Xia Mengdie had a few close friends in Dongbei Yang City before, so after her return, everyone was eager to prepare a welcome party.
Starlight Pure K was on the third floor of Wanda Plaza. Lin Mo and Xia Mengdie followed Lu Zitao into the private room, which was a luxurious one, with flashing lights. Colored lights projected onto the patterned marble from the ceiling, greeting about 10 men and women.
All dressed like social elites, Lu Zitao herself wasn't too famous nor too obscure, as a local TV anchor, she knew people of decent status and position.
"Let's all welcome back Meng Die," said Lu Zitao cheerfully as she spoke.
Everyone clapped, although Xia Mengdie only recognized a few of them, having not seen them for three to four years, the others were all friends of Lu Zizhu.
"Let me introduce you to Liu Xuan," Lu Zitao said, bringing over a young man in a blue suit with glasses, a sweet smile on her face.
Xia Mengdie asked curiously, "Who is he? Are you guys perhaps?"
"He's my boyfriend now," said Lu Zitao with a beaming smile.
"Oh, and you might remember Zhai Fei and Tang Lenglan. When you used to come to the Northeast, we hung out together," Lu Zitao said, looking at a man and woman sitting on the couch.
The man named Zhai Fei, probably in his mid-twenties, wore a Baleno suit with a gold Rolex on his wrist, clearly from a well-off family. He nodded slightly and said, "Meng Die, we haven't seen each other for four or five years. I bet you've forgotten us, right?"
"Not at all, I remember you," Xia Mengdie replied with a polite smile.
Tang Lenglan had heavy makeup on, wearing a red off-the-shoulder long dress, showing off her creamy skin, her wavy hair lazily resting on her shoulders, she had an air of languid allure about her. "Meng Die, long time no see."
Xia Mengdie nodded at them, acknowledging each one. Apart from Lu Zizhu, she hadn't had much contact with the rest of them over the years.
Everyone turned their attention to the young man standing behind Xia Mengdie. Tang Lenglan asked, "Meng Die, who is this?"
"This is my boyfriend, Lin Mo," Xia Mengdie introduced, arm in arm with him.
However, as soon as she finished introducing him, Liu Xuan, Zhai Fei, Tang Lenglan, and others looked at Lin Mo with a hint of contempt in their eyes. Zhai Fei sighed to himself, pitying that such a beautiful woman as Xia Mengdie ended up with a poor guy.
Still, as a TV anchor, Lu Zitao had a good way with words and knew how to control the atmosphere. She said, "Meng Die, Liu Xuan has now transferred to the Business Bureau, he's the office director now."
"Zhai Fei has taken over the family business; he's a super tycoon now, easily earning a few hundred million in a year."
"Tang Lenglan went off to be a car model, now hanging out with the rich."
Their old buddies seemed to be doing quite well for themselves. Each time Lu Zitao mentioned someone, a bit of pride showed on their faces.
"It's just a small business," Zhai Fei said, waving his hand dismissively.
Although he said so, he couldn't hide the pride on his face.
Even though everyone knew Xia Mengdie, they were unaware of her and Lin Mo's real identities, and as to what happened in distant Shu Province, they were even more in the dark.
"Oh right, Meng Die, what are you up to now?" Lu Zitao asked.
"Oh, I've just started university," Xia Mengdie replied softly.
"Still studying at university?? Alas, we've all entered society and achieved something," Tang Lenglan chuckled under her breath. Xia Mengdie had been the most beautiful among their group, and she had always been jealous of Xia Mengdie, so of course, her attitude wasn't the best.
Lu Zitao glanced at Lin Mo, who was sitting beside her, and sighed inwardly. With a boyfriend like this, she doubted her days would be comfortable; she guessed that relying on Lin Mo's salary alone wouldn't be enough to support them both!
"By the way, I wonder where Mr. Lin is currently employed?" Liu Xuan asked with a smirk, inquiring in an official tone.
Xia Mengdie used to be the goddess in the hearts of these men, but then she suddenly got a poor as dirt boyfriend. No one felt comfortable about it, and now that they had the chance, they naturally intended to humiliate Lin Mo.
"I'm not working," Lin Mo said with an indifferent expression.
The contempt in everyone's eyes grew more intense. As expected, he was a loser who lived off a woman, a bum without a job!
Then everyone started chatting, completely ignoring Lin Mo. He had no interest in talking with these people either. The level he was currently on was unimaginable to them.
"Meng Die, I really feel sorry for you. You're at least a university beauty, yet you ended up with..." Lu Zitao drank a glass of alcohol, speaking with a touch of regret.
Xia Mengdie knew what she wanted to say, but these people had no idea just how high Lin Mo's status was; the number one man in both Shu Province and Imperial City. Sometimes she even felt that she wasn't worthy of Lin Mo.
As they were chatting, the door to the private room was pushed open, and a woman with a good figure, dressed in a cheongsam, walked in.
"Mr. Zhai, sorry to disturb you and your friends."
Zhai Fei turned his head and saw her, immediately smiling and asking, "Sister Liu, what brings you here?"
"This... there's a boss who knew that Miss Lu was here and would like to invite her over for a drink," Sister Liu said, a bit embarrassed.
Sister Liu was the owner of this KTV. A woman not yet forty, and to have come this far, showed that her capabilities and influence were no small matter. She had strong connections in both the legitimate and underworld scenes.
Lu Zitao was a famous female anchor in Yang City, and though not a big deal in the entertainment industry, in Yang City she was considered a local celebrity. She often attended dinner and drinking parties, but no one had ever directly invited her to accompany drinks. She frowned.
"Who dares to ask my girlfriend to accompany them for drinks, thinking they can ignore me, Liu Xuan? I have some connections in the Z government offices; who am I afraid of?" Liu Xuan said loudly, frowning.
"These are all my friends, Sister Liu, I'm sorry but please tell that boss that my friends are unavailable," Zhai Fei said with a confident huff.
Sister Liu looked troubled. Zhai Fei was also her customer, generous and not someone she wanted to offend, but the other party was even more someone she couldn't afford to offend!
"Woah, there are so many beauties here," a jarring voice arose from outside the door at that moment.
Everyone turned their heads, to see a group of bare-armed men with tattoos on their necks and arms walking in. The leader was a man in his forties with a long scar on his face and a dragon tattoo on his shoulder, exuding an ominous Evil Qi.
"Hei Long?" Liu Xuan looked at the man as if someone had grabbed his throat, his face turning a very odd color.
"What are you staring at me for?" Hei Long glared at Liu Xuan, scaring him into lowering his head.