Jiang Shasha now saw Zhao Chen walking straight toward her.
She felt utterly disgusted. She hadn't expected this guy to be so stubborn. Last night, she had clearly told him that they lived in two different worlds, yet he still insisted on bringing up their childhood friendship, hoping she would change her mind.
Was he joking?
Only after leaving that impoverished star system did she truly understand what a brilliant life meant!
How could she ever willingly return to that destitute star system to become some worthless baroness, with her children possibly unable to even inherit a nobility title?
She refused to live such a life—she wouldn't even entertain the thought!
The young man beside her was a potential prospect she had found. His family background was decent; his father was currently a viscount and was rumored to have the chance to be promoted to count in the coming years. If that happened, wouldn't his son also be able to inherit a title?
"Forget it, I'll just find an excuse to reject him later. I've already spared him some face, but if he doesn't know better, then don't blame me for humiliating him in public," Jiang Shasha muttered to herself.
She even began to wear a cold expression, already preparing her words of rejection.
Even the young man beside Jiang Shasha wore a mocking smile. Having pursued Jiang Shasha, he had naturally investigated her background and knew about Zhao Chen, the down-and-out baron.
He loved seeing the look of shame and anger on someone's face after having something they cherished taken away.
Just as both of them were waiting for the next scene to unfold, something unexpected happened.
Zhao Chen didn't even spare Jiang Shasha a second glance, walking directly past them.
This move left both Jiang Shasha and the young man dumbfounded, and even Li Wei was stunned.
He had thought Zhao Chen, seeing his fiancée with another man, would feel upset and step forward to confront them. Instead, Zhao Chen simply walked right past?
"Look, this spot has the best view. You can even see the starships docked over there," Zhao Chen said, sitting at a table beside a massive transparent floor-to-ceiling window and pointing toward a distant starport where dozens of starships were berthed.
Li Wei was baffled. Brother, did you really sit here just to enjoy the scenery?
Zhao Chen was indeed here to look at starships. Perhaps it was something innate in a man's blood, but Zhao Chen was now deeply fascinated by starships.
Drawing on the knowledge he had acquired, Zhao Chen began identifying the starships docked at the starport one by one.
Most were T2 starships, with a few T1 starships mixed in.
In this era, T1 starships were already considered outdated, mostly used for civilian purposes or for patrol and security duties within various star systems.
For actual combat, at least T2-level starships were required.
T2 starships were also several times larger in size than T1 starships. The most common types were stellar destroyers and interstellar frigates, which made up about two-thirds of the fleet.
The remainder consisted of stellar cruisers and stellar battlecruisers.
Zhao Chen even spotted a T1-level interstellar battleship, though it was clearly an antique.
As for carrier starships, Zhao Chen didn't see any.
Interstellar battleships and carrier starships could be considered the most expensive among all ship types—one was the undisputed ruler of interstellar aerial combat, while the other was the symbol of massive ships and heavy artillery.
Zhao Chen soon saw a starship identical to the one Li Wei had purchased—a T2 Hyena-class Medium Stellar Destroyer.
This was currently the best-selling T2 stellar destroyer within the Stellar Glory Empire, and many people favored this model of starship.
The hull measured two hundred and thirty meters in length, roughly the size of a large stadium.
The docked Hyena-class Medium Stellar Destroyer was painted in the original steel-gray color, with emblems symbolizing its identity sprayed on the right side of the hull. There were three emblems in total.
The foremost one was the Galactic Alliance Emblem.
As the Stellar Glory Empire was a member of the Galactic Alliance, all starships within the alliance were required to display this emblem.
Next came the Stellar Glory Empire's Seven Stars Emblem, representing the seven families that founded the empire.
Lastly, there was the emblem symbolizing the owner of this starship, along with the starship serial number and other details. This final emblem was the largest and most prominent.
These three emblems essentially served as the starship's identification.
"What do you want to eat today? My treat!" Li Wei said generously.
"Really?" Zhao Chen teased, looking at Li Wei. He then tapped an ordering button on the table, and a holographic interface for ordering appeared before him. He scrolled directly to the last page of the menu.
Li Wei immediately smiled wryly and said, "Bro… although my dad bought me a starship, you know how much pocket money he gives me each month… it's actually not much…"
Zhao Chen stopped teasing him. "Even though you're a rich second-generation heir and I'm just a down-and-out baron, I haven't fallen so low as to mooch off you yet. Treat me when you're truly successful."
With that, Zhao Chen ordered the cheapest meal set.
Li Wei ordered a similar one.
Soon, a robot server delivered the two meal sets to Zhao Chen and Li Wei.
"Your Nutrient A Set and Nutrient C Set, please enjoy…"
Zhao Chen began eating the visually appealing but rather tasteless food in front of him. If he had to describe it… it felt like chewing plastic.
"Food prices seem to have gone up again recently. Eating these artificial nutrient meals every day, I feel like I'm losing my sense of taste. I really want to try some artificially cultivated food…" Li Wei complained with a pained expression.
"Ask your dad for more pocket money," Zhao Chen said without looking up.
"My dad's such a miser. Aside from splurging on the starship this once, there's no way he'll fork out more money. And do you know how expensive artificially cultivated ingredients are now? Even my dad only gets basic three meals and a soup, with meat just once a week. The kind of lavish lifestyle with endless feasts and luxuries is probably only enjoyed by the upper-class nobles." Li Wei waved his hand dismissively.
Zhao Chen looked at the food on his plate.
In this era, everything was advanced and impressive.
The only downside was the food. Due to the massive population, overexploitation of planetary land resources, and the high cost of naturally cultivated crops, the vast majority of ordinary people now consumed cheap artificial nutrient meals, which were bland and unappetizing.
Only the high-ranking officials, wealthy merchants, and nobles could afford artificially cultivated natural food.
Even the most basic staples from Zhao Chen's previous life—rice, steamed buns, and vegetables—were expensive commodities here. Ordinary low- to mid-level nobles could only enjoy them occasionally.
"Isn't this Baron Zhao Chen? How can a dignified baron be eating such food?" An unfriendly voice came from the side.
Li Wei frowned and looked over. Jiang Shasha and the man whom Zhao Chen had ignored earlier were actually sitting right next to them.
This man was no ordinary person—his name was Zhang Haoran, and his father was a Viscount.
Zhao Chen paid no attention and continued eating his food with his head down.
"I forgot to inform Baron Zhao Chen of something. Shasha has already agreed to be my girlfriend. As for the engagement between you and Shasha, if you know what's good for you, you should annul it yourself.
Do you really think you're worthy of Shasha? You should know your place." Zhang Haoran mocked without restraint, looking down on Zhao Chen with contempt.
He loved this feeling of humiliation.