CHAPTER 552: CHAPTER 307: FOCUS OF THE GATHERING

Liu Ying suddenly spoke up, and the scene fell into an involuntary hush.

Liu Ying, once the class beauty, was now divorced, but her charm, temperament, and looks hadn’t diminished at all; if anything, she seemed even more radiant. At least that’s what all the male classmates present thought.

As for the other three female classmates, including Tang Mengjie, they were all quite taken by Liu Ying’s style and grace. Her outfit made it clear she was doing well now, and being from Xiu Zhou, everyone naturally held her in high regard.

So when she suddenly half-jokingly teased Tang Mengjie, it felt somewhat strange to everyone.

Tang Mengjie, though uncomfortable, couldn’t make a scene and retorted with a half-joke: "It’s not like I’m playing the lead role, just a supporting actress. It doesn’t matter if my scenes are fewer, right? I actually have a talent for acting. If my grades hadn’t been so good back then, and I got into our Technology University directly, I would’ve pursued film school."

Everyone chuckled lightly, easing the atmosphere.

A male classmate laughed and said, "I believe Mengjie has acting talent. I remember during school performances or cultural events, she often performed on stage, mostly dancing, and a few times in skits, which she did quite convincingly."

With that said, the other male classmates all chimed in.

Although Tang Mengjie didn’t have the best reputation in class back then, she still had many admirers. Many boys badmouthed her behind her back but secretly wished they could be with her.

Now, at thirty, Tang Mengjie still maintained herself well, appearing more mature and adding to her allure, attracting these men even more.

Tang Mengjie, encouraged by several male classmates, asked Chen Feng again, "Chen Feng, what do you think? Give me a chance to act; maybe I can do it."

Chen Feng never thought much of her, and now seeing her try to flirt with him made his impression even worse. However, in front of so many old classmates, he couldn’t just bluntly refuse.

"I don’t really handle company matters now. I haven’t been to the company for almost a week. It’s mainly managed by a professional manager we’ve hired. If you’re really confident in your acting skills, I can introduce you to a company audition. Let the professionals handle professional matters. If you can gain the professionals’ approval, I can have the company sign you as a professional actress."

Chen Feng’s response was a subtle refusal, unless she really had professional acting skills, which seemed unlikely.

As expected, upon hearing Chen Feng’s words, Tang Mengjie was deflated. Her acting skills were practically non-existent; she’d only performed a few skits at school.

However, she was genuinely interested in acting, and if she could use this as a stepping stone into the entertainment industry, and connect with Chen Feng, the film company owner, she might have a breakthrough.

It’s said that the entertainment circle is a big melting pot, yet people still flock to it, driven by the allure of fame and fortune.

Tang Mengjie’s life wasn’t dire, but it certainly wasn’t great either. During university, due to family issues, she struggled financially, and out of desperation, she was introduced by an older townsman sister to work as a hostess.

Through that, she met a building materials merchant who kept her for several years until two years ago when he gave her a parting amount of 300,000 yuan after a negotiation.

Then she seamlessly transitioned to another benefactor who was also a private business owner. Unfortunately, it didn’t last long. Within a year, this boss fled due to debts, and before he left, he conned ten thousand yuan from her, pretty much ripping her off.

This experience finally taught her that women need to rely on themselves, so she decided to start a business, co-founding a clothing store in Xiu Zhou with her cousin, but it accumulated a loss of 100,000 yuan within three months.

Reasonably, she now thought women ultimately needed to depend on men. But at thirty, wealthy men would only want to casually be with her, preferring younger ones for a long-term arrangement.

Finding an older, wealthy, trustworthy man wasn’t easy.

So things got delayed.

During this time, she was trying all means to find a new protector, and upon hearing about the class reunion, she immediately responded.

The reason was simple: she wanted to see if there were any successful male classmates she could connect with.

Chen Feng now obviously fit her target perfectly. Not only was he wealthy and handsome, they were also old classmates. If she could get close to him, she’d definitely benefit.

Unfortunately, Chen Feng seemed uninterested in her, which hurt her a bit inside.

Tang Mengjie said in a pitiful tone, "You’re making it hard for me. I haven’t systematically learned acting. How could I possibly pass an audition?"

Liu Ying chimed in, "You yourself said you haven’t studied acting systematically and still want to act? Isn’t that putting Chen Feng in a tough spot? His company has to spend money to make films and strive for excellence. If the acting is bad, it directly affects the film’s quality. If the film doesn’t sell, will you pay for it?"

Tang Mengjie was displeased this time, her face souring as she said, "Liu Ying, it seems you care a lot about Chen Feng. I remember back then, you two had quite a falling out. Have you made up?"

This was deliberately brought up and Liu Ying was most worried about others mentioning her past with Chen Feng, yet Tang Mengjie brought it up now.

Liu Ying was indeed angry but maintained her composure, casually laughing and saying, "What’s there to make up for? It’s been so many years. I contacted Chen Feng earlier specifically to apologize over a meal, and he has already forgiven me."

The incident between Chen Feng and Liu Ying was well-remembered by these classmates.

So they all turned to look at Chen Feng in unison.

"Yes, it’s all in the past. I’m not the type to hold grudges that long. Once things are discussed, they’re no longer a big deal."

Chen Feng’s words were true. Before sleeping with her, he still harbored some resentment because Liu Ying had embarrassed him in front of the class back then, causing him psychological harm.

But now, having been intimate, and considering how accommodating and eager to please she is, Chen Feng couldn’t stay angry. Of course, he chose forgiveness.

"You’re really magnanimous!" Tang Mengjie said with feigned admiration, "Usually, if someone were wronged and humiliated like you were, they’d never forget it, let alone forgive."