The watch was left behind as he turned and ran. Xiao Xun didn't see Chu Ningxiang's tears streaming down her face, drawing a crowd.
Xiao Xun got out of the car and went to the passenger side. He saw the scratch on the car door and remembered that day.
He looked at Chu Ningxiang's retreating back, bowed deeply, and then whispered, "I'm sorry."
He drove to the shop that specialized in vehicle modification and was greeted by someone he knew.
"How much to paint this car door?"
The young man felt the scratch. "This one's at least half a month old!"
Seeing Xiao Xun nod, the young man patted the car door. "If you want it completely invisible, the whole door needs to be repainted. If you just want it to look okay at first glance, for this kind of paint, it's over three thousand!"
"A thousand for just one coat of paint on this car?"
The young man seemed unable to tolerate the word "expensive." "Brother, are you testing me? Your car is worth over a million, the paint has to be specially mixed, and it requires four processes, ending with baking in a dust-free chamber."
Xiao Xun glanced at his phone. It was almost time for dinner. "Three thousand it is! Can it be done in half an hour?"
The young man retorted, "Brother, even baking sweet potatoes takes two to three hours! Let alone baking paint. If you're in a hurry, can you come back another day?"
Xiao Xun looked at the car. "Alright! Leave it here for now, I'll catch a taxi."
He arrived at the Tianhao Hotel. Just as he opened the taxi door, he saw Wang Wei.
Wang Wei had a mocking smile on his face. "Oh! Taking a taxi, huh? I told you I'd pick you up, but you refused."
"It's only a short distance."
"Xiao Xun?"
As the two walked into the hotel lobby, they saw a hot, attractive woman opposite them greeting him. Upon closer inspection, it was Qu Xiaoran, his high school classmate. She had truly changed with age; she was unrecognizable from the "village girl" with pigtails back then.
"Old classmates really change a lot, I almost didn't recognize you." Xiao Xun and Qu Xiaoran had a decent relationship. Qu Xiaoran was also a straightforward person, quite popular with the boys.
Qu Xiaoran teased, "Unlike you, you haven't changed a bit after all these years."
Wang Wei was wearing a royal blue suit with a purple tie.
"You guys are already here. I thought it would take ages. Come in, come in." Wang Wei's eyes were fixed on Qu Xiaoran, unable to look away.
Qu Xiaoran then said, "Oh! Young Master Wang, you're quite dapper. Tell me, in the years since graduation, how many innocent women have you corrupted?"
Qu Xiaoran was known in class for her bluntness and love for jokes.
"What are you talking about? I'm still single. Xiaoran, if you know anyone suitable, introduce them to me?"
"Alright! Young Master Wang would never lack a girlfriend, he'd have more than enough."
"Let's not talk about this, we should go in quickly. The other classmates are waiting impatiently."
The three entered the private room together. As they were about to enter, Xiao Xun's phone rang. "Excuse me, you guys go ahead, I need to take a call."
Qu Xiaoran said to Wang Wei, "Let's go in first, then." She pushed the door open.
Xiao Xun walked to the side and answered the phone.
"Mr. Xiao, your car is ready for maintenance. Would you like to pick it up yourself, or shall we deliver it to you?"
"I'm having dinner at the Tianhao Hotel. Deliver it to the parking lot, and leave the keys at the front desk."
"Okay, Mr. Xiao."
As soon as he entered, his old classmates started. "Oh! A rare guest! Isn't this Xiao Xun!"
"Yeah! We thought you'd gone abroad to develop your career, but I didn't expect you to still be in G City."
"Xiao Xun, you used to pursue Milan back then. What, seeing your old flame, aren't you going to say hello?"
Xiao Xun walked into the private room, listening to the harsh mocking and sarcastic voices of his classmates. His expression was calm, not showing any signs of anger.
Milan quickly denied it. "Many people pursued me, how could I remember them all!"
She was a person who cared a lot about appearances. When she needed Xiao Xun back then, she treated him like a treasure.
Now she denied it. Fortunately, he hadn't invested much in that relationship; it was just youthful ignorance.
A waiter walked in and asked the host of the class reunion, "Can we start serving the food?"
"Let's begin!"
Soon, plates of cold appetizers and hot dishes were served. Most of them were common cold dishes and home-style cooking, lacking the specialty cuisine of the place.
It was far from the meal that Gu Yingxiong treated Xiao Xun's parents to that day.
Wang Wei looked at Xiao Xun. "It's your first time eating here, right? Eat to your heart's content today, someone's paying."
He then looked at a man wearing gold-rimmed glasses nearby. "Class monitor, say a few words."
The man stood up. "Since Wang Wei asked me to say a few words, I will. It's not easy for us classmates to get together. In the past, we were all busy with our own affairs. The class group chat has been silent since graduation. Today, on this occasion..."
At this moment, a waiter came in. "Excuse me, sorry to interrupt, but may I ask who Mr. Xiao Xun is?"
Xiao Xun stood up. "I am, what's wrong?"
"Your car keys have been left at the front desk."
"Okay, I know."
The waiter retreated. The class monitor, interrupted so abruptly, didn't know what to say. He raised his wine glass. "Everyone raise your glasses. Whether you can drink or not, you must have a sip."
Xiao Xun suddenly said, "Class monitor, I drove here, so I can't drink and drive."
"What's the big deal? Just find a designated driver."
"Exactly. You can afford a car, but you're reluctant to hire a designated driver?"
"It's a rare reunion of old classmates today, Xiao Xun, don't spoil the mood, alright?"
Xiao Xun held up his hand. "The main reason is that my home is too far away. If the designated driver goes back, it'll be inconvenient for them."
Wang Wei said, "Don't you live near the financial district? How far can it be?"
"That's where I work, I don't live in the city center."
Everyone understood. It turned out Xiao Xun lived in the suburbs. That made sense. Everyone knew that housing prices in the city center were expensive, so buying a commuter car and living in the suburbs was a good choice.
Another classmate stood up. "If he doesn't drink, we will."
"Exactly, we'll drink our own."
Those people resumed their discussions about their own matters, completely ignoring Xiao Xun.
Xiao Xun looked around. Since no one was paying him any attention, he stood up directly. "Excuse me, I have something at home, I'll be leaving now."
Wang Wei waved his hand. "What's the rush? It's a rare class reunion."
Just then, the same waiter came in again. "Mr. Su, I'm sorry to bother you, but could you please move your car? It's blocking the way."
Everyone burst into laughter. Xiao Xun couldn't even park his car properly.
Xiao Xun blushed. "Aren't the car keys at the front desk? You can move it yourselves."
The waiter looked troubled. "Your car is too expensive, our parking attendants are afraid to touch it."
In reality, it wasn't that they were afraid to touch it. The hotel staff weren't foolish; this was the boss's car. If anything happened, no one could explain it.
Wang Wei was amused. "How expensive can a commuter car be to make a five-star hotel say that?"
"I really have something to do today, I'm leaving. You guys enjoy your meal."
Saying this, he followed the waiter out.
"His temper is still the same, he can't even take a joke. Do you want to see what kind of car classmate Xiao Xun drives that makes this hotel call it expensive?"
"Let's go, together."
The group followed Xiao Xun out of the private room and into the lobby.
Xiao Xun looked at his classmates behind him. "Thank you for sending me off specially. Your meal expenses are on me."
Then he said to the lobby manager, "Manager Li, please send another table of dishes to that private room, the standard should be the same as the one for Gu Yingxiong that day."
The lobby manager respectfully held the car keys in his hand and asked Xiao Xun to take them. "Yes, Mr. Xiao."
"My God, those are Bentley keys!"
Wang Wei was also stunned. He couldn't believe everything that had happened was true. Had Xiao Xun really gotten rich?
Only then did some classmates start to speak up for Xiao Xun. "It's just a class reunion, why are you all speaking so harshly? You don't have much ability, but you all love to mock people. Truly, a half-full bucket rattles the loudest."
The group returned to the private room, and the waiter began serving the food. What was called fresh seafood, abalone, and lobster, this meal cost over ten thousand.
At this point, Wang Wei said sarcastically, "What a class reunion, reconnecting with old friends. I think that Xiao Xun just wants to show off. Who knows where he made his ill-gotten gains from, it's not enough for him to flaunt."
His remark quickly resonated with many classmates.