Xu Wenbing had a very deep impression of Luo Chen, but that impression remained stuck on the nerdy Luo Chen from their university days.
Back in school, Xu Wenbing had always looked down on nerds like Luo Chen. He believed that once Luo Chen left school, he would definitely end up in a miserable state.
And today, after taking one look at Luo Chen’s outfit, Xu Wenbing felt that his prediction had been completely correct.
Compared to his own attire, Luo Chen’s was far inferior. They were simply not on the same level.
“Luo Chen? How did you end up here too? How have you been lately?” One of the chubby guys pushed up his glasses and asked. However, his attitude was not very warm. Instead, it carried a hint of cold indifference.
As the saying goes, people rely on clothes, and Buddhas rely on gold. Just by looking at Luo Chen’s current outfit, one could tell exactly how he was doing in life.
“Little Fatty?” Luo Chen spoke up.
Little Fatty actually had a fairly good relationship with Luo Chen back then. They could even be called friends. But after leaving school, they had not kept in touch much. Seeing Little Fatty now made Luo Chen feel quite surprised.
“Sigh, Luo Chen, how are you speaking? How can you still call him Little Fatty? He is now General Manager Zhang.” Xu Wenbing deliberately said this, and Little Fatty did not object. He clearly accepted it.
Moreover, a trace of smugness flashed across Little Fatty’s face, as if he really had become General Manager Zhang.
“Sorry, old habit.” Luo Chen did not mind and simply apologised.
“By the way, Luo Chen, how are you doing these days? Let me tell you, General Manager Zhang here now earns an annual salary of one hundred thousand. We are all so envious.” Another classmate spoke up.
“Hey, I heard from Zhang Xiaoman last time that our Luo Chen was going to work at his place for just eighteen hundred a month, right? Is that true, Luo Chen?” Xu Wenbing deliberately brought it up in front of everyone, clearly wanting to humiliate Luo Chen.
“No way, Luo Chen? Is that real?” Little Fatty also looked very shocked. He had not expected Luo Chen to fall so low. Instantly, he looked down on Luo Chen even more.
“Luo Chen, if you cannot make it out there, why not come work for me?” Little Fatty smiled. Back in school, he had not done well and had only hung out with nerds like Luo Chen. Now that he saw Luo Chen struggling, he felt a twisted sense of satisfaction.
Of course, he was not doing that great himself. He was just a clerk in a small company earning about four thousand a month. He had only claimed a monthly salary of over ten thousand to save face.
“Among us here, the worst is Little Fatty, and even he earns at least ten thousand a month!”
“Thanks.” Luo Chen smiled faintly.
“Do not be like that. We are all classmates. If you have any difficulties, just say it. Everyone will definitely help you, right?” Xu Wenbing smiled, but this was clearly meant to make Luo Chen even more embarrassed.
“Yes, Luo Chen. Look at Mr Xu here. He is doing so well. He just got a BMW 5 Series. By the way, Luo Chen, have you bought a car yet?” Another female classmate spoke up.
“Not yet for now.” Luo Chen shrugged.
“Sigh, Xiaolin, that was a bit too much. He only earns eighteen hundred a month, and you ask if he has bought a car? Are you not deliberately slapping his face? Hurry and apologise to him!”
Xu Wenbing deliberately said this again, but inside he was already laughing wildly. Let’s see how you get out of this.
“Sorry, Luo Chen. I tend to speak too bluntly.” The girl smiled. Although it was an apology, anyone could see there was not a shred of sincerity in it. Instead, it carried a mocking tone.
“Xiaolin, did I not just help you open a clothing store recently?”
Xu Wenbing spoke to a beautiful woman, and that woman was none other than the class beauty that both Luo Chen and Xu Wenbing had pursued back then.
“Since that is the case, send Luo Chen two sets of clothes later. We are all classmates. When someone is in difficulty, we must help each other. Luo Chen, although there were some grudges between us back then,
as your older brother, I will not hold it against you now. Later I will have Xiaolin send you two outfits. Look at you coming to the reunion without even a decent set of clothes. As classmates, we also feel embarrassed!” Xu Wenbing continued to kick him while he was down, clearly intent on humiliating Luo Chen.
“No need, thank you.” Luo Chen still refused.
In reality, the outfit Luo Chen was wearing was not ordinary sportswear. It was custom made for him by one of Italy’s top fashion masters through Ye Shuangshuang’s connections. Both the materials and the craftsmanship were extremely exquisite.
It was just that because it was tailored specifically for Luo Chen, there was no brand logo on it. At first glance, it looked like a cheap set from a street stall worth only a few dozen yuan. But in truth, this outfit was worth a million!
However, although Xu Wenbing said this, everyone knew deep down that he was deliberately trampling on Luo Chen’s dignity. Ever since Luo Chen walked in, Xu Wenbing had given everyone a look, clearly signalling that he wanted to step on Luo Chen.
And that beauty named Xiaolin also smiled. Suddenly she recalled the time when Luo Chen and Xu Wenbing were both pursuing her.
Strictly speaking, Xiaolin had preferred Luo Chen back then. Whether in temperament or appearance, Luo Chen had been superior. Xu Wenbing actually looked somewhat ugly in comparison.
But in the end, Xiaolin chose Xu Wenbing. Not for any other reason, simply because Xu Wenbing’s family had money. Looking back now, her decision had been correct.
Still, since Luo Chen had once pursued her, seeing him in such a down and out state now made Xiaolin feel a little uncomfortable inside.
“Forget it. Since our young master Luo is so proud and has such backbone, we will not say anything more.” Xu Wenbing did not continue pressing the issue. Instead, he started chatting and laughing with the people around him.
Not just Xu Wenbing. In fact, everyone now looked down on Luo Chen. This was society and reality. If you had money and power, everyone would flatter you. If you had neither, everyone would look down on you.
Even former classmates, even former friends!
Luo Chen did not say much and simply planned to find a seat. After all, he was waiting for Wang Fei. Otherwise, he would have left long ago.
“Sorry, Luo Chen. This seat is taken.” Xu Wenbing stopped him.
Luo Chen did not think much of it. He assumed someone had really reserved the seat in advance, so he turned to the other side.
“Hey, Luo Chen. This side is also taken.” Xu Wenbing stopped him again.
At this point, Luo Chen finally understood. They were deliberately looking down on him and not letting him sit?
“Luo Chen, these few seats are all taken. That one over there in the corner has no one. Why not sit there?” Xu Wenbing pointed to the seat in the very corner.
Luo Chen raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He simply walked over and sat down. He had not expected such a thing to happen at a classmates’ reunion, yet here it was.
Now, even with Luo Chen’s good temper, he felt a slight irritation inside. He watched everything coldly.
Fine. Since you insist on doing this, let us see how you will wrap things up later.
Luo Chen sat in the corner seat and remained silent.
At this moment, Xu Wenbing took out a box of cigarettes and handed them out one by one. Even the female classmates got one for appearance’s sake. But when it came to Luo Chen, he deliberately skipped him.
“Mr Xu, you forgot Luo Chen. He smokes too.” Little Fatty clearly wanted to curry favour with Xu Wenbing and joined him in stepping on Luo Chen.
“Oh? Sorry, I forgot.” Xu Wenbing pretended to apologise, then reached into his pocket and pulled out another box of cigarettes. What he had given others was Nanjing 95, but now he took out a pack of five-yuan Baisha, pulled out one cigarette, and handed it to Luo Chen.
This was no longer just stepping on Luo Chen. This was outright humiliating him.
Luo Chen raised an eyebrow and was about to flare up. But at that exact moment, the owner of Haiyue Villa arrived.