Chapter 105: The Unevenness of Life

Their eyes met.

Wu An showed no reaction at all, nor did he greet these classmates he was already barely familiar with.

His mind was occupied with sorting out the Chen Family affairs, leaving no time for anything else; after their gazes met, he gave a slight nod as a greeting and walked straight away.

At the gate, the classmates were each startled, their scalp tingling.

They were a bit at a loss.

They had just come out of a fast‑food place after a hearty meal, still chatting about how they had mistaken Wu An for someone else entering the grand restaurant, finding it quite funny that more than one person had misread him.

But the next moment Wu An walked out from inside.

That… made them look really idiotic.

They thought Wu An had been expelled from university, had fallen into destitution, even doing worse than they were.

But reality gave them a harsh slap.

Especially the few boys, whose reaction was especially strong: Wu An could dine and drink leisurely in the grand restaurant, enjoying the service of cheongsam‑clad hostesses, while they could only treat their female classmates to meals at a roadside fast‑food joint where ten yuan would fill them up.

Wu An dealt them another crushing blow!

Everyone is human, yet life truly varies like heaven and earth.

Cao Zhiqiang was indignant, tugging forcefully at his long bangs that covered half his face.

He caught up to Wu An, reached out and pulled: "Wu An, you came out from here like that?"

"You're not here to eat, are you?"

After saying that, he forced a stiff smile.

Wu An halted his steps: "Yes, something?"

Cao Zhiqiang, with an incredulous look, said, "I'm just curious—are you really here to eat?"

Wu An replied, "I have business, move aside."

At that moment he wished he could fly home; he had no time to dally with a classmate, chatting about this and that.

Cao Zhiqiang saw him "hurry up" and immediately wore an "I get it" expression, saying, "You're here to apply for a job, right?"

…

"Don't be shy, this grand restaurant is the best in our town; just look at how beautiful the hostess at the entrance is…" Cao Zhiqiang beamed, babbling nonstop: "Serving plates here can earn a decent sum each month."

Wu An shook off his hand.

"Hah, you're still in a hurry—didn't get the job?" Cao Zhiqiang shook his head, saying, "That's a pity; I was going to say I have time to give you some support."

Wu An wanted to curse, "What's wrong with this guy? You offer me support? Even if he's serving plates in the restaurant, your 'support' can't add a single cent to my wages."

What a brain loop.

His mind definitely has holes.

"Get lost," he snapped. Qin Zong walked over and asked, "Trouble?"

Wu An shook his head.

Gu Anran also came over, and the two headed toward the place where the motorcycles were parked.

Gu Anran took him to the market, then rode from the market to Xixi Village.

Cao Zhiqiang looked at Qin Zong: "Who are you?"

Qin Zong replied, "I own this restaurant."

"Wu An is my friend."

"What's the situation between you and Wu An?"

If it were elsewhere, he might have kept quiet, but at the hotel entrance, with Gao Qiangqi watching, he had to react somehow.

Cao Zhiqiang: "…"

He was outright stunned.

The restaurant owner came out to speak up for Wu An, also saying they were friends.

The other classmates were all stunned.

Some even wanted to run.

After a while, Cao Zhiqiang, trembling, said, "I… I'm… I'm his… his classmate."

Qin Zong realized, "I see."

"I thought you were looking for trouble with him."

"As long as it's a misunderstanding."

"A misunderstanding, of course; I'd never dare to trouble him, never," Cao Zhiqiang said, quickly stepping back.

Returning to the classmates, the group hurried away.

Once they were far enough, they finally felt a "finally able to breathe freely" sensation.

Cao Zhiqiang even felt a 'surviving after a disaster' illusion, wiping sweat from his forehead, he shouted in lingering fear, "Damn, wasn't Wu An expelled from university?"

"It must be a rumor."

"Maybe he quit school voluntarily."

"I heard big shots sometimes drop out of university."

"I think there's something else going on."

"Next reunion, why not invite Wu An as well?"

"Will he come?"

"Did he not come last time?"

"No… we just didn't invite him."

"Then let's try this time."

Cao Zhiqiang and a few others were chatting; when he turned his head, he saw that several girls had already walked far away.

They hurried to catch up.

Cao Zhiqiang asked, "Why aren't you waiting for us?"

A long-faced girl with delicate features said, "What are you waiting for us for?"

"We're tired; we're going back."

Cao Zhiqiang said, "Then we'll send you back."

These female classmates all work at the textile factory in town; they work at other factories.

It's not far, so we agreed to meet up.

"No need."

"We want to walk on our own."

The long-faced girl quickly said.

Cao Zhiqiang looked displeased: "No way, we had bubble tea and food, and you're just leaving?"

The long-faced girl snorted: "What else?"

"Don't call us out to play next time."

"Exactly, you want us to accompany you all day just for a bubble tea and fast food?"

"You didn't even invite us to a movie."

Cao Zhiqiang cursed: "Damn, you're still picking and choosing..."

"Cao Zhiqiang, just shut up."

"Do you still feel it's not embarrassing enough?"

"And you said we were wrong, that Wu An couldn't possibly know them, but look—Wu An is friends with the big boss of that restaurant."

"I bet you almost pissed yourself."

Several girls nodded in unison.

Watching the female classmates walk away, Cao Zhiqiang flew into a rage and shouted on the spot.

Several male classmates looked sympathetic.

Although the female classmates also passed them by, compared to Cao Zhiqiang's ordeal, it didn't seem like much.

……

Meanwhile.

Wu An pressed the throttle to the max, speeding along; on some stretches people bounced up and down.

Taking the bend at the limit, the carriage struck a stone, sparks flashing with lightning; he arrived at Xixi Village in just half an hour.

Arriving at the gate, the place was crowded with people.

Everyone was talking loudly, as noisy as a vegetable market; even so, the Chen family's street-cursing couldn't be drowned out.

The cursing was vulgar.

It was harsh to hear.

After hearing a few sentences, Wu An was furious.

Cursing him would be nothing; the Chen family mainly cursed his father, older brother and sister-in-law, and his mother who had already passed away.

He honked the horn.

The outermost villagers saw him and shouted, "Wu An is back!"

"Make way."

"Wu An, you dare come back? Run, the Chen family is coming to cause trouble for you!"

All kinds of shouts—some well-meaning, some malicious, some just there to watch the spectacle.

Wu An rode his motorcycle past, under the varied gazes of the crowd.

Before he even reached the gate, the Chen family swarmed over.

"Are you Wu An?"

"It's you, brat, who hit my nephew?"

"Hold him down, don't let this brat run."

Wei Zhen pointed at him and shouted, "Listen up—if he tries to escape, just break his legs."

Wu An shouted calmly, "Do you really think Xixi Village is your fief, to do as you please?"

"Hit me?"

"Do you think the elders of Xixi Village are pushovers?"

"Ask the big folks if they agree."

After he said that, many people laughed and cursed Wu An as sly, but it had an effect—the Chen family members who had rushed forward slowed their steps considerably.

Wu An continued shouting, "Make way, I need to go home."

"You stand in front; if you get hit, it counts as you deliberately ramming into me."

"Everyone here can be a witness."

The several Chen family members blocking the motorcycle, after Wu An's words, reluctantly moved aside unwillingly; one of them cursed, "Kid, don't think you can pull tricks."

"You damned fool, this is throwing yourself into the underworld with no gate."

Wu An laughed.

If this is the underworld.

Then who is the judge, and who is the damned little ghost?