A starting salary of over ten thousand yuan right out of college.
Leo Li looked smug as he said this.
Here in Capitalview, a fresh college graduate with a decent job might earn five or six thousand a month, but most start at around four thousand.
As he spoke, Leo glanced at Evan Lin, squinting and flashing a deliberate smile: "You're still in your senior year of high school. When you graduate and take the college entrance exam, you should aim for a good school—Capitalview University is pretty great. It's a top-tier school, but the cutoff score is high. If you get in, finding a job later will be much easier."
"So, do you think you could land a job with a ten-thousand-yuan monthly salary?"
Leo Li asked the question in a seemingly casual way.
But in reality, he was using it as an excuse to put Evan Lin down.
Stella Huang immediately looked displeased. She didn’t know much about Evan Lin’s family background, but Leo Li’s way of talking was just too harsh—he wasn’t giving Evan any face and was clearly trying to embarrass him.
"He hasn't even graduated high school yet. Isn't it a bit early to talk about this?" Stella frowned.
"Not early at all. College only lasts four years, and if you’re quick, you might even be done in one," Leo Li chuckled.
Jiang Yao and the others glanced at Evan Lin. Claire Li was still thinking about how to help Evan out of the situation—she figured his family probably wasn't very well-off.
Lydia Liao looked cold, Wendy Wen raised an eyebrow, Victor Wen was gloating, and Leo Liu just kept sneering.
Evan Lin took a slow sip of tea, glanced at Leo Li, and replied calmly, "Never thought about it."
"Never thought about it?" Leo Li was caught off guard by Evan’s blunt answer, then pretended to encourage him: "No need to be so pessimistic. Even if you don’t get into Capitalview University, and maybe never earn as much as I do, you should still have dreams."
"You never know, maybe you’ll meet some benefactor or have a stroke of luck—then things could be totally different."
Leo Li chuckled, "Like winning five million in the lottery or something."
Leo Li was full of himself as he spoke.
Victor Wen couldn’t help but laugh.
Stella Huang was about to slam the table and stand up.
But just then, everyone saw Evan Lin set his teacup down, look up at Leo Li, and say calmly, "The reason I’ve never thought about what job to do after graduation is because I don’t lack money."
At your salary rate, you'd have to work for several hundred years just to reach my starting point.
As soon as Evan said this, the whole table fell silent.
Leo Li's smile froze, and he looked extremely awkward.
Victor Wen and the others were all shocked deep down.
Stella Huang also looked surprised, but quickly recovered and nodded at Leo Li: "You probably don't know, but Evan's family is in the coal business. His dad owns a mine, and his mom is a corporate executive."
Stella didn't really believe Evan, but at this moment she quickly helped smooth things over for him.
As soon as she said this, everyone immediately saw Evan as a rich second generation.
"No wonder he's so arrogant. Turns out his family has money," Leo Liu frowned.
Jiang Yao, Claire Li, and Lydia Liao exchanged odd looks and glanced at Evan Lin.
Wendy Wen was stunned, holding her cocktail, staring at Evan Lin and muttering, "No wonder he's so close to Lynn Chen—he's a second gen. I couldn't tell."
Melissa Xu and Lana Yu both gave Evan Lin a thumbs up. His words were truly satisfying—Leo Li's whole face turned the color of pig liver.
"So what if you have money? Is being rich so impressive? They say wealth never lasts more than three generations. Young people should learn to struggle. I'm a few years older than you, so let me be your big brother for a moment. I've seen plenty of rich second gens who end up squandering all their family wealth." Leo Li said, slamming his glass on the table.
"Having money isn’t that impressive, but it’s still better than being poor and dreaming of eating swan meat like a toad. Even if I did nothing all year and just lived off the bank interest, I’d still earn more than your annual salary. By that measure, I’m even more impressive than you."
Evan Lin spoke slowly, making Leo Li's face turn green and white, leaving him extremely aggrieved.
Meanwhile, Raymond Yang had finally finished vomiting. His mouth was full of a foul stench, making his nose itch.
Raymond Yang looked around, glanced at what he'd thrown up, and disgusted himself, spitting out more stomach acid.
He saw his classmates avoiding him, face twisted in fear, and hurriedly ran for the bar’s exit, desperate to find somewhere to clean up.
Just as he reached the door, someone outside pushed it open and kicked Raymond Yang to the ground.
"Damn, what’s that smell?"
The man who came in was wearing leather, frowning, looking wild and unruly with yellow bangs, hands in his pockets, full of swagger.
He came in, frowning at the stench, followed by several men and women with piercings and all sorts of metal accessories.
He looked at Raymond Yang, who had been kicked to the ground, now lying in his own filth, completely miserable.
"Holy crap, this kid’s a beast—he just peed and pooped in public?"
Someone stared at the mess on the ground, looking shocked.
"Capitalview University students must have read themselves stupid! Damn!"
The guy in leather cursed, then swaggered in.
Stella Huang saw him and her face changed. She whispered to Evan Lin, "That’s Chase Chen from Capitalview Sports Institute. He’s mixed up with an underworld punk."
"Chase Chen! I’ve booked the whole bar tonight! What are you here for?"
Leo Li saw him, face changing, slamming the table hard, trying to show off that he’d booked the place, afraid no one would notice.
"You think you can book the place just by saying so? Did you ask if I agree?" Chase Chen sneered, leading his people over. He didn’t even look at anyone else, but turned to Claire Li with a grin: "Claire, you free tonight? Drink with me?"
"I said I booked the place tonight! Are you here to make trouble?"
Seeing Chase Chen ignore him, Leo Li felt humiliated and shouted again.
"What, Leo Li, am I giving you face or guts, daring to talk to me like this today? You want to fight me?"
Chase Chen only brought about four people with him.
He looked at Leo Li with swagger, voice full of contempt: 'Capitalview University students are all damn bookish sissies. What, I’m staying here tonight. If you don’t like it, try and make me leave!'
Chase Chen shouted.
Leo Li was already frustrated. Hearing this, he roared, 'All Capitalview University men, stand up!'
Most of the students had been drinking. With alcohol and provocation, a whole crowd jumped up at once.
Chase Chen’s face changed: "I’m with Grizzly!"
"Hit them!" Leo Li shouted, fired up.
Suddenly, a chaotic brawl broke out among the crowd.