Chapter Thirteen
Zuo Xutong turned her head, her mouth stuffed with cake, her cheeks bulging like a squirrel eating, her lips still covered in cream and cake crumbs.
She knew she must look extremely disheveled, because Luan Mingfeng was staring at her mouth with a complicated expression.
Zuo Xutong forced down the cake, grabbed a tissue to wipe her mouth, and used an impatient tone to cover up her embarrassment: "Eat something, what else can we do here?"
After saying that, she confidently walked to the next table, intending to find a quieter place to continue enjoying her meal. Unexpectedly, Luan Mingfeng followed her and, to make matters worse, brought up the very thing she didn't want to hear: "Have you bought a house yet?"
Zuo Xutong stopped and looked at him incredulously: "So you've been following me all this time to try and sell me your family's new housing development?"
"Don't misunderstand, that's not what I meant. I only found out you wanted to buy a house when I ran into you at the sales office..."
"No, I don't mean it, you've misunderstood."
In truth, Luan Mingfeng didn't know much about the real estate industry. Luan's Real Estate had always been managed by his uncle, and his appearance at the sales office that day was purely coincidental. He brought up buying a house simply to find a topic to continue the conversation with her, but he didn't expect her to be so uninterested.
After graduating from university, Luan Mingfeng spent a year and a half abroad before returning to China. He then held a temporary position within the family business for training. Last year, Luan Yilin finally entrusted him with the newly acquired Chaoma New Energy Company. Like an heir apparent awaiting the throne in ancient times, he was burdened with the hopes of his entire family, forced to grow under immense pressure, even his marriage nearly becoming a political ploy. Over the years in the business world, he gradually learned the art of intrigue and deception, and how to play the game, but he became increasingly exhausted, especially in the last two years. He often reminisced about his student days, the most carefree and happiest time of his life, but the person who brought him that happiness was gone.
Later, as he gradually demonstrated his ability to handle things independently within the group, Luan Yilin slowly lost control over him. Six months ago, despite his family's objections, he resolutely ended his arranged relationship and became single again. Within six months, he went through three or four girlfriends in quick succession, each one fair-skinned, beautiful, and stunning. Despite this, he still frequently used social engagements as an excuse to frequent high-end clubs filled with glitz and glamour. During that time, he drank and reveled incessantly, trying to forget his imprisoned life through this indulgence. But whenever he awoke from a hangover, he would fall into an even deeper emptiness and despair.
That's right, every step of his life was planned out. From childhood to adulthood, no one cared about his interests or his ideals. Their goals were his goals, and their ideals were his ideals. He was like a coded computer program, without a self or a soul.
So when he met Zuo Xutong again, his heart was stirred. He wanted to rediscover the happiness he had lost. However, he knew her too well. If it is said that a good horse does not eat the grass it has already grazed, then she was definitely a top-tier horse.
As Zuo Xutong finished speaking, she turned to leave. In a moment of panic, Luan Mingfeng grabbed her sleeve. She reflexively shook off his hand, completely forgetting that she was still holding a plate. With a crash, the plate fell from her hands, shattering the cake inside and making a mess of the gleaming marble floor. Several pieces of chocolate syrup splattered onto the dress of the woman next to her, instantly adding a few stains to the champagne-colored hem. Zuo Xutong looked up at the owner of the dress and almost had a heart attack. It was the mermaid dress that had just been pointing and gesturing at her.
Her dress was obviously expensive. The people who could enter here with an invitation were at least private business owners worth tens of millions. How could their female companions wear cheap clothes? Not to mention a group heir like Luan Mingfeng, whose suits cost tens of thousands of yuan.
The woman in the fishtail skirt had already disliked Zuo Xutong, and now her newly bought dress was splattered with black marks. She couldn't take it anymore and questioned loudly, "Miss, do you have an invitation? Do you know where this is?"
The surroundings fell silent instantly. Zuo Xutong's cheeks flushed red, and her heart raced uncontrollably. Her seemingly strong mental fortitude crumbled in an instant. She stared at the conspicuous chocolate glaze on her dress, her thoughts in turmoil, unable to utter a single word.
Compared to Zuo Xutong's shock, Luan Mingfeng remained calm: "How much was the dress? I'll pay you back."
To save her pitiful dignity, she pushed Luan Mingfeng away and said with a forced smile, "You don't need to compensate me. I caused this mess myself, so I'll take responsibility for it."
The fishtail skirt glanced at the "bag of flour" on her shoulder, couldn't help but chuckle, and said contemptuously, "Twelve thousand. This dress of mine is made of real silk. If you don't believe me, I can find the credit card transaction record and show it to you."
Twelve thousand?! Zuo Xutong felt dizzy. She couldn't come up with even one less zero. At this moment, she truly understood a truth: wealth may not bring happiness, but poverty almost certainly leads to misfortune. How utterly shameful! Was she really going to have to write an IOU in public?
At this moment, Peng Kun also came over after hearing the noise. Seeing the broken plate on the ground, he shook his head helplessly. Within a week, she had actually broken two plates. She truly deserved to be called the plate nemesis.
“Mr. Zhou,” Peng Kun stepped forward and patted the man next to the fishtail dress from behind. This Mr. Zhou was an upstream supplier for Polar Blue Sky. The company was not located in Longjin City, and they had been invited to drive here from out of town.
When General Manager Zhou turned around and saw it was the client, he immediately greeted him with a smile: "Oh, General Manager Peng, it's been a long time."
Peng Kun nodded to him, then pointed to Zuo Xutong: "This is my friend..."
Before he could finish speaking, Mr. Zhou immediately understood. He quickly turned around, glared at the fishtail skirt, and said with a stern face, "Forget it, forget it. Making a big fuss over a tattered skirt, how embarrassing!"
Let alone a silk dress, even a gold-embroidered robe would be out of the question. The fishtail skirt, having been inexplicably scolded, turned her face away in a huff.
Soon, a cleaning lady came to clean up the mess, and people's attention shifted, and they went back to chatting in their own groups. Luan Mingfeng was pulled away by an acquaintance and had no chance to bother Zuo Xutong again.
Zuo Xutong followed behind Peng Kun, completely losing her appetite for eating and drinking, and said dejectedly, "I'm sorry, I've troubled you again."
Peng Kun not only didn't find it troublesome, but also comforted her: "It's okay, everyone has times when their hands and feet don't obey them."
Zuo Xutong glanced at him gratefully. If he hadn't come to her rescue just now, she would have lost face in front of Luan Mingfeng and been humiliated in public by the fishtail dress. Just thinking about it made her heart tremble. Such a high-class banquet hall was really not a place for someone like her.
"I'm going back now."
“Let’s go,” Peng Kun said, taking out his car keys and waving at her. “The transportation here is inconvenient. I’ll go with you.”
She was about to say no when she saw him already taking a step towards the door.
The two left the banquet hall one after the other. Zuo Xutong recalled his introduction of her earlier: friend... Why didn't he just say subordinate or employee? Was it to elevate her status and avoid embarrassing her in front of everyone?
Zuo Xutong felt extremely pathetic, having to rely on this kind of backstabbing to gain a foothold in society. She was not happy at all to be his "friend," but on the contrary, she felt ashamed because the word highlighted her own incompetence.
Peng Kun didn't notice her fluctuating emotions. He drove to the entrance of a restaurant, removed the key, and turned off the engine: "I'm hungry, let's go in and get something to eat."
As soon as he finished speaking, Zuo Xutong's stomach growled a few times in perfect unison. She had only eaten two small cakes earlier, and now she was feeling a little hungry.
They went inside and found a seat at random. Before ordering, Zuo Xutong quickly said, "Just so you know, this meal is on you."
"Why am I treating again? I treated last time too, shouldn't you treat me this time?"
"You're the one who brought me here, and besides, I borrowed the money from you. I feel bad using money I borrowed from you to treat you to a meal."
"How could I possibly feel comfortable with that?"
"I'm sorry."
"How could I..." The two of them argued back and forth, neither willing to give in, like two mentally challenged children with limited vocabulary.
Peng Kun knew perfectly well that if he didn't compromise first, she would have the nerve to stay there with him until the restaurant closed. Just then, the waiter came over, and he finally gave up arguing. Without even opening the menu, he ordered a dish: "A plate of pork offal!"
"What is pig offal?" Zuo Xutong asked.
"It's pig offal, usually including pig heart, pig liver and pig lungs..." Before the waiter could finish explaining, Peng Kun said, "You are what you eat, I think you need to replenish yourself."
Zuo Xutong glared angrily, but since she hadn't paid, she had no right to speak. Having chosen not to spend a penny, she could only keep quiet. What was even more infuriating was that after the dish was served, Peng Kun pushed it directly in front of her, saying with a half-smile, "Please enjoy."
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