Chapter 22: Just Ordinary Classmates

Suddenly, everyone's gaze toward Li Xuan turned strange.

"She didn't give the love letter to Si Rong?"

"It feels so calculating. I always felt she was a bit redundant following Si Rong around, taking advantage everywhere. She must be jealous of Si Rong! That's why she didn't give Jiang Cheng's love letter to Si Rong!"

"If Si Rong had been with Jiang Cheng back then, she would certainly be more than just a County Magistrate's wife now."

Li Xuan listened to these words, feeling both humiliated and embarrassed.

"Si Rong, I'm sorry, I... I think I forgot at the time."

Now, this was all she could say.

Si Rong raised an eyebrow and didn't even respond to her words.

This couldn't help but make Li Xuan feel even angrier inside.

Could it be that just because of such a small matter, Si Rong had cast aside their many years of friendship?

You have to know, Si Rong never cared about these things before.

Besides, even if that love letter had been given to Si Rong back then, wouldn't it have been useless anyway?

The man Si Rong liked was Shen Lan; was she planning to have a foot in both camps?

There hadn't been many people talking to Li Xuan to begin with, and after this incident, no one bothered with her at all.

Watching Si Rong and Ming Zi mingling with ease over there, Li Xuan suddenly felt some regret for coming to attend this class reunion.

I wonder when Shen Lan will arrive?

Does he know about the grievances she is suffering right now?

Amidst Li Xuan's anxious waiting, Shen Lan finally arrived.

He was surrounded by several classmates.

Truly in high spirits, Shen Lan walked all the way to Si Rong and asked with gentle concern, "Are you cold?"

Since he wanted to put on an act, Si Rong naturally had to play along, "I'm fine. The classmates are all waiting for you; hurry up and go greet them!"

"Mm, take care of yourself. I won't be drinking."

The classmates immediately began to tease them.

"Look at how much County Magistrate Shen dotes on his wife, and then look at you all!"

"Only those who love their wives can flourish; that saying is truly spot on!"

"County Magistrate Shen and Si Rong are truly a devoted couple, the envy of everyone!"

Si Rong smiled on the surface, but inside, she was mocking him endlessly.

Shen Lan really had become addicted to acting out such fake, devoted-couple scenes.

However, looking at the forced happiness on Li Xuan's face in the corner, her thoughts shifted slightly, and she turned to link her arm with Shen Lan's, smiling with a look of happiness.

So, happiness really can be acted out.

As long as one has a strong purpose.

Sure enough, with her and Shen Lan's intimate interaction, the smile on Li Xuan's face in the corner became even more strained, looking even worse than crying.

This was enough.

Jiang Cheng entered the private room at this very moment.

The cold, sharp smile at the corner of his eyes faded slightly, and then he looked away as if nothing had happened.

"Division Commander Jiang is here! Please, have a seat!" Someone immediately fawned over him and moved a chair for Jiang Cheng.

Si Rong sat beside Shen Lan and saw that Jiang Cheng's seat was diagonally across from her.

That man's gaze was just as it had been back in school, wrapped in frost within its coldness, with detachment lingering in the corners of his eyes and brows.

Now, he already held a high position, having long shed his former greenness and added a touch of maturity and steadiness.

Until the food was served on the round table, his gaze had not landed on Si Rong even once.

Si Rong felt more and more that it was probably just the classmates spreading rumors; how could Jiang Cheng possibly like her?

A man like this likely only had firm, unwavering ideals in his heart and no room for a woman.

Seeing that the classmates who had just been flattering him had all turned to flatter Jiang Cheng, Shen Lan immediately felt dissatisfied.

But having been a Deputy County Magistrate for several years, he was still able to keep his composure.

These ordinary people were just stupid; even if Jiang Cheng held a high position as a Division Commander, so what?

In society, it was he, the County Magistrate, who had more influence.

"Everyone, eat to your heart's content today!" Shen Lan felt it was time to show off his substantial financial resources and said very generously, "My treat today!"

"County Magistrate Shen is generous!"

"Then we must toast County Magistrate Shen a few times today!"

"Don't forget, there's also Division Commander Jiang! If it weren't for Division Commander Jiang, we wouldn't have been able to book this private room today."

The largest private room at Chuncheng Dance Hall couldn't be booked with just money; it was said you also needed connections.

"Then let's toast Division Commander Jiang!"

Shen Lan felt a bit stifled; he was the one paying for the meal, but he hadn't expected the credit to be snatched away by Jiang Cheng.

This guy was still as annoying as he was back then.

Halfway through the meal, someone suggested everyone play a game.

"What shall we play?"

"Let's play card stacking!"

Cui Lili immediately suggested, "We'll draw lots and pair up."

"Sure, then why don't you tell everyone how to play this card stacking game?"

"Two people take turns stacking playing cards on a soda can. Each time you place a card, you must ensure that only two corners of the card below are exposed. Whoever knocks the cards down first has to take a penalty drink."

"That sounds rather interesting; let's begin the drawing of lots."

There were a total of eighteen people in the private room attending the class reunion.

Back at Gongnongbing University, the students had come from all corners of the country, so being able to gather eighteen of them now was already quite good.

In the first round of drawing lots, it was unexpected that Shen Lan and Li Xuan were drawn.

Li Xuan was secretly delighted.

"Do you think County Magistrate Shen will be chivalrous toward the fair sex?"

Cui Lili rolled her eyes at the girl who spoke, "Chivalrous my foot! In the eyes of our County Magistrate Shen, besides his wife, how could there be any other woman?"

Li Xuan looked at Shen Lan in front of her; she had many things in her heart she wanted to pour out to Shen Lan.

The grievances of this period, and the confusion about their future.

Yet, the gaze of the man opposite her, under the eyes of everyone, was so cold, as if they were truly just ordinary classmates.