Chapter 110: Chapter 13 The Origin of the System, The Beginning of the Story_2
She didn’t finish her sentence, glancing at the boy toy sitting on her lap. She realized that mentioning her husband in this situation would be like admitting defeat before the fight even started.
"Go on, why did you stop? Aren’t you usually quite the talker? Who is your husband? I think the curious onlookers here are all dying to know," Sun Dasheng teased, seizing her moment of weakness to kick her while she was down, giving her no escape.
"Alright, alright! You country folk are all the same, eyes wide open at the sight of money. So annoying. Just name your price, I’ll pay you."
The wealthy older woman conceded, deciding to just spend the money to avert disaster.
"It’s not that much to you. This broken bag is worth two million, at most," Sun Dasheng said nonchalantly.
"How much?" The woman felt like she was hearing things. She looked down at the boy toy on her lap.
While massaging her leg, the boy toy smirked. "Sis, you heard him right. He’s trying to extort you for two million for this beat-up bag."
"Are you insane? A worthless bag like this is worth two million?" As she spoke, she stretched out her foot and stomped hard on the bag.
"Oh dear. A moment ago, you might not have had to pay so much. Now, you definitely do," Sun Dasheng said with unconcealed glee, as if it wasn’t his bag being stomped on at all.
"I’d like to see just what you have in there that’s worth two million. Stop putting on airs."
The bag wasn’t large, and inside were two gift boxes. Because of her thick, elephant-like leg, the boxes had been completely crushed flat. When she saw the logo on them, a cold sweat broke out on her forehead. As someone who knew her luxury goods, she recognized what they were. If they weren’t fakes, they could very well be worth the price he’d quoted.
That’s it, fakes! They have to be fakes.
Hearing her muttering, a woman in her thirties with an air of low-key luxury that signaled true wealth stepped out from the crowd.
"I am the general manager of Vacheron Constantin for the Shanghai City region. May I have a look at these two watches?"
Jiang Shiya hadn’t intended to get involved, but when she saw that a client of her brand was part of the commotion, she quickly changed her mind. This was an excellent opportunity to build a relationship with a major customer, especially since she noticed he was wearing a Patek Philippe, a watch from a rival brand. The powerful aura she exuded was enough to intimidate the older woman into silence.
Taking the damaged watches, she examined them closely before speaking with a tone of regret, "These are brand-new models that were just released. Each one is worth a million. It’s a true shame they’ve been damaged like this."
Now, it was the wealthy woman’s turn to be on the hot seat. She ground her teeth as she glared at Sun Dasheng, cursing him inwardly.
Who carries watches this expensive in a flimsy tote bag? And just leaves it on a seat with no protection at all? This really isn’t my fault. Who could have known? A classic wolf in sheep’s clothing.
The phrase popped into her head.
"So... how much would it cost to repair them?" Her voice was noticeably softer, her earlier aggression replaced with a hint of pleading.
Jiang Shiya glanced at her. "For repairs, they’d have to be sent back to our European headquarters. Besides, the cost to repair both watches would be enough to buy a new one."
She stated the conditions and the cost but offered no advice. How this would be resolved ultimately depended on whether the man before her decided to press the issue. If he did, he could simply demand compensation and refuse to take the watches back.
As expected, Sun Dasheng had no intention of letting her off the hook.
"I don’t want the watches anymore. You can take them to get repaired and wear them yourself, or just throw them away for all I care. It’s none of my business. I just want you to compensate me for my loss."
This is what you get for upsetting my little girl, especially when she’s still grieving her grandfather’s death.
That thought made her actions all the more unforgivable in Sun Dasheng’s eyes.
The wealthy woman’s heart turned to ash. The boy toy massaging her legs suddenly lost all his charm.
Do I have the money? Of course, I do. But to pull out so much at once... this is all money my husband worked so hard to earn. If I spend this much in one go, he’s going to check the accounts. This isn’t like supporting a lover, where I can squirrel away funds bit by bit.
She had no way out. With everyone watching, she couldn’t just deny it. Tearfully, she began taking off all her valuables as payment. Gold rings, a gold necklace, a jade bracelet, and a thumb ring—all together, she was still short over a hundred thousand.
She pushed the boy toy. "I’ve given you so much spending money. Give some to me now to help with this emergency." Helpless, she had resorted to shaking down her arm candy.
But the boy toy wasn’t having it.
This money is what I earned for my services. The pleasure of being with a rich woman isn’t something just anyone can handle, you know!
Their friendly facade shattered, the boy toy stood up, turned, and walked away suavely. The next rich woman would be even better.
Ultimately, she had no choice but to borrow the rest of the money from her friends. After paying the compensation and with her boy toy gone, she was in no mood to fly to Sanya for a honeymoon. She slunk away in disgrace under the public’s gaze.
"Hello, allow me to reintroduce myself. I’m Jiang Shiya, the general manager of Vacheron Constantin in the Shanghai City region," she said, graciously extending her hand.
Sun Dasheng shook it briefly before pulling his hand back. "Sun Dasheng," he said with a smile. "Thank you for your help today. I owe you one."
"Why don’t we add each other on WeChat? In the future, if Mr. Sun has any jewelry needs, feel free to contact me anytime. I guarantee you’ll feel right at home."
With that, she returned to her seat with elegant steps.
The VIP lounge finally returned to its previous tranquility.
"Uncle, I’m sorry for causing you so much trouble," Li Sili said, embarrassed.
"What are you saying? There’s no need to be so formal with me," Sun Dasheng replied, patting her on the head.
After waiting a little while longer, it was time for the first-class passengers to board.
"Bye, Uncle! See you next year!" Li Sili said with a smile as she waved goodbye to Sun Dasheng and headed for the boarding gate.
The moment she turned her back, the smile vanished from her face, replaced by a shadow of sorrow.
In first class, a flight attendant helped her settle into her seat. She stared blankly out the window, lost in thought. The plane slowly began to move. Just then, a voice sounded next to her.
"Little girl, what are you looking at?"
Li Sili spun around, her face a mask of shock. "Uncle, how did you get on here too?"
The familiar figure of Sun Dasheng was already seated beside her.
"What’s wrong? You’re allowed on this plane, but I’m not?" he joked.
"No, that’s not it, Uncle, you..." She was momentarily tongue-tied. "Uncle, this isn’t the flight you take to go home," she finally managed, regaining some composure.
"I never said I was going home," Sun Dasheng replied.
"Then where are you going, Uncle?" Li Sili asked.
"To your place, of course," he answered.
"Huh?"
Li Sili’s brain froze. Uncle was going to her home? This was something she had never imagined. But...
"Alright now. You rushed to the airport early this morning after sleeping so little last night. You should get some sleep," he told her. "It’s a long way to your home from the airport."
Sun Dasheng didn’t give her a chance to protest, firmly insisting she get some rest. He reclined his own seat and closed his eyes, pretending to nap.
But Li Sili couldn’t sleep a wink. His surprise visit had caught her completely off guard. She mimicked him, lowering her seat and turning on her side to gaze, unblinking, at his handsome face.
Uncle, you’re still so handsome!
A stream of memories flooded her mind like a film reel. Their meeting at the comic convention wasn’t their first. She had met him long ago, when she was still in elementary school. Back then, he was a spirited college student, and she was just a small third-grader. She recalled that summer vacation when her teachers excitedly announced that a group of university students had come to offer volunteer tutoring. They would use the break to help the kids catch up on their studies and build a strong foundation.
The student assigned to her class was none other than Sun Dasheng. She had never forgotten the big brother who played games with them and told them stories about the world beyond their mountains. Alright, back then, Sun Dasheng was still a young big brother.
Of course, she wouldn’t have remembered him for so long if that was all there was to it. As a child, she had been as mischievous as any of the boys. One day that summer, she went with a large group of kids to play in the little river—a common activity in the countryside. The river wasn’t deep, so parents didn’t worry much. But on that particular day, her calf cramped up. Even in the shallow water, it could have cost her her life.
It was Sun Dasheng, who had been passing by, who saved her. Terrified, she never dared to tell anyone else about it, so the incident remained her secret. For Sun Dasheng, it might have been a casual act of kindness, but for her, it was a moment to be cherished for a lifetime.
She had chosen to study in Shanghai City because of him. So later, when she had the chance to meet him again, she didn’t hesitate for a second to give him the prize she had won at the comic convention.
And that was the beginning of another story.