Genius Playground

The Jiang Ran of old had returned! And what a triumphant return it was! He’d gotten accepted directly into a master’s program at East Sea University and, with his own earnings, had bought an AITO M9 in cash!

Everything had been planned perfectly; nothing could have possibly gone wrong.

And yet...

Out of nowhere, this ridiculously over-the-top Zhou Xiong had to show up.

The direct result was that Jiang Ran—an academic marvel driving a 600,000-yuan luxury car—was now being completely ignored!

In a foul mood, Wang Hao picked up the liquor pitcher. Forgoing a glass, he knocked back a good two shots’ worth of baijiu in one gulp.

"Whoa! The class president can really hold his liquor!"

A chubby guy across the table gave him a thumbs-up.

"Zhou Xiong brought a case of such expensive Maotai, and it’s great liquor, but you can’t just drink it like that!"

Wang Hao clicked his tongue.

See? They weren’t even at the same table as Zhou Xiong, yet no matter what anyone talked about, his name always came up.

Their table was made up of the homeroom teacher, the former class officers, and the top students.

The other guys, including Zhou Xiong, sat at a different table. They were clinking glasses and downing cups, drinking with boisterous cheer.

The homeroom teacher, his face flushed, chuckled and raised his glass.

"Come, come, Wang Hao is leading the charge! Let’s all have one with him!"

Everyone raised their glasses and, amid shouts and playful banter, drained them in one go.

Jiang Ran also tilted his glass back and downed it.

To be fair, the Maotai that Zhou Xiong had brought was genuinely good.

This wasn’t ordinary Maotai, but 80-year-aged Maotai. A classmate had just eagerly explained that this liquor was a collector’s item, a work of art. Each box contained a "Nine Dragons Ink Treasure" carved by a famous old artist.

In other words, this liquor wasn’t meant for drinking, but for collecting. Each bottle had a unique serial number and could be called the king of national liquors.

"The price starts at 200,000 a bottle! This ’Nine Dragons Ink Treasure’ edition is definitely over 300,000 a bottle!"

The moment these words were spoken, the entire room was stunned.

Even those who didn’t usually drink picked up their glasses, saying they had to have a taste no matter what!

And yet, this expensive luxury item, this collector’s piece—Zhou Xiong had his driver bring in a whole case of it... as casually as if it were a case of mineral water.

It was too much.

Honestly, it was just too much.

Just a moment ago, Wang Hao had been buzzing in Jiang Ran’s ear, saying Zhou Xiong’s wealth was unnatural.

"Even if someone’s super rich, there’s no way they’d spend money like this, right? It’s like he has one of those systems that gives you cash back for spending money!"

Jiang Ran was also surprised by this.

Just the bags he gave the girls, the graphics cards for the guys, and this 80-year-aged Maotai—it all added up to several million.

’Could someone really treat money like it’s nothing?’

Soon, with everyone eager to try it, the priceless case of "Nine Dragons Ink Treasure" 80-year-aged Maotai was finished.

Zhou Xiong made a call and had his driver bring up another case, just as casually.

The reunion had been going on for an hour and a half now. Everyone was a little tipsy, and the conversation was getting more and more direct.

Many curious classmates, both men and women, gathered around to toast Zhou Xiong, asking what had happened to him that he could earn so much money just two years after graduating high school.

"Haha, it’s nothing, it’s nothing."

Zhou Xiong had drunk a lot. His face was flushed and he was swaying a little, but he still wasn’t drunk, his thoughts clear.

"It’s not as crazy as you all think. I just came across some opportunities and happened to seize them."

"But no matter what, we were all classmates for three years. I hope you can all still see me as you did before. There’s nothing special about me; I’m your equal, always."

"Back in school, my means were limited, so there was nothing I could do. Now that I’m doing well, of course we should help each other out. Don’t worry about these gifts and the liquor and all that."

"Anyway, being classmates was fate. From now on, don’t be strangers with me!"

"If you run into any trouble in your lives, no matter what kind of trouble, you can tell me! No matter how difficult it is, I can sort it out with a single phone call!"

Tsk tsk tsk~

Wang Hao grinned, leaning close to Jiang Ran’s ear to mock him sarcastically.

"’I can sort it out with a single phone call...’"

He shook his head, mimicking Zhou Xiong.

"Such a show-off. ’Sort it out with a single phone call’... Who does he think he is? Mundo with a brick phone?"

Jiang Ran patted Wang Hao’s shoulder.

"Alright, stop being so sour."

"I’m just mad that he stole your thunder!"

"Okay, okay, I appreciate the thought, but you don’t need to be angry for my sake."

Jiang Ran placated his good friend.

"Virtual Currency has been huge these past two years. A lot of people got rich overnight by taking a gamble. Maybe Zhou Xiong just seized that kind of opportunity."

"Although that stuff might be in a legal gray area... for someone that young to actually make US Dollars trading Virtual Currency, that’s a skill in itself."

Just then, a male classmate walked up with his drink and grabbed Zhou Xiong’s hand.

"Zhou Xiong, do you... do you know anyone at Peking Union Medical College Hospital?"

"What’s wrong?" Zhou Xiong asked.

The classmate looked troubled.

"My mom needs surgery, but we can’t get an appointment or a room at the Imperial Capital Peking Union Medical College Hospital... You see..."

"Not a problem."

Zhou Xiong clapped the classmate on the shoulder.

"Don’t worry. I’ll arrange the best room and the best specialist for your mom."

He said it so casually that everyone in the room, including the homeroom teacher, gasped.

This...

This was possible?

Was it that simple?

Imperial Capital Peking Union Medical College Hospital... that wasn’t a place where money alone could solve problems. You needed connections.

It was understandable for someone Zhou Xiong’s age to have come into a sudden windfall, but would a place like the Imperial Capital Peking Union Medical College Hospital really pull strings for him?

Zhou Xiong smiled faintly and took out his phone.

"It’s no big deal. I’ll solve it with a phone call."

Wang Hao snorted and leaned toward Jiang Ran’s ear.

"I’d like to see how he pulls this act off. Do you believe him?"

Jiang Ran shook his head slightly.

Honestly, he didn’t really believe Zhou Xiong could do it so easily either.

Even if you’re very rich.

’The Imperial Capital, the best rooms and top specialists at Peking Union Medical College Hospital... Can money alone really solve that?’

"Forget about him. Let’s drink."

Jiang Ran raised his glass and clinked it against Wang Hao’s.

Right now, all thirty-nine pairs of eyes in the room were fixed on Zhou Xiong. No one was paying any attention to Jiang Ran and Wang Hao. Everyone had lost the mood for drinking, waiting for Zhou Xiong’s performance.

Under everyone’s watchful gaze, Zhou Xiong took out his phone and put it to his ear.

"Lilith."

BOOM!

A chill shot down Jiang Ran’s spine instantly!

It was as if a heavy hammer had struck him in the chest!

His heart stopped beating at that moment!

His glass froze in mid-air, the liquid inside trembling.

His neck stiff, he slowly turned his head to look at Zhou Xiong, who was surrounded by the crowd...

"I have a classmate whose mother is at the Imperial Capital Peking Union Medical College Hospital."

Zhou Xiong spoke into his phone, his tone as commanding and unquestionable as an order.

"Arrange the best room for her, the best specialist, and the fastest possible surgery."

"Do it now. Immediately!"

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