Chapter 3 - Chapter 3: The Competition Among Rich Ladies

The night descended like an immense expanse of black silk, gently enshrouding the entire city. Only the towering, palace - like villa of the Chu family glowed resplendently in the thick darkness. Inside the villa, the lights blazed brightly, as if having gathered all the stars in the sky indoors. The brilliant radiance emitted by the crystal chandeliers pierced through the exquisitely carved glass, refracting a kaleidoscope of colorful and enchanting lights that were cast upon the guests' magnificent attires, adding an extra touch of opulence and splendor. Tonight, a grand and extraordinary birthday party was being held here, and the protagonist was Chu Yi, the daughter of the Chu Group, who was accustomed to being spoiled and capricious. In the villa, glasses clinked, and laughter and conversations reverberated freely in every corner. The men were clad in neat and well - fitted suits, with the tie clips at their collars glinting with an expensive and dazzling metallic sheen. They held wine glasses in their hands and gracefully conversed about the ups and downs and vicissitudes in the business world. The ladies, on the other hand, were all dressed to the nines. Their dresses were all designed by top - notch designers, and every stitch was interwoven with the utmost luxury and beauty. The jewelry they wore sparkled brightly under the lights. The dazzling brilliance of the diamonds seemed to pierce people's eyes, and the gentle luster of the pearls added a touch more of a gentle and elegant demeanor to them. In this lively and bustling party teeming with people, Cheng Ruo was like a lily quietly blooming and standing aloof from the world. A moon - white dress perfectly draped around her graceful and slender figure, exuding an air of nobility and elegance, yet without being ostentatious. The fabric of the dress was soft and smooth, and with each light step she took, it fluttered gently like flowing moonlight. Unlike other guests who were eager to flit around and socialize among the crowd, she stood quietly alone in a quiet corner of the living room, holding a glass of champagne steadily in her hand. In the transparent goblet, the golden champagne gently rippled, forming layers of delicate bubbles, just like the turbulent emotions secretly surging beneath her seemingly calm exterior at the moment. She stood there quietly, and through the crystal - clear wine glass, her gaze quietly landed on a group of rich ladies sitting in a circle on the sofa not far away. Sitting in the middle position was Chu Yi, the birthday girl of the day. She was like a proud and lofty phoenix, donning a bright red evening dress that was as vivid as fire. The eye - catching red color was like a blazing inferno, making her snow - white skin appear even more translucent. The dress was densely studded with countless dazzling rhinestones, and with every slight movement she made, they sparkled brightly, just like the twinkling stars in the night sky. Her hair was neatly coiled up, gracefully revealing her slender and beautiful neck, and she wore a necklace crafted from top - grade rubies around her neck. The vivid color of the rubies complemented her dress perfectly, setting each other off, and further accentuating her grace and luxury. Beside her sat Feng Tongtong, one of her former followers. Now, Feng Tongtong had transformed into the manager of a high - end luxury goods store. She was wearing a meticulously tailored professional suit, and her makeup was exquisite and just right. However, there was still a hint of the obsequious look in her eyes that she had before. At this moment, Feng Tongtong was holding an iPad, with a sycophantic smile all over her face, and enthusiastically introducing the latest bag to everyone. Her voice was clear and resounding, standing out particularly in this lively and noisy party scene: "I'm truly sorry, Mrs. Zhang. There's only one piece of this bag that is limited in China at the moment, and it's on its way here, and the destination is Chu Yi's home." As she talked animatedly, she pointed at the picture of the bag on the iPad, her eyes brimming with pride. That bag was indeed astonishingly beautiful. It was made of top - grade crocodile leather, and the texture of the leather was delicate and unique, naturally exuding an inborn and indescribable noble aura. The metal accessories of the bag were all carefully crafted from pure gold, shining with a dazzling light under the lamp, as if wantonly flaunting its high value. Mrs. Zhang had been chatting merrily with the person next to her with a smile on her face. When she heard Feng Tongtong's words, the smile on her face froze instantly as if it had been fixed in place, replaced by an obvious look of displeasure. She slightly furrowed her brows, and her tone carried a hint of dissatisfaction and interrogation: "Manager Feng, we all know that you and Chu Yi are good friends, but we also spend a great deal in your store throughout the year. Why is it that every time the latest style is only sent to the Chu family?" Mrs. Zhang was also a well - known rich lady in Jiangzhou's business circle. She had always been the center of attention on various occasions. Now that she was treated so differently by Feng Tongtong, she was naturally seething with anger. However, Feng Tongtong didn't pay the slightest heed to Mrs. Zhang's words. She gave Mrs. Zhang a contemptuous sidelong glance, the corners of her mouth lifted slightly, revealing a disdainful smile, and then turned her head and flattered Chu Yi to the extreme: "You've only started purchasing goods in our store in the past two years, but the Chu family has been our store's regular customer for a decade. I'm afraid there aren't many customers with such seniority in the whole country. Moreover, the styles you have in your hands now were all discarded by Sister Chu when she was in high school. With this kind of clout, of course, we have to give the latest style to the Chu family first." As she spoke non - stop, she affectionately took Chu Yi's arm, and the smile on her face became even brighter, as if proclaiming to the whole world the extraordinary close relationship between her and Chu Yi. Upon hearing Feng Tongtong's words, Chu Yi raised her head proudly and let out a clear and melodious laugh that was tinged with arrogance. She gently patted Feng Tongtong's hand, her eyes full of admiration: "You still understand me the best." Her voice was soft and charming, yet it subtly carried a sense of haughtiness and superiority. In her eyes, these rich ladies were nothing more than a bunch of upstarts and couldn't hold a candle to her, the daughter of the Chu family born with a silver spoon in her mouth. The rich ladies were all indignant in their hearts after hearing Feng Tongtong's sarcastic remarks, but due to Chu Yi's prominent status and position, they could only swallow their anger. They could only secretly clench their teeth, force a stiff smile on their faces, and then carry their bags and walk gracefully in various directions. Some rich ladies, as they walked, muttered in a low voice: "What's so great about it? It's just that they have some dirty money at home." "That's right. Just because they're old customers, they're so arrogant." But these complaints could only be spread softly among them, and no one had the courage to really provoke Chu Yi. Cheng Ruo took all this in and sneered inwardly. She knew very well about the characters of Chu Yi and Feng Tongtong, and she also knew that although these rich ladies seemed glorious and glamorous on the surface, they always paled in comparison in front of Chu Yi. Seeing that the opportunity was ripe, she walked forward gracefully and unhurriedly, and introduced herself to the rich ladies with composure. A gentle and modest charming smile adorned her face, and there was a glimmer of intelligence and wisdom in her eyes, just like a true intellectual who had returned from abroad. Her voice was soft and pleasant, and every word seemed to carry a unique magic that made people involuntarily drawn to her deeply: "Hello, ladies. I'm Cheng Ruo, who has just returned from abroad. It's my great honor to meet you here." Her tone was humble and polite, without the slightest bit of arrogance, forming a sharp contrast with the arrogance of Chu Yi and Feng Tongtong. The ladies had been in a foul mood because of what had happened earlier, but when they saw Cheng Ruo's outstanding and elegant intellectual demeanor, their eyes lit up immediately. They enthusiastically gathered around Cheng Ruo, encircling her, and their eyes were full of curiosity and admiration. Seeing that she had successfully attracted the ladies, Cheng Ruo felt secretly proud in her heart, but on the surface, she still maintained that gentle and modest appearance. She took the initiative to chat with Mrs. Zhang: "I heard that Mrs. Zhang's futures business has been booming recently. Looking at Mrs. Zhang's bearing these days, it's even more imposing." Her voice carried a hint of just the right amount of envy and praise, which made Mrs. Zhang feel very pleased. The gloom on Mrs. Zhang's face vanished instantly, and she smiled again. She waved her hand and feigned modesty: "Nowhere, nowhere. It's just small - scale business." However, Cheng Ruo's next move made the smile on Mrs. Zhang's face freeze instantly. Cheng Ruo slightly furrowed her brows, and a look of concern and worry appeared on her face: "Oh, Mrs. Zhang, it seems that there's something on your bag?" As she spoke, she calmly took out a magnet and slowly inched it closer to the bag in Mrs. Zhang's hand. Mrs. Zhang hadn't reacted at first, but when she caught sight of the magnet in Cheng Ruo's hand, a strong sense of foreboding welled up in her heart. She looked at the magnet in a panic, her eyes filled with fear and unease. At this moment, Mrs. Sun, who was usually not very conspicuous, immediately exclaimed in horror: "For a genuine branded bag, its metal parts won't be attracted by a magnet!" Her voice was sharp and piercing, instantly shattering the original peaceful atmosphere around. The guests who had been chatting merrily originally all turned their heads in astonishment, and their gazes converged on Mrs. Zhang and Cheng Ruo. For a moment, the atmosphere in the entire living room became extremely tense and oppressive, and everyone held their breath, full of anticipation for what was about to happen next. Mrs. Zhang's face instantly turned as white as a sheet of paper, and her hands trembled involuntarily. She tightly clutched the bag in her hand, as if it were her last lifeline. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but felt as if her throat was choked up by something, and she couldn't utter a word. Her eyes were filled with embarrassment and shame, and she wished she could find a hole in the ground to crawl into. Looking at Mrs. Zhang's embarrassed appearance, Cheng Ruo felt secretly proud in her heart, but on the surface, she still feigned extreme surprise and innocence: "Mrs. Zhang, what's going on? I... I really didn't mean to." Her voice carried a slight tremor, as if she was really frightened by the sudden situation in front of her. Chu Yi and Feng Tongtong also heard the commotion here, and they walked over curiously. When Chu Yi saw the bag in Mrs. Zhang's hand that was being attracted by the magnet, a mocking smile immediately appeared on her face: "Oh, Mrs. Zhang, did you buy a fake bag?" Her voice was full of glee, without concealing her inner pride at all. Feng Tongtong quickly chimed in: "Mrs. Zhang, I'm afraid you were swindled, right? Our store never sells counterfeit goods." As she spoke, she looked at Mrs. Zhang with a contemptuous and disdainful look, as if looking at a ridiculous joke. Mrs. Zhang was now completely in the abyss of despair. She knew that she had made a complete fool of herself in front of so many people today. She gave Cheng Ruo a fierce glare, full of resentment in her heart. She felt that all this was deliberately orchestrated by Cheng Ruo, a deliberate ruse, but she couldn't produce any evidence. She could only grit her teeth and leave a sentence: "I'm really having the worst luck today." Then she turned around and rushed out of the living room. Looking at Mrs. Zhang's departing back, the corners of Cheng Ruo's mouth lifted slightly, revealing a faint victorious smile. She knew in her heart that the first step of her plan had been successful. Through this small move, she not only made Mrs. Zhang lose face in public but also successfully attracted the attention of Chu Yi and Feng Tongtong. Next, she had more carefully planned schemes to make those who had mercilessly hurt her in the past pay an extremely painful price for what they had done. At this luxurious party filled with desire and vanity, a silent but thrilling war had just commenced. Cheng Ruo was like a shrewd hunter lurking in the dark, quietly lying in wait, patiently waiting for the opportune moment to launch a fatal strike at her prey. And Chu Yi, Feng Tongtong, and those rich ladies who were regarded as their playthings were completely oblivious to this, still immersed in their own world, not knowing that they had already fallen into a carefully crafted conspiracy...