The reason Yuxi Xi was bombarding Yun Zhen with calls was to invite her to a gathering.

Yun Zhen had been busy lately, so she declined, “I’m focused on building up a backlog of chapters. My new book is launching at the end of the month, so I can’t make it.”

Yuxi Xi, however, was persistent, “Your book hasn’t launched yet, so what’s the rush? It’s just half a day. We haven’t met up in a year! If we don’t get together and chat, our friendship will fade!”

She sounded quite justified.

Yun Zhen thought it over. Soon, she’d be signing the contract and would be tied to her computer for a long time. The little people also needed her, and her workload would only increase. She figured it would be a good idea to take advantage of her relatively free time to catch up with friends.

So she agreed, “Send me the time and place.”

The next morning, Yun Zhen arranged matters in the Lilliputian Kingdom and hurried out the door. Following the address sent via WeChat, she took a taxi to a small restaurant in an urban village.

As soon as she walked in, she saw Yuxi Xi talking to a foreigner, who seemed to be a client of her company.

Wow, she’s actually mixing business with pleasure by arranging a get-together with friends during work? Impressive.

Yun Zhen glanced around the restaurant. The decor was a bit shabby, and there was a wall-mounted TV inside.

On the TV, a movie was playing where two young male actors were arguing. One actor grabbed the other’s collar and yelled, “Who do you think you are to lecture me?”

The other actor shot back, “I’m your dad!”

The foreigner sitting next to Yuxi Xi was watching with great interest but seemed confused by the scene. He asked in halting Chinese, “That gentleman looks so young, how could he have a son that old?”

Just like how Chinese people often think foreigners look similar, foreigners also tend to be face-blind when it comes to Chinese people. With black hair, black eyes, and yellow skin, it’s hard for them to tell the difference, and age can be even harder to guess, especially since the actors take good care of themselves, making them appear even younger to foreigners.

Yuxi Xi glanced at the screen and casually explained, “It’s just a rhetorical expression. People in China often like to ‘become someone’s dad’ in a verbal spat.”

The foreigner seemed to grasp the concept, “Oh! I’ve heard that term before, ‘Happy to be the dad,’ right?”

Yuxi Xi lazily praised him, “Yes, you’ve got it right.”

Yun Zhen, who had just walked in: “…”

When Yuxi Xi noticed Yun Zhen, she quickly greeted her and asked her to come over. The foreigner’s eyes lit up when he saw Yun Zhen and wanted Yuxi Xi to introduce them. But Yuxi Xi ignored him, stood up, linked arms with Yun Zhen, and started heading out.

She waved goodbye to the foreigner, “Mr. Steven, my work hours are over, so I’m off to enjoy my free time now. My colleague will come to pick you up in a few minutes, so please wait here.”

And with that, she strutted out in her high heels, full of charm, not caring at all about the foreigner who seemed to have more to say.

Yun Zhen was curious, “Why meet a foreign guest in a place like this? An old, rundown dive?”

Talking about it made Yuxi Xi roll her eyes as she vented her frustration, “These foreigners come here with a superiority complex, thinking that coming to China is like visiting the countryside. They don’t like staying in the city’s bustling areas, thinking they’re just for show, and instead prefer to dive into urban villages, back alleys, and dive bars, believing that’s what China should be like—old and rundown—so they can maintain their sense of superiority.”

Yuxi Xi worked for a large multinational corporation and often dealt with foreign investors. She had met all sorts of foreigners, and the more she interacted with them, the more they irked her. But she couldn’t afford to offend them; for the sake of money, she had to do her best to secure deals.

Yun Zhen was used to Yuxi Xi’s rants and quietly listened, treating it as a learning experience.

Yuxi Xi took her to a high-end Chinese restaurant in the city center. As they entered, they saw their other good friend, Shu Yue, already waiting for them.

It was rare for the three of them to get together, so once they sat down, they exchanged pleasantries. Yun Zhen listened more than she talked, but she was quite eager when it came to ordering food, clearly wanting to finish quickly so she could head back home. Her mind was still on the Lilliputian Kingdom.

Yuxi Xi noticed and scolded her playfully, “What’s the rush? Are you starving?”

Yun Zhen was frowning as she looked at the expensive menu, feeling like they were being ripped off. “Why did you choose today for a get-together? And this place is a bit…”

She trailed off, but the other two understood. This place was indeed very different from the restaurants they usually chose.

Shu Yue directly exposed the truth: “This mischievous woman is using us as cover. She’s here to snag a rich guy, saying she got some inside information that a big shot is coming here for dinner. We’re just here as background props, so don’t worry about anything else.”

No wonder the restaurant was so crowded.

Yun Zhen looked around and realized the place was full of beautiful women, each one unique and stunning. Some were even dressed in evening gowns, and Yuxi Xi herself was in a sexy outfit that made her already impressive figure even more striking.

“Isn’t your ‘inside information’ a bit too widespread? There are too many people with the same goal as you.”

You could easily mistake it for a beauty pageant.

Yun Zhen looked down at her own white T-shirt and blue jeans, then glanced at Shu Yue’s business suit, which was formal enough to walk straight into a job interview. She couldn’t help but laugh, “One of us looks like a server, and the other like the floor manager. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone actually asked me to take their order.”

Shu Yue laughed too, “Don’t sell yourself short. You’d look good even in a burlap sack.”

Yun Zhen shook her head with a smile, not taking the compliment seriously. Little did she know that Shu Yue meant every word. In fact, some of the other “contestants” in the restaurant were already eyeing Yun Zhen warily.

Yun Zhen was beautiful but unaware of it. Even when dressed simply, she was the most eye-catching person in any crowd. She didn’t like makeup either, and the few cosmetics she owned were left to expire after being used just once or twice. She always walked around bare-faced, completely oblivious to the number of heads she turned.

When someone complimented her on her looks, she would assume they were just being polite and would respond by showering them with ten or a hundred times more praise, leaving them flattered and over the moon.

Yun Zhen and Shu Yue focused on the menu. They ordered three dishes and some drinks, then put the expensive menu down with a sigh of relief. Although Yuxi Xi was treating them, spending over ten thousand yuan on a meal still felt excessive.

They weren’t the type to take advantage of a friend’s generosity, so they ordered just a few dishes for show. If they weren’t full afterward, they could always snack at home. After all, the point of gathering was the “gathering,” not the “meal.”

Yun Zhen suddenly remembered something, “Yuxi Xi, don’t you have a boyfriend?”

Yuxi Xi was busy touching up her makeup in a compact mirror. She replied without looking up, “Which one are you talking about? The real estate scion, the gaming company executive, or the fish farm owner?”

Yun Zhen’s eyes widened in shock, “You’ve already gone through that many?!”

It had only been a year since they last met!

Shu Yue rolled her eyes and teased, “Why are you so obsessed with something as time-consuming as dating? There’s an old saying that the wise don’t fall in love. The path to success lies in staying single. Love will only be a stumbling block on a woman’s road to success!”

Yuxi Xi glanced at her, “So, has staying single made you a stronger person?”

Shu Yue hesitated for a moment before replying, “Not yet, but I believe that day isn’t far off.”