360: Chapter 360 Competition Party 360: Chapter 360 Competition Party The western corner of Donglin University was a large open space, originally meant for students to stroll after meals.
Today, being National Day, most of the students had gone home or out to play, leaving few still on campus.
That’s why the usually bustling place was now somewhat deserted.
However, the vibe began to pick up as one car after another drove onto the vacant land.
“Class president, you’re doing quite well for yourself, even becoming a minister.
Your monthly salary plus bonus must be at least twenty thousand, right?
It’s been three years since graduation, and look at you, you’ve bought a car worth over two hundred thousand, a mid-range vehicle no less, and I heard you even bought a house back in your hometown?”
“Oh please, just getting by, day by day.
If you want to talk about doing well, Zhou Wenkai and Xiao Fan are the ones.
Zhou Wenkai is now a department manager at a mid-sized company, with an annual salary of four to five hundred thousand.
He and Ning Xinhua, that lovely couple, have bought a house in Donglin City.
Look at his car, it’s a BMW 5 series worth over five hundred thousand.
He’s now known as Mr.
Zhou to everyone.
And Xiao Fan, he’s even more remarkable.
Married a wealthy wife, driving a Porsche 911 worth over a million, and he’ll inherit a large company in the future.
Now, that’s the real life of the rich and handsome.
Compared to them, I’m just a nobody.”
“Class president, stop joking around, you’re making me blush.”
“Haha, Xiao Fan, what’s there to be embarrassed about?
Marrying a rich wife takes skills too, and I’m downright envious of you.
Your life’s achievements could surpass what most could strive for in a lifetime.
Just enjoy your good fortune, and by the way, why didn’t you bring your wife along?”
“She’s busy,” he replied.
“Li Long is doing pretty well too, a civil servant no less, living off the state.
I’ve heard he’s about to be promoted to deputy head, right?
Geez, the National Tax Bureau is such a great place to work; he might even become Minister Li in the future.”
“Ah, you’re all doing so well, and here I am still a lowly employee, barely making a few thousand a month.
Truly embarrassing.
Brothers, since you’re all doing so well, maybe you could look out for this little brother here.”
“Look, our Mr.
Zhou has arrived.”
When Zhou Wenkai arrived in his BMW 5, all eyes were drawn to him.
If you’re talking about who had made it the biggest, it was definitely him.
No matter how you put it, Xiao Fan didn’t get to where he is through his own efforts.
Zhou Wenkai and Ning Xinhua got out of the car cheerfully.
They both enjoyed the attention from their classmates.
Zhou, appearing warmly enthusiastic as he handed out cigarettes to everyone, had a hint of arrogance on his face that was quite noticeable.
This reunion was mainly his idea, of course executed by the class president calling everyone together.
There weren’t many from their class in Donglin City, but altogether about a dozen showed up, all in attendance today.
“Everyone’s early, huh?
Is almost everyone here?” Zhou Wenkai asked, intentionally.
“Not yet, our class belle Mo Xiaoqing hasn’t arrived,” the class president said.
Just then, a brand-new BMW 7 series pulled up, and Tangyu got out with Mo Xiaoqing, catching everyone off guard.
Mo Xiaoqing took Tangyu’s arm and waved to everyone as a greeting.
Tangyu also nodded amiably at everyone, basking in their envious looks.
Zhou Wenkai glanced at Tangyu’s brand-new BMW 7 series, and his lips twitched.
He had thought that he would be today’s shining star.
To be honest, this three-year reunion was really just a competition to see who had made it big, a chance to show off one’s success to their classmates.
At least, that’s what Zhou Wenkai believed.
So, he was quite proactive about attending this reunion.
Of course, there was another reason—he wanted to use this reunion to thoroughly humiliate Tangyu, still holding a grudge from their last encounter, unable to let go.
“Oh, the beauty always makes a grand entrance, keeping us waiting, huh?” Zhou Wenkai joked with sarcastic undertones.
Mo Xiaoqing glanced at Zhou Wenkai and said apologetically, “Sorry to have kept everyone waiting.”
“Not at all, not at all, you’re a great beauty.
It’s only right for us to wait for you,” Zhou Wenkai said with a touch of acidity in his words.
“Xiaoqing, why not introduce your boyfriend to us?” the class president said with a disarming smile.
Mo Xiaoqing smiled and nodded, “This is my boyfriend, Tangyu.
Tangyu, let me introduce you to my classmates—” Mo Xiaoqing began introducing everyone, with thirteen classmates present plus family members, totaling sixteen.
It wasn’t a large group, but they varied in success.
Three years were enough to create a gap among them.
Speaking of the least successful among them, it would be Mo Xiaoqing.
After all, they were graduates of Donglin University, and in three years, most had salaries nearing ten thousand, with better ones earning over twenty thousand, and the most successful being Zhou Wenkai with an annual salary of four to five hundred thousand.
Clearly, those who weren’t doing well simply laughed along, barely participating in the conversation.
People like Zhou Wenkai and the class president were obviously the leaders of the pack, while someone like Xiao Fan, who drew everyone’s envy, was only occasionally brought into discussions.
“Xiaoqing, that’s too brief of an introduction.
Your boyfriend seems to be doing quite well, driving a car worth over a million.
Where does he work at such a high level?” The class president still wore a harmless smile, while Zhou Wenkai smirked silently, pleased someone had asked the question he himself wanted to ask.
“Yeah, Xiaoqing, there’s a saying, ‘It’s better to marry well than to look good.’ Who exactly is your boyfriend?”
“Is your boyfriend a second-generation rich kid?” The classmates all teased lightly, given their camaraderie, so there wasn’t too much concern for formality in their joking words, and no real reason to be upset.
Mo Xiaoqing shook her head and sighed with a wry smile, “You’ve got it wrong; my boyfriend is just from an ordinary family.
He works at a small company.” Mo Xiaoqing didn’t want to explain further; in fact, she didn’t quite know what to say.
She was very aware that this reunion was mostly a competition, to admire those who’ve done well.
“How could that be possible?
Working for a small company, don’t tell me you’re a manager who can afford a car worth more than a million.
That would mean your annual salary can’t be less than a million, right?” the class president said.
“Come on, Xiaoqing, don’t be so modest.
Your boyfriend is yours, we’re not going to fight you for him.
Besides, we’re all guys, what are you afraid of?
Just tell us so we can be happy for you.”
“Maybe the car is borrowed,” Zhou Wenkai joked.
Tangyu glanced at Zhou Wenkai indifferently, knowing he still harbored some hostility towards him.
He didn’t want to be too high-profile, but since everyone was comparing, he couldn’t show weakness either.
That was why Tangyu had driven the BMW 7 that Lin Guotai had given him.
“The car is mine, and I am indeed just an ordinary employee at a small company,” Tangyu said.
Zhou Wenkai’s mouth twitched, and a look of disdain and disbelief flashed in his eyes.
If Tangyu was just an ordinary employee at a small company, making at most ten thousand a month, how on earth could he afford a car worth over a million?
Did he take others for fools?
The others just smiled, most of them indeed harboring doubts.
“Alright, everyone’s here; let’s go.
Let’s take a walk around the campus first.
It’s been three years since we’ve been back.
Let’s recapture that familiar feeling,” Zhou Wenkai said.
Everyone nodded in agreement, and the group walked through the campus.
“Time flies; it really does pass in the blink of an eye.
It’s been over three years, and I still feel like I was in school yesterday.
Back then, we were all full of hopes for the future, and now we’re all realizing the dreams of our student days.”
“Yeah, I still remember taking our graduation photo right here.
Three years after graduation, everyone’s spread out far and wide, and chances to meet up are rare.
Have you guys heard?
Rao Zhifan, the one who used to skip classes the most, started a company with a friend after leaving.
After three years of development, it’s grown quite a bit.
I heard his assets are also in the millions now.
He might become a big entrepreneur in the future.”
“Hmm, what’s going on over there?”
Following the voice, everyone looked over and saw two people kneeling there, dressed in ragged clothes, with a line of words on the ground: Disabled parents seek the kindness of strangers so our son can go to school.
Besides the words, there were some old newspapers, photos, and even identity cards.
Both of them seemed to be around forty years old, with the man sitting paralyzed as if his legs were disabled.
Next to the woman was a crutch, and she was missing a hand.
“That’s so sad.
Let’s give them some money,” one of the students suggested.
Zhou Wenkai took out two thousand yuan from his wallet and handed it over, “Take this for your son’s education.
A parent’s heart is universally kind.”
“Thank you, kind sir,” the two said with gratitude, tears streaming down their faces as they knelt down and bowed to Zhou Wenkai repeatedly.
Zhou Wenkai enjoyed the moment, especially seeing the surprised looks from his classmates, who were counting their change to give to the couple.
They hadn’t expected Zhou Wenkai to be so generous, directly giving two thousand yuan.
Two thousand yuan—certainly not a small sum.
How many people would be willing to part with so much money?
The corners of Tangyu’s mouth slightly curled up into a contemptuous cold smile.
He could clearly see Zhou Wenkai was showing off on purpose, aiming to flaunt his wealth.
Such antics were somewhat amusing, indeed.
Of course, the funniest thing to Tangyu was that Zhou Wenkai had been duped yet remained blissfully unaware.
With Zhou Wenkai taking the lead, the others felt compelled to not be stingy and each took out money to give to the pair.
Mo Xiaoqing also reached for her wallet, but was stopped by Tangyu, “Don’t be deceived.”
Tangyu’s voice wasn’t loud, but Zhou Wenkai overheard and immediately retorted, “If you don’t want to give, that’s fine, but why say something so unpleasant?
They’re in such a state, how can you say such things?” Seizing the opportunity, Zhou Wenkai was more than happy to take a jab at Tangyu.
Hearing Zhou Wenkai’s words, the others also looked at Tangyu with a touch of strangeness in their eyes.
Mo Xiaoqing was slightly taken aback and looked at Tangyu.
She knew he wouldn’t speak without reason.
Could it be that these two were pretending to be disabled?
That all the information was fake, taking advantage of people’s sympathy to scam money?
“If you want to show your charity, go ahead.
I’m not stopping you.
I just didn’t want to see Xiaoqing get tricked, I didn’t seem to bother any of you,” Tangyu said.
“Heh, you haven’t bothered us, but your words are a bit harsh.
I’m just expressing my opinion.
As people, we should be grateful by nature.
When encountering someone in need, it’s only human to offer a bit of kindness.
Even if you don’t want to give, there’s no need to say it in front of us, is there?
We’re not asking you to give anything,” Zhou Wenkai said with a smile.
The atmosphere suddenly grew tense.