129. A Good Impression

After waiting so long, everyone was already hungry, so they ordered quickly.

They had barely finished placing their orders when Tan Songyun and Lu Qiang, who had kept everyone waiting, finally arrived.

Tan Songyun was dressed from head to toe in designer labels. She was not as naturally beautiful as Yin Xiaoya, but she knew exactly how to apply makeup and dress herself. Beneath her exquisite makeup, she looked delicate and captivating—quite deserving of the title of department beauty.

Judging by appearance alone, Lu Qiang seemed somewhat mismatched with her.

Lu Qiang was rather short, no more than five feet seven at most. In high heels, Tan Songyun stood half a head taller than him. His features were ordinary as well: small eyes and a flat nose. Fortunately, he kept himself in decent shape, which could barely be counted as a redeeming feature.

The moment she entered, Tan Songyun began apologizing. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I made everyone wait. I had the afternoon off today, so I went to get my hair done. I never imagined it would take so long. I hurried as fast as I could, but I still ended up being late.”

It was not a particularly convincing excuse, but her attitude seemed sincere enough. Since they were all classmates, no one naturally made an issue of it. Even Yin Xiaoya and Chen Yuxi, who had serious conflicts with her, refrained from taking a shot at her. They had to show their host some respect and could not ruin everyone’s mood.

Only Ruan Yong looked somewhat uncomfortable. Half an hour earlier, he had told everyone that Tan Songyun had sent him a message saying she would arrive soon. Now that she claimed she had gone to get her hair done, it was obvious that he had been lying moments ago.

At last, all the expected guests had arrived. No one seemed to mind the delay. Li Wenxuan exchanged a few pleasantries with the couple before ushering them inside to take their seats.

Tan Songyun was an eloquent and sociable person. After sitting down, she immediately introduced everyone present to her boyfriend one by one. Naturally, she skipped over her two rivals, Yin Xiaoya and Chen Yuxi.

Lu Qiang was clearly unaware of the conflict among the three women. After Tan Songyun finished her introductions, he asked, “What about those two beauties? Why didn’t you introduce them? Aren’t they classmates from the same year?”

Before Tan Songyun could answer, he continued on his own. “I always thought my girlfriend, Songyun, was the most beautiful woman in the world. I never expected there to be anyone who could rival her—and today I’ve met two at once. I suppose there really is truth in the saying that people of a kind gather together. Would it be convenient for me to know the names of these two beauties?”

Worried that Yin Xiaoya and Chen Yuxi might say something unpleasant, Li Wenxuan took the initiative to introduce them. “They’re all our classmates. This is Yin Xiaoya, and this is Chen Yuxi. Yuxi is Yuanfeng’s girlfriend.”

“So you’re Miss Yin and Miss Chen,” Lu Qiang said. “They say beauty is a feast for the eyes. My stomach was already growling with hunger, but after seeing the three beauties here, I suddenly don’t feel quite so hungry anymore. Since you’re all Songyun’s classmates, let’s keep in touch from now on. We should have more gatherings like this.”

Lu Qiang’s teasing was light and perfectly measured. It enlivened the atmosphere without sounding the least bit frivolous.

Although they had only just met and knew little about one another, everyone formed a favorable impression of him.

Lu Qiang’s father was a director of Twin Celebration Group. No one knew how many shares he owned, but even a rough estimate suggested that if he held just one percent, his net worth would still be at least a billion yuan.

Before meeting such a genuine second-generation heir, everyone had assumed he would be arrogant, perhaps even overbearing.

Yet in person, Lu Qiang made an excellent first impression. He was mild-mannered, spoke little, and seemed easy to get along with.

Even though Yin Xiaoya and Chen Yuxi deeply despised Tan Songyun, they found it impossible to dislike her boyfriend.

That did not mean they felt any warmth toward him, however. Resentment toward one person often extended to those associated with her. Yin Xiaoya and Chen Yuxi merely nodded at Lu Qiang without saying anything.

Once the introductions were over, everyone had become acquainted. Li Wenxuan said, “Since graduation, everyone has been busy with their own careers. It’s rare for so many of us to gather like this. You all did me the honor of coming at a single phone call, so let’s take this opportunity to relax. I’ve already made up my mind—today, no one leaves until they’re drunk. What do you think?”

It was rare for so many classmates to be together after graduation, and everyone was in high spirits. They all agreed with Li Wenxuan’s suggestion and prepared themselves for a good drinking session.

Seeing how enthusiastic everyone was and how willing they were to support him, Li Wenxuan seized the opportunity to propose, “Since everyone’s in such high spirits, I suggest that all the men drink strong liquor tonight. The ladies can have red wine, of course. But if any of you want the hard stuff, you’re more than welcome.”

No one objected, except Ruan Yong.

“We can’t all get drunk,” he said. “At least one person should stay sober to look after everyone. If we all end up passed out, there needs to be someone who can get us home safely. Of everyone here, I’m the worst drinker, so I’ll volunteer for the job of escorting everyone home later.”

“Don’t even think about it,” Li Wenxuan said flatly. “A group of grown men like us doesn’t need you looking after us. Besides, aren’t there three beautiful ladies here? If we all pass out, they can take care of us.”

The others naturally disagreed as well, leaving Ruan Yong no choice but to compromise. He glanced at Lu Qiang and took the initiative to explain on his behalf. “President Lu isn’t much of a drinker. He usually only drinks red wine and never touches strong liquor. Drinking capacity is a matter of physiology; it can’t simply be forced. I think we should let President Lu drink whatever he likes. His main task today is to take good care of our department beauty, so there’s no need to pressure him.”

“That won’t do,” Gao Yuanfeng objected first. “We can’t discriminate. Drinking is all about the strength of your liver and kidneys. President Lu is young and vigorous, so his liver and kidneys can’t be lacking. If he says he can’t hold his liquor, that must just be an excuse. Once he starts drinking, he might turn out to be the best drinker among all of us.”

As Chen Yuxi’s boyfriend, Gao Yuanfeng could hardly target Tan Songyun directly. But picking a fight with her boyfriend, thereby making his own position clear, was still necessary.

At a drinking table, everyone wanted to see someone else fall first, so they naturally voiced their agreement with Gao Yuanfeng.

Ruan Yong was about to say something more, but Lu Qiang smiled and spoke before he could.

“It’s true that I never drink strong liquor at business functions. But today is a gathering among friends. You’re all Songyun’s classmates, which makes you her family on her side of the marriage. Naturally, I have to put on a good showing in front of my future family and win your approval. So tonight, I’ll risk my life to keep you gentlemen company. My capacity may not be impressive, but my sincerity certainly is.”