Many people thought they had heard wrong.
Had Xue An... gone mad?
Hong Ming's face turned green, and he said sinisterly, "Xue An, remember not to kneel and beg for mercy later."
Xue An just smiled faintly, "That advice seems more suitable for you!"
At this point, Fan Mengxue interrupted the two, "Hong Ming, today is my birthday. You'd better not start anything!"
Hong Ming huffed and backed away with a grim face.
Song Jing's heart, however, bloomed with joy.
Let them argue.
The more intense the quarrel, the better!
Hehe, it would be best if Hong Ming completely annoyed Fan Mengxue, that wench, so she herself would have a chance to rise to the top.
Song Jing was making her calculations.
Fan Mengxue looked at Xue An with concern.
Xue An smiled and shook his head, signaling her not to worry.
It was then that Tang Xuan'er stood up, "Today is Meng Xue's birthday. It's not easy for her to come back. Let's all toast to her!"
Everyone stood up, Xue An also lifted his glass, and gave Fan Mengxue a toast from afar.
Fan Mengxue then smiled radiantly and downed her drink.
Pop.
The champagne was opened.
When the waiter brought in the twelve-layered cake, the atmosphere reached a climax.
This time, however, everyone focused their attention on Hong Ming.
Flattery flowed over Hong Ming like a tide.
Many people eagerly complimented Hong Ming, hoping to secure a position under him.
After a few drinks, Hong Ming himself began to feel rather elated, and with a grand gesture, said,
"Don't worry, we're all classmates. I'll naturally help when I should."
"Young Hong is mighty!"
"Young Hong is truly extraordinary!"
The crowd repeatedly toasted him.
Meanwhile, Xue An seemed to be forgotten, with not even a glance from anyone.
At that moment, Hong Ming pressed his hand downward to quiet everyone and then pulled a small box from his chest.
Upon opening it, inside was a diamond ring of at least five carats.
"Meng Xue, happy birthday!"
Hong Ming's birthday gift silenced the room.
Song Jing's eyes nearly shot flames of jealousy.
But Fan Mengxue lowered her eyes and gently shook her head, "Hong Ming, I can't accept this gift!"
"Why not?"
"It's too valuable!"
Hong Ming laughed, "It's just over a million, not a big deal at all!"
But just then, a childlike voice piped up.
"Daddy, the ring you bought me from the roadside stand is bigger than this one!"
All eyes turned to the speaker.
Xue Xiang put down the chicken leg in his hand and said very seriously, "Really, the ring my daddy bought from the roadside is very big!"
Many people couldn't help but laugh at Xue Xiang's naive appearance.
Song Jing laughed, "Little girl, the ring your daddy bought can't be more than five yuan, but Young Hong has spent over a million on this!"
"Is over a million a lot?" Xue Xiang blinked curiously.
"Of course!"
Xue Xiang shook her head, "But I think that whatever daddy buys me, must be the best in the world!"
Xue Nian swallowed the meat in his mouth and nodded vigorously, "Sister is right!"
Xue An couldn't help but laugh and touched the heads of Xue Xiang and Xue Nian, "That's right, whatever daddy gives you is definitely the best!"
"Daddy, I want to give Aunt Meng Xue a present!" Xue Xiang said.
"Go ahead! Whatever you've been given is yours, and you can give it to whomever you wish!"
Xue Xiang nodded, hopped off the chair, and then walked over to Fan Mengxue, seriously taking out the little ring Xue An had bought for her.
"Mengxue Auntie, happy birthday!"
Seeing the exquisitely cute little girl, Fan Mengxue couldn't help but smile, taking the ring and saying, "Thank you! What's your name?"
"My name is Xue Xiang, and my younger sister is Xue Nian!"
"Xue Xiang, Xue Nian..." Fan Mengxue murmured a few words, a trace of bitterness crossing her heart.
That girl, she surely liked him too, didn't she?
At that moment, Song Jing sneered with sarcasm, "Some people are really good at saving money, huh? Pick up a ring for five bucks on the street and call it a gift?"
Fan Mengxue frowned, finding Song Jing really annoying.
But suddenly.
Fan Mengxue let out a light gasp as she carefully examined the ring.
And then, Fan Mengxue was shocked.
Having become famous, Fan Mengxue had frequently endorsed various jewelry and luxury brands, so she had an eye for these things.
Fan Mengxue could affirm that this ring was not your average street stall item.
On the contrary, its purity and quality were absolutely singular treasures.
This thing could not possibly have been bought at a street stall!
Meanwhile, Hong Ming couldn't save face anymore, one setback after another had pushed him to the brink of eruption.
Now that Fan Mengxue was even refusing his gift, it cost Hong Ming his last shred of patience.
He violently snatched the ring from Fan Mengxue's hand and ruthlessly threw it onto the ground.
Fan Mengxue was furious, "Hong Ming, what gives you the right to throw the gift Xue An gave me onto the ground?"
Hong Ming scoffed coldly, "Mengxue, this piece of junk is worthless. Why would you want it? Xue An, if you can't afford a gift, then don't buy one. Who do you think you're fooling with a plastic toy?"
Xue An sighed and slowly stood up. He picked up the now shattered ring from the ground and extended a finger towards Hong Ming.
"Ten million!"
"What?" Hong Ming didn't understand.
"I mean, you've smashed the ring I gave away. You have to pay for it. Seeing as we're old schoolmates, let's call it ten million," Xue An said indifferently.
Hong Ming looked at Xue An as if he were looking at a fool, "Are you crazy with poverty? Here's a thousand yuan, enough to buy a hundred rings like yours!"
Song Jing also scoffed, "He's trying to scam us!"
"So, you're not planning on compensating?"
"I'm compensating your ass!" Hong Ming couldn't help but curse.
But the next second, he paid the price for his words.
Xue An suddenly grabbed an ashtray from the table, caught hold of Hong Ming's hair, and slammed it down on him four or five times.
Everyone was stunned by this scene.
Blood instantly poured from Hong Ming's head.
Song Jing started to scream, but her scream was abruptly cut off halfway because Xue An grabbed her neck and spoke indifferently, "If you don't want to die, be quiet, understand?"
Song Jing nodded fearfully because she saw the look in Xue An's eyes.
It was a detached and lofty gaze.
Song Jing had a premonition that if she did not behave, Xue An wouldn't hesitate to snap her neck.
At that moment, Hong Ming, who had been stunned by the ashtray, came to his senses, and anger contorted his face into something ferocious.
"Xue An, you're dead meat, I will kill you!"
Xue An nodded, "Seems you're still not convinced!"
Then, Xue An calmly lifted the ashtray again and slammed it down, bang bang bang, another series of hits.
Crack.
Until the ashtray finally couldn't withstand any more and shattered.
Only then did Xue An let go, and by now, Hong Ming couldn't even stand, collapsing onto the ground with blood flowing down his forehead.
Xue An said indifferently, "I think now we can calmly discuss the matter of compensation."
The room was filled with shocked gazes.
No one expected that Xue An, who was so gentle and cultured in school, would suddenly become so violent.
Only Xue An knew that he could reduce Hong Ming, Song Jing, and the others to ashes effortlessly, but that wouldn't do anything for the Heart Demon.
The only effective way was to make those who had once bullied him pay a thousandfold.
At this moment, a hint of fear finally appeared in Hong Ming's eyes as he looked at Xue An.
He could never have dreamed that Xue An would suddenly give him a beating.