Cao Ting saw the car key on Zhang Cheng's table and immediately beamed. "Young Master Zhang, that's a Xiaomi car key, right?"
"Watch your tone. This is a Xiaomi SU7, AWD Ultra-Long-Range Max version—the top trim. Costs over three hundred thousand."
Zhang Cheng leaned back sharply, speaking with arrogant pride.
"Over three hundred thousand?"
Cao Ting gasped and covered her mouth. Then she looked at Xu Mu. "Brother Xu, with over three hundred thousand you could make a down payment on a place in Jiang City, but Young Master Zhang used it to buy a car. How can you even compare?"
"Low profile, low profile."
Zhang Cheng waved casually. "My dad even said that after I graduate, he'll buy me a sports car."
Hearing this, Cao Ting's face was full of envy. Then she grabbed Zhao Yingying's hand. "Yingying, do you think there's even a comparison?"
"Tingting, what do you mean? Why should I compare my boyfriend with someone else?"
Zhao Yingying was a bit displeased. "What's wrong with us working hard together in the future?"
"As a teacher, I have to tell you—you're far too naïve. This person doesn't deserve you."
Han Tao sighed softly. "Once you're in society, you'll realize everything is fake—only money is real. What can he give you?"
"Brother Mu, let's go."
Zhao Yingying took Xu Mu's hand and stood, heading for the door.
She had thought that as long as she brought Xu Mu, let them see she had a boyfriend, the matter would be settled. She hadn't expected that from start to finish, they would keep belittling Xu Mu. It made her very uncomfortable. She didn't see any point in staying.
"Yingying, let's drop it and bring out the dishes. The classmates are getting impatient."
Han Tao smiled and shot Zhang Cheng a look.
Zhang Cheng's face was dark as he clenched his fists. What kind of sweet talk had this Xu Mu fed Zhao Yingying?
Xu Mu now held Zhao Yingying back and said to her, "Let's just stay and eat a bit."
Seeing Xu Mu speak, Zhao Yingying nodded lightly.
When the food arrived, the many students there started digging in; they couldn't care less about the matter of Zhao Yingying and Zhang Cheng. Though Zhao Yingying came from an ordinary family, a "civilian-class belle" like her was beyond their reach anyway.
As he ate, Han Tao looked over at Xu Mu. "By the way, what are you doing now?"
"I'm still job hunting."
Xu Mu explained mildly.
Hearing that, the faces of the people around them turned even more disdainful.
Han Tao smiled. "Why don't you go work at Zhang Cheng's family company? With that connection, at least you'll be taken care of."
"I won't—"
Zhang Cheng started to object, then noticed Han Tao's look.
Thinking it over—right. If Xu Mu worked at his family's company, then Xu Mu would be his employee. If his family paid Xu Mu's salary, wouldn't that make him easy to control?
"Ahem! The teacher is right."
Zhang Cheng said evenly.
"Forget it. I plan to start my own business. I don't like working for others."
Xu Mu replied with a smile.
Zhang Cheng snorted coldly. This guy really didn't know what was good for him.
Midway through the meal, Cao Ting tugged Zhao Yingying along to the restroom.
Xu Mu sat there quietly eating. In truth, if he were interested, he could have used his perception to check the stalls. But there was no need. When he released his perception before, within two hundred meters he often swept over restrooms; he was already sick of what he saw.
Zhang Cheng kept a gloomy face the whole time. He hadn't expected that after all his careful planning, Zhao Yingying would be neither soft nor hard to handle.
Just then, a woman hurried over. "Teacher, it's bad—Cao Ting and Zhao Yingying are being blocked by someone."
Hearing that, Xu Mu immediately got up and headed out.
Zhang Cheng and the others all followed close behind.
When they reached the restroom area, Xu Mu saw Cao Ting in a shouting match with a man in a suit.
Seeing Xu Mu approach, Zhao Yingying hurriedly called, "Brother Mu!"
"What happened?"
Xu Mu walked over and asked.
"This guy is vile—he asked Tingting how much to spend the night."
Zhao Yingying explained.
"F***! You're the vile one! Hey you—how much for you then? You must be pricier than this woman, right?"
The suited man cursed.
"Motherf***er! Looking for death! Brothers, get him!"
Seeing this, Zhang Cheng immediately called to the guys behind him. Looked like his luck wasn't bad after all—classic damsel-in-distress scene.
The guys behind him charged in with Zhang Cheng, fists flying and feet kicking, beating the suited man to the floor in front of everyone.
"Yingying, are you alright?"
Zhang Cheng asked with concern.
"I'm fine."
Zhao Yingying grabbed Cao Ting's hand. "Tingting, how about you?"
"I'm okay,"
Cao Ting said softly.
"F***! You lot just wait for me!"
The suited man roared.
"Fine, I'll wait. Remember this—my name is Zhang Cheng!"
Zhang Cheng sneered.
Seeing this, Cao Ting's eyes burned with heat and she couldn't help saying, "Young Master Zhang, you were really domineering. Thank you for helping us."
The people around them also chimed in with praise.
"Nothing much, nothing much."
Zhang Cheng felt pretty pleased with himself, getting lost in the chorus of compliments from his classmates.
Back at the table, they had barely exchanged a few words when a dozen tall men in suits arrived together at their private room.
"You, kid—come here. Young Master Huang invites you."
The suited man who'd been beaten earlier held his cheek, face dark.
Seeing so many people show up suddenly, Zhang Cheng's expression shifted. But since he'd put on a show, he had to see it through to the end.
"What? You think I'm afraid of you?"
Zhang Cheng said coolly. "Brothers, come with me and take a look."
"Okay!"
Seeing Zhang Cheng so confident, the guys around him also stood up together, ready to show off in front of the girls in their class.
Led by those men, Zhang Cheng and a few classmates took the elevator up to a higher floor.
Out of the elevator, they came to a luxurious private room.
"What now? Who's looking for me?"
Zhang Cheng walked in and said coldly.
When he saw a yellow-haired young man sitting and smoking, his face instantly went ugly.
"H-H-Young Master Huang…" he stammered.
The man before him was Huang Hao, a well-known rich second generation in Jiang City.
His family owned three large commercial marts in the city; their assets were at least over five hundred million.
Meanwhile, Zhang Cheng's family company's total assets were only in the tens of millions.
"Zhang Cheng, you're really bold—daring to beat up my man?"
Huang Hao asked blandly, smoking.
"Young Master Huang, this is a misunderstanding. I didn't know he was your man—"
"Kneel."
Huang Hao cut him off. "Apologize."
Hearing that, Zhang Cheng's face turned as white as paper. If he'd been alone, he would have knelt for sure. But with classmates here—if he knelt now, how would he show his face in the future?
"Not bad, you've got some guts. Break his legs for me."
Huang Hao flicked his ash.
A burly man behind him came over holding a baseball bat.
"W-What do you think you're doing? I'm calling the police!"
One of the male classmates was so scared he could barely speak.
"Then call them. It's not like I'll be the one doing the beating."
Huang Hao said evenly. "Break his legs—at worst he'll be locked up a few years. I'll give your family six hundred thousand."
"Thank you, Young Master Huang."
The burly man's eyes grew vicious.
When had these students ever seen a scene like this?
"Big bro, don't hit me—I'll kneel!"
With one person taking the lead, the others all followed suit and knelt, including Zhang Cheng.
Zhang Cheng knew what kind of person Huang Hao was—this was someone he couldn't afford to offend.
"Zhang Cheng, I heard from my guy that there were two beauties just now?" Huang Hao continued.
"Yes…"
Zhang Cheng nodded.
"Go bring the two of them here."
Huang Hao said flatly.