Entering the mall, Ning Xingchen made a beeline for the Armani clothing store. In the past, he didn't even dare to glance at these luxury brands; each one was exorbitantly priced. But things were different now; confidence radiated from Ning Xingchen from within.
The feeling of being wealthy was different; it was as if the whole world was filled with goodwill towards you.
"Welcome." As Ning Xingchen entered the clothing store, a sweet and charming young girl greeted him. It seemed like she hadn't attended college and had gone straight to work.
"Sir, are you here to buy clothes?" Although Ning Xingchen's current attire wasn't impressive, it inadvertently gave off an aura of sophistication. He stood tall with a faint smile on his lips.
Ning Xingchen remembered that many of the staff in luxury stores looked down on people, but this young girl seemed refreshing, with a smile that revealed two cute dimples.
"Well, do you have anything suitable for me? Feel free to recommend. Money is not a problem."
"Of course, sir. Most of the items in our store are fashion pieces. This outfit is the latest for spring and summer, a masterpiece by a Milan fashion master. After the discount, it's only sixteen thousand eight hundred." The salesgirl patiently introduced the clothing to Ning Xingchen; she inexplicably felt a hint of fondness for this young man, hence her continuous smile.
"No need for recommendations. Just pack it for me," Ning Xingchen said directly.
"Huh?" The salesgirl was taken aback. She thought this young man was too easy to talk to.
"I'll buy everything you recommend today."
Hearing this, the salesgirl was slightly surprised. Could it be that she had encountered a tycoon? But he didn't seem like one, considering his somewhat shabby clothes. However, she had heard that real rich people liked to play coy and then make remarkable moves to astonish everyone.
"Hehe, I thought someone was pretending to be a big shot here, turns out it's you."
At this moment, an icy laugh came from behind Ning Xingchen.
Ning Xingchen turned around to see, furrowing his brows. It turned out to be Yu Zhiqiang, his class monitor from university, a guy full of mischief who had caused him a lot of trouble. It was because of him that Ning Xingchen almost couldn't graduate, and next to him was a woman Ning Xingchen knew very well, Li Yue, the campus belle who was easily available to anyone with money.
During the military training in their freshman year, Ning Xingchen thought he must have been out of his mind. He had a crush on Li Yue for a while, thinking she was a goddess of purity. He even stayed up late many nights looking at her photos, pleasuring himself.
Never did he expect these two scoundrels to end up together, proving the old saying, "A bitch with a dog, forever and ever."
Ning Xingchen couldn't be bothered to deal with Yu Zhiqiang. It wasn't because he forgave him; it was simply unnecessary. Now that Ning Xingchen had been working for half a year, he and such people were worlds apart. He had no business with them anymore.
"Miss, I'll take both this and that. Please pack them for me." Ning Xingchen smiled at the salesgirl.
"Okay... okay, sir, please wait a moment."
What truly defined contempt was to ignore. Seeing Ning Xingchen treat him like air, Yu Zhiqiang was instantly displeased. He walked up with Li Yue, mocking, "Ning Xingchen, have you lost your mind? Or are you under some kind of stress? You come to places like this to spend money, but I'm afraid you can't even afford the sleeves. Don't embarrass yourself by being unable to pay later."
"None of your damn business. Keep an eye on Li Yue, lest she runs away with someone else when you're not looking." Ning Xingchen sneered.
Li Yue's expression changed, feeling annoyed. She had been so unlucky lately, facing ridicule even from the former class nerd. In Li Yue's eyes, Ning Xingchen was just a poor loser who was yin-yanging her behind her back.
...
This remark from Ning Xingchen not only insulted Li Yue but also infuriated Yu Zhiqiang, who was always afraid of being cuckolded. In a fit of embarrassment and rage, Yu Zhiqiang turned to the salesgirl and said, "Don't fall for it. He's just a poor bastard who can't even afford Armani clothes. Don't let him trick you. He's just playing around for no reason."
Although the salesgirl was naturally kind-hearted, hearing this made her somewhat hesitant and doubtful of Ning Xingchen's ability to make the purchase.
Seeing the commotion inside the store, even the manager of the mall came over.
"Hello, Manager Xia," the salesgirl greeted.
Seeing the mall manager's arrival, Yu Zhiqiang's spirits immediately lifted. He shouted to the passing customers, "Everyone, come and take a look. There's a poor bastard here who can't afford brand-name clothes but is pretending to be rich. I bet he's out of his mind. He probably thinks he's Wang Sicong, the nation's son."
Yu Zhiqiang knew Ning Xingchen's background too well. Both of his parents were laid-off workers, and the family was struggling with illness. They were so poor that they could barely afford to eat. It was precisely because of this that Yu Zhiqiang dared to bully Ning Xingchen without any scruples.
Moreover, Ning Xingchen himself was relatively delicate and weak, the type that was easy to bully for an honest student.
Yu Zhiqiang absolutely couldn't believe that within half a year of graduation, Ning Xingchen could afford to buy luxury items like Armani without batting an eyelid.
"Sir, I'm sorry, but could we please check the balance on your card?" Manager Xia asked politely out of professional courtesy.
However, Manager Xia clearly agreed with what Yu Zhiqiang had said. After all, from head to toe, Ning Xingchen's clothes didn't cost more than a hundred yuan. Armani wasn't something that the common folk could just buy.
"I've almost finished buying clothes. Let's just swipe the card directly. To be honest, this small amount of money is something I wouldn't even bother to pick up if I dropped it on the ground." Ning Xingchen remained calm. Who was the real clown didn't need much explanation; he would prove everything with his actions.
"Hehe, you can't even be bothered to pick it up. Stop bragging, kid. I know exactly what you're worth." Yu Zhiqiang wouldn't miss any opportunity to mock Ning Xingchen.
Manager Xia was thoroughly confused this time. Ning Xingchen's expression and demeanor were too calm, too composed, much like the wealthy individuals he had been fortunate enough to encounter before. Truly confident people, neither arrogant nor impatient, remained composed and poised, effortlessly outshining others.
"Sir, the total comes to four hundred and twenty-eight thousand." The salesgirl nervously whispered to herself, unsure if Ning Xingchen could afford it.
"Just swipe five hundred thousand directly. The rest can be considered your tip for the great service today," Ning Xingchen said as he handed over his Universal Bank card to the salesgirl.
Meanwhile, due to Yu Zhiqiang's propaganda, more and more people gathered to watch the scene unfold, believing that Ning Xingchen was about to make a fool of himself and embarrass himself in public.