Free Web NovelChapter 22: Chapter 16: Guo Yao: Can’t I Be a Demolition Heiress?
Marrying someone you’ve liked for several years is probably a mix of happiness and heartache, with a touch of unreality.
Jiang Li considered it carefully. "It just doesn’t feel real."
Zhong Mufeng poked Jiang Li’s forehead, asking with a look of mock disgust, "You two have already *done it*, and it still doesn’t feel real?"
Jiang Li pursed her lips. "You wouldn’t get it."
Things like feelings could only be understood, not explained.
Even if Zhong Mufeng knew the whole sad story of her crush.
Zhong Mufeng raised an eyebrow. "If you can’t explain it, then don’t."
She stood up, milk tea in hand, and looked at Jiang Li. "Weren’t we supposed to go shopping? Shall we?"
Shen Yanzhi was relegated to the background for the entire trip, either paying for things or carrying bags, occasionally providing some emotional support.
"That dress was practically tailor-made for you."
"Those shoes only show their true worth on your feet."
"Only this necklace is fit to adorn your gorgeous swan neck."
Finally, when Shen Yanzhi stepped out to take a call, Zhong Mufeng quickly pulled Jiang Li aside. With a puzzled look, she asked, "Girl, how on earth did you train Shen Yanzhi? How did he get so smooth?"
Jiang Li threw up her hands helplessly. "What if I told you I had nothing to do with it?"
Zhong Mufeng gave a wicked smirk. "So you’re reaping what someone else sowed, huh?"
Jiang Li quickly retorted, "But his mom said he’s never had a girlfriend."
Zhong Mufeng, however, was unconvinced. "Who tells their parents when they’re dating these days? Especially guys."
It was mostly that Shen Yanzhi had changed too much. Plus, he was handsome.
She refused to believe he’d never had a girlfriend.
For a moment, Jiang Li couldn’t think of a rebuttal. Not wanting to dwell on whether Shen Yanzhi had a girlfriend abroad, she quickly changed the subject. "Weren’t we going to buy a bag?"
Zhong Mufeng rolled her eyes in annoyance. "You need to wise up! They say the more handsome a man is, the more of a player he is. Do you even remember why he went abroad to study in the first place?"
Of course Jiang Li hadn’t forgotten. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have cut off contact with Shen Yanzhi for five years.
She just didn’t want to think about those unpleasant matters.
Her nails dug into her palm as she forced a faint smile. "Well, I dated Zhao Sinian for a few years, too. Even if he really did have a girlfriend abroad, I guess we’re even."
’But could they really be even?’
Although she had dated Zhao Sinian for five years, in all that time, the most intimate they had ever been was holding hands.
Zhao Sinian had even expressed his displeasure about it at one point.
There was no point in saying more. Besides, outsiders had no right to judge someone else’s relationship.
Only the wearer knows if the shoe fits.
She patted Jiang Li’s shoulder meaningfully. "Just make sure you know what you’re doing. Don’t be like before, throwing your whole self at Shen Yanzhi."
Jiang Li nodded, her gaze falling on a crocodile skin bag to the side.
She gently tapped Zhong Mufeng’s arm and tilted her chin towards it. "Qingbao, isn’t that your holy grail?"
A flash of awe appeared in Zhong Mufeng’s eyes, but it quickly faded into resignation. "That thing is way too expensive," she said helplessly. "Just looking is enough."
The Hermes Himalayan crocodile, known as the "king of bags," sold for over a million. She couldn’t afford it even if she sold herself.
It was rare for this bag to be available on the market. How could Jiang Li bear to let Zhong Mufeng down?
She snapped her fingers, and a sales associate immediately came over. Jiang Li pointed. "Hi, I’d like to buy this bag."
The sales associate wore a polite smile. "Ma’am, to buy this bag, you’re required to purchase other items along with it."
This was the standard procedure for buying these bags.
You could buy the bag, but you had to accept the condition of purchasing other goods.
If you couldn’t accept it, it meant the bag wasn’t meant for you.
After shopping for half the day, Jiang Li really didn’t want to spend any more energy picking out items. She waved her hand dismissively. "Just pick out whatever for me."
The sales associate was a little surprised. "Ma’am, are you sure?"
Jiang Li nodded. "I’m sure."
It took Zhong Mufeng a long moment to realize what Jiang Li was doing. "Wait, you’re buying the bag?"
Jiang Li raised an eyebrow. "Can’t I?"
Before Zhong Mufeng could speak, a sarcastic female voice cut in. "Well, well, if it isn’t our little supermarket princess. ’Just pick out whatever’? This is Hermes, not your school store."
Looking toward the source of the voice, Zhong Mufeng called out uncertainly, "Guo Zhenzhen?"
"What Guo Zhenzhen? I go by Guo Yao now."
Zhong Mufeng’s expression darkened. Jiang Li was confused. "Do we know you?"
Seeing that Guo Yao’s made-up face looked like a painter’s palette, Zhong Mufeng felt it was necessary to give Jiang Li the rundown on who this person was.
She leaned in and whispered the gist of it to Jiang Li. Jiang Li nodded in understanding and muttered under her breath, "So just an old classmate looking for attention."
The main reason was that Guo Yao looked so different from her school days. Plus, they weren’t in the same department, so it was no wonder Jiang Li didn’t recognize her.
Seeing Guo Yao’s flashy, nouveau-riche outfit, Jiang Li asked, "Looking at you, did you marry into a good family?"
Guo Yao snorted. "Couldn’t my family have gotten rich from a demolition settlement?"
Jiang Li clasped her hands together in a mock salute. "Oh, congratulations."
’No wonder she’s so flashy. So she really did get rich overnight.’
Guo Yao glared at Jiang Li, then turned to the sales associate. "Hey, miss, how can you believe just anyone who walks in here can afford this?"
She then pointed at Jiang Li and said with a sneer, "This is a college classmate of mine. Her family just runs a supermarket. Forget the bag, she’d probably struggle to even buy a pair of shoes."
Zhong Mufeng rolled her eyes. "Then put your money where your mouth is."
’Even though Jiang Li had said she’d made money from stocks, she didn’t really believe Jiang Li could afford a Himalaya.’
’Of course, not believing her was one thing, but she still had to back Jiang Li up in public.’
Guo Yao did want to buy it, but her monthly allowance was only a million.
The Himalaya, plus the other required items, would cost at least three or four million. How could she possibly afford it?
The lackey trailing behind Guo Yao spoke up indignantly, "Sister Yao, they’re looking down on you!"
Guo Yao shot her lackey an annoyed glare. "You think I need you to tell me that?!"
Then she put her hands on her hips and raised her voice. "I don’t even like this bag, so why would I buy it?"
Jiang Li’s philosophy had always been to treat people as they treated her.
She scoffed. "I’m afraid you just don’t have that much money."
Guo Yao reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, her hackles instantly rising. "You’re the one who doesn’t have the money!"
Jiang Li said nothing, simply lifting her chin in a challenge.
The message was clear.
Since you’re not short on cash, then buy it. I won’t take what someone else desires.
Just as the atmosphere grew tense and deadlocked, Guo Yao’s phone rang.
Without even looking at the caller ID, she answered. "Who is this?"
"Zhenzhen, we’re having a class reunion today. Are you coming?"
Guo Yao furrowed her brow slightly. "A class reunion?"
"Yeah, there are a bunch of classmates in the Capital City, and New Year’s is just around the corner, so we figured we’d get together for a meal, some karaoke, you know."
