Wei Ruiyuan's motives were far from pure. In college, he'd been an unremarkable face in the crowd. But six months ago, his family's aging properties had been demolished in a city redevelopnt project, showering them with a massive compensation payout. Overnight, he'd beco a "demolition heir"—a label he wore like a gaudy crown. Now, seated across from Bai Hanyan, his university's forr campus goddess, ambition simred beneath his smug grin.
Money bred audacity. Having dismissed Ye Chen as irrelevant, Wei leaned toward Bai Hanyan with predatory charm. "So, what do you do these days?" he asked, feigning casual interest.
"I work at a talent agency," Bai Hanyan replied politely, her tone laced with frost.
Wei pretended not to notice the chill. "Not bad. ? I run my own business now. Modest earnings—20,000 or 30,000 a month. On good months, it hits 50,000." He shrugged as if discussing pocket change.
Bai Hanyan's eyes widened. "That's... impressive." Her annual salary barely scraped 200,000.
"Just a side hustle," Wei lied smoothly. In reality, his boutique café netted barely 10,000 monthly, but truth had no place in his performance. "I'm eyeing expansion. Xintai Shopping Center—you know it? Pri location. Planning to lease eight or nine stores there for new ventures."
Xintai Shopping Center.
Ye Chen's attention sharpened. His mall, acquired through a prior mission, though he'd only visited once.
"Eight stores?!" Bai Hanyan gasped. "My best friend tried renting one there for months. Even with money, it's impossible without connections!"
Wei puffed his chest. "Connections? Please. The owner's a close friend. A single call, and it's done."
"You're friends with Xintai's owner?" Ye Chen interjected, his eyebrow arching.
"Of course!" Wei snapped, irritated by the interruption. "Renting shops there is child's play for ."
Bai Hanyan leaned forward, hope flickering. "Could you help my friend? She's desperate for a store. We'll pay extra!"
Wei's bravado faltered. He'd never spoken to Xintai's owner—he rely had a contact number for leasing inquiries. But retreating now would obliterate his carefully crafted façade. Gritting his teeth, he pulled out his phone and dialed the saved number, hands trembling.
Across the table, Ye Chen's phone rang.
Author's Note:
The collision of lies and reality reaches peak absurdity. Wei's bluster crashes headfirst into Ye Chen's silent authority—a showdown where pride ets poetic justice. Will Bai Hanyan's gratitude turn to awe? And how many more layers of humiliation can Wei endure? Stay tuned.
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