"Come on~~" The crowd jeered.
Sean Young grew more serious: "I'm being honest. Hey, do you guys know? Once you've met a goddess, everyone else just seems plain and ordinary!"
Sienna wasn't pleased. "Sean, you're exaggerating! I don't believe there's anyone like that in this world. No matter how pretty she is, she's still just two eyes and a mouth. How good-looking could she be?"
"What do you know? Look at how you're dressed—so tacky!" Sean Young looked at Sienna with disdain. "It's all about presence! She doesn't even need to dress up. Just standing there, she lights up the room. You get it?"
Sienna was young, only about twenty, with a great figure and plenty of youthful energy.
But she was just too fond of showing off.
Her pretty face was covered in five or six different colors of makeup, making her look a bit of a mess.
But that's what young people do, right? They're all about expressing themselves.
So Sienna wore a black patent leather mini skirt, knee-high boots, a studded biker jacket, and had a head full of tiny braids with bold Western-style makeup. She looked just like a wild little cat.
Sean Young used to think Sienna was pretty cute.
After all, she was young and had a great figure.
But people always compare.
After meeting Julia Yu in the top social circles, Sean finally understood what true elegance was, and how temperament made all the difference.
Julia Yu wasn't the kind of woman who stunned you with her looks—at least, she couldn't compare with Rona Muir.
But years of professional experience had given her a powerful presence.
Now, as Max Mo's chief special assistant, her dignity just radiated from within.
Julia Yu and Sean Young only exchanged a glance and spoke a couple of words.
But those few words were enough for Julia Yu's presence to shine through.
Sean Young was a little stunned at the time.
But young people care about saving face, so he pretended nothing happened.
After Julia Yu left, Sean Young kept replaying the encounter in his mind.
It was unforgettable.
Sean Young felt like he still hadn't had enough.
He couldn't help but come over to brag about it.
But the others didn't buy into Sean Young's taste—just look at Sienna.
"Sean, are we going to play or not?" Someone slapped the car hood and said, "We agreed to bet a million tonight!"
"Play, of course! When have I ever chickened out?" Sean Young shouted. "I need to make more money to chase after my goddess!"
Everyone around burst out laughing.
This group was mostly local rich kids, not first- or second-tier family heirs, but rather newly rich upstarts.
A lot of them struck it rich overnight thanks to demolition, and their kids were still obsessed with money.
Sean Young was one of them.
His father made thirty million from the demolition of a factory.
Then his father got lucky and invested all thirty million in real estate. Back then, it was only 3,100 per square meter, but now it's ten times higher—31,000 per square meter.
So Sean Young's father went from an ordinary guy to a wealthy member of the third-tier elite.
Several others had similar stories to Sean Young.
Either they got rich overnight from demolition, or their families made some money from small businesses.
They all had the same label: nouveau riche heirs.
These people couldn't get into Stephen Song's circle, let alone Charles Yin or Max Mo's. They're just not on the same level.
Sometimes, status isn't about how much money you have, but how much heritage and legacy your family possesses.
True aristocrats are all about legacy.
For example, the doctor who was set up with Lisa Li is in a much higher social class than these rich kids.
His family has been in medicine for seven or eight generations, with ancestors who were famous doctors.
They might not have much money, but their social status is high!
Take Stephen Song, for example—his family's business has been passed down for more than four generations.
That's why Stephen Song studied abroad and returned to inherit the family business—he's actually talented and educated.
And then there's the Grant Family in Y Province—they're top-tier, with a legacy almost no one can match.
Even if the Grant Family was so poor they had to eat scraps, anyone who saw Mr. Yun—no matter how high their status—would respectfully call him 'Sir.'
That's the power of legacy.
So Julia Yu genuinely wanted the best for Lisa Li.
No matter how much trouble Lisa Li caused, Julia Yu still tried to match her with families that had a legacy.
Unfortunately, Lisa Li not only let Julia Yu down, she eventually forced Julia to give up on saving her.
Now, the only people set up with Lisa Li are either nouveau riche or clueless second-generation heirs.
Sean Young and his friends loved racing.
They rented out a whole mountain and built a road just for racing.
Their families were all rich, and thanks to the old one-child policy, every family's money went to their only kid. That's how they ended up spoiled.
Racing was just one of their hobbies.
And if you're racing, you need pretty girls to cheer you on.
Sienna was one of the girls Sean Young used to keep around.
They learned all this from TV and movies.
They just thought it was cool, like they were connecting with high society.
But in real high society, people might rebel as teens, but once they're older, they all become serious.
Look at Charles Yin, Max Mo, Julian King, Sean Kerr, and the others—they all started running their family businesses around twenty.
Their rebellious phase was basically just a teenage thing.
So this group of forever-teenagers cheered, got in their cars, and headed down the mountain to start racing.
Sienna, out of habit, was about to get in the car.
Sean Young immediately pushed her away: "Out, out, don't get in my way."
Sienna was stunned: "Sean, I always rode with you before!"
Sean Young glanced at her and said, "No need for a passenger today. I'm racing solo!"
"Awooo!" The crowd started cheering again: "Sean's going vegetarian today!"
"Hahaha!" Sean Young laughed wildly, full of swagger. "Let's go, let's go—the race is on!"
Julia Yu answered the phone while heading downstairs: "No need to be so polite, we're not strangers. How about this—let's get everyone together, I'll treat you all to dinner. It's been a while since we've seen each other. Alright, don't be shy, I can afford it. Okay, it's settled."
After hanging up, Julia Yu let out a long sigh.
She'd tried to avoid it for ages, but couldn't escape in the end.
Her old classmates in Newport City heard she'd become Max Mo's chief assistant, and all wanted to throw her a party.
Julia Yu kept refusing, but after enough people reached out, she couldn't say no anymore.
Back when she was an intern, Julia Yu wasn't that close to her classmates.
Makes sense, really.
She started college busy with classes and part-time jobs.
Studying by day, working by night.
She even squeezed in extra courses whenever she could.
You can imagine how busy she was.
So in four years of college, she never had time for clubs or hanging out with classmates.
Even after she started her internship, she was busier than ever, so she saw her classmates even less.
Back then, they rarely invited her to gatherings.
Even if they did, Julia Yu never had time to go.
So eventually, they just stopped inviting Julia Yu and hung out with their own close friends.
But times have changed.
Julia Yu isn't the same girl she used to be. At a young age, she pulled ahead of everyone, opening a gap they might never close.
The same Julia Yu they used to look down on is now someone they can't even hope to reach.
So now, her old classmates are all trying to reconnect, hoping to use their shared past.
It's easy to guess their real motive—they want Julia Yu to help them out.
Most of them work in law, and having a connection at the top makes everything easier.
That's just how the world works.
Julia Yu couldn't refuse anymore, so she agreed to treat them to dinner.
Julia Yu changed into a simple cashmere sweater and dark gray jeans. Her camel coat toned down her usual sharpness, making her look cozy and homey.
At the restaurant, Julia Yu found the reserved room. When she walked in, there were already over twenty people inside.
"Sorry I'm late," Julia Yu said politely, nodding to everyone as she handed her coat and bag to the waiter.
"Not late at all—the star always makes the grand entrance!" someone joked. "Assistant Yu!"
Julia Yu just smiled, pulled out a chair, and sat down. "It's been years since I've seen you all. You're still the same as ever."
"No way, we're getting old," a few men joked, waving their hands. "But you haven't changed a bit—just like back in school."
A woman nearby chimed in, "Yeah, married life is totally different! Look at us, those of us with kids have been worn down by life. But Julia Yu still looks just like she did in college."
Julia Yu just smiled and didn't reply.
Someone in the corner spoke up sarcastically, "Can you really compare? She's Max Mo's chief assistant! Even if she gets married and has kids, she wouldn't have to raise them herself. With her salary, she could hire a dozen nannies. If I had help, I wouldn't look old either."
The atmosphere at the table instantly went quiet.
Julia Yu glanced over at the classmate, not recognizing her—probably not from the law department.
"Julia, do you remember her? That's Fay Yang, your next-door neighbor in the dorms. She was in the business department, same year as you. Now she works at the law firm where you interned," someone explained. "So you two are sort of colleagues."
Julia Yu looked at Fay Yang, who added sharply, "Oh, I wouldn't dare. Julia was the star at the law firm, and I'm just a receptionist now."
Once again, the atmosphere froze.