"Chen Zheng, let's break up. I'm going to marry the young master of the Su Group soon, and you're not worthy of me. I'll send you an invitation, but you don't have to pay the gift money since you can't afford it anyway. Oh, and here's a bank card with 100,000. Consider it hush money. You'd better not leak anything about our five-year relationship, or I'll sue you for defamation."
「In the upscale DK coffee shop.」
Chen Zheng looked at his ex-girlfriend, who sat before him, high and mighty and utterly unrecognizable. They had been in love for five years, a romance that had lasted all through college. Yet, they had been out of school and working for less than a year. And now his ex-girlfriend was getting married? And he was just being informed of it?
"One hundred thousand? For hush money?" Chen Zheng scoffed. As he swirled the dishwater-like liquid in his cup, he felt the chasm between them grow even wider.
Once upon a time, she had been perfectly happy eating at roadside stalls with him. Now, she took pride in sipping iced Americanos. Even her jewelry and handbags had been replaced with high-end luxury brands that were once completely unimaginable to them.
"Chen Zheng, 100,000 is enough," she said. "That's nearly two years of your salary. Look at you. You've been working for a year, and your salary hasn't even hit five figures. Isn't that humiliating? Do you really think you can make me happy?"
As she spoke, his ex-girlfriend, Huang Yiyi, dangled a set of Porsche keys in her hand, her face a mask of pride and smugness. She had only just gotten engaged to Young Master Su, and he had already given her a convertible Porsche 718 worth seven or eight hundred thousand. When she flaunted it on social media, the post garnered over 300 likes in a single day, the most she had ever received. She reveled in everyone's envy and loved discussing Young Master Su with her friends, basking in the glory of being a wealthy young socialite. Every mention of him burnished her own reputation.
"Keep your filthy money. It disgusts me," Chen Zheng said, his heart turning to cold ash as he stood up. "As for what was between us, I'll just pretend it never happened."
SLAP!
Huang Yiyi slammed her hand on the table, her tone filled with immense anger, attracting the attention of everyone nearby. "Chen Zheng, who do you think you are, looking down on my money? You can't even scrape together ten thousand. Do you have any idea how much my Porsche costs? Forget the Porsche, you couldn't even afford this Chanel bag!"
Chen Zheng let out a cold laugh and shot her a sidelong glance. "At least the money I earn is honest. Huang Yiyi, you always talked about being an independent woman of the new era, but in the end, you just spread your legs for a man. Where is your dignity?"
"..."
The other patrons in the coffee shop were indignant. "You tell her!" someone shouted. "That kind of woman deserves to be scolded! Always talking about gender equality but then demanding the man have a house and a car! Unless you're some rich kid, what ordinary person can buy a house before they're thirty? Even if they could, wouldn't that mean draining the life savings of their parents and grandparents? The moment she hooks a rich heir, she starts acting all high and mighty. She really has some nerve."
"Huang Yiyi, stop embarrassing yourself!" Chen Zheng sneered.
"You..." Huang Yiyi seethed. She had been banking on her connection to Young Master Su to gloat and make Chen Zheng jealous. She never expected that not only would he not be envious, but he would also berate her in public. She was losing face fast.
"Go on, Chen Zheng, be jealous!" Huang Yiyi challenged, trying to win back some ground. "You talk so high and mighty, but I know deep down you must be envious of my Porsche and my luxurious villa. If you'd just admit it, I might even think a little more highly of you."
"Get lost!" Chen Zheng spat out, turning to leave and giving her no chance to retaliate.
"You've got guts, Chen Zheng!" Huang Yiyi shrieked, her shameless voice echoing through the coffee shop. "We'll see how long you can act so smug. I'm sending you the invitation tonight. You'd better be at my wedding with Young Master Su tomorrow!"
CLICK.
The sharp sound of high heels cut through the air after Huang Yiyi's voice faded. A woman of stunning beauty had stood up. As a fragrant breeze swept past, all eyes were drawn to her. She had long, slender legs, an impressive figure, and a fair, angelic face. As she walked by, every man in the cafe gaped and swallowed hard, their gazes following her like sunflowers tracking the sun. Even after she disappeared through the doorway, they continued to stare, unable to look away.
"Excuse me, handsome. Wait a second," the woman called out, stopping Chen Zheng as he headed for the bus stop.
When Chen Zheng turned, he too was stunned by her incredible beauty. She was like a rose in full bloom—alluring, captivating, and devastatingly gorgeous.
"Can I help you?" Chen Zheng asked, quickly averting his eyes. He knew that a beautiful woman with such a refined air was from a different world than his. Even though he had never mingled with high society, he could tell she was either rich or from a noble family.
"Are you free for a moment?" she asked, her smile utterly bewitching.
"Yes. But what's this about?" Chen Zheng grew more suspicious, sensing something unusual behind her smile.
"I want you to get a marriage license with me," the woman said with a slight smile.
"Pfft—" Chen Zheng nearly coughed himself into a fall, staring at her in disbelief. "What did you say? Get a marriage license? Are you crazy?"
The woman extended a hand, speaking with utmost seriousness. "Let me introduce myself. I'm Wei Zixuan, the president of Xingsheng Group. Several high-end properties in Yun City are our group's assets, and my personal net worth is over ten billion.
"After we get married, I will cover all your expenses. There's no need for a bride price. My dowry will be three houses, and they can all be registered in your name. If you don't have a car, I have a new Panamera that I can give to you as well."
Wei Zixuan was under intense pressure from her family to get married. They had gone so far as to arrange a blind date for her without her consent, and when she refused to meet the man, they had simply elevated him to the status of her fiancé. This irresistible offer was, in truth, her final test for Chen Zheng. She was well aware of her own charm, but Chen Zheng had only glanced at her once, showing no greed or losing his composure. That alone made him worthy of her proposing this second test. If he passed, she would register their marriage immediately.
[Ding! Super Selection System successfully bound to host.]
[System deploying... 10%... 50%... 100%.]
[A choice has been detected.]
[Activating choice rewards.]
[Option 1: Accept Wei Zixuan's offer and become a kept man. Reward: One pair of anti-slip slippers.]
[Option 2: Refuse to marry Wei Zixuan. Reward: Crime-committing tool shortened by three inches.]
[Option 3...]