Chapter 378

The classmates were surprised and amazed, but after all, they were classmates, and finally the class leader spoke first.

He stood up and greeted Xiao Qi and her companion.

The class leader lived up to his title of being the class leader since high school. He was excellent in dealing with people, neither subservient nor arrogant, making everyone feel at ease.

This restaurant was newly opened in Lvshan City and had already become the best music bar in town. But not to mention Zaizai, even these college-educated and worldly classmates felt it was too gaudy - the floral wallpaper, the spinning colored lights on the ceiling, the bright yellow sofas... The only redeeming quality was the spacious room.

At first, they barely found it acceptable, considering the low prices. Such a large private room only cost 300 yuan as the basic charge.

However, when they saw Xiao Qi's boyfriend, the classmates couldn't help but feel that this place was too shabby and unworthy of him.

The main reason was that Xiao Qi's boyfriend looked too handsome and aloof, with a serious demeanor.

As soon as Zaizai entered, he frowned, not because of the decor - he didn't have high expectations for that. He could even sleep in the room next to the granary in Xiao Qi's hometown, where sweet potatoes sprouted from the floor. But the lack of windows and the overwhelming, pungent scent of perfume bothered him.

Zaizai loved wearing perfume, especially knowing that Xiao Qi seemed to like it. After being able to distinguish various fragrances, he made an effort to change perfumes regularly.

Today, he wore a relatively common Hermès Eau d'Orange Verte, a standard orange scent, very fresh and comfortable.

It gave off a reassuring aura, making Xiao Qi want to walk closer to him.

However, the strong perfume in the room was overpowering, coupled with the crowded space, the warm air conditioning, and the spicy aroma of snacks like duck necks and duck feet. The combined smells were not pleasant.

Xiao Qi had long since controlled her sense of smell because in an enclosed space, uncontrolled scents could be explosively pungent.

After they sat down, the class leader brought them two bottles of water.

The bottles looked clean.

At this point, Xia Zhen couldn't help but lean over with a big smile, acting very intimately with Xiao Qi, despite not keeping in touch much after the last class reunion.

When Xiao Qi saw Xia Zhen, she almost didn't recognize her.

Xia Zhen had changed a lot, really a significant change. Upon closer inspection, it seemed she had gotten double eyelid surgery. Before, her single eyelids made her face look puffy, but now with double eyelids, her face appeared smaller. She had also lost a lot of weight, wearing a tight black dress that accentuated her slim waist.

As Xia Zhen leaned closer, Zaizai's expression became even more serious.

He caught the scent of Chanel No. 5, which would normally be a pleasant fragrance, but this girl must have applied too much, making it overpowering.

Xiao Qi didn't want to be too friendly with Xia Zhen or act overly intimate. Her personality had become much more decisive than before. Their relationship had long been broken, and they weren't close, so there was no need to put on airs for the sake of appearances when it would just be a waste of time. Wouldn't it be better to spend that time memorizing fifty new words?

She stood up and went to choose songs.

Their classmate Li Changhai, the chubby one, had gotten even fatter, evidently enjoying a nourishing college life.

He sidled up to Xiao Qi, winking and giving her a thumbs-up.

"This guy has a great physique."

Xiao Qi: ...She didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

So men also judge other men by their physique?

On the other side, Xia Zhen didn't expect Xiao Qi to be so unconcerned about giving her face. Xiao Qi was unwilling to even make a polite response and had directly stood up and walked away. Xia Zhen smiled and said nonchalantly, "I wonder when Liu Shaowei will show up. If he does and sees how beautiful Xiao Qi has become, he'll definitely regret it."

Xia Zhen spoke loudly, mentioning Xiao Qi's ex-boyfriend in front of her current boyfriend, even though they had never officially dated. Back then, everyone teased them about being together, and they never denied it.

However, the last time Liu Shaowei attended the class reunion, he brought his girlfriend, so his involvement with Xiao Qi was over. Everyone tactfully avoided mentioning it, but Xia Zhen brought it up unexpectedly.

The classmates felt awkward. Even after attending college, they were still relatively innocent, and Xia Zhen's behavior was truly inappropriate...

As expected, Li Weijin frowned upon hearing her words.

He opened a bottle for Xiao Qi and placed it in front of her, then opened one for himself. Although he knew Xiao Qi was strong, he was willing to do what he could for her.

After taking a sip of water, he spoke, "Many people like Xiao Qi. It's only natural for someone as outstanding as her to have admirers."

When Xiao Qi heard what Xia Zhen said, she felt a bit awkward.

It was like when a girl becomes infatuated with something, willing to go to great lengths to obtain it, thinking it's so beautiful and valuable. But after some time, she looks at the same thing and finds it tacky, wishing she could poke out the eyes of her former self.

Xiao Qi had a similar feeling because she unexpectedly ran into Liu Shaowei in the Capital City, only for him to pretend not to know her and already have a new girlfriend. Looking at Liu Shaowei now, Xiao Qi found him fickle and lacking in stability, unlike her previous impression of him.

It was like comparing the same vanity - Zaizai was still a hardworking person. Zaizai's family was well-off, but he never looked down on others. His good upbringing and manners were always present, even if he wasn't overly friendly. This was a significant realization for Xiao Qi. She felt that the difference in starting points due to family circumstances wasn't just about having fewer educational and cultural opportunities. Personal upbringing and cultivation were crucial. With a good family background, broader experiences, and wider perspectives, one wouldn't become arrogant or look down on others just because of a slight advantage. This was very important.

Xiao Qi felt that her parents had done a decent job in her upbringing, teaching by example as honest farmers with good moral character. It would have been enough for her to live an ordinary life in a small town. However, if she wanted to climb higher and excel in a more competitive environment, it wouldn't be sufficient. Her former indecisive, weak, and timid personality wouldn't support her in going further.

Back then, she envied Liu Shaowei because his speech and demeanor seemed so expansive and well-informed. Now she realized that it was because her own experience was too limited.

With more experience, looking back, she felt that Liu Shaowei was merely arrogant and looked down on her.

Because of this experience, Xiao Qi realized that she still lacked enough experience and needed to broaden her horizons and learn more to grow.

With a more inclusive mindset and broader knowledge, she wouldn't get caught up in trivial matters.

So although Xia Zhen's words made her uncomfortable, Xiao Qi didn't feel resentful. She just reflected a little, smiled, and let it pass.

Speak of the devil, Liu Shaowei showed up wearing a windbreaker and short boots, also accompanied by someone.

Xiao Qi had seen her before.

In this regard, Liu Shaowei was still quite skilled. After all, one of his parents was a government leader, and the other was the head of an institution. He had learned a lot from them about how to conduct himself. If he wanted to please someone, he could truly go to great lengths.

Originally, he just wanted to play around with Qiqi, but he ended up capturing her heart, shocking even her friends - a pampered Capital City girl being seduced by a country bumpkin.

Yes, just as Xiao Qi was viewed by Liu Shaowei, Liu Shaowei was also seen as a country boy by his classmates. Not many of them had even heard of Lvshan City.

But Liu Shaowei still managed to win over Qiqi. In fact, Qiqi told her parents she was going on a trip, but in reality, she ran off to Lvshan City with Liu Shaowei.

It must be said that most girls are quite emotional. Once Qiqi started accepting and liking Liu Shaowei, she wanted to understand everything about him - visit his hometown, walk the paths he had walked, eat the food he had eaten.

Because Xia Zhen had just mentioned Liu Shaowei, there was another awkward moment, but the class monitor finally stood up to greet them.

Liu Shaowei arrived in grand style, having brought a girlfriend home. He had already told his parents that his girlfriend's family was very well-off, with her father being a department head somewhere.

His parents were quite pleased that their son had found a girlfriend from the Capital City, which was better than from Lvshan City, and it could also help his future career.

Liu Shaowei attended the class reunion with great pride, walking in with an air of arrogance and coincidentally sitting next to Li Weijin.

After sitting down, he began to look around.

As for Li Maomao, being in an unfamiliar environment, she was actually paying attention and immediately noticed Li Weijin sitting there.

Her heart was pounding relentlessly.

She never expected Liu Shaowei to have such a handsome classmate. To be honest, Liu Shaowei was already very handsome, a talented and good-looking guy. But when compared to this guy, he suddenly seemed like a counterfeit version next to the genuine article. Usually, it wasn't noticeable, but side by side, the difference was immediately apparent.

Liu Shaowei's refined and elegant demeanor seemed like a knockoff.

What's more, Liu Shaowei was sitting right next to that guy.

When Li Maomao saw the guy drinking water from a bottle, revealing his wrist and a plain-looking, slightly old steel watch, her heart skipped a beat.

She had been to Liu Shaowei's home, and the conditions were decent: a 200 square meter apartment, while her family's place in the Capital City was only around 80 square meters, although in a better location.

But Liu Shaowei was wearing a Tissot watch that cost over 5,000 yuan.

However, the watch on this guy's wrist was a Nautilus from Patek Philippe, very ordinary-looking, like an old watch passed down from his grandfather. But this watch had a retail price of over 300,000 yuan, and in the second-hand market, it was almost impossible to find one for less than 400,000 or 500,000 yuan.

Being able to own such a watch not only signified wealth but also suggested old money.

Li Maomao stared at the guy for a few moments, unable to resist asking Liu Shaowei, "Shaowei, is he your classmate? Aren't you going to introduce us?"

It was only then that Liu Shaowei noticed Li Weijin, and his heart sank. "What the hell, who is this guy? He's so handsome. I thought he was Xia Zhen's boyfriend when I saw her sitting next to him. Did I go blind or something to think he would go for Xia Zhen?" He was quite displeased that Maomao was asking about another guy in front of his classmates, showing him no face. He had forgotten that when they were in school, Maomao always interacted with him in a straightforward manner, and he had always accepted it.

Earlier, Xia Zhen had been annoyed by Xiao Qi and intentionally mentioned Xiao Qi's ex-boyfriend.

But now, seeing Liu Shaowei come in with another girl, she was even more annoyed.

After all, she had secretly liked Liu Shaowei back then.

She smiled and said, "He's Xiao Qi's current boyfriend."

Xiao Qi had also noticed Liu Shaowei and the girl he brought, surprised that the girl had accompanied him.

However, her view was blocked by the plump Li Changhai, so neither Liu Shaowei nor Maomao saw her.

At this moment, Xiao Qi walked over and sat next to Li Weijin, and that's when they noticed her.

Liu Shaowei's expression darkened, never expecting that this guy was Xiao Qi's boyfriend. He thought Xiao Qi was fickle, having another guy by her side when he had seen her with someone else at the hotel before.

But this guy looked formidable, while the previous one didn't seem that wealthy or handsome. Could they coexist like that?

Moreover, Liu Shaowei regretted it now. Although Li Maomao had good conditions, in terms of appearance, she was no match for Xiao Qi, probably on par with Xia Zhen at best. And Maomao's temper was not good either, frequently requiring him to appease her.

Next to him, Li Maomao was also stunned.

However, she had seen Xiao Qi win the equestrian championship before, so she already knew Xiao Qi was no ordinary person. Show jumping was very expensive, not something an average person could learn. For Liu Shaowei to claim they were former classmates, she had thought he was just boasting. How could such an impressive girl be interested in him?

Now, seeing that they were truly former classmates and that Xiao Qi even had such a handsome boyfriend, it was even more unlikely that she would like Liu Shaowei.

During this period, Li Maomao had been infatuated, thinking she had found true love. Liu Shaowei had treated her so well, willing to let her spit in his face and still smile sweetly, accommodating her in every way.

But at this moment, seeing this guy and how he opened a bottle for Xiao Qi and handed her water, while Liu Shaowei was only focused on showing off and bragging, she suddenly became aware of the difference.

Li Weijin glanced at the guy and felt no need to worry, as Xiao Qi would not be interested in him.

He wasn't as good-looking as himself!

Having spent a lot of time with Xiao Qi, he had noticed some of her preferences. Xiao Qi seemed to be quite fond of his appearance, often mesmerized by him, but she had strong self-control and would only look at him for a moment before returning to her books.

But it didn't matter; one day, he would make her look away from her books and be unable to resist looking at him instead.

Upon seeing Liu Shaowei again, Xiao Qi felt a sense of calmness, with a mix of surprise and resignation.

The hurdles that had once seemed impossible to overcome now seemed trivial and hardly worth mentioning.

The awkwardness that young teenagers had felt was quickly replaced by a lively atmosphere.

Everyone ate, drank, and sang, creating a lively mood.

Since they were all over 18 years old, beer was served, with pineapple beer for the girls.

Xiao Qi rarely had the opportunity to drink alcohol, as her parents didn't drink and wouldn't allow her to either.

But being with classmates, she had a few drinks.

It tasted quite good, with a rich flavor. The beer was more enjoyable than the pineapple beer, with a hint of malty bitterness. Drinking for the first time, she could feel the alcohol slowly creeping into her veins, even causing a slight numbness in her legs. Her emotions became a little euphoric and unfocused.

If she were a disciple from a Wuxia novel, drinking alcohol for the first time, would she think she had succeeded in cultivating her inner energy, truly feeling a surge of energy coursing through her body?

Overall, Xiao Qi remained quite sober, but her limbs had already become soft.

She must have inherited her father's alcohol tolerance, as a single bottle of beer was enough to affect her.

Li Weijin maintained a stern expression, only sharing a small drink with Xiao Qi. No one else forced him to drink, as he appeared too aloof.

However, after some alcohol, everyone seemed more relaxed and casual. Initially, they had been somewhat reserved, but now they had let loose, chatting, eating, and singing.

Throughout, Zaizai kept getting food for Xiao Qi and preparing napkins for her. With his tall stature and long limbs, he was very attentive.

Xiao Qi had grown accustomed to this, as they studied together. She tended to overlook details, being someone who was more diligent and hardworking than inclined towards indulgence. But Zaizai was more meticulous in his lifestyle, so during their study sessions, he would bring various snacks, provide Xiao Qi with a shawl when it was cold, and even burn incense like agarwood. The headphones they used for studying were also of a much higher quality. In short, every detail was tailored for maximum comfort. Xiao Qi herself didn't notice it, but she found studying with Zaizai to be very enjoyable.

This enjoyment wasn't solely reliant on Zaizai's appearance but also his thoughtfulness and attentiveness, which provided a sense of security.

The surrounding classmates watched with envy, thinking that while having such a handsome boyfriend was one thing, they assumed Xiao Qi must have pursued him. But seeing how attentive he was and how accustomed Xiao Qi seemed to being pampered, it was clear that he had been the one pursuing her.

On the other side, Liu Shaowei was also quite solicitous, but in comparison, his efforts seemed a bit forced, and the two did not appear as perfectly in sync.

Perhaps because Li Maomao had accompanied him back home, Liu Shaowei had subconsciously become a bit complacent, feeling that she had more or less been won over since she had come to his place. At this moment, seeing Xiao Qi again, his male ego flared up, causing him to be somewhat less attentive than when they were in school together.

Xia Zhen found it very unpleasant. She thought that when Xiao Qi went to a private university, she would be miserable because there were so many rich people and the poor would definitely suffer. Yet she could still see Xiao Qi's messages in the classmate group from time to time, all about participating in activities and winning awards. After going to a private university, Xiao Qi seemed to have become a different person.

At one point, when they were talking about eating at banquets, Xia Zhen suddenly interjected, "Xiao Qi's family is from the countryside, so it must be different from us."

Li Weijin calmly replied, "She's definitely different from you."

For some reason, even though it was the same statement, when it came from his mouth, Xia Zhen found it very unsatisfactory.

Xiao Qi was chatting quite seriously with her classmates, asking about their university life, what courses they were taking, what clubs they had joined, and so on.

This topic was quite good, and everyone was eager to speak.

However, as they talked, someone went off-topic and brought up the subject of dating in university.

This topic was even more heated, and the whole group chimed in.

The class monitor had even brought his partner, not a university classmate, but surprisingly a high school classmate from their second-year of high school, a girl with a tidy short haircut.

They were now in a long-distance relationship.

Everyone asked the class monitor what he liked about his girlfriend, and after thinking for a moment, he said, "Qiqi has a very steady personality. I'm more impulsive and often get fired up, but when I'm with her, I feel at peace."

The group applauded and raised their glasses, wishing them a lifetime of happiness together, and even calling for them to have children soon.

When they asked Liu Shaowei, he said, "Xiaomao is very beautiful and elegant, and she's also kind-hearted. I liked her the first time I saw her."

Li Maomao smiled, but the first time they met, Liu Shaowei had been accompanied by another girl.

Because Li Maomao didn't give him any face, the others didn't tease him, but instead turned to ask Li Weijin.

Xiao Qi had been worried that Zaizai wouldn't adapt well to the noisy classmate gathering, but it seemed that he was adapting better than her. Although he was still a bit aloof, he was very polite and didn't seem impatient when chatting with her classmates. Everyone unconsciously surrounded him and talked to him, as if he were the classmate and she was just a partner.

Without any hesitation, Li Weijin said, "I like everything about her."