Chapter 35.1: Lazy and Greedy

Ye Tianhui walked into the restaurant with her head held high and her chest out. As soon as she entered, a waiter approached her respectfully and politely, smiling as he asked if she needed her coat checked. Ye Tianhui shook her head and declined. Then he asked if she wanted dessert or a main course, to which she naturally replied that she wanted a main course.

As soon as she spoke, her distinct northern accent gave her away. The waiter’s eyes flickered with surprise and a hint of wariness, but his gaze quickly swept over Ye Tianhui’s attire. As someone who had seen countless customers, he immediately recognized that although her clothes appeared simple, they were actually the latest season’s offerings from top luxury brands.

The waiter’s smile returned, and he led her upstairs to her seat. Shortly after, bread and biscuits were placed on the table. Ye Tianhui was puzzled, wondering how the food had arrived before she had even ordered.

It was only then that the waiter brought over the menu and asked her to order.

She asked, confused, “What’s with the bread?”

The waiter smiled and explained, “These are complimentary appetizers.”

Only then did Ye Tianhui understand.

A high-end restaurant truly was high-end—they even gave you free bread!

She sighed inwardly. No wonder Old Master Ye had said she still had a lot to learn. The habits of this capitalist, extravagant world were still unfamiliar to her.

One careless move, and she might embarrass herself and become the butt of jokes.

But it didn’t matter. Let people laugh if they wanted. She would figure it all out eventually.

She picked up the menu and glanced at it, only to find… she couldn’t understand a thing.

There wasn’t a single word of Chinese on the menu!

This was just too much.

She looked up and noticed that the waiter seemed to have read her mind, smiling at her with a hint of superiority in his expression.

She said, “This is my first time here, so I’m not very familiar with your menu. Could you recommend some of your signature dishes?”

The waiter nodded and began to explain in English.

Ye Tianhui looked up and said coolly, “Can you not speak Chinese? If not, call your manager over and get me another waiter.”

The waiter was taken aback. He felt a chill in the girl’s gaze.

He didn’t dare to be presumptuous anymore and quickly dropped his condescending attitude, giving Ye Tianhui a brief introduction to their signature dishes.

Ye Tianhui finally understood and ordered the Beef Sirloin, lobster jelly, and what she assumed was a foie gras dish.

Seeing her confident demeanor, the waiter didn’t dare to say anything more and instead became more respectful.

After ordering, she looked around curiously. There was a bar counter where you could sit and watch the chefs prepare the dishes, which seemed quite interesting.

She tried the appetizers, and the soufflé was particularly delicious. However, she only ate one, saving room for the main course.

Soon, the main dishes arrived. The presentation was exquisite, clearly expensive and high-quality. She was delighted and dug in heartily.

The thick-cut Wagyu beef was excellent, with a satisfying texture that filled her with contentment. As for the foie gras, she found it just okay, but still edible.

Ye Tianhui sampled everything and ate to her heart’s content. In the end, she couldn’t finish everything and asked the waiter to pack the leftovers.

When it came time to pay, she once again used the card Ye Lixuan had given her. This time, she had no worries and swiped it smoothly. However, she was surprised to find that the meal cost over 300 Hong Kong dollars—it was really expensive!

Life for the wealthy was truly different.

After eating and drinking her fill, she carried her takeout box and continued to stroll around. She didn’t really want to buy clothes—her wardrobe was already taken care of by her stylist, and she had no interest in spending time shopping for outfits.

Still, she enjoyed browsing, if only to get a better sense of this glitzy, extravagant world.

As she wandered aimlessly, she didn’t find anything she particularly wanted to buy. On one hand, she thought the prices were ridiculously high, and on the other, she simply wasn’t that interested.

If she had the time for this, she might as well focus on improving her driving skills, get her license as soon as possible, and then head to the racetrack to figure out the latest interclass competition.  

However, just as she was about to leave, she noticed a nearby store called Via Tailor’s Club. That reminded her of the day the image consultant had taken her around shopping—she had been dizzy and overwhelmed at the time and hadn’t paid much attention, but it seemed like this was the store where a few custom-made outfits had been ordered for her.  

On a whim, she decided to go in and ask about them.  

Unexpectedly, as soon as she stepped inside, she saw several stylish young women gathered together, seemingly discussing a handcrafted custom wallet. One of them looked familiar—it was none other than Chen Jiarui.  

Chen Jiarui was visibly shocked to see her. “Why are you here again?”  

Her words piqued the curiosity of a young woman beside her. “Who is she?”  

Chen Jiarui’s expression turned ambiguous. She gave the girl a meaningful look before lowering her voice and hinting, “Ye family. Just got recognized. From the mainland.”  

The girl seemed surprised. “So it’s her?”  

As she spoke, she scrutinized Ye Tianhui with open hostility. “That day, Wenyin cried so much her eyes were swollen. Was it because of her?”  

Hearing this, Ye Tianhui glanced over. The young woman appeared to be in her early twenties, carrying an air of refined elegance—clearly a young lady from Hong Kong’s elite circles. She was a true-born heiress, with the kind of arrogance that came from never having known hardship.  

Ye Tianhui raised an eyebrow and looked at her calmly, wondering when she had gained such an enemy. A friend of Ye Wenyin’s?  

The young woman’s gaze swept over Ye Tianhui from head to toe before she withdrew it and turned to Chen Jiarui. “Her? Coming to Via Tailor? Does she even deserve it?”  

At her remark, several people around them turned to watch with curiosity, including the store’s staff, who began sizing up Ye Tianhui in confusion.  

Ye Tianhui chuckled. “If I don’t deserve it, then do you?”  

With that, she walked past them and addressed a nearby sales associate. “I’ve ordered a few custom pieces here. I have some thoughts on the designs and need to discuss some adjustments.”  

The sales associate was momentarily taken aback, as she didn’t recognize Ye Tianhui. But hearing her words, she was mildly surprised.  

After all, Via Tailor’s Club specialized in high-end luxury couture, with extremely steep prices. Someone who could say they had “ordered a few pieces” in one go had to be a major client!  

But judging from the situation, this VIP seemed to be at odds with the Gu family’s young lady?  

As she hesitated, the store manager happened to pass by and immediately recognized Ye Tianhui as the Ye family’s newly acknowledged daughter. Given how much importance the Ye family seemed to place on her, she absolutely could not afford to neglect her.  

At the same time, however, she couldn’t afford to offend the Gu family’s young lady either.  

Reacting quickly, the manager first warmly greeted Gu Jiayue, making small talk while subtly signaling to a sales associate. The staff member promptly led Gu Jiayue and her group to browse the latest collection, while the manager herself guided Ye Tianhui into a private lounge, bringing out her custom order sketches to discuss the details.  

In truth, Ye Tianhui didn’t have any major requests. She just wanted to check on the progress and get a better understanding of the situation. Upon learning that the outfits would be ready in a few days, she let the matter rest.  

As they talked, she casually asked, “That young woman in the blue dress just now—who is she?”  

The manager, having dealt with the elite social circles of Hong Kong for years, was well aware of the underlying dynamics. But as a businesswoman, she had to remain neutral and keep good relations with everyone. Since Ye Tianhui had asked, she lowered her voice and replied,”That’s Miss Gu Jiayue, from the second branch^[1]“二房” literally “Second Wife” or “Second Household”. The branch of a family descended from the second wife in a household hierarchy. of the Gu family. She’s a close friend of Miss Ye Wenyin.”

Second branch?

Ye Tianhui immediately understood—this must be Gu Zhixin’s sister.

Clearly, Gu Zhixin and Ye Wenyin were on good terms, and this Miss Gu Jiayue was also close to Ye Wenyin. It seemed Ye Wenyin had cried her heart out in front of her close friends, prompting Gu Jiayue to seek justice on her behalf and look down on Ye Tianhui with disdain.

For now, Ye Tianhui didn’t say anything. She chatted with the manager for a bit, and when the manager got up to consult with the designer about scheduling, Ye Tianhui casually flipped through the product catalog.

As it turned out, the soundproofing in the lounge wasn’t great, and she happened to overhear the group of young ladies outside talking animatedly, their voices loud and unrestrained, as if they didn’t care who heard them.

They were speaking Cantonese—very thick Cantonese—and some of it Ye Tianhui couldn’t understand at all. However, she caught a few familiar phrases here and there, like “mainland girl” and “so tacky,” laced with obvious disdain. It was clear they were mocking her.

Evidently, her sudden entry into the Ye family had caused a stir in Hong Kong’s upper-class circles, like a small stone tossed into a pond, and she had likely become the subject of gossip.

She didn’t pay it much mind and continued flipping through the catalog, looking for the “golden handmade clutch” they had been discussing earlier. She quickly found it.

It was a pure gold, intricately woven clutch—small and delicate, yet exquisitely crafted and stylish, without any of the gaudiness often associated with gold. No wonder those young socialites were so enamored with it.

Ye Tianhui liked it too. Regardless of its additional value, the material and craftsmanship alone made it a timeless piece.

She read the description more carefully and learned that the store not only custom-made clothing but also occasionally produced limited-edition handbags. Because these bags were produced in such small quantities and were only available to VIP members of the store, owning one was a status symbol in Hong Kong’s elite circles.

As for the price, it was expensive—very expensive.

Compared to the fishball noodles from the street stalls that cost less than ten dollars, this was like another world.

Just then, the manager returned and cheerfully updated Ye Tianhui on the progress of her custom orders. Ye Tianhui had no issues with that, but after they finished discussing, she asked about the golden clutch: “I’ve taken a liking to this. Can I buy it?”

The manager smiled and replied, “Of course, Miss Ye. This golden clutch is a special custom piece, an exclusive perk for our diamond VIP clients. Your spending this quarter has already met the threshold, so you’re eligible to order it. The production time for this clutch is quite long, around three months, but we currently have one in stock. If you’d like, you can take it home today.”

Ye Tianhui was pleased. “So if I swipe my card today, I can leave with it?”

The manager nodded warmly. “Absolutely.”

Ye Tianhui said, “Great, I’ll pay now.”

The manager was delighted. She escorted Ye Tianhui to complete the payment. The clutch was indeed very expensive, but Ye Tianhui didn’t care—she was using her father’s money, and he had told her to spend freely. She wasn’t about to pinch pennies on his behalf.

After swiping the card and signing the receipt, the manager promptly had the clutch brought out for her.

Ye Tianhui held it in her hands, examining it closely. The piece was exquisite and delicate, with a subdued, luxurious sheen to the gold. It was understated yet undeniably opulent—a truly fine item.

She smiled and said, “The surface of this clutch uses traditional fire-gilding, the base features ancient hammering techniques, and the sides are adorned with filigree engraving, right?”

The manager was surprised and impressed. “Miss Ye, you have a keen eye. You’ve identified it perfectly. This is a special collaboration with Ba Fu Gold, crafted by their most skilled artisans. There’s a lot of craftsmanship and tradition behind this piece.”

Ye Tianhui was genuinely fond of it. The antique charm, the traditional goldsmithing techniques—it was luxurious without being ostentatious. Hanging from her wrist, it looked elegant and refined.

In her past life, she had spent most of her time on the battlefield, surrounded by rough soldiers, but that didn’t mean her tastes aligned with those of rugged men. In her chambers back in the capital, she had her own collection of delicate trinkets and curiosities—some gifted by family, others bestowed by the imperial court.

Whether it was tributes from local officials or exotic offerings from foreign lands, she always received the finest and most unique items, even if she wasn’t in the capital at the time. The palace would always set aside a share for her.

Now, seeing this golden filigree clutch, she felt a similar fondness. It would be a delightful piece to fiddle with during her leisure time.

As they chatted, the manager personally escorted her out.

As she left, Ye Tianhui made no effort to hide the golden clutch, letting it dangle conspicuously from her wrist.

Gu Jiayue, Chen Jiarui, and the others were still discussing their orders, trying to figure out how much they needed to spend to qualify for the golden clutch. They were clearly enthusiastic about it.

Ye Tianhui walked right past them, head held high.

As she passed, all eyes fell on the golden clutch.

The dazzling, elegant little bag.

It was now hanging from Ye Tianhui’s wrist, bold and unapologetic!

The onlookers’ eyes filled with envy. Gu Jiayue’s eyes widened in disbelief. “This—”

She was visibly flustered.

She had already set her heart on it, even imagining how to pair it with a dress and shine at the upcoming charity gala. But just as she was figuring out how to call home and ask to buy it, Ye Tianhui swooped in and took it?

Wasn’t this outright theft?

Ye Tianhui smiled and said, “I have other things to attend to, so I’ll take my leave now. Let’s catch up later.”

With that, she walked out.

Gu Jiayue could only watch helplessly as Ye Tianhui left. She immediately turned to the counter and demanded, “Didn’t I already look at that bag? How could you sell it to her? Did she even pay?”

The manager was also caught off guard. She hadn’t expected this turn of events. She could only try to smooth things over, saying they could arrange a custom order or create a special design. However, Gu Jiayue’s expression remained grim. “You just sold it to her like that?”

The key issue was that it had been sold to a “mainland girl.” How could she possibly get the same one now?

She couldn’t possibly carry the same bag as a mainland girl!

The manager, seeing the situation, realized things had taken a bad turn.

These young socialites were all important clients, and she didn’t want to offend any of them. Running a business meant keeping everyone happy, and she couldn’t afford to upset her wealthy patrons. But the bag had already been sold, and there was nothing she could do. The store couldn’t magically produce a second one, and even if it could, Gu Jiayue wouldn’t want it anymore.

Helpless, the manager could only try to placate her with kind words and reassurances.

But Gu Jiayue’s expression remained sour. She thought back to how Ye Tianhui had walked out of the store and sneered, “She did it on purpose. Absolutely on purpose. What a nouveau riche mainland girl! No wonder even someone as refined as Wenyin was driven to tears by her. That kind of woman—”