Chapter Fifty-Two: The Reunion (2)

Tong Bin didn’t seem much different from his university days. Although he was no longer wearing his usual T-shirt and sweatpants, and had switched to a shirt and suit, Kong Yajie felt as if she’d been transported back in time the moment she saw him.

The first time she approached Tong Bin, she’d scanned the classroom and found him sitting in a corner—solitary, staring straight at her. Compared to the expectation in his eyes back then, there was now a touch of loneliness.

Kong Yajie had already calmed herself. She tugged at her husband Gao Yan’s hand. “Let’s go over.”

Zheng Yichao said, “Tonight’s a buffet, everyone can do as they like. The seating’s just for convenience. I’m not planning any speeches. We’re all old classmates, we’ve reached the age of thirty, so I thought we should get together.”

Someone chimed in, “Yeah, in the blink of an eye, we’re all thirty, a lot of people are married with kids now.”

“You didn’t bring your kid?”

“No, left him with his grandparents. It’s nice to have a break. You have no idea how exhausting it is raising a child.”

The conversation drifted away.

Kong Yajie pulled Gao Yan toward their table.

Zheng Yichao stepped aside, watching them leave, then turned back to continue chatting with the people at his table.

“Bin,” Kong Yajie greeted him familiarly.

Tong Bin stood up awkwardly, wiping his palms on his pants, his gaze evasive, but soon managed a smile. “Yaya. Uh... is this your husband?”

He said “Yaya” and immediately realized the awkwardness, quickly looking at Gao Yan, his expression even more embarrassed.

Gao Yan, however, was unfazed. “Yes, I’m Yaya’s husband, Gao Yan. She’s mentioned you often. I was abroad for a while, and after returning was busy with work, so never got to meet you.”

Tong Bin instinctively shook hands with Gao Yan.

“Sit down, don’t just stand there,” Kong Yajie said.

Gao Yan pulled out a chair for her, but didn’t sit himself. He looked around. “I’ll go get you something to eat and drink.”

Kong Yajie nodded.

Gao Yan left, leaving just Kong Yajie and Tong Bin at the table.

Without the stranger, Tong Bin wasn’t any more relaxed. He kept his head down, holding his glass, saying nothing.

Kong Yajie spoke apologetically, “I’m sorry for keeping it from you.”

Tong Bin looked up.

Kong Yajie sighed, “We work in the same field... Though we’re not on the front lines, he’s always been in research, even abroad. After he returned, he joined Youkang’s R&D department as a supervisor... You know, our companies have always been competitors. Five years ago was the fiercest period—our company poached Luo Zheng, theirs poached Director Kang and Andy, Lao Fu always asked about our relationship with Zheng Yichao; sometimes someone was sent to jail, then there were all sorts of rumors...”

She pursed her lips, glanced at Zheng Yichao, still the focus of the crowd, then slowly closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair, showing signs of fatigue.

After a long breath, Kong Yajie continued, “When we graduated, there were thousands of companies in the market, all doing well. Ten years later, big fish eat small fish, small fish eat shrimp, and those who can’t eat just starve... Now, barely a hundred companies remain. The only ones making big profits are us, Youkang, and Zheng Yichao’s Houyi.”

She stared blankly for a while before murmuring, “Maybe that’s why I’ve become so paranoid...”

“What?” Tong Bin hadn’t caught her words.

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Kong Yajie quickly shook her head. “No, it’s nothing.”

Tong Bin took a sip of his drink, slowly set down the glass. “Did Zheng Yichao know you and Gao Yan were dating since way back?”

Kong Yajie replied, “Probably ran into us during university.” She laughed, “You really were oblivious. We used to spend so much time together in the library, working on our thesis, texting and calling—didn’t you notice?”

Tong Bin gave a bitter smile. “No.”

“You really...” Kong Yajie seemed about to say more, but Gao Yan returned with a tray.

“What are you talking about?” Gao Yan handed food to Kong Yajie.

Kong Yajie straightened. “Industry stuff.”

Gao Yan teased, “You’ve already switched jobs, and you’re still talking about our field? If anything, it should be me and Tong Bin.”

Tong Bin hurriedly waved his hands. “I’m no match for Genius Gao.”

“Where did that nickname come from?” Gao Yan laughed.

“Our company always calls you that. Well, not you directly, but when talking, people say ‘he’s a genius’. Then when your name comes up, it’s ‘that genius from Youkang’ did something again.”

“My research progress isn’t that fast, is it? You guys always have something to talk about?” Gao Yan was puzzled.

Kong Yajie replied, “There’s nothing else to talk about but you. After all...” She coughed and glanced around.

Tong Bin looked around as well before adding, “Have you heard about those three cases of trade secrets and patents?”

Gao Yan raised his eyebrows and nodded.

“That’s it. The atmosphere has been tense in the company these years.” Tong Bin glanced at Kong Yajie, “When you switched jobs, Lao Fu talked to me for ages.”

Kong Yajie was stunned, then apologetic. “Sorry...”

Tong Bin interrupted her, “No need. All our old classmates work in this field, most are now middle management. If you think about it, anyone could be suspicious. And it’s not just our university. The three who got arrested aren’t our alumni.”

“In a while, things will finally calm down,” Gao Yan offered.

Tong Bin seemed oblivious, nodding in agreement.

Kong Yajie looked at her husband in surprise.

Gao Yan winked at her. “This was the perfect time for you to change jobs.”

Kong Yajie turned back to her food and naturally remarked, “The buffet here is really good.”

“It is. There’s foie gras, caviar, truffles—help yourself,” Tong Bin said enthusiastically.

“Really? Zheng Yichao is so rich!” Kong Yajie opened her eyes wide in surprise. “Even if his company’s R&D budget is small, this is extravagant!”

“I noticed it’s all gone now. The staff refilled it once, but it was snapped up again,” Gao Yan laughed.

“Is that so? Then I got here early, lucky me,” said Tong Bin. “I ate a lot.”

Kong Yajie felt a pang of envy. “Was it good?”

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“A bit less impressive than the celebration banquet,” Tong Bin gestured.

Kong Yajie reminisced, “That was eye-opening. But afterwards...”

Tong Bin sighed as well.

Gao Yan seemed to understand their silent exchange and commented, “That sort of thing is normal. Houyi and your company were both racing to the finish, you just got there first.”

“We thought we’d enjoy a year or two of extra profits, but Houyi broke through the technical blockade so quickly,” Tong Bin said.

Talking about the industry and company, he gradually relaxed.

“The promised raise disappeared too,” Kong Yajie added.

“Yaya!”

Someone called out from behind.

The three turned to see two women walking arm in arm, with two men following behind.

“You’re here,” Kong Yajie greeted them.

Gao Yan made room for her three roommates to sit together.

Still, he couldn’t escape the “interrogation” from Du Aiyun and Ding Yi.

Tong Bin listened quietly, head down, picking at the food on his plate.

He was also Kong Yajie’s old classmate and colleague, yet, like Du Aiyun and Ding Yi’s husbands, he couldn’t get a word in.

But from Gao Yan’s answers, he learned that Kong Yajie and Gao Yan had been dating since high school.

So from the very start, he never had a chance.

Tong Bin’s head drooped lower and lower, and in his sight were only the plate and the tablecloth’s hanging edge.

His feet stretched out beneath the tablecloth.

Under the table, darkness reigned, pierced only by a faint light through a gap.

A floating eyeball, covered in compound eyes, hovered against the tablecloth, flanked by Kong Yajie’s and Tong Bin’s legs side by side. It grew strange, long ears pressed up to the table’s underside, swaying and spinning. Those rabbit-like ears were lined with blood vessels. Suddenly, the vessels ruptured—not spilling blood, but sprouting layer upon layer of brilliantly colored moth wings like mushrooms. The bizarre ears fluttered twice, flying under the table.

Tong Bin and Kong Yajie both looked down, then raised their eyes, meeting each other’s gaze.

In Tong Bin’s eyes was bewildered confusion.

In Kong Yajie’s, terror.

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