Chapter 10: The Arrival of the School Belle

As that voice rang out, a charming figure appeared before everyone’s eyes.

“Zuo Qianhui!” Several sharp-eyed classmates immediately cried out in surprise.

Some male students even tumbled off their chairs. “The most beautiful school belle in history!”

At that moment, Fan Wenbin’s eyes went wide; without realizing it, he loosened his grip on Fan Ling’s hand.

The girls, if anything, were more captivated than the boys, staring unblinkingly at Zuo Qianhui. They wanted to discern exactly what set her apart from them, what made those boys so utterly infatuated.

Only Fan Ling remained calm. When Zuo Qianhui appeared, her heart skipped a beat—especially at that address, “Brother Yu,” which struck her like a blow to the head.

She felt as if she had willingly given up something that once belonged to her. If no one wanted it, that would be fine, but now that someone else had picked it up, a faint displeasure stirred within her.

“Brother Yu? Who is she calling? Among the boys here, only Chen Yuyi has ‘Yu’ in his name, doesn’t he?” A few boys whispered among themselves.

“Isn’t it obvious?”

All eyes turned to Chen Yuyi.

Zuo Qianhui’s cheeks were tinged with a rosy glow as she gazed sweetly at Chen Yuyi. That address—“Brother Yu”—had echoed countless times in her heart; this time it slipped out before she could help herself.

Following close behind her were two middle-aged men in tailored suits, the hotel’s general manager and deputy general manager.

The lobby manager hurried eagerly toward them, pointing at Chen Yuyi and announcing, “Sirs, you’re just in time! This waiter’s behavior is completely unacceptable—I was about to fire him!”

The two managers shuddered and glanced at Zuo Qianhui.

“Frankly, your hotel shouldn’t tolerate people like this,” Fan Wenbin sneered. Ever since Zuo Qianhui appeared, his resentment toward Chen Yuyi only grew. How could a nobody like him make the school beauty call him “Brother Yu”? It filled him with both anger and jealousy.

Moreover, before Zuo Qianhui arrived, Chen Yuyi’s brief display of presence had actually made Fan Wenbin feel a hint of fear—a humiliation he could hardly bear.

With both managers present, he certainly wouldn’t miss a chance to lodge a complaint against Chen Yuyi.

The lobby manager loudly berated Chen Yuyi in front of his superiors, not noticing that throughout, the two general managers kept glancing nervously at Zuo Qianhui.

He’d never had the chance to meet the eldest daughter of the Zuo family and didn’t recognize her. Blinded by anger, he paid no attention to the details. After his tirade, he added viciously, “Whoever brought this brat in should be sacked too. If we don’t fire him, what will become of our hotel’s image?”

With a crack, the deputy general manager could hold back no longer. He stepped forward and rapped the lobby manager on the head. “Shut up, now!”

The lobby manager was his nephew, so he held back; if it had been someone else, he’d have come down much harder.

“Uncle, why did you hit me?” the lobby manager asked, dazed.

But the general manager showed no such restraint. He pushed the deputy aside and slapped the lobby manager hard on both cheeks. “Get out of my sight! It’s people like you who ruin our hotel’s reputation!”

The lobby manager stared in disbelief, clutching his face. “Why?”

It wasn’t just him—Fan Wenbin, Fan Ling, and the other classmates were equally stunned.

The deputy general manager, no longer caring for niceties, kicked the lobby manager twice. “Pack up and leave! Don’t expect a cent of your wages!”

The lobby manager stared wide-eyed, incredulous, but before he could react, the general manager had already summoned two security guards to drag him out.

“Why? Why... I’m the lobby manager! How dare you two little security guards treat me like this...”

As the lobby manager’s voice faded into the distance, a hush fell over the lobby—one could hear a pin drop.

“Are these all your classmates?” Zuo Qianhui suddenly smiled, breaking the silence.

The two general managers excused themselves. After all, Zuo Qianhui had instructed them not to reveal her identity; how could they dare disobey?

“Ah, Miss Zuo, please have a seat!” Several male students greeted her enthusiastically.

With their lead, the room warmed up. It was as if the entire preceding scene had been filtered out—no one wanted to believe any of it had anything to do with Chen Yuyi.

Even Fan Wenbin went up to her, saying, “Miss Zuo, having you here for our celebration is a true honor. Let me propose a toast to you on behalf of everyone!”

Zuo Qianhui cast a discreet glance at Chen Yuyi, noticing how unwelcome he seemed. Her smile faded. “I don’t drink.”

“That’s all right, just a symbolic sip. Besides, this is a 1987 Lafite, not some ordinary red wine,” Fan Wenbin boasted, pouring a glass and setting it before her.

Without even looking, Zuo Qianhui waved her hand, and Fan Wenbin, caught off guard, dropped the glass. It shattered on the floor.

“Brother Yu, let’s go. It’s too crowded here—I’m feeling stifled.” Without sparing anyone a glance, Zuo Qianhui took Chen Yuyi’s arm.

The entire room was struck dumb.

Watching Chen Yuyi’s arm brush against the softness at Zuo Qianhui’s chest, the boys stared not just in shock but with open admiration.

Fan Wenbin stood frozen, his face twitching, then glanced reflexively at Fan Ling beside him. Suddenly, he felt as if he hadn’t stolen Fan Ling away from Chen Yuyi, but rather that Chen Yuyi had chosen Zuo Qianhui and left Fan Ling behind—as if he had picked up someone’s discarded shoes.

At that moment, he almost wished he could sink into the ground.

“Yes, I was just about to leave as well. Let’s go,” said Chen Yuyi, who indeed had no desire to stay.

And so, everyone watched, mouths agape, as he and Zuo Qianhui departed—stunned for a long time.

...

In the general manager’s office, Zuo Qianhui fiddled shyly with the hem of her dress.

“Brother Yu, are you satisfied with this job?”

Pfft!

Chen Yuyi was sipping the tea the general manager had handed him and nearly sprayed it out when he heard those words.

“What’s wrong?” Zuo Qianhui hurried over to pat his back.

Like a startled rabbit, Chen Yuyi sprang up. “I’m fine!”

Zuo Qianhui was baffled by his reaction.

Realizing his loss of composure, Chen Yuyi said, “Miss Zuo, could you not call me that? It feels a bit awkward.” In truth, being addressed so affectionately by such a beautiful lady was gratifying, but he remembered he was a married man and shouldn’t get carried away.

“Why? Does Brother Chen dislike Qianhui?” Zuo Qianhui refrained from using “Brother Yu” again, her large eyes misting over.

“Of course not!” Chen Yuyi quickly reassured her with a gentle tone. “I’m just not used to it, that’s all. It’s fine to call me Brother Chen.”

Zuo Qianhui bit her lip softly, then smiled. “All right, I’ll call you Brother Chen. So, Brother Chen, are you happy with your job?”

“To be honest, not entirely.”

“Oh! Then I’ll arrange another position for you,” Zuo Qianhui offered, rising to her feet.

“No, hear me out, Miss Zuo. I told you before—I just want a peaceful job. The position you gave me is too high; I’m not comfortable with it.”

She chuckled lightly. “You’ll get used to it. If not, I can ask around at a few real estate companies or shopping centers to see if they’re hiring.”

Chen Yuyi clicked his tongue. Clearly, the Zuo family’s business reached far and wide. But if he switched jobs again, who knew what more absurdities might ensue?

“No need. In that case, I’ll just stick to being a waiter here.”

Zuo Qianhui smiled gently. What Chen Yuyi did wasn’t important; what mattered was that he remained within her reach. She understood that some things take time to change. So, when he minded her calling him “Brother Yu,” she changed her tone without protest. All her life, anything she wanted had become hers in the end. In her heart, she believed Chen Yuyi would belong to her one day, too.

Not long after Zuo Qianhui left—

“Mr. Chen!” The general manager approached respectfully. “I heard your classmates are in Hall 1314. Should we extend a discount on their bill?”

He was trying to curry favor. If Chen Yuyi agreed, the manager would personally cover their expenses. Anyone favored by Miss Zuo was worth flattering.

“They did just file a complaint about me, didn’t they?” Chen Yuyi replied coolly.

The general manager froze, then nodded seriously. “Understood!”

He nearly wanted to slap himself. He’d been present when the lobby manager made a scene, and yet still came to ask—how foolish.

Chen Yuyi wasn’t in the mood for anything else. Alone in the general manager’s office, he began to circulate his internal energy.

The energy within him surged like bubbles, rising and falling in his throat and lungs, churning back and forth. His entire body was stirred by his breath; he entered a state of deep focus.

Only after the fiercest wave does one see the gold.

At last, he reached the limit of his breath.

With a whoosh, a mouthful of impure air burst from his lips.

His whole body became exquisitely sensitive and nimble; his organs began to strengthen and condense, the impurities in his flesh slowly refined and expelled.

This was the sixth stage of Body Refinement—Breath Control.

“The Flood Dragon King said that after reaching this stage, further progress will require opportunity. I can sense it too—on my own, I can hardly move forward. I suppose I’ll have to wait for the right chance,” Chen Yuyi reflected, the light in his eyes slowly fading.

“You have to let me in! I need to see your general manager!” A commotion rose outside.

“Our general manager isn’t here. If you keep making trouble, we won’t be so polite!”

“I really need to see the general manager—please, let me through!”

Chen Yuyi frowned slightly. It was Fan Ling’s voice.