I leaned back in my chair, satisfied. The tables had finally turned.
Looking at the information on the receipt, I smiled and asked,
“I’m helping my friend check—does the IFC Chanel boutique have the authorization to sell this model?”
“Ms. Yun, we don’t have a Chanel store at IFC. You must be referring to ‘Chanelle,’ which is a counterfeit goods store,” the Chanel flagship staff replied crisply over the speaker.
Xu Yiran’s face turned from pale to green and back again.
Suddenly, with a loud “thud,” the white bag landed in the trash can.
“Throwing away the bag is nothing, but the person who gave a fake as a gift must have had some ulterior motive,” a classmate commented.
“And to give it on someone’s birthday? If I got a fake on my birthday, I’d want to strangle the person who gave it to me,” another chimed in.
Xu Yiran couldn’t hold it in anymore. “Lin…”
But Lin Chen cut her off immediately, “Only a new, real bag could make up for this. Maybe the person who gave it to you was tricked, too.”
Xu Yiran’s face twisted in anger. She grabbed her jacket, ready to storm out.
“Yiran, don’t go!” I and several classmates blocked her path, pretending concern but actually making sure she couldn’t skip out on the bill.
“Yiran, you ordered so many dishes and barely touched your food!” The class president gently pushed her back into her seat.
“Xu Yiran, it’s not like we gave you the fake bag. Why are you leaving your classmates behind?” someone else added with a sly smile.
“I don’t want to eat anymore! I’ve lost my appetite!” Xu Yiran glared at Lin Chen, her words icy and deliberate.
“Why pretend to be rich? Is it so hard to admit you can’t afford it? Faking it with knockoffs is just disgusting,” someone muttered.
“What are you talking about?” I followed her gaze and looked straight at Lin Chen.
Then I turned to him and said, “Yiran’s looking at you, Lin Chen. Are you the one who can’t afford it?”
Lin Chen immediately perked up, his pride stung—no man could stand being called out for being broke in public.
“Waiter, check please!”
“Certainly, sir. The total comes to fifty thousand yuan.”
Xu Yiran heard the number and shot Lin Chen a triumphant look.
In my last life, I had paid the bill without hesitation and left, hoping never to see any of them again.
But in this life, Lin Chen just hid in the bathroom and refused to come out.
Because the red envelope he’d stolen was full of toy money from a children’s play set!
“Brother Chen said he’d pay, so he definitely will!” Xu Yiran insisted, her voice growing shrill.
“Just wait a bit, maybe something came up at his company,” she added, trying to save face.
“He even said he’d take me shopping for makeup and bags after dinner. There’s no way he’s out of money!” she said, but her eyes were fixed on me, as if she wanted to stab me with her glare.
The classmates looked at each other, exchanging glances and silent questions.
The long bill forced the class president to go to the bathroom to “check on” dear Lin Chen.
The class president called out, “Lin Chen.”
A moment later, Lin Chen emerged from the bathroom, his face flushed red, hands trembling, and beads of sweat dotting his forehead.
“Brother Chen, are you okay? Are you feeling unwell?” I hurried over to support him, playing the concerned classmate.
“Senior, do you want us to get you some medicine?” another chimed in.
“Lin Chen, you really scared us! We almost had to go fish you out of the restroom,” someone else joked, trying to lighten the mood.
“It’s nothing serious. Sorry for worrying everyone,” Lin Chen forced a smile, but his voice was weak.
Under the intense stares and silent pressure of the group, Lin Chen finally paid the bill. His fingers shook as he entered his card’s PIN, while Xu Yiran glared at him, unwilling to let him slip away after promising her a new bag.
Chapter 07
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