Chapter 93: A Gathering of Roommates – Things Have Changed

Liang Huaixu did indeed receive the photos.

He didn't believe it and even sent someone to investigate, but unfortunately the other party was very secretive and no clues could be found. He didn't know the other party's intentions, so he called his son to the study.

The air was filled with the delicate fragrance of Hainan agarwood. Liang Huaixu leisurely brewed tea. "Open the emails you received today and take a look."

After reading it, Liang Chaoluo's expression changed slightly.

These were the photos Yi Han had shown him before; he hadn't expected Lao Liang to know about them.

He would naturally explain what happened, but the Liang family rules were very strict, and he was worried that Old Liang would change his mind because of this and disagree with his relationship with Shu Run.

He opened his lips, about to speak.

Old Liang asked him casually, "Is someone trying to sow discord between you two?"

Liang Chaoluo breathed a sigh of relief and nodded in acknowledgment, "It's Yi Han."

As expected, Yi Han was his preferred daughter-in-law candidate.

But since things had come to this, he glanced at his son and said, "Since you're getting married, you need to learn to trust each other and communicate more when you have disagreements. You also need to learn to restrain yourselves and resist external temptations... As for Yi Han's matter, I will talk to her family about it."

Liang Chaolu smiled and said, "I know. A harmonious family brings prosperity, and a loving wife is essential for success."

Although he spoke with a smile, there was a hint of reverence in his voice.

After he arrived at headquarters and witnessed Lao Liang's decisive leadership, some subtle feelings began to take root in his heart.

He hopes that one day he can be as capable as Lao Liang, stand on his own, and provide a very good life for his family.

-

After the Chinese New Year, Zhuang Fuyao's college roommate group suddenly became lively.

Li Muna sent a message in the group asking if everyone wanted to get together. The relationship between the girls in the dorm wasn't very harmonious, but looking back now, it's a rather special memory from their university days.

The other two both said yes.

Since she wasn't busy lately, Zhuang Fuyao thought it would be good to see her roommates: 【Sure, when?】

Li Muna: [You guys pick a time. As for the location, is Qingfeng Pavilion okay? I'll send a driver to pick you up.]

Qian Yuxin: 【!!! Isn't it difficult to make an appointment for this?】

Lin Jin: [How about we go somewhere else? Let's find a hot pot restaurant with decent food.]

Li Muna: [It's okay! I know someone who can get you a spot. Just so you know, it's on me, so don't feel pressured. I'll arrange a driver to pick you all up.]

Qian Yuxin: [Rich woman's sweetheart~]

Lin Jin: [Thank you for spending so much! [heart emoji]]

Zhuang Fuyao had no idea that the dinner venue Li Muna had chosen would be her territory, but she didn't want to be in the limelight and wanted to avoid it if possible. "How about we go somewhere else? I saw that Huating Club looks pretty good."

Li Muna: [Huating Club is indeed nice, but it's a private clubhouse; only owners of Huatingxie can enter.]

Huatingxie is one of the well-known upscale residential communities in Jiang City, where only large-sized apartments are sold, with an average price of 200,000 yuan per square meter.

Zhuang Fuyao overlooked this point. Among the high-end restaurants and clubs in Jiang City, Qingfeng Pavilion and Huating Club are the most famous, which is why she made this alternative suggestion.

However… she thought of something and opened her browser to search.

really.

Huatingxie is a residential community developed by Changting. Therefore, joining Huating Club is just a matter of Liang Huaixu saying a word.

Zhuang Fuyao: [Is it enough for the homeowner to just take them in?]

Upon hearing this, Li Muna guessed that Zhuang Fuyao must have an acquaintance at Huating Pavilion.

Zhuang Fuyao comes from a wealthy family and is a local, so it's normal for her to have connections and resources. However, she didn't want Zhuang Fuyao to steal the spotlight, so she insisted on going to Qingfeng Pavilion: "Huating Club is nothing but extravagance; it has no other unique features. We'd rather go somewhere more interesting."

Since Li Muna was the one who treated us, and she had already said that, Zhuang Fuyao couldn't say anything more. 【Okay, but there's no need to send a driver to pick me up. My home isn't far from Qingfeng Pavilion; I can go there myself.】

Li Muna: [Mmm.]

After discussing the dinner, Lin Jin sent her a private message: "Fufu, shall we go together that day? I'm currently at my mother-in-law's house, which is near Qingfeng Pavilion. I just messaged Mu Na to tell her she doesn't need to pick me up."

Back in the dorm, Lin Jin and she were the closest, so it was normal for them to want to go on a date together.

Zhuang Fuyao happily replied, "Okay!"

Sixteen years had passed, and her roommates were now somewhat of a stranger to her. Everything she knew about them came from what they shared in group chats, like looking through a fog, not quite clear. So, after such a long time apart, she didn't want to reveal too much information. She made a point of greeting them and asking the employees to pretend they didn't know her.

On the day of the gathering, Lin Jin picked her up in his car.

Through their conversation, Zhuang Fuyao learned that when they first graduated, they would get together once a year, but as everyone's lives and work became increasingly busy, they gradually lost touch. The longest they went without seeing each other was five years. They only started getting together again after Li Muna got married, but even then, it wasn't frequent; they usually just chatted online for a few minutes.

This was even more unfamiliar than Zhuang Fuyao had imagined. While discussing this, Zhuang Fuyao suddenly had an idea and checked her WeChat Moments privacy settings.

Then she discovered that all her college roommates were on her invisible list, including Lin Jin, who was her closest friend.

Lin Jin asked her, "Have you bought a house in Qianyue Villa now?"

Zhuang Fuyao shook her head, "My parents'."

"I see," Lin Jin remarked. "Among us, Li Muna is the most successful. Her husband spoils her rotten. Many people say she has high standards, not getting married in her early thirties. But it turns out having high standards has its advantages; she found the best one right away. She's been living a very successful life these past few years, it's so enviable... Sigh, she does sometimes have a haughty air about her, but I can understand it..."

She sighed, "Comparatively speaking, I haven't been so lucky. I was laid off from my company a while ago. Luckily, I had some savings, otherwise I don't know what I would have done..."

After vomiting a lot of work-related grime, Lin Jin glanced to the side and said, "Of course, I also envy your situation. You're unrestrained and quite free..."

At first, Zhuang Fuyao would respond with a few words, but later she became too lazy to talk. She could really feel that everyone had changed a lot after graduation, even Lin Jin, who used to be the most reliable among her roommates, had changed.

They had only met a short time, but Zhuang Fuyao already sensed only insincerity and a lack of genuine feeling; the conversation even carried a hint of sarcasm. She was already starting to regret agreeing to come to the gathering.

Lin Jin noticed that Zhuang Fuyao wasn't saying much, so she tightened her chin, looking somewhat unhappy.

She wasn't actually at her mother-in-law's house these past two days; she came specifically to pick up Zhuang Fuyao, just so they could vent their frustrations to each other.

Zhuang Fuyao was very successful in college; she came from a wealthy family and had an outstanding boyfriend. After graduation, they were invited to a grand wedding.

Although the exact identity of Zhuang Fuyao's husband is unknown, it's clear he's quite wealthy. While the others are busy making a living and traveling around, Zhuang Fuyao only needs to hold art exhibitions and travel, living a very happy life.

Lin Jin had known Zhuang Fuyao for so many years and was already used to her high standard of living, which far exceeded that of ordinary people, so she wasn't jealous at all. People usually don't feel jealous of those who are far more successful than themselves.

But people can have these feelings towards those who are similar to themselves but slightly better.

The turning point came with Zhuang Fuyao's divorce. After the divorce, Zhuang Fuyao seemed like a different person. She was no longer the carefree princess she once was, and she became resentful, complaining about life in front of her.

Lin Jin suddenly felt much closer to Zhuang Fuyao. Although they still didn't contact each other much, Lin Jin felt very happy every time they met, and had a refreshing feeling that she and Zhuang Fuyao were the same kind of people.

But seeing her today, for some reason, Zhuang Fuyao seemed to have returned to her college days.

This was originally a good thing, but Lin Jin had a kind of inexplicable feeling in her heart.

Upon arriving at Qingfeng Pavilion, a waiter almost greeted Zhuang Fuyao with "Hello, President Zhuang."

Zhuang Fuyao stopped him in time with a look.

The waiter led them to a booth in the Jianghu Pavilion.

The reason it wasn't a private room was because Li Muna couldn't book one; she only managed to get an internal spot for a booth through her husband's connections.

Qian Yuxin and Lin Jin were both very excited as it was their first time at Qingfeng Pavilion. Everything seemed new and exciting, and they couldn't help but take photos as soon as they arrived at their seats. Li Muna, although she had never been before either, wanted to put on airs and act a bit aloof. Seeing that Zhuang Fuyao wasn't taking any photos, she didn't either, a hint of disdain flashing in her eyes.

After Qian Yuxin and Lin Jin finished taking photos, the dishes were served.

After catching up for a while, Li Muna began to show off her outfit, intentionally or unintentionally.

Li Muna's outfit was meticulously prepared. Although she was to wear ancient costumes, the rings on her hands, the necklace around her neck, and even the bracelet all revealed their high price. Her face was filled with a happy smile as she boasted about how her husband had taken her on a vacation to an island abroad recently and bought her some limited edition bag.

Qian Yuxin and Lin Jin were responsible for praising them from the sidelines.

Qian Yuxin was simply expressing her envy of the rich woman, while Lin Jin was somewhat hypocritical and reluctant, shifting the topic to herself. She was now saying only positive things, which was completely opposite to what Zhuang Fuyao had heard in the car earlier.

Although she was laid off, she received a large sum of compensation. Her house was slated for demolition and redevelopment, her husband's career was thriving, and her child was doing very well in school and got into the best high school.

A perfectly normal roommate gathering turned into a place for showing off.

Li Muna listened patiently for a while, then took the topic back.

Zhuang Fuyao suddenly felt that this scene was familiar, somewhat like Mrs. Hu, but she glanced at Li Muna's outfit. Although it was expensive, it was not as extravagant as Mrs. Hu's. It was a lower-end version of Mrs. Hu.

She found it boring, focused on eating, rarely spoke, and just wanted to finish her meal and leave quickly.

This gathering was also a way for her to demystify her old acquaintances.

Just as they were finishing their meal, a middle-aged man with a respectable appearance suddenly appeared. He was Li Muna's husband. He said he happened to be at a gathering at Qingfeng Restaurant and had just seen them, so he came over to say hello.

Although the other person was a bit older, she maintained her figure very well and had an extraordinary temperament, which made Li Muna look good.

As soon as the person left, Qian Yuxin and Lin Jin went back to praising each other.

Li Muna looked smug. Her husband's presence was not accidental; she had deliberately requested that he come to support her.

Halfway through the meal, her husband sent her a message: "The owner here is no ordinary person; she's the fiancée of one of my important business partners. Come with me later and say hello to her."