"So that's how it is." Hu Lou's tone was quite matter-of-fact, as if the reason why Xu Jiaojiao was able to get the business card had become reasonable.
"But you don't need to think too much about it. That's how it is in our circle. Sometimes connections are more important than money and ability. If you look on the bright side, even the president can only get ordinary business cards, while you're only a freshman and you've already received a grand invitation, and it's even a special business card. Isn't that great?"
Seeing Xu Jiaojiao's dejected look, Hu Lou put his hand on her shoulder without her noticing and patted it gently.
"I remember your family are all farmers, right? The same job can have vastly different status and job content for someone with connections and family background compared to someone without money or connections. It's a good thing that you can be roommates with Meng Wan; you should thank her! Otherwise, on your own, you might spend your whole life just being a supporting character and taking the blame for others."
Xu Jiaojiao opened her mouth, wanting to refute, but subconsciously felt that Hu Lou was right.
She had to admit that Hu Lou's words were like a knife, each word piercing her heart and exposing her inferiority complex.
She knew that the world was inherently unfair.
She was unlucky; she didn't have a privileged family background and was even born into a family that favored sons over daughters.
When her family considered making her drop out of school to work because of a poor harvest, but urged her younger brother, who always ranked last in exams, to study hard and promised to sell everything they owned to send him to school, she realized that she could only rely on herself.
She knew very well that studying was her only way out; she couldn't drop out of school, or she would be stuck there for the rest of her life.
She begged her parents to let her finish high school, constantly trying to earn scholarships to show them that even without working in a factory, she could still earn money for the family. She dared not slack off, knowing that if she lost her scholarships, she would never be able to continue her education.
Fortunately, her hard work paid off, and she was admitted to her dream school.
As she wished, she saw a wider world and met classmates and roommates from all over the country, from different families and backgrounds.
At first, she was very fortunate that she had escaped, but as time went on, she increasingly realized that the gap between people could not be eliminated simply by hard work.
Some people are born into privilege; their lives involve more than just studying. They possess a wide range of skills, are confident and flamboyant, and are dazzling. But all she knows is studying.
But unlike Lin Mi, she was not good at handling things, nor was she as lively and cheerful as Guo Qingqing, nor as capable and intelligent as Meng Wan. No matter where she went, she was always invisible and no one paid attention to her.
As Hu Lou said, with Meng Wan as her connection, she can achieve twice the results with half the effort in everything she does, but she doesn't want to admit it because that would make her efforts seem so foolish and embarrassing.
"If you don't mind, my family is having a dinner party on Sunday. You can come and see for yourself. You'll then realize that the gap between people can't be bridged by hard work alone."
Xu Jiaojiao looked at Hu Lou, but Hu Lou didn't look at her. Instead, he looked down at the stands, his demeanor and expression relaxed, as if he were used to such occasions.
Unlike her, who wore clothes worth 30 million, yet was immediately recognized and became merely a backdrop for the clothes, a clown in everyone's eyes.
She looked at the others, and the moment she met their eyes, she felt like everyone was laughing at her.
In an instant, the clothes seemed to become ropes binding her neck, making it hard for her to breathe.
"No, I don't really suit these kinds of places." Xu Jiaojiao lowered her head, wanting to leave and take off the clothes that didn't belong to her.
"Don't worry, it's just a dinner party for the younger generation, nothing too big. Just relax. Besides, I'm here."
Hu Lou patted her shoulder lightly, and Xu Jiaojiao only then realized what was happening and immediately distanced herself from him.
Hu Lou didn't react much, and naturally withdrew his hand, still wearing a gentle smile on his face.
“If you’re worried, you can have Meng Wan come and keep you company. She’s very familiar with these kinds of occasions, and you two know each other well. It’s always a bit disorienting to attend such an event for the first time, so having someone you know will make you feel much more at ease.”
As Hu Lou spoke, he suddenly turned to her, spread his hands, and looked rather helpless.
"But you'd better not say that I hosted the party. Me and her... you know, there's a bit of a misunderstanding."
Seeing that Xu Jiaojiao didn't speak, Hu Lou continued.
"When you enter the workforce, you might need to attend banquets sometime. Consider it a good opportunity for early training. The people who attend are all wealthy and influential. If you can seize the opportunity, you might even get an internship that's even better than the banquets you've attended. After graduation, you'll have more opportunities than others. It's a win-win situation for you, so why not?"
His voice was very soft, like the serpent tempting Adam to eat the apple.
Every word seemed to be for Xu Jiaojiao, but she always felt that something was wrong.
"Why did you help me? Was it because of Wanwan?" Xu Jiaojiao looked into his eyes, trying to find something, but she couldn't see through anything.
"Helping you is actually helping myself." Hu Lou looked directly at her, frankly and without hiding his purpose.
"Help yourself?" Xu Jiaojiao asked, puzzled.
“I admire someone as hardworking and ambitious as you. I’d be happy to be part of your network and help you reach new heights. In our circle, connections are the most important thing.”
"What kind of connections do I have? I have no money and no background," Xu Jiaojiao said self-deprecatingly.
"If you think that way, you're very wrong."
Hu Lou's eyes widened, his expression somewhat exaggerated, which amused Xu Jiaojiao, who had been sullen all night.
"It's not just about having money and connections to build a network. Cultivating a promising talent is much more reliable than directly finding someone with money and connections to build your network. Don't be fooled by the famous big shots around Meng Wan; most of them were cultivated by Meng Wan herself. No one else can shake the bond between them. To be honest, I'm quite envious."
"But shouldn't you have someone better?"
When Xu Jiaojiao asked that question, Hu Lou paused for a moment. He scratched his earlobe, looking a little shy.
"What can I do? I just want you." He didn't dare look Xu Jiaojiao in the eyes, his ears were red, and he looked quite innocent.
Xu Jiaojiao blushed inexplicably and lowered her head.
Neither of them spoke, yet the ambiguous atmosphere grew rapidly.
All of this was being observed by one person, whose feelings of jealousy grew wildly, making her want to rush in and destroy this damned ambiguous atmosphere.
"Hu Lou, how did your photos turn out?" the chairman called out his name.
"I...I'm leaving now."
"Mmm..." Xu Jiaojiao's voice was softer than a mosquito's buzz.
Knowing that Hu Lou had left, she didn't dare to look up.
The business card in her hand was already crumpled from being gripped so tightly, but she was completely unaware of it.
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