Chapter 41: Banquet
Finally this day has come! I was filled with emotion and just wanted it to be over quickly, otherwise it would feel like a mountain pressing down on my heart all day, making it hard to breathe.
In the afternoon, Hua Jingjing actually came to pick me up in a gray Bentley. The car was spacious and comfortable, and there was a professional driver. I guessed that this was probably Chairman Hua's special car, and it must have cost a lot.
Hua Jingjing first took me to a luxurious sauna center and let me take a comfortable bath. Then she took me to a boutique hair design studio and gave me a thorough transformation of my hairstyle. At around four o'clock, we arrived at the Zegna suit store.
The store manager happily told us that the clothes had been airlifted from Italy to our city at around 3 pm. He had sent a store clerk to pick them up at the airport, and we believed that we would be able to wear them in a few minutes.
Hua Jingjing paced back and forth impatiently, and said anxiously: "Why are you so slow, Boss? If I'm late, I won't pay a penny."
The store manager also kept looking at his watch and said, "Normally, he should be back. What's wrong with Xiao Zheng? Don't worry, Miss Hua. Wait another five minutes. He will definitely be here. Trust me!"
I leaned against the counter in the store, leisurely lit a cigarette, and thought to myself, "That's best. If this suit doesn't come, then Hua Jingjing's entire plan will be ruined, and I won't have to take any responsibility. Isn't that the best?"
Unfortunately, he had only smoked half of his cigarette when he heard the sound of a motorcycle outside and the guy came back.
Hua Jingjing happily asked the driver to bring in all the men's clothing in the car and let me change into the dressing room. I had no choice but to carry the suit in my hand. Unexpectedly, Hua Jingjing followed me in, looking like she wanted to help. I turned around and said to her with a smile, "Miss, I'm here to change clothes, not to choose clothes. There's no need for you to make decisions beside me, right?"
Hua Jingjing blushed, spat, and whispered, "What's so strange? It's not like I haven't seen it before!" Then she quickly left the fitting room.
I took off my clothes first, and then started to change from thermal underwear, shirts, ties, suits, trousers, belts, socks, leather shoes... These world famous brands really are worth the money. Looking in the mirror, I saw that the inconspicuous look I used to be familiar with has now become handsome and energetic with the backdrop of a set of famous brands.
As I sighed, I became a little narcissistic, thinking to myself: "I am actually quite handsome. It seems that as the saying goes, a Buddha needs gold and a man needs clothes. Wearing branded clothes makes me look different and more heroic." But I immediately reflected on myself: "Bah! Tang Qian! You must put yourself in the right place! You are you. Those branded clothes and the upper class society are nothing but passing clouds to you. You must know yourself! It seems that you really can't stay with rich people for too long. Your thoughts are almost corrupted!"
At this time, there was a knock on the door, and Hua Jingjing called out from outside: "Are you ready? Don't dawdle, we're running out of time." I opened the small door of the fitting room and said, "Okay, okay, why are you rushing?"
Hua Jingjing jumped in with a bag in her hand and looked at me, who was dressed neatly. I saw that she was instantly fascinated and her eyes showed admiration. I reminded her: "Don't make that disgusting expression. It's strange that people can look energetic when wearing so many famous brands?"
Hua Jingjing shyly shook her head and said, "Clothes are just for appearance. It also depends on who is wearing them. If you ask an old beggar on the street to wear this kind of clothes, it will only make him look even shabby. Tang Qian, you seem to be born to wear branded clothes. Look, you look so elegant, so luxurious, and so handsome... Well, it seems that I have a good taste. I made the right choice by choosing you."
I got goosebumps again when I heard her complimenting me non-stop. I hurriedly said, "Okay, you can only wear this dress for one night anyway. I'll give it back to you later so you can take your time to look at it. Didn't you say that we're running out of time? Why don't you hurry up?"
Hua Jingjing said, "Wait a minute, I have something else for you." Then she opened the bag, took out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter and gave them to me, saying, "You smell like cigarettes, but you smoke cigarettes that cost only a few dollars a pack? This is a pack of cigarettes given to my dad by a foreign friend. There are only five cigarettes in each pack, and it is said that one cigarette costs twenty-five dollars. My dad couldn't bear to smoke more, so he stole a pack for me today. Put it in your pocket, and smoke it when you feel the urge to smoke. And this lighter, my dad usually only keeps it in the study, and he treasures it so much that I stole it, too. Put them all in your pocket."
I took the cigarette and the lighter and looked at it. I had never seen that kind of cigarette before. It was labeled with a brand called TREASURER in English. The outer shell was quite inconspicuous. It cost twenty-five dollars a cigarette? What kind of cigarette is so expensive? One cigarette is equivalent to two packs of cigarettes I usually smoke. I looked at the lighter again. It was a ZIPPO and looked very old. Looking at the metal pattern on it, this... is this the legendary Harley-Davidson Eagle? My mouth suddenly became dry and it was difficult to breathe. This... this top-quality lighter was actually in my hand. I, I am so honored!
Just when I was getting excited, Hua Jingjing took out something even more surprising from the bag. It was an exquisite box, which Hua Jingjing held carefully and slowly opened.
Suddenly, I saw stars twinkling in front of my eyes. Upon closer inspection, I found it was a watch.
Hua Jingjing looked serious and said, "This Vacheron Constantin watch is worth 4.8 million yuan. My mother went to Switzerland to order it for my father's 50th birthday. It has a white gold case and twelve diamonds. My father loves it more than his life. You must not break it, or my butt will be beaten to pieces. For my butt, you must be careful!" After she finished speaking, she immediately realized that the word "butt" was really indecent. What does "for my butt" mean? So she immediately blushed and lowered her head, ashamed.
I didn't notice anything strange about her, but the expensiveness of the watch really scared me. I shook my head and said, "Are you crazy? Cigarettes and lighters are fine, but you brought such an expensive watch. Do you want to add to my psychological burden? Wearing a watch worth five million on your hand? You're so smart. I don't want it. Take it back now."
Hua Jingjing said angrily, "You should wear it if I tell you to. Otherwise, how can you show your dignity and style? How can you beat Li Mingfan? I tell you, that guy is very handsome. You can't catch up with him even if you flatter him. The only thing I can compare is style and wealth. I must win and make that stinky woman die. So you must wear this watch that symbolizes wealth and status, and you must wear it!"
I said, "What's the point of me wearing such luxurious clothes? If someone asks me, sir, where did you make your fortune? How should I answer? Tell him that I am a small employee of the Green Lady Company?"
Hua Jingjing wanted to laugh but held back, and said, "I've thought about this question a long time ago. I wanted to tell you before we went to the party, but since you asked, I'll tell you now. If someone asks you where you are successful or where you made your fortune, you must be very humble and say that you have accomplished nothing or have done nothing. The more you make yourself sound useless, the more others will think you are unfathomable and the more they will respect you."
I laughed and said, "How can this be possible? I don't believe it!"
"You don't understand this, right? Tang Qian, you may not feel it yourself, but you are born with an arrogant temperament. In that kind of occasion, arrogance also represents status. Think about it, you are wearing very expensive clothes, wearing a top-quality watch that can be called a treasure, smoking a cigarette worth more than 200 yuan, with a faint arrogant smile on your face, but you say that you are actually penniless and useless. Who will believe it? Others will only be more suspicious of you and value you. Of course, too much talk will lead to mistakes. You must remember the words arrogance and silence. Don't talk too much, don't say it too clearly. In that kind of occasion, few people will tell the truth. Everyone speaks incomprehensible polite words, so you try to be deep. It doesn't matter. Others will only respect you more! Do you remember what I said? Understand?"
I sighed, "How annoying! Isn't it just a fake boyfriend? Why do you make it so serious, like going to a battlefield?"
Hua Jingjing said, "Okay, okay, it's really too late to continue talking. I also need to change my clothes. You should get out now!" I had no choice but to put on the watch worth millions and walked out of the fitting room. When I put it on, hey, the watch fit my wrist perfectly, as if it was custom-made for me.
Not long after, Hua Jingjing came out in a dark purple evening gown. I realized that she had put on light makeup today. She looked bright and charming, with an elegant temperament. She smiled and said to me, "Dear, let's go!"
The Bentley RV drove smoothly on the road to Caiyu Mountain. When the car reached the middle of the mountain, it turned into a spacious private driveway, about 500 meters long. At the end of the driveway was a large iron gate covered with plants, but it was open at the moment. Two cars were parked in front of the gate, a Mercedes and a BMW. A man in a suit was checking whether each car owner had an invitation from the owner.
Hua Jingjing opened her bag and took out a beautiful invitation. When the car was about to pass, she handed it to the security guard. The security guard took a look and said with a smile: "Miss Hua? Welcome! Please drive the car to the parking lot behind the villa, thank you!" Then he returned the invitation to Hua Jingjing.
The car continued to drive in. I saw huge lawns on both sides of the driveway. Five or six hundred meters away from the gate, there was a four-story European-style building, which covered a large area and was very impressive. Behind the building, it was lush and green, like a forest. I never thought that there were such luxurious villas or manors in China. Its area could not be calculated in square meters. It was so spacious and beautiful that it exceeded my imagination. I couldn't help but exclaimed: "Hua Jingjing, who is your classmate? He seems to be richer than you. Look at this place. Your house is not this big, right?"
Hua Jingjing said unconvincedly: "Not necessarily, but you can't buy a place like this even if you have money. Who can blame her father for being so powerful? Humph! You must know this classmate of mine. In China, except for children under three years old, who doesn't know her? You will know when you see her later."
As we were talking, the car passed the villa, or castle, and stopped in a large parking lot at the back. I saw that there were already fifty or sixty cars parked in the parking lot, and they were all expensive cars, just like a brand-name car exhibition. In the building not far away, the sound of dance music played by a band could be heard faintly.
As soon as the car stopped, the door of the BMW in front of us opened and a gorgeous girl stepped out. I took a look and my heart skipped a beat. Isn't that the famous movie actress Hu Feifei? How? Why did she appear here?
