Don't be So Proud Chapter 12.3 — The Peach Is Ripe (3)

Chapter 12.3 — The Peach Is Ripe (3)

“Once a girl is being kept by a sugar daddy, that girl has lost those things that are most precious, that is, her dignity and pride.”

Shen Xi had just searched in Baidu [Chinese search engine] “What should a girl do when she gets a sugar daddy?” And then, she was given this slap in the face. Baidu taught her that a price can be put on being kept by a sugar daddy, but pride and dignity are priceless.

But priceless ans “without a price.” No price ans it’s all a load of bullcr*p! And plus, in the future, when she had money, couldn’t she just pull the reverse and be He Zhi Zhou’s sugar mommy?

Everyone eventually has tis when they’re short of money, right?

Shen Xi swiftly crawled up from the rug. Imdiately returning to the bedroom, she yanked open the drawer of the bedside table and gingerly found the card He Zhi Zhou had left inside. The card lay in there silently. Her heart was going thump, thump, leaping nonstop. Another internal battle ensued, but in the end, she still stretched out her evil claw in the direction of that card.

At the very least, she should have a look to see what price her sugar daddy, He Zhi Zhou, had put on keeping her, right? And that way, she could judge if he had a lot of sincerity in this, right?

With this idea in her head, Shen Xi took that bank card and its PIN number and headed out the door.

There was a 24-hour ATM just outside of the community compound. After letting her eyes sweep a circle around her, Shen Xi stepped inside. When she stuck the card in, her heart rate sped up a little bit; when she input the PIN number, her heart rate sped up a little bit; when the prompt displayed that the PIN was correct, her heart rate was so fast she could not take it… When she at last saw the total sum of money on that card, she nearly had a heart attack.

Shen Xi felt she needed to support herself against the wall and take so deep breaths to calm her overwrought emotions. If it could be said that last ti, He Zhi Zhou had already “kept” her once with five yuan, then just how many tis would it be with all that money on the card?!

Shen Xi tried to calculate it out in her mind, but she was not able to. She just did not get it. Why was He Zhi Zhou so rich?! Why was Lin Yu Tang so rich?! Why was Monkey so rich?!

Living in the world of a bunch of rich tycoons—so tiring she couldn’t even love anymore.

She sent a text to He Zhi Zhou, asking him

He Zhi Zhou, did you know you have so much money on your bank card?

He Zhi Zhou was already at S&N and started working. The Bolin project was currently divided into five sub-teams, and He Zhi Zhou was already the team leader of Sub-Team B. Right now, with the team leader badge hanging from his neck, he was making modifications to the action plan while also attending a eting. At the sa ti, he was also able to reply to his girlfriend’s text:

There’s lots of money?

Shen Xi wanted to vomit blood, feeling that He Zhi Zhou was showing off.

He Zhi Zhou truly did not think that there was all that much money on that card. The money on that card all ca from the little side jobs he had accepted over these last two years, and he was very clear on the amount that was on it. It absolutely could not be considered a lot. The one that truly held a lot was another card of his that had all the money from the profit sharing and dividend pay-out from Granddad’s company. But, he had no basis for using that money.

Shen Xi sent another text over.

Big Brother He, you’ve given this card, but aren’t you scared I’ll spend all the money on it?

At this mont, He Zhi Zhou was leaning over and discussing a bug in the program with a colleague. With a very clear train of thought, he stated his opinion on how it should be anded. And then, he replied to Shen Xi.

As long as you don’t spend it on another man, for anything else, do as you want.

Do as you want…

Such a mild statent, yet so wild beneath the surface. And it totally rocked!

The male colleague standing beside He Zhi Zhou stole a peek at the chat window on the screen of He Zhi Zhou’s mobile phone. Even he, a grown man, was flushed in the face and ears after reading it. Who would have thought? He Zhi Zhou was a great god in his school, was a great god in S&N, and even carried the air of great god when it ca to dating.

Even the male colleague was flushed, let alone Shen Xi, whose little heart was so utterly and totally awed it was about to go on strike. On that crowded street where people were coming and going, Shen Xi strode along with her chin lifted especially high and her chest puffed out especially far. Ha ha! She was a woman with a sugar daddy, too!

Shen Xi shopped for half a day, but actually, with He Zhi Zhou’s card in hand, the feeling when she went to spend money was like her hands and feet were tied. In the end, she only bought a blow-up bra. It was an extrely aweso and impressive bra. Once you put it on, you could imdiately say goodbye to that era when had to pad yourself up with foam. Recalling all that foam that had been yanked out from her, Shen Xi felt terribly indignant. She had never seen a man whose eyes were as sharp as his! And he had even found such an honourable and high-sounding reason, saying he was worried she’d get a sweat rash. Ha ha. What girl got sweat rashes from just a bit of foam padding?

For various reasons, Shen Xi was unable to restrain the itch in her heart and ended up buying a legendary blow-up bra.

Back in the apartnt, she tried on that bra. Oh yes, it sure was so fun. Inflating the bra to the maximum amount, she stared at the D-cup version of herself in the mirror. Happiness had co just too quickly! She did not even know how to accept it.

Covering her face with her hands, she grinned delightedly for quite so ti. She really wanted He Zhi Zhou to co ho and see this commanding and impressive her.

He Zhi Zhou was worried that Shen Xi would be bored, but in reality, Shen Xi truly was not soone who would easily get bored. When she was alone, she would lie on the dance mat in the living room and practice her dance skills, or maybe sit on the sofa and post, post, and post so more on Weibo, or use He Zhi Zhou’s computer to fight monsters with Brawny…

Why Brawny? Because Brawny was soone who had nothing to do, too. He could not compare with his buddy, Monkey, who had already stepped foot on the path of CEO internship.

Shen Xi was having a video call with Brawny, who right then was completely bare on top and eating waterlon. From behind him, a person, equally bare on top, walked over. Hey, wasn’t that Monkey?! They were actually hanging out together! Shen Xi was utterly shocked, and she forced the two of them to ’fess up.

“Xixi, don’t get the wrong idea, eh!” Brawny set down his waterlon and hastily opened his mouth to explain. “We haven’t done anything…”

Seriously! The more explanations, the more suspicious it seed!

Walking over, Monkey waved at Shen Xi and then jumped in to speak first. “Brawny ran away from ho. I was kind enough to take him in. That’s the whole situation.”

Brawny shoved away Monkey and then gave a different explanation: This sumr break, he had been staying at ho, reading the books for taking the examination to be a civil servant, but all his studying had driven him crazy. Monkey had been bragging to him that he was already on the road to being a CEO and would be marrying a young, filthy rich hottie soon and stepping up onto the pinnacle of his life. Brawny had been so envious he had instantly put down his book and defected over to Monkey’s side, coming here to see him. But what was ridiculous was, Monkey had been demoted by his own father and banished to a factory to be so sort of assistant to the factory manager. And the most ridiculous part was, there was no air-conditioning in the dormitory!

Our little “soft and delicate-skinned” Brawn Brawn had never had to live such a hard life before!

After hearing this, Shen Xi burst out into very unkindly guffaws, laughing so hard she could not even close her mouth.

Shen Xi posted on Weibo about winning 500 yuan from her scratch-and-win card last night and also happily shared a photo with the post, too. At the sa ti, she used “Islet in the River’s” account to forward it with an additional comnt that said,

Everyone joins in on the rejoicing!

On one hand, Brawny and Monkey criticized her that this sort of action of flaunting her riches was an abomination, yet at the sa ti, they sucked up to her and asked her to treat them to eat. Shen Xi was full of promises to their request.

Lin Yu Tang made no comnt at all and only quietly clicked “like.”

“Lion in the Wind” had always forwarded every single one of his daughter’s Weibo posts, and this ti was the sa. He forwarded it and also added a comnt:

When you’ve played enough, co ho. Rember to bring roast duck.

Shen Xi said an “I’m sorry” in her heart, then pretended she had not seen it.

Shen Xi’s agreent to treat Monkey and Brawny to food had not been said in seriousness. But the result was, that afternoon, they really did secretly take the factory manager’s car and drive over to find her. The factory was in the Guping Industrial Area, which was the heart of developnt of the nation’s flourishing electronics industry. That was also where He Zhi Zhou had gone to have that eting previously.

Since Monkey and Brawny could be so thick-skinned to co over, how could she not host them? Originally, she had intended on taking He Zhi Zhou’s bank card to carry out her hostly duties, but as she was about to leave the house, she rembered He Zhi Zhou’s instructions: the money could not be spent on other n.

She let herself be imrsed in depression for a while. Well, she could only use those 500 yuan she had scratched and won.

Monkey drove an S-class rcedes over, flauntingly parading himself through town.

When Shen Xi got into the car, she snubbed him, “You guys are driving your big, fancy rcedes over to get to treat you to a al. Do you think that’s good?”

Brawny shook his head. “There was no other choice. This is the factory manager’s car.”

Shen Xi asked Monkey, “It’s really expensive, right?”

Giving a thump to the steering wheel with his fist, Monkey answered in huffed voice, “This rcedes is from the nineties!”

Shen Xi had them drive the car over to the plaza up ahead. When they got out of the vehicle, she asked Monkey and Brawny what they wanted to eat. For more than a month already, Monkey had been eating in the factory’s cafeteria and had completely gone from being a second-generation rich kid to a peasant worker. In bitter suffering, he answered, “Anything will be good, as long as it’s not the fast food from the cafeteria.”

Brawny had suffered along with Monkey for two bitter days and had beco very open to suggestions as well. “As long as it’s good food, I’m good.”

These two people truly seed like they were refugees escaping from sowhere. Glancing them over a few tis, Shen Xi pityingly took them to have a al of fish hot pot. Completely satisfied from eating, Brawny finally wiped his mouth and declared, “I’ve decided, I’m not going to Monkey for refuge anymore. I want to run to you and Leader instead.”

Shen Xi was given a fright at this. Don’t! Definitely don’t! Her eyes were fixed on Brawny, and though she did not utter a word from her lips, it was plainly written in her eyes, “You actually have the nerve to co disturb us?”

Brawny began to play the pity card. “Xi Xi, just let stay for a couple of days, eh! I can’t stay in that crappy place of Monkey’s anymore. I have never seen a second-generation rich kid in such a sad state before!”

Shen Xi: “……” No, don’t!

Brawny drank another bowl of soup and then smacked his lips to express how delicious it was.

Watching him, Shen Xi felt extrely stirred within her, and she could not help pulling out her mobile phone, saying, “I need to discuss this with He Zhi Zhou first.”

Brawny nodded in hope.

Shen Xi dialed He Zhi Zhou’s number. After the call connected, she conveyed Brawny’s request of going to their apartnt to stay for a while. On the other end of the line, He Zhi Zhou was quiet for a mont. “Shen Xi, we don’t keep large-size pets in our ho.”

Pet… large-size pet…

Shen Xi gave Brawny an apologetic look. “He Zhi Zhou said he won’t keep a large-size pet.”

Brawny replied through gritted teeth, “Fine! He’s hard-hearted!”

After walking out from the fish hot pot restaurant, Brawny sobbingly followed Monkey into that S-class rcedes. Before leaving, he sadly lowered his window, not wanting to part from her, and waved at Shen Xi. “Xi Xi, if you have ti, co find us.”

“Okay, okay,” Shen Xi promised. But unless sothing went wrong with her brain, she very likely would not be going.

Taking the tro back to the apartnt, she imdiately slipped into her “being kept by a sugar daddy” mode and went into the kitchen, where she put on an apron. She needed to choose all the ingredients and then wait for Big Brother He to co back and cook them.

Shen Xi was always ticulous and careful when she did little things like this. Every little pea pod she selected was exquisite and lovely. She set them all on a plate and then also washed the rice and scrubbed the pan. While she was happily keeping herself busy, the doorbell rang.

He Zhi Zhou never rang the doorbell; he would only ever be “rough and simple” and just open the door directly with the key. With the apron still on her, Shen Xi walked out of the kitchen and, after looking through the peephole at the people standing outside, opened the door.

Outside stood two people, one elderly and one young. The elderly person was even holding a cane. Rembering that He Zhi Zhou had once ntioned that his grandfather had amputated a leg many years ago, Shen Xi imdiately understood who was outside.

Shen Xi opened the door, greeting in a sweet voice, “Hello, Granddad.”

Elder He had two legs: one was the real deal, one was not. His posture was still more erect than most elderly people, and he carried more airs than the average elderly person as well. Clearing his throat, he asked, “Who are you? Why are you calling Granddad?”

Bashfully lowering her head, she invited He Zhi Zhou’s grandfather into the ho first. When Elder He gave a wave of his hand, the young man, of his own accord, remained outside in waiting.

Inside the apartnt, Elder He took a seat. Shen Xi brought out tea and poured water, already being the model granddaughter-in-law.

Elder He asked one more ti, “Little girl, just who are you?”

Shen Xi rubbed her hands shyly, truly too embarrassed to state that she was He Zhi Zhou’s girlfriend. With a twitch of her brows, she cheerfully put forth a request in return. “Guess!”

Tossing the question back over to He Zhi Zhou’s grandfather, she thought to herself, the elderly man had sharp observation skills; he should definitely be able to guess the answer.

Elder He coughed and then truly did begin guessing. “You’re the little housekeeper that A’Zhou hired?”

“……”

Shen Xi grew quiet. Inside, though, she was shouting silently, she was not a little housekeeper! She was the little lover that his A’Zhou had spent lots of money to keep so he could be her sugar daddy!

Elder He leaned back into the sofa. “Could it be, that’s not it?”

Shen Xi miserably shook her head. “It’s not.”

Elder He: “Could it be you’re his girlfriend?”

Only now did Shen Xi nod. “Yes, Grandddad.”

Elder He: “……”

Elder He did not stay for long and left before He Zhi Zhou returned. Prior to departing, he left a sentence of instruction with Shen Xi. “Little Xi, have He Zhi Zhou give a call this evening.”

“Yes, yes.”

Shen Xi saw this “retired emperor” respectfully out the door, her manner ridiculously docile and well-behaved. If H City’s Shen Jian Guo and Grandpa Shen saw this, they would definitely vomit a liter of blood. They had raised their daughter and granddaughter for basically another family.

When He Zhi Zhou ca back, Shen Xi told him about Granddad’s visit here and also told him, word for word, the instructions Granddad had left behind. Then, she even chid in an especially happy voice, “Granddad praised and said I’m pretty.”

She was already calling him “Granddad”! With a pat on Shen Xi’s head, He Zhi Zhou stepped out onto the little balcony to make the phone call. This call lasted more than a full ten minutes. When he walked back inside, Shen Xi was already nowhere to be found in the living room.

Nor was she in the kitchen or bathroom.

Striding over to the door of the bedroom, he pushed open the light yellow, wooden door. And then, he did not step inside any further, standing where he was, utterly motionless.

Right at this mont inside, Shen Xi was changing her bra. With her back to him, she was sitting on the bed. The white blouse she had been wearing was now already removed and tossed to the side… From his angle, his eyes beheld a large stretch of her smooth and delicate back as well as a curve that was every once in a while visible to him.

It was a pretty shape, like a just-ripened peach.

Bonus Side Story: That Legendary First eting (1)

Many years ago, during the start of a new school year, the mbers of dorm room 921 all, one after the other, t. The first person who found the dormitory room was “Brawny” Zhou Chen. The first thing he did after setting down his luggage was to pull out the class contact book that the counselor had given him and call each girl in his class to introduce himself. The content of what he said was roughly this: “Hi, this is Rong Rong, right? I’m Zhou Chen, from our class. Hello, hello. You can call Big Chen, too. We’re going to be classmates from now on. If you need any help, just call on my phone. This is my number.”

Of course, there were only six students in their entire class.

Brawny was so caught up in making phone calls he was unaware of anything else and did not even know that “Monkey” Yang Lei had walked over. Poking his head over, Monkey asked, “Hey friend, the way you’re just randomly tossing out your net, aren’t you scared you might end up pulling in a great white shark?”

At the beginning of university, Brawny’s face had still not been so thick-skinned yet, and he was unable to bear Monkey’s teasing, especially since this was the first ti eting this roommate. He explained sincerely, “You’ve misunderstood. It is fate that we can all co together. It is out of friendship as a fellow classmate that I’m calling them.”

“Oh, friendship as a fellow classmate.” As he searched for his own bunk, Monkey asked, “Then how co I’ve been standing at the door for so long but you haven’t co to greet and show ‘care’ for ?”

Brawny stood. “Friend, there’s no need to be so overly polite, like we’re regarding each other as outsiders.”

Monkey let out a “ha ha.”

Brawny was not happy about Monkey’s “ha ha.” With a sideways glance, he caught a glimpse of Monkey’s shoes, and in a tone that had purposely-created emotion, he cried, “Wow! Your shoes are a limited edition.”

Monkey held out his leg in display for a bit. “Yup.”

Stepping forward, Brawny eyed it over and then made a couple of clucking noises. “Where’d you buy this knockoff?”

Monkey: “……”

As a matter of fact, that first eting between Monkey and Brawny had not been all that pleasant, until Lin Yu Tang arrived. Such an elegantly handso boy. He was like the spring breeze of their dorm room 921.

Lin Yu Tang gave a nod: “Lin Yu Tang, from H City.”

Brawny had already made his bunk. Turning his head to the side, he asked, “Isn’t Lin Yu Tang the na of so sort of author?” [referring to林语堂 Lin Yǔtang (1895-1976), but the middle character of his na is different from that of 林煜堂 Lin Yù Tang of our story and also has a different tone].

Lin Yu Tang gave an explanation. “No, it’s not ‘yǔ,’ it’s ‘yù,’ the yù in ‘ri yi yù hu zhou’ [日以煜乎昼 ‘the sun’s duty is to illuminate the day].

Brawny blinked in confusion. “You’re a liberal arts student?”

His show-off display of looking intelligent had failed. Aloofly, Lin Yu Tang turned away. “It’s the sa yù as Li Yù.” []

After thinking about it for a mont, Brawny was still unable to rember which yù was in Li Yù. Right as he was about to ask Monkey, Monkey, still holding a grudge, retorted with the question, “Did you honestly get into S University with your own hard work?”

“Of course.” Pride rose up on Brawny’s face, and then he stated his score on the College Entrance Examinations.

Monkey let out a “Holy crud!” It was even two points higher than his.

Brawny was very pleased with his College Entrance Examination results. The feeling of superiority he got from Monkey, though, was not enough, so he then turned his gaze over to Lin Yu Tang.

Lin Yu Tang did not state his own.

So, Brawny gave him an encouraging look and indicated he should say it.

Lin Yu Tang could not take it anymore and had no choice but to tell them his marks on the College Entrance Exams. With a “Sh*t!” Brawny stretched out his hand to Lin Yu Tang. “Holy cr*p. You’re amazing!!!”

Lin Yu Tang did not say much. In between, he took a phone call. Monkey asked him whether it was his girlfriend. A smile ca onto Lin Yu Tang’s lips. “It’s my little sister.”

Brawny’s eyes brightened. “Introduce her to , eh, introduce her to .”

Ha ha. You wish! Lin Yu Tang flicked a glance at Brawny, having no good feelings towards him as well.

Very sadly, school had only just started and Brawny had already gotten on the bad side of both Monkey and Lin Yu Tang.

That night, when it was ti for bed, the last mber of their dormitory room still had not arrived. This seed so haughty that none of them could understand it. It was not until the next day, when everyone was in the main auditorium and saw the student representative of all the new entering students, that they finally beheld the august countenance of that roommate who was late to show up in their dorm—He Zhi Zhou.