Shi Yan was equally filled with disbelief. These people were clearly wealthy, swaggering young masters, yet Zhang Yang not only knew them but could converse with them.

Zhang Yang had even reprimanded them, and they hadn't dared to utter a word in response.

The most outrageous thing was that Zhang Yang had brought them out with him.

Shao Yuping was the first to rush out, completely ignoring Gao Jie. She stood to Zhang Yang’s left, her head lowered in silence.

Wang Lu stood to Zhang Yang’s right. Wang Lu intensely disliked Shao Yuping, but she had no choice but to follow closely. This woman usually spoke harshly, but thankfully, since Zhang Yang appeared, she hadn't said anything unpleasant.

This, too, demonstrated Zhang Yang’s influence.

“Wang Lu, why were you so impulsive!”

Shi Yan pulled Wang Lu aside and scolded her quietly. Wang Lu’s sudden dash earlier had given her quite a scare. When Wang Lu was about to clash with the others, Shi Yan had intended to intervene, but Zhang Yang beat her to it.

“That’s just how I am. My family always says I’ll suffer losses if I keep acting like this!”

Wang Lu admitted helplessly. She knew she had been impulsive again, but this nature wasn't something she could change overnight.

After briefly lecturing Wang Lu, Shi Yan pulled her back to the group.

Gao Fei, Zhao Qiang, and even Li Jianguo now looked at Zhang Yang with a degree of awe.

They finally understood that Zhang Yang was also a person of immense standing, evident simply by his connections with the people inside. The girl who had been so aggressive and arrogant moments ago was now standing before Zhang Yang, docile as a kitten.

The aggressive female character they referred to was naturally Shao Yuping.

Shortly after, Shi Qiang and Gu Fang also approached. Listening to their conversation, the students realized that Zhang Yang was indeed hosting a reception and planned to take them there.

Upon hearing the news, many cheered excitedly, with Gao Fei being the loudest.

Zhang Yang had mentioned this before, but everyone had dismissed it as a joke. Now, things were different; the young masters were accompanying Zhang Yang out, confirming it was real.

A genuine reception. They were all eager to attend, regardless of the venue.

Some, however, began to feel apprehensive. They had never attended a reception, having only seen them on television, and worried about making a fool of themselves. They tried recalling scenes from TV, puffing out their chests to mask their insecurity.

Those with more carefree personalities didn't overthink it; they were simply thrilled to have a party to attend.

Meanwhile, Guo Weiya’s face had grown even paler, tinged with fear.

He now understood that Zhang Yang had ignored him earlier because he never considered him worthy of attention. Judging by the demeanor of the young masters toward Zhang Yang, he realized Zhang Yang was someone he absolutely could not afford to offend.

He had witnessed Gao Jie being knocked to the ground by Zhang Yang, yet Gao Jie hadn't dared to complain, even claiming it was a misunderstanding. This proved that even Gao Jie dared not slight Zhang Yang. The thought of provoking someone Gao Jie feared made Guo Weiya tremble.

He felt as if he had courted a disaster.

“Zhang Yang, we had an agreement. Where is your place? By the way, when did you buy a house in Shanghai?”

Gu Fang and Shi Qiang walked over; Gu Fang was the one who spoke. They all knew Zhang Yang was from Changjing, so if he mentioned 'his house,' he must own property in Shanghai too. For wealthy young men like them, buying properties across the country was common. Gu Fang owned residences in Guangzhou and the capital, while Shi Qiang had small villas in Hangzhou and Jinling.

“It wasn’t bought; it was a gift from someone, from the last time I visited!”

Zhang Yang smiled faintly. His classmates exchanged glances again; only now did they realize Zhang Yang already owned a place in Shanghai.

With a mobile phone, a house, luxury cars, and connections to these young masters, Gao Fei and the others finally accepted that Zhang Yang was also one of them—a young master, albeit one far more low-key than Guo Weiya. Had it not been for today’s events, they never would have suspected Zhang Yang held such a prominent status.

“Ring, ring!”

Zhang Yang’s phone buzzed. Long Feng had already rented the vehicles, which were waiting in the parking lot, summoning Zhang Yang.

The phrase "The cars are in the parking lot" struck Zhang Yang as slightly odd, but he didn't dwell on it. He explained the situation and immediately led his classmates toward the parking area.

“Zhang, Zhang Yang!”

After only a few steps, Guo Weiya suddenly ran up, his face flushed and clearly anxious. His girlfriend followed cautiously, casting fearful glances at Zhang Yang.

“Classmate Guo, is there something else?”

Zhang Yang smiled faintly. Guo Weiya was worried about retaliation, unaware that Zhang Yang had never considered seeking revenge. From the beginning, Guo Weiya hadn't registered in Zhang Yang's view; one doesn't retaliate against someone beneath notice.

“I, I, can I also come to your reception?”

Guo Weiya stammered, blushing, and after a long pause, blurted out the request. This time, even Zhang Yang looked at him with surprise.

Guo Weiya’s face immediately turned ashen, and he began waving his hands frantically, rushing to explain: “No, that’s not what I meant. I, I want to apologize to you. It’s all my fault; I was blinded by greed!”

Seeing Zhang Yang about to leave, he rushed over intending only to apologize. However, his mindset hadn't fully realigned. The first time he saw Zhang Yang, the latter was eating street food with Wang Lu and the others, leading Guo Weiya to assume he was poor. That perception had persisted until now. Suddenly, the supposed pauper had transformed into an influential young master whom he dared not offend. Although he knew he needed to apologize, his ingrained biases were struggling to shift.

It was like seeing a beggar who constantly held out his hand for money suddenly step out of a Rolls-Royce; the shock would be undeniable.

“If you want to come, then come. Bring your classmates along too!”

Zhang Yang smiled gently and said softly. He wasn't Gao Jie or Guo Weiya; they were all students attending the same event. Since they met, it was better to include them. The reception preparations were based on fifty guests, so a few extra people wouldn't matter.

“Really, truly?”

Guo Weiya was completely stunned, standing there blankly. His girlfriend also looked at Zhang Yang in disbelief.

“Bring them along,” Zhang Yang smiled again. Having said that, he walked forward without giving Guo Weiya time to react.

Zhang Yang had moved several steps before Guo Weiya snapped back to reality. He joyfully ran off to call his classmates. Some of his group were quite distant, and upon learning they could join Zhang Yang's reception, many leaped up in excitement.

“Zhang Yang, why invite a petty person like him?”

Gao Fei pouted in dissatisfaction and muttered quietly. Zhao Qiang, Wang Lu, and others nodded vigorously in agreement. Guo Weiya was extremely irritating, and furthermore, they were all from Jinling University, a fact that was notoriously at odds with Changjing University.

“It’s good to let them come along, to broaden their horizons so they won’t speak recklessly in the future,”

Shi Yan suddenly interjected. Gao Fei blinked in realization and instinctively nodded. Bringing them along would expose them to Zhang Yang’s power, preventing future gossip and even highlighting their own improved status. It was another subtle blow against Jinling University—why hadn't he considered that before?

Zhang Yang gave a slight, wry smile and shook his head. He hadn't thought that far ahead. His psychological age far surpassed theirs; he didn't enjoy petty rivalries or showing off. He simply felt that since they were classmates and fate brought them together for this activity, it was fine to go together.

Regarding Jinling University, he genuinely hadn't given it much thought. Zhang Yang wasn't originally from Changjing; he only attended university there. His soul had only recently arrived in this world, so he hadn't yet developed the deep-seated resentment born from long-standing feuds.

The parking lot was in the opposite direction, quite far away, taking a good fifteen minutes to walk.

When they reached the lot, Zhang Yang froze. Long Feng stood there watching him, a strange smile on his face.

“Long Feng, what trick are you playing?”

Seeing a line of BMWs before him, Zhang Yang asked in surprise. He had asked Long Feng to find a bus or at least a large minibus, but instead, Long Feng had arranged a convoy of BMWs.

“There weren't any vehicles like you described nearby; finding them would have required traveling much farther. Coincidentally, there’s a rental company here with a wedding fleet, so I rented those. Ten cars—is that enough? If you need more, they can drive some back; they also have Mercedes-Benzes!”

Long Feng chuckled slyly. There truly were no buses nearby, and securing a suitable vehicle quickly meant relying on the Long family’s assistance. Long Feng didn't particularly want to meet the others, so when he spotted the rental company, he decided to hire all their available cars.

Renting these cars was certainly more expensive than a bus, but Long Feng had no concept of money; convenience was paramount. Since Zhang Yang was footing the bill, the simpler, the better.

“It’s enough. Since you’ve rented them, we’ll use these cars!”

Zhang Yang shook his head again, helpless. He only wanted to treat his classmates to a relaxing outing and host a reception they’d enjoy, fulfilling a wish. But Long Feng had arranged this spectacle. Now, the low-key Zhang Yang couldn't possibly remain discreet when using a BMW motorcade for transport. Even if he claimed modesty, few would believe him. Still, Zhang Yang didn't care much; spending a bit more money was trivial. More importantly, Long Feng had already handled it, and refusing now would feel like wasting his effort.

“Jianguo, organize everyone to get in—four people per car, don't mess around!”

Zhang Yang turned back and instructed Li Jianguo from Xingcheng. Li Jianguo knew the most students present, making him the most suitable person to manage the logistics, and he would do it well... Fifth update, a bonus chapter for the alliance leader ‘Dāng Wú Zhū Zhī,’ thank you for your support; Xiao Yu will keep working hard.

With the monthly votes falling short of one hundred, the ranking has plummeted again. To be honest, Xiao Yu's motivation has significantly waned, which is why there won't be six updates today. This chapter is a bonus for the alliance leader, making it five updates in total.

I slept six hours the day before yesterday, four hours yesterday, and today I probably won't get more than five. Furthermore, I have many things to attend to tomorrow and the day after, so Xiao Yu might not be able to keep up. For the next two days, I can guarantee at least one hundred bonus chapters.

If you still recognize Xiao Yu and appreciate my effort, I hope you can grant me a few more votes of support. That’s all for now; I need to sleep; my eyes are already struggling to stay open. (To be continued) RQ

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