The rebirth of lickspittle

As the music ended, the entire audience in the concert hall rose to their feet, giving Zhang Fan a thunderous ovation.

Zhang Fan stood up and bowed to the crowd, his graceful demeanor captivating everyone. The TV station reporters, originally there to film Han Leina, turned their cameras entirely toward Zhang Fan, capturing his every move.

After the concert, Aisha kept giving Zhang Fan a thumbs-up, his face brimming with excitement. In his simple mind, he thought, Having such an amazing friend like Zhang Fan will definitely earn me a lot of respect from Gulina Ba.

Little did he know that at this moment, Gulina Ba's gaze toward Zhang Fan was already sparkling with admiration.

The four of them headed to a restaurant Zhang Fan chose: White Oak French Dining. This was the trendiest high-end dining spot in town—not necessarily because the food was exceptional, but because dining there was considered a status symbol. Despite its superficial appeal, Zhang Fan opted for this restaurant to leave a good impression on Gu Youan.

After they were seated, Zhang Fan said to the waiter, "Four standard sets, no wine."

Aisha, who had been nervously feeling the 600 yuan in his pocket, immediately relaxed when he heard Zhang Fan order the standard set menu. Feeling bold, he declared, "Brother Fan, you got the concert tickets; this meal is on me!"

Gulina Ba praised him, saying, "Good job, Aisha. You're learning quickly. Reciprocity is the key to building relationships. You've matured a lot since coming to the city."

Aisha blushed at her compliment and laughed foolishly. Watching the others handle their forks and knives, he mimicked their actions. When his plate arrived with a small serving of pasta and a few black pieces, he immediately pushed the black bits aside, muttering, "This fancy place serves moldy stuff!"

Zhang Fan and Gu Youan smiled knowingly but didn't say anything. Gulina Ba, however, was mortified, her cheeks flushing red as she whispered, "That's black truffle! This dish is expensive because of that!"

"Black truffle? Is it really that pricey?" Aisha asked, perplexed.

Gulina Ba rolled her eyes dramatically, which Aisha thought made her look even more beautiful. Grinning, he popped the two black truffle pieces into his mouth, only to grimace. It really does taste a bit moldy, he thought.

Meanwhile, Shen Chuchu, after selling all ten of her Andy Lau concert tickets to a scalper for 5,000 yuan, redeemed her phone and coincidentally saw Zhang Fan dining with the group.

From afar, she observed the two women's extraordinary beauty, especially the one with jet-black, silky hair and a gentle smile. Her calm and serene demeanor left Shen Chuchu feeling a pang of inferiority. Watching Zhang Fan chat elegantly with the two women, she suddenly remembered something she had long forgotten:

Zhang Fan wasn't just an outstanding man—handsome, cultured, and wealthy—but the kind of man who could effortlessly attract a multitude of women.

"Miss? Miss?"

A waiter called out to her, snapping her out of her daze.

"Huh? Oh, yes." Shen Chuchu collected her phone, her thoughts a whirlwind.

At that moment, Zhang Fan approached the cashier with his card.

"Hello, I'd like to settle the bill for our table."

The cashier replied, "Certainly, sir. Four standard set menus with a 10% service charge—2,587 yuan in total."

"Charge it."

The transaction completed, Zhang Fan took his card and headed to the restroom.

Shen Chuchu stood frozen, stunned. Zhang Fan hadn't even glanced at her the entire time. It was as if she were invisible.

Returning to the table, Zhang Fan found that the others had nearly finished eating. Aisha snapped his fingers, calling the waiter over. He confidently pulled out six 100-yuan bills and handed them over. "Here, keep the change."

The waiter was overjoyed, bowing repeatedly. "Thank you, sir! Thank you very much!"

Feeling proud, Aisha turned to the group. "High-end places really do treat you differently. The staff even thank you for paying the bill!"

As they left the restaurant, Aisha approached the cashier, frustrated. "Hey, why didn't you give me change when I paid earlier? Even if the total was exactly 600, you should've said something!"

The cashier was confused. "I'm sorry, sir, which table were you at?"

After confirming the table, the cashier checked the records and said, "Sir, your bill was already settled—2,587 yuan, paid by Mr. Zhang."

Aisha was dumbfounded. "Wait… it wasn't 600?"

Realizing what had happened, Zhang Fan laughed and reassured the staff that it was all a misunderstanding. As they left, Gulina Ba continued berating Aisha, her face flushed with anger.

"Do you know how embarrassing that was? Six hundred? I can't believe I went out with you today! You've completely humiliated me!"

Aisha, shrinking into a corner of the backseat, murmured apologies while mentally reeling from the cost of the meal. He didn't dare mention the 600 yuan he had unwittingly tipped the waiter.

"I can't believe this," Gulina Ba fumed. "I've never been this embarrassed before! Thank goodness Zhang Fan was here. You'd better not ask me out alone again!"

Finally, Zhang Fan's patience wore thin. "That's enough," he said sternly.

The car fell silent as everyone turned to look at him. Through the rearview mirror, Zhang Fan's cold gaze met Gulina Ba's.

"If you feel embarrassed, you should apologize on behalf of your friend instead of criticizing him endlessly. That's what friends do."

His words left Gulina Ba speechless. She wanted to retort but stopped when she saw the look of disdain on Zhang Fan's face. Sulking, she turned her head away, a mix of anger and guilt churning inside her.

Zhang Fan softened the tension. "This was my fault for not explaining the restaurant's pricing in advance. Let's just consider it a misunderstanding."

Gu Youan chimed in, "It's just a minor mishap—no need to dwell on it."

Feeling somewhat reassured, Aisha mustered a small smile. "Brother Fan, I'll pay you back for the meal bit by bit."

Zhang Fan shook his head. "I chose the restaurant, so it's only fair that I cover the bill. Just treat us to something near campus next time."

As the car drove on, Gu Youan silently observed Zhang Fan. His words carried a thoughtful wisdom that left her increasingly impressed.

That evening, Shen Chuchu sat alone in a bar, drowning her sorrows in drink. Her striking beauty had already caught the attention of every man there.

One well-dressed man approached her, introducing himself with a suave smile. "Hi there, beautiful. The name's John. Let me buy you a drink—how about a Polar Shortcut?"

Without even glancing at him, Shen Chuchu dismissed him coldly. "Get lost."

The man persisted, spinning a tale of wealth and success. But Shen Chuchu didn't hear a word. Her mind was fixated on the image of Zhang Fan walking past her at the restaurant—ignoring her completely.