With a soft "click," the door to the box opened.
The members, who were already subconsciously drawn to Xu Fangfei’s newfound beauty, turned their attention to the doorway. She had excused herself earlier, saying she needed to use the bathroom, and now she was back.
However, what caught everyone by surprise was the presence of two middle-aged men behind her.
One of them had an extraordinary presence—handsome, charming, and exuding an air of authority. The sight of the usually arrogant Xu Fangfei behaving meekly beside him only deepened their curiosity.
Who are these men? And why did Xu Fangfei bring them to the reunion?
Ye Tao, as the organizer of the class reunion, felt obligated to step forward and address the situation. Recognizing one of the men as the hotel’s lobby manager, he quickly approached.
"Manager Xiao, is there a problem? We’re having a private reunion. If there’s something you need, you can speak with me directly," Ye Tao offered, trying to maintain composure.
However, Manager Xiao merely glanced at him briefly before stepping aside silently, leaving the more dominant man—Xu Hao—to take center stage.
Xu Hao’s expression was calm at first, but the moment his gaze fell on one of the tables, his face darkened with visible displeasure.
Ye Tao followed Xu Hao’s line of sight, his heart sinking. He had no idea who this man was, but his commanding presence made Ye Tao uneasy.
Before he could ask anything, Xu Hao walked over to a table where Li Yunshu sat with her head down, immersed in her own thoughts.
"...Z..."
Hearing the familiar voice, Li Yunshu looked up in confusion. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she saw Uncle Xu standing in front of her, smiling gently.
That smile washed over her like a soothing balm, dispelling the darkness that had enveloped her heart. It felt like a beacon of hope, pulling her back from the abyss.
Tears threatened to spill, but she held them back, mindful of the onlookers.
"Uncle Xu," she whispered, her voice tinged with both relief and surprise. "Why are you here?"
Xu Hao chuckled lightly. "I came here for dinner. When I got upstairs, I noticed something was off. Then I realized you were here."
He studied her carefully, his smile fading slightly. "You don’t seem okay. Are they bullying you?"
The word "bullying" made her bite her lip. She shook her head. "No, Uncle Xu, it’s nothing."
Meanwhile, the other students exchanged curious glances, whispering among themselves.
"Who is this guy? Doesn’t he realize he’s interrupting our reunion?"
"Wait, campus belle Li called him 'Uncle Xu'? Is he her relative?"
"Relative or not, he’s ridiculously handsome. He’s exactly the kind of charming older man I dream about!"
"Do you think he’s here to support campus belle Li? I’ve heard those girls at her table mocking her earlier. Maybe he’s here to confront them?"
"Don’t get ahead of yourself. They just said a few things—it’s not like they actually did anything to her."
Ye Tao’s mood soured as the reunion atmosphere grew tense. He had spent millions organizing this event, yet now it was being overshadowed by a stranger.
Frustrated and emboldened by his earlier humiliation, Ye Tao decided to confront Xu Hao. But just as he took a step forward, a soft yet firm voice stopped him in his tracks.
"I wouldn’t do anything foolish if I were you," Xu Fangfei warned, her tone laced with caution. "That’s Xu Hao, the CEO of the Xu Group. He’s not someone you can afford to offend."
The words hit like a bombshell.
"What? He’s Xu Hao? The founder of the Xu Group?" someone exclaimed, their voice trembling with disbelief.
The murmurs erupted into stunned gasps.
"Are you kidding me? The legendary Xu Hao who built the Xu Group from scratch? He’s standing right here?"
"I’ve heard Mr. Xu is polite and easy-going, but I never imagined he’d personally step in to protect an employee. Campus belle Li hasn’t been at the company long, has she?"
"Mr. Xu is a true leader. He noticed she was being mistreated and came here to defend her dignity. I’m in awe!"
"If Mr. Xu is this kind of boss, I’ll happily work 24/7 for him!"
"I submitted my resume to the Xu Group and saw his picture. How does he look even younger and more charismatic in person?"
The students were abuzz with admiration and awe, many of them contemplating ways to make a good impression.
Xu Hao, however, paid no attention to the chatter around him. His gaze remained fixed on Li Yunshu.
"You’re saying nothing happened, but your eyes are about to spill tears," he remarked gently.
Li Yunshu blinked rapidly, her emotions threatening to overwhelm her.
Xu Hao straightened and turned toward the door, gesturing for Xu Fangfei to approach. She hesitated, then walked over timidly, her usual confidence replaced by a nervous energy.
"Didn’t I warn you not to bully Yunshu?" Xu Hao’s voice was low and steady, yet it carried a weight that silenced the room. "If you can’t take my words seriously, I won’t hesitate to teach you a lesson."
The shift in Xu Hao’s demeanor was palpable. The easy-going charm vanished, replaced by the commanding aura of a man used to being in control.
The students, many of whom had just entered the workforce, felt a chill run down their spines. They didn’t dare breathe too loudly, let alone intervene.
Xu Fangfei, however, wasn’t trembling with fear—she was trembling with excitement.
‘Dad is so cool when he’s serious.’ She thought, barely containing the urge to throw herself into his arms for comfort.
Xu Fangfei quickly buried her excitement and put on a fearful expression.
"Mr. Xu, it wasn’t me… I didn’t even say a word to Li Yunshu," she said, her voice trembling as she tried to explain.
Without hesitation, she pointed at the six girls seated at the dining table.
"It was them. They were acting strangely and saying ugly things," she added, throwing her so-called allies under the bus without a second thought.
Turning to Li Yunshu with a desperate look, she pleaded, "Classmate Li, please say something. I didn’t do anything; it was them all along!"
Xu Hao’s sharp gaze shifted to Li Yunshu, silently questioning her.
Li Yunshu hesitated but eventually nodded in agreement.
Xu Hao’s cold eyes then turned to the six girls.
The little sisters were dumbstruck. They had followed Xu Fangfei’s lead in mocking and bullying Li Yunshu, only to be betrayed in an instant.
If they had known that targeting Li Yunshu would bring the wrath of a figure like Xu Hao, they would never have agreed to help Xu Fangfei—not even for the 100,000 yuan she had promised.
As Xu Hao’s authoritative gaze swept over them, they trembled in fear. Some even considered revealing the truth about Xu Fangfei’s involvement but ultimately chose to remain silent. Offending both Xu Hao and Xu Fangfei would only make matters worse.
"Are you the ones who bullied Yunshu?" Xu Hao’s voice was cold and piercing.
"She has a kind heart and doesn’t hold grudges, but does that give you the right to treat her this way?"
"Explain yourselves. If you can’t give me a good reason, I won’t harm you, but I will be sure to have a word with your parents…"
The color drained from their faces as they trembled under his words. They were no longer college students but young adults with little real-world experience. The idea of their parents being dragged into this by someone as influential as Xu Hao was terrifying.
One girl was on the verge of confessing Xu Fangfei’s role, hoping it might lessen Xu Hao’s anger toward them.
Meanwhile, Li Yunshu was deeply moved by Xu Hao’s willingness to defend her. But hearing him mention contacting the parents of her former classmates shocked her.
"Uncle Xu, please don’t," she said softly. "This isn’t a big deal."
Xu Hao frowned, clearly unconvinced.
"Are you sure you want to let this go?" he asked. "They bullied you, not just today but even back in school. That’s school violence."
"It’s all in the past," Li Yunshu replied, shaking her head. "It’s not worth making a big fuss about."
Xu Hao studied her for a moment before relenting.
The students, who had been silently observing the interaction, began whispering among themselves.
"I heard what those girls said earlier—it was awful. And yet, campus belle Li chose not to pursue the matter. She must have asked Mr. Xu to intervene, but she handled it with such grace."
"She’s so kind. I never realized how wrong we were about her."
"I always thought Li Yunshu was cold and distant, but now I see it was just her personality. We misunderstood her all these years."
"I regret believing the rumors those six spread. They led us all astray."
The six girls were equally stunned by Li Yunshu’s decision. They had fully expected to face harsh consequences, yet here was the very person they had tormented, speaking up for them.
Xu Hao, however, wasn’t about to let them off entirely. His cold gaze swept over them once more.
"You’re lucky Yunshu spoke up for you. I won’t pursue this further, but let me be clear—if this happens again…" He let the threat hang in the air.
The girls exhaled in relief, hurriedly expressing their gratitude.
"Mr. Xu, thank you for your generosity!"
"Don’t worry, Mr. Xu. We’ll never do this again…"
Xu Hao remained expressionless. "Don’t thank me. Thank Yunshu."
Realizing their mistake, the girls turned to Li Yunshu.
"Yunshu, I’m so sorry. I was jealous of your beauty and said horrible things. Please forgive me—it won’t happen again."
"I’m sorry, Yunshu. I shouldn’t have treated you that way before. Thank you for standing up for us."
"If anyone bullies you in the future, I’ll be the first to stand up for you!"
Li Yunshu looked at the same classmates who had once made her life miserable. Now, they were apologizing and thanking her. The change was surreal.
The surrounding students also gazed at her with newfound admiration.
This moment, which had once seemed impossible, had come true—all because of Uncle Xu.
An indescribable warmth filled her heart as she looked at him.
"Yunshu," Xu Hao said gently, interrupting her thoughts. "Do you want to stay here and finish dinner with them?"
Li Yunshu shook her head. Although her classmates’ attitudes had changed, she couldn’t erase the grudges in her heart entirely.
"Let’s go, then," Xu Hao said, his tone softening as he guided her out.
She didn’t want to stay in this place that had almost pushed her into despair.
"Uncle Xu, I’ll go with you..."
As they walked out of the box, Xu Hao asked gently, "I noticed you didn’t eat much just now. Would you like to eat more with me?"
It was only then that Li Yunshu remembered that Xu Hao had come here to dine and had met her by coincidence. Although she didn’t have much of an appetite, she couldn’t let Uncle Xu go hungry.
"Uncle Xu, I’ll accompany you," she replied with a faint smile.
Under Manager Xiao’s attentive guidance, they were escorted to a luxurious private box.
…
Back in the class reunion room, silence hung heavily for a long time after Xu Hao left with Li Yunshu. Slowly, murmurs began to fill the space.
Some students praised Li Yunshu’s kindness and generosity, while others discussed how much care Xu Hao showed for his employees. Conversations quickly turned to speculations about career growth.
"If you reach a certain level in your current company, you could jump directly to the Xu Group," one student mused.
The party continued with food and drinks, but the atmosphere had shifted.
Ye Tao, the organizer, glanced at Xu Fangfei and suggested, "Fangfei, we’re planning to go to KTV later for some singing and activities. Why don’t you join us?"
"It’s boring. I need to leave. Let’s get together another time," Xu Fangfei replied coldly.
Without waiting for a response, she grabbed her bag and strode out with the distinct sound of her heels clicking against the floor.
Her purpose for this reunion was clear—to create an opportunity for her "good dad" Xu Hao to conquer Li Yunshu. Now that her objective had been achieved, there was no reason for her to stay.
Go to KTV? Why bother when she could return home and plot her next move to captivate Xu Hao?
With Xu Fangfei’s departure, the mood of the reunion deflated further.
Two of the class’s most prominent beauties, Li Yunshu and Xu Fangfei, had now left. Ye Tao was left stunned.
This was supposed to be a triumphant event for him, orchestrated largely because of Xu Fangfei’s suggestion that Li Yunshu would attend. He had spent millions on this gathering and gained absolutely nothing in return.
Without the two centerpieces of attention, the reunion fizzled out.
After finishing dinner, the students dispersed.
As they left the hotel, conversations about what had happened in the room continued.
"Campus belle Li has caught the attention of Mr. Xu. I wouldn’t be surprised if she becomes a major figure in the future."
"Who wouldn’t envy her? If only I could also catch Mr. Xu’s eye…"
The chatter reached the ears of Li Xiao, who stood nearby with a weary and troubled expression. Hearing the mention of Li Yunshu’s name, his spirit jolted awake.
He quickly stepped forward and grabbed one of the classmates by the arm.
"Ouch!" the classmate exclaimed, frowning in pain. But when he turned and saw Li Xiao’s bloodshot eyes and fierce expression, his anger dissolved into fear.
"What did you just say about campus belle Li?" Li Xiao demanded, his voice trembling with urgency.
"She’s one of our classmates. We just had a party with her," the classmate stammered. "Her name is Li Yunshu."
Li Xiao’s heart pounded. He had feared as much, but hearing her name confirmed it—this school beauty Li Yunshu was indeed his sister.
"Who is this Mr. Xu you mentioned?" Li Xiao pressed, his tone dark and threatening.
"Mr. Xu... He’s Xu Hao, the boss of the Xu Group," the classmate answered nervously.
As soon as he heard the name, Li Xiao released the classmate’s arm abruptly and sprinted back toward the hotel without a second thought.
…
At the same time, in the luxurious private box...
Xu Hao leaned over a sheet of white paper, his pen dancing across its surface, lost in thought as if plotting his next move.