I'm A Baller - Chapter 59

Chapter 59: Demonstration
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

As time was tight, the Wang family kept it simple. They started the banquet on time, then went around making toasts at each table.
Most of them were uncles and aunties, so Wang Yan had to bow and pour the wine for them before making the toast.
Had it been in the past, he would have either been impatient or nervous and awkward. Either way, he wouldn’t have done a good job.
Today was different. He was cool and composed, maintaining a smile even when he wasn’t speaking. His calm and mature aura surprised many of the people who were present.
“Hey, Laowang’s son seems pretty mature, don’t you think?”
“I haven’t seen him in years. He used to be a pretty bashful kid.”
“He’s so grown-up and well-behaved now, even despite his academics!”
“I know, right?! I think that’s it for Laowang. In the future, he’ll be looking after his grandchildren. His son is looking pretty good, so all that’s left to do is to find a good daughter-in-law!”
“Eh? Now that you mention it, I have a grandniece who’s also going to college in Xingcheng…”
“Wang’s son is going to graduate in four years. Wouldn’t that be a bit of a stretch?”
“What do you know?! A close watch ought to be kept on a decent young man like this. It isn’t easy to find someone whose background you’re already familiar with, you know? Where else would you find someone like him? Trust me! It’s a good idea to keep an eye on him first, even if it may not necessarily work out.”
These aunties were simple-minded peasants who believed in starting a family young, so they were always on the lookout for good catches.
That was the nature of his parents’ social circles. It couldn’t be helped.
As he made his rounds, there were people at each of the tables gossiping about him. Wang Yan’s etiquette training and new look were too powerful, so he basically attracted everyone’s attention even without trying. He seemed to have matured beyond his years, and that wasn’t something that could be easily ignored.
The uncles and aunties had nothing but good things to say about him. While Wang Yan was oblivious to that, his parents were not. Laowang and Wang Xiufang were practically grinning from ear to ear.
Their last stop was the table where his classmates were seated. Laowang and Wang Xiufang left Wang Yan with them after a simple toast.
“Keep your classmates company, Yanyan. Feel free to order more if you need anything else!”
As soon as his parents left, his classmates started crowding around him.
“You’re definitely up to something!”
Wang Yonglei was the first person to speak up. “You’ve been weird ever since
Liu Weilong’s graduation party, and you didn’t even attend He Meng’s party.
What’s going on? Have you come to your senses?”
“That’s not all! The last time we took turns trying to ask him out for a game, he refused to come out! He said he had to do some reading!” quipped Zhang Yin.
“What the heck! There’s something seriously wrong with you… Did you suffer too great a shock at Liu Weilong’s party?”
“You guys hadn’t heard how that bunch of b*stards said they would give him hell. Even I couldn’t stand to hear what they were saying.”
Upon hearing that, the corners of Yu Qiuli’s mouth lifted, and she held up her wine glass to toast Wang Yan.
“It’s good that you’re so courageous even after having to put up with the humiliation. I propose a toast to you, Wangwang. Here’s to your success! Show them what you’re made of!”
Yu Qiuli was a very straightforward girl with great social skills. She enjoyed being a class monitor and was pretty good at her job.
Ignoring the noisy idiots around him, he clinked glasses with her and responded with a smile. “I haven’t thanked you properly! It was all thanks to you that we managed to obtain our driving licenses with no hassle.”
He then turned to the other classmates and said, “Everyone, don’t you think we should all thank the class monitor for her hard work?”
“You’re right!”
The guys immediately broke into laughter at Wang Yan’s choice of words. His choice of words had made it difficult for them not to think of something else.
Yu Qiuli didn’t mind their jokes and simply rolled her eyes at them.
Surprisingly, she managed to stay pretty even while doing so.
“Hey, Wang-er. How are you thinking of thanking me? Let me hear it.”
“I’ll send you two virgins to keep you company!” Wang Yan gestured at the boys sitting at the table. “Pick anyone you like!”
The girls laughed and called him a hooligan. As for the guys, they weren’t too pleased with what he’d just said.
Zhang Yin pounded the table in protest. “Who’s a f*cking virgin? Aren’t you thinking too little of us?”
“So are you, or are you not?”
Yu Qiuli looked at Zhang Yin with a smirk on her face, and the tips of his ears promptly became red in embarrassment.
And that was how the conversation deviated, resulting in everyone making jibes at one another.
Just as they were horsing around, a youth walked in through the entrance of the banquet hall and slowly made his way towards the table.
The youth was dressed in white slacks and a classic Versace striped polo shirt. He had one hand in his pocket and had struck a cool pose.
It was evident that he came from a well-to-do family.
However, his looks were not quite befitting of his attire.
He was skinny, so the striped polo shirt was virtually hanging off his frame. He also had a big head on his shoulders, despite his slim build, and although he had a haughty expression on his face, there was just something vaguely wretched about him.
Wang Yonglei was the first one to see him. “Damn! What is Gu Jiashu doing here?” he exclaimed.
Wang Yan turned around in astonishment. He quickly walked up to welcome the newcomer without a second thought.
“Hi bro, thanks for coming!”
“Wang-er, how could you? Why didn’t you inform us of your party in the group chat? Aren’t we friends?” Gu Jiashu complained as he gave Wang Yan’s shoulder an affectionate squeeze.
What the heck was going on?
“We aren’t that close?!” he thought.
Wang Yan was a little bewildered, but he was careful not to let it show on his face. Instead, he apologized to Gu Jiashu with a smile.
“Bro, I wasn’t in town when you had yours, so I was too embarrassed to invite you to mine.”
“How could you say that, Wang-er? That’s not a big deal. We’re classmates after all! Here, I wish you all the best in your studies and your future prospects!”
And with that, Gu Jiashu handed him a red packet.
The moment Wang Yan held it in his hands, he knew that it had to contain at least 70 dollars.
“Huh. I gave you a 30-dollar red packet, but you’re giving me 70 in return?
“What are you thinking?!”
He couldn’t figure it out.
Gu Jiashu was a nouveau riche from Class 8. His family owned mines, and he was easily one of the richest students in their class.
Being filthy rich, he definitely had a clique of his own and rarely interacted with Wang Yan, so they weren’t very close.
Wang Yan was actually being polite by not inviting him, so as to save him the trouble of having to come up with an excuse to decline the invitation.
To his surprise, he turned up of his own accord.
Whatever the case, he was a guest, and as a host, he was obligated to make sure that his guest was well taken care of.
Wang Yan brought him over to everyone else after making small talk with him.
“Come over, Datou! Sit here!”
“Eh? Didn’t you say that you were going skiing in Switzerland?”
“Why haven’t you been playing online recently? I was waiting for you to join the competition…”
Everyone was very friendly to Gu Jiashu, including the girls, who had been pretty reserved up to that point.
Well, he couldn’t blame them for being snobs. Gu Jiashu wasn’t a bad person and had come from a wealthy family. Although he did occasionally put on some airs, he was generally pretty helpful towards his classmates, so it made sense for him to be popular.
Wang Yan had no problems with him either, so they had two glasses of beer together.
“Xiaogu, make yourself comfortable. Feel free to eat and drink as much as you like. Don’t worry about formalities!”
After Gu Jiashu politely declined the seats offered to him by Wang Yonglei and Zheng Hong, he finally sat down next Yu Qiuli casually.
“Oh?” Wang Yan thought.
“Looks like he’s here for the class monitor?”
Wang Yan came to a sudden realization.
Watching Gu Jiashu sneak looks at Yu Qiuli, he could barely contain his laughter.
Things really were different after graduation, huh? Before this, he hadn’t realized that Gu Jiashu was interested in Yu Qiuli. Now that they were all on the verge of heading off to college, Gu Jiashu couldn’t seem to hold back anymore.
If he wanted to go after her, he should do so properly and not act like some loser. He was from a good family, after all.
Watching him in action made Wang Yan anxious.
“How about I show you the right way to do it?” he thought.
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