“Hehe, I didn’t think you would still be able to recognize me.” Li Shaobin was bewildered. Was he so recognizable?
“Of course.” Zhou Shuyun blushed a little. “However, you do look quite different in appearance. You were a little tan, had spikey hair, and looked like an indecent ruffian. Now you’ve become more handsome and steadfast.”
“Mm… I guess I’m alright.” Li Shaobin didn’t really feel proud. He casually said, “You’ve also become prettier. I almost couldn’t recognize you when you came in just now.”
Tian Yan said with a smile, “Yeah, we were still young in high school and didn’t know how to doll ourselves up. Now we’re getting prettier and prettier.”
Song Chuyi said softly and slowly, “Oh, right, Shuyun, where have you gone for the past few years? We haven’t seen you around during our class reunions lately.”
“I went to lots of places. I was working for a couple of years in Shenzhen previously and after that, I was transferred to Taiwan to work. I just quit my job at the end of the year and returned to Northern City.” Zhou Shuyun smiled a little melancholically. “I heard about the past few class reunions but I didn’t come back during the new year holidays.”
Tian Yan quickly said, “Right, Shuyun is still jobless at the moment. She was working in the trading sector. She has a Level Six English standard and was interacting with foreigners. Both of you are young masters in Northern City. If you know of any good jobs, please refer them to Shuyun. Especially our Young Master Li. I heard you’ve been doing very well recently and you can be considered a big shot in Northern City. Haha. As for Chuyi, let’s forget it. I heard that you’re going to the States to further your studies in a few days’ time.”
Zhou Shuyun tugged Tian Yan awkwardly. “I’ll look for one myself.”
Tian Yan said, “It’s hard to find a job on our own. Isn’t it better if someone you know offers a position to you? We can just get them to keep a lookout for you.”
Song Chuyi smiled. “We’re all classmates; I’ll help you ask around.”
“Thank you then.” Zhou Shuyun smiled and was pulled away to the side by Tian Yan to greet the other classmates. On that side, there was Xin Ziao.
Song Chuyi glanced at Zhou Shuyun’s back. Jiang Ming picked up his wine glass as he moved over to Li Shaobin’s ear and said, “Zhou Shuyun has become prettier. Are you feeling the butterflies?”
“Cut it out. I have a girlfriend already,” Li Shaobin repeated coldly.
“Alright, everyone knows you liked Zhou Shuyun in the past. To be honest, we’re all quite curious to see what it would be like if the two of you were to meet again.” Jiang Ming then signaled to Xin Ziao, who was talking to Zhou Shuyun. “You were rejected by Zhou Shuyun back then and then Zhou Shuyun was rejected by Xin Ziao. I wonder if Zhou Shuyun has forgotten Xin Ziao after all these years?”
“She should’ve long forgotten about him,” Song Chuyi said lightly. “It’s been more than 10 years.”
Jiang Ming remembered him and Song Yunyang and only replied after a while, “That does seem to be the case.”
…
At a class reunion, the things one did was simply singing, drinking, and chatting.
However, it was a must for them to drink a toast to each other, especially since a group of men was gathered together. However, when some of them were drunk, they didn’t have any manners and pestered the women to drink.
And Zhou Shuyun was one of them. She didn’t join the previous class reunions so aside from Tian Yan, she actually wasn’t very close to anyone else. On top of that, she was single and that made her the main target for some men.
Li Shaobin came back after smoking a cigarette and saw Wang Yongbing, who had a leather factory, pouring a glass of wine for Zhou Shuyun with his face flushed red. Zhou Shuyun was covering her mouth, looking very uncomfortable, so he couldn’t help but say, “Hey, Wang Yongbing, can you stop pestering this girl and asking her to drink? This isn’t some socializing event. We’re all classmates.”
Actually, he could tell that Wang Yongbing probably had some intentions towards Zhou Shuyun now that she looked prettier than before, but that wasn’t the way to go.
When Wang Yongbing heard him, he backed down and didn’t dare to speak. Xiang Qizhe, however, commented: “Hey, Young Master Li is feeling protective over some women.”
Li Shaobin pulled a face and didn’t bother to talk to him.
When he saw that Li Shaobin didn’t reply, Xiang Qizhe felt even more encouraged. “That’s true. Young Master Li even confessed to Zhou Shuyun in front of the entire class back in high school. Don’t tell me you haven’t forgotten your love after so many years? But don’t you have a girlfriend already?”
Li Shaobin scolded him: “Xiang Qizhe, are you sick in the brain? That was ages ago!”
Xiang Qizhe still had a gleeful smile on his face. “Don’t get mad; it was just a joke. However, Zhou Shuyun liked Xin Ziao in the past and your current girlfriend used to be with Ziao too. That’s quite interesting.”
“I dare you to say one more word. Do you believe me when I say I’ll kill you?” Li Shaobin also had some drinks, so when he heard Xiang Qizhe say that, he only felt his anger surge up and his gaze turned dark.
“What are you so fired up about?” Xiang Qizhe cowered a little when he saw the look in Li Shaobin’s eyes. However, he still stood up. “Li Shaobin, don’t think that just because your family has some power, I’ll be afraid of you. Who here doesn’t know that you merely picked up a pair of old shoes that Ziao’s worn out? Everyone’s mocking you but you’re the only one who treats her like a treasure.”
Everyone’s faces changed. Li Shaobin had grabbed a bottle of beer on the table and smashed it right on Xiang Qizhe’s head.
It happened too fast that Xiang Qizhe didn’t have time to dodge, so his head was smashed by the bottle. Immediately, the corner of his eye and his forehead started bleeding profusely.
Everyone was shocked. Jiang Ming and Song Chuyi quickly grabbed Li Shaobin.
Li Shaobin struggled angrily and said, “Let go of me. I’m not a Li if I don’t maim him today!”
Xiang Qizhe touched the blood on his face and fell on the couch while trembling. He felt his vision blurring and he suddenly passed out.
The women at the side all thought he was dead and quickly ran to a corner in fright.
“Call the ambulance quickly!” Teacher Wu stood up first. “What are you guys doing? Why did a class reunion turn out like this?”
“I think we have to call the police too, not just the ambulance,” Xin Ziao said as he stood up slowly.
Li Shaobin turned his face over coldly to look at Xin Ziao as he said, “You egged Xiang Qizhe on, right? Who here doesn’t know that he’s been your lackey ever since high school?”
