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Description

This text was originally written in Chinese. I have obtained the original author, Shairly's, permission to translate it into English using GPT, with minor corrections made thereafter. Please forgive any errors.

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"Pu Shi Xuan... Is this the place?" The Corolla slowly came to a stop, and Song Lang pulled out his phone, triple-checking the restaurant location sent in the class group chat. The place in front of them seemed unrelated to Pu Shi at all!

"It's here," Zhao Wan pointed to the huge bluestone at the hotel entrance, which was engraved with the three characters for Pu Shi Xuan.

A row of luxury cars was parked at the entrance of the hotel, and the doormen, dressed in neat uniforms, welcomed the guests with enthusiasm and respect, showcasing an extraordinary luxury.

Entering the hotel lobby, the magnificent marble floor, the huge crystal chandeliers hanging, and the distinguished aura emanating from the people around made Zhao Wan and Song Lang feel as if they had stepped into another world. Song Lang felt a bit out of place and whispered to Zhao Wan, "We would never come to a place like this under normal circumstances."

"Choosing such a luxurious place for the gathering, I wonder whose idea it was. It's indeed a bit extravagant," Zhao Wan nodded slightly.

She did not seem as nervous as Song Lang, perhaps the change in her appearance gave her a powerful presence, causing the hotel staff to naturally treat her as the leader of the two, always asking for her opinion when leading the way.

After several twists and turns, they arrived in front of a VIP room. The waiter nodded, gestured them in, and gently opened the door.

Upon entering, they were immediately surrounded by warm cheers and laughter. A tall boy wearing glasses, who was the first to see them, shouted, "Song Lang, Zhao Wan, you're here! Come over here, come over here!"

Li Haotian, the class president in college, was enthusiastic and righteous, and had always had a good relationship with Song Lang. He hurriedly waved to them upon their entrance.

"Ah! Wanwan, how do you look even younger!" Compared to Li Haotian's bluntness, a girl in a chic little dress with short hair quickly noticed Zhao Wan's dramatic change, "Quick, tell us your secret to becoming beautiful?"

"Oh Xiao Li, you're as pretty as you were before!" Zhao Wan grabbed the girl's hand.

Xiao Li's exclamation drew everyone's attention, and Zhao Wan's transformation surprised many classmates, who came up to greet her, creating a buzz of conversation.

A burly, dark-skinned male classmate, Zhang Wei, squeezed through the crowd, his familiar voice and hearty laugh immediately recognizable. Zhang Wei slapped Song Lang on the shoulder, saying, "Song Lang, you lucky dog, Zhao Wan has become so beautiful, you better keep a close eye on her!"

"If it wasn't for Song Lang pampering me all these years, I'd definitely look several years older," Zhao Wan held her husband's hand, smiling softly.

"Hello, classmates!" While the classmates were warmly chatting, the door to the room was pushed open again, and a man in a sharp suit, holding a bottle of fine wine, walked in.

Zhao Wan frowned; the man was Lin Youshen, one of her former suitors. Lin Youshen had been popular among the girls in school, with a reputation for moving through the flowers without touching a leaf. Zhao Wan didn't like his ways and had rejected his advances multiple times until she got together with Song Lang, after which Lin Youshen finally backed off.

It was later rumored that he got involved with a naive rich girl, and through his manipulative tactics, convinced her to willingly marry him, inheriting a fortune at a young age. Now, it seemed those rumors weren't unfounded.

Lin Youshen's arrival caused a small stir, his arrogant demeanor and the pride he inadvertently displayed adding a slight tension to the atmosphere. He smiled slightly, looked around at his old classmates, waved at them, and then his gaze landed on Zhao Wan.

"Yo, who is this beauty? Do we have such a gorgeous girl in our class?" Lin Youshen's voice carried a barely detectable hint of sarcasm as he slowly approached, sizing up Zhao Wan. Although Zhao Wan had undergone a significant change in temperament, it wasn't enough to make her unrecognizable; Lin Youshen was obviously targeting her on purpose.
"But it doesn't matter, the owner of Pu Shi Xuan has a good relationship with my father-in-law, so everyone present today is a friend. Let's take this rare opportunity to enjoy ourselves."
Li Haotian, the class president, looked somewhat displeased, not expecting that a class reunion just a year after graduation could become so complicated. He had been puzzled at first why Lin Youshen, who wasn't originally keen on class activities, suddenly contacted him to organize this dinner. Now, it seemed there was an ulterior motive.
Zhao Wan's face turned pale with anger. Although the chance to meet up with classmates was rare, she could clearly hear the implication in Lin Youshen's words – that under normal circumstances, Zhao Wan would never have the opportunity to step into such a high-end place. Despite his casual tone, the underlying hostility and bitterness were apparent to some of the classmates.
"Yeah, Lin Youshen, we're indeed very thankful for your invitation today," Song Lang suddenly spoke up.
"If not for you, we wouldn't have had the chance to come to such a fancy place," Song Lang said, surveying the surroundings with surprise in Lin Youshen's eyes, "So, the one who led you into this place, uh, your sister-in-law, where is she? Why don't I see her around?"
"She has nothing to do with a college class reunion," Lin Youshen's eyes flashed dangerously, glancing at Zhao Wan with a hint of jealousy in his words, "I'm not like you, needing to bring a 'family member' everywhere. But it's fine, it's just one more pair of chopsticks."
A few people standing closer to Lin Youshen chuckled softly. Regardless of right or wrong, Lin Youshen's current status made these people subconsciously choose their sides.
Song Lang saw a blush spread over Zhao Wan's delicate neck, clearly embarrassed and isolated by Lin Youshen's targeting.
"Zhao Wan has already been ostracized at work, I can't let her suffer the same here," Song Lang made up his mind, reaching into his pocket.
Moments later, a gleam flashed in Song Lang's eyes. He stepped forward, looking Lin Youshen in the eye, and said word by word, "You're wrong about one thing."
"Classmate Zhao Wan is here today to buy this hotel. She heard I had a class reunion and just came up to take a look."
"So, I'm the family member. I'm the future owner's family member," Song Lang said with a smile, under the shocked gazes of everyone.
"You're not crazy, are you?" Lin Youshen looked at Song Lang as if he were looking at an idiot, truly not expecting the usually honest and straightforward Song Lang to make such a grand claim.
"Aren't you familiar with the owner of Pu Shi Xuan? Why not call him over and ask? Or are you just bluffing, and the owner doesn't even know you? Since you're so close, making a phone call shouldn't be hard, right?" Song Lang pressed on, not backing down.
"You!" The eyes of everyone following Song Lang's gaze made Lin Youshen's face struggle to maintain composure, his complexion turning from red to white before he bit the bullet and dialed a number.
"Uncle Chu, it's Xiao Shen. I visited you last time with my father-in-law, Chen Yueshan, yes, that's me. The thing is, today I've booked a room here at Pu Shi Xuan, and I've invited... Ah, okay, okay, I'll get straight to the point. There's a lunatic here saying he's arranged with you to buy Pu Shi Xuan, I..."
Lin Youshen's obsequious smile froze, clearly the call had been cut off.
The classmates in the room were silent, looking at each other. Lin Youshen's behavior just now indeed showed he knew the hotel's owner but wasn't as close as he claimed. In fact, only Lin Youshen himself knew that Chu Boxuan, the owner of Pu Shi Xuan, had even more substantial assets than his father-in-law, and he had only met Chu Boxuan through his father-in-law.
"Song Lang, what are you doing..." Zhao Wan's expression was also not good; she didn't understand why Song Lang would tell such a blatant lie.
"It's okay, they're all classmates, letting them know in advance doesn't matter," Song Lang squeezed Zhao Wan's hand, signaling her to be at ease.
"Still being stubborn? You're convinced I can't get Uncle Chu to come here to expose you, right? Dragging time until after dinner and then leave?" Lin Youshen snorted through his nose, seemingly having seen through Song Lang's scheme.
His speculation lifted the embarrassment off himself, and the classmates' gazes returned to Song Lang, each showing a dawning realization.
"I advise you not to..." Lin Youshen was about to continue mocking when the door behind him was suddenly pushed open.

Description

This text was originally written in Chinese. I have obtained the original author, Shairly's, permission to translate it into English using GPT, with minor corrections made thereafter. Please forgive any errors.

——————————————————————————————
"Pu Shi Xuan... Is this the place?" The Corolla slowly came to a stop, and Song Lang pulled out his phone, triple-checking the restaurant location sent in the class group chat. The place in front of them seemed unrelated to Pu Shi at all!

"It's here," Zhao Wan pointed to the huge bluestone at the hotel entrance, which was engraved with the three characters for Pu Shi Xuan.

A row of luxury cars was parked at the entrance of the hotel, and the doormen, dressed in neat uniforms, welcomed the guests with enthusiasm and respect, showcasing an extraordinary luxury.

Entering the hotel lobby, the magnificent marble floor, the huge crystal chandeliers hanging, and the distinguished aura emanating from the people around made Zhao Wan and Song Lang feel as if they had stepped into another world. Song Lang felt a bit out of place and whispered to Zhao Wan, "We would never come to a place like this under normal circumstances."

"Choosing such a luxurious place for the gathering, I wonder whose idea it was. It's indeed a bit extravagant," Zhao Wan nodded slightly.

She did not seem as nervous as Song Lang, perhaps the change in her appearance gave her a powerful presence, causing the hotel staff to naturally treat her as the leader of the two, always asking for her opinion when leading the way.

After several twists and turns, they arrived in front of a VIP room. The waiter nodded, gestured them in, and gently opened the door.

Upon entering, they were immediately surrounded by warm cheers and laughter. A tall boy wearing glasses, who was the first to see them, shouted, "Song Lang, Zhao Wan, you're here! Come over here, come over here!"

Li Haotian, the class president in college, was enthusiastic and righteous, and had always had a good relationship with Song Lang. He hurriedly waved to them upon their entrance.

"Ah! Wanwan, how do you look even younger!" Compared to Li Haotian's bluntness, a girl in a chic little dress with short hair quickly noticed Zhao Wan's dramatic change, "Quick, tell us your secret to becoming beautiful?"

"Oh Xiao Li, you're as pretty as you were before!" Zhao Wan grabbed the girl's hand.

Xiao Li's exclamation drew everyone's attention, and Zhao Wan's transformation surprised many classmates, who came up to greet her, creating a buzz of conversation.

A burly, dark-skinned male classmate, Zhang Wei, squeezed through the crowd, his familiar voice and hearty laugh immediately recognizable. Zhang Wei slapped Song Lang on the shoulder, saying, "Song Lang, you lucky dog, Zhao Wan has become so beautiful, you better keep a close eye on her!"

"If it wasn't for Song Lang pampering me all these years, I'd definitely look several years older," Zhao Wan held her husband's hand, smiling softly.

"Hello, classmates!" While the classmates were warmly chatting, the door to the room was pushed open again, and a man in a sharp suit, holding a bottle of fine wine, walked in.

Zhao Wan frowned; the man was Lin Youshen, one of her former suitors. Lin Youshen had been popular among the girls in school, with a reputation for moving through the flowers without touching a leaf. Zhao Wan didn't like his ways and had rejected his advances multiple times until she got together with Song Lang, after which Lin Youshen finally backed off.

It was later rumored that he got involved with a naive rich girl, and through his manipulative tactics, convinced her to willingly marry him, inheriting a fortune at a young age. Now, it seemed those rumors weren't unfounded.

Lin Youshen's arrival caused a small stir, his arrogant demeanor and the pride he inadvertently displayed adding a slight tension to the atmosphere. He smiled slightly, looked around at his old classmates, waved at them, and then his gaze landed on Zhao Wan.

"Yo, who is this beauty? Do we have such a gorgeous girl in our class?" Lin Youshen's voice carried a barely detectable hint of sarcasm as he slowly approached, sizing up Zhao Wan. Although Zhao Wan had undergone a significant change in temperament, it wasn't enough to make her unrecognizable; Lin Youshen was obviously targeting her on purpose.
"But it doesn't matter, the owner of Pu Shi Xuan has a good relationship with my father-in-law, so everyone present today is a friend. Let's take this rare opportunity to enjoy ourselves."
Li Haotian, the class president, looked somewhat displeased, not expecting that a class reunion just a year after graduation could become so complicated. He had been puzzled at first why Lin Youshen, who wasn't originally keen on class activities, suddenly contacted him to organize this dinner. Now, it seemed there was an ulterior motive.
Zhao Wan's face turned pale with anger. Although the chance to meet up with classmates was rare, she could clearly hear the implication in Lin Youshen's words – that under normal circumstances, Zhao Wan would never have the opportunity to step into such a high-end place. Despite his casual tone, the underlying hostility and bitterness were apparent to some of the classmates.
"Yeah, Lin Youshen, we're indeed very thankful for your invitation today," Song Lang suddenly spoke up.
"If not for you, we wouldn't have had the chance to come to such a fancy place," Song Lang said, surveying the surroundings with surprise in Lin Youshen's eyes, "So, the one who led you into this place, uh, your sister-in-law, where is she? Why don't I see her around?"
"She has nothing to do with a college class reunion," Lin Youshen's eyes flashed dangerously, glancing at Zhao Wan with a hint of jealousy in his words, "I'm not like you, needing to bring a 'family member' everywhere. But it's fine, it's just one more pair of chopsticks."
A few people standing closer to Lin Youshen chuckled softly. Regardless of right or wrong, Lin Youshen's current status made these people subconsciously choose their sides.
Song Lang saw a blush spread over Zhao Wan's delicate neck, clearly embarrassed and isolated by Lin Youshen's targeting.
"Zhao Wan has already been ostracized at work, I can't let her suffer the same here," Song Lang made up his mind, reaching into his pocket.
Moments later, a gleam flashed in Song Lang's eyes. He stepped forward, looking Lin Youshen in the eye, and said word by word, "You're wrong about one thing."
"Classmate Zhao Wan is here today to buy this hotel. She heard I had a class reunion and just came up to take a look."
"So, I'm the family member. I'm the future owner's family member," Song Lang said with a smile, under the shocked gazes of everyone.
"You're not crazy, are you?" Lin Youshen looked at Song Lang as if he were looking at an idiot, truly not expecting the usually honest and straightforward Song Lang to make such a grand claim.
"Aren't you familiar with the owner of Pu Shi Xuan? Why not call him over and ask? Or are you just bluffing, and the owner doesn't even know you? Since you're so close, making a phone call shouldn't be hard, right?" Song Lang pressed on, not backing down.
"You!" The eyes of everyone following Song Lang's gaze made Lin Youshen's face struggle to maintain composure, his complexion turning from red to white before he bit the bullet and dialed a number.
"Uncle Chu, it's Xiao Shen. I visited you last time with my father-in-law, Chen Yueshan, yes, that's me. The thing is, today I've booked a room here at Pu Shi Xuan, and I've invited... Ah, okay, okay, I'll get straight to the point. There's a lunatic here saying he's arranged with you to buy Pu Shi Xuan, I..."
Lin Youshen's obsequious smile froze, clearly the call had been cut off.
The classmates in the room were silent, looking at each other. Lin Youshen's behavior just now indeed showed he knew the hotel's owner but wasn't as close as he claimed. In fact, only Lin Youshen himself knew that Chu Boxuan, the owner of Pu Shi Xuan, had even more substantial assets than his father-in-law, and he had only met Chu Boxuan through his father-in-law.
"Song Lang, what are you doing..." Zhao Wan's expression was also not good; she didn't understand why Song Lang would tell such a blatant lie.
"It's okay, they're all classmates, letting them know in advance doesn't matter," Song Lang squeezed Zhao Wan's hand, signaling her to be at ease.
"Still being stubborn? You're convinced I can't get Uncle Chu to come here to expose you, right? Dragging time until after dinner and then leave?" Lin Youshen snorted through his nose, seemingly having seen through Song Lang's scheme.
His speculation lifted the embarrassment off himself, and the classmates' gazes returned to Song Lang, each showing a dawning realization.
"I advise you not to..." Lin Youshen was about to continue mocking when the door behind him was suddenly pushed open.