Chapter 5: The First Signs of Mutation, The Campus Goddess

A so-called class reunion is nothing more than a few predictable activities: eating, singing, and catching up on how everyone has fared since graduation.

Cloud Summit, the most prestigious five-star hotel in Shanghai, boasts every imaginable luxury. The rooms are stocked with drinks, fruit, and expensive spirits—nothing is lacking.

Yet the most important guest had not yet arrived, so after entering the reserved room, most people simply chatted amongst themselves. Because of the earlier incident, several classmates found themselves gravitating toward Lu Yuan, curious how he’d managed to be driving a luxury car just one year out of school. Some tried to probe, hinting to see if he might help them along, while Li Sisi and the other female classmates, leading the charge, asked outright if he had a girlfriend.

Lu Yuan responded to each question courteously, but when it came to personal matters, he kept his answers brief. After all, he had his own reasons for attending this reunion—reconnecting with old classmates was not among them.

“Class President Li, look—all the girls are flocking to Lu Yuan,” Wang Zibo commented, a trace of helplessness in his eyes. Back in college, he’d been popular among the girls thanks to his bold and lively personality, but things had changed: now, everyone’s eyes were fixed on wealth.

“So what?” Li Hansheng popped open a bottle of wine with a cold laugh. “He just rented a car worth around four million. Wait until Li Sisi and the others find out—let’s see how Lu Yuan explains himself then.” Having lost the spotlight, he was naturally displeased, but could do nothing but sulk and drink.

“How do you know Lu Yuan’s car is rented? It doesn’t look like it to me,” Wang Zibo asked in confusion.

“I’m telling you—” Li Hansheng was about to explain, but his phone buzzed with a new message. His eyes lit up instantly.

He stood, motioned for silence, and announced loudly, “Everyone, quiet down. Yunqiong is on her way. Let’s go ahead and order—she’ll be here soon.”

At his words, the room fell silent. Everyone hurried to the dining area to prepare.

Zhou Yunqiong wasn’t just the class beauty; she was the beauty of the entire university. More importantly, her family’s Wu Zhou Group was a major player in Shanghai. She was the classic rich and beautiful socialite, the goddess in every male classmate’s eyes.

Naturally, her impending arrival drew everyone’s attention—no one dared be neglectful.

Seeing this, Li Hansheng’s sour mood brightened considerably. After all, he was the only one in contact with Zhou Yunqiong.

With this thought, he glanced smugly at Lu Yuan, but Lu Yuan didn’t seem to notice, ignoring him and heading to the dining room with the others. When it came to seating, Lu Yuan chose not to sit with the wealthier classmates, but instead took a seat next to Chen Song, offering a gentle smile. “Chen Song, it’s been a long time.”

“Oh… Lu, it really has been a while.” Chen Song looked surprised, quickly nodding in response. Because of his family’s modest means, no one really spoke to him at these gatherings; he always sat quietly to one side. He was surprised, and a bit nervous, that Lu Yuan would choose to sit by him—especially after seeing the luxury car Lu Yuan had arrived in. His mind raced, remembering that he and Lu Yuan hadn’t been particularly close in college.

“Yes, it’s been over a year.” Lu Yuan understood Chen Song’s thoughts. In fact, Chen Song was precisely the reason he’d come to this reunion.

Soon, the menu was decided and conversation resumed.

“Did you hear? Those two tourist groups lost in the Taihang Mountains have been found,” Wang Zibo, ever the lively one, was first to break the ice.

“I saw the news online—someone claimed they went crazy, said they saw a talking tiger.”

“Right, and someone else said they discovered an ocean in the mountains. Ridiculous! How could there be a sea in the mountains?”

Everyone’s interest was piqued, and they began discussing recent odd news stories.

“Did you hear about the theft of the sacred bodhi tree in India? Unbelievable—who steals a tree these days?”

“That’s nothing. I heard the Pope in Rome knelt before a teenage boy, called him an angel sent to save humanity. I’ve even got the video on my phone.”

“And then there’s that ancient book causing a stir recently—supposedly related to the Dao De Jing.”

“Definitely. Didn’t Christie’s just auction it off? What happened?”

“Some idiot bought it, rumor has it for over thirty million.”

“What? Thirty million?”

“Isn’t that stupid? Experts here said it was a fake, and he still fell for it.”

“You don’t get it. How else are they supposed to launder money if they don’t set a price that high?” Li Hansheng interjected, convinced that such auctions were just fronts for money laundering—especially for something so obviously worthless fetching such a sky-high price. It had to be shady.

“Exactly—money laundering,” another classmate chimed in.

Not far away, Lu Yuan listened to their conversation, a faint smile playing at his lips. As expected, when information is asymmetric, some people simply can’t understand your methods.

But he couldn’t blame them. No one could have imagined that in just two months, the entire world would change, and those things they mocked would soon reveal their true, extraordinary nature.

Of course, Lu Yuan had no intention of explaining anything. He simply sipped his wine, quietly observing.

As for the full edition of the Dao De Jing from Christie’s—the very one he’d arranged to have purchased—it had already been secured two days ago and was likely en route back to China.

Yet all this idle chatter only confirmed for Lu Yuan that the global transformation had likely already begun, unbeknownst to ordinary people. The two tourist groups in the Taihang Mountains, the Pope’s strange actions, the Loch Ness Monster news a while ago—most people regarded these as little more than amusing stories.

But to someone with his experience, there was a deeper meaning behind it all.

Just then, as the conversation reached its peak, the door creaked open and a faint, delicate fragrance drifted in.

Everyone turned, expressions shifting—some delighted, some surprised, some dazzled, others falling into self-consciousness.

A young woman entered, just past twenty, tall and slender, with fair, delicate skin and her hair tied high in a ponytail. An aura of cold elegance surrounded her, making her seem untouchable, like a celestial maiden descended from the moon. Her stunning beauty far surpassed that of Li Sisi and her cohort; when she appeared, it was as if the entire room dimmed in comparison.

Every gaze in the room was drawn to her.

“I’m sorry to be late,” she said, her voice as clear and refreshing as a mountain spring.

“Classmate Zhou.”

“Zhou Yunqiong is here.”

“Yunqiong.”

Different names, each reflecting a different relationship from the past.

The final greeting was, of course, from Li Hansheng, who seemed a little agitated as he stood up, trying his best to act the gentleman as he stepped forward to greet her.

But as he approached, he suddenly shivered and involuntarily retreated two steps.

Because—

Someone else had entered behind Zhou Yunqiong.