Zhan Qingyue’s playful comments were clear to Ning Qiuxiu.

However, it was still early on the first day of the New Year, and going back now wasn’t possible.

During the New Year’s period, people are busy visiting relatives and making connections, so if she went back, all she’d get is more pressure about marriage.

She planned to stay at home until at least the sixth day of the New Year when people start preparing to return to work.

Ning Qiuxiu spent her time at home reading scripts and sleeping, living a leisurely life for a few days.

On the fifth day, there was a high school reunion.

Since she had already decided to go, she couldn’t afford to lose face.

She carefully did her makeup, wore a beautiful outfit, and carried a designer handbag.

If she was going to do something, she would do it well.

Ning Qiuxiu logged into QQ, which she hadn’t used in a while, and opened her high school class group.

As soon as she entered, she saw a group announcement that made her both laugh and cry.

Announcement: Attention, attention! The 9012 high school reunion (on the fifth day of the New Year) will feature our school beauty and big star Ning Qiuxiu. Don’t miss it, or you might not get to see Goddess Qiuxiu again until the 10th year of the Republic. Contact the class monitor (Ding Hui) to sign up if you’re coming!

The long-dormant QQ group was suddenly very active, with many long-time lurkers coming out of the woodwork.

Classmate A: Will Qiuxiu really come today? I haven’t seen her in the group.

Classmate B: She’ll come, right? Wanwan is her cousin, and she said it’s definitely happening.

Classmate C: Wow, I haven’t seen her in ages. She looked even prettier on TV the other day. I’m a bit nervous, what should I do?

Classmate D: Why be nervous? She’s not coming for you.

Classmate C: TAT, don’t ruin the mood. It’s hard enough!

Classmate B: By the way, is this Qiuxiu’s first time at the reunion? It seems like Guan Xue Shen is also coming for the first time!

Classmate A: You’ve noticed the details.

Classmate E: Hehe, Guan Xue Shen’s reputation must have a big influence.

“……” Ning Qiuxiu felt a pang.

It seemed like there was a misunderstanding.

She, or rather the original owner, hadn’t kept up with Guan Nanpei, so she didn’t know he was also coming for the first time.

If she had known, she would have avoided this reunion.

Damn it, now everyone thinks she’s attending just because of Guan Nanpei.

Is it too late for regrets?

Ding Hui: Confirming the location for everyone again. It’s a private room at Kanpinxuan. It’s a bit expensive, but since Qiuxiu is a star, we’ll consider her status. After eating, we’ll go to KTV for karaoke. It’s very convenient~

Since discussing who is paying would ruin the mood, their class reunions are always on a “split the bill” basis.

Kanpinxuan is a well-regarded restaurant in City A—good food but also pricey.

For them, having just graduated for a year and a half, it would cost them a day’s worth of salary or even more.

With no option for regret, Ning Qiuxiu had no choice but to go.

She went with Ning Wanwan, who was quite gossip-prone and knew a lot about the class members’ current situations.

Along the way, Ning Wanwan chatted endlessly about everyone’s recent updates.

For example, Guan Nanpei just returned from studying abroad and joined a top 5 company in the industry, earning a million a year with a bright future ahead.

— Hmph, Mr. Zhan can just throw a million casually by connecting an internet cable.

Another example, after Ning Qiuxiu’s original confession failed, the girl Guan Nanpei ended up with, Feng Ting, became a screenwriter and has adapted several scripts, with one already being filmed.

She is expected to become a major screenwriter in the future.

— Half a dozen of one, six of the other. Given time, Ning Qiuxiu might also become a top actress.

There was a lot of other gossip too. Ning Qiuxiu thought Ning Wanwan should become an entertainment reporter; she had a real talent for it.

Given her high status, Ning Qiuxiu naturally arrived a bit late to the reunion. By the time she and Ning Wanwan entered the private room, almost everyone was already there.

The moment Ning Qiuxiu walked in, the previously lively room fell silent for a moment.

Today, Ning Qiuxiu looked stunning, even more vibrant than on screen.

She wore a loose sweater, high-waisted straight pants, and a scarf, with her hair casually tied in a bun.

She looked effortlessly stylish and natural, as if she had no makeup on but still appeared exquisite and fashionable.

Her long legs looked even longer due to her pants.

Just one glance at her, and it was hard to look away.

With a casual glance around the room, Ning Qiuxiu knew she had won.

Hmm hmm hmm~

After everyone got over their surprise, they invited her to sit down.

Although Ning Qiuxiu didn’t have much emotional connection with her high school classmates, they had spent three years together, and the initial awkwardness quickly faded.

Once they realized she wasn’t as difficult to talk to as they remembered, more people started chatting with her and taking photos.

The atmosphere was quite pleasant.

After a while, there was more noise at the door, and another person arrived — Guan Nanpei.

Compared to the handsome boy in her memories, Guan Nanpei had changed a lot. He wore glasses, had dyed brown hair, and looked refined and aloof.

Ning Qiuxiu, a sucker for good looks, suddenly understood why the original Ning Qiuxiu had liked him.

— Of course, compared to Mr. Zhan, he was still a bit lacking.

“Sorry I’m late,” he said. “There was traffic.”

Of course, a handsome guy had the privilege of being late, and everyone quickly assured him it was fine.

Guan Nanpei greeted everyone, and they all eagerly watched him and Ning Qiuxiu, hoping for some sparks.

But Guan Nanpei only glanced at Ning Qiuxiu for a second without any special reaction, surprising everyone.

A top student remains a top student.

Even though Ning Qiuxiu had come specially for him, he stayed so calm and detached.

Most other men would have jumped at the chance to take her home.

Guan Nanpei didn’t sit at the table his classmates had reserved for him next to Ning Qiuxiu but went to sit with his former roommates.

They had just graduated a year and a half ago, and many of the single women, seeing how he didn’t give Ning Qiuxiu any special attention and being so handsome, started showing interest.

Ning Wanwan, sitting next to Ning Qiuxiu, nudged her gently: “Why don’t you go say hi, Qiuxiu? He’s just too proud to come to you.”

“…” Ning Qiuxiu was speechless. “I’m not interested.”

“Don’t be afraid of rejection,” Ning Wanwan whispered. “You’re so outstanding now. He must regret turning you down back then.”

Ning Wanwan’s thoughts echoed those of their classmates (the onlookers).

Ning Qiuxiu felt a thousand wild horses running through her mind. Did she look like she needed to chase after him?

She really wanted to leave. Why hadn’t the food arrived yet?

Just then, the door opened again, and a glamorous woman wearing large sunglasses appeared.

She looked even more like a star than Ning Qiuxiu. She smiled and said, “Sorry I’m late. I’m not the last one, am I?”

— Yes, it was Feng Ting, the woman who had ended up with Guan Nanpei after rejecting Ning Qiuxiu.

After greeting everyone, Feng Ting hesitated for a moment before sitting at Ning Qiuxiu’s table.

“You came early, Qiuxiu,” she said.

Ning Qiuxiu chuckled lightly. “I’m used to being on time for schedules. Can’t keep people waiting.”

“…” Feng Ting felt like she had been insulted.

“Hey, Tingting, when I went to park, I saw a car that looked like yours. Your license plate ends in 23, right?” a classmate asked. Then he added, “But it probably isn’t yours. I’ve been here almost 20 minutes.”

“Hmm, I just arrived,” Feng Ting said, her expression briefly stiffening, which Ning Qiuxiu noticed.

Ning Qiuxiu suddenly thought of a story from the entertainment industry about a star delaying her arrival to outshine another star.

It seemed like a similar situation here.

Finally, the food arrived.

Kanpinxuan’s dishes were expensive but both visually appealing and delicious, which momentarily soothed Ning Qiuxiu’s frustration.

However, the most annoying topic at the reunion was still the comparisons.

One classmate said, “Tingting, I heard you switched jobs to Huasheng Film and TV at the end of the year. That’s impressive! They’re a major company, and many popular TV dramas are produced by them. The famous screenwriter Ye Zhiqiu is from there.”

“Wow, that’s amazing! You must get to meet many famous authors and directors,” another classmate added, clearly envious.

Feng Ting smiled and replied, “It’s not like I get to meet as many famous people as Qiuxiu. I’m just doing behind-the-scenes work, which is still tough and requires constant learning to avoid being eliminated. I’m still far from reaching Ye Zhiqiu’s level.”

“Top students are always top students. I get a headache just thinking about reading books,” a classmate said.

As someone considered less academically inclined, Ning Qiuxiu couldn’t help but silently laugh at the discussion.

Feng Ting’s attempt to cover up her shortcomings with her academic achievements was not very effective compared to Ning Qiuxiu.

Ning Qiuxiu didn’t understand why Feng Ting treated her as a rival.

Feng Ting had high education, a good job, and was beautiful.

Even if she was less in the limelight, there was no need for such rivalry.

Seeing Ning Wanwan’s intense gaze, Ning Qiuxiu set aside her relaxed attitude and said, “Huasheng Film and TV is indeed impressive. Being a screenwriter there is like being gilded with gold.”

Feng Ting humbly responded, “I’m still just an intern. Qiuxiu, you’re the impressive one. Not only are you beautiful, but you also come from a good family. Your resources as a star must be great.”

“Sort of,” Ning Qiuxiu replied.

She didn’t find it shameful to have good resources because of her background.

She continued, “By the way, my next drama is also adapted by Ye Zhiqiu. Does that mean we’re kind of ‘colleagues’ in a way?”

“……” What does ‘colleagues in a way’ even mean?

Ning Wanwan, who was eager to see Feng Ting embarrassed, intentionally asked, “Is it the drama ‘My School Bully Girlfriend’?”

Ning Qiuxiu smiled and nodded.

“!!!” Many girls at the table were surprised. During school, “My School Bully Girlfriend” was a beloved novel for many, becoming a cherished memory of their youth.

Even though they no longer had time to follow its adaptation, the memories remained strong.

Ning Qiuxiu became the center of attention among the female classmates.

Feng Ting:……

She had a million things she wanted to say.

Ning Qiuxiu, enjoying the attention, decided it was time to leave and received a call from Zhan Qingyue.

She went outside to answer.

Zhan Qingyue asked straightforwardly, “How’s the reunion going?”

“……” She hadn’t mentioned the reunion to Zhan Qingyue, so it must have been Ning’s mother who told him.

Recalling Feng Ting’s embarrassed look, Ning Qiuxiu said proudly, “With my wit and beauty, I have to carry the whole event.”

“Hmm, I’ll pick you up at seven o’clock.”

“No need, I can come back by myself. I haven’t drunk any alcohol.” She felt she could handle this small event on her own and didn’t need Zhan Qingyue to come.

Zhan Qingyue replied, “It’s late. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

“But it seems…” Ning Qiuxiu said hesitantly, “The Zhan family’s place is only about a 20-minute drive from here.”

It would be faster to return than to come.

Zhan Qingyue chuckled and said, “Qiuxiu, I haven’t driven in over two years.”

She was startled. “So you……”

“So you,” Zhan Qingyue interrupted, “if you don’t want to become a widow, don’t talk.”