Chapter 99

Ding Ning originally had no intention of attending any classmate's birthday party. With over fifty classmates in the class, if he attended every party, he wouldn't have time for anything else this year.

However, seeing Meng Xiaowen's expectant eyes, Ding Ning found it hard to refuse.

In terms of attending school, he still owed Meng Xiaowen something. If not for her strong support, he would probably have been expelled long ago.

So after some thought, Ding Ning decided to give Meng Xiaowen some face and said with a smile, "It depends on whether you're willing to invite me."

Although Ding Ning didn't mean it, the words sounded a bit ambiguous to others, and Meng Xiaowen noticed it too.

She wasn't very regular in her attendance, often being late or leaving early. Today, she arrived a bit late and didn't expect to see Ding Ning.

Ding Ning had changed a lot, becoming much thinner, and his school uniform made him look very approachable. It seemed like he had a certain charm that made people want to get closer to him.

Girls should be more reserved, but when Ding Ning asked, Meng Xiaowen immediately replied, "Of course I'll invite you. Come to my birthday party tonight."

"Alright, we'll talk on the phone later," Ding Ning agreed with a smile.

The girls nearby let out a long "oh..." as if they had discovered some secret between them.

Wen Na even teased Meng Xiaowen, "So you've already exchanged phone numbers...?"

Meng Xiaowen realized there was something wrong with their conversation and blushed as she walked back to her seat, "What's the big deal about exchanging phone numbers? You gossips, are you happy only if I don't come?"

"Who would dare ruin your good thing, Miss Meng? But some boys might not be able to handle it. If their dream girl has someone else, how will they survive high school?"

"Listen, so many heartbroken sounds!" another girl chimed in with a mischievous smile.

Most of the students were just teasing, and no one really thought Meng Xiaowen liked Ding Ning. Everyone knew Jin Mingshun liked Meng Xiaowen, and although Ding Ning looked good, Jin Mingshun's image was clearly more in line with the high school students' aesthetic.

But Meng Xiaowen couldn't take it anymore. She jumped up and tried to tickle Wen Na, and the girls got into a tussle. During the chaos, she sneaked a glance at Ding Ning, who looked calm, neither happy nor excited. She felt a mix of relief and disappointment.

Ding Ning didn't notice Meng Xiaowen's thoughts. He looked around and saw that some of the boys looked unhappy, clearly feeling the impact.

Among them, Jin Mingshun looked the most upset. He held a book and leaned against a chair, one hand half-clenched, the other gently rubbing a golden ring on his finger, looking elegant and wealthy. However, his hand was tightly gripping the book, his knuckles white, revealing his inner turmoil.

As Ding Ning's gaze swept over, Jin Mingshun also glanced at him, their eyes meeting briefly.

Ding Ning didn't care, his gaze cold, but if not for his sharp senses, he might not have noticed.

Sitting in his seat, Ding Ning found it amusing that on his first day of school, he encountered such a jealous situation, which left him somewhat helpless.

During class, it was obvious that the students weren't focused on the lesson, all thinking about how to have fun that night.

Some students were even discussing what gifts to give Meng Xiaowen, making Ding Ning realize that it was customary to give gifts for a classmate's birthday. These high school students, not too young or old, still had a strong sense of competition, which was evident even in middle school.

Ding Ning thought he should also prepare a small gift.

After lunch in the school cafeteria, the time quickly passed until the afternoon dismissal.

Not all students could attend Meng Xiaowen's birthday party; many had to go home. In the end, about twenty students stayed.

Meng Xiaowen left first. At sixteen, girls can hold a coming-of-age ceremony. She was the main character today and needed to go home to prepare. The other students would have to go to Night Blue on their own.

Wang Ruo and the others went to change clothes. For such an occasion, wearing jeans and sneakers wouldn't do; they needed to wear formal attire.

Ding Ning, dressed casually, also needed to change. Since he had promised Meng Xiaowen, he didn't want to look out of place and be laughed at.

However, he didn't have a suit, so Ding Ning said goodbye to a few classmates and went to the mall.

As an international metropolis, the mall had items of all price ranges. Ding Ning walked through several specialty stores and even saw some international luxury brands, with suits costing tens of thousands of yuan.

He had donated 30,000 yuan and spent 20,000 yuan on an array, leaving him with 70,000 yuan. Buying a suit costing tens of thousands would quickly deplete his funds.

After some selection, Ding Ning bought a suit for about 2,000 yuan, the most expensive clothes he had ever worn.

He also bought a shirt and a pair of leather shoes, which brought the total to nearly 4,000 yuan.

But the saying "clothes make the man" was true. Ding Ning, in his relatively slim-fitting suit, looked quite handsome.

"Four thousand, well, I'm not that poor anymore."

Ding Ning sighed, left the mall, and put his old clothes into his storage ring. He then took a taxi to Night Blue.

Night Blue was located in the center of the city, a huge banquet hall that only opened at night. It was a popular spot for social gatherings and relaxation for the elite of the city.

Whenever top figures in the city had events, they often held them at Night Blue. The number of foreigners here almost matched the number of Chinese, and the facilities were excellent, capable of hosting guests from all over the world.

Passing the parking lot, which looked like a top car exhibition, Ding Ning arrived at the entrance of Night Blue. Wang Ruo was already waiting there. Seeing Ding Ning, he ran over, "Ding Ning, why are you so late? Meng Xiaowen asked me to wait for you outside, afraid you might get lost. If you didn't come, I wouldn't be able to get in either. Sigh, being class president is so embarrassing."

Following Wang Ruo into the golden hall of Night Blue, Ding Ning saw many people inside. The first person he noticed was Yue Ge'er.

As an investor from out of town, Yue Ge'er was usually quite busy. Wearing a yellow evening gown, she stood out in the crowd, her beauty undeniable.

Yue Ge'er also saw Ding Ning, and they both nodded slightly but didn't speak, maintaining a professional distance as developer and resident.

The classmates were gathered in a corner, having taken off their school uniforms and dressed formally. Ding Ning, not knowing many of them, sat on a sofa in the corner, where a TV was broadcasting city news.

Ding Ning was idly watching the city leaders in a meeting when a news report interrupted.

The anchor's expression was serious, "According to the latest information from our reporter, a jewelry store in Tianqiao Market was robbed by armed bandits today. Seven million yuan worth of gold and jewelry were stolen. Surveillance footage captured the scene. If any citizens spot suspicious individuals, please contact the police immediately."

The footage showed six masked bandits, armed with guns, but not much useful information could be gleaned.

The news quickly passed, followed by statements from city officials urging a swift resolution and the deployment of police to secure airports, stations, and docks.

Ding Ning was silent, seven million yuan in gold and jewelry was a significant amount, a major case.

However, Ding Ning didn't think the police would solve it easily. The bandits seemed experienced and agile, likely professionals who had planned their escape route in advance. This case would be difficult to crack.

The news passed, and the birthday party hadn't started yet.

For a girl from a wealthy family, a coming-of-age ceremony was a grand event. Meng Xiaowen hadn't appeared yet, so the students were relaxed.

At this moment, the handsome boy from the class, dressed in an evening suit, walked out.

As he approached, the female classmates were in a flurry. Ding Ning now knew this boy was Jin Mingshun, who seemed quite wealthy and met the modern standards for a girlfriend.

Jin Mingshun smiled elegantly and instructed the waiters to prepare the dishes.

He slowly approached Ding Ning, paused, and looked at him, "I didn't expect you to be Xiaowen's friend. I haven't seen you before. Since you're Xiaowen's friend, you're also my friend. There are many international dishes here; you can enjoy them freely."

Seeing Jin Mingshun casually instruct the waiters, Ding Ning realized that Night Blue was his family's business. This guy was showing off, but his attitude was still restrained, indicating good upbringing.

But no matter who he was, Ding Ning didn't care, just nodding slightly, "I don't think you can speak for Xiaowen, but I appreciate your offer. I'm afraid there won't be enough food."

Jin Mingshun smiled arrogantly, "Night Blue has never run out of food. If you want, you can take some to go. As long as you can carry it, I can even provide a bag, but..."

He glanced at Ding Ning, "The waiters won't carry it for you; you'll have to do it yourself."

"If I need to, I'll do it," Ding Ning replied and ignored him, thinking, "If I really need to, you'll be the one crying."

Jin Mingshun seemed to want to say more, but the music suddenly started, signaling the beginning of Meng Xiaowen's coming-of-age ceremony.