The two people who just entered the private room were Xue Zhiyuan and Sun Qian. Dressed in vibrant attire, their immediate impression was one of success and considerable wealth.
"Well, well! Chairman Xue, Manager Su, you two have finally arrived. Everyone has been waiting for you to be seated!"
Upon seeing Xue Zhiyuan and Sun Qian, the people in the room rushed forward, each eager to offer greetings.
"Chairman Xue, it's incredible that in just three years, you've become such a prominent figure in the Jiangnan business world. Our graduating class is truly honored to have produced someone like you!"
As someone buttered him up, it became apparent that before Xue Zhiyuan and Sun Qian arrived, the attendees were all at a similar level, their conversations not revealing much. However, with their arrival, everyone's demeanor shifted.
"Indeed! My boss heard that I am a classmate of Chairman Xue, and now he treats me with great courtesy at the company. He's asked me several times to help him secure an introduction to Chairman Xue."
Xue Zhiyuan replied with feigned humility, smiling at everyone.
"Please, everyone, don't be like this. I'm just a vice-chairman; there's nothing worth boasting about."
"Chairman Xue is too modest. Who in the Jiangnan business world doesn't know your name now?" Sun Qian said with a smile.
Xue Zhiyuan chuckled and then looked at Sun Qian.
"Sun Qian, you're doing well too. As the manager of Fengxing Finance's sales department, you're a renowned powerhouse in the financial circle. If I hadn't inherited the family business, you might have been the most successful among our classmates."
"Oh, I just stumbled into it. As a woman in a big city like Jiangnan, I have no choice but to push myself to the limit," Sun Qian replied modestly.
"Haha, alright, alright. Among our class, you two are doing the best. Tonight, thanks to Chairman Xue, we get to dine at Yun Shang Tian Gong. If word gets out, countless people will be envious."
A classmate said this while pulling out a lighter to light Xue Zhiyuan's cigarette.
"Okay, okay, everyone, please be seated. The expense for the evening is only thirty to forty thousand yuan. This is a class reunion, after all; we have to make it a grand affair."
Xue Zhiyuan smiled and gestured for everyone to sit.
The guests then took their seats. In a corner of the room, Zhang Xiaoduo, holding Ye Qingmei's hand, was preparing to find good seats.
However, just as they were about to sit, Sun Qian spotted Ye Qingmei in the crowd. A flicker of something unusual crossed her eyes, and she loudly called out.
"Ye Qingmei, don't sit down yet. Ask the server to bring the dishes, and pour tea for everyone."
At her words, everyone in the room turned to look at Ye Qingmei.
"Sun Qian, what do you mean? Why should Qingmei call the server? And pour tea? We're all classmates. If you want to help, you can pour it yourself."
Zhang Xiaoduo immediately spoke up, her face filled with indignation.
Although the surrounding classmates secretly agreed with Zhang Xiaoduo's statement, no one spoke.
Hearing this, Sun Qian's expression turned grim. She glanced at Zhang Xiaoduo before looking at Ye Qingmei, her tone tinged with displeasure.
"Ye Qingmei, what is it? Do I need to repeat myself?"
"Alright, Manager Sun, I'll do it right away," Ye Qingmei quickly replied, knowing that Sun Qian was deliberately trying to humiliate her. However, if she didn't appease Sun Qian tonight, she might lose her job.
Upon hearing Ye Qingmei's words, everyone in the room looked at her with confusion. Seeing this, Sun Qian explained with a smile.
"Oh, it's nothing. Ye Qingmei works under me. She's new to the job and doesn't understand anything. After graduating for three years, she couldn't find a job and was hanging out with unsavory people. She's my employee now. I'm thinking of mentoring her, considering we were once roommates."
"Everyone, please don't mind. Ye Qingmei took the wrong path before. I'm doing this for her own good, thinking of teaching her workplace etiquette at all times. Everyone, please be seated and don't be formal."
At these words, the gazes of everyone in the room shifted towards Ye Qingmei, filled with ridicule, mockery, sympathy, and surprise.
"Qingmei, is what she said true?" Zhang Xiaoduo asked, incredulous.
"Xiaoduo, don't believe her. I do work under her, but for three years after graduation, there were family matters, so I wasn't working. I'll tell you about it later."
Ye Qingmei explained before picking up the teapot to pour tea for everyone.
Initially, Ye Qingmei poured tea for her classmates, and the first few people were polite. However, by the end, most people barely acknowledged her, as if what Ye Qingmei was doing was completely normal.
Xue Zhiyuan watched with amusement, a cold sneer forming in his heart. After being punched by Li Xiaotian, he had thought Ye Qingmei had found a powerful husband. But alas, it seemed Ye Qingmei's family wasn't doing very well!
Thinking of his plan, Xue Zhiyuan sneered inwardly. Later tonight, he intended to make Ye Qingmei and her family of three kneel and apologize before him!
"Qingmei, come sit here later. There's also a surprise tonight that I hope you'll like!" Xue Zhiyuan said with a smile while Ye Qingmei was pouring him tea, making no effort to lower his voice.
Everyone in the room witnessed this scene. Zhang Xiaoduo looked furious, and some of the surrounding classmates frowned, but no one said anything.
"Alright, Qingmei, come sit over here. Tonight is a class reunion; let's not talk about status, only about our university days." Zhang Xiaoduo finally couldn't help but speak, unable to bear seeing her best friend so wronged.
"Yes, Ye Qingmei, sit down. Let the server handle the tea pouring," a male classmate said. His name was Li Qiang, and he was the class monitor, though he wasn't doing very well now and thus didn't have much influence among his classmates.
Ye Qingmei looked at the two with gratitude and was about to put down the teapot and sit beside Zhang Xiaoduo.
"Bang!" Sun Qian suddenly slammed the table, startling everyone in the room. She looked at Ye Qingmei.
"Ye Qingmei, didn't you hear what Chairman Xue just said? He asked you to sit next to him. Why are you going to sit with Zhang Xiaoduo?"
"Sun Qian, that's enough! This is a class reunion; put away your manager's temper! Qingmei can just quit tomorrow if she has to!"
Zhang Xiaoduo immediately stood up and looked at Xue Zhiyuan, her eyes filled with resentment. She continued.
"What? Xue Zhiyuan, what do you mean by asking Qingmei to sit next to you in front of all our classmates?"
As Zhang Xiaoduo spoke, before Xue Zhiyuan and Sun Qian could respond, some classmates chimed in.
"Zhang Xiaoduo, look at you. How are you talking to our classmate? Sun Qian is just trying to train Ye Qingmei; it's for her own good. And Chairman Xue, Chairman Xue might have something important to instruct her. We're all classmates, so we should help each other. Why does it sound so wrong coming from you?"
A girl dressed flamboyantly said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
"Exactly. Chairman Xue is a big shot in the Jiangnan business world. If he teaches Ye Qingmei a few business skills, it's an opportunity many people would covet. Zhang Xiaoduo, you're letting your small mind assume the worst of a noble person."
A guy chimed in, speaking in a lecturing tone.
Sun Qian looked smug, casting a disdainful glance at Zhang Xiaoduo before speaking unhurriedly.
"Zhang Xiaoduo, it's been three years since graduation, and you haven't improved at all? Ye Qingmei hasn't said anything, so why are you making such a fuss?"
"Sun Qian, you..." Zhang Xiaoduo's face immediately flushed with anger. Just as she was about to retort, Xue Zhiyuan interrupted.
"Zhang Xiaoduo, if I recall correctly, doesn't your family's restaurant urgently need capital recently? I don't know if your family has told you, but yesterday your father begged someone to approach me, wanting me to lend him some money to help out."
Xue Zhiyuan said with an arrogant, playful look at Zhang Xiaoduo. He found her quite attractive and, if she continued to be difficult tonight, he wouldn't mind making a move on her as well.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Xiaoduo's face turned red, a mixture of anger and embarrassment. She genuinely didn't know about this.
Zhang Xiaoduo's family ran a restaurant, not a very large one, but it had been experiencing financial difficulties recently. She never imagined her parents would secretly approach Xue Zhiyuan.
"Oh, Zhang Xiaoduo's father is borrowing money from Chairman Xue? He really doesn't consider himself an outsider. Zhang Xiaoduo, how can your father have such a thick skin, just like yours?" Sun Qian's tone was mocking.
"My goodness, does that mean Chairman Xue is Zhang Xiaoduo's family's benefactor? Zhang Xiaoduo, are you talking to your benefactor like that?" Another female classmate said.
"You! You!.." Zhang Xiaoduo couldn't hold back anymore. She was about to stand up and rush forward but was firmly held back by Ye Qingmei next to her.
"Xiaoduo, don't be impulsive," Ye Qingmei whispered before standing up and addressing Sun Qian and Xue Zhiyuan.
"Sun Qian, I know you don't like me. If you have a problem, come to me directly. Don't involve others."
"And Xue Zhiyuan, we aren't close, and I don't think we have anything to talk about, so I won't be sitting next to you. Also, I'm already married, as you knew that day, so please mind your words."
After speaking, Ye Qingmei pulled Zhang Xiaoduo and whispered.
"Xiaoduo, let's go!"
Seeing Ye Qingmei about to leave, Sun Qian's face immediately darkened, and she shouted.
"Ye Qingmei, you've gotten bold! Are you daring to leave? Do you still want your job?"
Ye Qingmei paused, gritted her teeth, and ignored her. If it were just her, it wouldn't matter. But with her best friend Zhang Xiaoduo present, she couldn't bear to see her wronged. Although her job was very important to her, it wasn't as important as her best friend.
Seeing Ye Qingmei disregard her threat, Sun Qian's face turned ashen with anger.
"Ye Qingmei, Zhang Xiaoduo, are you just leaving like this? Have you thought about the consequences?"
Xue Zhiyuan spoke faintly, his tone playful.
"Ye Qingmei, do you think you can leave tonight? Your husband hit me, and this matter isn't over!"
"And Zhang Xiaoduo, does your family's restaurant still want to operate? Yesterday, your father was practically kneeling before me!"
At Xue Zhiyuan's words, both Ye Qingmei and Zhang Xiaoduo froze.
The room fell silent. Everyone looked at Ye Qingmei.