"Su Ning, you poor rat, what are you doing here? You should be in the slums"
The name rolled out with mocking disbelief, loud enough for several people nearby to glance over. Su Ning paused and turned slightly, her expression indifferent.
The crowd parted just a little, revealing a tall, fashionably dressed girl around Su Ning's age. She wore a designer dress,
her nails painted in metallic gold, her lips curled into an arrogant smirk.
It took Su Ning only a moment to recognize her.
Wei Lan.
She was one of the girls from Fuyuan Academy, who used to sneer and taunt her for being a nobody. The daughter of a wealthy real estate contractor from City B. Back then, Wei Lan had been part of those who bullied and looked down on Su Ning's plain clothes and quiet demeanor.
She had transferred schools when her family moved to the Capital.
Su Ning's gaze sharpened slightly. Fate did have an odd sense of humor.
Wei Lan's eyes raked over Su Ning from head to toe. There was a faint twitch in her expression — disbelief flickering behind her painted smile.
Su Ning stood there, calm and radiant in her tailored white coat and dashing heels. Everything about her screamed understated elegance. She carried herself with that effortless grace that came from power, not wealth.
But Wei Lan didn't want to admit that.
She let out a mocking laugh, loud and theatrical. "Wow, I almost didn't recognize you, Su Ning. You actually look… presentable now. What's this, huh? Did you borrow someone's clothes to play pretend?"
A few heads turned. Some shoppers paused nearby, curious about the unfolding scene.
Su Ning tilted her head slightly, her eyes cold but amused. "And yet, you still recognized me."
Wei Lan blinked, caught off guard for half a second before scoffing. "I mean, how could I forget? You used to wear those cheap uniforms and fake sneakers in school. What are you doing here, anyway? Shouldn't you be… back in the slums in City F where people like you belong?"
Su Ning let out a faint laugh — soft, almost lazy. "And people like you belong where? Barking in public places?"
The color drained from Wei Lan's face before rushing back in angry red. "You—!"
But before she could finish, Su Ning had already turned away, her expression indifferent as she walked toward the jewelry section. Her calm detachment only made Wei Lan grit her teeth harder.
Inside the Crystal Jewel Pavilion, the soft light glittered off hundreds of diamonds displayed behind glass counters. Attendants in elegant uniforms stood ready, their smiles polished to perfection.
The moment Su Ning stepped in, one of them hurried forward with a respectful bow. "Good evening, miss. Would you like to see our new limited collection? We just received a few exclusive pieces from Italy and France."
Su Ning nodded, her tone faintly casual. "Show me."
As she leaned slightly over the counter, admiring a pair of sapphire earrings with intricate detailing, the air shifted.
Wei Lan had followed her in.
She walked up with a smirk, her voice dripping with mock sweetness. "Oh my, trying to buy jewelry, Su Ning? These pieces cost more than your entire wardrobe from back in school. Can you even afford to breathe here?"
The attendants looked awkward, sensing tension. A few customers nearby had begun whispering.
Su Ning's gaze didn't move from the jewelry. Her tone was calm, almost disinterested. "Your voice is too loud. I can hear your insecurities."
Wei Lan froze, not expecting that level of composure. "What did you say?"
Su Ning finally turned to her, eyes cool and sharp. "You should learn to speak softly. It's unbecoming to bark when you're trying to act high-class."
Laughter rippled through the small crowd that had gathered to watch. Wei Lan's face twisted in embarrassment.
She quickly straightened her posture and snapped at the attendant. "Pack that diamond set for me — the one with the emerald studs. Quickly."
"Yes, miss." The attendant hurried to comply.
Then, Wei Lan turned to Su Ning with a smug expression. "You see, Su Ning? That's what real money looks like. You can't just act rich — you have to be rich."
Su Ning's lips curved into a faint, knowing smile. "You're right." She turned back to the attendant who had first served her. "Show me your most expensive pieces."
The shop seemed to quieten at once. The attendants exchanged quick glances before one of them carefully brought out three velvet cases.
"These," the woman said with a tone of pride, "are from our exclusive Royal Heritage collection. Each piece is handcrafted, set with flawless diamonds and gemstones. Prices of each are 10 million yuan.
A few gasps echoed around the section. Even Wei Lan blinked, momentarily thrown off.
Su Ning's eyes slid over the glittering sets before pointing at them calmly. "Wrap up all three."
The attendant blinked. "A-All three, miss?"
Su Ning nodded. "Yes. I'll take them."
Wei Lan burst out laughing. "You're joking, right? Don't tell me you're pretending again! You can't even afford one of them!"
Su Ning ignored her completely. She retrieved her gold bank card from her purse and handed it over to the attendant.
The attendant, a little nervous, inserted the card into the terminal. The crowd that had formed watched closely — even Wei Lan craned her neck, expecting the card to be declined.
The machine beeped.
'Payment Successful.'
The sound was sharp and clear.
Wei Lan's laughter froze mid-breath.
The attendants bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Miss. Your payment has been completed. We'll have these packaged immediately."
The onlookers began whispering — stunned, intrigued, and secretly thrilled by the turn of events.
Su Ning reached for the receipt and the black gift boxes wrapped in gold ribbons. She turned slightly, meeting Wei Lan's pale face with a small, cold smile.
"You were saying something about pretending?"
Wei Lan's throat tightened, her pride shattered by the effortless transaction.
Su Ning's tone was light, almost dismissive. "Next time, if you want to insult someone, make sure your balance can keep up."
Then she turned, her heels clicking softly against the polished floor as she walked away — graceful, calm, untouchable.
Wei Lan stood frozen for a long moment, trembling in a mixture of fury and humiliation.
Outside the mall, Wei Lan's luxury car awaited her. The moment she slid into the seat, her face darkened completely. She slammed her bag onto the seat beside her and took a deep breath before pulling out her phone.
Her nails tapped impatiently as she scrolled through her contacts and pressed a familiar number.
It rang twice before a soft, cold voice answered.
"Hello?"
Wei Lan exhaled harshly. "Cousin, you won't believe who I just ran into in the Capital."
A small hum came from the other end. "Who?"
"Su Ning," Wei Lan spat, her tone dripping with venom. "That bitch. She's here — dressed like some rich lady. And she actually dared to talk back to me in public. You should've seen it! She even swiped a card for jewelries worth thirty million yuan like it was nothing."
There was a brief silence on the other end, followed by a low chuckle. "Interesting."
Wei Lan frowned. "Should I do something? Maybe—"
"No," the voice interrupted smoothly, laced with calm authority. "Don't do anything. I already have a perfect plan for her."
Wei Lan blinked. "Really?"
"You just stay quiet and watch," her cousin said, her tone almost playful. "She won't be standing tall for long."
The call ended with a soft click.
Wei Lan gritted her teeth but did as told.
Meanwhile, somewhere in City F, a slender hand placed the phone down with a deliberate slowness.
Gu Yingying leaned back against her chair, her lips curving into a cold, satisfied smirk.
On the table before her was a printed photo — Su Ning seated across from Zhao Qi in a restaurant, the lighting and angle making their posture look intimate, ambiguous.
Gu Yingying traced a manicured finger over Su Ning's image, her eyes gleaming with contempt.
"So this is how far you've climbed, Su Ning? Hooking up with older men now?" She let out a soft laugh that didn't reach her eyes. "Pathetic."
Her smile turned razor-sharp.
"Well then," she murmured, picking up her phone again, "let's see how long your perfect image lasts."
She dialed another number — one that would set the next chain of events into motion.