At around seven in the evening, Xiao Yufan changed into formal attire and headed toward the Five Ring Hotel. When he learned that the Five Ring Hotel was a five-star establishment, he immediately regretted the words he had spoken to Hu Yingluo earlier. Even if he spent every last penny he had, it probably wouldn’t cover a decent meal for three people.
“Where are you guys now?” Xiao Yufan called Ma Teng while tightening his coat. The winter night was bitterly cold, and he really wouldn’t have bothered going out if it weren’t for accompanying a beautiful woman for dinner.
“We’re already at the Five Ring Hotel. Where are you? I was just about to call you!” Ma Teng sounded slightly helpless on the other end of the line, though he understood Xiao Yufan’s personality well enough—no matter how much he pushed, the latter would arrive only when he was ready.
“Don’t worry, I’m almost there. But don’t be too harsh—my wallet’s not exactly thick right now!”
“Relax, you don’t have to treat. Our big boss…the beautiful lady will handle it. Don’t hold back with her—she’s from the wealthy class. We should definitely take full advantage!” Ma Teng let out a suggestive laugh, and Xiao Yufan was momentarily speechless. This guy could, at times, be even more lewd than himself. It seemed he must have picked up the habit from him.
There wasn’t a single stretch of road in Beijing that wasn’t congested, so it took Xiao Yufan quite a while to finally reach the Five Ring Hotel. He headed directly to the private dining room number Ma Teng had given him. Perhaps his attire was too plain, but he noticed many people giving him odd looks, which made him feel quite uncomfortable.
“Our great feng shui master sure has a big reputation! We had to wait so long for you just to have dinner. Don’t you think you owe us a little something?” As soon as Xiao Yufan stepped into the private room, a sweet voice greeted him. Sitting at the head of the table was Hu Yingluo, now dressed in a very professional outfit, with Ma Teng seated to her right.
“The traffic was terrible. How could I let a beautiful lady wait? Offending a lady is far worse than offending a thug!” Xiao Yufan grinned, his eyes fixed on Hu Yingluo, who wore only light makeup.
Hu Yingluo blushed slightly. The room wasn’t empty, and Ma Teng was there too. Even she found the teasing a bit much to handle.
Ma Teng swallowed hard and silently gave Xiao Yufan a thumbs-up. He hadn’t expected the two to become so familiar with each other so quickly. After all, in the company, Hu Yingluo rarely showed warmth to anyone.
The three of them began chatting casually, and as they grew more comfortable, their words became more open and unrestrained. With the truth-telling effect of alcohol, Haoran gradually revealed his entire background.
“Actually, making a name for yourself in Beijing isn’t that hard. As long as you’re willing to work hard and dream big, you can succeed. Those who truly fall behind are just too afraid to face reality!” Hu Yingluo offered comfort, sensing Xiao Yufan’s low spirits. Among the three, she was the only one still somewhat sober.
“Reality just keeps shattering dreams. So many people only want a job and a small home in Beijing, yet they have to struggle their entire lives for it!”
“Don’t be too pessimistic. You have skills, and you’re an expert in feng shui. You won’t be in a bad place wherever you go. Besides, have you ever really tried your hardest at anything? You’ve just been afraid to take risks for the past three years!”
Hu Yingluo’s words struck deep into Xiao Yufan’s heart. Even though his mind was a bit hazy, his thoughts were clear. Yes! For the past three years, he hadn’t even dared to take a risk. After a few rejected resumes, he had simply chosen to give up. It wasn’t something he could blame anyone else for—he had grown too accustomed to just going with the flow.
The dinner lasted for more than three hours. When they finally left the hotel, it was already deep into the night. Of course, Xiao Yufan didn’t end up paying the bill. When he tried to sneak off to the restroom as an excuse to settle it, he found it had already been taken care of—clearly by Hu Yingluo.
Refusing Hu Yingluo’s offer to drive him home, Xiao Yufan took a taxi back to the rented apartment. When he returned, a luxury car worth millions was already parked outside.
The door wasn’t fully closed. Xiao Yufan smiled—so the woman wasn’t entirely heartless after all! Suppressing a wave of nausea, he rushed to the bathroom. It felt like ages since he’d last been this drunk.
After stumbling into the bedroom, Xiao Yufan made sure to place the laptop Ma Teng had handed him during dinner on the desk. Hu Yingluo’s words had strengthened his determination. After all, he had real potential in the field of computer programming—pursuing that path was truly the right way forward…
He fell asleep with a throbbing headache. When Xiao Yufan finally woke up, the sun was already high in the sky. The room reeked of alcohol, and even he found it unpleasant enough to open the window.
His stomach growled. Yesterday’s drinking had emptied it completely, so of course he was starving.
As he walked out of the bedroom, Xiao Yufan noticed a glass of water and a prominent note left on the dining table.
“Scum, breakfast is in the fridge. Just heat it up in the microwave. You’re welcome—just don’t make me have a starving ghost in my house!”
After reading the note, Xiao Yufan shook his head helplessly. He couldn’t quite figure out Yu Yihan. She seemed cold and distant on the outside, but from many small details, she wasn’t all that unpleasant. At least this time, he didn’t feel the least bit offended by being called “scum.”
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