Lin Cheng always felt that the Jiang Li sitting before him differed somewhat from the girl in his white dress who lingered in his memories.
He gradually recalled the details. Back then, Jiang Li had come from a well-off family. The school hadn’t strictly enforced uniforms, so her clothes were always spotless, and she had a whole wardrobe full of them. Every so often, she’d show up to class in a white sundress, drawing the gazes of countless boys in their year. The books she brought were always brand-new hardcovers, their fresh ink scent accompanying him through many a lazy summer afternoon.
Being tall, he sat in the back row of the classroom. During brief naps, he’d glance toward the door. There she was, the girl in the white dress, hugging her books as she walked in, hazy light catching the hem of her skirt like something out of a movie. Had memory embellished it all?
Lin Cheng remembered that she played the violin too, her posture serene and graceful. But now, the brightness in her eyes from those days was gone, dulled like pearls that had lost their luster.
“How much does he owe?”
“The principal was four million, but with the interest compounding, it snowballed to eight million… My family sold the house and the car to scrape together five million… But even after paying that off, there’s still three million in interest piling up…”
Lin Cheng frowned slightly. “How did it get this bad?”
“I don’t know. Dad never gambled before—just played cards for fun now and then. But the last few months, he started playing bigger with those guys, lost every bit of cash we had, and racked up that debt. Mom and I are living in a hotel now… The debt collectors hound Dad every day, but we don’t even know where he’s gone. They used to show up at the house nonstop, saying they’d chop off his hands and feet if they found him…”
As she spoke, Jiang Li’s eyes began to redden. Lin Cheng hesitated for a moment, then pulled a tissue from the dispenser and handed it to her. “I get it.”
No wonder she was organizing this class reunion. She must have hoped some old classmate ties could get Zhang Qianyuan’s family to go easy on them, maybe cut them a break. But she hadn’t dared face him alone, so she’d roped in some others.
“I… I didn’t want to meet him by myself, so… so I asked you all to come…” Jiang Li murmured, her voice starting to choke. Lin Cheng wasn’t sure what to say. After a moment’s thought, he shrugged. “No worries. I’m just here for the free meal.”
Jiang Li gave a soft hum of acknowledgment. She took the tissue and dabbed at her tears, forcing her expression into something less miserable. Changing the subject, she asked, “What have you been up to all these years?”
Lin Cheng launched into one of his well-practiced tall tales. As they chatted, footsteps approached from outside the private room. Jiang Li had told him she’d invited nine people total, but in the end, only two had shown.
One was Zhang Qianyuan. The other was a former male classmate who’d arrived with him. Jiang Li’s phone had been buzzing nonstop with messages from the others, full of last-minute excuses. She bit her lip lightly, her other hand resting on her lap, a flicker of unease in her eyes.
They’d all promised to come, but now it felt like they’d coordinated to bail.
Zhang Qianyuan strode in wearing a black dress shirt and slacks, a finely crafted mechanical watch gleaming on his wrist. He sat down right next to Jiang Li, but his gaze landed first on Lin Cheng, surprise flashing across his face. “And you are?”
“Lin Cheng—the guy who dropped out in sophomore year. Here to mooch some food.” Lin Cheng flashed an innocent, harmless smile.
Zhang Qianyuan gave him a long, appraising look before turning to Jiang Li. “They all messaged in the group chat that they couldn’t make it. Let’s order anyway. I know you’ve got something to talk about. We can take our time.”
Jiang Li murmured another soft agreement, but she couldn’t quite meet Zhang Qianyuan’s eyes.
Maybe it was the way his gaze raked over her from above—like he wasn’t reminiscing about an old classmate, but appraising a fine piece of merchandise about to become his.
The guy sitting next to Zhang Qianyuan chimed in at just the right moment. “Sister Jiang Li, you look even prettier than before.”
Jiang Li looked up at him, hesitating before asking softly, “You’re… Chen Zhe?”
“Yeah. After high school, I started hanging with Brother Zhang.” Chen Zhe grinned, casually revealing the green watch on his wrist.
Jiang Li hummed again, unsure what to do with herself. She rose slowly to her feet. “I’ll… I’ll go call the server to bring the food…”
“Why not send him? It’s a small thing.” Zhang Qianyuan glanced at Lin Cheng.
Lin Cheng’s expression turned peculiar.
…He was starting to get the picture.
Jiang Li had called all these old classmates to dinner, figuring safety in numbers. But Zhang Qianyuan had greeted them all beforehand, and no one dared show. He didn’t have Lin Cheng’s number, though, so now Lin Cheng stuck out like a sore thumb.
“I’ll go. After all, I’m the host…” Jiang Li said hurriedly.
But Zhang Qianyuan’s eyes stayed fixed on Lin Cheng, his voice sharpening a touch. “Lin Cheng, go call for the food.”
There was impatience in his tone, a haughty edge born of long habit, carrying real pressure. Lin Cheng met his gaze innocently, then stood and hollered down the hallway outside. “Server! Food!”
With that, he sat back down. “Done.”
Jiang Li had pre-ordered everything. Zhang Qianyuan said nothing, but Chen Zhe spoke up. “It’s been ages since we all got together. Let’s have a drink, Sister Jiang Li.”
Jiang Li bit her lip. “I… I’m not much of a drinker…”
“Just a little?” Zhang Qianyuan’s tone toward her was almost gentle, though laced with a leering lilt.
Jiang Li’s hand rested on her lap, her shoulders hunched slightly, her eyes darting without a place to land.
Lin Cheng could feel the heavy atmosphere in the room. He really did seem out of place here. But he was already in it—might as well enjoy the show.
“Girls don’t wanna drink, they don’t drink. If someone’s thirsty, I can drink with you?” He grinned at Zhang Qianyuan.
Before Zhang Qianyuan could respond, Chen Zhe jumped in. “You think anyone gets to drink with Brother Zhang? Plenty of guys don’t even qualify to toast him.”
Zhang Qianyuan chuckled from the side, clapping Chen Zhe on the shoulder. “Don’t talk nonsense. We’re all classmates. Just have a casual drink.”
Lin Cheng hadn’t even opened his mouth when Jiang Li slowly raised her head and murmured, “I… I can have a little…”
The server soon began bringing out the dishes. Zhang Qianyuan grabbed the menu and ordered the priciest baijiu on offer—over three grand a bottle. He got two and set them on the table. He shoved the small shot glasses aside, and Chen Zhe poured into the tea cups instead, filling four brimming cups—one for each of them.
“I… I can’t drink that much…” Jiang Li’s voice grew fainter.
“Some things are easier to discuss over a drink, right? Especially since this debt of yours… it’s no small sum. Pretty messy.” Zhang Qianyuan’s words hung heavy with implication. The food had all arrived, but no one had touched it yet. He raised his glass first.
“Come on. Old classmates reuniting after all these years. One round.”
Lin Cheng lifted his glass. He’d never really been to a gathering like this… It felt almost like kids playing house. He clinked his cup against Zhang Qianyuan’s. Zhang Qianyuan’s expression soured a bit.
Lin Cheng downed the contents in one go and smacked his lips. “Good stuff.”
Zhang Qianyuan eyed him, as if about to say something, then held it back. A moment later, he smiled. “You can really hold your liquor, huh?”
“Not bad. All my buddies call me North City’s Little Wine God.”
“Another round, then?” Zhang Qianyuan grabbed the bottle and personally refilled Lin Cheng’s glass to the brim. Lin Cheng clinked again, Zhang Qianyuan sipped, and Lin Cheng knocked back the full cup.
He smiled at Zhang Qianyuan across the table, a glint of mischief in his eyes.
“One more?” Zhang Qianyuan pressed, unwilling to back down.
“Sure.” Lin Cheng nodded.
Another full cup vanished down his throat.
Lin Cheng’s face showed no change whatsoever. Zhang Qianyuan stared at him hard, then said, “Let’s eat.”
The mood in the private room grew oppressively heavy.
Jiang Li picked at her food with her chopsticks, clearly lacking appetite. Zhang Qianyuan and Chen Zhe chatted about casino dealings, which inevitably veered into talk of women and crude jokes. Lin Cheng, meanwhile, gnawed contentedly on a pork trotter, the picture of a guy thrilled to score a free meal.
After a while, everyone had eaten their fill. Jiang Li tried several times to speak up, but with Zhang Qianyuan and Chen Zhe deep in conversation, she couldn’t find an opening. Finally, she lifted her glass and turned to Zhang Qianyuan beside her. “Zhang Qianyuan, let me toast you.”
“Hey, classmates don’t need to toast. Remember when I chased after you back in school, Jiang Li?” Zhang Qianyuan finally turned his attention to her, eyes narrowing with a smile as he reminisced.
Jiang Li nodded faintly, her hand trembling as she held the baijiu glass in midair. “I remember.”
“You shot me down so fast back then. Hurt like hell for a while. Who’d have thought we’d cross paths again years later? Right?”
Jiang Li didn’t know how to respond. She dipped her head and murmured agreement.
“I know why you’re here. I’m not really in charge of the family casino—that’s my second uncle’s turf. But I asked him before coming. Your dad signed the papers for that four million loan, fair and square. Interest terms were all upfront. He can’t pay? Tough spot for us too. By the rules of the trade, if you can’t settle up… you hand over a couple hands and legs. Otherwise, how’s our business supposed to run? If it weren’t for our classmate connection, my uncle was gonna drag you and your mom into it… Eh, better you don’t know.”
Zhang Qianyuan spoke so casually, but Jiang Li went deathly pale.
“It’s a tricky situation.” He gave a helpless chuckle. “I can’t just tell my uncle, ‘Hey, this is a classmate’s dad—waive the interest’? That wouldn’t fly, would it?”
Jiang Li could barely breathe, managing only a numb nod. “Yeah.”
“Sigh, my uncle’s always on me for being a slacker, wasting my days away. Keeps trying to set me up with some girl to straighten me out. Just brought it up again tonight. I was supposed to meet the one he lined up for dinner, but I came here instead. Gave full face to an old classmate.”
Jiang Li’s head sank lower. She bit her lip hard, tears glistening in her eyes.
Seeing her on the verge of breaking down, Zhang Qianyuan’s smile turned mocking. “Don’t get the wrong idea. I’m not trying to blackmail you into dating me or anything. We’re not kids anymore—you know how the world works. You’re not worth that much anyway.”
The blunt humiliation hit like a slap. Fat tears rolled down Jiang Li’s cheeks. But Zhang Qianyuan seemed to feed off it. “Crying already? Come on, for old times’ sake, I came up with a solution for you.”
He gathered the other glasses and filled four right in front of her.
“Four glasses total. You still owe my uncle three million. Finish these, wait thirty minutes, and if you can walk out on your own two feet… poof, debt gone.”
“If not… I’ll drive you home tonight. Old classmates, after all. Chat with me and Chen Zhe till we’re happy, and who knows? This might all sort itself out.”
