The male classmate sitting closest to Wen Zhi was the first to snap out of the awkward silence. He stood up and pulled out a chair for her, deliberately breaking the heavy stillness in the private room.
"Old classmate," he said with a smile. "It's been over a year since graduation, and you've never said a word in the group chat. We all thought you wouldn't come today."
Wen Zhi walked over, gave him a polite nod of thanks, and sat down. She glanced at Fu Xiaowei and replied calmly,
"I'm not good at chatting. Since Classmate Fu invited me, it wouldn't be polite to refuse."
Fu Xiaowei wrapped her arm tightly around her boyfriend's, subtly pulling his attention back to herself. In a deliberately sweet, coquettish voice, she said to the group,
"Oh right, I haven't told everyone yet. The last time I flew, I happened to run into Wen Zhi in first class. She's a flight attendant with Jiang Airlines now—that's how I got the chance to invite her today."
Then, she tilted her head and added softly, with a trace of fake concern,
"But, Xiao Zhi… among all our classmates, you're the only one doing a service job, serving people all day. Have you ever thought about changing careers?"
A few people close to Fu Xiaowei immediately chimed in.
"Exactly, Wen Zhi. That industry is all about youth, and flight attendants don't exactly have the best reputation."
"True. But with that face of hers, she probably gets hit on by rich men all the time."
"Just thinking about how our former ice-cold goddess gets approached like that…"
Wen Zhi wasn't angry at all. She simply chuckled lightly and said,
"What year is it now? That's a legitimate airline, not a brothel. You should really learn more about the world—broaden your horizons—before opening your mouths and embarrassing yourselves."
Ignoring the awkward expressions on their faces, she turned her gaze to Fu Xiaowei and asked coolly,
"I didn't get the chance to ask last time. Where are you working now, Classmate Fu?"
At the mention of this, Fu Xiaowei's face lit up with pride.
"My dear has great conditions. He dotes on me and won't let me work at all."
"Oh."
Wen Zhi deliberately dragged out her tone, looking utterly serious.
"So… an unemployed woman living off her boyfriend."
She continued calmly,
"You studied for so many years, yet you don't even have a job. I really think you should find one soon. How can a woman rely entirely on a man? You're not some accessory hanging off his belt. Saying it out loud… you're actually embarrassing your dear."
Then, imitating Fu Xiaowei's overly delicate tone from earlier, Wen Zhi added with a smile,
"Our airline has pretty high standards for flight attendants. Your looks and figure… definitely wouldn't pass. Otherwise, I'd be happy to pull some strings for you."
Fu Xiaowei's face instantly turned pitch-black.
No one in the private room had expected Wen Zhi to be this sharp. The room fell dead silent.
Wen Zhi didn't bother looking at anyone else. She calmly picked up her chopsticks and began eating.
Fu Xiaowei watched as her boyfriend not only failed to defend her, but even kept sneaking glances at Wen Zhi. Her anger boiled over.
No.
This was her territory. She had to regain control.
Since Wen Zhi liked eating…
Fu Xiaowei spun the lazy Susan and pushed an expensive dish in front of Wen Zhi, deliberately showing off.
"Xiao Zhi, this place is very pricey. My dear and I eat here casually all the time. With your salary, you probably couldn't even afford one meal here. Since we're treating today, eat more while you can."
Wen Zhi chuckled and was just about to respond when the private room door opened again.
The restaurant manager entered, followed by the head chef and several servers.
The manager spoke respectfully to the group, explaining that only when the restaurant's most distinguished guests arrived would the head chef personally come out to introduce the dishes.
One of Fu Xiaowei's followers exclaimed in surprise,
"Wow, Xiaowei, dining with you is such an honor! Your boyfriend is amazing."
The others looked at Fu Xiaowei with envy.
Fu Xiaowei herself was startled. She had eaten here three times before, and the head chef had never once come out personally.
Could it be…
She turned to her boyfriend—was this a surprise he had prepared for her?
Her pride instantly soared. The smugness in her eyes practically grew wings.
She lifted her chin and asked the chef arrogantly,
"So, what are these dishes? Go ahead and introduce them."
The chef paused, then asked politely,
"May I ask—are you Ms. Wen Zhi?"
Everyone froze and turned to look at Wen Zhi in unison.
Even Wen Zhi was slightly puzzled.
"Yes. I'm Wen Zhi."
The chef stepped forward, bowed slightly, and said respectfully,
"Ms. Wen, hello. Your admirer, Mr. Y, happened to see you enter our restaurant just now. He immediately called and instructed us to gift you six of your favorite signature dishes here, and wishes you a pleasant meal."
As soon as he finished speaking, the servers swiftly placed six exquisite dishes on the table. The chef personally introduced each one.
The smug smile on Fu Xiaowei's face froze solid.
Meanwhile, Wen Zhi's thoughts drifted far away.
Mr. Y…
No need to guess. It had to be Mo Tingyan.
Judging by these dishes alone, they were worth a small fortune.
Sure enough, once the staff left, a classmate whispered,
"Those are all their signature dishes. That set alone costs four to five thousand."
Wen Zhi: "..."
That spendthrift man!
She was just about to curse him in her heart when her phone rang.
Seeing Mo Tingyan's name, she answered irritably.
On the other end, his voice was lazy and smug.
"Palm Pearl, did you receive my surprise?"
Surprise?
She wanted to scold him even more.
Nearby, several classmates whispered among themselves,
"Who is this Mr. Y? He's spending this much money while still in the courting stage."
"Judging by how respectful the manager and chef were, he must be a regular here—and very rich."
"Of course. With Wen Zhi's looks, her boyfriend's conditions couldn't possibly be bad. Maybe he's on par with Xiaowei's boyfriend."
Their discussion made Fu Xiaowei's anger explode.
She was the one paying for this gathering—yet Wen Zhi had completely stolen the spotlight!
Grinding her teeth, she sneered sarcastically,
"They're just a few dishes. Why are you all making such a fuss? My dear's capabilities aren't something any random nobody can compare to."
She paused deliberately, then said loudly,
"Have you heard of Mingguang Group?"
At the other end of the call, Mo Tingyan—who had been speaking to Wen Zhi—suddenly went silent.
Fu Xiaowei continued smugly,
"That rising star corporation that acquired several major companies in Jiang City within just three years. My dear is friends with the mysterious tycoon of Mingguang Group—the one who never shows his true face. Right, dear?"
The rich second-generation curled his lips arrogantly.
"That's right. Our Gaoguang Equipment has partnerships with Mingguang Group. I share a life-and-death bond with that big boss. If any of you need help in the future, just come to me."
On the phone, Mo Tingyan:
"..."