High King

Now

Although Ye Fan couldn’t be considered highly successful, due to certain experiences and circumstances, he had accumulated some capital. Not long ago, he happened to purchase a Mercedes, which, in terms of price, exceeded Liu Yunzhi’s Toyota. However, if status were to be judged based on material possessions, Ye Fan found such thinking rather vulgar.

Ten minutes later, Ye Fan drove to the meeting spot—Haishang Mingyue City.

This was a massive entertainment complex offering both dining and leisure, located in a prime area, surrounded by a bustling environment. The high-end cars in the parking lot clearly reflected the affluent clientele it attracted.

Having only graduated three years ago, most of his classmates were far from being considered truly successful. Ye Fan felt that choosing such a lavish place for a reunion was somewhat extravagant.

As he left the parking lot and approached the front of Haishang Mingyue City, he quickly spotted a few familiar figures—fellow classmates who had come for the reunion, some of whom he hadn’t seen in three years.

“Ye Fan!” A youthful and refined-looking young man noticed him and greeted him with a smile. “You’re the local here, and yet you’re one of the last to show up. You should have been the one to organize this gathering!”

This well-mannered young man was named Wang Ziwen, one of the organizers of the reunion. Back in university, he had been quite an active figure, and according to rumors, he had made a significant amount of money over the past three years in another city.

A few other classmates also gathered around, and even though they hadn’t seen each other in a long time, the atmosphere quickly became warm and friendly.

It was clear Wang Ziwen had been waiting for someone. Given how few people could warrant his special attention, it wasn’t hard to guess who he was expecting.

Being a smart person, Wang Ziwen didn’t linger to wait by himself. Instead, he cheerfully led the group inside while making small talk. The fifth floor housed a small business center, already reserved for the gathering, capable of accommodating thirty to fifty people.

By now, night had fallen, and most of the attendees had already arrived.

The arrival of Ye Fan and the others immediately livened up the atmosphere. Many people came over to greet them, and there was a surreal feeling of time warping as the scene overlapped with memories of their university days.

It had been three years since graduation, and everyone was now in their mid-twenties. Some had already married, and a couple had even become parents.

Everyone was walking different paths in life, but for the most part, their classmates were ordinary people. Their youthful ideals and ambitions had mostly been worn down by time, fading into the mundane routine of everyday life.

Dreams had long since drifted away, and most had come to the sober realization that they were simply ordinary individuals.

Wang Ziwen led Ye Fan to another group, where it became apparent that these classmates either had successful careers or came from well-connected families.

“Ye Fan, you’re late, so you owe us three drinks!”

“Three drinks? That’s too few! You’re underestimating Ye Fan’s drinking ability.” Lin Jia was also sitting with them, her long, slender figure looking as captivating as ever.

“Which lovely lady wants to punish me?” Ye Fan joked, lumping the male classmates in with the "beauties."

“Already taking advantage of us, are you? We definitely have to punish you!” A group of male and female classmates unanimously agreed and began to "sharpen their knives."

Liu Yunzhi, who had some connections in the city, was also part of this group. He casually remarked, “I thought you’d be delayed waiting for a cab.”

His comment caused an awkward pause. Everyone was aware of the tension between Liu Yunzhi and Ye Fan from their university days. Now, Liu Yunzhi was doing quite well in the city, and his remark, hinting that Ye Fan had arrived by taxi, carried a subtle condescension.

Other classmates took notice of the situation and glanced over, but Ye Fan merely smiled and didn’t respond.

“I’ll go meet Zhou Yi outside,” Wang Ziwen quickly interjected, changing the subject as he left.

Lin Jia and a couple of female classmates shifted the conversation to cosmetics and designer clothes, while others shared nostalgic stories from their university days, and the brief awkwardness dissipated.

Still, the atmosphere had grown slightly tense, and the conversation began to revolve more around Liu Yunzhi.

Although Ye Fan had been a prominent figure in university, that status no longer mattered outside the campus. Now, success was measured in terms of career and achievement.

From time to time, Ye Fan could feel the glances of his classmates. This small group was composed of those who had done well, and it seemed that Ye Fan was gradually being pushed to the margins.

He remained calm, but eventually, he stood up and moved to join another group of classmates, preferring not to be labeled as part of any particular "elite" circle.

The female classmates continued their discussion of cosmetics and fashion, while the male classmates moved from talking about football to news and current events, covering a wide range of topics.

Half an hour later, all twenty-five attendees had arrived. Out of the original thirty-three classmates, three were studying abroad, and five couldn’t make it due to personal reasons.

The organizers of the reunion gave a few speeches, setting a lively tone, and soon everyone split into smaller groups to chat and catch up.

Much later, the group moved to a different area to toast their reunion. There was no deliberate seating arrangement, but the dynamics of hierarchy and closeness were clear.

Ye Fan didn’t sit with Lin Jia and Liu Yunzhi’s group but naturally chose to sit with others.

After another round of toasts and speeches, things became more casual. Some people began making rounds, offering drinks, while others found themselves unable to leave their tables, surrounded by classmates insisting on toasts.

A lot had happened in the three years since graduation, and many people had changed significantly. Fueled by alcohol, several classmates opened up about their lives—some proudly, others with a sense of defeat.

One person complained about a boss who was unbearably strict, constantly demanding overtime but paying miserably low wages.

One female classmate boasted that her boyfriend was a department manager at a famous company, while another mentioned that her husband had been promoted to vice president. Another classmate spoke about his fiancée being the niece of a bank executive.

Most of the listeners, however, remained silent. Not everyone had such fortunate lives.

One female classmate, in particular, looked haggard. Someone mentioned that she had married a man she didn’t love and was now unhappy, with her husband drinking heavily. A classmate who had visited her city even noticed bruises on her body.

“If you ever need help, just let me know…” Ye Fan said softly to the woman, recalling her shy and innocent demeanor in university, where she would cheer him on from the sidelines of the soccer field.

She seemed genuinely touched, nodding in gratitude and whispering, “Thank you.”

“Ye Fan, maybe you should start by helping yourself…” the woman who had mentioned her husband’s promotion, emboldened by alcohol, said somewhat harshly. “Just look at how well Liu Yunzhi is doing.”

The group all glanced at Ye Fan, then toward Liu Yunzhi’s table, where all the successful classmates were seated.

“Ye Fan, you were quite the figure in university, but things change when you step into the real world. You have to work hard to keep up,” added a male classmate whose fiancée was the niece of a bank executive, adopting a lecturing tone.

Others lamented how, back in school, some of these now-successful people had been far behind them, but now there was no comparison.

Some classmates grew cynical, bitterly claiming those people were just showing off their wealth. One female classmate even joked that she was glad she had only had a crush on Ye Fan back then, and now somewhat regretted turning down Liu Yunzhi’s advances.

It was the same city and the same people, but after reuniting, everyone’s mindset had changed dramatically.