Riverside Pavilion, fourth floor, Moonriver Suite.
Three round tables filled the private room, and the classmates chatted and laughed, creating a pleasant atmosphere.
Zoe Li sat at the center table, casually discussing future university plans with Ms. Lee, the homeroom teacher.
"Ms. Lee."
Zoe Li smiled softly and pointed to the table on the left. "Andrew Han has already been admitted to Southland University. I'm still waiting for my results. If I don't get into Southland, I'll have to go to Greenfield College of Finance."
Ms. Lee encouraged her, "I believe in you. You'll definitely get into Southland University. I'm looking forward to your good news."
"Mm-hmm."
As Zoe Li spoke, she picked up a bright red chicken wing.
Jason Jiang chimed in from the side, "Wow, Zoe Li, you dare to eat the super spicy chicken wings? Can you handle it?"
......
At the round table on the left.
Cathy Feng tugged twice at Andrew Han's sleeve and, covering her mouth, laughed, "So what if he's a Third Rank martial arts student? Does he dare hit me?"
Haha.
The other girls couldn't help but laugh as well.
Andrew Han felt rather helpless. If Sam Sun hadn't skipped the gathering today, he certainly wouldn't have wanted to sit among so many girls.
Cathy Feng put her arm around her deskmate Chu Ran and declared righteously, "If Andrew Han dares to scare you again, I'll help you hit him."
Hehe.
Chu Ran forced a smile and glanced at Cathy Feng's thin frame.
You're going to help me?
My dear deskmate... your chest is still as flat as ever, and you're so delicate and weak. You want to hit Andrew Han?
Andrew Han could easily send you flying with a single slap.
But among classmates, basic courtesy must always be maintained.
Chu Ran's delicate face broke into a smile at Andrew Han, her long, curved lashes fluttering slightly.
Andrew Han smiled and said, "Chu Ran, I heard you applied to Greenfield College of Arts. Let me wish you early success in getting admitted."
"Ah! Mm-hmm." Chu Ran was taken aback, then quickly replied, "It shouldn't be a problem. Thank you! I also wish you success in getting into Southland University."
Mhm.
Andrew Han responded.
Actually, he didn't have any real conflict with Chu Ran, only because of Gavin Bright. But since Gavin himself didn't mind, Andrew saw no reason to make things difficult for Chu Ran.
For a moment, the atmosphere was harmonious and lively, and Andrew Han couldn't help but smile from the heart.
A little later.
Such pure classmate friendship is rare these days.
Suddenly—creak.
The heavy wooden door to the private room was gently pushed open.
A middle-aged woman in a smart suit entered politely, "Excuse me for interrupting."
Jason Jiang, who was sitting at the center table, turned to look, his left arm resting on the chair. Before Ms. Lee could speak, he waved and frowned, "What's going on?"
This gesture was modeled after the way managers conduct meetings.
After half a month of internship, he'd built extraordinary confidence and a sense of superiority, so he naturally took the lead in communicating.
The middle-aged woman walked over to Jason Jiang and apologized, "I'm the manager of Riverside Pavilion. Sorry to disturb you, but may I ask how long you'll be dining?"
Jason Jiang replied with displeasure, "What do you mean?"
The woman quickly added, "I'm very sorry. Due to a staff error, the Moonriver Suite was double-booked. I just want to know when you plan to finish dining, so I can coordinate with the other guests and try not to affect your meal."
Jason Jiang's face darkened and he frowned, "Your staff made the mistake—what does that have to do with us?"
This was the graduation dinner for Class 3-7. After eating, they were planning to sing in the private room for at least another two or three hours.
Leave early?
That would ruin the mood and disrupt the integrity of the gathering.
Meanwhile, all the classmates at the three round tables stopped their lively chatter and looked toward Jason Jiang and the middle-aged woman.
What's going on?
An unexpected situation at the graduation dinner?
The Moonriver Suite, which had been bustling moments ago, suddenly fell silent.
Ding.
Chu Ran put down her chopsticks, accidentally tapping her plate. The crisp sound echoed through the private room, unusually loud.
The next moment.
Ms. Lee, the homeroom teacher, spoke up, "Hello, we're having our graduation party. It'll probably go late, so I can't give you a specific time."
The middle-aged woman glanced at Ms. Lee. "That works. But the other guests have already reserved this suite, and there are quite a few of them... Sigh, in short, I hope there won't be any conflict. I'll do my best to mediate, and I hope you all understand."
With that—
She turned to leave.
Jason Jiang, still displeased, called out, "Wait, what do you mean? We're having our dinner here, and now we have to worry about a conflict? Your restaurant needs to handle this properly."
As soon as he finished speaking, Ms. Lee's heart skipped a beat.
The middle-aged woman turned back to Jason Jiang and sighed, "Sorry, please understand the restaurant's position. The other guests... sigh, we'll do our best to mediate, and hopefully there won't be any conflict so you can enjoy your graduation party."
Clearly.
Those guests seemed rather troublesome, or perhaps held higher social status. Even as the restaurant manager, she was clearly apprehensive.
As those words fell, every student in Class 3-7 felt a twinge of worry—a faint sense of apprehension clouding their hearts.
That subconscious anxiety had a big impact.
Especially with the college entrance exam just behind them, their mindset was still that of high school students—hearing about a possible conflict made it hard to enjoy the dinner without worries.
"Uh..."
Ms. Lee, the homeroom teacher, pondered, unable to help frowning.
But...
Jason Jiang didn't realize any of this. He just felt that the whole class was silent, watching his exchange with the restaurant manager, and a sense of pride and superiority surged inside him.
No one else spoke. Only he was conversing equally with the manager.
It was as if he was no longer a student, but already a member of society's elite.
This subtle, hard-to-understand feeling was incredibly childish and laughable, though others would find it hard to relate.
"Alright, alright."
Jason Jiang rested his left arm on the chair, trying to mimic the solemn demeanor of managers at meetings. He frowned, "Your restaurant needs to handle this. It was your mistake."
The middle-aged woman remained polite. "Sorry, we'll do our best. But those guests—"
Just then—swish.
At the round table on the left, Andrew Han stood up and pointed at the middle-aged woman. "What are those guests' names?"
Maybe Jason Jiang didn't get it, and neither did the other classmates.
But Andrew Han understood—letting Jason Jiang keep arguing with the manager would only ruin the mood and affect everyone's spirits.
That wouldn't do.
He was enjoying the meal and rare chance to chat with his classmates.
However...
Jason Jiang's expression shifted slightly as he glanced at Andrew Han, clearly displeased.
The middle-aged woman looked up at Andrew Han and said loudly, "I'm very sorry, but the honored guest at that table is surnamed Dong. It's not convenient to reveal his full name."
Honored guest?
Ms. Lee, Zoe Li, and the more sensitive classmates all frowned, their worry deepening.
"What honored guest?"
Jason Jiang muttered coldly, trying to draw attention to himself.
Andrew Han was taken aback, his expression odd. "Surnamed Dong? Is it Dong Quhan?"
The woman's polite smile instantly faded. She stared in astonishment, "You... you know Mr. Dong too?"
It was well known that Dong Quhan was a big figure in Suhe City, controlling gray industries and infamous for his ruthlessness. She herself had only learned his true identity by chance.
"Heh."
Andrew Han sneered and pointed at the woman. "Are you out of your mind? Trying to curry favor with Dong Quhan but not even informing him? All this talk about reservations and potential conflict—it's just your excuse."
The woman hurriedly forced a smile. "You've misunderstood."
Andrew Han shook his head and scoffed. "You want to clear the private room for Dong Quhan but didn't tell him. You saw we were just students and thought we'd be easy to negotiate with, so you tried to get us to leave early and avoid breaking your promise."
Pa!
Andrew Han slapped his right palm on the round table and pointed at the woman with his left hand. "And you're supposed to be a manager? You're terrible at handling people and matters. Don't ruin our dinner—just leave."
The woman couldn't help but defend herself. "You really misunderstood. How could that be?"
"Shut up!"
Andrew Han pointed at the woman, his voice cold. "Go tell Dong Quhan that the Moonriver Suite on the fourth floor is currently hosting a high school class reunion. If he's worried about a conflict and agrees to clear the room, we'll do it—just let him come up himself and we'll leave."
"Go."
"Go."
Andrew Han's words were cold and forceful.
His demeanor had shifted—from youthful naivety to mature assertiveness.
The middle-aged woman trembled with fear, her scalp tingling. She forced a smile and hurried out of the private room—clearly, Andrew Han had guessed the truth.
......
Creak.
The wooden door to the suite closed.
The middle-aged woman's face was ashen as she leaned against the door, her heart pounding in fear.
"That student must know Dong Quhan, yet he's not afraid at all—he must have an impressive background. I really shot myself in the foot; never expected such a remarkable person among high schoolers."
"So unlucky."
"That student must come from a distinguished family, maybe even more powerful than Dong Quhan."
Thinking this,
The middle-aged woman shivered, then walked over to the waiter in charge of the fourth floor and instructed, "Send ten premium desserts to the Moonriver Suite. If it exceeds the manager's authority, I'll cover the cost."