Scholar's Court.
After Lynn Chen and her friends left, Gloria Rong glanced indifferently at Evan Lin standing in front of her, nodded, and said nothing more. She turned and walked toward a nearby corridor.
Evan walked beside her, his expression calm, while Ray Lei on the other side was visibly awkward and anxious.
Ray Lei tried several times to plead with Evan, hoping he wouldn't reveal what happened earlier, but never found a good opportunity.
Rockstone Hall.
This was a private box specially set up inside Scholar's Court. The walls were made of bluish-gray stone bricks, so from the outside, it looked more like a scenic spot than a restaurant.
When they reached the door, Ray Lei hurried forward and took the initiative to open it.
"Gloria Rong, you're finally back! I was worried you might leave early."
As soon as the door opened, someone inside called out, and a chorus of voices followed.
"How could that be? We barely ate anything tonight—there's no way Sister Gloria would skip out on us."
Another person chuckled as he spoke, fiddling with a teacup in his hand.
Overall, the atmosphere felt harmonious, with little sign of overt hostility.
After entering, Gloria Rong walked straight to a nearby chair and sat down. She pulled out another chair behind her and signaled to the person next to her: "Move over a bit and make some space."
She spoke, and the person she pointed to was a chubby man with a round face—he looked like a giant pancake from afar. Hearing her, he got up and grinned: "Alright! If Sister Gloria says so, I'll shift right away!"
"Who else but Sister Gloria, right?"
His speech had a trailing tone, almost like a comic act. His clothes weren't cheap but weren't luxury brands either, though the longevity lock hanging from his chest looked especially refined.
"You sit here. Ray Lei, find yourself a spot and ask someone to add two more place settings."
After speaking, Gloria Rong didn't bother to introduce Evan Lin to the others, nor did she intend to introduce the others to Evan.
Once seated, Gloria lifted her teacup and took a sip.
Several people glanced at Evan Lin, curiosity and scrutiny evident in their eyes.
It wasn't until Evan Lin sat down that a girl glanced at him, then turned to Gloria Rong and asked with a playful smile, "Sister Gloria, is he your friend?"
"Sort of."
Gloria nodded calmly, her expression neutral.
"If he's Sister Gloria's friend, then he's qualified to sit at our table."
The chubby man who had just made way for Evan grinned, raised a cup, and asked, "Bro, tea or alcohol?"
"Whatever's fine."
"Alright, let's start with tea. Drinking too much alcohol isn't good, and besides, it's more fun to drink with familiar friends."
The chubby man poured Evan a cup of tea and handed it over, smiling all the while. His look at Evan wasn't hostile, just a little curious and probing.
Evan took the tea and drank naturally, without insisting on pouring it himself or refusing the gesture. This small detail made the chubby man glance at him again.
"Mind telling us your name, bro?"
Before Evan could answer, the chubby man slapped his forehead and said, "Hey, look at me—I forgot to introduce myself."
"My full name is Barry Shen, nickname Baobao Yuan. People who know me well call me Baobao, and those who are new or intimidated by the 'Shen' family name usually call me Brother Bao or Boss Bao."
Barry Shen grinned, his tone completely relaxed.
But the information hidden in his words made several people around look at Evan Lin with playful curiosity.
They were all the type who loved stirring up trouble.
But in their circle, it wasn't about throwing money around—it was all about power.
Power, wealth, and connections—those were what mattered.
These things were all carefully considered.
While Shen Yuanbao spoke, nobody interrupted. Everyone was curious about this newcomer.
It wasn't easy for a fresh face to enter their circle. In the past, plenty had tried to get in by relying on connections, but without family background or a network, you'd end up sitting on the sidelines.
That kind of treatment—like Gloria Rong pulling out a chair for someone—was impossible for newcomers.
As for Gloria not introducing Evan's identity, that was a bit intriguing.
But it wasn't a big deal.
What Barry Shen was doing now was called 'digging for background' in their circle.
Before anyone's background was revealed, everyone kept things polite on the surface.
But once your background was out, if you were stronger, he'd call you brother, happy to befriend you, and everyone would slowly get to know each other and help out in the future.
If you were about equal, you could drink tea or alcohol together, maybe hang out at Olympic Sports Center to pick up girls, talk business, or brainstorm solutions to problems. More friends wasn't guaranteed, but more connections definitely were.
But if your background wasn't as good, you'd be shut out.
The door to the circle would close, and sitting on the sidelines was the best you could hope for. Next time, your face wouldn't even show up at the table.
Everyone watched, each with their own thoughts.
Some who had an interest in Gloria Rong were also a bit wary.
But so far, the boy in front of them didn't seem particularly memorable. He was pleasant enough to look at, but not stunningly handsome.
As for his demeanor and composure, all they could tell was that he could keep his cool. He handled himself well, with no sign of nervousness.
"Evan Lin."
"Evan Lin?"
Barry Shen pondered the name, looking a little puzzled at first.
Lin?
He thought more carefully and realized that when Evan said 'Lin,' the atmosphere at the table shifted, making his heart skip a beat.
Someone brought in by Gloria Rong...
And his surname is Lin.
In Beijing, there was only one family whose members could walk the world with the surname Lin.
But people from that family rarely showed up in public.
Anyone known to bear the Lin name was legendary.
That name represented the ultimate elite.
Their circle was far more exclusive than this one.
Not just them—even the elders behind them, with all their lifetime prestige, probably wouldn't have the face to even glance at the Lin family's patriarch.
"Lin..."
Barry Shen's face twitched, Ray Lei swallowed nervously, confused and lost.
Only Evan Lin, sitting there, remained as calm as ever.