That intoxicating voice, that soft tone—she hated it. She hated how he used the same moves on her that he probably used on every other woman. "Didn't you have plans with another woman tonight?" she asked coldly.
"It's fine. After all, you're my ex—I should always put you first." As he spoke, he nuzzled his head gently against hers.
Although she despised his shameless behavior, Yaoyao remained still, her tone icy. "Oh? In that case… I suppose you won't mind if I bring my fiancé along?"
"Fiancé?"
Feng Chen Yi's eyes darkened immediately. A dangerous glint flashed in them. He let go of her waist and said coldly, "Take me to the first floor."
Pfft. She pressed the button with a barely concealed smirk.
Moments later, the elevator arrived.
"This is my business card. Call me anytime if you want to talk."
"Sure, I'll be sure to invite you to my wedding."
Feng Chen Yi didn't reply. He stepped out of the elevator, face like stone. But just as the doors began to close, he let out a long, shaky breath. "Still such a terrible liar. But damn it—I'm still mad!" He punched the cold metal wall beside him.
It was a bustling commercial street. Yaoyao sat on a stone bench, sipping a milkshake and gazing at the crowd passing by and the towering shopping malls surrounding her.
"It's good to be back home," she murmured to herself. After four years in Japan, she could finally spend the weekend getting reacquainted with her own country.
"Yaoyao!"
"Bai Ling, you're here!" Of course, it had been Bai Ling's idea to meet today. Yaoyao was happy to hang out with friends—back in Japan, she had Gong Xiaoman, and now she had Bai Ling. She felt lucky.
But…
"Uh, Bai Ling… why are Li Wenfeng and his friend here too?"
"Well… actually, this hangout was Li Wenfeng's idea," Bai Ling whispered, pulling Yaoyao aside. "He wanted to go out with you—and me. So I helped him set this up. Please don't be mad?"
Yaoyao sighed. Of course she knew what Bai Ling was thinking. "Alright, I guess we can all hang out."
"Really? Thank you, Yaoyao!"
What was originally a girls' day out quickly became a double date. To be honest, Yaoyao wasn't comfortable hanging out with unfamiliar guys.
Midway through shopping, Li Wenfeng's friend spoke up. "Hey, Bai Ling, I just remembered—that gift from earlier would be perfect for my girlfriend. Can you take me back to that store? I don't remember where it was."
"Uh… okay. Yaoyao, we—"
"How about we go, Bai Ling? It'll be faster. Let Wenfeng and Yaoyao look for us along the way."
"Sounds good. Yaoyao, we'll be right back!"
Completely oblivious to the setup, Bai Ling quickly followed Li Wenfeng's friend and left Yaoyao behind.
"Wait… Bai—"
Yaoyao was about to follow when Li Wenfeng grabbed her arm. "Yaoyao, they're already gone. Let's catch up slowly. Don't tell me… you don't want to be alone with me?"
Actually… she didn't. "Heh… sure, let's hurry and catch up with them."
Being alone with Li Wenfeng made her uncomfortable. She kept sneaking glances at him, who walked deliberately slow. At this pace, they'd never catch up. It was frustrating.
"Yaoyao, is working as an elevator girl tough?"
"It's alright," she replied with a forced smile.
"Yaoyao, you're so young and beautiful—you really don't have to work so hard. Women, you know… just need to sweet-talk a little and keep the right men happy. Then you can sit at home and count money."
Ugh. Why did that sound so gross?
Something felt off, but her mind was still on Bai Ling, so she gave him a reluctant smile.
Then Li Wenfeng suddenly stopped walking.
"Mr. Li?"
"Come on, Yaoyao, this way." Before she could respond, he dragged her into a high-end department store.
"But aren't we supposed to find Bai Ling? Why are we here?"
Li Wenfeng just smiled and led her straight into a PRADA boutique. Yaoyao followed hesitantly.
"How much is this dress?" he asked a clerk.
"Sir, after discount, it's 2,600 yuan."
"Only 2,600?" He made a dramatically exaggerated expression. "Wow, PRADA really is affordable these days. Alright, we'll take it. Let this young lady try it on."
"Huh? Mr. Li?" Yaoyao looked at him, baffled.
"Don't worry, Yaoyao. It's cheap. I'll buy it for you. Try it on."
"No, Mr. Li… it's not about the price…"
"I know, you think it's expensive and want to save me money, right? It's fine—I can afford it."
Why did he keep bringing up money?
"Wait—thank you, Mr. Li, but I have enough clothes. I really don't need another one."
"Come on, look at what you're wearing. How can that compare to PRADA? You should toss it out. Like I said—women just need to be sweet and charming. No need to work so hard."
Now she got it. That sleazy comment earlier? It all made sense.
Sure, she couldn't afford luxury brands right now. But at least she knew how to work for what she wanted. She wasn't the kind of woman to trade dignity for material things.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Li, but I've got something to take care of, so—"
"PRADA's dresses really are best when they're new season," a deep male voice cut in.
A man stood not far away, his face hidden behind the long dress he held. But something about his voice felt so familiar...
"This is one of PRADA's newest designs," the clerk gushed. "You really have great taste, sir."
The man slowly lowered the dress, revealing a single, dazzling diamond earring on his left ear.
Of course it's him. That smug bastard Feng Chen Yi. What are the odds?
"Tsk." With a refined smile, Feng Chen Yi strolled over, dress still in hand. "In my opinion, this lady's elegance deserves something full-price. Not some 2,000-yuan clearance rack item." Then he turned, his gaze sharp. "Don't you think so, sir?"
Li Wenfeng's face twitched. Still trying to save face, he pretended to laugh. "Ah, so that one was on sale? How much is this one, then?" He checked the tag—and flinched. "Heh… only 10,300…"
"Wrap it up," Feng Chen Yi told the clerk. Then, brushing his fingers along Yaoyao's cheek, he flashed a devastating smile. "It's for this beautiful young lady."