"Let's go, let's go. And let me tell you something else. I actually know this streamer, Xiao Miao Dou. I met her once at an event in Shanghai. We're in the same circle, so to speak!"
A charming, confident smile appeared on Fan Mingrui's lips. Today was really his lucky day. He didn't actually know many big streamers on the Douyu platform, but Xiao Miao Dou happened to be one of them. And now, he had run into the number one dance goddess of Douyu. Wasn't this a perfect opportunity to show off?
Today, he would let these loser simps see just how strong his connections were and how awesome the people he knew were!
And so, a group of guys and girls, all eager for the spectacle, rushed out of private room 520 and into the hotel lobby.
They indeed saw a woman, about 1.7 meters tall, dressed fashionably and sexily with a graceful, curvaceous figure. She was holding a selfie stick and was truly beautiful. She was a bit taller than Xia Zhimeng, but her looks and temperament were slightly inferior, though she could still be considered a top-tier beauty. An added bonus was her identity as a super-popular Douyu streamer with millions of otaku fans. After several multi-million-dollar gift sprees from Brother Tianshen, her follower count was about to break ten million. Xiao Miao Dou was becoming a phenomenal, top-tier streamer.
Top-tier streamers on the Douyu platform were a rare breed; before, there was only Feng Timo, and now, only Xiao Tuantuan. This showed just how rapidly her popularity had grown recently.
"Xiao Miao Dou, can I take a photo with you? I'm your fan, I have your level-seven fan badge!" Zhang Chao ran over excitedly, his expression fawning and a little nervous.
"Sure!" Xiao Miao Dou smiled slightly and graciously agreed.
Popular streamers often encountered fans asking for photos during outdoor streams. She was long used to it.
"Thank you, Xiao Miao Dou. I'll keep supporting you. I'll send you a plane gift later!" Zhang Chao said solemnly.
"Then thank you for the gift. Haha!"
Xiao Miao Dou laughed heartily, appearing very approachable. When live streaming, one must always maintain a good attitude toward fans, or they would be flamed immediately.
"Xiao Miao Dou, I'm your fan too. Although I don't have your fan badge, I'll definitely get one later. Can I take a photo with you?"
"Of course." And so, a group of male students excitedly surrounded Xiao Miao Dou for photos.
Fan Mingrui smiled faintly.
He walked towards Xiao Miao Dou with his hands in his pockets, his steps calm and composed. Just as he was about to greet her, Xiao Miao Dou saw a man who surprised her immensely, and a sweet, shy smile instantly appeared on her face. Fan Mingrui thought she was looking at him.
"Xiao Miao Dou, hello..." Fan Mingrui reached out to greet her, wearing what he thought was a charming smile. But... Xiao Miao Dou walked right past him as if she hadn't seen him at all.
Ignored! Completely Ignored!
Fan Mingrui's expression froze. He felt he was losing face. He had just been bragging to all his classmates that he knew Xiao Miao Dou, but now she was treating him like air. This was awkward. He immediately turned to chase after her, trying to salvage the situation, but then he saw that Xiao Miao Dou had walked up to Lin Fei and was looking at him with a shy and adorable expression.
"Brother Lin Fei, I was actually thinking of asking you out for a meal today, but I was afraid you'd be busy and wouldn't have time. I didn't expect we'd run into each other. What a coincidence!" Xiao Miao Dou said in a coquettish tone, clearly flirting. The way she looked at Lin Fei was like he was a god, the admiration and respect in her eyes seeming completely genuine.
Fan Mingrui was stunned!
He was completely dumbfounded!
He couldn't quite grasp the situation.
What kind of person was Xiao Miao Dou?
She was a streamer with millions of followers!
Known as the goddess of otaku, she was the dream girl of countless simps, losers, and fat guys.
And Lin Fei... was just trash, a loser, a simp who had to borrow money from his buddies to hit on girls and still failed. How could a piece of trash like him make the number one dance goddess of Douyu, the otaku goddess Xiao Miao Dou, look so shy and coy?
Holy shit!
What was going on?
Fan Mingrui wasn't the only one stunned on the scene. So were Li Wei, Yu Tian, Gu Sisi, Li Jie, Wang Wei, and the others. Even Xia Zhimeng, who had been completely indifferent, now showed a flicker of surprise in her eyes.
Was there something unusual about this Lin Fei?
"It is quite a coincidence. My high school classmates are having a reunion here today. I didn't expect you to be streaming here!" Lin Fei smiled and shrugged.
"These are all your high school classmates? Why didn't you say so earlier!"
"Lin Fei, how do you know Xiao Miao Dou?" Fan Mingrui suddenly interjected.
"I'm her fan too. When she came to Hangzhou yesterday, I was at the airport. We chatted a lot and even had a meal together." Lin Fei's tone was flat and unemotional, as if he were stating a very ordinary matter. In fact, in his eyes, it was indeed a very ordinary event, not something to be overly proud of.
But to Fan Mingrui's ears, it sounded like Lin Fei was showing off. He was just a simp who happened to have a meal with a big streamer, and now he thought he was something special?
He thought he could show off in front of the yound master Fan Mingrui?
You must have a pretty high opinion of yourself!
"I see. Dou'er, we've met before. At the anime expo in Shanghai!"
"Oh! I remember now. You do look a little familiar. What was your name again?"
"Pfft!" Hearing this, Fan Mingrui almost spat out a mouthful of blood.
He had wanted to show off his powerful connections, but who knew Xiao Miao Dou didn't even remember his name. This was a bit embarrasing. And with so many classmates watching, couldn't she have given him a little face?
"Haha, Xiao Miao Dou, you're so funny!" Fan Mingrui cleverly defused the situation, slightly easing the awkward atmosphere.
"Boss Fan, we're done with dinner and it's still early. Why don't we go singing?" Wang Wei suddenly suggested. This was the usual routine for class reunions: eat, then go sing, and then yell in the KTV until one or two in the morning.
Drinking, chatting, eating melon seeds, under the dim lights, the unfamiliar feelings between them would quickly warm up. A couple might hit it off, or old flames might rekindle, leading to a passionate encounter and some unspeakable things. This was the excitement everyone looked forward to. And it wasn't just the guys who thought this way; some of the girls did too. After all, youth was fleeting. If you don't go wild now, you'll be too old for it later. If you don't indulge when you're young, what's the point of indulging when you're old?
"Sure, let's go, let's go. It's only a twenty-minute drive from here to Happy Space. Let's meet at the entrance in a bit. I drove here, it should be able to fit three or four people. Zhimeng, why don't you ride with me?" Fan Mingrui turned to ask Xia Zhimeng.
"Mm," Xia Zhimeng agreed with a slight nod.
"Class monitor, Gu Sisi, Yu Tian, you guys ride with me too. Three people in the back shouldn't be too crowded." The Maserati Fan Mingrui drove wasn't a two-seater sports car but a four-seater luxury sedan.
Sports cars were just for show; sedans were generally more practical. Squeezing three people in the back was no problem. Xiao Miao Dou watched quietly from behind Lin Fei. A sharp girl like her could see at a glance that this group seemed to have no idea about Lin Fei's real identity. Otherwise, how could a nobody like Fan Mingrui be the one calling the shots?
But since Lin Fei hadn't exposed him, Xiao Miao Dou didn't say much.
"Brother Tianshen is as low-key as ever!"
Soon, the group walked out of the Four Seas Hotel.
"Beep!" Fan Mingrui pressed his car key, and the lights of a rather eye-catching Maserati Quattroporte by the roadside flashed twice.
"Damn, Boss Fan, you drive a Maserati Quattroporte? The high end version of this car is over 1.6 million, and even the base model starts at 1.4 million!"
"Fuck, I'm planning to buy a Civic in ten years, and Boss Fan is already driving a Maserati. There's really nothing to say. Why isn't my dad Jack Ma?"
"Forget Jack Ma. If Brother Tianshen could be my dad, I'd take his last name in a heartbeat!" Although some classmates had already seen the trident key in Fan Mingrui's hand, seeing him actually driving a Maserati was still a bit of a shock.
Back in high school, Fan Mingrui hadn't seemed all that special. He was just a bit more handsome, with better grades and more pocket money. But now, three years later, they finally realized that they had lost at the starting line from the very beginning. Perhaps in the future, the gap between them would only widen, until they became people from two completely different worlds.
It was truly lamentable!
The world itself is inherently unfair.
Fan Mingrui watched his classmates' envious and jealous gazes. The face he had just lost seemed to have been recovered. A smile returned to his lips as he very gentlemanly opened the passenger door for Xia Zhimeng, placing a hand above her head to prevent her from bumping it. This small detail made him seem suave and dashingly handsome in the eyes of the girls.
"Mingrui is so attentive. I'm so jealous of Xia Zhimeng!"
"Why has no guy ever treated me like this? Can't a plain-looking girl have love?" a rather average-looking female classmate sighed heavily.
Just as Xia Zhimeng was about to get in the car, a tow truck suddenly stopped at the entrance of the Four Seas Hotel. Two tow truck workers got out of the vehicle.
Of course, the tow truck wasn't the main point. The main point was the Ferrari supercar it was carrying.
"This Ferrari is so cool. It must cost four or five million, right?"
"Wait a minute, this isn't just any Ferrari. This is... this is a Ferrari LaFerrari, a supercar worth over twenty million?"
"Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit! Is it really a Ferrari LaFerrari? My god!"
"What kind of incredible person can afford a car like this?"
The worker in charge of the delivery took out his phone and made a call.
"Beep beep beep beep beep!" Coincidentally, Lin Fei's phone started ringing.
"Hello, boss? Where are you? I've delivered the car to the address you specified. Could you please come over and sign for it?"
"Okay," Lin Fei nodded.
The next second.
He walked calmly towards the delivery workers and, under the gaze of all his classmates, said nonchalantly, "This car is mine. Please unload it."
"Alright, boss. Please sign here. Also, you'll need to send a message back to our superiors to confirm receipt. If we deliver it to the wrong person, I couldn't pay for it even if I sold my whole family!" The middle-aged tow truck driver said respectfully.
"OK!" Lin Fei made a gesture, took out his phone, and sent a message to Che Huang.
"Car received. I'll test it for a couple of days and then send the payment."
"Alright, Brother Tianshen. Test it all you want. If there are any quality issues, contact me anytime!" Che Huang replied immediately.
Less than ten seconds later, the tow truck worker's phone rang!
"Hello! Yes, boss!"
"Yes, yes, boss!"
"Don't worry, we'll follow this gentleman's instructions!" After hanging up, the two tow truck drivers looked at Lin Fei with even more respect and began to unload the car.
"This... this is impossible? A Ferrari LaFerrari worth over twenty million, bought by Lin Fei?"
"Vroom!"
The moment the bespectacled girl finished speaking, the entire scene was stunned!
Instant silence! The twenty-odd classmates were dumbfounded. They were all frozen! Petrified! Shocked!
Their mouths were wide open, as if they could swallow an ostrich egg!
No one had expected that Lin Fei, the simp loser, could afford a luxury supercar worth over twenty million.
Was this some kind of joke?
What was wrong with this world? Lin Fei could afford a supercar??? Lin Fei!?
No matter how many question marks popped into their heads, everything happening before them seemed to be a fact. Didn't they see the workers had already confirmed Lin Fei's identity?
The expression on Fan Mingrui's face suddenly became as if he had eaten shit. He had driven his Maserati to the class reunion today just to show off, just to flaunt. Even the goddess Xia Zhimeng seemed about to get into his car. But at the most critical moment, that bastard Lin Fei had staged a comeback, a last-minute reversal!
A 1.6 million Maserati Quattroporte and a 22 million Ferrari LaFerrari were simply not comparable.
The price of just one of the tires on the other guy's car was more than his entire car!
How could he even compete?
But he really couldn't figure it out. How could Lin Fei possibly afford such a luxury car?
When did the simp loser he remembered become so awesome?
"I get it, I finally get it. Lin Fei, are you going to play the same trick twice? Do you really take everyone for a fool? Acting once is enough, but acting twice is just too fake!" Yu Tian suddenly said with a cold laugh.
"Huh? Tian, what are you talking about? Is Lin Fei acting?" Class monitor Li Jie asked, her face full of confusion.
"That's right. When I broke up with Liu Shumao the other day, he used the same trick. Even though the spectacle was huge and the car was real, I absolutely don't believe he could afford a car worth over twenty million. Afterwards, I even had a friend specifically check out Liu Shumao's hometown. He's not some super-rich second-generation heir at all. It's all a scam. Do you think putting on a big show makes you a rich person? Wake up! Why deceive yourself!" Yu Tian said with extreme disdain.
Everyone knew that Liu Shumao and Lin Fei were best friends, and Liu Shumao was an honest guy who wasn't scheming enough to think of borrowing a luxury car to show off and slap Yu Tian in the face. So this clever idea must have come from Lin Fei. Since Lin Fei could set this up for Liu Shumao, he could naturally do it himself.
So, it was all a setup!
Going to such great lengths, spending a fortune to borrow a luxury car just to leave a deep impression on Xia Zhimeng. You certainly went to a lot of trouble.
*****
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