Late at night, here I was, wallowing in this oddly awkward situation. Well, I couldn't exactly blame anyone else—I owed it to her. This was, after all, the first time Eira had ever asked me for something, with that shy, pleading look on her face. Even if it meant crossing mountains of swords or seas of fire, how could I refuse?

That said, standing here now, I was quickly realizing how unaccustomed I was to these kinds of upscale settings. The crystal chandeliers cast their glitter over the opulent red carpets, and though it was just a buffet reception, the array of dishes was anything but ordinary. The metal trays brimmed with the finest ingredients: various grades of beef, even delving into the legendary Kobe beef. Yet, amidst all that, the true star seemed to be the tender, buttery fillet mignon—known simply as "fillet" on most menus. Translated into Chinese, it would be called "腓力牛排." It's cut from the tenderloin, nestled along the cow’s lumbar spine—akin to a pig’s "loin." It’s the most tender, tightly packed part of the entire animal.

Then there was the bluefish—sourced from the morning market auctions where the best was fiercely contested by fishermen from every corner. If made into sushi? Absolute premium, high-grade fish belly delicacies.

I couldn’t help but be amazed at how much wealth the Academy students and their families could afford. Was this really just a simple class reunion? Back in my day, a few drinks, a karaoke session, and a casual chat with the teacher would’ve sufficed. But this level of extravagance…

"The flavors are incredible," Zeming muttered to himself, sneaking a plate piled with food. Without delay, he dove in, mowing through the delicacies with abandon. This was perfection from the heavens, pure and simple. A cake with… crab meat in it? This must be the mythical sailor’s cake!

The alcohol was free too. Maybe, just maybe, there were still hints of actual happiness left in the world. Sure, the costs were nothing for Eira (who had covered the expenses for our household), but all this for a class reunion? That blew past even my capacity for shock.

Given this was a reunion for students of the Academy’s elite division, there were probably plenty of Heroes attending tonight. Not that it mattered to me—I barely recognized anyone in this crowd. Then again, maybe I just wasn’t cut out for this scene in general.

"Um... excuse me, but... are you Zeming?"

A lean, sharply dressed man approached me. His face, all sharp angles, reminded me of a monkey—an impression that triggered a sudden memory.

Wait. I didn’t attend this school, so why did I feel like I recognized him? Hold on... this guy—!

"You're… Old Monkey, aren’t you?" I blurted out. His actual name was Yang Hu, but the nickname made its way out instinctively.

"That’s me! Wow, you do remember! When you dropped out, don’t you recall the meal we all shared that evening? I just knew you’d come back someday, but no one else believed me!" He cackled heartily, slapping me on the shoulder with a boisterous camaraderie.

He suddenly leaned in closer, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "Wait here—let me call the other two. Our old crew’s around. Fatty and Wig are running bars downtown now. After this wraps up tonight, let’s go out together, for old times’ sake. What do you say?"

Old Monkey, Fatty, and Wig: the three comrades of my not-so-distant youth. We hadn’t seen each other since middle school. After that, I underwent… modifications, trained to become a Hero, and basically cut off all old ties. To think they attended the Academy’s elite division after all these years...

"Meeting up sounds fine," I said cautiously. "But I don’t have time to hang out late into the night."

"No time? What are you up to these days?" Yang Hu pressed, disbelief flashing in his monkey-like eyes.

"I’m actually a teacher now, right here at this academy. Early morning classes tomorrow, so…" I explained.

"A teacher, huh? Who’d have thought—one of the old gang actually grew up respectable!" He laughed, giving me another hearty pat. "Unlike me, still stuck in the family’s loan business."

"I honestly thought you might’ve gone the Hero route. You had me fooled there," I quipped.

"Man, I wish. But none of the three of us were cut out for it. Loans, bar ventures, car repairs—that’s what we do now. And here’s you, our respectable old *professor*."

"Spare me the dreamy looks—I’m not going down your path of debauchery," I teased back.

Yang Hu wasn’t done teasing though. "Or maybe... you’ve got a beautiful wife now? Spending your nights whispering sweet nothings?"

A sharp clack of heels interrupted our banter. My wife, Eira, appeared from behind, a sleek silhouette under the chandelier’s glow. Yang Hu’s eyes went as wide as a startled owl, his mouth gaping open as if to swallow his own fist.

"Zeming, I just took Vivian to the restroom. How are you holding up?" Eira asked, her cheeks tinged faintly pink as she noticed Yang Hu. Her usual poise softened, her words almost timid.

Caught in the crossfire of her gaze, Yang Hu’s jaw dropped even lower, a loud crack signaling the limits of human anatomy. He bellowed, "THE GODDESS IS YOUR WIFE? The rumors are true— but how did *you*, of all people, end up with her?!"

That was just the opening shot; more drama was gearing up. For now, though, I chose to ignore the "toad marrying the swan" jab before my fists made him regret it.

"Hello, uncle~" chirped sweet little Vivian, running up to me, her tiny feet patting the floor. She greeted Yang Hu with an adorable bow.

"E-e-e-eh?! She even has a daughter, and she’s a splitting image of Eira!? Unbelievable!"

What the hell was that supposed to mean? If my daughter didn’t resemble me, was she supposed to look like the guy next door?

I had come here initially with the same mindset as Eira—lay low, blend into the crowd, quietly make our presence known. But now? That plan had been demolished. A horde of curious souls had gathered, ogling us like starved specters.

"So it really *is* the Eira from back then! She’s married now, huh..."

"And with him?! How’s that even fair?!"

"Wait, that’s Zeming. From back in Year Two, right? Didn’t he transfer schools or something? How did this even happen?"

"Is that their daughter? She’s so adorable! She looks just like Eira!"

As expected, neither of us could escape attention. Well, not entirely unwelcome though—it was somehow nice for once not to be the sole focus of scrutiny. Eira, with her natural charm, was like a star drawing all the light. Even with the revelation that she was married with a child, their eyes still glimmered with admiration and envy.

"You’ve absolutely got the jackpot with a wife like her," Yang Hu finally said, shaking his head. "And a cute kid to boot. Ridiculous luck, man."

Not far away, two other familiar figures made their way over. Shalulu looked immaculate in her formal gown, while Leyn seemed preoccupied, nibbling endlessly on the canapés.

"You two know about this?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Know about what? That compared to your wife and daughter, you're like some glaring cosmic mismatch?" Shalulu quipped, her tongue sharp as ever.

"Oh, shut up, already. You’re as insufferable as ever," I snapped back.

Still, it was shocking.

"You two were classmates with my wife? Eira never mentioned that to me," I said.

"We weren’t exactly close, no big deal," Shalulu replied offhandedly. "Speaking of though, you know Yoderick?"

"Of course. Eira’s ex."

"Yep—back then, they were dubbed the perfect couple. You, my friend, are the textbook case of cutting in," Shalulu said as she glanced toward Leyn.

Naturally, I followed her gaze and found him—off in the distance, a tall, golden-haired man engrossed in conversation.

At that very moment, fate decided to meddle again. The golden-haired picture of perfection looked up and caught sight of us.

"Dad," Vivian tugged at my pants, her tone bored. "This place is so boring."

She leaned against me with a small pout, and behind her, I spotted Eira—trying her best to escape another throng of admirers.

But she didn’t know it yet—a far *greater* challenge was just around the corner.