Chapter 3

Chapter 3

After many years, almost everyone from Law School Class Six had gathered.

Although it was supposed to be my welcome-home dinner, Chen Ming became the undisputed star of the show.

He still possessed that same refined air, and his conversation retained the youthful spirit he’d had back then.

Seeing that he wasn’t putting on airs despite his status, the others relaxed, and everyone fell back into their old rhythms as if no time had passed.

After a few drinks, the guys who had been closest back in the day started speaking freely, trading embarrassing stories about one another.

During university, Chen Ming’s life had consisted of nothing but his studies-and me.

Zhou Kexing was trying very hard to keep the conversation away from our past relationship:

“Oh man, Chen Ming, do you remember freshman year? We climbed over the wall in the middle of the night to go to karaoke. We all ripped our pants on the iron fence, but you actually managed to get the guard to open the gate for you with just a pack of cigarettes…”

He shut up just in time, but someone else, already tipsy, chimed in naturally:

“He had Zhang Yue with him that night! I was hiding in the bushes and heard everything. He even introduced her to the guard: ‘This is my girlfriend!’ Hahaha!”

…

The atmosphere stiffened slightly. Chen Ming gave a faint smile, looking as though he were listening to someone else’s story.

Zhou Kexing tried again:

“Sophomore year, when we went poaching fish from the campus lake? We were almost home free, but then someone’s phone rang while we were rowing back. The security guard’s high-powered flashlight hit us directly, and we were so startled the boat flipped!”

Everyone roared with laughter, losing themselves in the memory. Chen Ming also wore a bright, breezy smile.

Suddenly, my roommate Lin Keke raised her hand, showing off a row of pearly white teeth as she spoke:

“I know what happened that night! It was Zhang Yue calling Chen Ming. She wanted him to remember to buy her an egg-filled pancake from the East Garden Canteen when he went for morning self-study the next day! They were so lovey-dovey back then, hahaha!”

As soon as the words left her mouth, Zhou Kexing’s brain visibly stalled.

Beside him, Chen Ming’s smile faded.

Though he maintained his habit of curving his lips into a practiced, polite arc, I could clearly catch the perfunctory coldness in his eyes across the noisy table.

Given his current status, he was likely worried that an “old acquaintance” like me would try to use the past to climb the social ladder.

Sure enough, when Zhou Kexing steered the topic toward work, Chen Ming very generously extended olive branches to his old classmates-to everyone except me.

Everyone at this table was an elite graduate from A-University’s Law School, but at this age, most were facing a bottleneck in their careers. They were either looking for a promotion or a chance to jump ship.

Chen Ming shared his insights without reservation. His analysis of industry prospects and the economic climate hit every nail on the head.

Finally, he made a grand declaration: if anyone had any difficulties, they could come to him.

After all, his Juyuan Technology was currently valued at tens of billions of dollars. It was involved in multiple high-tech sectors and controlled several “chokepoint” technologies-a true super-unicorn.

I had to admit, having lived a second life, his current existence was something I couldn’t have even dreamed of.

In our previous life, Chen Ming had been indifferent to fame and fortune, dedicating himself entirely to academia. If it hadn’t been for our child falling ill and requiring long-term, expensive intervention, he would have spent his entire life as a jurisprudence professor, living a simple, honest life.

Who would have thought that in just eleven years after his rebirth, he would have completely overhauled the trajectory of his life?

For an ordinary person, making a connection with him was the equivalent of boarding a rocket ship.

Consequently, this class reunion would be a turning point in the fates of many people here.

As for me, a career-driven woman myself, it was a bit of a shame that I couldn’t join in on the excitement.

When the party finally wound down, everyone saw Chen Ming to his car.

I watched as a secretary-with a figure like a supermodel and the social grace of a diplomat-fastened his seatbelt for him. They leaned in close, whispering to each other.

I couldn’t help but think of our past life. When he first started at the law firm, I would pick him up after every social engagement. Even when he was drunk, he always remembered to turn on the music and play the songs I liked.

There was no doubt that we had once loved each other very deeply.

But it was precisely because of that depth that the subsequent pain had been so fatal.

As I stood there dazed, Chen Ming suddenly rolled down the car window.

His slightly tipsy gaze fell on me, his voice distant and polite:

“Attorney Zhang, do you want a lift?”

I blinked, startled.

That was the first thing he had said to me all night.

At that moment, the crowd automatically parted to create a path, pushing me toward the car door.

Those sycophants!

I forced a small smile and replied with equal politeness:

“No thank you, CEO Chen. My boyfriend is coming to pick me up in a bit.”

A collective gasp echoed from the people behind me.

Chen Ming’s lips twitched into a smirk, and he drove off without saying another word.