Chapter 52
"Ji Feiyang isn't even a member here, so there's really no need for me to join Lanzhi," Gu Xi said, testing the waters. Seeing that Zheng Ke didn't seem offended by her refusal, she gathered her courage and added, "I came to Beijing to save my brother. Every yuan counts… If I can avoid spending money, I will."
Zheng Ke chuckled again, clearly entertained. The look in her eyes—torn between temptation and principle—was utterly amusing. She was adorably earnest, like a little rabbit clutching its wallet. "Do you even know how rare a Lanzhi membership card is?"
"I do." Gu Xi nodded solemnly. "I offered 500,000 just now, but Manager Wang still wouldn't let me in."
Zheng Ke arched a brow. So she had some awareness, then.
"Do you understand the kind of connections you can make inside Lanzhi? Even someone like Ji Feiyang, born into an aristocratic family, doesn't qualify to enter. Think about the kind of resources we're talking about here. If you know how to make use of them, it could benefit your family's future in ways you can't even imagine."
"I know," Gu Xi said, clearly conflicted. "But… I'm just a student."
Zheng Ke's lips curled slightly. "That explains it."
She wasn't greedy. She wasn't scheming. She knew it was an opportunity—one people would kill for—and yet she hesitated. He'd seen countless people grab at his goodwill like vultures to a carcass. This girl? She backed away. For the first time in a while, he felt... amused.
Studying her again, he glanced at her overly mature makeup and too-fancy dress. It couldn't cover up the innocence in her eyes.
"Next time you come here," he said casually, "wash your face first."
"Huh?" Gu Xi blinked.
"You're clearly a little cabbage, but you dressed yourself up like purple cabbage. It's kind of... ugly."
What—? Weren't they just discussing membership cards?
Before she could respond, Zheng Ke turned to Manager Wang. "Get her a card. Waive the fee. Put it on my tab."
"I don't want it…" Gu Xi tried to decline, but one look from him silenced her. His expression said, Don't push your luck.
"But the money..." she mumbled. Five hundred thousand yuan... what if he comes after me for it later?
Zheng Ke tilted his head. "Do you know who I am?"
Gu Xi hesitated, brow furrowed. He'd mentioned his name earlier—something about "Zheng"—but she'd been too busy glaring at Ji Feiyang to really process it.
"I'm Zheng Ke," he said calmly. "No one has ever refused a card I've offered."
"Z-Z-Zheng Ke?" The name rang in her ears like thunder. Her mind short-circuited. Zheng Ke... from the Zheng family? The legendary man who wielded power like a weapon? She stared at him, dumbfounded.
"Oh?" Zheng Ke raised a brow, a bit surprised himself. "You've heard of me?"
He hadn't expected a girl from Linjiang to know his name. But the sheer panic on her face—like she'd just met a mythical beast—was oddly charming. Unlike the women who schemed to get close to him, this one looked like she'd rather flee the country.
Leaning in slightly, Zheng Ke offered her a teasing smile. "My name is Zheng Ke. Not... Zheng-Zheng-Zheng-Zheng-Zheng Ke."