Ren Yuanhao took off his trench coat, his black vest accentuating his muscular curves in a way that was almost dangerously attractive.
“Holy shit, Zhao Tiantian, are you still into guys? That gay charm is just mouth-watering,” Wu Xiang whispered into Zhao Tiantian’s ear, leaning against his left shoulder with one hand.
Zhao Tiantian remained noncommittal, merely murmuring, “Don’t talk nonsense, my friend’s temper is…”
Before Zhao Tiantian could finish, Wu Xiang pushed him through the door.
Inside, a spacious private room greeted them. The ceiling was adorned with colorful KTV-style disco lights, and the wallpaper depicted a purple starry sky, appearing hazy and dreamlike under the glow. A magnificent chandelier hung overhead, its light casting a stark, pale illumination on the men and women at the long table below, who were freely drinking, singing, and telling lewd jokes.
They looked like phantoms dancing wildly.
“Everyone, look who’s here!”
Wu Xiang shoved Zhao Tiantian into the crowd. He nearly stumbled, his rather plump physique tensing slightly. Ren Yuanhao’s trench coat instantly spread open, revealing the clothing bearing the “Sweetheart Candy House” logo.
“Well, Zhao Tiantian, it’s rare for our elementary school classmates to get together, and you, my friend, show up to the feast in your work uniform,” said the man, Li Qing, who used to be known as the class’s fastest talker. He poured a glass of beer, enough to hold half a catty of liquor, and offered it to Zhao Tiantian with a teasing expression. “Never mind showing up dressed like that, you’re even late. You have to drink three cups as a penalty.”
Zhao Tiantian wore a simple, honest smile. Yet, the familiar names now seemed attached to new faces. What kind of growth had these faces undergone, or what stories did they hold beneath such transformations?
After a moment of silent observation, he noticed that besides their significantly changed appearances, their figures and attire had also transformed. For instance, Han Yan, who was once more reserved, now wore a V-neck evening gown with a sheer shawl, gazing at him with a cold expression. Wei Ziwei, who was short and often ridiculed for her stunted development, had now grown tall and voluptuous, with a figure that was the epitome of a classic beauty.
However, he couldn't seem to find the class beauty who had been pursued by countless men.
“Hey, Zhao Tiantian, are you going to drink or not?” Li Qing grew impatient as Zhao Tiantian held the glass for a long time without drinking. “You, the tail-ender, you were always late and at the bottom of the class. Now, you’re so reluctant to drink, are you looking down on us old classmates?”
“Exactly. Zhao Tiantian, you’re still the same poor thing. Li Qing pouring you a drink is already honoring you. Don’t be so ungrateful!”
The speaker was the former discipline committee member, Qian Baolai. Zhao Tiantian smiled, “It’s been so long, and you haven’t changed your habit of lecturing people. I’ll drink this, three penalty cups it is.”
However, just as Zhao Tiantian brought the glass to his lips, someone poured a cup of wine over his head. The alcohol stung his eyes, making it incredibly uncomfortable. Moreover, he had taken care of his hair, and now, Zhao Tiantian looked even more like a toad, a drowned chicken.
“I don’t think you’ll finish these remaining two cups, so let your big head drink them for you, alright?”
After pouring a cup of wine over Zhao Tiantian’s head, Li Qing refilled his glass. Zhao Tiantian’s expression shifted slightly, but Qian Baolai patted his face from in front of him, “What? Punished for being late, and you still want to throw a tantrum?”
Zhao Tiantian clenched his fists, his body trembling slightly. Everyone else seemed to be oblivious to this, but Ren Yuanhao saw it all.
Originally, Ren Yuanhao thought Zhao Tiantian was at least a man, and any normal person would resist such humiliation. But instead, he suddenly relaxed his clenched fist, a greasy smile spreading across his face, and drained the bitter wine.
“Ah, now that’s more like it. So, what about this last cup? Will your head drink it, or will you chug another one?” Li Qing presented another glass of wine to him.
At this moment, Zhao Tiantian felt countless swords piercing him from all sides. The elegantly dressed women also seemed to transform into grinning specters from the netherworld, their smiles laced with unspeakable mockery and contempt. He felt miserable, wanting to cry, but the more he wanted to cry, the more unrestrained his smile became.
“DiDi, detecting employer’s low mood. Recommend comfort and preparation for a massive face-slapping to increase favorable review probability.”
Just as he brought the wine glass to his lips, Ren Yuanhao snatched it away, a supremely gentlemanly smile on his face. “I’ll drink this cup for my friend.”
Ren Yuanhao circulated his inner energy, and the wine transformed into water upon entering his stomach. He didn’t blush or pant, and coupled with his dignified demeanor and elegant charm, those who were ready to mock Zhao Tiantian slightly restrained themselves.
“This brother looks unfamiliar. You’re not one of our classmates, are you?” Li Qing asked tentatively.
Ren Yuanhao shook his empty glass, his face still radiating a sunny smile. “Of course not. You all have peculiar bone structures, extravagant attire, heavy makeup, unrestrained postures, and frivolous speech. With such a bizarre class, how could I, Ren Yuanhao, possibly aspire to join?”
“Damn it, what kind of nonsense is that!”
“Yeah, Zhao Tiantian, who did you bring here?”
The men put down their drinks, and the women paused their swaying hips. Their eyes glinted like lightning, as if they were about to devour this ungrateful man alive.
“Who are you, pointing fingers and being sarcastic here?” Qian Baolai turned off the music, and everyone almost converged on the two of them.
This scene didn’t scare Ren Yuanhao, but it terrified Zhao Tiantian. However, this fear wasn’t due to the number of classmates, but rather concern for them.
After all, he had personally witnessed the furious Ren Yuanhao brutally incapacitate three strong thugs in less than ten seconds. Even though the situation appeared to favor his classmates, he had reason to believe that once Ren Yuanhao lost his temper, these people would be no more than ants trying to shake a tree.
Just as he was worrying about this, Ren Yuanhao actually started to light a cigarette.
“Hey, hey, hey, big brother, don’t light up, alright? Calm down, I’ll handle it, I will~”
Seeing that Zhao Tiantian completely disregarded them and seemed more afraid of Ren Yuanhao smashing the place in anger, several burly men stepped out from the crowd, showcasing their perfect muscles. With unrestrained smiles, they took defiant strides towards Ren Yuanhao.
“Hey, Zhao Tiantian, are you going to escort this rambling idiot out, or will we ‘send’ him out?”
Just as Zhao Tiantian was about to mediate, Ren Yuanhao took a deep drag from his cigarette and handed the unsmoked portion to him, a playful smirk on his lips. “Tiantian, hold my cigarette for me, same old rules.”
He shrugged his shoulders, picked at his ear, and made a highly provocative gesture. “Come at me all at once. I’m in a hurry to get back to sleep.”