"She transferred ten thousand to me a few days ago..."
"Only ten thousand? I remember you helped her with thirty thousand, right? But even if it’s just a third, it’s still good. At least it shows, Wenxi, that you bet correctly, and she doesn’t intend to default..."
"I didn’t accept it."
"Huh?"
Wang Lijia, who was laughing and joking, was stunned to hear this, "You said you didn’t accept it? Why wouldn’t you take it?"
"Her life must be quite tight. If I took it, she’d probably have trouble even eating for a while, so..."
Xu Wenqian shook her head.
"Oh my God, Wenxi, what kind of naive person are you? Don’t you know in novels, someone as saintly as you usually doesn’t last a Chapter!"
Wang Lijia shouted in disbelief, "A stranger you just met, and you let thirty thousand go like that? Come on, how much is your monthly salary anyway!"
"My salary isn’t low... I’m not short on money right now, so just let her owe me for now."
Xu Wenqian shook her head, and seeing that Wang Lijia wanted to say something more, she hurriedly said, "Alright, let’s not talk about this. You came to invite me to dinner, right?"
"I nearly forgot, sis, it’s already six o’clock, how can you still be sitting here? Don’t you know we’re all meeting at seven?"
Wang Lijia patted her forehead and finally remembered the main thing, "Good thing I guessed you’d still be at work, hurry up, while we still have time, come with me to change clothes..."
Among Xu Wenqian’s college classmates, due to their majors, many chose to develop in Magic City, the financial center of Huaxia. Because there are many "Magic Drifters," they organize gatherings from time to time, partly to find warmth in numbers.
Wang Lijia, as their class president during college and being a local of Magic City, was quite responsible in this regard and very enthusiastic about such activities.
Since arriving in Magic City, Xu Wenqian had been dragged by her to attend such gatherings twice.
Not being very familiar with the others, Xu Wenqian wasn’t very interested in these activities, but she often felt indebted to Wang Lijia and couldn’t easily refuse.
"No changes, I’ll just wear this."
Facing Wang Lijia’s urgency, Xu Wenqian shook her head.
"What? Wenxi, that’s a business outfit. Who wears that to party... uh, although you still look very pretty in it and, I must say, quite sexy."
Wang Lijia initially intended to tease her as usual, but upon closer inspection, she changed her mind.
Xu Wenqian was already pretty tall and slim, with a figure that had curves in all the right places, and in this black stocking skirt, which didn’t seem to suit her, it perfectly accentuated all her advantages. Her thighs wrapped in black silk made even Wang Lijia want to reach out and touch them.
So as she looked, Wang Lijia waved her small hand, "Alright, Wenxi, wear that then. You’re urban lady-style, and I’m modern girl-style. We complement each other perfectly!"
What nonsense... Xu Wenqian found it funny, but with Wang Lijia’s lively personality, she always managed to bring her along with her vivaciousness. Just like how Duoduo often influenced her, so Xu Wenqian didn’t mind.
"Gogogo, since we have time, let’s walk to the ferry and shop along the way. The season’s changing soon, and I want to buy some clothes..."
Without giving her a chance to refuse, Wang Lijia pulled Xu Wenqian out, constantly chattering, "But you have to remind me, we mustn’t be late. Today, Young Master Jian is coming too. My dad’s recently doing business with his dad, so I have a political mission today..."
...
As the sun set, gradually hidden under the night of Magic City, neon lights began to twinkle, like stars falling to the ground, leading people into the dazzling world.
Walking out of Zhongshan Road, then strolling along the Bund in the modern dreamscape woven by skyscrapers, the two girls headed towards their predetermined gathering place, Nanjing Road.
By the Huangpu River not far away, there were still endless streams of pedestrians and tourists, taking photos, checking in, making merry, as if everyone wanted to leave some proof of their existence in this bustling city.
"Wenxi, look at the sky, it’s so beautiful!"
Wang Lijia pointed at the splendid clouds, sighing, "That saying comes to mind again."
"What saying?"
Equally immersed in the scenery, enjoying a rare moment of relaxation, Xu Wenqian responded offhandedly.
"The glamorous side of Magic City doesn’t open to poor folks like us, but the sunset and twilight are always fairly shown to everyone."
"A young lady like you, still calling yourself poor... a poor person, really?"
Upon hearing Wang Lijia’s sentiment, even someone as composed as Xu Wenqian had to twitch her lips, struggling to hold back a cheeky remark.
"Wenxi, it just shows you haven’t seen enough, so you don’t understand. In a place like Magic City, with a family asset at most over a hundred million, how do I count as a ’young lady’? Do you know how many families have assets over a billion here?"
Wang Lijia shook her head, answering her own question, "Seventeen thousand or more!"
"And that’s just the surface data. In Magic City, a random brick thrown could hit someone with over a billion in assets. Now you know how ordinary I am. Only when studying in Ming City did I feel a little superior..."
Listening to Wang Lijia’s self-mockery, Xu Wenqian hadn’t yet responded when her phone vibrated. Initially thinking it was Duoduo, she picked up her phone and her heartbeat unknowingly quickened.
Even now, she referred to him as "Mr. Zhou," a mark of her subtle hope in her notes on him.
Hoping this would never change.
Zhou Wang: "Where are you?"
Facing Zhou Wang’s inquiry, Xu Wenqian was a bit puzzled, but she still honestly replied, "About to have dinner with some college classmates at Warehouse 3 of New World City."
After replying, Xu Wenqian kept gripping her phone tightly, glancing at the screen now and then, but even after walking several more hundred meters, she hadn’t received Zhou Wang’s reply, leaving her slightly disappointed.
However, she was used to it, knowing Zhou Wang was busy, so their conversations were often fragmented, and when he remembered, he might suddenly reply.
But as long as there’s a reply, it’s enough...
Xu Wenqian thought quietly.