The woman in red strode forward, opening her arms wide as she approached Zeng Yu.
Even though Zeng Yu had already guessed it was the class president Ma Yan, he smartly rubbed his eyes and pretended to be surprised. “Look, Zheng Jie, a goddess is coming our way. I think it’s the class president.”
Zheng Jie gave him a look that said, “So this is the real Zeng Yu?” and flashed him an approving grin.
“Slick talker. Hiding out in the city but acting like you’ve vanished,” Ma Yan said, embracing Zeng Yu with a fragrant breeze.
The hug caught Zeng Yu off guard. He wasn’t used to this level of familiarity with a female classmate, especially someone he hadn’t had much interaction with during their school years.
Fortunately, Ma Yan quickly let go and took a step back to give Zeng Yu a good once-over.
“I knew you’d make something of yourself. You turned out just as I imagined,” she said with a bright smile.
But Zeng Yu’s heart sank. This doesn’t feel right. We didn’t have that close of a relationship in school.
Smiling, Zeng Yu kept his cool. “When I heard the class president was summoning us, I didn’t dare refuse.”
Turning to the group, Ma Yan announced, “No need for introductions. Everyone knows each other.” Then, turning back to Zeng Yu, she added with a teasing smile, “Calling you a smooth talker isn’t wrong. You were so well-behaved back then, but it’s only been a few years, and look at you now. You’re in trouble today—everyone’s waiting to settle accounts with you.”
As soon as she finished speaking, another female classmate approached, her eyes carrying a hint of reproach. “Exactly. We were classmates for four years, and as soon as we graduated, you disappeared. Changed your number, ditched your QQ account, and just vanished. You deserve a good scolding!”
Zeng Yu smiled, replying, “I was just a guy from out of town trying to make it in the big city. If luck wasn’t on my side, I wouldn’t have been able to buy a home in my lifetime. I always thought, once I made it, had a house and a car, that’d be the time to show up and reconnect.”
“So what, you’ve got a house and a car now? In just a few years? Did you hit the jackpot or something?” Zhu Ying asked, surprised. Starting from nothing wasn’t easy. The most successful guy in their class was Zheng Jie, and that was thanks to his family connections. Even with his government job, buying a house was still more of a dream than reality.
The reunion quickly shifted from a solemn mood to a gossipy one, and the speed caught Zeng Yu off guard. He instinctively put up his defenses. “Ah, I had a dream this afternoon that felt very real. I’m still convinced it was true.” He cherished his relationships with his classmates and didn’t want to bring too much of the real world into the mix.
Zhu Ying rolled her eyes. “You show up here in designer brands, and you’re playing poor? Relax, I’m not going to ask you for a loan.”
At that moment, Zeng Yu’s phone buzzed. He excused himself and checked the screen. It was a friend request from Ma Yan.
Zeng Yu shook his head with a wry smile as he accepted. “There’s nothing about my personal success worth showing off compared to old friendships.”
He much preferred to be here to simply catch up with old classmates rather than to flaunt achievements.
Ma Yan put her phone away, giving Zeng Yu a meaningful look before teasing, “If I remember correctly, Zhu Ying had a crush on you back then. Now that time has passed, don’t you two want to hug it out for old times’ sake?”
The classmates immediately jumped on this, egging them on. “Hug! Hug!”
When Ma Yan had hugged him earlier, Zeng Yu had received some surprised and jealous looks. But with Zhu Ying? Zeng Yu didn’t hesitate. He stepped forward, opened his arms, and said, “It’s great to see you, old classmate.”
His smile was genuine, and Ma Yan, who had expected him to be a little awkward, was surprised. Her smile grew wider.
Zhu Ying, for her part, wasn’t coy. She stepped forward and returned the hug. “After all these years, I’m happy to see you too.”
They separated and exchanged looks, each seeing a bit of excitement in the other’s eyes.
Zhu Ying casually linked her arm through Zeng Yu’s. “Back then, I was too shy to hold your arm, but now I can make up for that.”
Not to be outdone, Ma Yan joined in, wrapping her arm around Zeng Yu’s other side and laughing. “Our class heartthrob always kept a straight face. He was so out of reach back then. Today, I finally get my wish.”
Zeng Yu was baffled. “Wait a minute. Was I really that untouchable? I remember getting along just fine with everyone.”
Zheng Jie, standing nearby, didn’t hesitate to call him out. “Come on, we were roommates. You were okay in freshman year, but by sophomore year, you’d disappear right after class, sometimes not coming back until the middle of the night. I barely had a chance to talk to you, let alone anyone else.”
Thinking back, Zeng Yu realized they were right. But he shrugged it off. “So what?”
“Alright, classmates, let’s unite and make him pay for this!” Zheng Jie rolled up his sleeves as the others smiled wickedly and began to circle in.
Zeng Yu knew there was no escaping tonight’s drinking. “Bring it on. You think I’m scared of you guys? I’ll take you all on!”
“You all heard him. He’s challenging us all by himself!” Zheng Jie laughed, not falling for the bait. Zeng Yu’s plan to single him out had failed.
One by one, about a dozen classmates approached, each holding a glass of beer. Zheng Jie handed Zeng Yu two glasses, grinning wickedly. “Ladies, you’ve done your part. Now it’s our turn to get him drunk.”
Ma Yan and Zhu Ying clung to Zeng Yu’s arms and chimed in together, “We guarantee he won’t escape!”
“Oh, I’ve wanted to get back at him for so long!” Ma Yan said with mock excitement.
Zhu Ying tilted her head. “Class president, didn’t you mean you’ve been eyeing him for so long?”
Ma Yan blinked, then looked Zeng Yu up and down. “I think back in school, it wasn’t so much his looks as his vibe that did it.”
Zheng Jie rolled his eyes. “Ladies, let’s not get sidetracked here!”
Ma Yan pouted. “Oh, I’m starting to feel bad for him!”
Zhu Ying scoffed. “Feel bad? Drink for him, then!”
Sensing the tension rising, Zeng Yu gently pulled his arms free from Ma Yan and Zhu Ying. “Alright, bring it on. You think I’m scared?” He grabbed one of the beers from Zheng Jie and downed it in one gulp.
“Now that’s the spirit!” Zheng Jie gave him a thumbs-up, and the two shared a knowing glance. Zeng Yu wasn’t getting out of here sober tonight—too much unresolved tension.
After Zheng Jie, the rest of the male classmates took turns challenging Zeng Yu to drink. The girls, on the other hand, just watched with smiles. Zeng Yu found it surprising that not a single one of them came forward to drink with him. After downing ten beers in a row, he started to wonder—was he really this popular back in the day?
Just as Zeng Yu was starting to feel pretty good about himself, the female classmates, as if on cue, all grabbed their drinks and began to approach. His mood took a sharp nosedive. Once women start drinking, they don’t stop. Am I really going to end up flat on my back tonight?
Sensing his distress, Ma Yan stepped forward. “What do you think you’re doing? I’ve got his back, and as long as I’m here, you can forget about ganging up on him.”
The guys around Zheng Jie, seeing an opportunity, started to egg her on. “Drink up! Let’s get him!”
Zheng Jie quickly poured cold water on that idea. “You want to end up the girls’ enemy tonight? Be my guest.”
“Isn’t that a bit much? Why does he get all the attention? We were all classmates, weren’t we?” One guy grumbled.
Zheng Jie, however, understood the deeper truth. “You don’t get it, do you? People always want what they can’t have. Back then, Zeng Yu never had any rumors with any of the girls. Meanwhile, the rest of us were like flies buzzing around them all day. How can you compete with that? Take me, for example—the only girl who ever approached me was using me to get closer to Zeng Yu. It still hurts to think about!”
“You’re only heartbroken because you’re lying through your teeth!”
“Yeah, quit whining and get him drunk!” The guys, unable to take on Zeng Yu, turned their attention to ganging up on Zheng Jie instead.
Surrounded by a group of girls, Zeng Yu felt awkward. He quickly made an excuse. “Too much beer—I need to hit the bathroom.”
Once inside, Zeng Yu wiped the sweat off his forehead and lit a cigarette. When he stepped out, he was surprised to find Ma Yan leaning against the wall outside the door, smoking.
“Class president, do you need the bathroom too?” Zeng Yu immediately realized how awkward that sounded.
Ma Yan gave him a quiet smile and stubbed out her cigarette. “There’s more than one bathroom in this villa. I was waiting for you.”
Zeng Yu let out a drunken hiccup. “Waiting for me? I’m a little tipsy, you know.”
Ma Yan chuckled. “I believe you. Back in school, I was too self-conscious about my weight. I couldn’t even bring myself to look at you directly. Even when I had to ask you something, I avoided eye contact. I spent years working out, hoping to slim down. But even after I lost weight, you still never looked my way. That’s when I realized it didn’t matter whether I was thin or not—you never saw me.”
Standing up straight, Ma Yan said, “Let’s go. You spent four years in college without a single rumor. Don’t start one now.”
Zeng Yu smiled. “Back then, I worked at a bar and dated a girl I met there for a few years. It wasn’t what you guys thought.”
Ma Yan lifted her head, her gaze deepening. “I know. It’s all in the past now, but every now and then, I still feel a little bit of regret.”
“You’re doing well now, aren’t you? You’re married, right?” Zeng Yu asked with a smile, trying to soothe her.
Ma Yan shook her head. “Married? I wouldn’t even know where to start. The men who know my family background, I don’t dare get involved with. Luckily, I’ve got a well-behaved younger brother who got married a couple of years ago and had a son. Otherwise, my parents would’ve driven me crazy. What about you? Still single?”
Zeng Yu hesitated for a moment. The burden of his past relationships weighed heavily on him, so he chose not to tell the whole truth. “I’ve got a girlfriend.”
Ma Yan gave him a reproachful look. “Can’t you at least lie to me a little?”
Zeng Yu stared back at her calmly. “Lie? What’s in it for me?”
Ma Yan stood tall and proud. “I’m 5’7”, good-looking, and single. Lying to me would be a bargain for you.”
Zeng Yu played along, clutching his chest dramatically. “So I missed out on billions, huh?”
Ma Yan responded with a light kick to his calf.
They exchanged a smile, and Ma Yan said quietly, “Tomorrow, I promised my mom I’d go on a blind date. Seeing you again today… I guess I don’t have any regrets anymore.”
Zeng Yu shook his head. “I wouldn’t recommend a blind date. Love is unpredictable. Don’t force yourself. There’s still plenty of time, and maybe around the next corner, a good man is waiting for you.”
Ma Yan looked at him, horrified. “That’s straight out of a ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ book! I didn’t know you were this kind of guy, Zeng Yu!”
Zeng Yu was stunned, then his face filled with regret. His voice turned hoarse as he said, “I guess I’m terrible at comforting people. You’re much more grounded than I am, so trying to give you advice feels like a joke. I haven’t even figured out my own feelings, yet here I am, acting like I have the answers.”
“Zeng Yu, don’t get me wrong. I was just joking,” Ma Yan said quickly, alarmed by his sudden shift in mood. Just moments ago, they had been getting along fine. What had changed?
