Chapter 16: Picking a Quarrel

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Zhou Chen followed behind Cai Yaming and arrived at the banquet held within the manor. As he drew near, he immediately felt numerous hostile gazes directed at him. Following the line of sight, he saw a group of second-generation wealthy heirs and officials’ children, whose attire far outshone his own—everything was branded or custom-made.

To avoid unnecessary trouble, Zhou Chen proactively told Cai Yaming, “Don’t worry about me; I’ll go find Teacher Gu and the others myself.”

At that moment, an elder was already calling for Cai Yaming.

“Alright,” she replied.

Once separated from Cai Yaming, the hostile looks aimed at Zhou Chen lessened considerably.

He then made his way toward Gu Zhaoyue.

Contrary to Zhou Chen’s initial thoughts, Cai Yaming’s classmates were mostly second-generation wealthy elites and officials from the city’s top high school. As for the teachers, Gu Zhaoyue was the only one present.

Upon seeing Zhou Chen arrive, Gu Zhaoyue hurried over to greet him.

As the only ordinary teacher present without any backing, Gu Zhaoyue felt deeply out of place. Especially since the single wealthy magnates and high-ranking officials mingling at the banquet seemed like sharks sensing blood, surrounding her. They all put on an air of elegance, casually flaunting Rolex watches on their wrists.

Both Gu Zhaoyue and Zhou Chen knew about Cai Yaming’s wealth, but they had never imagined it to be so immense. Practically the entire city leadership cadre was present—and that was just those they knew. There were even provincial high-ranking officials among them.

One notable figure was the director of the Baoqing City Education Bureau, whom Gu Zhaoyue had met at a recent meeting with the school.

Zhou Chen took Gu Zhaoyue by the wrist and led her to a more secluded corner. Her wrist was slender, her skin delicate. Gu Zhaoyue didn’t resist his grip; she was relieved to be away from those greasy older men.

“If you hadn’t come, I was about to leave,” Gu Zhaoyue said with some helplessness.

As the only two ordinary people present, they felt completely out of sync with the entire banquet.

Zhou Chen smiled reassuringly. “Don’t mind them. Let’s enjoy our meal.”

Looking at the table laden with delicacies, Zhou Chen didn’t hold back and began to indulge. He ignored the strange looks from others. Good food was made to be eaten, after all. And he had no shame.

To Zhou Chen, these people were merely ants with money and power. After sixty years, most would be nothing but a handful of yellow earth.

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Meanwhile, he would enjoy a long lifespan and possess godlike powers capable of moving mountains and filling seas.

Watching Zhou Chen feast, Gu Zhaoyue gradually relaxed. Honestly, she had longed to taste these delicacies. Girls tend to have a sweet tooth; Gu Zhaoyue often bought spicy snacks herself.

She sat with Zhou Chen, initially sampling the food in small bites. Soon, she gave up pretenses and began to eat heartily.

Zhou Chen glanced sideways at Gu Zhaoyue’s cheeks puffed out full of food, finding his homeroom teacher increasingly endearing.

Their unconventional behavior drew disdainful looks from the young heirs and heiresses nearby.

“Who are these two country bumpkins? Anyone know?” one wealthy student from City No. 1 asked.

“That beauty is Miss Yaming’s homeroom teacher. Honestly, she’s quite attractive. Too bad she lacks background—she’ll probably end up someone’s plaything,” another sneered.

“And that guy? Could he be Yaming’s classmate?”

They recalled that Cai Yaming had stepped away briefly before returning with Zhou Chen. Could she have left to fetch him?

The young elites speculated endlessly about Zhou Chen’s identity, mostly with a tone of contempt. After all, anyone with status wouldn’t dress plainly or gorge themselves at such a high-level banquet.

Yet fearing Zhou Chen might have a powerful background, a young gentleman eventually approached with a wine glass in hand.

“Hello, I’m Chen Kai. May I know your father’s name?”

Though Chen Kai’s grades were poor, he was well-informed about notable figures across Xiangnan Province.

Zhou Chen understood the intent behind the inquiry and replied casually, “Cai Yaming and I are just ordinary classmates. My father is a doctor, and my mother is a nurse.”

Chen Kai’s warm smile instantly vanished at this simple response.

With a forced grin, he asked, “You seemed pretty close with Yaming earlier at school, right?”

The question was laced with malice.

If Yaming was really close to a nobody like Zhou Chen, they would make sure he received a harsh lesson—perhaps even causing his parents to lose their jobs.

Zhou Chen gave Chen Kai a cold glance.

“What does that have to do with you?”

The look carried the soul’s might of an eighth-stage Qi refiner, causing Chen Kai to shudder involuntarily and step back.

“You…”

Recovering his composure, Chen Kai became angered. Zhou Chen’s family was just a doctor and a nurse, yet he dared to speak to him so defiantly!

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Just as Chen Kai was about to lash out, a hand suddenly rested on his shoulder.

“Little brother, don’t misunderstand. Chen Kai means well,” said a handsome young man who radiated a refreshing spring breeze aura.

But amid that spring breeze, Zhou Chen sensed a sharpness—he was a smiling tiger hiding a blade.

“Miss Yaming’s identity is very special; even we can hardly aspire to match her,” he said, implying a threat to Zhou Chen: don’t set your sights on Cai Yaming; you belong to different classes. Anyone who dares to covet her will meet a grim fate.

Zhou Chen had no interest in engaging with these second-generation elites. He held no romantic feelings toward Cai Yaming, so he spoke plainly.

“I have no relationship with Cai Yaming beyond being ordinary classmates. Your pursuit of her has nothing to do with me. Whether you succeed is your own business.”

“Don’t set your sights on her through me, or bear the consequences!”

Zhou Chen showed no fear, unleashing his soul’s pressure.

Ordinary people faced with the soul’s might of an eighth-stage Qi refiner instinctively felt fear toward Zhou Chen.

“Hahaha! Good kid, I like your straightforwardness!”

From the crowd, a tall, broad-shouldered man stepped forward. His skin was bronzed, voice rough and masculine.

He was also somewhat of an oddity, dressed in camouflage rather than banquet attire.

Through the Zerg shared vision, Zhou Chen discovered this man was also a modern cultivator.

In fact, Zhou Chen found several modern cultivators at the banquet.

The one with the strongest soul aura was an elderly man in modern martial robes, whose soul strength rivaled a seventh-stage Qi refiner.

Modern cultivators were not common, but given this was the Cai family—a prominent clan in Xiangnan Province—the presence of multiple modern cultivators was understandable.

“Cai Weihua! He’s here too?” Chen Kai, upon seeing the burly man, recalled unpleasant memories and quickly retreated into the group of young elites.

“Cai Weihua? I didn’t know the Cai family had someone like that.”

“He grew up with his father in the military and is now a major. He might even surpass his father in the future.”

“Don’t provoke him. The Cai family’s strength and untouchability come from their powerful military background. Especially since Old Master Cai was a founding hero of the nation!”

Someone else whispered mockingly, “But unfortunately, I heard that Old Master Cai isn’t expected to live much longer.”