At first, Su Xiaobai thought it was a wrong number, but it turned out that the caller was indeed Su Bai's old classmate from high school, someone named Li De. He had been a classmate with Su Bai when she attended Mingzhu No. 2 High School. Everyone in the class called him by his nickname "Liūzi" (Slippery), as he was skilled at socializing and flattering people. Not only did he get along with his classmates, but even the homeroom teacher, all the subject teachers, and the department head were all charmed by his smooth-talking ways. Despite his poor grades, during the last three months of preparations for the college entrance exams, the homeroom teacher specially arranged for him to sit next to Su Bai, the top student, so she could tutor him.
After the college entrance exams, Li De didn't get into a prestigious university but instead went to a university in another province, barely meeting the second-tier line. In the following years, he created a social group, and through various means, he managed to gather all the classmates from Class 13 of No. 2 High. Su Bai was also in the group, but she was focused on her career and mostly remained invisible, only sending holiday greetings with some pictures in the group. Other than that, she was hardly ever active.
Li De calling her this time was a surprise. Especially for Su Xiaobai, although she knew that Su Bai had a high school alumni group, she, as Su Xiaobai, had only truly "come to life" during the college entrance exams, meaning that before that, Su Xiaobai had no connection with Su Bai's high school classmates or anyone she had encountered before the age of eighteen.
She initially planned to refuse, but Li De's enthusiasm and fluent way of speaking wore her down. Since she was getting a bit bored at home, with no real friends around, and nothing more interesting to do than shopping or having tea alone, she decided it might be good to meet some of Su Bai's old classmates and see what the reunion was like. Perhaps it would help her alleviate some of the boredom.
After Li De heard her agreement, he quickly responded cheerfully, "Great! We've booked a private room at Peace Hotel. Just give me a call when you arrive, and I'll come down to meet you."
"No need," Su Xiaobai politely replied. "Just tell me the room number. There's no need to trouble yourself."
"It's no trouble at all! It's been so many years since we've seen each other. You helped me out back in the day by tutoring me for three months, so I have to return the favor. Besides, I'm also being a bit selfish. If everyone sees me personally bringing the 'goddess' of Mingzhu No. 2 High School to the party, they'll all be envious! It'll be a boost for my reputation," Li De said with a big smile.
Su Xiaobai was amused by his words and nearly laughed out loud. She held back her laughter and agreed to let him meet her, feeling much lighter after the call ended.
On the day of the reunion, Su Xiaobai didn't dress too flashy. She wore a simple white Givenchy sleeveless chiffon top, paired with black embroidered silk shorts, and a Burberry black mid-sleeve coat. She completed the look with black high-heeled sandals. The overall style was gender-neutral with a touch of femininity and allure. It was hard not to notice the stark contrast between Su Bai's and Su Xiaobai's dressing styles. They were two extremes—one reserved, the other rebellious.
Su Bai's modesty and Su Xiaobai's unruly nature were their greatest limitations, and yet they shaped each other in a strange way.
After parking the car in the basement parking lot of Peace Hotel, Su Xiaobai called Li De. Within five minutes, she saw a slightly plump man walking towards her from the other side of the parking lot.
At first, Su Xiaobai wasn't sure if this man was Li De, but as soon as he saw her, his face lit up with unmistakable excitement, confirming that this was indeed Li De.
Nine years had passed since they last met, and upon seeing the "goddess" of Mingzhu No. 2 High School, Li De narrowed his eyes for a moment, a flash of admiration flickering in his gaze. Though Su Xiaobai's outfit was far from eye-catching, anyone with an eye for style could tell that the high-end brands she wore were enhanced by her charisma, making her look even more elegant.
With a bright smile, Li De quickened his pace and walked towards Su Xiaobai, praising her with enthusiasm, "Su Bai, it's been so long, and you've only gotten more beautiful! Truly the school beauty of our No. 2 High School."
Su Xiaobai smiled lightly, not paying much attention to his compliments. Instead, she looked at Li De's bulging belly and teasingly said, "Old classmate, looks like you've been doing well. Seems like life's been treating you kindly."
To be honest, Su Xiaobai wasn't sure what Li De had looked like before, but seeing his belly, she guessed that he wasn't always so "plump." Nine years had passed, so it wasn't surprising that he had gained some weight.
Su Xiaobai wasn't bothered at all by her teasing of Li De. In fact, she could tell he was actually quite happy. Perhaps it was because, in his memory, Su Bai had never been so warm and friendly with him before.
"Eh, it's going okay, just getting by," Li De said casually while leading Su Xiaobai into the elevator.
Although Li De had initiated this gathering, he knew how to manage things well. Back in the day, Class 13 at Mingzhu No. 2 High School had 34 students. Since it was an advanced class, the number wasn't as many as other classes, but Li De managed to contact every single one of them. Everyone, even those who hadn't been particularly close, showed him some courtesy, and they all agreed to attend.
When they entered the private room, Su Xiaobai saw two large round wooden tables surrounded by a crowd of people. Everyone was in high spirits, excited to see old classmates after so many years.
The moment Li De entered with Su Xiaobai, everyone's eyes instinctively landed on her. The gazes were filled with admiration, longing, and even a hint of jealousy. In short, the room was buzzing with all kinds of emotions, but most of the faces were lit up with excitement.
"Everyone, here comes our Class 13 goddess, Su Bai!" Li De grinned, directing Su Xiaobai to sit at the main seat at one of the tables.
After sitting down, the waiter arrived with the food, mostly seafood, but no one was in a rush to start eating. Li De scanned the room, frowning slightly, then asked, "Has Cheng Dongdong arrived yet? Should we give him a call to check on him?"
"I just called him. He said there's heavy traffic, he'll be here soon. We can start eating," someone replied.
Li De pursed his lips in slight dissatisfaction, but he didn't show it too much. He simply said, "Well, he's a big shot now. We're just ordinary folks, can't compare to him. Look at him, busy with work, and we're just here having a good time. But it's fine, we don't need to wait. Let's have a drink first." With that, he raised his glass, and everyone else followed suit. The room stood up, and various colorful drinks clinked together in their glasses, gleaming in the light.
Su Xiaobai took a sip of beer, as it was low in alcohol and not very strong. She only planned to take a few sips, enough to participate, and then just listen and observe.
She didn't know anyone in the group of old classmates. Although many of them tried to start a conversation with her, she mostly just smiled, nodded, and exchanged a few words. Most of the people seemed surprised that she had attended the reunion, so after chatting briefly, they didn't push her to talk more. Most of the conversation was between the few who enjoyed talking.
During the meal, the male classmates mostly discussed careers and personal development, while the female classmates chatted about husbands and family. Su Xiaobai didn't find it boring. In fact, it was somewhat refreshing to hear.
After a round of food, the door to the private room was pushed open, and a man dressed in a suit entered, carrying a briefcase under his arm. His hair was slicked back, and he looked quite young but deliberately dressed in an old-fashioned, formal style.
"Ah, our big shot is here! Pour him a drink. He's late, so he owes a penalty drink," Li De said with a smile, even before Cheng Dongdong had a chance to sit down. He handed him a small glass of liquor.
Cheng Dongdong, being quite sharp, recognized that Li De was teasing him, but he didn't mind. He took the glass and downed it in one go, displaying a relaxed, confident attitude.
When Cheng Dongdong sat down, he happened to take a seat at the same table as Su Xiaobai. His gaze met hers, and for a brief moment, he froze, but quickly turned his attention elsewhere.
Once Cheng Dongdong appeared, he became the center of attention. The other classmates immediately surrounded him, asking him how he was doing, their faces full of flattering smiles. Even Li De had to greet him with a smile. Cheng Dongdong was indeed good-looking, and it wasn't surprising that many of the female classmates secretly admired him. Su Xiaobai quickly guessed that Cheng Dongdong was likely the one who had done the best for himself, and his family probably had some background.
As the evening progressed, it was already close to ten o'clock. Half of the classmates, most of whom were married or had work the next morning, had already left. Only about ten or so remained, and among the female classmates, only Su Xiaobai and one other, who wasn't married yet but was dressed the most "flirtatiously" of the night, were still there. This other girl had fashionable, curly hair and wore a low-cut yellow dress that hugged her curves. Every gesture of hers, every smile, was designed to be seductive. Especially after she had offered Cheng Dongdong several toasts, each time bending down slightly to show off her ample cleavage, causing the male classmates to be completely captivated.
Su Xiaobai had originally planned to leave, but just then, a conversation between Cheng Dongdong and Li De piqued her interest.
"Is the game starting tonight? Who's dealing this time?" Li De asked.
Cheng Dongdong lit a Red River cigarette he'd brought himself, then offered one to Li De. Li De squinted, recognizing that these cigarettes were much higher-end than the ones served at the Peace Hotel. A pack cost thousands, and it wasn't just about the money—these cigarettes were hard to get now, with limited supply. So, Li De took it without hesitation, lit it, and took a few puffs.
Cheng Dongdong didn't respond immediately, instead leisurely tapping his fingers on the table, blowing out a ring of smoke before speaking. "I heard there's a game at midnight in the western suburbs. Deng Ping himself will be dealing. He's planning to target someone."
"Oh? Deng Shao is personally dealing? Who's the fool who pissed him off this badly? With Deng Shao himself dealing, he's clearly going all out to ruin them, right?" Li De said with a sneer.
"I heard it's someone named Su. He's got some land, and one of the plots was something Deng Ping wanted. He planned to secure it for himself, but this Su guy wouldn't give him face. He used his connections to win the bidding. The project's already underway, and Deng Ping had made promises to others at the table. Now he's lost face and several billion worth of business. With this old and new grudge piling up, do you think he'll let this Su guy off the hook?" Cheng Dongdong explained.
"Is this Su guy here?" Li De asked with interest, a smile spreading across his face.
"Yeah, and apparently he's not afraid of Deng Ping," Cheng Dongdong replied.
"Who is this guy, then? Dare to challenge Deng Shao?" Li De mocked.
Cheng Dongdong chuckled, shaking his head with an expression of slight disdain. "This guy's background is hidden deep. The information we found is probably cleaned up. But there's another rumor that says his brother-in-law has some connections in the circle."
Every word of their conversation fell clearly into Su Xiaobai's ears, and for some reason, she couldn't shake the feeling that this whole matter might eventually come around to involve her.
So after the dinner, Su Xiaobai decided to follow Cheng Dongdong and Li De to the parking lot to grab their cars. Li De, ever so enthusiastic, bid her farewell, and even Cheng Dongdong said a few more words to her. After that, they got into the same car to head to some location, and Su Xiaobai clearly understood that they were going to the place they'd just mentioned. Without hesitation, she opened the other side of the car door and climbed in.
Li De was driving, while Cheng Dongdong sat in the front passenger seat. When Cheng Dongdong saw Su Xiaobai in the backseat, he was momentarily startled.
Su Xiaobai tapped her bag, raised her head to meet Cheng Dongdong's gaze in the rearview mirror, and said, "Just drive. Aren't you two going to watch the fun? Since we're old classmates, take me along too. Let me see what it's all about. Oh, and don't worry—I won't cause trouble. I'll just quietly watch and keep my mouth shut." With that, she didn't pay them any more attention and took out her phone to browse the news.
Cheng Dongdong and Li De exchanged glances, both confused about what had gotten into her, but they found Su Xiaobai's behavior rather refreshing. Cheng Dongdong slapped the table and, with a grin, told Li De to drive. Li De, although full of complaints, started the car and drove toward their destination.
Su Xiaobai had no idea that her spontaneous decision would lead to significant trouble for her in the future.