"How... how is this possible? You must be mistaken!" Shi Feifei stammered.
"Our hotel has issued a total of ten V-Diamond VIP cards. Could you please tell us which card you hold and its specific attributes?" The manager asked with a polite smile.
Shi Feifei's face flushed with embarrassment as she was cornered by the manager's question. She had never seen a V-Diamond VIP card, let alone owned one, so she had no answer.
Esme and Shen Menglai exchanged a glance, both realizing the truth. It turned out that she wasn't a V-Diamond VIP at all, yet she had been flaunting her supposed wealth in front of them. Now that the truth was out, the situation couldn't be more awkward.
They both felt secondhand embarrassment, let alone Shi Feifei herself.
The surrounding diners had already noticed the commotion at their table, and many were now watching intently, having witnessed quite a spectacle.
At this moment, Shi Feifei, under the scornful gazes of the onlookers, wished she could dig a hole and disappear into it. She had never felt so humiliated in her life.
She turned her gaze to Zuri, "You did this on purpose, didn't you? You deliberately wanted to embarrass me! How could you be so despicable? Just because I didn't give you a gift, you set me up like this!"
Her attempt to shift the blame left Esme and Shen Menglai in shock.
They all knew the truth—Shi Feifei had been the one to bring them to this ridiculously expensive hotel, she had been the one to order a table full of dishes, and she had been the one to claim she was a V-Diamond VIP, constantly showing off her supposed wealth and status.
Now, with her lies exposed, she had the nerve to accuse Zuri of being vindictive and setting her up.
The onlookers, however, were unaware of the truth and began to shift their focus to Zuri.
Zuri rested her chin on one hand, watching Shi Feifei with amused interest as she fumed with anger.
"You're absolutely right," Zuri responded calmly. "After all, I have the power to make you bring us here, to make you order a whole table of dishes, and to make you claim you're a V-Diamond VIP."
As Zuri finished speaking, the surrounding crowd erupted in laughter.
Shen Menglai couldn't hold back and joined in the laughter.
The sound of mocking laughter struck Shi Feifei like invisible slaps, making her wish she could disappear on the spot.
Unable to bear the humiliation, she covered her face and turned to leave.
But just as she was about to walk away, an arm blocked her path.
"Wait!"
"Don't be in such a hurry to leave. You should settle the bill first," Zuri said slowly.
"You..." Shi Feifei was so furious she could feel her organs ache. "I'll only pay for my portion. As for the other two, I don't care about them. Swipe the card."
She pulled out her card and handed it to the waiter.
Esme and Shen Menglai began to panic. They exchanged worried glances with Zuri.
If Shi Feifei didn't pay, and if Zuri refused to cover the bill, they would have to bear nearly twenty thousand yuan each, an amount far beyond what their families could afford.
"I thought Miss Shi was quite generous, but it turns out you're just pretending to be wealthy. If you can't afford it, don't offer to treat. Look how awkward it is now," Zuri teased, taking a leisurely sip of the tea that the waiter had just brought over, completely unconcerned with Shi Feifei's humiliation.
Under the growing scrutiny from the onlookers, Shi Feifei clenched her teeth and spat out, "I'll pay!"
Zuri glanced at the waiter, "Make sure to charge for three people."
The waiter smiled, "Don't worry, I won't make any mistakes."
After the transaction was complete, Shi Feifei couldn't stay a minute longer. She immediately left the hotel.
Once she was gone, the drama finally came to an end.
The manager handed a card to Zuri, "Miss Zuri, this is your card. Please keep it safe. From now on, with this card, you can enjoy free dining and accommodation at our hotel."
Esme and Shen Menglai were stunned by what they heard.
Zuri glanced at the black Supreme VIP card but didn't take it. "Take it back. I won't need it."
She had just looked up some information on her phone and discovered that the Hai Tian Hotel was one of the hotels owned by Nolan's company. The moment she stepped into the hotel, someone must have notified him, and he had arranged everything.
It really wasn't necessary for him to do so.
The manager didn't insist and respectfully took the card back. As long as he remembered her, that was enough.
The hotel's president had personally ordered that she was an extremely important guest. From now on, all her expenses would be covered, and if she needed to purchase anything, the hotel would even buy it for her in advance.
The manager had never encountered such a situation before, but it indirectly confirmed one thing—the young woman before him had an extraordinary identity.
After leaving the hotel, Shen Menglai couldn't hold back any longer, "Zuri, what does your family do? Do they own a company or something?"
Esme looked at her with equal curiosity.
Zuri responded with just four words, "I'm an orphan."
Shen Menglai and Esme's eyes widened in disbelief.
"That handsome guy who accompanied you yesterday, isn't he your brother?" Shen Menglai asked.
"No, he's a friend of my friend," Zuri replied.
Shen Menglai wanted to ask more, but Esme tugged on her sleeve, signaling her to stop.
It was clear that Zuri didn't want to talk about it. Pushing further would be crossing a line.
The three returned to their dormitory, but there was no sign of Shi Feifei. They didn't think much of it, knowing that they weren't really on the same wavelength.
The next day, rumors of Shi Feifei pretending to be rich and posing as a V-Diamond VIP at the Hai Tian Hotel spread throughout the department. Many who hadn't even met Shi Feifei had heard about her embarrassing incident.
She became the first freshman in the department to gain widespread notoriety, though not for the reasons she would have wanted.
After class that day, Shi Feifei confronted Zuri and the other two, her eyes full of malice as she glared at Zuri, "Did you start those rumors at school?"
"I'm busy."
When Zuri didn't admit to it, Shi Feifei raised her voice, "Only the four of us knew about it. If it wasn't you, then it must have been them!" She pointed to Esme and Shen Menglai.
Shen Menglai instinctively avoided eye contact, her gaze shifting to the side.
Zuri ignored her and walked past her without a word.
Watching Zuri walk away, Shi Feifei was filled with rage.
Zuri, just you wait!
Relationships between people are indeed very strange.
Some are destined to be friends.
Some are destined to be enemies.
Like Shi Feifei and Zuri—they were never meant to be friends.
Azura found Zuri and greeted Esme and Shen Menglai before gossiping enthusiastically, "I heard about what happened yesterday. It was hilarious! I knew that woman would make a scene, but I didn't expect it to end like that. It was brilliant! I kind of regret not going with you guys. I would have loved to see it unfold."
As the four of them lined up for lunch, two bodyguards in sharp suits approached with food boxes in hand and made their way to Zuri.
"Miss Zuri, Miss Azura, here's your lunch."
Azura was surprised, "Lunch deliveries again?!"
The bodyguard smiled, "From now on, lunch will be delivered daily. If you ladies have any special requests, just let me know in advance."
Esme, Shen Menglai, and everyone around them stared in surprise at Zuri and Azura.
Azura took the food boxes and said to Esme and Shen Menglai, "Sorry, we can't join you in line. We'll go grab a table first."
"Okay," the two nodded.
As Zuri and Azura walked away, Shen Menglai couldn't help but remark, "What do you think Zuri and Azura's backgrounds are? They even have people delivering lunch for them."