“This one doesn’t work.”
“Oh.”
Yao Ge obediently went to change into another outfit.
He came back out.
“This one doesn’t work either.”
Yao Ge’s voice choked slightly, timid and small.
“But all my formal clothes are here.”
If these don’t work… what should he wear?
“Formal clothes?”
Fan Qing, sitting like a lord on the sofa, raised an eyebrow.
Why did this kid only have serious, formal clothes?
He thought it was just a minor family tailoring habit—but no, this silly kid had taken the initiative.
“Who told you to wear formal clothes?”
Fan Qing stood tall.
He wore a camel-colored coat, the collar slightly open to reveal a white fitted knit underneath, accentuating his toned lines.
Below, black pants showed off the same sleek contours, and a pair of black Martin boots made his legs seem even longer.
A simple outfit, yet Yao Ge looked on with envy.
Nowadays, even being an agent required a figure like this?
Jealous.
But… didn’t Fan’s agent say there was no need to wear formal attire?
Yao Ge spoke hesitantly.
“No need to wear formal clothes? But he sent me a message saying I had to dress formally to attend…”
“That’s them,” Fan Qing interrupted.
He had already walked over to Yao Ge’s wardrobe.
He glanced back at Yao Ge—Is it okay?
Yao Ge quickly nodded and stepped aside.
“Go ahead, please.”
A little naive, but quite obedient.
Fan Qing gave Yao Ge a look and silently made up his mind.
Still, he was completely different from Jian Feiyang.
Fan Qing opened the wardrobe, raising an eyebrow.
He pointed to the distinctly separate section of clothes inside.
“And these clothes?”
Yao Ge glanced at them, a little embarrassed.
“These are just some casual designs I made,” he said.
“Really?”
Fan Qing flipped through them casually, then paused on a piece.
These are what he calls casually designed?
Interesting.
“I guess you didn’t keep in touch with your college classmates much, right? Will anyone approach you to talk when you get there?”
Yao Ge was slightly stunned.
“Uh… probably not. I’m not close with any of them…”
“Is that so? Were you like this back in college too?”
Fan Qing’s tone carried a subtle implication.
Yao Ge had decent looks—not quite at the level of Jian Feiyang or Hua Zi in his hands, but among ordinary people, he was already considered quite handsome.
But…
His semi-long hair, unkempt appearance, and those same black-rimmed glasses he wore when he first arrived…
Fan Qing seemed to see a second ‘Fan Qing’ before him.
Yao Ge understood his gaze, and his toes curled shyly inside his shoes.
“A-almost the same, I guess.”
Such a waste.
Fan Qing thought, finally pulling out a set of clothes he deemed acceptable.
“Try this on.”
Yao Ge took it, stunned.
Really, no formal attire?
“Oh, and this—wear it.”
Fan Qing pulled out a hat and pressed it gently onto Yao Ge’s head.
“Go on, surprise your classmates, let them be amazed by you.”
At the Intercontinental Hotel.
From outside, prominent signs guided the way to the event floor, decorated with flowers, balloons, and at the center of the banquet, a pianist accompanied by a violinist.
Zhang Fu had arrived early to witness all the preparations, feeling increasingly proud.
He hugged the woman in his arms, kissing her forehead.
“Your father really did me a favor—this setup is perfect.”
The woman smiled warmly, leaning against him.
“As long as you think it’s good.”
Before long, she couldn’t help but look up again.
“Do you think Yao Ge will really come?”
Again, Yao Ge.
When would she stop mentioning that name?
A flash of irritation crossed Zhang Fu’s eyes, but he quickly suppressed it.
He smiled faintly.
“Forget it? He already paid his share, and confirmed the time and address with me. Didn’t you see it all on my phone? Do you still need to check with me?”
“Well, I just… didn’t quite dare to believe it. I always thought Yao Ge keeps people at a distance.”
The woman smiled, then glanced outside again.
“I wonder when he’ll arrive.”
Zhang Fu reached out to smooth her hair, but her two-hour meticulous hairstyle blocked him.
He put his hand back calmly and said,
“He should come early. Isn’t he always the first to arrive at class?”
“That makes sense. Let’s go downstairs then, in case he can’t find the place.”
The woman tried to free herself from his embrace.
Zhang Fu’s chest tightened, but he followed immediately.
“What’s the rush? If he really can’t find it, he’ll just call me. Look at you, so anxious.”
“Oh? True, I completely forgot.”
Inside the venue, people began arriving in small groups.
Both boys and girls were dressed exquisitely; the girls wore especially stunning long dresses. Even in the cold, their smiles looked poised, as if frozen at the corners of their mouths.
The boys slicked back their hair, clad in suits and leather shoes, giving the impression of a high-class evening affair. The music played while everyone instinctively spoke in hushed tones—it genuinely had an elegant feel.
Zhang Fu felt extremely satisfied with the atmosphere he had crafted himself.
He even noticed that many male classmates were wearing brand-new suits, occasionally wincing slightly when speaking, which pleased him even more.
See.
No matter how outstanding they were in school, he could still manipulate them.
Following his instructions, they booked the Intercontinental Hotel, paid their share, and spent from their modest wages to buy proper suits.
But in reality, he was helping them.
Zhang Fu felt a sense of superiority.
How many of these people would ever attend a real high-society dinner?
Without his arrangements, would they ever have such an experience?
Picking up a glass of champagne from a waiter’s tray, Zhang Fu sipped lightly.
See, this is his proof.
You don’t need top grades to mingle with the elite.
Thinking this, Zhang Fu glanced at another message on his phone.
It was from their teacher.
That old man would also attend.
Zhang Fu took his last sip, sneering.
He wanted to see how that old man would feel—what’s the point of looking down on him back then?
Yao Ge was his beloved student, yet still the worst performer among them.
The classmates at the venue gradually increased in number, and Zhang Fu’s brow furrowed.
What’s going on?
Where’s Yao Ge?
Why hasn’t he arrived yet?
He was still wondering when suddenly a commotion came from outside.
Zhang Fu’s heart skipped a beat—could it be Yao Ge?
It should be him!
He hurried outside, but his steps faltered when he saw the person approaching.
It wasn’t Yao Ge.
“Teacher, you’re here too?”
“Hello, Teacher! Still looking as energetic as ever after a year!”
An elderly man, full of vigor, walked in, nodding and greeting everyone along the way.
“Well, well, everyone looks quite spirited.”
Once he reached his seat, the old man grabbed someone nearby and asked,
“Who arranged this? Has Yao Ge arrived yet?”
The person froze for a moment, then instinctively looked at Zhang Fu.
“The class monitor arranged it. Yao Ge… Yao Ge is coming? I thought someone like him wouldn’t show up at such an event.”
The elder’s brow furrowed.
“Wasn’t the one contacting me saying that Yao Ge would come?”
Indeed, the old man was here because of Yao Ge.
Zhang Fu sneered inwardly, adjusting his expression as he slowly walked over.
“Teacher, asking about Yao Ge first isn’t very appropriate, is it? There are so many students here; you can’t play favorites.”
The nearby classmates instinctively made way for him.
“Class monitor.”
The old man’s brow tightened even further upon seeing him.
“You arranged this?”
“Yes, I did.”
Zhang Fu’s face held a confident expression.
“Does Teacher find it acceptable? Does it meet your standards?”
For a student who had just graduated to pull off such a high-class event, even among the elder’s own students, he was likely the first.
“It’s sheer nonsense.”
No one expected the old man, upon hearing this, to immediately scold them in a low voice.
His tone wasn’t loud, but carried a hint of frustration at their perceived irresponsibility.
“What kind of place is this? How much money did it cost to arrange this? You’ve just graduated, finances are tight—you should be spending wisely, not throwing it all on a party. This is excessive.”
As he spoke, a trace of melancholy surfaced in his eyes.
“And you’re all design students, look at what you’re wearing. How much of it did you make yourselves? Huh? Just out of school and you’re already giving all this away?”
His tone grew increasingly indignant, and he let out a long sigh while seated.
Several female classmates had already turned crimson from embarrassment.
Their fingers, which had been snapping photos, stopped mid-air.
Seeing this, a few male classmates hurriedly spoke up for Zhang Fu.
“Teacher, what you’re saying—it’s just a party. It didn’t cost much. You taught us well, but in this kind of event, it wouldn’t be appropriate to really wear only self-made clothes. That would be too extreme.”
The elder finally fell silent.
Zhang Fu, standing nearby, turned a shade of green and purple with emotion, then after a moment let out a cold laugh.
“Enough, don’t bother trying to reason. The teacher just doesn’t value us; he’s fixated on his precious Yao Ge. Has Yao Ge even gotten a proper job after graduation? No, he’s still at home. Only you, Teacher, treat him like a treasure. Meanwhile, we work hard for what we have, and yet we’re scolded for wasting. Well, at least we can afford to waste!”
No sooner had he finished speaking, another commotion rose from outside.
Zhang Fu froze, then faintly heard someone exclaim in surprise:
“It’s Yao Ge! Yao Ge’s here!”
He frowned slightly, then quickly relaxed.
Perfect timing!
He wanted everyone to see exactly what kind of person Yao Ge was, and what kind of life he could make for himself.
Zhang Fu hurried to go outside, but after only two steps, he paused and sneered, turning back.
“Teacher, the Yao Ge you’ve been waiting for has arrived. Come, I’ll show you how your favorite Yao Ge has turned out.”
He reached out to grab the old man’s arm, but unexpectedly, the elder swung his arm, knocking Zhang Fu’s hand away.
Zhang Fu was startled, then furious.
This old man is pretty strong?
The elder snorted coldly and stood up.
“No need for your pretentiousness here. I’m still in good spirits! I’ll see my own student myself!”
He strode outside.
Zhang Fu sneered and followed.
“Go ahead, see for yourself. It’s just a homebody; how impressive could he possibly be…”
But the moment his gaze landed on the newcomer, he froze.