Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Class Reunion

Most of the messages were from people he knew. Little Scatterbrain and the others had stayed up until midnight to send their well-wishes, while others sent theirs throughout the morning. Among them, Nana sent a video, in which she once again expressed her heartfelt gratitude to Lin Qihua.

It took nearly the entire morning just to respond to all these messages, a testament to how well-liked Lin Qihua was.

Morning workouts, afternoon practice, and evening performances—this routine of simple but fulfilling days gradually became his new normal. Though it was hard work, there was no doubt he was getting exactly what he needed: opportunities to sing. Compared to when he first started, Lin Qihua could clearly sense his improvement. He now handled many details that had once eluded him with ease. As he accumulated more experiences and met more people, he also began to create works of his own, such as “Dreams of the Tang Dynasty” and “Love Is a Happy Bullet,” both of which quickly gained popularity. He was already preparing to record these songs in a studio, confident that they would achieve great results.

If he had once felt uncertain about the future and how to face a blank year ahead, now, Lin Qihua had an answer: keep composing, keep singing, keep improving, keep gathering strength—waiting for the day he could burst forth with brilliance and astonish everyone.

—

On the fourth day of the new year, Shen Mengxue called, asking Lin Qihua to meet near Jiangjin University at a hotel for a class reunion.

After briefly explaining the situation to Sister Mei and Ah Hui and getting his leave approved, he took the train back to Jiangjin and arrived at the hotel using the address Shen Mengxue had given him.

“Ha, Lin Qihua is here!” Shen Mengxue and a few former class officers were greeting guests at the entrance. When she saw Lin Qihua, Shen Mengxue beamed with delight.

“It’s been so long, and Qihua has gotten even more handsome,” one of the class officers joked, giving him a warm hug.

“You flatter me,” Lin Qihua replied with a smile. Even though he had only studied with them for a year, seeing these old classmates filled him with a deep, unbreakable affection. Perhaps this was the rare and precious bond of true friendship between classmates.

After greeting the others, Shen Mengxue personally led Lin Qihua into the banquet hall, which was already filled with people. When he entered, everyone turned their heads; dozens of eyes fell upon him, and quite a few girls gasped quietly, “He’s so handsome!”

“Haha, Third Brother, I can’t believe the class monitor wasn’t lying—you really came!” A burly man stood up, strode over, and gave Lin Qihua a bear hug.

“Fatty,” Lin Qihua struggled to extricate himself from the embrace, “you’ve gained weight again.”

“This is muscle, not fat,” Fatty retorted, glaring fiercely but then laughing heartily as he clapped Lin Qihua on the shoulder. “Good to see you again, you’ve gotten even more dashing!”

“Nonsense,” Lin Qihua laughed, hugging Haizi and Qin Shao as they came over.

The four of them returned to their seats, catching up on life. Fatty was now a market salesperson in Jiangzhou City, Haizi had become a police officer, and Qin Shao was helping out at his family’s company in finance. They were all doing well.

“I heard about your situation. Things haven’t been going great for you,” Fatty sighed, “but we don’t know how to help since we’re all outsiders. Still, we believe with your talent and looks, you’ll bounce back.”

“It’s fine, don’t worry. I understand,” Lin Qihua reassured Fatty, patting him on the shoulder.

“Third, bars are a mix of all sorts—not really your scene. If you get a chance, you should look for something better,” Haizi said seriously.

“Who told you that? Was it that article?” Lin Qihua asked quietly.

Haizi sighed. “I saw the article, too, but I didn’t believe it. There’s too much exaggeration and speculation. But some of our classmates said they saw you singing at a bar with their own eyes.”

“Oh,” Lin Qihua smiled faintly. “Don’t worry. It’s true that I sing at a bar, but first, it’s not because I’m desperate for money, and second, the bar I work at isn’t as bad as you think. You’ll see for yourselves one day.”

“Alright, I believe you. I just wanted to give you a heads up.”

“Thanks, brother.” Lin Qihua bumped fists with Haizi, grinning.

“Someone must be slandering Third, right?” Qin Shao said coldly. “I can ignore the gossip outside, but some of our classmates joining in? That sounds deliberate.”

Bang! Fatty slammed his palm on the table, fuming. “Who’s so shameless?”

“No need,” Lin Qihua was touched by their loyalty, even after all these years. “Let them talk. The truth will speak for itself—we don’t need to care.”

“What’s the lively discussion about?” After a moment, Shen Mengxue came over, pulling along Ma Xiaoqian and another girl. She smiled, “Mind if we sit here?”

Fatty and the others quickly motioned for them to sit. “Of course! We’ve always kept to ourselves; having the class monitor and two beauties join us is an honor.”

“That’s good, then.” Shen Mengxue took her seat, glancing at Lin Qihua. “It’s been months since we last met. You’re looking even more handsome, you know?”

“Nonsense, class monitor—you’re the truly radiant one,” Lin Qihua replied with a smile.

“Alright, I have to get back to hosting. I’ll come by again later. Xiaoqian, you two take care of things here.” With that, Shen Mengxue hurried off, busy with her organizing duties.

“I remember Xiaoqian—used to be Third’s little fan,” Fatty grinned at Ma Xiaoqian mischievously.

“That’s right. I was then, and I still am,” Ma Xiaoqian admitted with surprising poise. “It’s a rare chance tonight, so I’m shamelessly sitting with my idol. And this beauty beside me—you all remember her, right?”

“How could we forget? One of Class Seven’s Four Beauties, Zeng Min,” Qin Shao answered quickly, making Haizi and Fatty snicker at him.

Zeng Min, sitting next to Ma Xiaoqian, greeted everyone shyly and quietly sipped her tea.

“Wait, could it be…?” Lin Qihua watched the scene, beginning to guess what was going on.

“To think that the once-timid Xiaoqian is now so bold, openly declaring her affection for our Third. Truly impressive!” Fatty shook his head in mock amazement.

“Affection, my foot.” Seeing Ma Xiaoqian blush, Lin Qihua shot Fatty a warning look. “Don’t mind him—he’s always talking nonsense.”

“It’s alright,” Ma Xiaoqian said, surprisingly composed even as her cheeks burned. “I don’t mind.”

Well, Fatty and the others exchanged even more mischievous grins with Lin Qihua.

As they chatted, the evening’s program began. Shen Mengxue hosted, briefly reminiscing about their four years at university, while scenes of familiar photos flashed on the LED screen, carrying everyone back to those green, youthful days: the awkwardness of first arriving at school, meeting friends, exploring Jiangjin; from obscurity to shining on stage and in various fields; from being alone to finding a partner; from dreaming of the future to struggling for reality; military training, galas, basketball games, sports meets—each memory was a fragment of their most passionate years. The once-noisy crowd grew quiet, their gazes softened as they looked at those beside them. Yes, sitting next to me are my university classmates, representing a friendship pure and untainted by interests, a period of burning youth. No matter how hard reality gets, classmates remain a sanctuary in the heart.

Next, Shen Mengxue offered her most sincere blessings, earning a round of warm applause.

With her announcement that the banquet had begun, hotel staff began to serve dish after dish of delicious food.

“It’s a real feast—our luck tonight,” Fatty said, drooling.

“Go ahead and eat to your heart’s content. It’s not like you’re ever going to lose weight anyway,” Shen Mengxue joked as she returned, smiling.

“I’ve never worried about that,” Fatty replied, urging everyone to dig in.

“Haha, neither have I,” Shen Mengxue answered, raising her glass. “Let’s toast to our reunion!”

“To us!” Seven glasses clinked, and everyone drank in one gulp. Of course, Lin Qihua’s glass held only juice. Everyone knew his situation and didn’t mind.

After a few rounds of drinks, the atmosphere relaxed and laughter filled the air.

“Wow, things are lively over here!” An ill-timed voice interrupted the fun—it was Fan Ziming, trailing behind a tall boy, his tone mocking.

“Our fun is our own business. Isn’t it normal to be happy at a class reunion? What’s your problem, Fan Ziming?” Fatty shot up, glaring at him.

“Why are you so worked up, Fatty?” the tall boy said with a smirk. “We just wanted to come over for a drink. That’s normal among classmates, isn’t it?”

“I know exactly what you’re scheming,” Fatty muttered, glancing at Ma Xiaoqian, “Gao Jie, cut it out.”

“I’m not here for you,” Gao Jie turned to Lin Qihua. “Old friend, it’s been years. I came over just to toast you.”

“Thank you,” Lin Qihua replied, rising to clink glasses. “I’ll toast you with juice instead of wine.”

“That’s not really fair, is it?” Gao Jie blocked his hand, eyeing Lin Qihua’s glass. “I came with a full glass of sincerity, and you’re just humoring me?”

Lin Qihua looked at him for a long moment, then shook his head. “Sorry, I don’t drink, and you know that.”

“You didn’t drink before, I understood. But now, I don’t get it,” Gao Jie smiled faintly. “What, I’m not even qualified to have a drink with you?”

“I didn’t drink before, and I still don’t—there’s no difference,” Lin Qihua replied calmly, then drained his glass of juice. “I’ll finish mine first to show my respect. If that’s still not enough, then I apologize.”