Chapter Forty-Six: Are You Clear-Headed Now?

But there was only a single location shared.

Jiang Yunzhu sent a question mark, slowly: ?

What does this location mean?

Was he not even going to pretend anymore, just call her over to sleep?

Shen Tingxiao replied: I’m waiting for you here.

What was the point of saying such things face to face? Couldn’t he just clarify over WeChat?

Jiang Yunzhu asked: Is there something else important you need to discuss with me?

But Shen Tingxiao stopped replying altogether.

Jiang Yunzhu had no choice but to accept her fate. She got up, changed her clothes, called the family driver, and headed to the location Shen Tingxiao had sent.

The road was smooth, and she arrived without delay.

Only after arriving did Jiang Yunzhu realize this was an upscale private dining restaurant.

She told the driver to wait outside—she was just going in to exchange a few words with Shen Tingxiao, so it shouldn’t take long.

She pushed open the door; wind chimes tinkled from the eaves above.

The interior was nothing like she had expected. Everywhere she looked, there was an air of antique elegance. The space inside was wide yet ingeniously divided by several exquisite folding screens, creating a sense of winding seclusion and privacy.

For a moment, Jiang Yunzhu wasn’t sure where Shen Tingxiao was. She was about to lower her head and message him when someone bumped right into her.

The collision happened so suddenly that Jiang Yunzhu was completely unprepared. Her phone slipped from her grasp and fell with a thud into the ornamental pond nearby. The fish darted away in alarm.

“My phone!” Jiang Yunzhu immediately reached in to retrieve it, but unfortunately, her phone wasn’t waterproof and wouldn’t turn on anymore.

“Sorry,” the person said half-heartedly.

Jiang Yunzhu was ready to let it go, but the other’s indifferent tone made her frown. She reached out to stop her. “Wait a minute!”

The woman was forced to stop and turned around. “I already apologized. What more do you want?”

“My phone is ruined. An apology isn’t enough, is it?” Jiang Yunzhu held up her dripping phone. “At the very least, you should buy me a new one.”

“You’re blaming me for your own carelessness?” The woman looked her up and down, as if she’d heard the funniest joke of the century. “You’re wearing designer brands, yet you act so petty. Oh, I get it—you’re trying to scam me, aren’t you?”

Her voice was loud, quickly drawing the attention of the other diners. Curious eyes turned toward them.

Some even whispered amongst themselves.

The pressure of the moment mounted swiftly.

The woman’s lips curled in a mocking smile. “It’s just a phone. I can pay for it. In fact, I could give you more. But you’ll have to kneel and call me ‘big sister’.”

Jiang Yunzhu raised an eyebrow. “And how much are you planning to give me?”

The woman sneered. “It’s a pity you’re a woman. If you were a man—well, a man’s knees are worth gold—I might offer tens of thousands. But for you, maybe a few thousand at most.”

“Oh?” Jiang Yunzhu replied calmly. “I’ll give you thirty thousand. You kneel and call me ‘big sister’.”

The woman’s expression changed instantly, her face turning pale with anger. “What did you say? Open your eyes and see where you are!”

“What, it’s fine for you to insult my dignity with money, but not for me to insult yours?” Jiang Yunzhu chuckled. “Since you think only the wealthy can reason, I don’t mind playing by your rules. But suddenly you can’t handle it?”

“You—!”

Suddenly, a voice interrupted.

“Yunzhu?” It was Zhou Qingpei.

She wore a light blue cheongsam that hugged her slender waist. She walked gracefully to the woman’s side and spoke softly, “Why are you arguing with Yunzhu?”

“She’s your friend?” The woman was somewhat surprised, her words full of disdain. “Compared to you, she’s really not much. She dresses decently, but who knows what shady things she does.”

Jiang Yunzhu remained unruffled. “Well, this is the first time I’ve heard that asking for fair compensation is considered shady.”

“How do I know your phone isn’t a fake?” the woman retorted. “Maybe you threw it on purpose to extort money from me!”

Jiang Yunzhu laughed and leaned in closer. “Who do you think you are? Have you been dreaming too much? You’re not even a man.”

“You—!” The woman’s face flushed with rage and she looked ready to lash out.

Zhou Qingpei hurried to intervene. “Yunzhu, I’m really sorry. My friend is just a little blunt…”

“There’s a difference between bluntness and refusing to take responsibility,” Jiang Yunzhu said, unwilling to waste any more time. “Miss Zhou, since she’s your friend and my phone was damaged because of me, shouldn’t you compensate me?”

The gazes from all around grew hotter with intrigue.

Zhou Qingpei’s cheeks flushed lightly. She quickly took out money from her wallet. “Whatever the amount, I’ll pay you.”

“Ten thousand, plus damages for my distress,” said Jiang Yunzhu.

Without hesitation, Zhou Qingpei pressed the money into Jiang Yunzhu’s hand. “I’m sorry, Yunzhu, truly.”

Only then did Jiang Yunzhu accept the money and go to find a server to ask which private room Shen Tingxiao was in.

Meanwhile, Zhou Qingpei managed to pacify the woman and led her away. “Why did you two start arguing?”

“I was just walking and she bumped into me. My phone fell in the pond, and she insists it was my fault.” The woman was still indignant and glanced subconsciously in Jiang Yunzhu’s direction.

She saw a server leading Jiang Yunzhu to a private room.

At that moment, the door opened and Shen Tingxiao stepped out, dressed in a trench coat, his features deep and distinguished.

A single glance revealed his wealth and status.

Jiang Yunzhu greeted him with apparent enthusiasm.

The woman lifted her chin and said to Zhou Qingpei with a sardonic tone, “Look, isn’t that her sugar daddy? I could tell at a glance she’s not a good person.”

Zhou Qingpei followed her gaze, a flicker of surprise in her heart.

Had Jiang Yunzhu really fallen so low that she needed a sugar daddy to survive?

Well, it made sense.

After all, when she left, she shamelessly took away many artists.

She probably couldn’t survive here otherwise, so she went to extremes.

Zhou Qingpei’s lips curled into a smile. If Shen Ruizhang ever found out, he’d be thoroughly disgusted.

…

Inside the private room, it was eerily quiet.

Jiang Yunzhu had been inside for ten minutes. Shen Tingxiao sat grandly opposite her, saying not a word.

“Mr. Shen?” Jiang Yunzhu finally couldn’t help but look up at him. “I was drunk last night and didn’t quite catch what you were saying. But thinking it over, I really don’t think it’s appropriate for you to be my boyfriend.”

Suddenly, Shen Tingxiao leaned in close, gripping her chin and forcing her to look up. The faint scent of sandalwood drifted between them.

“Jiang Yunzhu, are you sober now?”