Ryan Chen glanced at Yolanda Wang and Ivy Zhang beside him, both looking pretty dejected.
Just moments ago, Sharon Xiao and Stella Cui were still flattering his parents. Now, each was scrambling to ingratiate themselves with Lucy Lu and Joy Zheng. Derek Zhang, who'd just been fired, looked utterly defeated, unable to say a word.
Most crucially, Ryan Chen couldn't help but feel jealous as he watched Lynn Chen and Yolanda Fang, two beautiful girls, fussing over Evan Lin.
Just then, Ryan Chen glanced toward the resort entrance and saw two boys and two girls walking in. They were all about seventeen or eighteen, dressed head-to-toe in designer brands, looking every bit the arrogant, privileged type. The lead boy was tall and muscular, wearing outdoor combat gear and black leather boots with a custom Nepalese military knife strapped to his ankle.
The knife was engraved with a tiger motif. Though its edge wasn't sharpened, every step the boy took made the blade ring with a sound as clear as steel.
Hugh, did your grandpa give you that knife himself?
The tall boy behind Hugh Hu grinned and asked curiously, glancing at the Nepalese knife strapped to Hugh's boot.
The knife itself might not attract much attention, but the tiger emblem on it was key—it was the insignia of the Jinnan Military District's Tiger Special Forces, symbolizing ferocious combat power.
'Nah, my grandpa wouldn't give me something like this. I bought the knife myself, and I snuck the badge out of his study. Pretty cool, right?' Hugh Hu grinned, slapping his leg where the knife was strapped.
Only Hugh could pull this off—the Tiger badge is something everyone in our circle wants.' The girl beside him, about 5'8" with long legs and a curvy figure, shot him a flirty look and teased in a sweet voice.
True enough, but I heard Warren Wu is also trying to get into the Tiger Special Forces. He went on a trip with Allen Ju a while back, and after returning to Jinnan, he started training hard.' The girl seemed nervous when she mentioned Allen Ju.
'Warren Wu? He thinks he can get into the Tigers?' Hugh Hu frowned. 'And Allen Ju, they weren't just traveling—I heard Thomas Liu from his family got transferred to a county town, so it was really a family visit.'
Hugh Hu's face showed a bit of disdain, though there was a hint of seriousness in his eyes.
Both the Wu and Hu families were local powerhouses in Jinnan, with their elders holding high military rank. As for the Ju family, their influence ran deep.
Back then, Hugh Hu had tried to pursue Selina Shi, but she beat him up so badly he's still holding a grudge years later.
This time, the group was just out to have fun—they'd heard White Dragon Mountain had a small hunting ground where you could hunt wild boar, so they came out for the thrill.
Hugh!
Before Hugh Hu and his friends could sit down, Ryan Chen snapped out of his daze, his face lighting up with joy as he called out.
She knew full well that this meal was only served because of Evan Lin's reputation. She'd just asked Henry Zhang about what Evan had done before, but Henry just kept repeating that Evan was Young Master Summer's friend and wouldn't say anything more.
'Joy, I never expected your Evan would turn out so impressive. This table of food must cost at least a thousand yuan!'
A man at the table couldn't help but smile as he spoke up in admiration.
'A thousand? It's way more than that! Just that steamed aloe wild boar in the center—the resort's signature dish—costs five thousand on its own. I ate it once with a big boss, unforgettable.' Another person scoffed, pointing at the dish and sparking a round of gasps.
At this moment, the looks people gave Joy Zheng and Lucy Lu at the table had completely changed.
The boss of White Dragon Mountain Resort was willing to give such a feast just for Evan Lin's sake, and rumor had it there was even a special evening banquet planned. What kind of relationship must that be?
And just now, Evan Lin was invited over to the villa by Old Man Su from Jinnan. Who knows, it might be another stroke of luck—if Old Man Su decides to help him out, Evan could become a major figure in a few years.
Neil Kong and Sharon Chen, sitting nearby, looked distinctly unhappy, their faces grim as they quietly sipped their tea.
Ryan Chen clenched his fists tightly, listening as everyone at the table switched sides, now fawning over Lucy Lu and Joy Zheng and praising Evan Lin to the skies. Ryan felt ready to explode.
He'd never been so thoroughly put down before. His family was wealthy, but somehow, he'd been outclassed by this Evan Lin kid and made to look like a joke.