Yan Xixi and Xu Xiaoya took a taxi to attend their college classmate, Zhou Xiaoxuan's wedding.
On the car radio, a conversation between the presenter and a despondent male listener was heard.
Male Listener: "My girlfriend wants to break up with me because she thinks I'm too poor. What should I do?"
Presenter: "Are you actually poor, though?"
Male Listener: "I think my earnings are acceptable."
Presenter: "How much do you earn per month?"
Male Listener: "1,800 yuan."
Presenter: "Given your salary, do you have a part-time job?"
Male Listener: "No."
Presenter: "What kind of leisure activities do you engage in after work?"
Male Listener: "In my free time, I enjoy hiking, sunbathing in the park, and slowing down to occasionally wait for my soul..."
Presenter: "In your case, you should stop waiting for your soul. Do you know what your usual activities should be? You should roam around the biggest mall in our city. Get to know the business world... pay attention to the price tags of various goods..."
Xu Xiaoya burst out laughing. "The host has unorthodox views, but I like him."
Yan Xixi, however, didn't laugh. Her gaze fell on her own handbag.
By then, the taxi had stopped at the city's most luxurious hotel. Yan Xixi and Xu Xiaoya had a sinking feeling the moment they got out of the taxi.
"Wow, is this a luxury car exhibition? Maseratis, Bentleys, Ferraris... Xixi, take a quick look at that car that just parked. Could it be the legendary Aston Martin ONE-77?"
A tall man emerged from the car, and many people crowded around, vying to greet him.
"Who is he? He has such an imposing presence."
Yan Xixi quickened her pace, following Xu Xiaoya as they joined the large crowd of guests heading into the lobby.
Her classmates were seated at a table at the very edge of the area, and there were two empty seats. Surprisingly, the bride, Zhou Xiaoxuan, was standing nearby.
She warmly greeted everyone. "There are so many guests today. I apologize if my greetings seem insufficient. Fellow classmates, please understand. Enjoy the food and drinks. This can be considered a small reunion."
"No worries, congratulations on marrying into a wealthy family."
"You've married so well, don't forget to help your old classmates. By the way, introduce me to a Tycoon..."
"Feel free to look around. Many Diamond Kings are here today, all very close friends of my husband. Even Wang Sanshao is here..."
"Seriously? Wang Sanshao is here? Your husband is so influential..."
Zhou Xiaoxuan said smugly, "If you fancy anyone, let me know. I'll introduce you."
"Really?"
"Of course."
"Look, Yan Xixi and Xu Xiaoya have arrived..."
Everyone instantly started teasing, "You two beautiful ladies are so late! You must drink three cups as punishment."
Xu Xiaoya giggled. "Little Xuanyuan, congratulations."
Yan Xixi also said, "Congratulations."
Zhou Xiaoxuan's gaze swept over Yan Xixi. "Please, have a seat. Having old classmates here is a great honor. Speaking of which, Xixi, didn't Huang Xiaojue come with you?"
Yan Xixi kept her composure. "He's busy with work and didn't have the time."
Zhou Xiaoxuan gave a faint smile and, casually smoothing her hair, asked, "He's so busy that he even has to work on a national holiday?"
Xu Xiaoya, quick to react, immediately grabbed her wrist. "Little Xuanyuan, what kind of watch is that? It's beautiful."
It was a dreamlike blue wristwatch, set in platinum. The face of the watch was crafted from deep blue enameled mother-of-pearl, featuring a small bridge with a white railing, upon which stood a boy and a girl. The boy indicated the minutes and the girl, the hours.
"Good heavens, isn't this the legendary 'Lovers' Bridge' by Van Cleef & Arpels? I heard that at the stroke of midnight, the girl leaps into the boy's arms for a momentary kiss before they swiftly separate. Is that right?"
"Little Xuanyuan, you're really rich now. We live in completely different worlds."
Zhou Xiaoxuan gave a charming smile. "Apart from the rich, there are two kinds of people in this world: those who skimp on daily necessities to buy luxuries just for show, and those who do the same but still can't afford luxuries."
Yan Xixi had been silent. Upon hearing this, she blushed crimson and felt as if she were sitting on pins and needles.
Xu Xiaoya felt awkward hearing the underlying barb in Zhou Xiaoxuan's words and gave Yan Xixi a concerned glance.
Everyone else fell silent, their eyes landing on Yan Xixi's handbag.
Zhou Xiaoxuan laughed. "Alright, classmates. I still need to greet other guests. Please enjoy yourselves. We can chat later in the afternoon when I'm free."
"You go ahead and get busy; don't mind us."
As the two bridesmaids accompanied her away, Zhou Xiaoxuan left behind an elegant silhouette. Her uniquely tailored wedding dress revealed a large expanse of her skin, fairer than snow. A stunning Y-shaped, pure white, diamond-studded necklace lay prominently against the center of her back.
"Look, it's a ZIP necklace! A famous Hollywood actress wore one just like that once."
"How much does it cost?"
"That watch alone costs seven to eight hundred thousand yuan, so how much do you think this necklace costs? And did you see her blue wedding ring? Pink diamonds are rare in our country, and blue diamonds are even more valuable. What she's wearing is easily worth tens of millions."
"Wow, I heard Zhou Xiaoxuan's husband is worth hundreds of millions. No wonder she can afford such luxury..."
"It's true what they say: marrying well is better than working hard. We could work our whole lives and still not afford any of this."
A male student chimed in, "Ladies, don't just look at a man's wealth. You should also consider his character. If his character is poor, you won't lead a happy life..."
"Pfft, whoever said wealthy men definitely have poorer characters than losers? Besides, without financial stability, how can one achieve inner peace? Many people have their priorities mixed up."
"According to your logic, us losers shouldn't bother trying to get married, right?"
"Beautiful women would rather be a backup for a rich, handsome man than accept a loser. Genetically speaking, this ensures the progress of humankind."
"Haha, I also have eight million on me..." a male student said, shaking his phone. "Damn, it's just pixels, though."
Everyone burst into laughter.
Yan Xixi couldn't take it anymore and excused herself to the restroom.
She stayed in there for a long time. When she came out, she tidied her hair in front of the mirror.
Suddenly, she saw a pair of wolf-like eyes in the bathroom mirror.
They belonged to a tall man—the owner of the Aston Martin.
His eyes landed on the side of her face, which she had just revealed by brushing back her long hair. He froze for an instant. Then, his gaze roamed brazenly down her body, and a strange smile touched his lips.
Yan Xixi instinctively tried to hide it, but it was too late. It was her handbag for the day, a high-end LV replica she had bought online for a few hundred yuan. This man had instantly seen straight through her vanity.
Under his unabashedly mocking gaze, she turned and fled in a flurry of embarrassment.