"Xi Ran, are you coming along? We have an hour before lunch break is over, let's make good use of it!"
In Tianxing's Fourth High School, a beautiful young girl poked her head from the doorway of the classroom to call out towards the seat at the far corner – more particularly, the classmate sleeping on top of the desk. Submerged in the bath of golden rays of noon, the young girl's figure was captivating, the aura of innocence and joy prompting many to swallow nervously in silence.
Hearing the voice, many nearby students revealed envious expressions, though many deigned to remain silent after a quick internal debate. Hence, their eyes trailed from their original target to appreciate the mouthwatering flower standing at the corridor, their fiercely pounding hearts forced to suffer in silence.
"Xi Ran!"
The young girl called out once more, her expression tinged with apprehension as she continued to glance at the clock supported above the blackboard.
Her feet tapped against the floor in impatience, and the sleeping youth gradually aroused from his nap.
Someone was calling him?
The youth yawned as he rapidly blinked his eyes, raising an index finger to rub at his forehead to ease himself from his sleep. Turning his gaze towards the source of the disturbance and finding the figure of the beautiful young girl, the youth suppressed another yawn.
"Cheng Meiguo, something wrong?"
To his nonchalant reply, Cheng Meiguo's beautiful countenance flushed with a tinge of pink as the impatience soared towards her head. Her feet tapped onto the ground, and the young girl resorted to a quick and dense explanation of her demand.
"Lunch! Come, Fatty Wu is treating us all at the Heaven's Dynasty Restaurant!"
The youth's eyebrow flicked upward in surprise, another yawn breaking across his handsome countenance. Glancing at the clock and grabbing his bag, the youth named Xi Ran stretched his body as he stood, walking towards the corridor with a sleepy-eyed expression.
"How many are coming along?"
"Five others!"
Cheng Meiguo's expression lightened at the youth's compliance, her steps instantly becoming light and airy. Rushing down the corridor to gather the remainder of the group, the young girl's countenance beamed with a cheerful smile.
"Fatty's prepared to bleed himself dry?"
The youth revealed a wry smile, a light smirk making its conquest across his countenance. As they walked, the youth easily maintained pace with the young beautiful girl as they lightly conversed, merging into the group that was earnestly preparing to leave the school building.
Tianxing was a medium-sized city in Hua, located in between the Shanxi and Henan Provinces.
As a city, Tianxing was mediocre in regards to the developments in infrastructure and commercial expansion as compared to the other cities of their caliber.
In the entire country of Hua, Tianxing could only be labeled as 'average' in the annual inspection of prosperity and development conducted by the government.
An average population for a medium-sized city, average development in research and educational institutes, average development in commercial areas that were gradually becoming mainstream articles of the world, and so forth…
However, Tianxing did possess its greatest specialties; the city was located in a divine region of land fairly undisturbed by human civilization since the beginning of history.
Other than the larger municipal sectors and the regions of land dedicated to modern commercial development and industrial expansion, the city was surrounded on three fronts by a beautiful assortment of natural scenery. On three sides of the city, the outskirts of Tianxing revealed three different paradises.
The northern edge expanded into a large forest that perfectly captured Hua's natural charms and delicacies into one large region of land; the southern edge displayed a fantastic river that reflected the beauty of the country's legends of spiritual springs, and the western outskirts lead into a massive stretch of undeveloped land covered in grass, trees, and vines.
To the inhabitants of Tianxing, these three regions were merely everyday scenery they witnessed as they commuted to work, school, or a destination of their leisure.
They could oftentimes observe the environment in silence, but the three outskirts were not sectors of interest for the city dwellers whose goal was to move to a higher chain of command within the great machinery that was society.
However, outside interests were different.
The northern and southern edges were highly desired by real estate companies who desired to expand into high-class, luxury villas and residential areas that would be difficult or too costly to achieve in different cities. Additionally, the western outskirts were captured in the interested gazes of industrial companies seeking to expand their scale of production.
Thus, though Tianxing's development and prosperity was mediocre and average, many powerful and influential families sought after purchasing the undeveloped lands for their own use.
The Heaven's Dynasty Restaurant was a byproduct of sorts; the Lu Family of Beijing had invested a hundred and thirty million RMB into achieving the prize as the first luxurious building to be established at the riverside of the city. Though many had criticized them for rash behavior back then, the Lu Family had not broken a sweat whilst signing the cheque.
Thus, the southern outskirts of Tianxing welcomed a towering building of glass and steel to observe the sunset with the underlying filter of a large river with sparkling, crystalline water.
Following the trend of all rich fantasy stories, the restaurant quickly became a hotspot for the rich locals and foreigners who had too much money on their hands to spend. Thus, the Heaven's Dynasty Restaurant was established as the location of convene for many influential persons to discuss their business…
It was pure coincidence that Tianxing Fourth High School was located just a few blocks away from the massive restaurant that served the highest quality and most expensive food of the city. The fact that students could also dine at the Heaven's Dynasty Restaurant was also coincidence…
"Fatty Wu, you must be prepared to bleed dry today, ah?"
A youth who had forgone the mandatory school uniform and donned himself in a black leather jacket jeered towards a round-bellied student, his lips curving into a light smile. The large student stood and shook his fist, earning himself a fierce glare from the bus driver.
"Of course, this Young Master is prepared to bleed dry!" the youth nicknamed 'Fatty Wu' by his friends patted his stomach and sneered.
"Though, I doubt that you would be able to stomach all of this Young Master's wealth, Brother Ding, ah?"
"Well, this humble official cannot help but bow down to the emperor who lives on his father's wealth! Long live!"
The youth dressed in the leather jacket released an annoyed huff of air, before performing a mock kowtow towards the round-bellied youth. Ding Xushou and Fatty Wu shared a brief, tensed glare, before erupting into loud laughter.
"Brother Ding, Fatty Wu, can't you leave your antics alone?" Cheng Meiguo pouted in frustration, her voice slightly sour.
"You're making the other passengers stare at us as though we're a bunch of delinquents!"
"Why, they can call us delinquents all they want," Fatty Wu chuckled, before leaning in towards the beautiful young girl.
"We'll just have to hide behind Great Empress Dowager Cheng's large shadow – those passengers will be staring at her mouthwatering figure to concern themselves about us miscreants!"
"Whose figure is mouthwatering!?"
The group of eight high school students burst into another round of laughter as Cheng Meiguo's countenance blushed red and scowled towards the large-bellied student.
At the front of the bus, the middle-aged man whose hands gripped onto the wheel shook his head with exasperation.
These kids were too rowdy – how was he supposed to listen to the changes on the road!?
Under the suppressing glare painting large, bold targets on the back of their heads from the rear-view mirror, the youths fell silent for the rest of the bus ride. Stepping off and glancing at the towering building just fifteen meters away, the students couldn't help but release a collective sigh and pat Fatty Wu on the back.
"Young Master Fatty Wu, we'll be relying on you, ah."
The large-bellied youth puffed his chest with a confident smile as he strode forwards, only to turn around with a glum expression on his plump countenance. Fatty Wu – Wu Lanxi sniffed with an aggrieved look, his wall of fat rippling as his body shook away crocodile tears.
"The 'Young Master' was nice, but why did you have to add the 'fatty'?"
"Shut up, Fatty Wu! We're starving, let's eat some lunch already!"
A slew of middle fingers jabbed the air to poke Wu Lanxi on the forehead, prompting the large-bellied youth to scowl and pretend walk back towards the public bus stop. Amidst a storm of light-hearted curses and laughter, the group of students walked past the gaping doors of the Heaven's Dynasty Restaurant, their hearts giddy and laden at the same time.
His lips heaving a light sigh of boredom, the youth who was called Xi Ran by the others glanced towards the other students earnestly chattering away with each other. Hearing the topics of everyday life, the recent fashion stars, the rise and fall and another fall of a certain company… the youth resisted the urge to rub the base of his chin to stave off his yawn.
Ah, seventeen years into his vacation and he was already becoming bored – no way could he let that happen!