At this moment, as she looked at a piece of investigative data on her desk, she could not help slightly furrowing her brow.
A few days ago, after Chen Feiyu had departed resolutely, Su Yingxue had instead developed a sliver of interest and sent someone to investigate his whereabouts.
However, the results of the investigation left her greatly disappointed.
"Back then, you stood before me with such unyielding pride, and I actually took you for someone who was hiding his true depth, capable of bringing me a stunning performance. To think you've actually gone to work as a waiter at a diner—you've truly wasted my expectations.
Yet who could have imagined that you actually managed to get involved with Han Muqing? Although rumor has it that Han Muqing is open and glamorous, in truth she is cold, proud, and conservative to her very core, and she even has the young master of the Xie family acting as her protector. To deal with someone like her—you truly have no idea whether you're living or dying."
Su Yingxue secretly shook her head, a trace of disappointment flashing through her beautiful eyes.
Naturally, she still knew nothing about Chen Feiyu's trip to the Xie family.
Because the Su Family was simply no match for the Xie family, the people she sent out had no way whatsoever of finding out about the events that transpired there.
A graceful, charming young married woman standing nearby asked for instructions: "Miss, shall we continue tracking and investigating?"
"Forget it, there's no need..." Su Yingxue waved her hand, but halfway through, she suddenly changed her tune and said, "No, keep following him. If you run into him facing any difficulties, help out if you can."
The young woman acknowledged the order and turned to leave, though inwardly she held Chen Feiyu in utter contempt.
For this period, she was the one who had constantly been investigating Chen Feiyu. She had discovered that aside from being handsome and skilled at fighting, Chen Feiyu possessed virtually no bright spots.
Good looks at best made him a kept man; good fighting skills meant he had brawn and no brains.
The Su Family was a prominent business family, and Su Yingxue was the dazzling pearl of Mingji City. The young scions pursuing Su Yingxue were like crossing carp in a river, and practically every single one of them was vastly superior to Chen Feiyu—and superior by a wide margin.
"A loser like Chen Feiyu is simply unworthy of Miss. Why on earth does Miss still waste her effort on him?" The young woman shook her head, finding it utterly incomprehensible.
Three days later, right on the weekend, Lin Yujia brought two of her best friends along to the diner.
Lin Yujia was already the campus belle of her school, yet her two companions were in no way inferior to her in appearance.
One of them was named Zhou Ruohua. She wore a light-white dress on her upper body, Prada mid-heels on her feet, and carried a limited-edition Louis Vuitton bag—she was firmly in the league of wealthy, beautiful socialites.
Her eyes were large, with a beauty mark at the corner of one eye, exuding a youthful yet bewitching charm.
The other was named Qin Danya. Although she was not dressed as lavishly as Zhou Ruohua, she came from a scholarly family, possessed a refined and otherworldly grace, and was even the class monitor, boasting a multitude of pursuers.
Lin Yujia, Zhou Ruohua, and Qin Danya were already the three top campus belles in the school.
Now that the three of them were sitting at a dining table in the diner, they instantly drew numerous gazes.
Lin Yujia glanced left and right, and upon failing to see Chen Feiyu, she felt a slight sense of loss.
"Yujia, what kind of divine being is this Chen Feiyu you speak of? I simply must see who on earth could win our Yujia's heart," Qin Danya said teasingly.
Zhou Ruohua chimed in, "Yujia doesn't even deign to give the student union president, He Chao, the time of day. You have to know that He Chao's father is the CEO of a state-owned enterprise and holds both power and influence in Mingji City. If this Chen Feiyu isn't some wealthy scion or a high-ranking second-generation heir who can afford designer clothes, I certainly won't agree to let him steal our Yujia away."
The reason the two of them had come today was precisely to vet Chen Feiyu for Lin Yujia; if Chen Feiyu had even a shred of capability, they certainly wouldn't mind letting him know the difficulty and make him retreat.
Lin Yujia instantly blushed and protested coquettishly, "Oh, you two, stop gossiping! It's not as exaggerated as you're making it out to be—Brother Yu just regards me as a little sister."
After saying this, Lin Yujia's expression darkened slightly.
Ever since she had been rescued by Chen Feiyu, her heart had been set on him, but through these days of contact, she had sensitively realized that Chen Feiyu truly did view her only as a younger sister.
"No way, Yujia is so exceptional, yet he treats you like a little sister?"
Zhou Ruohua and Qin Danya exchanged glances, finding it hard to believe.
Lin Yujia had countless pursuers, among them no lack of wealthy scions. He Chao, whom they had mentioned earlier, was a standout among them, with a family that held both power and influence in Mingji City.
Yet without exception, all of these suitors had been rejected.
And yet someone as exceptional as Lin Yujia had not only had her heart stolen, but was even regarded merely as a sister.
In their hearts, Qin Danya and Zhou Ruohua grew increasingly curious about Chen Feiyu.
Suddenly, Lin Yujia's eyes lit up, and she waved happily, calling out, "Brother Yu, we're over here."
Chen Feiyu walked over with a smile, nodded in greeting to the three young women, and sat right down beside Lin Yujia.
Zhou Ruohua and Qin Danya sized him up, and immediately, disappointment and disdain were difficult to conceal.
"Plainly dressed, ordinary background, a total poor loser—he doesn't deserve Yujia," Zhou Ruohua evaluated inwardly.
"Lacking in proper manners, lazy in demeanor. Handsome, yes, but unraised and poorly cultured." This was Qin Danya's first impression.
Lin Yujia smiled sweetly and introduced them: "Brother Yu, let me introduce them to you. Her name is Zhou Ruohua, and this is Qin Danya. They're both my good friends."
Following that, Lin Yujia proudly linked her arm through Chen Feiyu's and said, "His name is Chen Feiyu, and he's my Brother Yu."
Qin Danya secretly shook her head. Despite it being only a first impression, she had already completely written Chen Feiyu off.
Zhou Ruohua was even less polite, stating, "So you're Chen Feiyu. Seeing you in person really isn't as good as hearing your name."
Lin Yujia's pretty face changed slightly.
Unfazed by Lin Yujia's expression, Zhou Ruohua continued with barbed words wrapped in silk: "Chen Feiyu, I wonder where you're currently employed?"
She already knew from before that Chen Feiyu worked in a diner, and now asking when she clearly knew the answer was purely meant to embarrass Chen Feiyu.
Chen Feiyu smiled faintly and said, "I'm just a waiter here."
"Oh, so you're just a hired hand. I suppose your monthly salary is at most around three thousand?" Zhou Ruohua pressed her attack.
Chen Feiyu rubbed his chin as if pondering, then said, "I haven't asked, but I suppose it should be around three thousand."
Qin Danya watched coldly from the sidelines and let out an internal scoff. With a monthly salary of around three thousand, he actually wanted to hook our campus belle Yujia? What a toad lusting after swan meat—he's dreaming!
Zhou Ruohua smiled faintly and said triumphantly, "It doesn't matter if the monthly salary is a bit lower, as long as your family has money and power. These days, there are plenty of rich second-generation kids pretending to experience hardship, but I wonder what your family does? Are they high-ranking government officials, or senior corporate executives?"
Chen Feiyu frowned slightly. He was certain this was his first time meeting them, and he couldn't quite fathom why they were deliberately targeting him.
Chen Feiyu said calmly, "Neither. I've been an orphan since I was little."
At this, even with Chen Feiyu's iron will, a trace of desolation could not help but surface.
Lin Yujia immediately took hold of Chen Feiyu's hand and said with heartbreak, "Brother Yu, don't worry, from now on I'll be your family."
"Alright." Chen Feiyu smiled indulgently.
Lin Yujia smiled back, feeling a sweet warmth in her heart.
Towards this young girl Lin Yujia, Chen Feiyu felt a genuine warmth deep down in his heart, and precisely because of this, he endured Zhou Ruohua's sarcastic jeers.
Otherwise, given Chen Feiyu's temper, he would have flipped the table long ago.
Seeing this scene play out before them, how could Zhou Ruohua and Qin Danya not realize that Lin Yujia had already fallen hopelessly in love?
The two girls exchanged a glance, both seeing heavy concern in the other's eyes.
Qin Danya's eyes rolled slightly, and she suggested going out to eat together. Although Lin Yujia disliked how they targeted Chen Feiyu, they were, after all, best friends of many years, so she reluctantly agreed.
Zhou Ruohua drove a white BMW. Once they got inside the car, Zhou Ruohua proudly flaunted, "Chen Feiyu, this was a birthday gift from my mom last year. It's a pity it only cost around 500,000, but my mom said she'll swap me for a new one once I get into college."
She wanted to see the look of inferiority and embarrassment on Chen Feiyu's face.
However, she was disappointed. Chen Feiyu merely nodded slightly and said, "Not bad."
"Hmpf, just a poor loser putting on airs," Zhou Ruohua sneered with contempt.
She hadn't lowered her voice, so all four people inside the car heard it.
Lin Yujia's face turned pale, her expression filled with displeasure as she anxiously looked towards Chen Feiyu.
However, Chen Feiyu merely smiled back, which finally set Lin Yujia's mind at ease.
Qin Danya gave Zhou Ruohua a meaningful look. Understanding her intent, Zhou Ruohua drove them to a high-end restaurant with a clear and unspoken purpose: to make Chen Feiyu realize the massive gap between himself and Lin Yujia, forcing him to retreat in the face of difficulties.
Throughout the meal, Zhou Ruohua kept up a steady stream of sarcastic barbs, yet Chen Feiyu's expression remained completely natural as he chatted and laughed with Lin Yujia from time to time, eating with great relish.
Zhou Ruohua was left feeling helpless. Chen Feiyu's skin was simply too thick; she felt as if she had spent ages building up an ultimate attack, only for it to land on empty air, leaving her utterly stifled.
A trace of solemnity also appeared in Qin Danya's eyes, and she now completely regarded Chen Feiyu as an adversary.
"Hmpf," Zhou Ruohua sneered with disdain, "Some people really have thick skin. True enough, if a person has no shame, they are invincible under heaven."
"Zhou Ruohua, that's enough!" Although Lin Yujia had a gentle disposition, it didn't mean she had no temper. Her face turned pale with anger as she said, "I introduced Brother Yu to you guys so you wouldn't come here to mock him! If you keep acting like this, I don't think there's any need for us to be friends anymore!"
Chen Feiyu was somewhat moved. He hadn't expected this little girl to be willing to fall out with her best friends on his account.
In this world, aside from his master, the only person who treated him this well was Lin Yujia.
Zhou Ruohua never expected that the usually timid Lin Yujia would flip out, and she froze in place on the spot.
Qin Danya let out an internal sigh. What a silly girl—she couldn't even tell who was treating her well.
"Chen Feiyu, can you step outside for a moment? I have something to say to you." Qin Danya looked over at Chen Feiyu.
Chen Feiyu smiled faintly, nodded, and replied, "Alright."
Lin Yujia immediately panicked and said, "Brother Yu..."
"Don't worry, she's not a tigress; she won't eat me." Chen Feiyu gave her a reassuring look and walked out together with Qin Danya.
Qin Danya lived up to her name; walking beside her, one could catch a faint, elegant fragrance.
When the two of them reached a secluded corner, Qin Danya got straight to the point: "I hope you have some self-awareness and willingly leave Yujia."
"Oh? Why is that?" Chen Feiyu raised an eyebrow and asked.
Qin Danya raised her head proudly and said, "My dad is a municipal people's congress representative and the president of the municipal writers' association. My mom is a section-level cadre in the Bureau of Industry and Commerce. We come from a scholarly family.
Zhou Ruohua's family does business, with a net worth approaching a hundred million. As for Yujia, you probably don't know her parents' status yet—her father works in the municipal government and holds immense power.
I want you to understand that the people in Yujia's circle are destined not to be ordinary folks. Even one of her suitors, He Chao, is the student union president of our school, and his father is the CEO of a state-owned enterprise.
And what about you? An orphan with no status, no standing, no money, and no power. Even if you struggle and strive for another twenty years, you might not achieve what Yujia's father has. Even if Yujia doesn't mind, can you bear to let her suffer hardships following you in the future?
Therefore, I hope you have some self-awareness and voluntarily keep your distance from Yujia. Doing so will be a good thing for both you and her."
Chen Feiyu burst out laughing, as if he had just heard the most ridiculous joke in the world.
"What are you laughing at?" Qin Danya frowned, finding his laughter extremely grating.
Still laughing, Chen Feiyu said, "I'm laughing at how narrow your perspective is—a frog at the bottom of a well, presuming to talk about the vastness of heaven and earth. What municipal government workers, what state-owned enterprise CEOs—before me, they are like passing clouds that can be blown away with a wave of my hand.
Sooner or later, I will let you see just how laughable the words you said to me today truly are. When that time comes, I hope you won't be too ashamed."
Qin Danya was struck dumb. She never imagined that a poor loser like Chen Feiyu could be so arrogant, and she angrily stamped her dainty foot.
When she returned to the private dining room, Chen Feiyu was sitting right beside Lin Yujia, looking completely relaxed and at ease.
Lin Yujia's face was livid, while Zhou Ruohua, by contrast, looked thoroughly triumphant.
Just what had happened?
As Qin Danya walked over in puzzlement, Zhou Ruohua spoke in a low voice, acting like someone presenting a prized treasure: "I called He Chao, and he said he's bringing people right over. Let's see how Chen Feiyu keeps putting on airs in a moment."
Qin Danya had a sudden flash of understanding, and immediately recalling Chen Feiyu's arrogant demeanor just moments ago, she glared fiercely at him.
How formidable was Chen Feiyu's hearing? Even though Zhou Ruohua had spoken in a soft voice, he still heard every word, and a corner of his mouth curled into a sneer of contempt.
Not long after, the door to the private room was pushed open, and three young men walked in.
Taking a clear look at the newcomers, Lin Yujia suddenly grew tense, casting a flustered look toward Chen Feiyu.
Chen Feiyu smiled back, and Lin Yujia's clouds instantly cleared as her expression relaxed.
Zhou Ruohua stood up pleasantly surprised and said, "You're finally here, He Chao! And Zhao Jun and Li Jianfeng too—I didn't expect the two of you to tag along as well."
The young man in the lead was none other than He Chao. He stood over 1.8 meters tall, with handsome features, black-rimmed glasses, and a light-white shirt, giving off a refined air.
The backgrounds of the two people behind He Chao were also far from simple.
Qin Danya suddenly grew a bit worried. If Chen Feiyu were to get into a conflict with them, the consequences would undoubtedly be disastrous.
She had only wanted Chen Feiyu to leave Lin Yujia; she didn't want to see Chen Feiyu beaten half to death.
Zhou Ruohua hurried over to He Chao's side, whispered a few words in his ear, and cast occasional glances at Chen Feiyu.
He Chao nodded, a trace of gloom flashing across his eyes, though he concealed it well. He walked straight over to sit on the other side of Lin Yujia, completely ignoring Chen Feiyu as he smiled, "Zhao Jun and I just happened to be eating nearby, and we ran into you guys. Yujia, it seems we really have a connection."
A flash of panic rushed through Lin Yujia's eyes, and she immediately said, "He Chao, our relationship isn't that close. Don't call me Yujia—Brother Yu and I, there's nothing going on between us."
Qin Danya let out an internal sigh, beginning to wonder if Lin Yujia's taste and judgment were deeply flawed.
He Chao's smile instantly froze.
"You guys just got here, hurry and take a seat." Zhou Ruohua immediately stepped out to smooth things over. With a roll of her eyes, she said, "Chen Feiyu, let me make some introductions. This is He Chao, our school's student union president. His dad is the CEO of a state-owned enterprise, so he's a well-known young scion in Mingji City."
He Chao waved his hand modestly, but the smug look in his eyes couldn't be concealed no matter what. He smiled, "What young scion or not? People are just giving me face. But my dad has already arranged it so that right after the college entrance exams, I'll go train at a state-owned enterprise, and once I graduate from university, I can enter a government unit directly."
Zhou Ruohua's lovely eyes lit up. If He Chao weren't so infatuated with Lin Yujia, she'd really want to make a move and snatch him up; if she could latch onto He Chao, she'd have plenty of face when going out in the future.
Immediately afterward, she cast a malicious glance at Chen Feiyu. He Chao was so exceptional—where on earth did a loser like him get the capital to compete with He Chao?
Chen Feiyu simply sipped the fragrant tea in his hand, turning a blind eye.
"Hmpf, a poor loser of a waiter, what is he putting on airs for? Let's see if he can keep pretending a moment from now," Zhou Ruohua thought to herself with a sneer, continuing to introduce the remaining two. Pointing at the man wearing a number 10 jersey, she smiled, "His name is Zhao Jun, and he's the captain of the school soccer team. His skills are superb and he has tons of fans..."
Before she could finish, Zhao Jun interrupted, "Great Beauty Zhou, stop trying to make me look bad in front of Danya. My studies are just so-so, and I don't have much of a future with the college entrance exams, but my dad is a division director at the Sports Bureau, and he'll arrange a job for me at the Sports Bureau later. Pardon my lack of modesty."
With that, Zhao Jun looked at Qin Danya, the fiery enthusiasm in his eyes completely undisguised, though Qin Danya lowered her gaze slightly and gave no response.
Yet another securely tenured official system insider.
A faint smile hung on the corners of Chen Feiyu's mouth, and he still gave no reaction whatsoever.
The final man possessed effeminate, handsome features—a classic kept-man look—and introduced himself: "My name is Li Jianfeng. As for my family background, it certainly can't compare to Brother Chao or Brother Jun's, but fortunately my family has a little money, and we muddle along managing a five-star hotel."
On the way over, Zhao Jun and Li Jianfeng had already learned that someone was trying to steal a woman from He Chao, so as soon as they arrived here, they immediately flaunted their family backgrounds, hoping to awe and suppress Chen Feiyu.
And with the three of them standing together, the radiance they projected was enough to make ordinary people break down.
He Chao picked up his wine glass and smiled, "Jianfeng, don't be so modest. In all of Mingji City, who doesn't know that Uncle Li has the widest connections? I remember half a month ago, the economic forum hosted by the Xie family in Mingji City was held at your hotel, right?"
The Xie family was undoubtedly a behemoth in Mingji City.
Aside from Chen Feiyu and Lin Yujia, a burning look instantly appeared in the eyes of everyone else.
Even though the family backgrounds of everyone seated at the table were considered illustrious, compared to the Xie family, they could only be counted as ants.
Li Jianfeng smiled triumphantly and said, "That's right. At the time, it was hosted by Xie Xingxuan, the princess of the Xie family. I caught a glimpse of her from afar—she really is just as the rumors say, peerlessly radiant and rare in this world." A trace of infatuation appeared in his eyes.
Hearing the name "Xie Xingxuan," everyone's expressions changed, and even in Zhou Ruohua's eyes, a look of worship surfaced.
He Chao's eyes rolled slightly, and he smiled, "Jianfeng, that's where you're wrong. Although the Xie family princess is peerlessly radiant, our Great Beauty Zhou, Danya, and Yujia are also top-tier beauties, and they aren't necessarily any less than her."
Zhou Ruohua and Qin Danya immediately let out light chuckles.
Of course, neither of them had felt any particular way at first, because Xie Xingxuan was simply too exceptional—exceptional to the point where the two girls could only look up to her, without even having room to feel jealous.
"Right, right, right! Look at me, I don't even know how to speak. I'll penalize myself with a glass." Li Jianfeng picked up his wine glass and drained it in one gulp.
The few of them chatted among themselves, completely treating Chen Feiyu as air.
Lin Yujia looked apologetically at Chen Feiyu and softly said, "Brother Yu, why don't we go back?"
Chen Feiyu smiled and was just about to speak.
Suddenly, He Chao looked maliciously at Chen Feiyu and smiled, "Brother, you look a bit unfamiliar. May I ask how to address you, and where you're currently employed?"
Chen Feiyu put down the fragrant tea in his hand and said, "My name is Chen Feiyu. I work as a waiter at Yujia's aunt's diner."
Zhao Jun and the others burst into contemptuous, mocking laughter.