Rejected by the Campus Belle, I Find My True Love-Chapter 215 - 213: Xue Yang Doesn’t Dare to Attend the Class Reunion?
「On February 14th.」
Students from the former Senior Year Class Two of First High School began arriving one by one at the Jinhao Hotel.
Tang Haotian greeted everyone at the entrance like a host, ushering his classmates to their seats.
"Come on in and have a seat, everyone. Don’t be shy; make yourselves at home. And don’t worry about saving me money. I can afford this."
"Boss Tang is so impressive."
"Boss Tang is the best."
"Boss Tang is so generous."
Listening to everyone’s compliments, Tang Haotian couldn’t keep the smile off his face. He thoroughly enjoyed being the center of attention, a feeling he couldn’t get at a school like Yanbei University. There, everyone was a top performer. Although his family was reasonably well-off in Hui City, in a place like Yancheng, he was no different from a country bumpkin.
This was precisely why he couldn’t wait to gather all his classmates the moment he returned for the New Year.
Before long, almost everyone had arrived. Tang Haotian did a quick headcount. "Hey, it looks like two people are still missing."
Hearing this, the other students glanced around to see who hadn’t shown up yet.
"Who’s missing?"
"Yeah, which two are so important that they’re making the whole class wait?"
Just then, someone piped up, "I think it’s Xue Yang and Sun Haoran."
"Oh, so it’s those two. It’s understandable that Xue Yang wouldn’t dare to come, afraid of being laughed at, but why is Sun Haoran staying away too?"
「Meanwhile, at Xue Yang’s home.」
"Xue Yang, let’s go! I brought my dad’s motorcycle. It should take us about an hour to get there."
Xue Yang glanced at Sun Haoran’s Jialing motorcycle and said, "Let’s take my dad’s van."
"You got your driver’s license?"
"Yeah, last summer vacation."
"That’s great. My mom wanted to sign me up, but I was too scared to drive, so I didn’t. Now I regret it. If I’d learned, I could be driving too."
"You can always sign up when you have time. Knowing how to drive makes things a lot more convenient."
"Isn’t learning to drive really tough? I heard the instructors are super strict and yell at people a lot."
"It’s not hard. If you learn quickly and do well, the instructors won’t bother yelling at you."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Xue Yang, have you really not been pestering Senior Sister Chen?"
"No."
"Then have you gone to see Senior Sister Chen since you came back this year?"
"No."
Though he was driving a Wuling Hongguang van, the way Xue Yang handled it made it seem like an incredibly impressive vehicle.
"Xue Yang, have you really given up on Senior Sister Chen?"
Xue Yang spared a glance at Sun Haoran. "Why do you have to bring her up?"
Sun Haoran shrank back. "I-I was just curious."
"If I still liked her, would you be sitting in my passenger seat right now?"
"You have a point. A lot of girls are weirdly possessive about the passenger seat, acting like it’s a mortal sin for their boyfriend to let another woman sit there. I guess you really are over Senior Sister Chen."
Sun Haoran’s words were laced with an unmistakable tone of pity.
After persevering for so many years only for it to end in nothing, Xue Yang must feel terrible, right? His nonchalant act now is just a defense mechanism.
Xue Yang was focused on driving and didn’t notice Sun Haoran’s expression.
「Inside Jinhao Hotel.」
Tang Haotian had already launched into a long string of pleasantries.
"Everyone, our three years of high school felt neither long nor short. After the college entrance exam, we were all scattered far and wide, and our paths have since diverged. But no matter how much time passes, I’ll always remember that all of you were with me through the three most difficult years of my life. Come, let’s all raise a glass! To the fact that we can gather here together like this today. Cheers!"
Rising from his seat at the head of the table like a grown-up, Tang Haotian raised his glass. Everyone else stood as well, lifting their glasses high above the center of the table.
"Cheers!"
Tang Haotian led the charge, downing the liquor in his glass in one go. When he finished, he made sure to tip the glass upside down to show everyone it was empty.
"Haotian, you’re incredible! That was imported liquor, and you downed the whole glass!"
"Yeah, amazing! Compared to Haotian, we’re just kids."
"Someone as outstanding as Haotian must be really popular at Yanbei University, right? Have you made friends with the children of any high-ranking officials? Maybe you could even marry a local Yancheng girl in the future. That would be a true meteoric rise!"
Yancheng was the capital of the Dragon Country. Marrying a local girl from there was a sign of immense fortune, the kind said to make one’s ancestral tombs emit green smoke. The gap between them and him had suddenly become a chasm.
Smiling, Tang Haotian said, "Actually, a senior from a local Yancheng family does have a thing for me. I’ve just been hesitating because I think she’s a bit old."
"As the saying goes, ’A woman three years older is worth her weight in gold.’ What’s wrong with being a little older? Older women know how to dote on their husbands."
"Well... I guess that makes sense."
In stark contrast to Tang Haotian’s enthusiasm was another girl who had also gotten into Yanbei University, He Jiake. She had barely said a word all night, simply watching Tang Haotian’s performance as if it all had nothing to do with her.
"Hey, how come Xue Yang and his friend aren’t here yet?"
"Xue Yang must be off begging Senior Sister Chen for forgiveness again. He does this every New Year. It must be so hard on Senior Sister Chen, getting harassed by him all the time."
At this, a short-haired girl sitting with He Jiake spoke up.
"Maybe they’re already on their way. We still have ten minutes left until the official start time, don’t we?"
"We’re all adults who’ve graduated from high school. You’re supposed to arrive early for a gathering. Doesn’t he even grasp that basic courtesy?"
"But if we wanted them to be early, shouldn’t we have just set an earlier time? Why should we feel slighted just because we arrived early and they haven’t?"
"Li Yu, don’t tell me you have a crush on Xue Yang? Oh, that’s right! I remember now, you sat behind him in high school, didn’t you?" 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂
Li Yu’s face darkened at the accusation. "I do not."
"Then why are you always defending him?"
"I’m just stating a fact."
"Just admit you like him. What’s so embarrassing about it? It’s not like Senior Sister Chen wants him. Maybe if you confess tonight, he’ll say yes. After all, he got into Yanbei University. His future is limitless."
Finally unable to take it anymore, Li Yu retorted loudly, "Su Piaopiao, do you have to be so nasty?"
Just then, the door was pushed open, and two people walked in.
"Sorry, we’re late."
Every head in the room swiveled toward the entrance. When they saw the bright, handsome young man who had walked in, they were all stunned.
Is that Xue Yang? He must have the wrong room.
