The motorcycle's horn roared like a lion, snarling at the crowd of students.
The lead security guard stepped off, snarling, "Everyone blocking the road—move aside, clear a path, we're unloading."
The guards moved fast, herding the students to one side.
Some even pitched in to help the truck driver unload.
Watching the campus security mobilize, Zhao Rui's face turned even paler.
Without orders from above, these guards would never have shown up.
Seeing the scene, no one dared step forward.
Zhao Rui wasn't the only one; murmurs began spreading through the crowd.
Then someone blurted out:
"Look! The Student Union group just posted a special notice about Minister Zhao Rui…"
She trailed off mid-sentence, and curiosity sent everyone scrambling for their phones.
Gasps rippled through the group.
Seeing the strange looks and hushed gossip, Zhao Rui yanked out his own phone.
The Student Union president had just posted a new announcement.
It detonated like a bomb in the chat.
External Liaison Department Minister Zhao Rui has violated school regulations and resigned from his post. Jiang Cheng will serve as the new minister and Wang Jian as deputy minister. This is to notify all.
Zhao Rui's eyes bulged; he couldn't believe what he was reading.
When had he ever resigned?
Just like that, out of nowhere?
He'd been fired without even knowing it?
Refusing to accept it, he immediately DM'd the Student Union president.
He had to find out what was going on.
The reply was only a few words:
"I don't know; it came from the university leadership."
After reading, Zhao Rui stared frozen at the screen.
His lips trembled. "Bullshit! When did I ever resign?"
His roar cracked like thunder through the crowd.
Other departments might take the notice at face value.
They'd assume Zhao Rui had stepped down voluntarily.
But everyone present was from External Liaison.
They knew exactly what an abrupt dismissal meant.
It was Jiang Cheng's handiwork.
No one knew how he'd pulled it off.
In mere minutes Zhao Rui had lost his seat.
Only twenty-odd members were here today.
But never underestimate word of mouth.
One tells another.
By tomorrow the whole department would know.
Zhao Rui had always been loud and flashy.
After becoming minister he'd grown arrogant and inept.
He treated the others like servants.
The post only mattered if people chose to respect it.
A rich second-generation minister, though, inspired extra fear.
Everyone swallowed their anger in silence.
Now that Jiang Cheng had toppled Zhao Rui, many felt secret delight.
Some even prayed Jiang Cheng would crush him completely.
Seeing the shift in mood—and the open schadenfreude—Zhao Rui, stabbed in the back, pointed at Jiang Cheng. "What dirty trick did you use? I'll report you!"
Jiang Cheng lost interest; empty threats bored him.
They weren't even in the same league.
Crushing the weak was no fun.
"Want to complain? The dean's office is that way," he said coldly.
Without another glance at Zhao Rui, he turned to the others. "From today I'm your new minister. The deputy will organize today's event. Once the setup's done, dinner's on me at Hishua Barbecue across the street."
The crowd erupted.
Hishua was a hotpot-and-grill buffet.
It had every cut of meat and mountains of seafood.
Price per head: one-hundred-twenty yuan.
A fortune for an ordinary student.
Most lived on just over a thousand a month.
Department dinners were always AA.
When events ran late Zhao Rui might spring for sodas with the activity fund.
Jiang Cheng's offer stunned them.
Twenty-plus people—over two thousand yuan.
"Generous, Minister!"
"Thank you, Minister!"
Applause broke out.
Zhao Rui's face turned green; he spun on his heel and left.
The truck finished unloading.
A scarlet ferrari laferrari stood revealed.
Its cold metallic sheen, flowing lines, and domineering stance left everyone awestruck.
Jiang Cheng's treat had almost closed the gap between them and the Tycoon.
But the car slammed that gap wide open again.
"A Ferrari? First time I've been this close; usually I only glimpse one on the Bund."
"Way cooler than Minister Zhao's ride."
"Man, I swear after graduation I'll starve if I have to—just to buy one."
"That's no ordinary Ferrari; it's a laferrari—fifty million yuan."
"Uh, forget I said anything; pass the meat."
Hearing the chatter, Zhao Rui's face darkened further.
He hadn't gone far—just melted into the back row.
Rage flushed his cheeks; his eyes sparked.
He didn't know why he stayed.
He knew he was outclassed, yet vengeful thoughts churned.
Jiang Cheng gave the car only a flicker of appreciation.
Calmly he signed the delivery papers.
Huang Yiyi asked, "You guys are weird—spending so much on a car. Where's your porsche 918?"
Wang Jian jumped in: "Weird? You gals buy a dozen bags and that's normal? Both are for showing off—what's the diff? Where's your last bag?"
"It's different—girls buy bags to use them," Huang Yiyi faltered.
She'd meant to say bags weren't for peacocking.
But she knew plenty of purchases were exactly for that.
Otherwise there'd be no handbag hierarchy.
And she'd been on her way to shop for one today.
The guys—Wang Jian included—eyed the Ferrari with pure envy.