Xi Wanrong toyed with the black card in her hand, her fingertips rubbing back and forth across the smooth surface, as if to confirm that this wasn't an illusion. Under the dim light of the rental apartment, the golden lines on the edge of the card gleamed alluringly.
"Will this really work?" she asked for the third time, her voice a mixture of incredulity and suppressed excitement.
Zhao Pingchi snatched the card from her hand and checked it over and over again.
Recalling the scene when that arrogant young man threw the card to him, the look in his eyes was as if he was giving alms to a stray dog.
Zhao Pingchi didn't expect that this card would be discovered by his girlfriend Xi Wanrong so quickly.
“It works…”
His voice trembled slightly.
Xi Wanrong's heartbeat quickened.
Xi Wanrong was wearing a Zara dress that had been washed to a pale color today, and Charles & Keith high heels that she had bought during a sale last year, the heels of which were already a little worn.
And now, she may be holding the key to the life she's always dreamed of.
"Let's try it." She stood up suddenly and grabbed her cheap imitation leather bag. "Now."
Twenty minutes later, they stood at the entrance of Crown Plaza, the city's most exclusive shopping mall. Xi Wanrong looked up at the magnificent glass-walled building, the sunlight reflecting off its countless facets in a dazzling display.
She had been here countless times, but it was always just window shopping, admiring the luxury goods she couldn't afford through the windows.
Today is different.
"Let's go to Chanel first." Xi Wanrong grabbed Zhao Pingchi's arm, her nails almost digging into his flesh.
The glass door of the Chanel store was like an invisible barrier between classes. Xi Wanrong took a deep breath and pushed the door open. The air-conditioned air, mixed with the scent of fine perfume, hit her face, and she subconsciously straightened her back.
"Hello, how can I help you?" A female salesperson with exquisite makeup came over and quickly glanced at Xi Wanrong's clothes. She kept a professional smile on her lips, but her eyes had become distant.
Xi Wanrong was all too familiar with that look. She felt a familiar wave of shame and anger well up in her heart, but today, she had the weapon to fight back.
"I want to see your latest season's ready-to-wear." She deliberately raised her voice, pulled out the black card from her bag, and shook it casually.
The salesperson's expression immediately changed. "Of course, ma'am. This way, please." Her voice suddenly became more enthusiastic. "I'm Linda, and I'll be serving you exclusively today."
For the next two hours, Xi Wanrong immersed herself in a shopping experience bordering on religious fervor, trying on more than a dozen outfits and ultimately buying five, including an evening gown that cost the equivalent of half a year's salary.
As Linda knelt on the ground to adjust the hem of her skirt, Xi Wanrong saw her brand new image in the mirror - the girl in cheap clothes disappeared, replaced by an elegant upper-class socialite.
"And this, this, and this." She pointed at several bags in the display case, not even bothering to ask the price.
Zhao Pingchi sat on a leather sofa in the VIP lounge, watching Xi Wanrong's shopping spree. Initially amused, he gradually grew uneasy. He walked over to her and whispered, "Wanrong, shouldn't we..."
"Should what?" Xi Wanrong was trying on a pair of diamond earrings. The fake crystal earrings on her earlobes had been thrown into the trash can by her.
"Zhao Pingchi, don't spoil the fun. Do you know how long I've been dreaming of this day?"
She turned to Linda and said, "I want all the jewelry in this collection."
As they left Chanel, they were followed by three security guards pushing shopping carts piled high with large orange boxes. Xi Wanrong strode ahead, enjoying the admiring glances from passersby.
"Where to next?" she asked excitedly.
Zhao Pingchi looked at his watch. "It's already three in the afternoon. Should we..."
"Cartier." Xi Wanrong interrupted him. "I need a decent watch."
At the Cartier boutique, Xi Wanrong chose a diamond-encrusted Ballon Bleu watch. When the salesperson respectfully placed it on her slender wrist, she felt a strange sense of satisfaction.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" She held the diamond up to the light, admiring its glint.
Zhao Pingchi came over and said, "She is indeed beautiful, but her appearance is not..."
"Don't worry," she said impatiently, "you should buy something too. I can't be the only one enjoying this."
This remark seemed to touch Zhao Pingchi's heart. His eyes lit up. "Actually, I've always wanted that new Rolex..."
Zhao Pingchi joined the shopping spree, buying not only watches but also the latest iPhones, iPads, and MacBook Pros in the electronics section. He then stopped by a high-end liquor store and bought several bottles of expensive whiskey he had only seen in movies.
"Where are we going this afternoon?"
Zhao Pingchi, who was carrying a shopping bag, asked.
"It's seven o'clock... Let's go eat..."
Xi Wanrong stood at the entrance of the "Cloud" restaurant, her newly bought Jimmy Choo crystal shoes reflecting countless tiny points of light under the light.
She looked up at the three-star Michelin sign hanging at the restaurant's entrance, her tongue unconsciously licking her lips - this was the first time in twenty-five years that she had set foot in a place where the average cost per person exceeded four figures.
"Ma'am, do you have an appointment?" The receptionist in a tuxedo bowed slightly and quickly scanned the name tags on her body.
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