Chapter 127: Holiday Gathering

Hu Yingqi, who had stayed behind, returned home with Liu Sheng and the others. That evening, she insisted on sharing a room with Tian Yun. The two women stayed up all night in deep conversation, while Liu Sheng and Ren Xiadong did the same in another room.

Liu and Ren spent the night discussing their return home, planning several gatherings—one for the Liu Yao World Animation Company and another to organize a reunion with their high school classmates.

Early the next morning, the Rolls-Royce from the night before pulled up to Liu Sheng’s house. After breakfast, a reluctant Hu Yingqi said her goodbyes to the group before climbing into the car and driving away.

"Hu Yingqi is truly a wonderful person, completely unpretentious. She and Liu Sheng are a perfect match," Tian Yun remarked to Ren Xiadong, though her words were clearly intended for Liu Sheng as well.

Liu Sheng looked at Tian Yun and said, "Don't overthink it. It’s impossible between us due to conflicting interests. Alright, let it go; we have exams today."

The three of them tidied up briefly and took a taxi to school together.

During the exam, Liu Sheng finished his paper rapidly and slumped over his desk. This behavior caused Ren Xiadong great anxiety, as he feared Liu Sheng might abandon him. Ren kept staring at his own paper, hoping for answers to magically appear. Since he never knew what Liu Sheng did whenever time was frozen, he could only wait in anticipation.

With five minutes left, Ren looked at Liu Sheng, who was still sleeping. Desperate and no longer counting on his friend, Ren prepared to guess the answers, figuring he could just pay to retake the test if he failed. But as he looked down at his paper to begin, he found it already filled with answers.

Ren was moved by Liu’s actions, realizing that Liu must have frozen time while he was looking away. Throughout the two days of exams, Liu Sheng used the same method to help Ren pass.

On the day the exams ended, Yang Yu invited the entire class to a banquet to celebrate the end of the first semester. Apart from Yang Yu and Ren Xiadong, the other classmates remained unaware of Liu Sheng’s status. Since Liu and Ren rarely attended class, the students’ impression of them remained stuck at the start of the term: a pair who had foolishly crossed Yang Yu, and the gigolo supported by Tang Xin—a man who lived off a woman.

Naturally, the classmates intended to use this gathering as an opportunity to mock Liu Sheng.

Liu and Ren went home first to change into designer clothes, grooming themselves well before leaving in Ren’s sports car. Liu no longer wished to be mocked; he didn't need to reveal his true identity, but he refused to let them look down on him any longer.

At the entrance of the restaurant, the entire class was waiting for Yang Yu, just as they had before, hoping to curry favor with him. When Yang’s car arrived, they scrambled to open his door.

"Young Master Yang, watch your step, mind the curb!"
"You’ve gone to such expense for us again, Young Master."

Yang Yu stepped out amidst the flattery and scanned the crowd, only to find Liu Sheng and Ren Xiadong missing. Some students asked, "Young Master, what are you looking for? Do you need our help?"

Yang replied, "Didn't Liu Sheng and Ren Xiadong come?"

"They probably wouldn't dare," a student sneered. "After crossing you, how could they show their faces?"

"Exactly! They must be terrified of you, Young Master."

Though the students said this, Yang Yu felt uneasy, wondering if he had offended Liu Sheng. Meanwhile, the others urged him to move inside to escape the cold. Yang refused, saying, "No, I am waiting for someone."

Hearing this, the students assumed it must be someone important and insisted on waiting with him. "They must be a big shot. It’s a good thing Liu Sheng didn't come; he would have been so embarrassed."

Just as they were gossiping, Liu Sheng drove up in an R8 with Ren Xiadong. Seeing the car, Yang Yu hurried forward. The students, hoping to impress whoever was inside, rushed ahead of Yang to open the doors.

When Liu and Ren stepped out, the students were stunned. "Oh? Why all the hospitality today? It’s a bit hard to get used to," Liu said with a smirk.

The students were bewildered, having expected a VIP. Had they known it was just Liu and Ren, they wouldn't have bothered. "Is it worth it? Renting a car just to show off? Can you even afford the damages if you scratch it?" one student jeered, followed by laughter from the rest.

Just then, Yang Yu walked up and addressed Liu and Ren: "Big Brothers, why are you so late? Are you unsatisfied with this place? Shall we go somewhere else?"

"No, this is fine," Liu replied, heading inside.

As they walked past, Ren Xiadong added, "Try not to look down on people with your 'dog eyes' in the future."

The classmates were left speechless. The man Yang Yu once targeted was now being called "Big Brother."

Inside the private room, the atmosphere was stifling. No one spoke, as everyone had spent the semester giving Liu the cold shoulder. Liu looked at the room and said to Ren, "The mood is a bit low. We’ve been classmates for a semester; you pay for the rest of the night and treat them."

Ren was incredulous. "Are you joking? I’d rather watch them starve."

"Harmony is precious. Do as I say," Liu insisted.

Reluctantly, Ren stood up. "Class is over, everyone should be happy. Liu Sheng wants to treat everyone to a night out. Anywhere you want to go, it's on me."

The students brightened, but a female student sighed, "We feel too ashamed. We’ve spent the whole semester badmouthing Liu, only to realize we were the ones acting like frogs in a well. He never held a grudge, so how can we accept his charity?"

***

In the most luxurious nightclub in Chongqing, the students were dancing wildly. Liu watched them and remarked to Ren, "They don't seem particularly ashamed to me."

A female student approached them, draping herself over them and whispering, "Want to sleep together?"

Liu declined, sticking to his principles: he would date, but never get involved with those in his immediate circle to avoid messy entanglements. He told her, "You should focus on your studies."

Ren was more casual, but he shared the same rule, fearing what Tian Yun might think. He reached into the girl's clothing but quickly pulled his hand away, realizing the risk. Liu teased him, "He’s having 'that time of the month,' it's inconvenient."

Suddenly, a student on the dance floor began to convulse violently. The music stopped as the crowd scattered in fear. Liu ran to her, identified the seizure, and provided aid. As she calmed down, he noticed two other male students nearby, their heads bobbing rhythmically even though the music had stopped.

Liu’s expression darkened. Someone was dealing drugs right under his nose.

After an ambulance arrived, Liu dragged the two drugged students into the restroom with Ren and Yang Yu. A search revealed small bags of pills.

"What do we do?" Ren asked.

"Wait for them to wake up," Liu said coldly. "And ask Zhou Jin who owns this place!"

Yang Yu replied, "This is a property of the Wu family, one of the top ten enterprises in Chongqing."