Rebirth and making money first

Zhang Jing asked absentmindedly, "Do people like that still exist these days? Just from the story you made up, it's obvious you have no talent. You even flew back for me. Why didn't you say he sent me a large sum of money so I could buy the house right away?"

Liu Xiaoping smiled and said, "Don't tell me, he might really help you!"

Zhang Jing said dismissively, "Come on, I don't believe such a good thing will happen to me. I never dream of pie falling from the sky and hitting me on the head. Don't be so naive, wake up quickly. We have to order more dishes later. Otherwise, if we pay so much money and don't get our money's worth, wouldn't that be a big loss?"

Liu Xiaoping quickly nodded in agreement, "Okay, okay, if we eat together, we'll definitely get our money's worth. By the way, the guy I told you about is called Huang Zhicheng. Have you two ever sat at the same table for a few days?"

Zhang Jing thought carefully and finally remembered this person: "Oh, it's him! I remember his eyes were always squinting, and he came from a well-off family. I think he had a younger brother. His parents worked in the commercial department at the time, right?"

Liu Xiaoping said in surprise: "Wow, Zhang Jing, I didn't realize you know him so well?"

Zhang Jing smiled and replied, "Haha, I don't really know much about him. I just have some impression. I still remember when he was little, his mother bought him a tape recorder for his studies. Back then, many families didn't even have radios."

Liu Xiaoping asked curiously, "Why don't I remember such a thing?"

Zhang Jing continued, "That was back in elementary school. He was often kept after school for playing around, and his younger brother was often called in by the teacher to be the messenger for parents. But that was a long time ago. Now that we're all grown up, I'm sure a lot has changed."

Liu Xiaoping nodded in agreement. "Indeed, time flies, and we've all changed a lot. I hope this gathering will allow us to get to know each other better and rekindle our old friendship."

"Don't say anything that hurts your self-esteem. You may look like a lady from a noble family when you are silent, but you will be socially devastated when you open your mouth. Many people who attend class reunions recall their hazy first love, and some even give up their original wives and children just to go through the fire." Liu Xiaoping advised Zhang Jing while feeling very emotional.

After entering, the classmates really greeted each other enthusiastically. Looking at the people I knew in the past, most of them had white hair. "Time is a butcher's knife. It didn't let me go, and it won't let them go either!" Zhang Jing felt at ease.

Everyone took their seats and said a few words to each other. The host said they had already ordered the dishes, but if they were not satisfied, they could order more. He also asked Zhang Jing if she had any other favorite dishes to order. Zhang Jing said no, "The guest should follow the host's wishes." Huang Zhicheng sat at the main seat, looked at Zhang Jing and smiled, "I knew you were back, and I came back just because I was not busy. It's really not easy to meet. I had the opportunity to go to Shenzhen last time, and I wonder where you are."

Zhang Jing said, "I can barely make ends meet, but I dare not let anyone know. Now I'm back to see my mom!"

"You're so filial!" Everyone praised Zhang Jing. Zhang Jing waved her hands and said, "We all have parents and children to take care of. It's not easy for anyone. Let's drink to ourselves!"

The classmates also joined in the fun. Zhang Jing showed off a lot of meat, and Liu Xiaotiping also ate voraciously. As Zhang Jing ate, she thought about how many days she had to stay before she could leave.

Someone suggested going to karaoke after dinner, but most of the women objected. Zhang Jing wanted to go home, but Huang Zhicheng insisted on sending her home. He watched as Liu Xiaoping and the others gave Zhang Jing a considerate, "You know what I mean" look, ignoring her pleading gaze.

Zhang Jing finally chose to go back with Huang Zhicheng and accepted his request to go back so that they could talk.

"How are you doing now? I often ask my classmates about you, and they all say you're in Shenzhen. Sometimes I really want to go see you!" Seeing Zhang Jing glaring at him, he smiled and said, "Don't disbelieve me, I really went to Shenzhen and met Xu Hongxia. She even treated me to a big dinner."

Xu Hongxia was also one of my classmates, and a top student. She advanced through the ranks and entered the Public Security University, earning a job at the Shenzhen Procuratorate upon graduation. A true champion among the commoners, she earned the respect of classmates who once felt outshone by her academic performance.

Only Zhang Jing would not do this, but when she heard that Huang Zhicheng went to Shenzhen to meet her but ignored her, she still felt a little unhappy.

After arriving at the door, Zhang Jing and Huang Zhicheng stood together, and Zhang Jing smiled and said goodbye to him: "Thank you for taking me home." After that, she turned around and prepared to leave. However, at this moment, Huang Zhicheng suddenly said: "Wait a minute."

Zhang Jing stopped and looked at him in confusion. Huang Zhicheng took a deep breath and, mustering up the courage, asked, "If I had confessed my feelings to you back then, would we have been together?" The question came so abruptly that Zhang Jing was momentarily surprised, but she quickly regained her composure.

She thought seriously for a moment and answered frankly, "Maybe." But she secretly added, "We will be together, but we will also be apart. After all, we only had a slight affection for each other back then."

Hearing her answer, Huang Zhicheng seemed a little excited, his voice trembling slightly: "But... why didn't I feel it at that time?"

Zhang Jing smiled gently, a hint of tenderness flashing in her eyes, and slowly said: "Actually, I liked you when we were in elementary school, but your eyes were always on other people. I remember one time when we were sitting together, you smiled at me, revealing your cute dimples. At that moment, I fell in love with you."

Recalling that time, Zhang Jing's eyes softened. "Later, to get your attention and make you remember me, I deliberately raised my hand and told the teacher that you had grabbed my hand. The teacher was very angry because someone had reported you for the same thing before, resulting in you being severely criticized. So this time, the teacher felt that you had not changed despite repeated warnings and gave you a severe reprimand."

Huang Zhicheng couldn't help but touch his head after hearing this, a confused expression on his face: "Really? How come I don't remember anything at all?"

Zhang Jing smiled slightly and said softly, "Yes, maybe you have forgotten it, but these details have always been deeply imprinted in my mind." After that, she looked at Huang Zhicheng again. This man was fat and tall, and he must have lived a good life. Huang Zhicheng stood quietly there, lost in thought.

"Actually, I was the one who framed you. I saw you getting scolded without explaining or complaining, and even smiled foolishly at me after class. I regretted it. I regretted treating you like that." After Zhang Jing finished speaking, she suddenly felt a lot more relaxed.

"I didn't expect you were such a bad kid! You even bullied me?"

"You really don't remember? I feel sorry for you every time I think of this all these years. Since you don't remember, it means I remembered it wrongly. It didn't happen. I lied to you." Zhang Jing smiled and felt that he saw the silly boy again.

"No, you sound so convincing. The more I think about it, the more I feel it's true. Are you going to make it up to me? Can we still be together?"

Zhang Jing put away her smile and said, "You're married and have children now, how about being with me?"

Huang Zhicheng said: "There's nothing wrong with getting married. Many people have families outside their homes. As long as my wife doesn't know, we can settle down outside. You help me have a child. I'll rent a house and pay for everything."

Zhang Jing looked at the man with a big belly, a big head and a thick neck, her eyes turned cold, and she said, "I don't agree!"

Huang Zhicheng was anxious, "I have a child and cannot get a divorce. You have to understand."

Zhang Jing stopped him from talking, "Listen to me first." Huang Zhicheng said, "Okay, go ahead!"

"Between us, I just like you, and you don't even have feelings for me. Don't rush to deny it! Otherwise, there's no way we wouldn't have been together back then. It's meaningful to be together in both directions."

"I've carefully examined my feelings. What I like is the young, skinny, and innocent you, not the bloated and dirty you now. You're not him, and I can't accept the you you are now. So we just met at the wrong time and place. Go back and rest early!"

Zhang Jing turned and walked away. Huang Zhicheng called out from behind her, "Are you willing to accept this? We missed it, but I'm not willing to accept this!"

Zhang Jing ignored him. Everyone is constantly losing their original selves. At the class reunion, some people thought they could find their former selves, but later they found that it was all in vain!

You can only move forward, don't stop and don't look back.