Yu Jia froze as Lixue’s words echoed in the suddenly quiet boutique. The crowd, initially murmuring in her favor, grew uneasy, their attention flickering between the gown and Yu Jia’s increasingly strained expression.
Lixue, maintaining her poise, stepped away gracefully toward another rack, her indifference cutting through Yu Jia’s carefully crafted performance.
Yu Jia stood there awkwardly, clutching the dress, her fingers tightening around the silk. She couldn’t take it now—it would seem desperate, as though she’d bullied Lixue into giving it up. Yet leaving it behind would make her look foolish, as if she’d lost the upper hand.
The whispers began anew, but now the tone had shifted.
"Wait... she’s not taking the dress?"
"Why’s she just standing there?"
"Maybe this wasn’t as one-sided as it seemed..."
Yu Jia’s lips twitched into a strained smile as she turned slightly, her gaze darting around for Lin Hao. Her assistant, sensing her discomfort, leaned in.
"Miss Yu Jia," he said softly, "perhaps we should leave."
Yu Jia let out a soft, mirthless laugh, her voice trembling just enough to sound fragile. "Oh, it’s nothing, Lin Hao. I just... I don’t want this to be misunderstood. I’ll just... leave it. It’s fine."
Her voice carried enough volume to ensure the bystanders could hear, her tone carefully laced with a mix of vulnerability and magnanimity.
But the bystanders weren’t entirely convinced.
"Why did she make such a big deal if she wasn’t going to take it?" one person whispered.
"She could’ve just walked away earlier. This feels... off."
Lixue, now browsing a rack of simpler dresses with a calm expression, pretended not to notice the awkward atmosphere behind her. Her companions, however, exchanged knowing glances.
"She’s trapped now," Red whispered to Sunflower, a sly smile tugging at her lips. "Yu Jia made a spectacle, and now she’s the one looking foolish."
Yu Jia’s cheeks flushed as she picked up on the shift in the crowd’s mood. A few people cast her curious, even skeptical looks. Her hand faltered as she placed the dress back on the rack, her movements stiff and forced.
"I suppose it just wasn’t meant to be," she said softly, letting out a faint sigh as though she were graciously letting go of something dear. She turned to Lin Hao with a strained smile. "Let’s go. I don’t want to make this into more than it is."
Lin Hao nodded, guiding her toward the exit. But even as they walked away, Yu Jia could feel the weight of lingering stares. She’d lost control of the game, and the cracks in her perfect image were beginning to show.
As the door chimed behind her, Red leaned closer to Lixue, smirking. "I don’t think she’ll be shopping here again anytime soon."
Lixue picked up a plain but elegant dress, inspecting it without much care. "She’ll be back," she said softly. "People like Yu Jia can’t resist putting on a show, even when they lose."
And somewhere outside, Yu Jia sat stiffly in her car, her hands clenched into fists. She’d lost this round, but in her mind, the game was far from over.
Lixue glanced at her watch as she and her friends, Red and Sunflower, finished their shopping. She carried only a few bags—simple but elegant items she had chosen with her usual understated taste.
Red and Sunflower carried considerably more, their arms loaded with purchases as they exited the boutique into the mall.
"Well, that was entertaining," Red said with a grin, throwing a sly look over her shoulder as if expecting to see Yu Jia lurking in the shadows.
Sunflower chuckled, adjusting her bags. "Entertaining for us, maybe. Yu Jia’s probably fuming right now."
Lixue shook her head, her scarf still covering most of her face. "It’s not worth thinking about. People like her always find a way to spin things in their favor. Let’s just enjoy the day."
As they reached the entrance of the mall, the three exchanged goodbyes. Red and Sunflower headed off in one direction, while Lixue made her way toward the waiting car sent by her agency.
The driver, Mr. Wang, gave her a polite nod as he opened the door. "Madam, did everything go smoothly?"
"Smooth enough," she replied with a faint smile, sliding into the backseat.
As the car pulled away, she leaned back and closed her eyes. The incident with Yu Jia lingered in her mind, but she quickly pushed it aside. Bigger things awaited her, and she didn’t have the time or energy to waste on petty drama.
At the airport, Mo Ran checked in for his flight to Country C. His itinerary was packed—a series of business meetings, including one with a high-profile investor who had been difficult to secure a meeting with.
Boarding the plane, Mo Ran settled into his seat in first class, scrolling through his phone to review the agenda for the trip. His assistant had sent over the final details earlier that morning.
The flight was uneventful, and a few hours later, Mo Ran touched down at the international airport in City C, Country C. The air was crisp, the city alive with a mix of skyscrapers and traditional architecture.
As he exited customs, a young man holding a sign that read "Mr. Mo" stood near the arrivals gate. The man bowed slightly as Mo Ran approached.
"Welcome to Country C, Mr. Mo. I’m Li Weiyoung. I’ll be your guide during your visit," he said in fluent Mandarin.
Mo Ran nodded. "Thank you, mister Li. Is the car ready?"
"Yes, sir. Right this way."
The drive into the city was smooth, and Li Weiyoung provided a brief overview of the schedule.
"Your first meeting is with Mr. Liu Cheng at the Lotus International Tower," Weiyoung said, glancing at the tablet in his lap. "He’s the CEO of Golden Summit Holdings and one of the key figures in the real estate sector here."
Mo Ran leaned back, his sharp eyes scanning the cityscape as they entered the heart of City C.