Chapter 142: Now I’m Out of Your League
Bai Xuening sent a message in the group chat: "So sorry, everyone, I have a date with my boyfriend tonight. Maybe we can get together next time?"
The classmates took the bait and immediately started trying to persuade her.
"Xue Ning, you’re our campus beauty! You can’t miss this! What’s the point of a team-building event without you?"
"Old Deng is right, Xue Ning, you’re not allowed to be absent. If you really can’t get out of it, just bring your plus-one along!"
"Yeah, yeah, anyone with a plus-one is welcome to bring them!"
Only then did Bai Xuening reluctantly send another message: "So, I can bring my plus-one?"
"Totally! Of course you can! Xue Ning, you’ve always kept your boyfriend so well hidden. We have to get a good look at him today and see what kind of great man managed to steal our campus beauty away."
A smug look appeared on Bai Xuening’s face, but she feigned self-deprecation. "What campus beauty? Don’t make fun of me! Have you ever seen a campus beauty who throws herself at a guy only to be rejected?"
As soon as she said that, the atmosphere in the group chat instantly turned strange.
After all, the love triangle between Cheng Yuan, Bai Xuening, and Wang Shanshan had caused quite a stir back in the day.
Xu Ke stared at the screen, speechless for a long moment. He suddenly felt a pang of regret. ’Was inviting Cheng Yuan to this team-building event the right choice?’
Xu Ke quickly called Cheng Yuan. The call connected almost immediately, and Cheng Yuan’s cheerful voice came through.
"Xu Ke, has everyone arrived? I’ve already hailed a cab, I’ll be there soon."
Xu Ke stammered, "Brother Yuan, Bai Xuening is also coming to the event, and she’s bringing her plus-one. You don’t mind, do you?"
"Bai Xuening? Who’s that?"
Cheng Yuan was taken aback. After two years in prison, he had already forgotten such a person even existed at his school.
Xu Ke felt his own exasperation grow. This was a classic case of the attendants panicking while the emperor was calm. Brother Yuan had already forgotten she existed, so what was he so worried about?
"She’s the girl who chased after you back then! Don’t you remember, Brother Yuan?"
Cheng Yuan thought back seriously. It seemed there was indeed a girl who had pursued him back then.
In fact, at the beginning of the school year, Cheng Yuan’s impression of Bai Xuening and Wang Shanshan had been about the same. After all, both were top-tier beauties and were known as the two campus beauties.
However, Cheng Yuan had accidentally discovered that the way Bai Xuening acted in private was completely different from her persona at school.
At school, she was like a pure, innocent little bunny, always dressing very conservatively.
But outside of school, she was like a wild bunny girl, wearing black stockings and super-short skirts—a true nightclub femme fatale.
Cheng Yuan knew he couldn’t handle a woman like that.
In the end, Cheng Yuan and Wang Shanshan got together.
"Oh, I remember now. If she’s coming, she’s coming. It’s not like there was ever anything between us. By the way, what’s Wang Shanshan’s situation lately? Is she coming to the event too?"
Xu Ke’s tone turned a little strange. "Wang Shanshan has already dropped out of school."
Cheng Yuan raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What happened?"
"This is just what I heard through the grapevine, but apparently, Wang Shanshan’s family owed a lot of money to loan sharks. People were coming to collect the debt every day, and during one of the arguments, she accidentally pushed one of them down the stairs. The case is currently in the prosecution stage. I think she’s looking at three to five years in prison, at least."
’Wang Shanshan got tangled up in a legal battle?’
Cheng Yuan couldn’t help but frown. Although Wang Shanshan’s heart had changed in the end, she had put in a lot of effort running around for his case in the early and middle stages.
’Getting the money back should be enough. Prison time is a bit too harsh.’
"I see. Let’s talk more when we meet."
Cheng Yuan hung up and dialed Da Gou’s number.
The call was answered instantly. Da Gou’s slightly fawning voice came through: "Big Bro, what can I do for you?"
"Getting the money back is enough. Isn’t making someone go to prison a bit much?"
"Big Bro, you’ve got me wrong! This has nothing to do with me, it was Old Hei’s doing! It was Wang Anping who owed the gambling debt!"
"I see."
Cheng Yuan hung up, not quite sure how he felt. It was complicated.
Of course, Cheng Yuan had no saintly illusions of swooping in to solve Wang Shanshan’s problems.
Since the matter didn’t start because of him, what did it have to do with him?
Wang Shanshan wasn’t his girlfriend anymore.
========
Business at the Hao Garden Hotel was booming.
A Porsche Panamera slowly pulled into a spot in the hotel’s parking lot.
A girl in a black evening gown sat in the passenger seat of the Panamera. She was exquisitely made up, her pale neck held high like a proud swan.
The girl was, of course, Bai Xuening.
In the driver’s seat of the Panamera sat a dapperly dressed young man—Bai Xuening’s boyfriend, Tang Mingcheng.
Bai Xuening had been about to get out of the car, but when she saw a few classmates approaching in the distance, she gave a light cough and shot a meaningful glance in their direction.
Tang Mingcheng instantly understood her intention. He had only just started dating Bai Xuening and hadn’t sealed the deal yet, so for now, he was at her beck and call.
Tang Mingcheng straightened his clothes and fixed his hair. Playing the perfect gentleman, he got out, walked over, and attentively opened the car door for Bai Xuening, inviting her to step out.
With great poise, Bai Xuening extended a delicate hand and allowed Tang Mingcheng to help her out of the car.
This scene was witnessed by the approaching classmates.
The guys’ eyes lit up. Bai Xuening looked so beautiful today, just like a princess.
With her looks and her aura, she totally crushed Wang Shanshan!
Bai Xuening was their one and only campus beauty!
The girls, on the other hand, had eyes gleaming with envy. ’Bai Xuening is so lucky, isn’t she? She’s so beautiful, and she found such a handsome boyfriend who pampers her!’
A few of the girls started whispering among themselves.
"Cheng Yuan really didn’t know what was good for him back then. He rejected a great girl like Bai Xuening and chose Wang Shanshan instead. The worst part is, he went to prison for Wang Shanshan, only to get dumped by her!"
"It’s a good thing Cheng Yuan chose Wang Shanshan back then, otherwise how would Bai Xuening have ever found such a Prince Charming!"
"That’s true. Thanks to Cheng Yuan being so blind, Bai Xuening gets to have the happiness she has today."
"Driving a Panamera, so handsome, and such a gentleman. He’s definitely the cream of the crop among the rich and handsome."
...
Xu Ke was furious. ’What are these people even talking about?’
’Who’s the blind one here?’
Xu Ke really wanted to tell these simple-minded female classmates that Brother Yuan’s girlfriend was a hundred times more beautiful than Bai Xuening!
Just then, a taxi drove into the parking lot.
Cheng Yuan got out of the taxi.
The classmates looked at Cheng Yuan with even more contempt. One arrives in a Porsche, the other in a taxi. There was simply no comparison, was there?
Acting as if they hadn’t even seen Cheng Yuan, the classmates swarmed around Bai Xuening, frantically sucking up to her.
"Xue Ning, you look so beautiful today! Just like a princess!"
"Today I finally understand what a perfect couple looks like, a true match made in heaven!"
"No wonder Xue Ning always rejected the class president’s advances. Turns out her boyfriend is this handsome!"
"Xue Ning, does your boyfriend have any brothers? How about you introduce some of us?"
...
Bai Xuening’s vanity was immensely satisfied. She maintained a poised smile, gracefully handling her classmates’ fawning while casting an indifferent glance at Cheng Yuan in the distance.
Her expression seemed to say, ’Cheng Yuan, do you see this?’
’You looked down on me back then, but now I’m completely out of your league!’