Chapter 1

The mentor stared at her for a while, feeling once again enlightened by these foolish rich second-generation individuals. Adhering to the principle of "the one who pays is the master," he gave her a highly ironic evaluation: "Breaking the rules, with sharp edges, embodying a rebellious spirit of avant-garde art."

Jiang Xiaoyuan goes out every day with a group of friends, successfully liberating her soul that had been confined by the examination-oriented education system, fully embracing a life of idleness and ignorance

"Be careful, it's hot," Feng Ruixue said casually as she handed her a napkin. "Actually, I think your dad is right to have you work; everyone needs to do something, don't they?"

Feng Ruixue suddenly had a foreboding feeling, her hands nervously intertwined on the table

Feng Ruixue, due to her family's difficult financial situation, took it upon herself to forgo the expensive tuition of a third-tier university and enrolled in a local vocational school

She locked the car, taking advantage of the warmth inside, and boldly strode with her long legs towards a café at the street corner

It was a drowsy afternoon, a weekday, with overcast weather

At this time, Feng Ruixue had already been struggling in society for several years, mastering the art of Western pastry baking, obtaining a barista certification, and most importantly, she had learned the exceptional skill of adapting her speech to suit her audience, whether speaking to people or to ghosts

Just a moment ago, she was teasing her, and in the blink of an eye, she casually gave her something. Feng Ruixue was a bit confused, but she quickly reacted and jokingly said: "Really? I won't hold back if it's within 200 yuan, but if..."

I don't want to deal with that idiot Huo Boyu right now," Jiang Xiaoyuan said, "I just want to hear you say, Feng Ruixue, what exactly is going on between you and Huo Boyu.

Jiang Xiaoyuan actually has a job; she is a white-collar worker in an office building, engaged in low-end, unskilled mental labor. Her after-tax monthly salary is 3,500 yuan, which is one-twentieth of her average monthly expenses

Jiang Xiaoyuan calmly picked up her cup and took a sip of coffee: "I am serious, if you like it, feel free to take it, after all, it is not something particularly remarkable."

The streets are sparsely populated with people and vehicles, all rushing by in a hurry.

This has always been a source of concern for Feng Ruixue, who feels that her humble origins will forever label her as a parvenu, even if she achieves success in the future

At that moment, Jiang Xiaoyuan's phone on the table began to vibrate. Both of them looked down together and clearly saw the caller ID.

This investment is the most worthwhile money Jiang Xiaoyuan has ever spent in her life. Feng Ruixue is diligent, skilled, adept at marketing and networking, and possesses significant management talent. Her establishment is always featured in soft articles circulating in her social circle, such as "The Ten Best Coffee and Dessert Shops in the Area." Within two to three years, she has built a brand and even opened a branch.

At the class reunion, although the circumstances have changed and people have moved on, Feng Ruixue successfully rekindled her friendship with Jiang Xiaoyuan through her eloquence, securing five hundred thousand in startup funds from her to open this café

If this person did not occasionally move, he would be indistinguishable from a plastic mannequin

Jiang Xiaoyuan, considering herself a shareholder, gradually developed a sense of responsibility. During her leisure time, she often visited the establishment and always brought friends along, encouraging them to purchase more expensive items, constantly mindful of generating additional revenue for the store

At the adjacent table, there is a young man dressed in a black trench coat and a black scarf, with neatly styled hair that is also entirely black without a hint of color variation. A small section of his neck is exposed, contrasting sharply in black and white, as he sits there intently focused on studying his tablet.

Feng Ruixue inexplicably asked: "Why are you looking at me? What’s wrong?"

Jiang Xiaoyuan pressed the reject button, her fingers interlaced, sitting gracefully behind a beautiful coffee table. The exquisitely crafted tablecloth shimmered in the sunlight, resembling a softly lit painting

This evaluation is best experienced in conjunction with the actual product; after all, anyone who sees it will understand.

As soon as Jiang Xiaoyuan entered, she saw this person. He was so "standard" in appearance, with his brows, features, and face shape all perfectly proportioned, resembling a synthetic figure created by a computer. Due to his extreme standardization, he had a low level of recognizability, making it difficult for people to remember his face

This café is thoughtfully decorated, making a striking impression. It has caught the attention of a photographer from the wedding dress studio across the street, who is currently taking shots here. The newlyweds, resembling a pair of shivering quails, are forcing smiles together in front of the camera. As soon as the camera moves away, they immediately huddle together, trembling.

Jiang Xiaoyuan initially intended to answer shamelessly that it was an ashtray, but since she does not smoke, the term "ashtray" was not part of her everyday vocabulary. She momentarily could not recall how to say it in a foreign language and had to change her response on the spot: "a bowl"

The store manager's endearing smile inevitably paused for a moment, and he cautiously asked: "Have you... encountered something unhappy?"

Feng Ruixue's lips moved slightly, but no words came out

Thus, Jiang Xiaoyuan returned to her homeland with her avant-garde ashtray, having completed her studies, though not without some complications—her avant-garde ashtray's bizarre design nearly led to it being confiscated by airport security.

"I am not short of money," Jiang Xiaoyuan said, "If I am not short of money, why would I work? I do not believe in the so-called passion for one’s career; fundamentally, people are inclined towards comfort and dislike hard work. What about workaholics? Aren't they all just poor?"

A red SUV was parked at the street corner, and a young woman stepped out of the car. She appeared to be around twenty-five or twenty-six years old, beautiful—about sixty to seventy percent attractive in her natural state, but with her expertly applied makeup, she became exceptionally beautiful. She was tall and slender, wearing a seasonal new-style cape, and despite the cold winter, she wore a short skirt that left her legs bare. In her hand, she held a new handbag, looking so fashionable as if she had just stepped off the cover of a magazine, completely different from the passersby on the street bundled up in cotton-padded jackets, down coats, and loose autumn pants.

Jiang Xiaoyuan, upon hearing these words, raised her head and looked at Feng Ruixue with a smile that was not quite a smile.

The color drained from the store manager's face in an instant

Feng Ruixue brought her to the sunniest table in the shop, personally prepared her favorite drinks and snacks, and sat down with her. However, Jiang Xiaoyuan did not look at her, as her gaze fell upon the table next door

Jiang Xiaoyuan smiled with her lips but not with her eyes: "No."

A beautiful woman in a short skirt walked by, not paying attention to the camera equipment or the groom, treating the crowd as mere backdrop. She cast a single glance at the bride and, upon seeing that the bride had a long waist, short legs, and a large face, she felt reassured. With a pleasant demeanor, she raised her chin slightly and walked past without glancing sideways.

At this moment, if Feng Ruixue still cannot discern that Jiang Xiaoyuan is being intentional, she truly does not deserve to be in the service industry

Fortunately, Jiang Xiaoyuan does not have much ambition in her work; she spends her time in the office playing on the computer, and when she feels unhappy, she drives out to have fun

Jiang Xiaoyuan has already received a substantial dividend from her

The entire city has struggled against the cold air several times, but ultimately it has succumbed, like a lost dog, about to slide into a long winter

Jiang Xiaoyuan, having known her for so many years, is certainly well aware of these matters

Two individuals faced the college entrance examination together, sharing the same fate, yet they ended up with disastrous scores. However, they did not share the same destiny, as Jiang Xiaoyuan had a wealthier father than Feng Ruixue

Jiang Xiaoyuan was sent abroad by her father to attend a diploma mill university, where she studied the major of "Ceramic Art Studies"

Over the course of four years, the two individuals led entirely different lives

She pushed open the door of the café with ease, her demeanor familiar and unhurried, suggesting she was a regular. However, upon entering, she did not immediately walk inside but paused subtly at the threshold. Calmly, she extended two fingers, using the reflective glass door to adjust the hair on her forehead, ensuring that each strand was perfectly askew. Only then did she place both hands on her handbag, resting it in front of her, waiting for someone to greet her.

It seems that what was mentioned is not her work, but rather the beauty and hairdressing appointment.

During her graduation project, she intended to create an artistic cup. However, her hand trembled, and she added too much material, so she spontaneously changed it to a European-style vase. Unexpectedly, the project for the vase was enormous. After working on it for a while, she became numb in her backside and lost the patience for meticulous carving. Jiang Xiaoyuan made a decisive decision, and with a swift motion of her hand, she flattened the vase, resulting in the birth of an irregular and asymmetrical dish lying on the ground

Feng Ruixue recoiled as if scalded: "What on earth is wrong with you?"

Jiang Xiaoyuan's gaze fell upon the brand-new handbag, a barely perceptible look of disdain flickering in her eyes. She reached out, pressed down on the bag, and pushed it towards Feng Ruixue, saying: "It looks nice, so take it; it's a gift for you."

Forty-six thousand. "Jiang Xiaoyuan said expressionlessly.

Jiang Xiaoyuan withdrew her gaze from the handsome man's back, blew on the foam of her coffee, and said nonchalantly: "I don't feel like going today"

The store manager was originally preparing latte art when he was reminded by a nearby waiter. He turned to see her and immediately broke into a smile: "Xiaoyuan is here?"

Feng Ruixue turned her head to glance in the direction she was looking, and whispered with a playful expression, "Isn't he handsome? He has been coming for several days, sitting here until we close, not really engaging with anyone, and I have no idea what he is up to... Anyway, enough about that, what brings you here at this time? Are you slacking off at work again?"

Sometimes, there exists an unspoken understanding between women

Jiang Xiaoyuan lifted the napkin with two fingers, her nails a striking red. She somewhat pretentiously wiped the nonexistent stain at the corner of her mouth, her fingers pausing slightly as if she had devised a strategy, and then she unleashed the malice she had secretly harbored towards Feng Ruixue.

Feng Ruixue: "It's good that there isn't any—look how beautiful your new bag is, it must not have been cheap, right? If someone like you, a rich and beautiful woman, is unhappy every day, that would be unreasonable."

Jiang Xiaoyuan: "I just bought this while shopping in the morning, the receipt and warranty are still inside and haven't been taken out, you can consider it as new."

Feng Ruixue: "What?"

This beautiful woman is named Jiang Xiaoyuan. She is a middle school classmate and close friend of the store manager, Feng Ruixue. The two of them were desk mates in their childhood, both looking quite good, but neither excelled academically. They shared similar interests and had a great time together

Feng Ruixue is beautiful, articulate, and likable. Although her educational background is not impressive, her ability to get things done more than compensates for it, making her a nearly perfect person. The only regret is that her family conditions are quite ordinary—her father has been ill for many years, and her mother did not graduate from elementary school, usually taking on odd jobs to supplement the household income

Her eyes were slightly lowered, possessing the gentle appearance of peach blossom eyes with elongated corners. However, at this moment, standing quietly at the door, she inexplicably displayed a hint of self-importance as if oblivious to those around her

The mentor examined her masterpiece for five minutes, yet could not discern its essence, and had no choice but to inquire Jiang Xiaoyuan about the nature of this enigma.

This job was forced upon her by her family, who did not want her to be idle at such a young age. The boss is a friend of her father and naturally knows what kind of person she is, so he would never dare to entrust her with important responsibilities. Instead, she is kept in the office, serving as a mascot alongside the aggressively growing pothos.

The store manager said, stepping out from behind the counter in a hurried manner, personally welcoming the beautiful woman at the door, warmly grasping her wrist, and not forgetting to compliment the guest: "Your outfit looks really nice today—but isn’t it cold? We are so thin and not resistant to the cold... How about we sit in a sunny spot today? It will be warmer"