"Speaking of which, Li Ruoshui hasn't dated anyone in years. I used to think she hated men, but now it seems that might not be the case."
"Could it be that she's been waiting for Fanyun all this time?"
"Ruoshui, this is the first time I've ever seen you blush in front of a man. It's unprecedented!"
Everyone joked around, creating a cheerful atmosphere.
Li Ruoshui wasn't angry; on the contrary, she kept stealing affectionate glances at Shen Fanyun.
Shen Fanyun didn't say much, and the others began to wonder. If he had chosen to be with Li Ruoshui back then, would they have already become a couple?
Though it was just speculation, the conversation inevitably drifted to the one woman they couldn't avoid mentioning: Li Qiuchan.
The previously joyful atmosphere suddenly froze. His old classmates exchanged complicated glances, trying to avoid the topic, but Shen Fanyun remained composed and nonchalant.
"Li Qiuchan is marrying Han Feng. Did you know?" Zhao Jian asked after a pause.
Shen Fanyun joked, "Their wedding photos are plastered over every street and alley. It'd be a little difficult not to know, wouldn't it?"
The marriage of a scion from one of Hangcheng City's top families was a major event for the entire city. Even if the Han Family hadn't prepared any announcements, news outlets and various opportunists seeking to curry favor would have flocked to them, spreading the word far and wide.
Thinking about it, Han Feng was actually quite devoted. The infamous young master was always surrounded by women, yet in the end, he chose to give Li Qiuchan an official status. As a result, with the Li family latching onto the Han Family, their clan's status soared to unprecedented heights.
"Come on, let's toast." Zhao Jian clinked glasses with Shen Fanyun.
Everyone had expected him to be emotional or at least a little melancholic when an old flame was mentioned—especially one who had been so important to him. But now, his expression wasn't nearly as solemn as they'd anticipated.
Has he moved on?
"I can't believe how well the Han Family has been doing all these years. It's like the heavens are blind," Zhao Jian lamented. He still remembered their outrageous actions back in the day. Many of their classmates had hoped the Han Family would get its comeuppance, especially that Han Feng, a man who was dark and sinister to the core.
Shen Fanyun could only offer a wry smile and pat Zhao Jian's shoulder. Of course, he knew his friend was indignant on his behalf.
"To be honest, I came back this time to settle my accounts with the Han Family." Shen Fanyun saw no reason to hide it from these trusted old classmates.
But his words sent a jolt of shock through everyone present.
What does he mean? Is he going to challenge the Han Family? The Han Family is poised to become the wealthiest in Hangcheng City... Has Shen Fanyun gone mad? Picking a fight with them? How is that any different from throwing an egg against a rock—courting certain death?
Zhao Jian hastily advised, "Fanyun, don't be impulsive. The Han Family is far more complex than they appear on the surface."
Instead of immediately responding, Shen Fanyun raised his drink and toasted the group.
Everyone exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of what he was thinking.
"I think you should take it easy and do your best to avoid the Han Family," Zhao Jian counseled kindly. "The Han Family is at its peak; here in Hangcheng City, they're virtually unbeatable!"
"Besides, Li Qiuchan is no saint, either."
"You absolutely cannot go back down that road. That woman isn't worth reigniting old flames for, and she's certainly not worth you risking everything to go head-to-head with the Han Family."
Zhao Jian suspected Shen Fanyun's obsession with Li Qiuchan hadn't faded. He figured that was why Shen Fanyun was so determined to confront the Han Family, perhaps because he still wanted to prove himself to her. Zhao Jian just couldn't understand. What was so special about Li Qiuchan that Shen Fanyun would make such a decision? How was Li Ruoshui, right here in front of them, in any way inferior to her?
Li Ruoshui silently watched Shen Fanyun's every move, her heart aching with a touch of jealousy. She, too, wondered if he still hadn't let go of Li Qiuchan.
"From the day I left Hangcheng City, I have had no connection to Li Qiuchan." Shen Fanyun smiled and patted Zhao Jian's shoulder, signaling that his friend was overthinking things.
A mere woman, especially one with a character as flawed as Li Qiuchan's, wasn't even worth a second glance from him.
"Are you sure?" Zhao Jian stared at Shen Fanyun thoughtfully.
Shen Fanyun answered with conviction, "Positive."
The stone that had been weighing on Zhao Jian's heart finally fell away.
In contrast, a smile bloomed on Li Ruoshui's lips, and she nearly giggled aloud.
"It's been a long time since I've had a drink. Who knew that sometimes, the more you drink, the sweeter it gets," Li Ruoshui said, swaying her can with a gleeful expression.
"Hey, beautiful, we all know why it's tasting sweeter to you. No need to spell it out!" Zhao Jian teased with a wink, making Li Ruoshui blush with embarrassment.
Unsure how to respond, she simply raised her slender right hand, balled it into a fist, and shook it at Zhao Jian in a playful warning.
This reunion put Shen Fanyun in excellent spirits. It was the first time in many years that he had felt truly relaxed. He had suffered immensely over the past decade and had barely known a single night of peaceful sleep.
Looking at the once-immature faces, now all adults, Shen Fanyun was overcome with a wave of emotion.
"To the past, to the future, and to us!" the ever-poetic Zhao Jian urged everyone to clink glasses. There was no denying he was great at livening up the atmosphere.
Shen Fanyun didn't pace himself and gradually drank a little too much. After her repeated attempts to stop him failed, Li Ruoshui finally took matters into her own hands and boldly snatched his cup away.
Everyone burst out laughing. Watching the playful pair, they suddenly thought that the two of them actually seemed like a great match.
「Ten p.m.」
The party finally came to an end.
Anticipating they would drink tonight, everyone had taken a taxi, which made leaving much more convenient. The first few groups of people hailed cabs and gradually departed.
Li Ruoshui stayed close to Shen Fanyun, propping him up slightly, worried he was so drunk he might fall.
"Ruoshui's a girl. Shall we take her home?" Zhao Jian asked Shen Fanyun, as only the three of them were left. After all, Li Ruoshui had also had some fruit-flavored beer, and it wasn't safe for a young woman to go home alone so late at night.
Zhao Jian's intentions were good, but to his surprise, Li Ruoshui immediately refused him. "You don't need to take me home!"
She pointedly said "you," not "you two."
Zhao Jian didn't get it at first. "No way, it's not safe. It's no trouble for us to see you home."
When the penny finally dropped, Zhao Jian roared with laughter. "My bad, my bad! I almost became a third wheel. Alright then, our great beauty, I'll catch you later!"
Zhao Jian hailed a cab and sped away.
Shen Fanyun shook his head with a resigned smile. He couldn't spoil her good mood. Since Li Ruoshui clearly wanted him to take her, he might as well do her the favor. "Let's go, I'll take you home."
"I remember you live on Huaihua Lane… It's still the same place, right? It's been many years since I've been there," Shen Fanyun mused.
Li Ruoshui shook her head. "I'm not going home tonight."
Shen Fanyun was dumbfounded.
What? It's the dead of night. We're a man and a woman, alone, and we've both been drinking. Now Li Ruoshui refuses to go home... What is she planning? Does she want to wander the streets with me until dawn?