Including those from Chángjīng and Xīngchéng, this circle gathered nearly twenty people, forming a small crowd on the Bund, all young students, handsome boys and beautiful girls, attracting many passersby to stop and look.
Many of the newly arrived students were gazing at Zhāng Yáng with curiosity.
To them, Zhāng Yáng was a legend; hosting such an important research project while still a student—no matter how proud they were, they had to admit they couldn't compare to him.
Toward someone stronger than themselves, they felt curiosity mingled with respect.
“Jiànguó, what a coincidence, you’re here too!”
Gāo Fēi greeted a student from Xīngchéng with a smile; this was the student who had just called out to Zhāng Yáng.
His name was Lǐ Jiànguó, a very outgoing student. Of those attending the event this time, he knew at least half the people, getting along with almost everyone; Zhào Qiáng really liked his personality.
Lǐ Jiànguó laughed heartily and said, “We just arrived and saw you guys. Why are there only a few of you?”
“Over there, we arrived in separate cars!”
Gāo Fēi smiled faintly, pointing toward the distance, where he could already see Shī Yán and Wáng Lù walking toward them.
Behind them was Lóng Fēng, strolling along at his own leisurely pace. If Gāo Fēi and the others didn't know Lóng Fēng’s background, they might have mistaken him for a stranger.
“Beautiful Shī, hurry up!”
Lǐ Jiànguó turned back and waved his hand vigorously. Shī Yán and Wáng Lù quickened their steps; they hadn’t expected such a large group to be gathered here either.
They had been slightly delayed by parking earlier; otherwise, they wouldn't have arrived later than Zhāng Yáng and the others.
When they arrived, people from all the different schools gathered together, making the atmosphere much livelier. They all stood along the edge of the Bund, breathing in the unique scent of the Huángpǔ River and feeling the evening breeze.
It was no longer the height of summer, making this time of day the most comfortable for being on the Bund.
The group of over twenty people had split into several clusters: girls stuck with girls, while the boys huddled together, occasionally sharing amusing jokes.
After chatting in one spot for a while, someone suggested they just keep walking along the riverbank.
It was still early, and many students were visiting Hǎihǎi for the first time, so they didn't want to head back too soon.
“What are they doing over there?”
After walking for about ten minutes, Wáng Lù suddenly called out, pointing ahead with her finger.
A few hundred meters in front, several people were setting up a small stage in an open area. People nearby were also moving things around.
“Is it some kind of promotional event? Let’s go check it out!”
Wáng Lù commented to herself, looping her arm through Shī Yán’s, clearly intrigued.
“It might be worth a look, though I don't think it feels like an event!”
Yīn Yǒng, standing next to her, voiced his support. Wáng Lù, ignoring the reactions of the others, pulled Shī Yán and started walking forward quickly.
The distance of a few hundred meters didn't take long to cover. Soon, everyone had reached the vicinity. It was a small square that was completely occupied, cordoned off with tape.
But the group finally saw clearly what was happening here.
A stage was being erected, not very high, only reaching knee level. The stage was adorned with some fresh flowers, and many long white tables were set up around it.
People were arranging drinks and food on the tables, and everyone finally understood: they were setting up an outdoor reception.
“A reception? Who’s hosting this, what a waste!”
Looking at the site being decorated, Wáng Lù’s eyes widened, sparkling with excitement.
Zhāng Yáng scanned the area. Since this location was part of the Bund, a large open space, setting up a stage casually here wouldn't be easy; it likely required someone with connections.
“Yeah, and what kind of wine is that? It must be expensive, right?”
A female student from Hángchéng pointed at a bottle of red wine being taken out of a crate nearby. The bottles looked quite fine, and people nearby started arranging wine glasses.
“This dry red, it looks like it's over two hundred yuan a bottle!”
Shī Yán glanced over and said uncertainly. She had some knowledge of wine, but not complete mastery.
Wine costing over two hundred yuan a bottle was an expensive luxury for many students. Wáng Lù quickly stuck out her tongue, looking incredibly charming.
“Wow, a reception!”
A girl standing near a few of them suddenly exclaimed excitedly. Zhāng Yáng and the others couldn't help but turn to look.
At that turn, many froze.
In another spot nearby, about a dozen people were standing. Enemies sometimes meet on the road—there was Guō Wěiyà, who had been kicked out of the previous event, along with his girlfriend and Liú Kǎi.
In addition to them were students from another university in Jīnlíng and several students from other cities.
These dozen-plus people, combined with the twenty-plus on this side, meant at least a quarter of the participating students had come to the Bund. Except for the local students from Hǎihǎi, everyone else showed some interest in this area.
Guō Wěiyà glared fiercely at Zhāng Yáng, then immediately turned his head away.
Having lost face after being expelled from the event, he hadn't shown up for days. Today, since the event ended early, Liú Kǎi and the others had called him out to unwind on the Bund.
They hadn't expected to run into Zhāng Yáng here either.
“Wěiyà, this reception is gorgeous. If only we could attend it!”
Guō Wěiyà’s girlfriend quickly tugged at his sleeve, pointing ahead with envy, her voice loud enough for Zhāng Yáng’s group to hear.
“I want to go too!”
Wáng Lù murmured quietly, nodding slightly. Attending an outdoor reception, raising a glass, sipping wine, with the occasional gentleman approaching for a chat—the thought alone seemed romantic.
“This is the playground for rich young masters; we can’t join,”
Shī Yán whispered, but as she spoke, she unnaturally glanced toward Zhāng Yáng again.
She wondered if, among this crowd, perhaps only Zhāng Yáng possessed the requisite status.
“Don’t worry, I’ll ask around. If someone knows who’s hosting, maybe we can get in!”
Guō Wěiyà shook his head directly, swaggering as he pulled out his phone to make a call. Seeing the phone in his hand, many others looked on with envy again.
In those days, regardless of the school, a student with a mobile phone was considered somewhat important.
“Brother Liáng, I have a question for you—yes, yes, I understand!”
Guō Wěiyà quickly hung up, a hint of smugness on his face.
“Lìlì, I found out. This is being organized by the boss of one of my buddies. He’s chasing a girl, so he set up this ‘Romantic Rose Reception on the Bund.’ My buddy is currently contacting his boss, and we’ll see if they can let the two of us join!”
Guō Wěiyà spoke with an involuntary touch of pride.
Hosting a reception on the Bund definitely meant the organizer had clout. Being able to connect with such a person, and perhaps even attend such a function, would bring considerable honor.
“Really? That’s wonderful!”
The girl called Lìlì couldn't help but hug Guō Wěiyà. The others around them watched with envy.
Although the reception was outdoors, it was cordoned off, and none of them dared to enter. Guō Wěiyà and his girlfriend managing to get in was indeed enviable.
Many of them knew that Guō Wěiyà was a local and owned a car—few students owned cars then, which was even more impressive than having a cell phone.
Guō Wěiyà often boasted to them that nothing was impossible for him in Hǎihǎi, and now that claim didn't seem entirely false; attending such a reception was genuinely noteworthy.
“Sigh, if I could attend just one reception like this, I’d die happy,”
Listening to Guō Wěiyà’s bragging, Wáng Lù sighed softly, a trace of melancholy and longing in her eyes.
“Don’t be so dramatic. It’s just a reception; there will be other chances. This is only an open-air gathering. The truly grand receptions are held in the estates of tycoons; those are far rarer. If you saw one, you might go crazy!”
Shī Yán whispered in comfort to Wáng Lù. Wáng Lù wasn't unfamiliar with the kind of reception Shī Yán described, having seen them on television multiple times.
Wáng Lù nodded vigorously, agreeing with Shī Yán’s assessment; she had seen them on TV many times.
“Shī Yán is right. If we work hard, we’ll all have opportunities in the future!”
Yīn Yǒng chimed in, his eyes also carrying a hint of longing.
His family background wasn't poor; it was much better than many classmates', but it clearly couldn't compare to those hosting the reception, and he too yearned for such events.
Zhāng Yáng suddenly smiled and said quietly, “No need for the future, let’s do it today!”
With that, he took out his phone and started dialing as well.
Seeing Zhāng Yáng’s phone, Lǐ Jiànguó and the students from other schools showed expressions of envy. Development was fast now; more and more students possessed mobile phones.
However, they couldn't possibly imagine that within a few years, every student on campus would have one, and a few years after that, one phone might not be enough, with students owning several devices each.
Zhāng Yáng called his butler, Nán Chéng, stepping aside as he spoke.
The villa gifted to him by Elder Wú had been completely renovated, and he hadn't had time to visit. He had planned to stay there for a couple of days after the event finished; after all, it was his first home.
Hearing Wáng Lù and the others just now, an idea suddenly struck Zhāng Yáng.
That villa would be perfect for hosting a reception; it could certainly accommodate everyone. His classmates yearned for such a party, so letting them experience one would be nice, especially since Zhāng Yáng had an underlying objective.
Arranging a reception now would be tight on time, but fortunately, they were all students and didn't need excessive formality. Nán Chéng had left Zhāng Yáng with an excellent impression, and Zhāng Yáng was confident he could handle it.
Nán Chéng offered no objection to Zhāng Yáng's request, only saying he needed two hours to prepare.
Two hours later, dusk would just be settling in; an evening outdoor reception would likely yield a better effect.
Moreover, it took an hour to get from here to the villa, leaving them an hour to look around and, incidentally, arrange for a car. Arranging taxis for so many people here would be difficult.
Since Zhāng Yáng couldn't leave, he had to ask Lóng Fēng to help with the transportation.
Not far away, Guō Wěiyà glared resentfully at Zhāng Yáng again. He hadn't expected Zhāng Yáng to have a phone, but having a phone wasn't everything to him; owning a car mattered more. His Ford cost over two hundred thousand, significantly more expensive than a mobile phone.
First update, only thirty-six votes, not even a third of the goal—and I've dropped out of the top ten~~ Book Website
Little Yu doesn't know what kind of feeling she has right now. Little Yu is out of town, working hard yet still managing six updates. Little Yu has compressed all her time; she gets less than six hours of sleep. These six updates are definitely comparable to the usual eight or ten updates at home.
Continuing to type, the excitement is about to begin. I sincerely hope my friends can offer their support so that our efforts are not in vain. Please trust that with more monthly tickets and better results, Little Yu’s updates will certainly not disappoint everyone.