Chapter 12: Displaying Financial Power
Chapter 12: Chapter 12: Displaying Financial Power
Chi Xinyue was becoming increasingly reserved. She had noticed that whatever she showed interest in and picked up, Zhang Yan would take it and pay for it without a second word. Among her casual selections was a Van Cleef & Arpels bracelet worth over 110,000 yuan!
Now, she didn’t dare casually touch anything else. Her poor heart simply couldn’t take it!
"Senior, we’ve bought about two outfits now. That should be enough for you to alternate between. How about... we call it a day for now?"
"Sure, I’ll listen to you," he replied.
They had visited quite a few stores this time. Not limiting themselves to top-tier luxury, they also browsed brands like Rick Owens and Fendi. The total expenditure came to 257,050 yuan, with that Van Cleef & Arpels bracelet accounting for nearly half of it.
It just went to show that jewelry was truly the ultimate money pit.
Zhang Yan had heard that buying luxury goods usually came with various complimentary small gifts. He wasn’t sure if it was because his purchases were spread out across different stores or if the boutiques here were just stingy, but besides two magazines from Van Cleef & Arpels, he hadn’t received a single perk.
Perhaps he just hadn’t spent enough yet.
However, the results were remarkable. After donning the full set of gear, his system ratings smoothly updated: [Outfit Score (88/100): Progression Rate Gained 35.2%].
His aura score had also correspondingly increased by 3 points: [Aura Score (68/100): Progression Rate Gained 27.2%].
Zhang Yan checked the time. It was almost noon, so he looked at the junior. "Have you decided what you want to eat?"
Chi Xinyue didn’t answer immediately; her heart was still reeling in shock. Earlier, she had been entirely focused on putting together outfits for Zhang Yan, leaving her no time to think. Now that they were finally done, she had done some mental math and was thoroughly astounded.
Over 250,000! In just this short amount of time, he had dropped over 250,000 on just two outfits!
She wasn’t the type of person who lost touch with reality just from watching a few flashy short videos online. If she added up all the clothes, bags, jewelry, and makeup she had bought since childhood, it still wouldn’t amount to this staggering figure.
Chi Xinyue didn’t come from a wealthy family. Before college, she had always been an unpolished girl. Her lack of styling, combined with tacky school uniforms and a natural touch of inferiority, meant she actually possessed very little confidence. Consequently, during the most romantic and youthful years of her life, she had never dared to initiate an innocent relationship.
Upon entering university, she encountered a completely different world. Only then did she realize that people could live such free, colorful lives. As she matured and blossomed—undergoing a complete transformation—and gradually learned how to dress, she unexpectedly became a somewhat famous campus goddess.
She greatly enjoyed the feeling of being in the spotlight and loved this new lifestyle. Naturally, her horizons and standards rose correspondingly, which was why she still hadn’t accepted anyone’s romantic advances to this day.
Relying on her striking looks, consistent figure management, and hard-earned professional knowledge, she managed to earn a good amount of money every month through part-time jobs. Currently, her monthly expenses were in the high thousands. She had spent nearly 100,000 during her entire freshman year, which already made her feel like she was living such a luxurious life that she was beginning to lose herself.
But compared to Zhang Yan, he had spent over 250,000 on just two outfits! She was now completely certain that Zhang Yan was definitely a super-wealthy second-generation heir.
Chi Xinyue adjusted her mindset, quickly recovering her composure, and replied with a pitiful expression. "I really want to eat hot pot, but I just had barbecue yesterday. My cheat meal quota for this month has already been used up. If I eat more, my Small Waist will be ruined!"
Her original intention was to tactfully decline a grand feast and eat something simple instead. She didn’t want her relationship with Zhang Yan to turn into a purely transactional dynamic. She had legitimately put in a lot of effort this time. As long as Zhang Yan felt he still owed her, there would inevitably be a second and third date.
Zhang Yan didn’t notice her little scheme. However, when it came to eating without gaining weight, he actually had the perfect solution.
The vast majority of problems in life were simply a matter of not having enough money.
"Hot pot, huh? It’s fine, as long as we don’t eat red meat. I remember there’s a newly opened Guanye Street Macau hot pot place nearby."
"Macau hot pot?" Chi Xinyue was clearly hearing this name for the first time.
The restaurant wasn’t too far away, located within the same commercial district. Zhang Yan and the junior soon arrived.
"Table for two, sir?"
"Yes, two. Do you have private rooms? Get me a private room."
With plenty of pocket money, Zhang Yan’s ego had inflated; now, he casually demanded a private room right off the bat. There were quite a few people in the restaurant, but it wasn’t packed to the point of overflowing, which likely had a lot to do with its relatively high average cost per person.
Ever since Zhang Yan received the pocket money from Brother Tongzi, he had been actively researching how to enjoy himself. Yesterday, he had happened to scroll past a restaurant review video by a content creator on Bilibili and kept the order in mind.
He pretended to browse the menu, while in reality, he was frantically recalling the creator’s order from yesterday’s video.
"Let’s get a softshell turtle pot, then a geoduck, a horsehair crab, a king crab, an Australian lobster, six abalones, and a leopard coral grouper..."
It was Zhang Yan’s first time here too, but fortunately, having just watched the video recently, he remembered the contents quite clearly and put on a very convincing act.
Sitting across from him, Chi Xinyue was already drooling. Most of these were delicacies she had only heard of but never eaten, and for the few she had, she had only tried the budget versions. After all, even though she earned decent money from her part-time jobs, she invested it all into her wardrobe, leaving very little to satisfy her appetite.
Platters of ice were brought to the table, displaying the fresh, tender, and mouth-watering seafood in all its glory.
"Senior, could we wait a moment before eating? I’d like to take some photos first, is that okay?" The junior gave him an adorable look, asking for Zhang Yan’s permission.
"Of course. This meal is a treat for you anyway, so you’re the boss."
She took individual close-up shots of every dish, wrapping it up with a selfie. After putting together a perfect nine-photo grid, the junior finally put her phone away with satisfaction.
"Alright, alright, let’s dig in, Senior! I woke up late this morning and skipped breakfast. Who knew it would be a blessing in disguise? Now I can really go all out!"
"As long as you like it. Eat up."
The saying that a beautiful face is a feast for the eyes wasn’t without reason. It was Zhang Yan’s first time having such high-end seafood hot pot too, and to be honest, the flavor was truly excellent. But as he watched the junior, whose face was filled with pure joy and satisfaction, periodically exclaiming, "This is so good!" "That is so delicious!" and "Senior, you have to try this!", he gradually lost interest in the food.
Because the large table was piled high with food, she often had to stand up and lean over to reach the dishes further away. Whenever she did, she herself became the most appetizing view in the room. As for the waitstaff who were supposed to be serving them from the sidelines, Zhang Yan had long since sent them away.
Why didn’t Zhang Yan act like a gentleman and serve the junior himself? One could only say that the "delicacies" were simply too appealing, leaving him completely engrossed and forgetful of his manners.
Although they had ordered quite a lot, it was all seafood, which wasn’t too heavy. The two of them finished everything easily.
"Ah~ I’m so stuffed~ Senior, if I come out with you a few more times, I’ll definitely gain a few pounds!"
"So I shouldn’t invite you next time?"
"Don’t do that! I was just joking. Whenever you have an order, Senior, this junior of yours will be at your beck and call!" The junior even gave an obedient, playful salute to go along with her words.
"It’s a deal then. Next time I need you for something, you’re not allowed to make excuses."
"Absolutely~ I’d even skip class for it. Dedication is my middle name!"
"So, what about when there isn’t anything going on... Can I ask you out then too?"