CHAPTER 71: CHAPTER 65: SPENDING MONEY FOR A SLAP_2

Su Ziceng did not notice the bright orange light beside Yan Wuxu’s ear. Her whole mind was still reflecting on Yan Wuxu’s words.

"I don’t pity you, and you don’t need my pity, remember? I warned you a long time ago not to provoke people like Fei Qing." Hearing her words, Su Ziceng felt even more at peace. She wasn’t good at comforting people, but she could try to listen to Yan Wuxu’s confessions.

The jagged rose leaves rustled, and in the midst of the green, Yan Wuxu’s eyes shimmered with a cold light. "Your warning should be reserved for the rich guys like you." She yanked up a bunch of rose bushes, her fingers turning pale amidst the green leaves and red flowers.

She continued talking, murmuring resentfully, "What do you know? You don’t worry about food or clothes, just waiting to graduate, finding someone who matches your status, and then you can live a carefree life. What about me? My dad died early, leaving just my mom to raise me and my three siblings. We had nothing at home, not even enough to pay the school fees. I started working nonstop since I was fourteen. Since elementary school, I’ve worn only school uniforms, every single day, every hour of the day, every day has been like that. To get into Kelly Restaurant, I’ve flattered others, and done all sorts of deceitful things, and there you are still pretending to be merciful. Your attitude just makes me want to vomit." Yan Wuxu spoke while she tugged at the school uniform’s collar, the rose-gold buttons were torn off. One of them, slipping through her fingers, fell into the bushes, looking startlingly poignant against the dark brown soil.

The words Yan Wuxu held in her heart all came out tonight. She envied Su Ziceng, was jealous of her for having someone she liked, resented her for her dazzling attire, and coveted her smooth-sailing future.

On many nights, from midnight, Yan Wuxu dreamt of herself in ragged clothes, searching through the junkyard in the Sixth District, only to be followed by sneering laughter. After waking up, she would listen to Su Ziceng’s steady breathing, watching the conspicuous red diamond ring that had slipped out from Su Ziceng’s collar.

"Fate is fair," Su Ziceng squeezed out a smile, a shadow crossing her eyes: "When you lament over my happiness, have you ever thought about what dreams I have? I can’t even dream."

After you’ve tasted exquisite food and lived in luxury, what else can you expect from life? Anyone with an experience similar to Su Ziceng’s faces the same dilemma. Those accustomed to sweet taste lose the joy of savoring clear water.

Su Ziceng no longer dreams. Before being reborn, she would wake up gritting her teeth and loudly cursing the Chang’s mother and daughter or the women around Hang Yishao. After being reborn, she has never dreamt again, waking up at dawn without any dreams. Sometimes, she wonders if she has been dreaming all along, maybe one day she won’t be able to open her eyes again and find out that all this time she was just in a dream.

For a while, both were silent. Su Ziceng dusted off the grass clippings from Yan Wuxu’s body, "I’m inviting you to a French feast, not the kind you find at Kelly Restaurant. You and I both had a nightmare, congratulations, you’re still here after waking up."

Yan Wuxu did not refuse. The words were already out, and regret was too late. But Su Ziceng did not blame her, so Yan Wuxu’s feet involuntarily followed Su Ziceng; she didn’t want to go back to the past, wherever there was wealth, she was willing to follow.

In Mo City’s Zone 3, there is a very famous French restaurant. On the last three days of every month, their head chef flies over from France to personally cook.

"This restaurant is very famous nationwide, the only Michelin star restaurant along the coast," ordinary guests find it hard to book a spot. Su Ziceng didn’t worry about that; Su Qingzhang had a window-side seat there, no reservation needed, just walk right in.

Su Ziceng forgot that since it was a place Su Qingzhang liked, there was a good chance of running into him, and tonight, Su Qingzhang and Chang Mei also happened to be there.

Chang Mei had already found a scapegoat, letting a resigning secretary from the finance department take the blame, and Su Qingzhang did not pursue it further. Chang Mei knew Su Qingzhang liked fresh goose liver, and hearing that the French chef was personally cooking tonight, she had booked a seat in advance.

Seats near the window offered a panoramic view of Mo City’s nightscape. The six districts of Mo City, lit like stars, seemed like a six-petal lotus blooming in front of the diners; a visual feast that mirrored the delicacies, enough to captivate every customer and stir their soul, rendering them unable to control themselves.

Chang Mei, sitting right next to Su Qingzhang, was speaking about something unknown. Just as Su Ziceng was about to excuse himself, the observant Chang Mei caught him, "Ziceng, you’re here too, there are no vacant seats, let’s sit together."

The place was swarming with people; Su Ziceng and Yan Wuxu seemed a bit out of place standing, so they had no choice but to sit down. Due to injuries on her face and hands, Yan Wuxu buried her face in her hair, and her limbs awkwardly tucked within her sleeves and skirt, making her seem inconspicuous.

She dared not openly look at Su Ziceng’s acquaintances until Su Ziceng introduced: "My roommate, Yan Wuxu," she hurriedly lifted her head, but didn’t wait to clearly see the elders on either side, and lowered her head again.

Upon hearing Su Ziceng introduce the person on his right as her father, she was a bit taken aback and stealthily moved her gaze to the lower right. First, she saw a cane wrapped in gold leather; lifting her gaze higher, she didn’t see a stooped figure or graying hair, but rather caught a glimpse of a mature man’s dignified side profile, along with his eyes shimmering with the experiences of hardships.

That man was also looking at Yan Wuxu at this moment. Su Qingzhang was curious about what kind of friends Su Ziceng would bring as previously she only had a group of unsavory friends, never a respectable one, yet the sitting female student did seem somewhat scholarly.

Startled, Yan Wuxu immediately buried her eyes back into her hair, and after Su Qingzhang glimpsed those eyes, his heart suddenly skipped a beat, suppressing the impulse to brush away her long hair.

Each of Su Qingzhang’s movements was closely monitored by Chang Mei. Seeing his expression change, she too looked towards the face of the friend brought by Su Ziceng. Unfortunately, Yan Wuxu had resolved not to look up again, and from Chang Mei’s position, only a row of slightly long bangs that covered the eyes were visible.

"Ziceng, what would you like to eat? We just ordered some foie gras, didn’t we?" Chang Mei used the same gentle tone she had employed for decades.

"No need, I just remembered, we still have some things to take care of, we won’t disturb dad and your meal," Su Ziceng stood up, and Yan Wuxu also stood up, politely saying: "Please enjoy your meal."

In the candlelight’s shifting shadows, Su Qingzhang looked complexly as they disappeared at the entrance.

"Qing Chang, what’s wrong? The food is here," Chang Mei pinched Su Qingzhang’s hand while the waiter had already opened the wine, and the appetizer was served.

"Nothing," Su Qingzhang coughed softly, retracting his gaze, "Ziceng’s friend looked somewhat familiar, like an old friend I haven’t seen for many years."

Perhaps, he was mistaken, Su Qingzhang remembered those eyes that had appeared countless times in his dreams and shook his head.