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墨書 Inktalez
"Jian Yunong, where are you working now?"
Working?
This word sounds strange. It feels overly formal, used in what should be a close and warm class reunion, revealing a sense of alienation and distance.
Why do classmates who seemed friendly during school change so much after entering society?
The faces are clearly familiar from memory, yet they feel so unfamiliar.
Jian Yunong feels a bit awkward; she somewhat regrets attending the reunion. Even arguing and bickering with Huo Lianchen at home, having her face pinched by him, seems more appealing.
"Jian Yunong went abroad back then; she must be in a multinational corporation now?"
"Jian Yunong, are you still single? You shouldn't be lacking boyfriends, right? You were so popular when we were studying; all of us Campus Heartthrob were captivated by you."
One question after another comes rushing in.
"Hey!"
Wangcai can't stand it anymore. Knowing that Yi Nansheng and Jian Yunong have already broken up, these people still bring it up intentionally; it's really amusing! No wonder Jian Yunong doesn't like attending reunions.
"Let's talk about something happy. Let's discuss something meaningful."
But some people aren't buying it.
"How is this not happy? Jian Yunong, you were the one who dumped our Campus Heartthrob. You have no idea how many of us envied you back then. Who has the luck of Jian Yunong? While everyone else couldn't find boyfriends, she had Campus Heartthrob as her boyfriend. If it were me, I would never let go of Campus Heartthrob; I would cling to his leg for dear life."
Jian Yunong remains silent.
She remained silent, and those around her assumed she was feeling guilty and insecure.
Wang Cai interjected, "Everyone has their own ambitions. Not every woman relies on a man."
A classmate who had just been rebutted laughed, "What's wrong with relying on a man? We rely on men but never put up a facade. Unlike some people who are being supported by someone yet still pretend to be high and mighty."
Jian Yunong glanced over, and that person rolled their eyes at her.
"I've already said, that's Jian Yunong's husband." Wang Cai became furious at the mention of this. How could these gossipers not understand simple words?
"Husband? Jian Yunong is married? Oh? Why didn't she bring her husband along? Jian Yunong is truly someone who has dated the Campus Heartthrob. She's one of the first among us to get married."
The tone of the speaker was so sour it could make one's teeth ache.
Initially, Yi Nansheng was very popular; he had a good personality and was sunny and cheerful. In that university where there were more girls than boys, he was hailed as the Campus Heartthrob as soon as he appeared. In fact, Jian Yunong had been with Yi Nansheng before they entered college. However, since it wasn't good for rumors about early relationships to spread, once they got to college, they pretended it was their first meeting.
Yi Nansheng played the romantic card and publicly pursued Jian Yunong, leading those girls around them to mistakenly believe they only got together in college.
Wang Cai said, "I've already mentioned that today is a reunion; there's no mandatory rule that you have to bring your spouse."
Not that no one brought someone along, but very few did.
After all, everyone had just graduated a little over a year ago.
Let alone being married; many of these people hadn't even secured jobs yet. Some relied on family connections to land stable jobs, while others were still in the process of trying to secure one.
People like Wang Cai, who ran a bar and had a thriving business, were already well-off.
Jian Yunong slightly pursed her lips, remaining expressionless and betraying no emotions as she calmly lifted her glass for a sip. How did a perfectly good reunion turn into her own trial? Jian Yunong couldn't understand. She didn't want to explain either.
These people... she probably won't contact them again in the future.
It's better to let them live only in memories. At least during their student days, they were a bit awkward, but they weren't as sharp-tongued and full of negative energy as they are now.
Someone spoke up, "Wangcai, you said Jian Yunong got married, but why haven't we seen her wearing a wedding ring? Wangcai, you defend Jian Yunong so much; you don't have feelings for her, do you?"
Wangcai turned bright red, "What nonsense are you talking about! Others are married; don't spread rumors here."
"You’re doing great; at least you're single. Jian Yunong, just make sure not to get involved with a married man. Your past is already well-known. It will be difficult for you to return to Nancheng and find an honest man to marry."
Jian Yunong finally spoke up, "What about my past?"
"It's about you being supported by an old, ugly bald man."
"Who said that?" Wangcai slammed the table with a loud bang.
"I'm not spreading rumors. This was said by Jian Yunong's cousin Jian Dan."
Words coming from relatives should be quite credible! That's what everyone who spreads rumors thinks!
Jian Yunong finally understood why her reputation was so poor.
She merely curled her lips into a cold smile.
It's truly the pot calling the kettle black.
Jian Dan was afraid that Jian Yunong would expose her unspeakable matters, so she made the first move to deflect attention.
Jian Yunong had no intention of revealing Jian Dan's faults.
If she does that, what difference is there between her and these people? If word gets out, sensible people will only laugh, saying the Jian Family has raised a bunch of fools who fight among themselves; it's only a matter of time before they fall apart.
Wang Cai was almost dying of anxiety beside her. Jian Yunong finally spoke up, and Wang Cai thought she was ready to rise up instead of being a pushover. But after asking that one question, there was no further discussion?
After today's class reunion, these gossipers didn't know how to spin stories about Jian Yunong.
The more you interact with Jian Yunong, the more you realize she has a big heart; to put it simply, she's a bit thick-skinned. She doesn't want to fuss over many things, but some people think Jian Yunong is just pretending to be aloof.
Wang Cai was anxious; he couldn't let Jian Yunong treat herself this way. So he took the initiative to bring her into the conversation with everyone.
"Nong Nong, since everyone is so curious, why don't you tell us about your husband? Now that you're married, you should share some of your good fortune!" Wang Cai was in business and believed in harmony bringing wealth.
"Yeah, do tell," everyone chimed in.
Some were giving Jian Yunong an out, while others were just looking for entertainment.
Jian Yunong caressed her cup, her gaze slightly lowered. "He... he runs a hotel; there's not much to say."
"Oh... so he runs a restaurant," someone picked up the thread and began to speak sarcastically.
Jian Yunong shot that person a glance. A hotel is equivalent to a restaurant? That's quite the logic.
At that moment, the door to the private room opened.
"Sorry, I'm late."
A gentle voice, just like his demeanor—warm and refined. Yi Nansheng walked in with a smile that felt like spring breeze. Most of the female classmates present brightened at the sight.
Many men start to gain weight after graduation; even those who were somewhat good-looking can't escape the ravages of time—balding, getting chubby, and so on. But time seems powerless against those who are truly handsome. Yi Nansheng still had his charm; having shed his youthful naivety, he now exuded a mature aura that was gentle and composed yet irresistibly alluring.
Immediately, someone gave Yi Nansheng a seat, right across from Jian Yunong.
Wang Cai couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "Come on, there are so many seats available, and they had to choose this table. Is this intentional?"
These classmates really enjoy stirring up trouble.
Jian Yunong initially wanted to leave, but because of Yi Nansheng's sudden appearance, she felt embarrassed to get up immediately.
She didn't want to put Yi Nansheng in a difficult position.
"I'll go to the restroom," Jian Yunong said to Wang Cai.
Wang Cai nodded, "Just go out and turn right; you'll see it."
Going to the restroom was just an excuse to step outside for some fresh air. All the classmates present today were witnesses to her relationship with Yi Nansheng back in the day. To say it wasn't awkward would be lying to herself.
But it was only awkward.
She surprisingly no longer felt a strong sense of repulsion.
She should have stopped loving Yi Nansheng; she didn't even harbor intense hatred for him anymore.
This person had finally become a distant memory, as light as a cloud in the past.
She could still think about staying a little longer to save face for him.
It turned out that politeness was actually a sign of the growing distance between them.
At the entrance of the private room, Jian Yunong slightly adjusted her breathing to appear more natural.
However, as soon as she pushed the door open, Jian Yunong lowered her head and walked past Yi Nansheng, following her memory to her seat, only to find someone sitting there.
Jian Yunong looked up and saw Huo Jincheng sitting in her spot.
"You... what are you doing here?" Jian Yunong was so surprised that her tongue got tangled.
She hadn't told Huo Jincheng that she was attending a class reunion today.
"I'm here to pick you up," Huo Jincheng said with a doting smile, pulling her down to sit.
Wang Cai shifted over a seat, feeling quite pleased with himself, and raised his voice, "Nong Nong. Your husband is really good to you! Hey! You there, weren't you curious about Nong Nong's husband? He's here now, why are you silent? Come on, come say hello. We are Nong Nong's classmates; we can't let her lose face."
Everyone fell silent.
Wang Cai clapped his hands, "Look at my memory. Jian Yunong, you haven't introduced your husband yet."
Under the table, Jian Yunong's hand was held tightly in Huo Jincheng's palm.
Jian Yunong came back to her senses and glanced at Huo Jincheng before gently speaking, "This is my husband, his last name is Huo."
The crowd exchanged glances, noting that Huo Jincheng was young and exceptionally handsome. Sitting there, he exuded an unusual aura.
Someone asked, "Mr. Huo, I heard you own a restaurant?"
Huo Jincheng smiled faintly, his fingers stroking Jian Yunong's palm. "Sort of."
"Is business good? Cantonese cuisine or Sichuan cuisine? Where is it located? We should go try it sometime and support your business."
Huo Jincheng raised an eyebrow and said, "Alright."
He provided an address.
"This place is hard to find; I've never even heard of it! The business must not be good, right? If you're going to open a store, it should be on a pedestrian street or in a commercial center. That's where the foot traffic is."
"That makes sense." Huo Jincheng nodded in apparent agreement.
Jian Yunong began to sweat in his palms.
The money these people made combined didn't even amount to what Huo Jincheng earned in a month. They were seriously trying to educate Huo Jincheng on how to do business.
Jian Yunong's feelings were quite complicated.
Yi Nansheng sat across the table, quietly observing the scene without speaking.
Yi Nansheng was like a detached spectator, watching this group of classmates who liked him very much make fools of themselves, too indifferent to say a word to remind them to stop embarrassing themselves.
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