Chapter 60

As expected, even with the constant traffic on the way, it was already dusk, nearly six o'clock, when they arrived at the Land of Abundance.

However, Li Jingjing didn't seem to find anything amiss. She had been sitting in the passenger seat with a smile, occasionally stealing glances at Yang Chen, lost in her own thoughts.

The grand entrance of the Land of Abundance was exceptionally magnificent. The golden and splendid neon lights outshone all the surrounding bars and nightclubs. A few large, cursive words in lights were strikingly visible from a distance.

As soon as Li Jingjing got out of the car, she held onto Yang Chen's arm, following him into the entrance with a hint of nervousness. Even though she was a well-behaved girl, she would still feel a bit scared when seeing such places on TV. The thought of meeting her colleagues from the same school and being the main character in the gathering made her feel somewhat uneasy.

"Don't be afraid. It's not a big deal. Just treat it like a dinner at a small restaurant," Yang Chen comforted her.

Li Jingjing nodded, feeling much more at ease as she breathed in the scent of the man beside her.

After entering the entrance, a receptionist in a bright red qipao warmly approached and asked, "Respected sir and madam, do you have a reservation?"

Li Jingjing was momentarily dazed before she remembered the reserved room, "Yes... a private room called 'Noble Orchid.'"

The receptionist smiled and gestured, "Please follow me."

They walked down a dimly lit corridor, where the glass walls reflected a dazzling glow. The staff members they encountered were all handsome and beautiful, suggesting that the treatment here must be quite good.

When they reached the door with the three white calligraphy characters "Noble Orchid," the receptionist smiled and gestured for them to enter.

Yang Chen took out a hundred-yuan note from his pocket, and the receptionist, without surprise, said "Thank you" and took the money before leaving.

Li Jingjing looked at Yang Chen in surprise, "Brother Yang, it costs a hundred yuan just to lead the way?"

"In places like this, they generally follow the consumption practices of Western countries. The service staff don't get salaries; they live off tips. In dollars, it's only about ten bucks, which isn't much," Yang Chen explained.

"I almost forgot, Brother Yang, you're still a 'sea turtle,'" Li Jingjing said with a smile, no longer worrying about the money.

Yang Chen didn't want to dwell on this and gently opened the door to the private room. As soon as he pushed it open, a deafening scream came from inside...

"Can't stay, can't stay, the loneliness is the worst!!! ——"

A slightly short and plump man with glasses was shouting with all his might, standing in front of the TV, microphone in hand, eyes closed, and singing passionately.

There were already quite a few people sitting on the sofas in the large private room, at least seven or eight, a mix of men and women. When they saw Yang Chen and Li Jingjing at the door, they were initially stunned, then most of them broke into strange smiles.

"Our guest of honor has finally arrived!" A slender, curly-haired female teacher stood up and called out first.

The others quickly joined in, clapping. The plump teacher who had been singing like a pig also shouted, "Teacher Li didn't forget to bring her boyfriend to her first gathering, looks like they have a deep bond!"

Li Jingjing, blushing, quickly let go of Yang Chen's hand, her face turning red in the dimly lit room, "It's not what you think, Brother Yang isn't my boyfriend."

"What is it then?" another male teacher asked with a smile, "Not her brother, right?"

Seeing Li Jingjing's anxious and speechless expression, Yang Chen stepped forward to explain, "I'm a friend of Jingjing's father, and I'm just here to take care of her like an older brother. I heard about the welcome party today, and she was too shy to come to the KTV alone, so I accompanied her."

A female teacher with a somewhat fashionable appearance giggled, "Is that so? Then the handsome guy can sit next to me today. Teacher Li shouldn't mind, right?" She winked at Li Jingjing.

Li Jingjing, hearing this, instinctively shook her head, "No, Brother Yang has to stay by my side!"

As soon as she said this, everyone burst into friendly laughter, and Yang Chen looked at the flustered and blushing Li Jingjing with a helpless expression. This girl just made things worse.

Just as the atmosphere in the private room was warm and friendly, the door was pushed open again, and a man in a Prada shirt walked in. He looked to be in his early twenties, with neatly combed hair and a well-defined face, exuding a refined aura.

Seeing him, the teachers all greeted him as "Team Leader Jiang."

The man smiled warmly and greeted a few teachers before turning to Yang Chen and Li Jingjing. When he saw Li Jingjing, dressed fashionably and wearing a short skirt that revealed her long, white legs, his eyes flashed with admiration. He praised, "Jingjing, you look beautiful today. If you dressed like this at school, the whole school would probably be watching you."

The other teachers also chimed in, praising Li Jingjing's beautiful attire.

Such flattery, though exaggerated, is something every woman loves to hear.

Li Jingjing, not thinking much, blushed and lowered her head, saying, "Thank you."

When the man saw Yang Chen, he narrowed his eyes and then smiled warmly, extending his hand, "This must be the Mr. Yang Jingjing mentioned. I am Jiang Shuo, the head of the English department at No. 1 High School. May I ask how you should be addressed, and where you work?"

Yang Chen thought to himself, "Another smiling tiger," and shook hands without hesitation, "Yang Chen, just call me that. I'm just a small company employee, buying breakfast and doing odd jobs."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Shuo's eyes flashed with interest, and he straightened his back, speaking with a hint of arrogance, "Mr. Yang, there's no need to be modest. We are all young, and with hard work, we will all have our day. Someone like me might have a higher starting point. Perhaps Mr. Yang doesn't know, but my father, Mr. Jiang Meng, is the principal of No. 1 High School and the deputy director of the Zhonghai Education Bureau. So, I owe my position as the head of the English department and deputy director of the student affairs office to my father. To be honest, apart from publishing a few papers in national education journals and leading a few overseas visits, I haven't accomplished much. Who knows, Mr. Yang might achieve more than I do in the future."

"Team Leader Jiang, you're being too modest. Who doesn't know that Team Leader Jiang is the hope of our No. 1 High School and the most promising star in the education field?" a middle-aged female teacher immediately said.

"Yes," the slender female teacher also chimed in with a smile, "In a few years, Team Leader Jiang might become the principal of our school. No one can match your abilities."

The teachers immediately showered him with praise, and Jiang Shuo smiled "modestly," waving his hand and saying, "I don't deserve such praise."

Yang Chen was taken aback, touching his nose to hide his smile. He had seen shameless people before, but never one more shameless than himself! It seemed he wasn't alone; at least this guy had a face as thick as a city wall!