Chapter 91: It Was Only a Name

Because Ren Xiaodong had a class gathering that evening, Tian Yun did not keep him long. When Ren Xiaodong had escorted her to the girls’ dormitory, Tian Yun said, “Remember this: you get only one chance.” With that, she skipped happily inside.

Watching Tian Yun disappear from sight, Ren Xiaodong returned to his own dormitory. There, he paced back and forth while singing under his breath, his joy unmistakable. Liu Sheng, who was sitting nearby at the computer, saw how elated he was and hurried over to ask, “That fast?”

“What’s fast?” Ren Xiaodong asked in confusion.

Liu Sheng stood up and looked at him. “I mean you and Tian Yun. Did something happen?”

Lao Jiu and Xiao Jia came over as well, and the three of them surrounded Ren Xiaodong, waiting for his answer.

Feeling a little uneasy under their stares, Ren Xiaodong pushed them apart and said, “She’s given me a chance to pursue her.”

“Pfft!” All three snorted at once, then sat back down where they had been.

Ren Xiaodong wandered around them again and said, “Come on, brothers, help me think. How do I win a woman’s heart?”

None of them paid him any mind. Liu Sheng ignored him because he knew that, no matter what, Ren Xiaodong and Tian Yun would end up together. It was simply a fact, one that no one could change.

Lao Jiu and Xiao Jia ignored him because they truly could not bear any more public displays of affection.

“Liu Sheng, Brother Sheng, Brother Sheng-er, could you give me some advice?” Ren Xiaodong suddenly addressed him in such a syrupy tone that Liu Sheng had no idea what to do with himself. Goose bumps rose all over him. It was the first time he had ever seen Ren Xiaodong like this. He really had no bottom line left.

“Brother Sheng-er? Why don’t you go find yourself a little brother!” Liu Sheng replied irritably. “I don’t have that kind of talent. Go ask those two masters, especially Xiao Jia. He’s been rejected ninety-nine times after confessing.”

Ren Xiaodong said disdainfully, “Xiao Jia? Don’t make me laugh. He’s confessed ninety-nine times and not once succeeded. What could he possibly teach me?”

Liu Sheng glanced at Xiao Jia, whose expression had turned rather tortured, and said, “He can tell you what not to do when chasing a girl. As long as you avoid every mistake Xiao Jia ever made, you’ll succeed.”

“Good point!” Ren Xiaodong immediately turned to Xiao Jia, but before he could speak, Xiao Jia shot back, “Get lost!”

Ren Xiaodong had to swallow the insult in silence. “That was Liu Sheng who said it, not me!”

Xiao Jia explained as well, “I’m just telling you the ninety-nine answers girls gave me!”

At that moment Liu Sheng, Ren Xiaodong, and Lao Jiu all looked at Xiao Jia with pity, then raised their thumbs and said in unison, “Brother, you’ve suffered.”

A little embarrassed, Xiao Jia tried to ease the awkwardness by turning to Liu Sheng. “By the way, Liu Sheng, I heard from Ren Xiaodong that you’re very rich.”

As soon as he said that, Liu Sheng shot Ren Xiaodong an angry look. Ren Xiaodong instantly realized something was wrong and thought, Damn it! Zhao Xiao Jia, of all the things to say, you choose that one!

Then Lao Jiu added, “Right, Ren Xiaodong also said your family owns the biggest hot-pot restaurant in Xinghai City, and that you’re a second-generation rich kid.”

Hearing this, Liu Sheng looked at Ren Xiaodong, then suddenly burst out laughing. So Ren Xiaodong does know what can be said and what cannot. I wrongly blamed him.

Seeing Liu Sheng laugh, Ren Xiaodong laughed too and hurriedly said, “Tomorrow those two want to eat at the best place in Chong City, and they want you to treat.”

“No problem. After dinner, I’ll take you somewhere to experience a different kind of life!” Liu Sheng said.

Just then, both Liu Sheng’s phone and Ren Xiaodong’s phone rang at the same time. When they opened the message, it was from the class group chat.

“Today, Young Master Yang from our class has said that all food, drink, and entertainment tonight will be covered entirely by him.”

The chat immediately filled with clapping emojis, followed by messages like: “Thank you, Young Master Yang.” “We love you, Young Master Yang.” “Please keep me, Young Master Yang.”

“Damn it! Is money really that amazing? Who the hell is this Young Master Yang anyway!” Ren Xiaodong could not stand people putting on airs in front of him. It was only the first day of school, and already he had run into someone showing off. He could not tolerate it.

Liu Sheng smiled. “Why care who he is? Isn’t it better if you don’t have to pay? Come on, get ready to go play. Enjoy your college years.”

Liu Sheng and Ren Xiaodong took a taxi to the location sent in the group chat. As soon as they got out, they saw the entire class standing at the entrance. Thinking they were there to welcome them, Liu Sheng hurried forward and said, “Sorry, we’re late...”

Before he could finish, the whole crowd suddenly ran toward the curb. Liu Sheng and Ren Xiaodong looked on in confusion and saw the students gathering around a sports car. A young man stepped out, dressed in a white suit and wearing sunglasses in a thoroughly ostentatious manner. He handed the keys to the hotel valet and said, “Be careful. Don’t scratch it.”

“Young Master Yang, you look so handsome today,” said one of the girls.

Liu Sheng and Ren Xiaodong finally realized that this flashy fool was Young Master Yang. Though it was already early September, the weather was still hot, yet he was dressed in both a shirt and a suit.

At the girl’s words, Young Master Yang replied, “When am I not handsome?”

Then the students, even some of the boys, chimed in: “Young Master Yang is handsome every day, but today he’s especially handsome!”

When Young Master Yang and the others entered the hotel, Liu Sheng and Ren Xiaodong followed at the back. Ren Xiaodong muttered from time to time, “May the heat kill this bastard! And these classmates—have they never eaten anything good, never seen a rich man? One by one, they’re practically kissing up to him.”

Liu Sheng only smiled without speaking. Ren Xiaodong went on, “Liu Sheng, you were right to tell us to keep a low profile. Otherwise, with them fawning over the two of us like this, I don’t know if you could stand it, but I definitely couldn’t.”

When they entered the private room Young Master Yang had prepared for the class, Liu Sheng could not help but sigh. “Young Master Yang spent quite a bit today. This is really impressive.”

Upon hearing this, Young Master Yang laughed heartily and said to Liu Sheng, “I remember you. Your name is Liu Sheng. I was there when attendance was taken today. It’s a pity you’re not that famous director, Liu Sheng.”

Another student then asked, “By the way, Young Master Yang, your family also runs a film company, second only to Liu Yao World Film Company, right? Then you must know Director Liu Sheng, don’t you?”

Hearing this, Liu Sheng also realized whose son this Young Master Yang was: Yang Quan’s son, from one of Chong City’s ten largest companies, the Yang Film Company.

Patting his chest, Young Master Yang said, “Of course I know him. My relationship with Director Liu Sheng is quite good. But I’m definitely not talking about our class’s Liu Sheng. Our Liu Sheng and that Liu Sheng of theirs are not even in the same league.”

“Exactly. How can our Liu Sheng compare with that one? He clearly doesn’t have the aura of a rich man like Young Master Yang.”

“Right, right. If our Liu Sheng were a director, I’d wash my hair upside down!”

Hearing the students’ attitude toward Liu Sheng, Young Master Yang said, “Come now, we’re all classmates. Why make things difficult for him just because of his name?”

“Young Master Yang is right. We’re all classmates, so we shouldn’t say such things. But our Liu Sheng really doesn’t deserve this name. Look at that famous Director Liu Sheng—same name as ours, but what a world of difference!”

Young Master Yang also said, “So what should we do? We can’t exactly ask our Liu Sheng to change his name. Even if he did, naming someone is a skill. Liu One, Liu Two, Liu Three? None of those sound good. Hahaha!”

After he finished, the whole class burst into laughter. They were all mocking Liu Sheng simply because of his name.

Ren Xiaodong wanted to step in and teach Young Master Yang a lesson, but Liu Sheng whispered, “As long as they’re happy. They only said a few words about me. If we beat him up over that, I’d seem far too petty.”

“All right, all right. Classmates, take your seats. Order whatever you want to eat or drink. It all goes on my tab,” Young Master Yang said grandly.

There were four tables in all, nine people per table, just enough to seat the whole class. Liu Sheng’s class had thirty-six people, twenty-six of them girls. Every one of those twenty-six girls wanted to sit with Young Master Yang. In order to be near him, several of them nearly came to blows.

Excluding Young Master Yang, the remaining nine boys all sat at one table, including Liu Sheng and Ren Xiaodong.

The boys at Liu Sheng’s table all said, “So jealous of Young Master Yang. The whole class’s girls are fighting over him.” “Exactly. Money really is wonderful!”

During the meal, one boy asked Young Master Yang, “Young Master Yang, you know Director Liu Sheng, so you must also know Tang Xin, right? She’s my goddess. Could you help me get a signed photo from her?”

“No problem at all. Tang Xin is working on a project with our company. Besides, Tang Xin is my girlfriend. Not just one photo—I could get you ten!” When Young Master Yang said this, no one knew what kind of courage had possessed him, and he lied without even blushing.

Several boys immediately started teasing him. “Call your girlfriend over and let us meet her. Even though we all go to the same school, we’ve never seen her.”

“Yeah, yeah. Don’t forget we’ve still got Director Liu Sheng here. Let Goddess Tang Xin come and meet him too.”

Liu Sheng felt like crying. Why did everything have to involve him?

Young Master Yang stood and headed outside, saying, “Wait here. I’ll call her right now.”

After he left the private room, Liu Sheng sharpened his hearing and listened to the conversation between Young Master Yang and Tang Xin.

“Is this Tang Xin? It’s Yang Yu. I’ve been pursuing you for so long—could you do me the honor of having dinner with me tonight?”

“Young Master Yang, I’m busy today and can’t make it. Maybe another time.”

“Tang Xin, didn’t you take on a project from my family’s company? Come discuss the script together.”

“I said I’m busy today.”

“Could you give me some face...”

Before Young Master Yang could finish, Tang Xin hung up.

Liu Sheng smiled to himself. Yang Yu is the kind of man who can sleep with whichever star he wants. If Tang Xin didn’t have Liu Sheng backing her, she probably wouldn’t have been able to escape Yang Yu’s grasp.

Still, he took out his phone and sent Tang Xin a message: “I’m at a class gathering today. My classmates all like you and want to meet you. Come by and sit for a while.”

Soon, he received her reply: “Okay. Send me the address.”

After sending it to her, Liu Sheng added, “It’s in private room 888. And remember, I’m just an ordinary college student, not your boss, Liu Sheng.”

“You really are a handful. Got it!” After reading her reply, Liu Sheng smiled. He had been wanting to see Tang Xin today anyway. After all, when lovers are apart for a day, it feels like three years.

Then Young Master Yang said, “Tang Xin is a little busy today. She’ll probably come later.”

He was planning to use that excuse to keep everyone waiting, so that when the end drew near he could say Tang Xin probably would not be coming.

What he had not expected was that Tang Xin would arrive later not only after all, but as Liu Sheng’s girlfriend.