Desperate Pretense At Being Poor

Chapter 1 – Hailun Bar

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In a neon light night bar in Tong City.

On this midsummer night, it was raining heavily and stuffy air flowed as the sky roared with the sounds of thunder.

However, all those noises were isolated outside the bar. 

Inside Hailun Bar, the heavy black and gold designs on the display cabinet emitted luxurious cold lights just like the lights and shadows swirling in the wine glasses. 

Near the bar counter, the seats were all reserved and were filled with men and women who were dressed up extravagantly.

They toasted and joked with each other as they sat lazily on the sofa while holding meaningless conversations and idle gossip.

“Do you think Wen Ruan will come today?”

“Most probably, she won’t come.”

“That’s true.  After being stood up by her fiancé during the engagement party last week, I guess she’ll be looking for a place to heal her emotional wounds.”

“I heard that the Second Young Master Fu wants to cancel the marriage.  Even though the Wen Enterprise is still the leading enterprise in Tong City, he still didn’t give them face.”

“Second Young Master Fu is a prosecutor and has a temperament of a loner.  How will he have feelings for a delicate and pretty lady such as the young Miss Wen Ruan?” 

As soon as the gossip started, it was like a spark of fire that ignited the source, and the stiff atmosphere just now was instantly ignited.

The people all around started to discuss this enthusiastically without noticing that the person they were gossiping about was standing not too far away.

Wen Ruan was hugging her arms and leaning lazily on the bar counter a short distance away from that table.  Her eyelids were drooping while her index finger was tapping on her arm rhythmically and she even yawned.

She had arrived and heard them talking for the last five minutes.

In these five short minutes, the group of people had been enthusiastically discussing Second Young Master Fu’s maturity and exciting experiences.  At the same time, they lamented how unfair it was for him to encounter such a fiancée as her.

The gossip was truly amazing.

“This Second Young Master Fu quarreled with his family while he was still in university and even changed his name.   Even Old Master Fu couldn’t do anything.  How will this kind of man like Wen Ruan who is like a vase*.”

(When someone is described as a ‘vase’ it means the person only looks pretty to be admired and has no other abilities.)

Vase?

Wen Ruan tilted her head and glanced at the man who said that.

The man had a head of short hair that was dyed in eye-catching red color but it was obvious his temperament was unable to hold up to the overwhelming color.  At this moment, he was sitting on the sofa and stuck out like a matchstick.

Matchstick, right?  I’ll remember you!

“It’s better not let those words of yours get to the ears of Wen Ruan.  Everyone knows that Director Wen dotes on this precious daughter of his.  Based on her bad temper, you won’t be able to deal with it!”

The voice of the woman who said those words was laced with a sour undertone.  She was wearing a complicated frilly white gauze dress and looked exactly like a white baby cabbage.

Bad temper?

Wen Ruan narrowed her eyes.

Watch out, Little White Baby Cabbage!   I’ll remember you too!

At this moment, when the woman finally turned her head around, she caught sight of Wen Ruan standing at the far end. 

Then she let out a deliberate cough and the sound spread among the group.  As a result, everyone suddenly stopped talking.

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Immediately, someone said stiffly.  “Aiya……Ruan Ruan, why didn’t you say anything when you arrived?!”

The expression on Wen Ruan’s face did not show any annoyance and after thinking about it, she replied seriously.  “It’s because I was eavesdropping so I didn’t say a word.”

“……”

No one had expected that Wen Ruan would not even skirt around the issue and instead gave a straightforward answer. 

When Wen Ruan saw the people around her did not speak, she sat down calmly then smiled and waved at the waiter to order a drink as though she did not care about what they were discussing just now. 

“What are all of you drinking?”

It seemed as though she did not mind.

Immediately, the ‘Matchstick’ seized the opportunity to curry favor. 

“Ruan Ruan, just now I was trying to fight for justice on your behalf.  That fiancé of yours didn’t even turn up for his engagement party!  Is he a man?!  He didn’t even show the slightest responsibility!”

Wen Ruan blinked.  Her tone sounded rather pitiful as she said.  “I feel very sad too.  However, he is the Fu Family’s Second Young Master……”

Matchstick who was fooled by a few words from Wen Ruan suddenly displayed his machismo. 

“So what if he’s the Second Young Master?  To me, anyone who is irresponsible and wastes the time of others is a scumbag!  If I know where Second Young Master Fu is, I will surely teach him a lesson on your behalf!”

“He is in Jiang City.”

“Ah?”

“Old Master Fu told me that Second Young Master Fu is in Jiang City.”

She turned her head around to look at Matchstick then beamed a very lovely smile and said in a voice tone that was dripping with charm. 

“Thank you so much for standing up for me!  I’ll book you a ticket to Jiang City right away!”

After that, she took out her phone, opened the ticketing app, and said solemnly. 

“Tell me your phone number and ID number and I’ll book you a first-class seat…….  It just happens that there’s a seat available!  You’ll reach there tomorrow, thank you very much!”

Matchstick was obviously embarrassed.  Upon seeing that Wen Ruan was really going to book him a ticket, he quickly reached out his hand to stop her.

“Ai, no, no, no……..I was just………”

Wen Ruan lifted her eyes to look at him.

Matchstick touched his head helplessly.  “……..I was just joking.”

Wen Ruan let out a light snort and sank into the sofa as if she was boneless. 

“If you have any opinion or comments regarding my engagement party, you can hold up a megaphone to speak in front of Old Master Fu or you can post a banner in front of my door to protest.”

Speaking up to this point, she paused slightly and emphasized every word. 

“If you don’t dare then just stop it.”

Everyone knows that Wen Ruan is the Young Miss who is doted on and spoiled.  Usually, she looks soft and likable but when something happens, she would behave like a hedgehog with sharp needles sprouting all over her body.

Since she heard clearly what Matchstick said, she taught him a lesson right away.

When that ‘White Baby Cabbage’ noticed the situation, she hurriedly said.  “Ruan Ruan, he was only joking, so don’t take it to heart.  Moreover, didn’t Old Master Fu give you the engagement ring a week ago?  How is it possible for the engagement to be canceled?  In the future, you can rely on this golden mountain……”

(Golden mountain here means a gold mine or a very wealthy person.)

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Wen Ruan’s head started to hurt.

Every word from this ‘White Baby Cabbage’ was stepping on her tail!

Wen Ruan let out a laugh emotionlessly and took out a ring box from her bag.

She raised her chin towards the White Baby Cabbage and casually tossed the ring box in her direction.

White Baby Cabbage was taken aback for a moment and then hurriedly caught it. 

“You………”

“It is the engagement ring that the Fu Family gave me.  I’m giving it to you.”

Wen Ruan leaned her head on the sofa’s headrest and her tone sounded light and casual. 

“From now on, you are Second Young Master Fu’s fiancée.  Congratulations, you can now rely on this golden mountain to raise you for the rest of your life!  Congratulations!”

Her voice had a slightly upward tone as she spoke in standard American English and instantly, the woman in front of her showed an embarrassed expression. 

“Ruan Ruan, stop joking.  How would I dare to take this……..and I have nothing to do with the Fu Family……”

Wen Ruan cocked her head while her fingers twirled with her hair.  She yawned lazily then sat up and said with a slight impatience.

“If you don’t dare to take it then why are you spouting nonsense?  I thought you are unaware that this matter has nothing to do with you.” 

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