Road to Revival

Tang Yikun's purpose in inviting Tao Tang to dinner was correctly guessed by Tao Tang. Tang Yikun did indeed intend to discuss the Hongxing demolition project with Tao Tang. Although this matter was not something Tao Tang could decide, Tao Tang was in a very crucial position. Being prepared for any eventuality and anticipating the enemy's moves was one of Tang Yikun's secrets to success; he understood that establishing a personal relationship with Tao Tang early on would be beneficial to him.

He never expected Tao Tang to arrive in a beat-up Tucson. The car's low class was secondary; it was also filthy, splattered with mud, as if it had just returned from a camping trip. Hongxing Company was indeed struggling, but he knew that their Audi A6 fleet could form a massive wedding procession. What was Tao Tang up to?

Moreover, Tao Tang also invited three unrelated classmates. What the hell does that mean?

Lost in thought, Tang Yikun brushed aside Tao Tang's outstretched hand and gave him a tight bear hug. "Twenty-five years have passed in the blink of an eye. I didn't expect your hair to have turned white. Haha, I haven't forgotten that punch you gave me. No way, I have to get my revenge today."

"Don't even mention it, that kick you gave me wasn't nice either. While I was suffering in the cell, all I could think about was how I'd deal with you when I got out. Haha." Tao Tang hugged Tang Yikun back.

The staff in front of the club had never seen their boss act like this before, and immediately realized that this middle-aged man with gray hair but a light and agile body was the absolute guest of honor today.

"Lü Qi!" Tang Yikun released Tao Tang and saw Lü Qi at a glance. "Oh, has time reversed? Beautiful Lü, you have completely shattered the confidence that I, Old Tang, have worked so hard to build up."

"Alright, Boss Tang. If it weren't for Tao Tang, Boss Tang wouldn't even meet with us ordinary folks. Tell the truth, right? Don't deny it! I've been in Pingquan for over twenty years. Except for four years when I was studying, I've never left Pingquan."

Tang Yikun was a little embarrassed. "You flatter me. You haven't left Pingquan, but I've been running around everywhere. How can I have it as easy as you... Oh, Sun Dunquan! Get out, get out. Don't worry about your car. Just leave the keys; someone will take care of it. And this is...?"

"Han Ruilin." Seeing that Tang Yikun didn't remember him, Han Ruilin had no choice but to introduce himself.

"Yes, yes, Han Ruilin. Look at my memory. I'm really sorry." Tang Yikun chuckled and gestured behind him.

His assistant, a man in his thirties, understood and immediately made the arrangements. Tang Yikun had originally planned a very private small banquet, but now that there were three extra guests, everything from the rooms to the dishes had to be adjusted accordingly.

After they met, Tang Yikun invited, "Everyone, let's go inside and talk." With that, he took Tao Tang's hand and walked towards the revolving door. "I also have a classmate here, Luo Shaoxing. But he has something to do today and can't come. He asked me to give him my regards. Old Tao, does he remember you?"

"Really? How is he? Is he alright?"

"The guy who manages the security detail at Donghu Real Estate has gotten chubby; you might not even recognize him if you saw him."

Lü Qi regretted coming. Sun Dunquan seemed to see through her thoughts, "Am I right?"

"What did you say?" Lü Qi asked in a low voice, deliberately lagging behind Tao Tang and Tang Yikun by a few steps.

"Class! We are all just supporting characters. Remember Zola's novel?"

Lü Qi remained silent. Her attention was focused on Tao Tang. His attire today was utterly incongruous with his status: an extremely ordinary white shirt and jeans, and his leather shoes were quite worn. Such an outfit was completely out of place for the CEO of a large state-owned enterprise with assets worth hundreds of billions and tens of thousands of employees. More importantly, it looked completely out of place next to Tang Yikun, who was decked out in designer brands. He represented Red Star! In Lü Qi's view, although Donghu Industry was a household name in Pingquan, it couldn't compare to the deeply entrenched Red Star.

Was it out of habit or intentional? She couldn't quite figure it out.

Out of habit, she had just noticed Tang Yikun's clothes. His suit was Givenchy, his shoes were Lacoste, and she couldn't see his tie clearly, but when he hugged Tao Tang, she noticed the prominent Maltese cross on Tang Yikun's watch. Just that watch alone could probably buy a house at Golden Olive, right?

"Class..." What a bitter word. Classmates who once sat in the same classroom now have a huge gap between them. People's abilities are different, just like lathe operators in a factory, operating the same model of machine tool, but the quantity and quality of the products are different. They should be paid differently, but how big should the difference be?

The seemingly ordinary Donghu Clubhouse was surprisingly luxurious inside, unlike anything Sun Dunquan had ever witnessed. The decor and furnishings were beyond words; what truly amazed him were the numerous beautifully dressed female greeters prominently displayed throughout the club. Where did Tang Yikun gather so many beauties? Each woman bowed with the same elegant gesture and greeted them with the same soft, melodious voice as they passed. Thinking of the various rumors surrounding this secret clubhouse, which was not open to the public, Sun Dunquan, a scholar well-versed in history, recalled Liu Bang's sigh upon seeing Qin Shi Huang's grand procession: "A true man should be like this." But Xiang Yu was different. Born into nobility and looking down upon the world, Xiang Yu told his uncle Xiang Liang: "He can be replaced."

He could never replace him in this lifetime, unless there was another violent revolution like the one of the last century. Even if such a revolution occurred, he wouldn't be able to enjoy the fruits of victory. All he could do was admire it with envy, like Liu Bang. If the clock were turned back twenty-five years, he would never have imagined that the cunning Tang Yikun would achieve such a great success. Back then, Sun Dunquan was a recognized top student at Hongxing No. 1 Middle School, and a golden road to his future was wide open. But in everyone's eyes, the road ahead of Tang Yikun was undoubtedly a rugged mountain path. But who could have predicted this? Turning back to look at Han Ruilin, who was walking at the back, Sun Dunquan saw him leering at the busty, blonde-haired waitress, and he sighed deeply again.

Instead of taking the elevator, they walked up the winding and spacious staircase to the second floor. On the wall hung a Western oil painting that was at least two people tall. The nude woman in the painting had a voluptuous and healthy figure, quite similar to the style of Ingres. Her pink skin glowed alluringly under the light of the crystal chandelier.

"Old Tang, you truly live up to your reputation. It's a bit like the legendary Red Mansion in Xiamen," Tao Tang exclaimed.

"It's just that Pingquan is a small place. If it were in Beijing, it would probably be considered rustic. But this is our own territory, and we welcome all students to come anytime, for both business and personal reasons. Oh, this is it. Zhou Hongyou has arrived. He said he has already met you..." Tang Yikun said, walking ahead of Tao Tang.

Lü Qi kept her eyes fixed on Tao Tang's retreating figure, and also noticed Sun Dunquan and Han Ruilin's behavior after entering the club. Sun Dunquan seemed to deliberately avoid looking at the club's furnishings and beautiful women, striving to maintain an expression of unwavering focus, while Han Ruilin behaved like a sow entering a radish pit—utterly repulsive. Unable to bear Han Ruilin's lewdness, Lü Qi hurried ahead of Sun Dunquan and Han Ruilin, approaching Tao Tang who was walking in front. Tao Tang was also observing and admiring, but he focused more on the exquisite handicrafts and paintings, glancing at the young and beautiful girls with indifference, rarely letting his gaze linger on them. Lü Qi recalled the novel she had once bought, *Emperor Yongzheng*, a scene that left a deep impression on her. It described Li Wei, a disciple of Yongzheng who later rose to the high position of Governor-General of Liangjiang, and his attitude towards wealth—both an undisguised fondness and a carefree detachment, which impressed Yongzheng's political opponents, who considered him a true master. A true hero is one who pretends to be indifferent to beauty and wealth.

Turning past a screen, Tao Tang saw Zhou Hongyou standing at the end of the corridor, making a phone call. Zhou Hongyou also saw them, waved in greeting, and lowered his voice. It must be an important call, otherwise he wouldn't be hiding at the end of the corridor.

"This room, please." Tang Yikun personally pushed open the heavy door of the private room.

A woman standing by the window, gazing at the scenery, turned around and extended her hand to Tao Tang from a distance. "Tao Tang, do you still recognize me?"

Tao Tang couldn't recall who the tall woman in the dark green cheongsam was. "Forgive my poor eyesight..."

"Mr. Tang, you lost our bet..." The woman winked at Tang Yikun.

Sun Dunquan and Lü Qi, who were following behind Tao Tang, recognized the woman in the cheongsam at the same time. "Gu Meijun!" Lü Qi called out first.

Tao Tang remembered—it was Gu Meijun. They had been classmates in Class 58 for a year. When the classes were divided into arts and sciences tracks, Gu Meijun and Lü Qi ended up in Arts Class 61. Back then, Gu Meijun was a prominent figure in the class—class monitor, secretary of the Youth League branch, and an outstanding student. However, like Sun Dunquan, she underperformed in her first college entrance exam and had to repeat a year at another university. Tao Tang never saw her again.

"I remember now, it's our class monitor Gu. Where are you working now?" Tao Tang smiled and shook Gu Meijun's outstretched hand.

"I just made a bet with Lao Tang that you definitely wouldn't recognize me, but he didn't believe me. How about now?" Gu Meijun didn't answer Tao Tang's question. She shook hands with Sun Dunquan, Lü Qi, and Han Ruilin one by one, but it was clear that she was just going through the motions and lacked the enthusiasm she had shown Tao Tang earlier.

"What is the bet?" Compared to Tao Tang, Lü Qi was much more familiar with Gu Meijun. They had been classmates in high school, but later lost contact.

"A glass of wine, a large glass."

"Squad Leader Gu is a powerful figure now," Tang Yikun laughed. "General Manager of the Corporate Bank of the Provincial Industrial and Commercial Bank, isn't that impressive? He holds the power of life and death over enterprises in the province."

"Don't listen to his nonsense. Boss Tang mentioned that the talented Tao has returned to his hometown in glory and asked if I wanted to come and celebrate. How could I not come? He just got it backwards. You are my benefactor, and I'm trying to curry favor with you. Isn't that right?" Gu Meijun said to Tao Tang.

"Today is a class reunion, not a welcome party, so we can't stray from the topic. Excuse me, I need to use the restroom." Tao Tang went to the restroom.

"Please make yourselves at home, everyone. It's just the few of us here." Tang Yikun gestured for everyone to sit down, picked up a cigar from the table, and offered cigarettes to Sun Dunquan and Han Ruilin.

"Let's get away from here, a bunch of smokers. Oh, Lü Qi, how do you maintain your youthful appearance? What's your secret? You can't keep it to yourself." Gu Meijun grabbed Lü Qi's hand again and pulled her to the window. "I must say, Tang Yikun really has good taste. The Donghu Club is absolutely top-notch in Bei'an."

Before it was completely dark, looking out the window, all I could see was lush greenery. Ginkgo trees as thick as a person's embrace, vigorous camphor trees, sycamore trees with canopies like umbrellas, golden osmanthus trees with crowns like giant umbrellas, and arrow bamboo rustling against the walls... Lü Qi never expected that behind the main building, there would be such a beautiful garden.

"Working in Bei'an? Do you come back often?" Lü Qi asked, turning her gaze away.

"I don't come back often. My parents are in Bei'an, and I don't have many relatives in Pingquan. What about you? Have you been staying in Hongxing?"

"Where can I go? I'd be lucky if there was anywhere to take me in." Although Lu Qi and Gu Meijun had been classmates for three years, they weren't close. Gu Meijun's constant displays of superiority made Lu Qi uncomfortable, and she really regretted agreeing to attend the class reunion.

"Look at what you're saying! Our Class 58 is a top-notch class, producing quite a few outstanding individuals. Now that Tao Tang is back, isn't Red Star your domain?"

"If it's also Tao Tang's domain, it has nothing to do with us ordinary people..." Lü Qi turned her gaze away from the window and saw Tao Tang coming out of the bathroom, waving his hand and talking to Tang Yikun.

"Really not smoking?" Tang Yikun took back the cigar he had offered to Tao Tang.

"I quit, for many years."

"Why bother giving it up! It's my only hobby." Tang Yikun first heated the tobacco on a lit blowtorch, then lit a cigar for himself with a special match and exhaled a puff of pale blue smoke.

Sun Dunquan carefully admired the cigar, which was as thick as a finger, while Han Ruilin said he wasn't used to smoking it.

"To be precise, I can't afford it! This brand shouldn't cost less than 200 yuan per cigarette, right? I'm talking about each one. Even if you smoke three a day, how much would that cost in a year? It would cost the price of a Passat," Sun Dunquan said.

Zhou Hongyou finally entered. He overheard Sun Dunquan's calculations and thought to himself, "Tang Yikun's calculation method is quite different. He might spend the equivalent of one Passat a year, but he could potentially earn enough to buy ten Audis. The wealthy's consumption is production, but most people don't understand this..."

"I'm so sorry to take up your time, old classmates. Old Tang, shall we take our seats? I just got a phone call and I have a meeting at eight o'clock. I'm really sorry." Zhou Hongyou shook hands with Lü, Sun, and Han one by one, his outward enthusiasm unable to conceal the coldness in his heart.

"Alright, alright, since the mayor has official business, let's begin. We're all classmates, so there's no need to distinguish between host and guest. Please make yourselves at home..." Tang Yikun gestured for everyone to take their seats and then said to the waiter standing by the door, "Tell the kitchen to serve the dishes a little faster."

Lu Qi kept glancing at Tao Tang out of the corner of her eye. When she saw him sitting down diagonally opposite her, she glanced at Gu Meijun and saw her sitting to Tang Yikun's left. She hoped to sit next to Tao Tang, but felt embarrassed, so she called out, "Old Han, sit down." Lu Qi was calling out to Han Ruilin, who had been silent since entering the private room, as if he were invisible.

Han Ruilin sat down, right between Tao Tang and Lü Qi.

Tang Yikun, the host, looked around and said, "Hey, I say, shouldn't Lu Qi switch seats with Lao Han? Sister Gu, you should also move over and sit next to our Mayor Zhou."

"Why is that?" Gu Meijun asked with a smile.

"Classmates, today is a small class reunion. It's a pity that only two girls came, but they are the best of us. Gu Meijun is the class monitor, and Lü Qi is the class beauty. They are both our class's treasures. Since they are treasures, we should cherish them and protect them, right?"

"What kind of reason is that?" Gu Meijun said, but still changed the location, moving to between Tang Yikun and Zhou Hongyou.

Han Ruilin had already stood up, and Lü Qi went along with it, switching seats with Han Ruilin.

Tang Yikun glanced at the table. Each person had three drinks in front of them: Wuliangye in a measuring cup, French Cognac in a stemmed glass, and a large glass of freshly squeezed grape juice. He picked up the measuring cup, filled the small glasses, and stood up, saying, “Classmates, as the host, please allow me to say a few words. First, thank you all for coming. It’s been twenty-five years since graduation, and this gathering is very meaningful. Second, this is a welcome back party for Tao Tang. Old Tao has been away for over twenty years, and now he’s returned home in glory, so we must celebrate. Therefore, everyone must drink and have a good time today. Now, I propose we all raise a glass together. Oh, Lü Qi, how can we have grape juice? No, no, the first three glasses must be baijiu (Chinese liquor). What is baijiu? It’s about feelings! Red wine and soft drinks don’t deserve it. If it’s not to your taste, we can change it. Old Sun, you should have baijiu too. Don’t worry about driving; I’ll send someone to take you home later.”

Now that Tao Tang has guessed his intentions, there's no need to rush; there will be plenty of opportunities. Tang Yikun thought.

"Alright, Old Tang is very thoughtful. I only know that Dunquan has a good capacity for alcohol... Since this is a welcome dinner for me, let me say a few words too." After Tang Yikun finished speaking, Tao Tang stood up.

"No problem, go ahead." Tang Yikun sat down.

"Let's set a rule: at our class reunion today, we'll only talk about friendship, nothing else. Anyone who breaks this rule will be punished with a drink."

"Agreed, let's do it that way. Mayor Zhou, do you have any other rules? Tell me them all." Tang Yikun thought to himself, "You're really shrewd."

"I'd like to add one more rule: from now on, no one is allowed to address each other by their official titles. Anyone who violates this rule will be fined a cup of wine," Zhou Hongyou said with a smile.

Sun Dunquan gave Lü Qi a wink, and Lü Qi understood immediately. Han Ruilin also breathed a sigh of relief; he had felt immense pressure ever since entering the club. He had been eager to attend this class reunion, intending to get closer to Tao Tang, but in this setting, he had no chance to speak.