High School Classmates

By mid-to-late May, all preparations for the store were gradually getting on track.

The renovation is gradually taking shape, with only the finishing touches remaining.

Materials began arriving on site, and equipment installation began.

As for the staff, they have all been recruited and, with Bei Jiajia's help, are currently in the training and familiarization phase.

It seems everything is almost ready, just waiting for the final push...

Watching the store gradually take shape from a rough shell to its basic form, Zhang Yang couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions.

Even if it's just a small shop, even if it's insignificant.

"Handsome Zhang, even though we're quite familiar with each other, I still need to report some things to you." Bei Jiajia pretended to be serious as she reported on her duties.

This includes store renovation progress, material coordination, staff training, and so on.

"By the way, we've found a reliable agency for the operations, one that's definitely not a scam!" Bei Jiajia assured, patting her chest.

"Chives?" Zhang Yang was slightly embarrassed upon hearing this.

To be precise, his ultimate goal in opening this store was to recruit franchisees, which is essentially to exploit franchisees.

Who expects this store to last?

"And you, what are you laughing at, little boss lady?" Bei Jiajia looked up and saw Bei Wei secretly laughing with her head down, so she immediately looked at her and asked.

Upon hearing this, Bei Wei blushed immediately. "Don't talk nonsense. I'm working for Zhang Yang."

"Tch, so modest." Bei Jiajia rolled her eyes. "I bet you're saying you're prepared to work for someone else your whole life."

Upon hearing this, Bei Wei Bei Jiajia stepped forward, and the two of them playfully wrestled for a while.

Zhang Yang stood outside the door, watching the two bickering for a while with a smile, then raised his phone, took a picture of the storefront, and posted it on his WeChat Moments without giving it much thought.

He never flaunts his expensive watches or Bentley.

What's the point of pretending? He wouldn't even bother pretending.

On the contrary, he felt it was quite meaningful to showcase the results he had gradually achieved through his own efforts.

Before long, someone on WeChat Moments had liked it.

Zhuang Jiayi: Okay, I got it. So this is your base of operations, right? Try it when you go to Magic City later.

Zhang Yang immediately cursed under his breath upon seeing this.

This girl's seemingly well-behaved demeanor is just a facade; she's up to no good. We need to be careful.

Soon after, more people started liking and commenting.

Xiang Youde: Not bad, not bad. Let me know when it opens, I'll definitely come to support it.

Zhang Zhaohai: Son, keep it up! It doesn't matter how much you earn, just do your best.

Song Wenqin: Keep it up, you'll definitely be a hit!!

Zhang Yang watched for a while, then let out a soft "Huh?"

Chen Zhuo: Yang Ge, where are you now? Are you still in Magic City?

Chen Zhuo was his high school classmate and deskmate. They got along quite well in high school and kept in touch. However, he later got a job in Gusu, sold his house in Yinghai, used the proceeds to make a down payment in Gusu, and settled Gusu.

It was a rare opportunity for Zhang Yang to contact his old high school classmate, so he chatted with him for a while and told him about his recent situation.

"You don't know? Zhou Shanshan and Luo Yuan got married in Magic City and invited us to the wedding!" Chen Zhuo said excitedly. "Hilton Hotel, sixty tables, four groomsmen and four bridesmaids, what a grand affair..."

The two people he mentioned were Zhang Yang's high school classmates.

Both of them come from wealthy families, and after a long-term relationship, they finally tied the knot.

However, Zhang Yang had no interaction with them. Back then, they were the kind of outstanding students in the class, and the excellent ones naturally hung out with other excellent people. Zhang Yang, a mediocre student with no presence, was simply from a different world from them.

Let's just talk about the college entrance examination.

One college entrance exam led them to top-tier universities, while Zhang Yang ended up in a vocational college. From that moment on, their life trajectories diverged drastically. How could they be compared?

As for now? With his own efforts and the support of the system, Zhang Yang looks back at those classmates who seemed to have bright futures and were incredibly outstanding, and realizes they were just fleeting clouds.

"Oh, that's good." Zhang Yang replied casually, but he had no urge to learn more about his former classmate.

"By the way, is there a chance we can meet?" Chen Zhuo asked, still somewhat enthusiastic.

"I might not be able to leave the store for the time being..." Zhang Yang said honestly. He had some things to do at the store today, a lot of trivial matters, and he really couldn't leave for a while.

"It's alright, it's alright. Send us your location, and we'll come over to check it out when we have time," Chen Zhuo insisted.

Without thinking much, Zhang Yang casually sent over the store's location address.

The two chatted for a few more minutes before ending their brief conversation.

Inside the banquet hall of the Hilton Hotel Magic City.

The venue for the traditional Chinese wedding was beautifully decorated, like a dream.

At the wedding venue, the coordinator, the emcee, and many staff members were helping the couple rehearse for their evening wedding.

Below the stage, the high school classmates who had just arrived stood together, looking at their former classmates, now a newlywed couple, with a mixture of envy and longing in their eyes.

"An eight-year-long love marathon has finally culminated in marriage. It wasn't easy," class monitor Zou Jun exclaimed with deep emotion as he watched the scene unfold. "By the way, how many people from our class came this time?"

"There are probably ten," Song Lina replied, counting them off.

"I wonder if anyone from our class is in Magic City but couldn't attend the wedding. It would be great to have a get-together," Zou Jun said. "After all, we were classmates."

"This...I know someone who does," Chen Zhuo suddenly spoke up from the side.

"Who is it?" The students present all looked at him with some curiosity in their eyes.

"Uh... my deskmate, Zhang Yang," Chen Zhuo said.

"Zhang Yang?" Everyone present repeated in unison, their minds completely blank.

After all, they had been divided into different classes several times in high school, and this person's presence was really not strong. It was normal that they felt the name was familiar but couldn't remember it.

"Oh, I remember now, your deskmate Zhang Yang, right? You two are pretty close, but his grades aren't great and he's not very talkative."

"We haven't heard from him since the college entrance exam. Which university did he go to? Chen Zhuo, are you still in contact with him?"

Several classmates chatted animatedly, reminiscing about their limited memories.

Chen Zhuo gave an awkward smile, "It seems to be a junior college. By the way, I think he opened a Magic City. I'm planning to go check it out later. Anyone want to come along?"

"This··"

"How about we skip it? Let's just sit at the hotel for a bit; it'll be evening soon."

"Yeah, why do Chen Zhuo you go check on your old classmate for us, see how he's doing, and share your updates with us later?"

Seeing that no one was very interested, Chen Zhuo had no choice but to go and take a look himself.

"Wait, Chen Zhuo, wait for me." Meng Baihan suddenly called out to Chen Zhuo.

"Meng Baihan, you... you're going?" Chen Zhuo looked at the girl with long black hair in front of him, feeling a little incredulous.

Meng Baihan was the most beautiful girl in her high school class. She was truly talented and beautiful, and countless boys wanted to pursue her, but she remained unmoved and even achieved a very good score in the college entrance examination.

"It's boring here, let's go check it out," Meng Baihan said with a smile.

A girl like her would naturally have no connection with the inconspicuous students in her class. She was simply bored and restless, wanting to find an excuse to go out for a stroll.

"Okay, let's go take a look together." Chen Zhuo nodded quickly and walked out of the hotel with Meng Baihan to take the subway, preparing to go to the location of the store.

On the way, during their casual conversation, the two inevitably started talking about Zhang Yang.

"I actually remember Zhang Yang. He wasn't very talkative, but you two were quite close back then. You always ate together in the cafeteria, right?" Meng Baihan recalled his few memories.

"Yes, yes, Zhang Yang and I have kept in touch over the years. I even heard a couple of years ago that he was working at an advertising company. I never expected him to open his own shop," Chen Zhuo said, shaking his head.

"Owning your own shop is actually quite good. At least you have your own ideas, which is much better than working a job your whole life and being able to see your future at a glance," Meng Baihan commented casually.

The two chatted casually along the way, and as they talked, Meng Baihan took out his phone and somehow found a graduation photo.

"Look, you two are standing together in your graduation photos. This is you, and this is Zhang Yang."

"You still have this photo saved in your digital photo album?!"

Chen Zhuo nodded repeatedly, looking at the long-lost high school graduation photo. Seeing them in blue and white school uniforms, their faces still youthful, he couldn't help but be slightly stunned.

This is what they mean by "Flowers may bloom again, but youth never returns."

So many years have passed, everyone's appearance has changed, but he is still so thin. I wonder what Zhang Yang looks like now.

"Zhang Yang looks a bit fatter than you, but he probably looks about the same as before. Chen Zhuo, look at you, after all these years, you're still as thin as a bamboo pole," Meng Baihan teased softly.

"Ah, I've eaten quite a bit too," Chen Zhuo said, somewhat embarrassed.

Meng Baihan relied entirely on her memory to recall her former classmates. In reality, where in her mind was there even the slightest impression of these classmates? It was as if they had been forgotten in a corner of her memory the moment she graduated from high school.

Since the distance wasn't too far, the two of them took the subway for a short while and arrived near Tianchuang Business Plaza.

"The location is not bad, but where is his shop?" Meng Baihan looked around, searching for the right spot.

"Let me see, wait a minute." Chen Zhuo held up his phone, following the location, and he and Meng Baihan searched all the way, finally stopping in front of a store.

"Shudu Roasted Duck? This must be it." The two looked at the storefront in front of them that read "Shudu Roasted Duck".

"The shop is nice, not small at all." Meng Baihan looked up at the fairly spacious shop in front of him.

Is this such a big store a joint venture?

They had only been standing in front of the door for a short while when a girl with short, ear-length hair came out of the shop and looked at them.

"Excuse me, what can I do for you? Are you looking for someone or something?" Bei Jiajia came out to check on the two passersby who had been standing at the shop entrance for a while.

The boy was as thin as a bamboo pole, while the girl beside him was unusually beautiful. To be precise, she wasn't just beautiful, but possessed a captivating, first-love charm that made one's heart flutter at first glance.

"We're looking for someone. Is Zhang Yang here?" Chen Zhuo asked, stepping forward.

Meng Baihan didn't say anything, but looked up and surveyed the interior of the store in front of him.

"Oh, looking for Zhang Shuai? He's in the store with something to do. I'll call him for you." Bei Jiajia said as she walked into the store and called out a few times.

"Handsome Zhang, Zhang Yang, someone's looking for you outside."

"Okay, I'm coming," a voice came from inside the store.

The two stared intently into the store, and after a short while, a tall figure walked out of the store.

"Zhang Yang?!" Chen Zhuo stood outside the door, staring dumbfounded at the tall, handsome man with thin lips and a straight nose in front of him.

This... this... where is the trace of the past? How much does it still resemble the past?

Isn't this a male god?!

Overwhelmed by his striking good looks, he was speechless, unable to utter a single word.

"Chen Zhuo? Welcome, welcome." Zhang Yang smiled and looked at the skinny man in front of him. He knew it was Chen Zhuo. So many years had passed, and he was still so thin.

"Huh, there's also... Meng Baihan?"

He finally noticed the beautiful girl with long black hair next to Chen Zhuo, and his thoughts instantly returned to high school many years ago.

"Zhang Yang, long time no see." Meng Baihan walked forward with a smile, carefully examining the tall and handsome figure before her. "You've changed... so much! Unbelievable."

The quiet, slightly chubby boy from high school has now become a tall, handsome, and dashing young man with thin lips and a straight nose.

Such a change is simply incredible!

Zhang Yang smiled and warmly invited the two of them to come in and sit down.

The two walked into the store together, looking at the interior furnishings and the current progress of the renovations, both feeling somewhat curious about Zhang Yang's store.

"This must be... opening soon, right?" Chen Zhuo exclaimed. "It's a pity I won't be in Magic City in a couple of days, but don't worry, I'll definitely call the florist to send you a flower basket to support you."

"I appreciate the thought, but there's no need for any further trouble," Zhang Yang said, expressing his gratitude.

"I'm in Magic City right now, Zhang Yang. I can come over and support you the other day," Meng Baihan said, looking at Zhang Yang.

"Thank you, thank you, you're all too kind," Zhang Yang said with a smile.

"By the way, who was that girl outside just now?" Meng Baihan suddenly turned his head and looked at the distance outside, asking curiously.

Right now, Bei Jiajia is outside the store directing the renovation workers to install the storefront lights, looking efficient and capable.

"Oh, that's our store supervisor," Zhang Yang said after glancing at him.

"A store supervisor, huh?" Meng Baihan nodded, just about to say something more, when suddenly light footsteps came from not far away.

"Zhang Yang, we have guests?"

Meng Baihan and Chen Zhuo watched as a fair-skinned, radiant girl walked in through the door, then watched as she approached Zhang Yang, bent down affectionately behind him, and gently hugged his neck.

Isn't this relationship obvious?

"Zhang Yang, this... this is your girlfriend?" Chen Zhuo stammered.

"Hello, I'm Bei Wei, Zhang Yang's girlfriend. You must be his friends?" Bei Wei greeted them with a cheerful smile.

"These two are my high school classmates," Zhang Yang introduced.

"Hello, I'll go get you some water." Bei Wei quickly grabbed a cup, poured some water, and brought it to them.

Meng Baihan looked at the girl in front of him with skin as smooth as cream and whispered a thank you.

"By the way, Zhang Yang, will you be going back for the school's anniversary celebration next month?"

"The school anniversary?" Zhang Yang chuckled, then shook his head. "I'm not some outstanding graduate, what would I do back there?"

"Go back and visit, see your old classmates, sit down and catch up. I think everyone will be surprised to see how much you've changed," Meng Baihan said, looking at Zhang Yang with a smile.

"We'll see when the time comes. You know I'm busy with the opening," Zhang Yang replied casually.

Whether he goes back or not is really not important. After all, the school anniversary celebration was never intended for graduates like them, and he never wanted to join in the fun.

Meng Baihan nodded, gently stroking the teacup in his hand, trying to find another topic to talk about.

She suddenly realized that she didn't really know this former high school classmate at all. After a few words, she was at a loss for words and didn't know what to talk about next.

"Well... we'll be going now," she said.

"Oh, you're leaving already?" Chen Zhuo exclaimed in surprise. "Want to stay a little longer?"

He had so much to say and so many questions to ask Zhang Yang, he wished he could chat with him for hours.

Look at Zhang Yang now! Is this even possible for a human? He even has such a beautiful girlfriend. This is a complete turnaround in life!

"Why don't you sit down and catch up with Zhang Yang again?" Meng Baihan tilted his head slightly, looking at Chen Zhuo with amusement.

"Never mind then, we'll talk about it next time. Zhang Yang, we'll be going now." It's better to go back the same way we came, so seeing that Meng Baihan wanted to leave, Chen Zhuo had no choice but to stand up and say goodbye.

"Alright, see you again sometime." Zhang Yang stood up to see them off. "You two happen to be attending a wedding banquet tonight, so I won't keep you any longer."

He and his two former high school classmates walked out of the store together.

Outside the store, Meng Baihan had already walked quite a distance, but he still couldn't help but look back at the tall figure standing at the door.

"Can such a drastic change really happen to one person?"

"I never imagined Zhang Yang would turn out like this. You really can't underestimate anyone. I never thought my deskmate would be such a promising talent." Chen Zhuo kept marveling.

"And what's more, he found such a beautiful girlfriend. After all this, I feel like Zhang Yang is the real winner in life."

"You have such a stable job, yet you're still envious of others?" Meng Baihan gently shook his head. "You think Zhang Yang doesn't have any pressure just because he runs this shop? Maybe he's under more pressure than anyone else."

"That's true. Opening a shop offers freedom, but it's also risky. What if you lose money..." Chen Zhuo shook his head, immediately thinking of something.

With this thought in mind, he suddenly stopped envying Zhang Yang as much.

These days, it's better to be stable!

Take him for example. To outsiders, he has a good job, owns a house in Gusu, and lives a peaceful and stable life. He even deserves to be called a promising young man.

When I look for a girlfriend in the future, I'll most likely choose someone from my social circle.

We can't see anything now, but we'll see in ten or twenty years. That's when we'll truly have seen it all and can look back with a smile!