C13 Having Enough of the Limelight

"Are you for real? This seat belongs to them? What makes them qualified to sit here? And you expect us to move to regular seating? In your dreams!"

Chen Mengyu was so infuriated she actually laughed, her arms folded defiantly across her chest.

She might have conceded the spot to someone else, but she was not about to relinquish these prime seats to Chu Fann and Chen Mengyao.

"Lady, you can't just claim this seat. If you refuse to move, our establishment will have to blacklist you, and we won't accept any future reservations from you," the waiter in the suit said, his forehead beaded with sweat.

He was in a tough spot. The error with the seating arrangement was a serious one. If he didn't handle this correctly, he could lose his job.

He couldn't afford to offend the kind of people who were entitled to sit in these seats. He hadn't realized the man had such influence. If the man took issue with this mistake, it wouldn't end well for him.

All he could do now was try to make amends and hope the man wouldn't hold this error against him, that he wouldn't harbor any resentment over the prior mishap.

"Mengyu, maybe we should just go?" Guo Chao suggested with an awkward smile.

"No way! We have the money; we can pay extra! We're not giving up this seat!"

Chen Mengyu was adamant.

"Exactly, how much more does this seat cost? We'll cover it!" Guo Chao added, his expression stern.

"It's not solely a matter of money. First, you can't just switch assigned seats. Second, to reserve any of the five booths in the White Swan's central area, you need proper identification."

"I assumed you were aware of our White Swan's policies when you took these seats without asking," the waiter explained, clearly troubled.

"Identification? What kind of ID could they possibly have? You've got to be kidding!" Chen Mengyu was livid. She stood up, ready to confront Chu Fann, but the security staff promptly blocked her way.

"Miss, please cooperate with us. Either take your assigned seats or leave the White Swan," the waiter insisted.

He was stuck between a rock and a hard place, unable to offend Chu Fann, who had reserved the booth.

"Mengyu, let's just let it go. We'll switch seats. Next time, I'll book the central booth in advance, and we can consider this a donation to them for now," Guo Chao said, tugging at Chen Mengyu's arm, unable to stand the scrutiny of so many onlookers any longer.

Chen Mengyu wasn't scared of much, but the thought of being blacklisted by the waiter terrified her. The idea of being banned from the Black Swan forever—and the ensuing mockery from her friends if it happened—was too much to bear.

After tidying up the table, they headed to the coveted seat by the entrance.

As the waiter finished setting up the prime booth, Chu Fann turned to Chen Mengyao and said, "Let's head over."

"Will Sister be mad?" Chen Mengyao asked cautiously.

"Even if she's mad, there's nothing she can do. We had this seat reserved from the start. They simply sat in the wrong place," Chu Fann said with a shrug.

They approached booth number one, where the waiter in the vest offered a deep bow, full of regret. "My apologies for the inconvenience. We'll set up another performance for you and, as a gesture of our regret, please accept a complimentary bottle of our house white swan wine."

After the waiter stepped away, the pianist and violinist reappeared, enveloping them in a rich, romantic melody. Chen Mengyao blushed as she delicately nibbled on the pastries before her.

She felt blissful, unaware of the cost Chu Fann had incurred. But she was resolute in her decision to repay him once she had the means.

For Chu Fann, coming up with such a sum was no small feat.

From the ordinary No.1 seat by the entrance, Chen Mengyu watched them with a steely gaze.

"That little cheat, stashing away money to treat him to a feast!" she thought bitterly. The reservation fee for the central booth was at least ten thousand yuan, not to mention the cost of the performance and drinks—altogether, it could run up to twenty or thirty thousand. How much money had she hidden away? And what had she earned from her visit to the Mingzhu Group?

Chen Mengyu's curiosity was piqued. She resolved to inform her parents; they needed to question her sister seriously.

Chen Mengyao herself was equally baffled. She knew of Chu Fann's financial struggles over the past three years, how he had spent nearly all his money on her sister. Where had he found extra cash?

"Just enjoy your meal. I know what's on your mind. Don't worry about me; I'm financially covered," he reassured her, smiling at the sweet girl across from him who couldn't stop stealing glances his way.

"You can't keep going like this. You've got to start saving more money. Think about buying a house, about surviving. You can't just spend every penny that comes your way." Chen Mengyao bit her lip thoughtfully.

The topic of housing reminded him—hadn't Ming Xi mentioned helping him bid on a villa? He wondered how that was going.

"Don't worry, the house will come. Everything's going to get better."

"Stop talking nonsense and just eat," Chen Mengyao retorted with an eye roll.

Houses didn't just appear out of thin air. In Yunhai City, prices might not rival those of top-tier cities, but at ten to twenty thousand per square meter, a house could run you two to three million yuan. That was beyond the reach of the average person.

After enduring ten more minutes, Chen Mengyu and Guo Chao couldn't take it anymore and left. It was too gloomy for them. Mengyu couldn't stand the sight of Mengyao dining with the man she loathed, all while she herself was relegated to a corner.

"Hey, Brother Faan, I've got something to tell you."

"I'm now leading a project for the Chen family with the Mingzhu Group, focusing on expanding our pharmaceutical sales channels in Jing'an District. You should join me—it's quite lucrative." Chen Mengyao's eyes lit up as she realized she could involve Chu Fann in her business ventures.

"Sounds good," Chu Fann said with a chuckle, his laughter genuine and carefree. He wondered, if Mengyao knew about his wealth, would she still treat him the same?

After their meal, they strolled out of the restaurant and found a bench in the park to relax on.

"Your birthday's in three days, and you haven't told me what you want. An 18th birthday is a big deal, especially for the Chen family, right?" Chu Fann asked, leaning back against a tree, idly chewing on a blade of grass.

Chen Mengyao shook her head, her spirits dampened. "My family hasn't brought it up."

"Really? Well then, I'll take care of your coming-of-age celebration," Chu Fann offered with a warm smile, the sunlight framing his face.

"I don't need anything special. Just having someone to share a meal with on my birthday would be enough."

"I share my birthday with my sister, and every year, everyone's busy celebrating with her," Mengyao confessed, fidgeting with her fingers.

Chu Fann was acutely aware of the situation. Chen Mengyu was the darling of Old Madam Chen, and her birthday was a grand event celebrated by all each year. In contrast, Chen Mengyao was merely a backdrop, seemingly invisible.

She must have harbored a deep bitterness in her heart.

Determined, Chu Fann resolved that in three days, he would give her a coming-of-age celebration that would eclipse all others in grandeur.

They had spent over an hour sitting together in the park.

That evening, Chen Mengyao received a call from her mother, Bai Yulan, summoning her home.

With trepidation, Chen Mengyao feared the impending encounter with her sister.

She cautiously opened the door to find three pairs of eyes fixed intently on her.

"Kneel down!" Bai Yulan commanded icily.

"How dare you squirrel away money? And to invite Chu Fann to dinner? When did you become so bold?" Bai Yulan gripped a leather belt in her hand.

"It wasn't like that. Brother Faan treated me to dinner; I have no money," Chen Mengyao stammered, her legs trembling and her face pale with fright, barely able to muster her words.