Ch. 3 - The Past

Although Ye Fan couldn’t be considered “successful” in the traditional sense, due to certain experiences and opportunities, he had managed to accumulate some capital. Not long ago, he bought a Mercedes-Benz, which, price-wise, was higher-end than Liu Yunzhi’s Toyota. Still, judging someone’s status by the car they drive felt quite superficial to him.

About ten minutes later, Ye Fan drove to the gathering spot, Bright Moon Above The Sea. It was a massive entertainment complex offering dining and leisure, located in a prime commercial area. The surrounding district was bustling, and the mid- to high-end cars parked in the lot gave away the wealth level of its clientele.

Having only graduated from college three years ago, most classmates had yet to achieve notable success. To Ye Fan, choosing such a luxurious location for the reunion felt a bit excessive and showy.

As he walked out of the parking lot toward the entertainment complex, he quickly spotted a few familiar figures. They were classmates attending the gathering, and some of them he hadn’t seen in three years.

“Ye Fan!” A gentle and scholarly-looking young man spotted him and greeted him with a smile. “You’re really something, being a local here but showing up so late. You should’ve been the one organizing this get-together!”

That refined-looking man was Wang Ziwen, one of the organizers of the reunion. Back in college, he had been very active socially. Rumor had it that in the past three years, his business ventures in another city had gone very well and he’d accumulated considerable wealth.

The others came over as well. Despite the time apart, the atmosphere among them was warm and lively. It was clear that Wang Ziwen had been waiting outside for someone. For him to personally wait out front at Bright Moon Above The Sea meant the person he awaited had to be among a small, select group.

Wang Ziwen was smart, he didn’t keep standing there alone. Instead, he chatted and laughed while leading the group inside. On the fifth floor, a small business lounge had been booked, capable of holding 30–50 people.

By this time, night had fully fallen, and most of the classmates had already arrived. Their arrival immediately energized the room. Many came over to greet them. Reuniting like this stirred feelings of time travel and disorientation, like scenes from college life suddenly overlapped with the present.

It had been three years since graduation. Most were now 25 or 26. Some had already married; two were even young mothers.

Everyone had taken their own path in life. Most of them, in truth, were just ordinary people. The dreams and ambitions of their youth had largely been worn down by time, fading into the background of everyday reality.

Dreams had drifted far away. Most now clearly understood, they were just regular people.

Wang Ziwen led Ye Fan to a separate area. Observing carefully, Ye Fan noticed that this section was populated by classmates who were either doing well in their careers or came from influential families.

“Ye Fan, showing up this late, you owe us three drinks as punishment!”

“Only three? That’s underestimating his drinking ability,” said Lin Jia, seated nearby. Her phoenix eyes slanted upward playfully. Tall and graceful, she looked stunning and seductive.

“Which beautiful lady wants to punish me?” Ye Fan joked, roping a few male classmates into the "beauty" category as well.

“Trying to take advantage of us the moment you arrive? You’re definitely getting punished!” Everyone, men and women, teamed up and “sharpened their knives,” ready to tease him.

Liu Yunzhi, who had some local connections, was naturally among this elite circle. He commented casually, “I thought you’d be delayed waiting for a cab.”

The remark immediately chilled the atmosphere. Everyone knew about the tension between Liu Yunzhi and Ye Fan back in college. Now that Liu Yunzhi had found success in this city, the way he casually pointed out Ye Fan had arrived by taxi came off as deliberate.

Others at nearby tables noticed the awkwardness and glanced over. Ye Fan, however, just smiled indifferently and said nothing.

“I’m going outside to pick up Zhou Yi,” Wang Ziwen said, changing the subject before leaving.

Lin Jia and two other female classmates began chatting about makeup and designer brands. Others brought up old college stories, and the earlier tension gradually faded, replaced by a lively atmosphere once again.

Still, the earlier moment left its mark. No one brought up Ye Fan’s punishment anymore, but the conversation subtly shifted to revolve more around Liu Yunzhi.

Back in college, Ye Fan had been a standout figure. But outside of campus, that status meant little, what mattered now was career success.

Ye Fan could feel the occasional glances directed his way. Clearly, this was a special circle, those who were now doing quite well. And within it, Ye Fan was being edged out.

He remained calm, but in the end, he got up and moved to another table, choosing to sit with classmates not part of that elite circle. He didn’t want to be labeled as one of the “insiders” by others.

Cosmetics and luxury brands were still favorite topics among the women. The men shifted from talking about soccer to current affairs, the range of conversation was broad.

Half an hour later, all 25 attendees had arrived. The class originally had 33 students. Three were studying abroad, and five others couldn't make it due to special circumstances.

Several organizers gave short speeches, and the energy was high. Then everyone split into smaller groups, chatting freely.

Much later, the group left the business lounge and headed out to raise a glass in celebration.

Ye Fan didn’t sit with Lin Jia, Liu Yunzhi, and their group, instead naturally settling at a different table.

More toasts followed. Some roamed from table to table, making rounds. Others were surrounded and couldn’t even stand up, being toasted repeatedly.

Much had changed over three years. Alcohol loosened tongues, and many classmates began talking about their lives, some proud, others frustrated.

One person ranted about how harsh their boss was, always demanding overtime while paying a pittance. A female classmate said her boyfriend was a regional sales manager at a famous company. Another said her husband had been promoted to deputy general manager. Yet another mentioned her fiancée was the niece of a senior bank executive.

Most others remained quiet, as their own lives were far less glamorous.

One female classmate looked particularly weary. Someone whispered that she had married someone she didn’t love and was now in an unhappy marriage. Her husband drank heavily, and when a classmate visited her city once, they noticed bruises on her body.

“If you ever need help, don’t hesitate to reach out…” Ye Fan felt a wave of sympathy for her. He remembered how shy and pure she’d been in college, standing by the soccer field, waving and cheering for him.

It was obvious her life wasn’t going well. She nodded silently, eyes dim, and softly said, “Thank you.”

“Ye Fan, maybe focus on improving yourself first…” said the woman who had just boasted about her husband’s promotion. The alcohol made her blunt. “Look at Liu Yunzhi, he’s doing great now.”

Everyone at the table turned to look at Ye Fan, then shifted their gaze toward Liu Yunzhi’s table, where all the “successful” classmates had gathered.

“Don’t get me wrong,” another male classmate added, “Back in college, you were something. But once you step into society, everything changes. You won’t get anywhere without effort.” This was the same person who had mentioned his fiancée being the niece of a bank executive.

Hearing all this, some at the table sighed, saying there were people who had lagged behind in school but now outshone everyone. Others, driven by resentment and alcohol, ranted bitterly about those flaunting their success.

One female classmate even teased Ye Fan, saying she was glad she only secretly liked him in school. Now she somewhat regretted rejecting Liu Yunzhi back then.

Same city. Same people. But after reuniting, everyone's mindset had changed dramatically.

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