Chapter 76: Suspicions (Part 1)

T/N: I posted a notice last week to inform you guys that there wouldn't be any releases last week. But, looks like it wasn't posted on the Novelupdates. I see that only a couple of you found the post. I apologize. 
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Xiaonian’s hand hovered on the skirt she was about to pick up. For some reason, after seeing Tang Yi last time, she had an inexplicable feeling that she cannot put in words. This new Tang Yi, made her feel cautious.

She pulled out a casual summer dress from her old clothes from the corner of the closet and proceeded to get ready. It was better to show herself as she is and not cause anymore misunderstandings with Tang Yi.

Once she was dressed, she picked up her old purse and walked out. If this was her old apartment, she would have checked to see she was getting her keys with her, but at TianZhi with so many maids and bodyguards around all the time, she did not really need any keys.

As soon as she went out, two usual bodyguards followed her to the elevator and to the parking lot. She opened the car door and went in.

A few days back, she requested that the guards not do stuff like opening door and other things because she was not used to it. To her surprise, the guards sympathized with her plight and accepted her request.

Tang Yi message in the morning and told her to meet her at Nine clouds restaurants, an upscale restaurant that was famous for its english cuisine. Xiaonian couldn’t help but compare this woman to the girl she once knew.

They both were scholarship students in a university that was attended by the rich. Tang Yi came from a middle class family while she had already moved out of the Shi house and had to pay for her own living expenses. 

Unlike the majority of the student body, they both worked hard handling two or sometimes three part time jobs to make ends meet. In such circumstances, they helped each other finding and recommending jobs and struck a friendship.

The Tang Yi she knew was hard working and a shy girl who like staying to herself and minding her own business. 

But the woman she met on the Baja cruise was a vivacious young woman who was open and knew how to spend money. 

Can few years really change a person so much?

She really could not wrap her head around it.

The car stopped before a luxurious looking hotel making Xiaonian clench her purse. She didn’t think she would be able to order anything. If she did, her purse would be so light that her heart would fly away.

What was the need of eating such expensive food, ah? Carrot was carrot. Just because you cut it artistically and put it on a white plate with few colorful drops around it, how can they charge exorbitant amount of money? Wasn’t that just day light robbery?

Thinking a hundred words a minute, Xiaonian followed a waiter after inquiring about their reservation and ended up in a private room.

“….”

This was too expensive even for Tang Yi, wasn’t it?

“Excuse me, I think you might have made a mistake. The reservation’s under the name of Tang Yi,” Xiaonian gently reminded the waiter.

The waiter, who was a young handsome man, smiled kindly, “No madam, there is no mistake. Mr. Ze called a while back and requested that when you come, we provide you with the best room available.”

“…..”

Mr Ze? Was that Gong Ouyang’s secretary Ze Chen?

“Thank you,” Xiaonian thanked the waiter before she took a seat and waited for Tang Yi to show up. It looks like Gong Ouyang really wanted to show his hand to Tang Yi. Was it meant to be a warning? She did not know.

Xiaoian waited for another half an hour before she wondered if she got the time wrong. Just as she was thinking of calling Tang Yi, the door to the private room opened and a finely dressed woman walked in.

Tang Yi smiled as soon as she saw Xiaonian and hugged her in greeting, “Xiaonian! It has been such a long time, how are you?”

Xiaonian smiled at her enthusiasm. “Good. What about you? You look more beautiful than ever. I can’t even tell that you are in your twenties.”

It was true. There was something about Tang Yi now, a subtle difference here and there that made her look more attractive than she had been in university.

Xiaonian was not well versed in cosmetic surgeries and failed to notice that Tang Yi’s features have been manipulated cosmetically.

Tang Yi did not say anything and smiled in return looking around at the room they were sitting in. “You are not doing so bad yourself Xiaonian,” she said as she poured over the menu, “getting the backing of Gong Ouyang is something of a blessing that befalls only one in a million people you know?”

Tang Yi’s face was bent over the menu and it was hard for Xiaonian to make out the expression on her face when she said those words. 

Xiaonian stayed silent as she picked up the menu and went over the cheapest beverage list. There was no way she was ordering a thousands RMB worth fruit juice.

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