As Qin Hui took his seat, the others began to consciously distance themselves from him, as it was Zhao Gao's gathering today.
More importantly, no one knew Qin Hui, and his entire outfit wouldn't exceed two hundred yuan. In comparison, Qin Hui posed no significant competition.
"Qin Hui, thank you so much for coming. If you hadn't..."
Qin Shishi said gratefully.
If Qin Hui hadn't come, she wouldn't have known how to handle the situation. With Qin Hui there, at least someone could chat with her.
Qin Hui smiled slightly. Since no one else was paying him any attention, Qin Hui started chatting with Qin Shishi about some everyday anecdotes.
However, after only a few minutes, a very handsome man walked into the private room, holding ninety-nine roses.
"Zhao Gao, you're finally here. We've all been waiting for you!"
Zhao Jiani was the first to approach, a bright, excited smile on her face.
"Ah, I was just parking the car, so I'm a little late. Please don't mind."
Zhao Gao said, deliberately raising the Rolex watch on his wrist. This move was noticed by everyone present, who all displayed expressions of envy.
That Rolex watch was worth at least several hundred thousand yuan, not something an ordinary person could afford.
Everyone present also rose to welcome Zhao Gao. Among these classmates, Zhao Gao was considered the most successful.
After greeting everyone one by one, Zhao Gao walked directly towards Qin Shishi.
But when Zhao Gao saw Qin Hui next to Qin Shishi, his steps faltered.
"Hey, you, get away quickly. Don't you see our Young Master Zhao is here?"
Zhao Jiani, standing nearby, said with a look of disdain.
"That's right. Young Master Zhao is treating us today. You should sit somewhere else and not ruin everyone's mood."
Someone chimed in.
"Shishi, who is this?"
Zhao Gao's expression changed slightly, a hint of surprise in his voice. He had been keeping tabs on Qin Shishi recently, and when did this man appear by her side?
"Zhao Gao, this is my boyfriend, Qin Hui."
Qin Shishi announced in front of everyone.
Boom!
At these words, everyone was stunned. Since when did Qin Shishi have a boyfriend?
Seeing their astonished looks, Qin Shishi acted naturally. Just moments ago, she had specifically asked Qin Hui to help her with this.
To get rid of Zhao Gao's advances, Qin Shishi naturally had to make him give up.
"Shishi, it's not April Fool's Day today, don't joke around."
"These roses are for you, representing my heartfelt feelings."
After a moment of stunned silence, Zhao Gao quickly reacted. Qin Hui's attire was too ordinary; he didn't seem like the kind of man Qin Shishi would be interested in.
"Hey, Zhao Gao, right? Shishi is my girlfriend now, so you can keep your flowers."
Qin Hui said domineeringly, then put his arm around Qin Shishi's slender waist.
Being embraced by Qin Hui, Qin Shishi's face immediately flushed. It was the first time she had been so physically close to a man.
Seeing this, Zhao Gao's face darkened to an extreme. He had tried to get close to Qin Shishi throughout their four years of university without success, yet this guy was casually putting his arm around her waist. This was undoubtedly a public humiliation!
Zhao Gao had been doing remarkably well in all aspects since taking over the company. He had never experienced such a setback before.
Zhao Jiani, sensing the awkward atmosphere, tugged at Zhao Gao's arm.
"Alright, since everyone is here, let's start the party."
Zhao Jiani winked at Zhao Gao, who, being astute, immediately understood her intention.
Since Qin Shishi had a boyfriend, it was simple: get Qin Hui to leave. Not only that, but he also wanted to make Qin Shishi realize that only he was worthy of her.
Zhao Jiani was very capable. Under her direction, everyone soon started drinking.
After a few rounds of drinks, a classmate stood up, raised his glass, and said, "Brother Zhao, I heard your company is doing well recently. Our family happens to need a batch of goods. What do you think?"
Seeing this classmate stand up, Zhao Gao knew his opportunity had arrived.
"That's easy. We're all classmates, after all. Helping each other is only natural."
"Brother Zhao, I haven't found a job since graduation. I heard your company has good benefits. Can I join?"
"Of course. We happen to need a manager, with an annual salary of three hundred thousand."
"Brother Zhao..."
Classmates one after another stood up, clearly regarding Zhao Gao as their leader.
Zhao Gao, too, was thoroughly enjoying this moment of admiration from everyone.
"Oh? Your name is Qin Hui, isn't it?"
"Where are you currently employed?"
Zhao Jiani, ever observant, asked. In her opinion, Qin Hui was at best a laborer, no match for Zhao Gao.
Zhao Jiani's question immediately drew everyone's attention. They were all curious, especially since Qin Hui's girlfriend was Qin Shishi.
"I, I don't have a job right now."
Qin Hui naturally understood their intentions. Since they wanted to put on a show, Qin Hui would humor them. After all, it was Qin Shishi's class reunion, and it wouldn't be appropriate for him to cause a scene and leave.
"No job?"
"Hahaha, Qin Hui, you're a grown man with hands and feet. How can you not have a job?"
"Though, speaking of which, the Qin family is indeed quite large, but you can't always expect the Qin family to support you."
The crowd began to tease him. By elevating Zhao Gao, they believed all their requests for the day would be met.
"It's not like that. Qin Hui is actually a doctor."
Qin Shishi, unable to bear seeing them kick Qin Hui while he was down, spoke up.
"A doctor?"
"At his age, he's probably just doing odd jobs at the hospital, right?"
"Do you know Zhao Wuji, the divine doctor from Jiangnan Province?"
"You know, I'm acquainted with Doctor Zhao. How about I put in a word with Doctor Zhao and get you a job sweeping the morgue?"
"I heard even sweeping floors at the hospital pays over three thousand yuan a month."
Zhao Gao couldn't help but laugh at this point. He had thought Qin Hui, who managed to win Qin Shishi over, would be quite formidable, only to discover he was just an unemployed man.
Listening to Zhao Gao's taunts, Qin Hui smiled faintly, offering no reply.
For people like this, Qin Hui felt it wasn't worth getting angry.
"Hey, what are you smiling about? Young Master Zhao is asking you a question. Having a job sweeping floors is already pretty good."
"Oh, Young Master Zhao, it seems he doesn't appreciate your kindness."
The crowd continued to banter, finding Qin Hui a source of amusement that made the food and drinks more enjoyable.
"Oh?"
"You know Zhao Wuji?"
Qin Hui asked calmly, interrupting the crowd's laughter.
"Of course. Our Zhao family specializes in the production of medical equipment. With the help of Doctor Zhao, our company's network and resources are quite significant in Jiangnan Province."
Zhao Gao said proudly. He had put a great deal of effort into connecting with Doctor Zhao.
Yet, only Zhao Gao knew that his relationship with Doctor Zhao wasn't particularly close; it was merely a facade to impress everyone.
"Heh, interesting."
Qin Hui smiled faintly, his gaze lingering on Qin Shishi. Such gatherings were no longer interesting to him.
If it weren't for the palatable food, Qin Hui would have likely gotten up and left long ago.
Qin Shishi, sitting beside Qin Hui, felt a pang of guilt. She hadn't expected Zhao Gao and the others to target Qin Hui so aggressively, which disappointed her.
Qin Shishi had thought they were all classmates, but she hadn't realized how materialistic everyone had become after leaving school.