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CFRFGC Chapter 25

Banquet (1)

⌈He wanted to get back at Lu Ran at this banquet and wash away the shame of that day.⌋

No lab coats, no entry to the lab.

Lu Ran’s advisor enforced this rule particularly strictly.

After being scolded by the advisor, Ding Wei felt a bit unhappy.

He sensed that Lu Ran had changed recently.

He had chosen to team up with Lu Ran in the lab specifically so that Lu Ran would help him with experiments and write reports.

Ding Wei thought this plan through.

He wanted to go out and have fun on the weekend, needed to return home to spend time with his parents during the holidays, and had various exams to prepare for.

If he conducted the experiments himself, he definitely wouldn’t be able to manage everything.

But with Lu Ran around, he could get Lu Ran’s help.

After all, Lu Ran was academically strong; he could easily prepare for exams, had no close friends to hang out with, and didn’t need to go home during the holidays.

Yet now, Lu Ran had unexpectedly turned him down.

Ding Wei sulked for a few days and hardly spoke to Lu Ran.

However, his mood soon lifted when he finally got to know the campus heartthrob, Shen Xingran.

The heartthrob was so gentle.

No wonder he was the young master of a prominent family.

Knowing that Ding Wei had been feeling down lately, he even invited him to the Shen family’s banquet.

Ding Wei could hardly believe he had such an opportunity.

However, over the past couple of days, the advisor had been watching him closely. If he wanted to go out, he still needed someone to clock in for him and push back the experiment schedule.

Ding Wei was still angry with Lu Ran and hadn’t sought him out.

But after asking around the entire lab and finding no one willing to help, he had no choice but to approach Lu Ran again.

Recently, Lu Ran had wrapped up his experiment phase and didn’t come to the lab often.

After a lot of effort, Ding Wei finally caught Lu Ran and got straight to the point. “I have something going on in a couple of days. Can you come to the lab for me a few times?”

“No way,” Lu Ran decisively refused.

Ding Wei grew upset and raised his voice. “You don’t have experiments to do lately and you have nothing else going on. Why can’t you help me?”

Lu Ran looked at him as if he were an idiot. “Because I need to work part-time.”

If he didn’t work to earn money, what would he eat?

Madam Shen wasn’t going to just give him ten billion.

Ding Wei was momentarily speechless, waving his hand dismissively. “You can work part-time whenever you want. This matter is really important.”

Lu Ran withdrew his expression and quietly looked at him.

“Ding Wei, why do you always think your matters are more important than mine, that I should give up my own things and my own time to accommodate you?”

Ding Wei found himself at a loss for words.

Deep down, Ding Wei still felt that his own matters were indeed more important.

After all, he was going to the birthday banquet for the heartthrob’s father.

He needed several days in advance to prepare a gift.

However, he hesitated for a moment but didn’t voice his thoughts.

In fact, when Shen Xingran invited him, he had given Ding Wei a few extra spots so he could invite some fellow students from his major.

But Ding Wei wasn’t planning to invite Lu Ran.

“Fine, if you won’t help, you won’t help! Seriously.”

Zhang Lin was also preparing for Shen Hongyuan’s fiftieth birthday.

The banquet was to be held at the Shen family’s villa.

All three members of the Zhang family attended.

The Zhang and Shen families were on the same level in business, often competing with each other.

But they still maintained a facade of cordiality.

Zhang Lin didn’t bring Lin Yi along.

In truth, he didn’t like Lin Yi at all; he preferred someone who looked as obedient as Shen Xingran.

However, the Zhang family had their eyes on a certain technology from the Lin family.

This marriage was less about marrying Lin Yi and more about acquiring that technology.

Zhang Lin had to accept this reality.

“It’s rare for you to get out; you should go and relax,” Madam Zhang said with concern as she glanced at her son.

Lately, she had noticed that something seemed off with him; he appeared sullen.

But in recent days, he suddenly changed and began enthusiastically preparing for the Shen family’s banquet.

Zhang Lin was indeed in good spirits today.

Because he planned to turn the tide at this banquet and wash away the humiliation from that day.

It was just Lu Ran, after all. How could he not handle that?

With confidence, Zhang Lin swirled his wine glass and went to find Shen Xingran.

As he passed by the buffet, a child carrying a plate walked by him.

Zhang Lin instinctively looked down.

On the pristine white porcelain plate, there was a dessert shaped like a hamster.

The Shen family had clearly put a lot of effort into this banquet. The pastry chef had done an exceptional job—a pudding hamster with a yellow and white tail that looked incredibly lifelike.

The child had a peculiar taste, as there was a dollop of ketchup next to the hamster.

As the mischievous child moved about, ketchup splattered everywhere, coating the “hamster’s” belly, eyes, and mouth…

Zhang Lin: “…”

He immediately turned around, suppressing the dry heave rising in his stomach. He quickly left the dessert area filled with hamsters.

Just a few steps away, Zhang Lin saw a bowl filled with swirling dark brown semi-solid and pale yellow viscous liquid and his expression changed once more.

Unable to hold back, he reached out and grabbed a passing waiter.

In a harsh tone, he asked, “What is this? How can such a thing be served?”

The waiter looked bewildered and explained, “Sir, it’s just chocolate sauce and lemon dressing.”

Zhang Lin retracted his hand in disappointment.

The bravado on his face had faded, gradually revealing a look of retreat.

When he looked up again, his gaze caught sight of a boy in loungewear, quietly sitting and eating, who glanced over at him.

The boy flashed an incredibly friendly smile.

Zhang Lin shivered and instinctively took a step back.

He felt his stomach, along with his sphincter, convulsing.

Maybe today wasn’t such a good idea after all, Zhang Lin thought.

“Brother Lin?”

He heard Shen Xingran’s voice behind him.

Remembering his bold words on WeChat, Zhang Lin could only force himself to turn around.

He saw Shen Xingran looking anxious, gazing at him with a pleading expression.

“Brother Lin, maybe it’s better to let it go today…”

“Although he is indeed somewhat clueless to dare trouble you, it is my dad’s birthday after all…”

“Even if you let him off, no one would think anything of it.”

Zhang Lin had originally intended to take Shen Xingran’s suggestion and abandon his plan for the day.

However, with those three sentences, Zhang Lin’s anger only intensified.

If he let Lu Ran off today, would he still be able to show his face?

“Don’t worry,” Zhang Lin said coldly, “I won’t disturb Uncle Shen’s banquet. However, if you think I’ll let him off, you’re mistaken.”

Shen Xingran subtly curved his lips.

After “advising” Zhang Lin, he moved to the floor-to-ceiling window to glance outside.

Upon seeing someone he was waiting for, he immediately displayed a gentle smile and waved toward the outside.

“Wow! The male god is welcoming us!”

As Ding Wei just got out of the car, he spotted Shen Xingran waving at him from a distance.

Behind him were three to five fellow students from the same major. Seeing the young master of the Shen family being so enthusiastic left them feeling a bit awkward.

“Is the male god really that nice?”

“Of course,” Ding Wei replied, pretending to be very familiar with Shen Xingran. “Otherwise, how could we have so many invitation cards?”

As they approached the Shen family villa, they couldn’t help but gawk at the luxury cars parked around them.

Including Ding Wei, these students were all just ordinary freshmen who had never seen such a spectacle.

Surrounded by various decorations, Shen Xingran standing before the floor-to-ceiling windows looked even more unattainable.

Ding Wei tried his best to maintain a calm demeanor as he handed over the invitation and entered the villa.

Shen Xingran immediately came over, smiling, “I’ve been waiting for you for a long time. Come on in!”

As he spoke, he affectionately introduced Ding Wei to Madam Shen, “Mom, these are my classmates, who specially came to wish Dad a happy birthday!”

Madam Shen was always gentle when greeting guests. She exchanged a few pleasantries with them.

Shen Xingran stood by, smiling, his gaze drifting over Ding Wei to the others behind him.

Adding them up, there were about seven or eight in total, which was enough.

He picked up a glass of fruit wine and handed it to Ding Wei while his gaze coldly glanced at Lu Ran, who was in the corner eating.

His eyes gradually turned icy.

Isn’t Lu Ran fond of telling stories outside?

Doesn’t he want to show his face in the rich circle?

Shen Xingran decided to give Lu Ran that opportunity.

And let him embarrass himself at school.

Shen Xingran went back outside to welcome other guests.

Ding Wei and the others entered the hall, unable to resist looking around.

“Hey, Ding Wei, aren’t you close with Lu Ran? Why didn’t you bring him this time?” a classmate asked.

“He’s a busy guy, working hard. Why would I bring him?” Ding Wei replied sarcastically.

Now that he saw the banquet scene, Ding Wei felt a sense of satisfaction rising within him.

Lu Ran probably had no idea what he was missing out on.

If Lu Ran had helped him with the experiments these past few days, he might have given him an invitation today.

Out of frustration towards Lu Ran, he brought along a few classmates who had some issues with Lu Ran.

Lu Ran was always busy working outside and didn’t participate in group activities.

Yet, inexplicably, he had decent grades and was particularly favored by the teachers.

As a result, many people in their major looked down on him.

Ding Wei suspected that Lu Ran might only have him as a friend.

He still didn’t know how to cherish that.

After wandering around for a while, Ding Wei called everyone over. They found a very eye-catching background and prepared to gather for a selfie.

He fiddled with his phone for a while to get the right angle.

Ding Wei tried hard to capture the huge champagne tower behind them.

Just as he was about to press the shutter, he noticed a very inconspicuous yet familiar figure appearing in the corner of the photo.

Ding Wei froze for a moment.

Turning to look, he saw Lu Ran, who should have been outside laying tiles and crying over his WeChat Moments, sitting at a table, shoving a small cake into his mouth.

“You—you’re here?” Ding Wei exclaimed in surprise.

Lu Ran looked up and smiled at him, “I’m working here.”

The words “working” made Ding Wei’s face turn pale.

It was clear that Lu Ran had just heard his sarcastic remark.

The others were also surprised that Lu Ran was present.

What was even more astonishing was that in a place like the Shen family’s gathering, everyone was either wealthy or of high status.

People around them were dressed in extravagant evening gowns.

Or they were tuxedoed waiters bustling around with wine glasses.

Even these college students, to avoid looking out of place, had borrowed a few ill-fitting formal outfits.

But Lu Ran…

He was still wearing that khaki hoodie, whose edges had faded from washing.

On his lower half, he had on a pair of gray sweatpants stained with iodine.

And he was even wearing cotton slippers?

Seeing him sit boldly at the table, munching away, made him seem more like the young master of the Shen family than Shen Xingran himself.


Moonlit: That’s because he is the young master of the Shen family and not Shen Xingran, hmmph!

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