After getting out of the elevator, Fu Ming Shi first accompanied Zhen Bao to see the room.
When Zhen Bao saw the layout of the presidential suite, she felt very complicated and quietly asked Fu Ming Shi, "Can we check out?" Her classmates who came out to play together were staying in regular rooms. She understood that Fu Ming Shi was not used to a standard room, but Zhen Bao did not want any special treatment or make Fu Ming Shi spend this money on her.
"My assistant booked the room," Fu Ming Shi explained seriously as he looked at her. "We've already checked in so we can't check out."
Zhen Bao pursed her lips.
Fu Ming Shi immediately said, "Since you don't like it, I'll go book two more standard rooms."
After saying that, he was about to leave.
Zhen Bao quickly grabbed him and said, "Forget it, let's just stay here." The money had already been spent, why waste more. The price of a regular standard room was not cheap either.
"You're not angry?" Fu Ming Shi lowered his eyes to observe her.
He was the CEO of a large company. Of course his assistant would help book the best room for him. It wasn't Fu Ming Shi's idea, but even if it was, Zhen Bao only felt it was wasteful and inappropriate. There was no reason for her to get angry. But she still lowered her head and reminded him, "Don't overspend like this next time we have an activity like this."
Seeing that his fiancee was frugal and cared about money, Fu Ming Shi smiled lightly, "Okay, I won't do this again."
Zhen Bao turned her head to look around the suite and worriedly said, "Later Feng Yue and the others will definitely ask about you. What should I say?"
"Just say my family runs an import/export business and has some spare cash," Fu Ming Shi said casually. "For any other questions, you don't need to answer."
Just as Zhen Bao was about to speak, Meng Ji Ning sent a message to the group chat telling everyone to take a lunch break first and meet at 2pm to tour the winery.
"You rest first. Call me if anything comes up," Fu Ming Shi put his arm around Zhen Bao's shoulder and pointed to the suite next door. He was about to leave.
Zhen Bao put down her bag and walked him to the door.
When they reached the door, the man in front of her suddenly turned around. Before Zhen Bao could react, he had pinned her against the wall and lowered his head to kiss her. Zhen Bao instinctively tried to push him away, but Fu Ming Shi did not budge, only kissing her more forcefully. The blister on the corner of Zhen Bao's mouth had already healed, making it convenient for him to take advantage.
Zhen Bao's hands that were grabbing his arms gradually loosened their grip.
She became obedient and responsive. Fu Ming Shi slowed down the pace and gently savored her.
Zhen Bao heard the sound of kissing and became embarrassed, wanting to escape. That night she had been too shocked and did not notice it before.
Fu Ming Shi cupped her face, not allowing her to leave.
"Zhen Bao!" Bang bang bang, there was a knock on the door from the next room over. It was Feng Yue.
Fu Ming Shi frowned. In the moment he was distracted, Zhen Bao pushed him away forcefully.
"Go wash your face," she said with a flushed face, too intimiate. Fu Ming Shi forcibly suppressed the urge to keep kissing her and whispered, "Good, this won't happen again."
Zhen Bao secretly ran to the bathroom.
Fu Ming Shi turned around and opened the door.
In addition to Feng Yue, there were three other female classmates outside. Seeing Fu Ming Shi, the four girls exchanged subtle glances with each other. A lone man and woman alone together in a room, it was easy for anyone's mind to wander. But Fu Ming Shi ignored them and simply explained, "Zhen Bao is washing her face in the bathroom. I'm just checking out the room for her."
As he spoke, he put on his backpack over one shoulder and walked between the four girls into the suite next door.
From the time they came up, it couldn't have been more than ten minutes. Their clothes were tidy so it seemed nothing had happened between them. Economically speaking, if the two were really at the point of getting a room, Fu Ming Shi wouldn't have bothered booking two suites. The presidential suite was so expensive, and Fu Ming Shi didn't look like someone super rich, so he wouldn't casually throw away 18,000 yuan.
Brushing aside their earlier pink imaginations, led by Feng Yue, the four girls excitedly went into the room to look around.
Zhen Bao had washed her face with cold water. Her cheeks were still red after washing up but it wasn't as noticeable anymore.
"Zhen Bao, what does Shi Ming's family do?" Lying comfortably on the sofa, Feng Yue leaned on her elbows and stared at Zhen Bao curiously as she asked, "He's usually so low-key, I couldn't tell at all. Booking two suites all at once, he's too rich!" She had a few very rich classmates in high school too but none had Fu Ming Shi's extravagance.
"His dad runs an import/export business," Zhen Bao gave the excuse Fu Ming Shi had made up.
"Which company?" Feng Yue kept probing.
"Forget it, let's not talk about him," Zhen Bao smiled and went to sit with the other three girls to discuss their plans for the afternoon.
After chatting for about ten minutes, the three girls said they were going downstairs to take a nap. Feng Yue was still lying on the sofa and waved her hand with a smile, "You guys go ahead, I'll hang out with Zhen Bao!"
She and Zhen Bao were classmates so they were close. The other three girls were both envious and helpless but didn't feel right to ask to stay too.
Zhen Bao went to see the three girls off. She had just returned to the living room when Feng Yue suddenly sat up, hugging a pillow as she excitedly asked, "Isn't Shi Ming's family company super big?" When she was in high school, she also had a few very rich classmates but none had Fu Ming Shi's extravagance.
"It's decent," Zhen Bao deliberately evaded the topic and said tiredly, "Let's sleep, we still have to go out and play in the afternoon."
Feng Yue had no choice but to not ask anymore.
The suite had a master bedroom and secondary bedroom. Since the second bedroom was empty anyway, Feng Yue shamelessly took it over.
Zhen Bao closed the door to the master bedroom and sighed softly. Keeping it a secret was a bit tiring, but if she didn't, Fu Ming Shi's identity and their foolish engagement would definitely attract all kinds of gossip. Not to mention anything else, Fu Ming Shi had only exchanged a few words with Xia Ying at the banquet, yet there were all kinds of media reports. Once news of her and Fu Ming Shi's relationship got out...
Cinderella stories were beautiful and romantic, but in real life, a poor girl hooking up with a tall, rich and handsome man, in the media coverage and idle chatter of onlookers, she was destined to become Fu Ming Shi's appendage, labeled as using her looks to advance and being Fu Ming Shi's kept woman.
Zhen Bao didn't want to become the focus like this.
She would work part-time jobs to earn living expenses, she would work hard to win scholarships to pay for school fees, she hoped that by the time their relationship went public, she would be able to support herself.
Zhen Bao set her alarm for 1:30pm. At 1:50pm, there was a knock on her door from Fu Ming Shi.
Zhen Bao had already packed up while Feng Yue had just gotten up.
When the door opened, seeing that Zhen Bao didn't have her bag with her, Fu Ming Shi thought she wasn't ready yet and lifted his foot to go in.
Zhen Bao was afraid he would get handsy again. She peeked inside and softly said, "Feng Yue is in there. She said she's rooming with me tonight."
Fu Ming Shi looked at her with his straight brows furrowed.
Zhen Bao understood what he disliked but the second bedroom was empty and Feng Yue had asked. She didn't have a reason to reject.
She kept her head lowered, looking more and more bulliable. Fu Ming Shi didn't dare keep a cold face anymore. Helplessly, he pulled her into his arms and whispered in her ear, "I'm not blaming you for letting her stay. I'm worried you're too nice and will be easily taken advantage of by classmates and colleagues in the future."
Everyone picks on the meek ones.
He spoke with the tone of a worried parent which made Zhen Bao unable to help laughing. As she pushed him away, she promised, "I'm not that stupid." She was willing to help out when it was convenient but if it was too imposing, she wouldn't be a pushover.
Fu Ming Shi still wanted to tease her more but Feng Yue came out from the other side carrying her bag. Seeing him, she cheerfully called out, "So rich!"
Fu Ming Shi's expression was indifferent, neither cold nor warm.
Feng Yue felt a little awkward. On the way downstairs, she deliberately stood to Zhen Bao's left and didn't try to chat with Fu Ming Shi again.
In the hotel lobby, Meng Ji Ning had already confirmed with the girls that the suite Fu Ming Shi booked was an authentic presidential suite. But he could also afford a suite, it was just that he didn't have a chance to treat Zhen Bao. Fu Ming Shi was usually stingy. By suddenly showing off in front of everyone, it actually showed that his family background might not be that abundant and he was just deliberately showing off in front of Zhen Bao.
"Shi Ming, I heard you booked the presidential suite?" Meng Ji Ning greeted him with a smile.
Zhen Bao looked back at Fu Ming Shi.
Fu Ming Shi smiled lightly, tacitly acknowledging it.
"So rich. Then you're treating us to dinner tonight!" Meng Ji Ning joked.
The other college students chimed in agreement.
"No problem," Fu Ming Shi put his arm around Zhen Bao's shoulder and looked at her as he said, "Zhen Bao and I don't go to the same school. Please take care of her if anything comes up."
Zhen Bao awkwardly hid behind Feng Yue.
Meng Ji Ning turned around first to lead the group to tour the winery.
Since it was a winery, naturally wine tasting was involved. There were fifteen people total. Meng Ji Ning ordered three bottles of red wine for 10,000 yuan. He hid the card when he paid so no one saw, but this wine was exhibited in the red wine hall with a clear marked price. The college students silently marveled at how generous yet exciting it was to have such a well-off fellow student that they could bask in his glory.
During the wine tasting, Meng Ji Ning surreptitiously observed Fu Ming Shi.
Holding a wine glass, Fu Ming Shi smiled as he clinked glasses with Zhen Bao. Seeing this, Feng Yue was the first to urge them to drink from each other's glasses.
Fu Ming Shi didn't like Zhen Bao's fellow villagers much but hearing the cheers around him, he happily upturned the corners of his mouth and looked at Zhen Bao waiting for her response. Zhen Bao refused with an embarrassed red face and took two steps away. In one gulp, she downed all the red wine in her glass so she wouldn't have to exchange glasses.
Unable to tease her, Fu Ming Shi felt somewhat regretful.
After tasting the red wine, they gradually toured two scenic spots before it was time for dinner.
The scenic area had high-end hotels as well as farmhouses. Fu Ming Shi led the group to eat at a farmhouse, the kind with less than 100 RMB per person.
In everyone else's eyes, he was the rich guy so they had been looking forward to a feast. Fu Ming Shi suddenly lowered the bar, and some people revealed disappointed expressions. But Fu Ming Shi paid them no mind. He bent over to whisper with Zhen Bao, "This restaurant is cheap, are you satisfied?"
Zhen Bao smiled with her head lowered. Her smile was subtle but very happy.
Sitting among the male students, although Meng Ji Ning was not shallow enough to openly disdain Fu Ming Shi for being stingy with his money, it confirmed that Fu Ming Shi came from an average family background which greatly delighted Meng Ji Ning and gave him more confidence pursuing Zhen Bao in the future. There was the saying "Marry close to home". They still had so many years of college ahead, if Zhen Bao's long distance relationship with Fu Ming Shi faded over time...
His gaze shifted to Zhen Bao's sweet side profile. Meng Ji Ning was confident of success.
Night fell and everyone returned to the hotel.
As expected, Feng Yue went with Zhen Bao to the suite. Fu Ming Shi walked the two all the way to the door before returning to his own room and calling his assistant.
Half an hour later, a hotel server came to Meng Ji Ning's room.
Meng Ji Ning was staying alone. Hearing the server say someone had delivered something to him, he opened the door in confusion.
"Are you Mr. Meng Ji Ning?" The server smiled and asked.
Meng Ji Ning nodded and looked at the gift box in her hands.
After confirming his identity, the server carefully handed over the gift box then left.
Meng Ji Ning watched her around the corner before closing the door with a frown and opening the gift box.
Inside was a bottle of red wine. The label on the red wine...
Meng Ji Ning's heart tightened. He knew a bit about red wine, it was just...
Putting down the gift box, Meng Ji Ning grabbed his phone and went online to search. A minute later, the results came in: This bottle of red wine was worth six figures.
