Chapter 58: A Narrow Encounter
The crowd dispersed, leaving Su Junfeng seething. He'd lost—badly. Not only had his plan backfired, but Yi Xuexian was barely speaking to him. *How did I end up looking like the fool?* he fumed.
"Xuexian, let's go," he snapped, too embarrassed to meet her eyes. "Staying here will only bring more trouble."
Yi hesitated, glancing at Wu and Mu with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry about all this. Junfeng isn't usually—"
"Spare me the excuses," Su cut her off, his voice sharp. "You're defending them, not me. Who's side are you on?"
Mu scoffed. "She's on the *right* side. Unlike you, who's too busy throwing tantrums to act like an adult."
Su's face turned purple. "This isn't over. I'll make you regret this."
"Ooh, scary," Mu said, rolling her eyes. "Try coming up with a better plan than 'plant a wallet.' Your IQ's showing, and it's not pretty."
She turned to Wu, grinning. "Let's list his mistakes, Fan-ge. One: leaving a wallet in a crowded place and expecting *us* to find it? Lazy. Two: showing up *immediately* after we picked it up? Too convenient. Three: the cops arrived in five minutes? Even Ferraris can't outrun logic. Four: no ID, no cards—just cash? Dumbest trap ever."
The lingering onlookers cheered, clapping Mu on the back.
Su's jaw tightened. He grabbed Yi's arm, practically dragging her away. "Let's go. Before I lose my temper."
Yi stumbled, shooting Wu and Mu one last, regretful look before disappearing into the crowd.
---
By six, the sun hung low, painting the sky in hues of amber. Mu, still buzzing from the day's drama, dragged Wu toward a sleek restaurant with a sign reading "Celestial Seafood Palace"—a Beitian landmark, famous for its exorbitant prices and fresh, imported catches.
Wu winced. *This place costs an arm and a leg.* He patted his pocket, where a few hundred yuan burned a hole.
"Fan-ge, I'll treat you!" Mu said, sliding into a booth. "Order whatever you want. My treat."
"You have money?" Wu raised an eyebrow.
"Not cash, but these work." She tossed two credit cards onto the table, as casually as if they were candy wrappers. Her smile dimmed. "If Dad were here… I'd trade it all for one more day with him."
Wu softened. Money meant nothing to her—not when it couldn't buy back lost time. He joked, "Careful. Offer me a lifetime supply of seafood, and I might take you up on it."
Mu giggled. "Deal. But only if you promise to outsmart idiots like Su forever."
A waiter approached, and Mu ordered without hesitation: "Curry prawns, a king lobster, steamed crab, and a bottle of Château Latour. Fast, please—we're starving."
The waiter's eyes widened. That order would cost at least 40,000 yuan—more than most people earned in a month. He scurried off, clearly impressed.
Wu whistled. "You weren't kidding about treating me."
Mu shrugged. "You deserve it. Thanks for today. It's… been a while since I had fun."
Their first dishes arrived—plump crabs and glossy conch—when a familiar voice sneered, "Well, well. If it isn't the dynamic duo, slumming it with *cheap* seafood."
Wu and Mu looked up to find Su and Yi, Su's face twisted with malice.
Yi's cheeks flushed. "Junfeng, don't—"
"Relax, Xuexian. I'm just stating facts." Su gestured at their table. "King crab? Curry? Cute. Real fancy. Bet you maxed out a credit card for this, huh? Pathetic."
Mu's smile turned icy. "At least we're not mooching off someone else's tab. Right, Yi老师 (Teacher Yi)?"
Yi stiffened. Su had insisted *he* pay for their meal, but she'd spotted the way he'd winced at the menu prices.
Su's jaw tightened. "We're here to celebrate. Something you wouldn't understand, *poor* people."
"Celebrate what?" Mu asked. "Your latest failed attempt to look cool? Congratulation—you're a pro at that."
"You little—!"
"Junfeng," Yi said firmly, placing a hand on his arm. "Let's go. Please."
Su wrenched his arm away, glaring at Wu. "Enjoy your *cheap* meal. It'll be the last nice thing you have. Mark my words."
He stormed off, Yi hurrying after him, her shoulders slumped.
Wu watched them go, then laughed. "He's really got it out for me, huh?"
Mu popped a piece of crab into her mouth. "Jealousy looks bad on him. Don't worry—he'll get bored eventually."
But Wu wasn't so sure. Su struck him as the type to hold a grudge.
"Eat up," Mu said, pushing a prawn toward him. "Before it gets cold. And don't think about him. Today's about us."
Wu nodded, taking a bite. The crab was sweet, briny, perfect—but it tasted even better knowing they'd outsmarted Su, yet again.
Outside, the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in fire. For now, at least, the world felt bright.
And that, Wu decided, was worth savoring.