Chapter 5
Chapter 5
"Guangyi Mansion" is the chosen venue for the class reunion.
Judging from the name, it's the kind of restaurant that's all about pretentious elegance, specializing in Jiangnan private cuisine.
Although Chenyang is small, it has all the essentials. Whatever is popular in big cities, the locals with a brain are also learning it. From clothing and food to housing and transportation, they imitate everything.
On Saturday, Shen Qingyuan and Song Ting met up near Guangyi Mansion. They would go in together when it was almost time.
The storefront was decorated quite convincingly, with a touch of traditional Chinese courtyard house charm. Shen Qingyuan knew little about Chenyang; she had never heard of this place, let alone been here. Sometimes she felt that Chenyang had developed quite rapidly; the Chenyang of today was different from the Chenyang she remembered from her teenage years.
Song Ting told me that Zhang Chi had mentioned in the group chat earlier that this class reunion was a big event, marking ten years since graduation, and that they had to choose the best restaurant in Chenyang. This is it.
Song Ting said, "You have to arrive at the right time for this kind of occasion. If you arrive too early, you won't even have anyone to talk to, and it will seem like you're rushing to a banquet. Don't wait until almost everyone has arrived before going in. We're not some big shot hosting the final dinner, so there's no need to steal the spotlight."
Shen Qingyuan found it strange, "Where did you learn all this?"
Song Ting shrugged, saying dismissively, "You'll naturally learn after a couple of years of experience in society."
Shen Qingyuan admitted that she had always lacked this kind of wisdom. It was neither taught nor tested during her school years, and she only realized its importance after entering society. How well one masters it depends entirely on one's innate nature, understanding, and the subtle influences one has acquired from childhood.
But she wasn't very good at it; in Northern dialect, she was a bit stubborn. Shen Qingyuan inherited Shen Jing'an's aloofness, carefree attitude, and slowness perfectly.
-
When Shen Qingyuan graduated from high school, she was quite the star. She ranked third in the city in science and was also the top science student at Chenyang No. 2 Middle School. A bright red celebration banner hung at the school for almost half a year.
Even now, the next generation of students still remember the name Shen Qingyuan.
So, when Song Ting and Shen Qingyuan entered the room one after the other, half the people at the table fell silent in unison, turned their heads in unison, and subconsciously opened their mouths slightly to stare at Shen Qingyuan. Their eyes still carried a hint of admiration, envy, slight jealousy, and curiosity that had lingered to this day.
Someone whispered, "Shen Qingyuan, why is she here too?"
People admire geniuses, and Shen Qingyuan was undoubtedly a genius in many people's eyes back then. After ten years apart, they were eager to know how the genius was doing now.
Having all settled in Chenyang, Song Ting has maintained intermittent contact with many of her classmates over the years. Seeing these faces, she felt at ease and greeted them with a smile.
It's been ten years since graduation, it's been way too long. This is Shen Qingyuan's first time attending a high school reunion since graduation.
Many people have changed a lot in appearance; most of the boys have gained weight. Even Shen Qingyuan herself has gained quite a bit. The girls all seem to have become prettier, they know how to do makeup and dress up, and they've become much more mature and sophisticated.
Song Ting said in a carefree manner, "Oh, everyone is here so early! It's been a long time, I've missed you all! Come on, let me introduce myself, I'm Song Ting, so that some of you won't forget me."
"How could we forget you, Song Ting, the class representative for Chinese!" A chubby boy with glasses stood up and said with a big smile.
"Liu Yang!" Song Ting exclaimed, "It's been over two years! How come you've gained so much weight? Is this happiness weight gain because you're getting married soon?"
Liu Yang scratched the back of his head shyly and chuckled foolishly: "I'm single. My old classmates know a lot of people, so please introduce me to a girlfriend!"
Song Ting laughed: "Why not? What kind of classmate do you want?"
"Hehe, it's not my place to pick and choose. As long as they're lively and outgoing, that's fine."
"No problem, leave it to me!"
-
Meeting her old classmates brought back a flood of emotions, and Shen Qingyuan recalled fragments of her high school life.
In my memory, everyone was so youthful and energetic. Although high school life was mostly dull and stressful, teenagers together could always find some fun to share with each other.
For example, a classmate might give a teacher a nickname, and gradually the nickname spreads, and everyone secretly starts calling them that.
For example, the homeroom teacher's chubby face would often appear like a ghost in the window of the school's back gate. Sometimes, if we accidentally made eye contact, I would involuntarily shudder, a rather unpleasant feeling.
One day, someone suddenly covered the back window with a newspaper. The homeroom teacher was furious and wanted to find out who this "newspaper thief" was. Even though no one saw the person covering the window, this time the entire class fell silent. In an instant, a tacit understanding of mutual protection arose within everyone.
Ten years have passed, and looking at these people again, they seem both strange and familiar. It's a strange feeling, as if ten years have suddenly vanished.
What was left behind?
-
Song Ting greeted everyone warmly, cracking jokes and calling out each person's name enthusiastically. Her arrival immediately enlivened the atmosphere.
Perhaps because they had a good relationship during their school days, Liu Yang, the chubby boy from before, came over to talk to Song Ting very enthusiastically and chatted about the recent news.
Song Ting, being a journalist, was curious about all walks of life. Liu Yang, on the other hand, worked in civil engineering, and with the housing market booming in the past two years, the public was very concerned about it, creating a huge demand for news material in this field.
"Your industry has been incredibly successful these past two years, you must be making a fortune!"
Liu Yang: "I'm just messing around, I'm not any bigger reporter than you."
Song Ting gave a slight sneer: "Don't give me that. I'm just a nobody trying to make a living. Don't try to flatter me!"
Shen Qingyuan had no recollection of Liu Yang. The Liu Yang in the graduation photo was as thin as a bamboo pole, completely different from this person.
Shen Qingyuan followed Song Ting and greeted her with a smile, "Liu Yang, hello, long time no see!"
Liu Yang was a little reserved in front of Shen Qingyuan, bowing slightly and displaying a somewhat distant humility. He hadn't had much contact with Shen Qingyuan during their school days, but such a beautiful and intelligent girl in their class truly shone through in a crowd.
This faint ray of light must have illuminated the lonely hearts of many high school boys. Even now, such a brief reunion can instantly rekindle the lingering affections and the flustered excitement of first love among the male classmates.
Liu Yang recalled that when the boys chatted in the dormitory at night, they would naturally talk about the pretty girls in the class, and nine out of ten times they would talk about Shen Qingyuan.
She rarely smiles, her expressions are sparse, and her answers to questions are always crisp and accurate. Like a flower on a high mountain, she is meant to be admired from afar, not touched.
Shen Qingyuan, meaning "clear and round water surface, lotus leaves rising one by one in the breeze." Even her name sounds beautiful.
“Shen Qingyuan…you…you still remember me…” Liu Yang looked a little flattered and shy, and turned to another classmate and said, “Shen Qingyuan still remembers me!” as if he wanted to confirm with the bystander.
Shen Qingyuan smiled, not exactly feeling guilty, but just a polite smile.
A voice came from behind, "So what if Shen Qingyuan remembers you?!"
It was a female voice, soft and sweet, with a deliberate drawl at the end of each word, and even the hint of provocation in her words sounded like she was being coquettish.
When everyone turned to look, they saw a tall woman in a sequined evening gown, carrying a designer bag, and wearing full makeup. Her face had clearly undergone minor cosmetic procedures, resembling the kind of internet celebrity who easily looks like someone else—a product of an assembly line aesthetic.
Song Ting couldn't help but cough lightly and muttered under her breath, "Is this some kind of Meta Gala dinner? Does it have to be this extravagant?"
Shen Qingyuan racked her brains for a moment, but couldn't figure out who the person was.
Song Ting, the "know-it-all," gave her a hint: "Yu Miaomiao."
She really has a sharp eye; after not seeing her for several years, and with the help of modern cosmetic surgery, her appearance is quite different from before.
Shen Qingyuan recalled that Song Ting had mentioned a few days ago that Yu Miaomiao was married well and living a comfortable life. No wonder she was so willing to spend money on her appearance.
Back when they were choosing their specialties, a senior student jokingly suggested Shen Qingyuan go into plastic surgery. Shen Qingyuan had a great appearance; she was a walking advertisement. The income of a plastic surgeon in a private institution in a developed city was unimaginable. She could work in a public hospital for a few years, then go to a private institution, or even work independently. The future looked bright.
She took it as a joke and ultimately chose orthopedics.
Yu Miaomiao: "Just kidding, just kidding. Sorry everyone, I'm late. It's really hard to find parking spaces nearby."
When Wang Xifeng first appeared, she said something similar.
With a graceful sway of her hips, Yu Miaomiao, the noblewoman from Chenyang, walked up to Song Ting and Shen Qingyuan. "Long time no see, Shen Qingyuan. Do you still remember me?"
Shen Qingyuan smiled and said, "Hello, Yu Miaomiao."
Yu Miaomiao looked Shen Qingyuan up and down, glancing at her shoes, pants, and top. Even after all these years, she still paid so much attention to these things.
Song Ting also greeted Yu Miaomiao, but Yu Miaomiao's main interest was clearly in Shen Qingyuan.
Compared to Yu Miaomiao's elaborate attire, Shen Qingyuan's outfit today could only be described as "simple." She wore a simple three-quarter sleeve white shirt, thin, loose-fitting jeans, and ordinary white casual shoes.
This has been her most frequent outfit over the years: simple, clean, and practical for work.
It's become a habit.
Yu Miaomiao: "Shen Qingyuan, I heard you stayed in Jicheng to develop your career. How come you have time to attend the class reunion?"
The words carried a subtle hint of questioning and probing. This was an aggressive, uninhibited way of socializing that Shen Qingyuan was unfamiliar with.
Over the years, I've seen all sorts of people, including this type—not many, just one or two occasionally. Shen Qingyuan sometimes admires their effortless social skills.
Song Ting gave Shen Qingyuan a wink, probably telling her not to explain to anyone why she was staying in Chenyang. The reason was a bit complicated and had nothing to do with anyone else.
The legend of Chenyang No. 2 Middle School allows her to continue living in legend, hazy and indistinct, making it difficult for ordinary people to see clearly.
Shen Qingyuan simply didn't want to talk to irrelevant people, so she just smiled politely at Yu Miaomiao and said, "I happen to have some time."
As they were talking, Shen Qingyuan noticed a set of Land Rover car keys hanging on Yu Miaomiao's phone. The car keys swayed in her hand as she moved.
Shen Qingyuan noticed it, and everyone else must have noticed it too.
The "competition for beauty" at the class reunion that Song Ting mentioned seems to go beyond just clothing. People with a keen eye will always casually reveal things like what kind of car they drive, what kind of house they live in, what kind of jewelry they wear, and what their job prospects are, subtly competing with each other.
Shen Qingyuan didn't have much of an impression of Yu Miaomiao. She vaguely remembered that she had hosted school arts and cultural events, and seemed to be quite talented and enthusiastic about them.
Judging from her clothing and demeanor in high school, she was probably a pampered only child from a well-off family. Her grades must have been poor, as she was never seen on the list of the top 100 students.
Shen Qingyuan had always possessed a composure that allowed her to remain oblivious to the world around her, so it was quite remarkable that she could recall these things.
During her high school years, Shen Qingyuan always focused on the top five students on the monthly exam ranking list, her competitors.
Ten years ago, Shen Qingyuan wielded his pen as a sword, slaying gods and Buddhas alike. The righteous path was invincible.
Ten years later, she was living in her parents' old house in Chenyang, with no car, no house, no savings, and nothing to do.
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