The Qing'an River, originating from the western mountains of Zhedong, stretches for hundreds of kilometers flowing eastward. Majestically, it runs through Binhai City, dividing this fourth-tier county-level city on the southeastern coast into two parts, Old Town in the north and the New District in the south.
The Jinhao Grand Restaurant sits right on the riverside in the southern New District. This 37-story building was once the earliest five-star hotel in Binhai. After two rounds of renovations, it remains a landmark for high-end consumption in the city.
Lu Chen was no stranger to the Jinhao Grand Restaurant, in fact, he was very familiar with it.
Back when his father's business was at its peak, he used to host banquets here five or six times a month to entertain important guests. He even rented a long-term suite. Lu Chen used to tag along often, enjoying the perks of fine food and luxury.
Among the three siblings, only Lu Chen enjoyed such privileges, because Lu Qingsheng, his father, had planned to groom him as the heir to the family business. He had been exposed to the business world early. Unfortunately, fate has its own plans, who could've foreseen what would come?
Now, standing once again before the glistening and golden structure of the Jinhao Grand Restaurant beside the Qing'an River, Lu Chen felt a wave of mixed emotions.
After parking in the underground garage, he took the elevator up to the third floor and, led by a waiter, arrived at the Rose Hall. As soon as he pushed open the door, a wave of warmth and loud voices hit him head-on!
The Rose Hall was one of the best banquet rooms in the Jinhao Grand Restaurant. It had four rotating dining tables and could accommodate up to 60 guests at once. When Lu Chen entered, all four large tables were nearly full.
A giant screen on the east wall was playing a music video. Above it hung a prominent banner: "Binhai No. 2 High School, Class of 2008, Grade 10 (5), Class Reunion."
So lively!
Lu Chen was genuinely surprised. Back then, his class had 58 students, this turnout was almost everyone. But even for a reunion during Chinese New Year, it's rare to see such a full attendance.
Because of traffic congestion, Lu Chen arrived after 6:00 PM. The banquet hadn't officially started yet. The tables were laid out with cold dishes and drinks, and classmates, both men and women, were deep in cheerful conversation. The atmosphere was buzzing with warmth and energy.
As Lu Chen stepped into the Rose Hall, a few classmates noticed him. They looked curious, even puzzled.
"Who's that?"
Compared to his high school days, Lu Chen was now almost ten centimeters taller. After over half a year of martial arts training, his body had grown leaner and stronger. Coupled with the sunglasses he wore, it was no surprise a few of them didn't recognize him right away.
Lu Chen took a few steps forward and removed his sunglasses, flashing a smile at those watching him. He wasn't trying to act like a pretentious celebrity, it's just that nowadays, going out without shades could easily get him recognized and surrounded.
"Lu Chen!"
At that moment, a loud, booming voice rang out, louder than all the chatter in the room.
In an instant, the entire Rose Hall went silent and all eyes turned to Lu Chen, filled with surprise and delight.
A burly man with a bear-like build leapt up and rushed over in a few strides. He clapped a big hand on Lu Chen's shoulder and laughed heartily: "Our superstar! You're finally here! Everyone's been waiting for you!"
Lu Chen scratched his head awkwardly. "Sorry about that, got stuck in traffic."
This sturdy man was Huang Shan, the class monitor. Straightforward, bold, and full of zest, he had always been well-liked among classmates. Though not the top student, his charisma had earned him the role of class monitor and PE rep.
Huang Shan laughed: "Traffic's only getting worse in Binhai, especially at this hour. It's a nightmare."
As the two chatted, a crowd of classmates gathered around to say hello.
"Lu Chen! Long time no see!"
"Hey there!" "Zhang Xiaoqiang!" "Lin Qiao!" "Wang Fang!"
Lu Chen smiled and greeted each one in turn. After four years, for many of them, this was their first time meeting again. As familiar faces emerged from memory, a tide of emotions surged within him.
Some classmates didn't approach but instead stayed back, raising their phones to snap photos of Lu Chen, surrounded like a star in the night sky.
There were also four or five waitresses in the hall. When they recognized who he was, their eyes practically lit up with stars. If not for their professional roles, they probably would've rushed over for autographs and selfies.
One of them even slipped out and reported to the front desk via walkie-talkie: "Big celebrity Lu Chen is here!"
It took some effort, but Lu Chen finally found his seat.
There were name cards on the table, and he was seated next to Huang Shan. However, the girl in the yellow dress on Huang Shan's other side looked unfamiliar, he had no recollection of her.
He asked curiously, "Who's this?"
Huang Shan grinned wide and introduced, "Lu Chen, this is my girlfriend, Chen Jingjing!"
Lu Chen greeted her with a smile. "Nice to meet you."
Chen Jingjing was petite and delicate. Sitting next to the burly Huang Shan, they looked like a mismatched pair, but she had a sweet, delicate face that was quite appealing. Her cheeks flushed as she asked shyly, "Hi Lu Chen, I really like your songs, and your drama 'Autumn in My Heart'. Could you… could you give me an autograph later?"
Lu Chen nodded. "Of course, no problem. I'll sign it after dinner."
Huang Shan quickly added, "And a photo too!"
Lu Chen chuckled. "That's no problem either."
Chen Jingjing beamed and hugged Huang Shan's thick arm. "Thank you!"
Huang Shan sighed emotionally, "You're still the big star with all the charm! We've got 40 classmates here today, and almost 20 plus-ones. Most of them came just because they heard you'd be here."
Lu Chen suddenly understood.
No wonder there were so many people. And quite a few unfamiliar faces too, turns out they were all "plus-ones"!
He glanced around and asked, "Where's Teacher Ye?"
Teacher Ye was their homeroom teacher. Huang Shan had mentioned earlier that she'd be attending, but there was no sign of her.
Huang Shan explained, "Teacher Ye was originally going to come, but her chronic stomach illness flared up, and she was hospitalized yesterday."
Lu Chen's expression grew serious. "Being hospitalized for stomach issues must mean it's pretty severe. I'll go visit her tomorrow."
As the two chatted, dish after dish of steaming, delicious food was soon brought to the table. The atmosphere in the banquet hall grew lively again. Long-separated classmates were eating, drinking, chatting, and laughing together.
There were more than a dozen classmates at the same table as Lu Chen. The conversation mostly revolved around what everyone had been up to lately.
Some had returned to Binhai after graduating from university, working either in corporate jobs or preparing for the civil service exam. Some had started their own businesses, others had stayed in their university cities to seek opportunities, and a few were still pursuing graduate studies.
Huang Shan himself hadn't gone to college after high school. Instead, he followed his father into business. Four years had passed, not that he'd become wildly successful, but he was definitely living quite comfortably.
He was very satisfied with his current lifestyle. As he put it: "You can never finish making money, so being happy is what matters most." He was planning to get married and have kids next year.
"Lu Chen, if you're free, you absolutely have to come to my wedding with Jingjing!" Chen Jingjing's eyes sparkled, she clearly looked forward to it too.
Lu Chen smiled and said, "If I'm free, I'll definitely come. But my schedule is really hectic these days, so I can't make any promises."
From last year until now, over the past half a year, his main accomplishments had been releasing an album and starring in a TV drama. He hadn't taken on too many guest appearances or endorsement deals, so things hadn't been overwhelmingly busy.
But this year was different, there was a new album, new TV dramas, maybe even a movie, not to mention Chen Fei'er's new album, plus collaborations with groups like MSN and Little Tiger Group. As his fame rose, endorsements and invitations were bound to pour in. His workload would only keep increasing.
"But I promise the red envelope will definitely arrive!"
Huang Shan burst out laughing. "That's good enough. Oh right, do you have a girlfriend now?"
That question was actually a bit sensitive. After all, Lu Chen wasn't just an ordinary person anymore. But Huang Shan, being a bit blunt and carefree, couldn't hold back his curiosity and just blurted it out: "Everyone says you and Chen Fei'er are a thing?"
The classmates nearby perked up their ears, clearly very curious.
Lu Chen gave a couple of light coughs and explained, "The entertainment industry is pretty complicated. Some gossip reporters love to make things up just to grab headlines. Sometimes it's hype generated intentionally. So don't take it too seriously."
He picked out a few amusing tidbits from the showbiz scene and shared them with everyone, skillfully dodging Huang Shan's question. As a celebrity, talking publicly about your romantic relationships, unless it's for publicity, would just be plain foolish.
Even at a class reunion.
Classmates from other tables, seeing how lively their group was, also came over to toast.
Lu Chen stood up and smiled, saying, "Thank you, everyone! But I drove here tonight, so I can't drink. Plus, as a wandering singer, I have to take care of my voice. Really sorry, I'll toast with a soft drink instead!"
So many people coming to toast, if he took even one drink per person, it would knock him out. Besides, he really drank very little nowadays.
Everyone understood, but they all insisted on taking solo photos with him.
Last year, Lu Chen had rapidly risen in the pop music world, winning the championship in Singing China. That alone made him a local celebrity back home. Now, with 'Autumn in My Heart' airing on Haijin Satellite TV and becoming a hit, his face was everywhere. In Binhai, he had basically become a household name.
Many of Lu Chen's former classmates were extremely proud of him and would often mention him when chatting with others:
"Are you watching 'Autumn in My Heart'? The male lead is my classmate!"
"Ever heard My Old Classmate? That's sung by my classmate, we used to play basketball together!"
"You know Lu Chen, right?..."
Binhai was a small coastal city in Zhejiang Province, economically prosperous and densely populated, full of private enterprises. It was a rich area, but lacked deep cultural roots and hadn't produced many famous people.
A nationally famous celebrity like Lu Chen was truly one of a kind here!
Huang Shan shouted, "Photos are fine! Everyone line up, five bucks a shot, I'm collecting the money! Thank you!"
Lu Chen immediately pretended to be angry. "Five bucks? No way! At least six! One extra for your commission!"
Everyone burst into laughter at their banter, and the mood at the banquet grew even more warm and friendly.
Ah, to be young classmates again.
Just four years out of high school, for most of them, they hadn't yet been fully hardened by society. They still held onto that youthful sincerity and spirit.!
(End of chapter)
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