Chapter 4: The Class Reunion and the Possibility of a Rented Car

Shanghai.

Though it cannot compare to Nanjing, the ancient capital of six dynasties, in terms of historical depth, its unique advantages have propelled its economy skyward over the past century. Now, it is already known as the Magic City.

The Cloud Hotel, located within the inner ring of Shanghai, sprawls over a vast area and is extravagantly decorated.

At this moment, a group of dozens of young people were gathered before the hotel’s grand entrance.

“Li Sisi, you’ve gotten even prettier. If I’d known, I would’ve made my move back in college. Who knows, maybe we’d be married by now.” A young man in casual attire, his skin tanned, joked teasingly.

“Wang Zibo, it’s not too late to make a move now! Just so you know, Sisi doesn’t have a boyfriend yet,” chimed in a girl, her arm linked with Li Sisi’s, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

“Luo Xuan, what are you talking about? We’re just old classmates.” Li Sisi’s cheeks flushed as she spat out the words, though one had to admit she was indeed a beauty—fair-skinned, with slender brows, and a figure accentuated by tight-fitting jeans.

“Ha, who says old classmates can’t fall in love?” Wang Zibo replied, his tone light, a smile playing on his lips.

“S-sorry, I’m late.” Just then, a taxi pulled up, and a man stepped out. Spotting the group, he hurried over and said, “My place is pretty far, and there was traffic. I should’ve just taken the subway.”

“Chen Song, right? It’s fine, not everyone’s here yet,” someone reassured him, indicating it was still early.

“Yeah, who knows how much longer we’ll have to wait?”

“Well, since we’re bored, why not share what everyone’s been up to since graduation?”

A year out of college, everyone present was about twenty-four or twenty-five, and naturally, work was the topic of greatest concern. Compared to their earlier ambitions, a year of reality had tempered their spirits; most led ordinary lives, though some, thanks to family connections, had landed fairly good jobs.

Soon enough, the conversation split the classmates into two small circles. One, centered around Wang Zibo and Li Sisi, was lively and animated. The other, with Chen Song and a few others, was much quieter.

“What’s everyone talking about? It sounds lively.” Just then, a voice called out, and the group turned.

A young man in a suit and gold-rimmed glasses alighted from a BMW, a pleasant smile on his face—he looked every inch the picture of success.

“That’s... that’s Li Hansheng, our head class rep,” Wang Zibo was the first to recognize him. He hurried forward, patting the car’s hood. “Wow, class rep, driving a BMW now? You must be doing well after graduation! Where are you working these days? Should we start calling you President Li?”

The rest of the classmates crowded around, curiosity written on their faces.

“It’s nothing. My family started a company, so I’m just helping out,” Li Hansheng replied, adjusting his glasses with a modest smile. “The car’s only worth a bit over three hundred thousand, and it’s company-issued anyway.”

Though he sounded humble, a note of pride crept into his voice. His gaze swept the group, and feeling the eager stares around him, he could not help but feel a little smug.

“That’s still over three hundred thousand. At my salary, I’d have to save for nearly two years without spending a cent,” Wang Zibo said enviously.

In truth, everyone felt the same. After all, they’d only been out of school a year. Some were still renting, yet Li Hansheng was already driving a BMW.

Naturally, he garnered respect. Even Li Sisi’s eyes sparkled as she found reasons to strike up conversation.

It was true that at a five-star place like the Cloud Hotel, luxury cars came and went, but to these people, such things still felt remote. Li Hansheng was someone they actually knew, making it all the more impressive.

“All right, let’s not stand outside chatting. Let’s go in,” Li Hansheng, now the center of attention, said, addressing the group.

“But, class rep, a few people are still missing,” Chen Song said softly.

“Who’s not here yet?”

“Zhou Yunqiong and Lu Yuan—just those two now,” Li Sisi replied after looking around.

“Yunqiong told me something came up at home, so she’ll be late,” Li Hansheng smiled, subtly implying his closeness with Zhou Yunqiong. “As for Lu Yuan, maybe his taxi was delayed. He does live pretty far out.”

“Here’s what we’ll do: let’s head in, and I’ll send him the room number in the class group chat later.”

At this, Li Sisi, Wang Zibo, and the others agreed right away. Only Chen Song bowed his head slightly.

“Hey, look, there’s a big car pulling up over there!” the girl beside Li Sisi suddenly exclaimed.

“What big car? That’s a Mercedes G-Class—the latest twenty-five model, worth over four million,” Wang Zibo said.

“Let’s not worry about other people’s cars. Come on, let’s go in,” Li Hansheng shook his head, urging everyone on.

“The car’s stopped, and the person getting out looks familiar,” Chen Song said, craning his neck to get a better look.

“You know someone who drives a G-Wagon? Come on,” Wang Zibo said dismissively.

“But really, he does look familiar,” even Li Sisi said.

At that, everyone stopped in their tracks, curiosity turning their attention toward the car.

Before long, the vehicle came to a halt, and out stepped a casually dressed young man, about twenty-four or twenty-five, with a tall, well-built frame, striking features, and a rugged, untamed air about him.

“Is that... Lu Yuan? Am I seeing things?”

“No, that’s definitely Lu Yuan.”

“Didn’t he come from an ordinary family? How’s he driving a G-Wagon?”

Once everyone got a clear look, their eyes widened in disbelief.

Li Hansheng, the former class rep, was especially stunned. He could hardly believe it. Back in college, Lu Yuan had kept a low profile. In every aspect, he’d blended into the background—no one paid him much mind. The only thing ever discussed was his rumored crush on Zhou Yunqiong.

Yet here he was, just a year after graduation, quietly arriving in a car worth over four million...

The male classmates couldn’t help but crowd around, inspecting the car with curiosity.

“Lu Yuan... is this your car?” Wang Zibo hurried over, glancing here and there before finally voicing the question.

“Yes,” Lu Yuan replied, having expected this reaction. He merely nodded.

He truly had no wish to show off or attract attention, but this was the only car he had.

Naturally, he didn’t bother to explain. Instead, he said, “Weren’t we heading in? Let’s go together.”

With that, he ignored their reactions and walked into the hotel.

“Impressive,” Wang Zibo muttered, then whispered, “What have you been doing since graduation? Did you win the lottery or something?”

To him, there was no way someone from such a background could afford a car like that—unless he’d struck it rich by chance.

“Maybe Lu Yuan really is that capable,” Li Sisi retorted, countering his skepticism, though her gaze lingered on Lu Yuan’s retreating back.

“Perhaps, but I heard from friends you can rent a luxury car like that for next to nothing these days,” Li Hansheng interjected suddenly. He said no more, simply heading into the hotel.

The rest exchanged glances, then followed him inside.