Chapter 43 The Gloomy Little Poor Boy of the 1970s

Huizhong Hotel, Shanghai.

As dusk settles, this century-old shop on the Bund shines brightly, like a pearl adorning the banks of the Huangpu River.

The area in front of the gate is bustling with traffic, and occasionally a black car with a special license plate drives by, and the guests who get out are all well-dressed and have an extraordinary air about them.

Shen Ci's car came to a smooth stop at the entrance, and the doorman stepped forward with practiced ease and respectfully opened the car door.

Shen Ci got out of the car first. Today she was wearing a dark green velvet cheongsam with a matching thin woolen long coat, and a string of lustrous pearl necklace around her neck. It was simple but very elegant.

Following behind her was Shen Huai, dressed in a well-fitting dark-colored school uniform with a duffle coat over it. His hair was neatly combed, his face was calm, and his eyes were bright.

He had long since shed the rustic air of a mountain village, and was clearly a well-bred young master from a wealthy family.

The mother and son, personally led by the manager, headed towards the private elevator inside the hotel.

Tonight, Shen Ci booked the rooftop restaurant at the Huizhong Hotel, just to take Shen Huai to taste authentic local cuisine and enjoy the fireworks show that was about to begin on the other side of the river.

Meanwhile, at the ordinary entrance on the other side of the restaurant, Zhou Dayou and his family of three were led in by the man in the black hat, practically shuffling in on their hands and feet.

Upon entering, the three were so stunned by the magnificent hall before them that they were speechless.

The marble floor was so smooth it reflected a person's image, and the ceiling was so high you had to crane your neck to see it, with a huge crystal chandelier hanging from the top.

The air was filled with the aroma of food and a pleasant fragrance they had never smelled before.

The guests passing by were well-dressed and spoke softly. Their gazes made the three members of the Zhou family, dressed in tattered cotton-padded jackets and reeking of sweat and foot odor, feel extremely uncomfortable, unsure of what to do with their hands and feet.

"My goodness... this, this place is the palace, isn't it?"

Old Mrs. Zhou shrank her neck, her voice trembling, and clung tightly to her son's arm. She dared not run away; these people were clearly people they couldn't afford to offend.

"What are you yelling about! Don't embarrass me!"

Zhou Dayou tried to remain calm, but his throat was dry and his eyes darted around uncontrollably. He wasn't new to places like this, but he couldn't panic.

"I heard the rooftop was booked out today?"

"Yes, that's really extravagant. I was planning to take my friends to the top floor to watch the fireworks, but now we can only watch them from the lower floors or the corridors."

"I wonder which important person they are, their entourage is really grand."

"I don't know how much it would cost to book the entire venue, but it would probably be at least tens of thousands."

Upon hearing this, Old Zhou smacked his lips and said sourly to his son in a low voice.

"Did you hear that? They've booked the whole place! How much did that cost? That's fucking arrogant, they can't even let others watch the fireworks!"

"When you become successful, you can let your parents enjoy a comfortable life with you."

The man in the black hat led them expressionlessly to a descending elevator. It was the first time the three members of the Zhou family had ever seen this iron box. As the door opened and the person inside came out, they were all hesitant and dared not go in.

"Go...go into this iron box?" Old Mrs. Zhou dared not move.

"Hurry up!" the man in the black hat urged impatiently.

"Oh my god, this looks like a coffin."

The three of them squeezed in cautiously. The elevator doors closed, paused slightly, and then began to ascend.

As the feeling of weightlessness came over her, Grandma Zhou screamed in fright. Grandpa Zhou's face also turned pale, and he gripped the handrail tightly. Zhou Dayou was holding on, but his legs were trembling slightly.

One side of the elevator is made of glass, allowing you to see the scenery outside and also watch them ascend, getting further and further away from the ground!

As the elevator slowly ascended and passed a certain floor, the scene inside another, more spacious and luxurious elevator that was ascending opposite them came into clear view.

There were only two people in the elevator: an elegant lady in a dark green cheongsam and a handsome young man in exquisite clothes. They were looking at the city night view outside the elevator with their heads slightly turned.

Although their appearance and demeanor were completely different, the three members of the Zhou family would recognize those two faces even if they were burned to ashes!

"Shen Ci! Zhou Huai!!"

Zhou Dayou's eyes widened suddenly, blood rushing to his head. Without thinking, he lunged at the glass wall of the elevator, frantically pounding on it and shouting with a ferocious expression.

"Chen Ci! You bastard! Stop right there! Zhou Huai! You unfilial son! Get over here now that you see me!"

Blinded by anger, I'm no longer afraid of heights or anything like that.

Old Man Zhou and Old Woman Zhou also reacted and rushed forward, excitedly waving their arms and legs, their mouths opening and closing, but their foul language and shrill shouts were mercilessly blocked by the thick glass.

I can't hear anything.

In the elevator across the street, Shen Ci seemed not to have heard anything and continued to stare intently out the window.

However, Shen Huai, who was standing next to her, seemed to sense something and slowly turned his head.

His gaze fell upon the three familiar yet ugly faces in the elevator across the street, faces contorted with anger and jealousy.

At that moment, there was no longer any panic or fear on Shen Huai's face. His eyes turned cold, as if covered with a thin layer of ice, and a cold smile slowly curved his lips.

That smile held no warmth, only a condescending, gleeful mockery.

Look, those who once beat and scolded him and trampled him into the mud are now like three ugly insects trapped in a glass jar, powerless and furious.

They watched helplessly as he reached heights they could never attain and lived a life they could never imagine.

This stark contrast stirred a dark yet exhilarating feeling within him.

Oh.

But he quickly composed himself, turned around abruptly, as if he had only glanced at something insignificant, and his face regained its usual calm and obedient demeanor.

He absolutely cannot... let his mother see this side of him.

"Tsk, where did this country bumpkin come from again..."

In the elevator they were in, a well-dressed gentleman frowned in disgust, covered his nose with a handkerchief, and whispered loudly to his companion, as if afraid the three of them wouldn't hear him.

Loud is a volume, whisper is a gesture.

"Shouting and yelling like that is truly an insult to civility."

That's the VIP elevator across the street, leading directly to the private restaurant on the top floor. Looks like the mother and child are the ones who booked the whole place tonight.

These words pierced Zhou Dayou's ears like needles, making him so angry he almost exploded. He pounded on the glass even harder, but could only watch helplessly as the elevator opposite him rose steadily and gradually disappeared.

This feeling of not being able to grasp it drove him crazy.

I recognized him by his eyes; Zhou Dayou was a superhero.

The rooftop restaurant is elegant and tranquil, with waiters in white uniforms moving about silently.

Through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, the night view of the Huangpu River and the site where fireworks were about to be set off on the opposite bank were clearly visible. Shen Ci and Shen Huai took their seats in the best spots, and exquisite dishes were served one after another.

The three members of the Zhou family were led into a secluded private room by the man in the black hat.