Volume One, Chapter 43: Ten Million Bounty—Accepted!

"Miss Yan, it was you who agreed to open these bottles of wine. I confirmed it with you at the time—have you forgotten?" Yan Kejia's eyes widened. She tried hard to recall what had just happened. It seemed a waiter had indeed asked her a question, but she hadn’t listened carefully and had simply agreed. Dazed for a few seconds, she quickly decided to play dumb.

"I don’t remember. Are you sure you asked me and not her?" She pointed at Yu Mo, trying to shift the blame onto her.

The waiter replied with professional composure, "Miss Yan, you were the one who gave permission. I have an audio recording." He gestured to the sophisticated device by his ear and then to several miniature cameras in the corner of the private room. "If you truly can’t recall, I can request to review the room’s surveillance footage. That would clear everything up."

Yan Kejia’s face darkened considerably. She hadn’t expected the hotel staff to be equipped with recording devices—was this a spy movie? "No need. I’ll settle the bill. You may go." She shot the waiter a resentful glare and spoke with obvious irritation.

Everyone present breathed a sigh of relief—they wouldn't have to split the bill. Even the four men playing mahjong relaxed. Wang Hui, seeing Yan Kejia in a sour mood, gathered several girls around to flatter her, finally lifting her spirits a little.

Yu Mo sat on the sofa opposite Xie Mengqi and Lin Hua, crossing her legs elegantly and sipping juice at leisure. Lin Hua clenched her hands in her lap, seething that Yu Mo had emerged unscathed. She glanced toward Fu Yanting, who was looking at Yu Mo with a gentle expression. How infuriating!

Xie Mengqi snorted coldly and sneered at Yu Mo, "Yu Mo, you really have no shame!"

A girl sitting to Xie Mengqi’s right couldn't bear her hostility. "Miss, even if Yu Mo’s actions weren’t ideal, you saw it yourself—those people were the first to disrespect her, treating her like a servant."

Xie Mengqi shot her a sidelong glance. "And who do you think you are? Enjoying Kejia’s party, now speaking up for Yu Mo? You’re really something..."

The girl immediately lowered her head and fell silent. Yu Mo set down her juice and glanced at her.

A chorus of exclamations erupted nearby. Yu Mo looked over to see Yan Kejia surrounded by admiring guests. She raised her chin proudly, her left hand lifted to display a massive blood-red diamond ring on her middle finger, a haughty smile on her face.

"Of course Qin Xiang gave it to me. This is the most ordinary ring his family has—he even promised to show me the others someday."

Wang Hui clasped her hands in admiration, her eyes brimming with envy. "Jiajia, you’re so lucky to have a boyfriend like Qin Xiang who adores you!"

The other girls quickly chimed in, "Yes, I’m so jealous!" "Jiajia, you’re truly blessed!"

Yu Mo listened to their praise, her slender pale fingers loosely holding her glass, the corner of her mouth lifting in a faint, almost imperceptible, sneer. Did these women really not hear the undercurrent of jealousy in their own words? Yan Kejia, blinded by her own superiority, could hardly be blamed for missing it. They professed envy, but deep down, they probably wished for her breakup—only then would their hearts be appeased.

The door to the room opened. Yu Mo glanced up; Qin Xiang had returned, likely having collected himself. He sat beside Yan Kejia, once again donning his air of noble reserve. Yu Mo quietly withdrew her gaze, but Qin Xiang kept glancing her way. Yan Kejia noticed and grew increasingly displeased. Yu Mo had already caused her trouble and now seemed to be flirting with her boyfriend. Resentment flared in Yan Kejia’s eyes. She’d heard Yu Mo had stolen Lin Hua’s boyfriend—a notorious man-stealer. If not for the sake of appearances, she’d have had Yu Mo thrown out long ago.

Seeing Fu Yanting approach Yu Mo to speak with her only confirmed the rumors in her mind. Yan Kejia nearly shattered her wine glass in anger.

Yu Mo went to the restroom. Her phone rang—it was Chu Xirui. Yu Mo told her she was at a class reunion.

"Mo Mo, have you heard? Zhuang Zhizhi, the president of the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce, is offering a ten million reward for anyone who can cure his chronic illness!"

"Oh."

"Mo Mo, why don’t you give it a shot? I know you’re a brilliant doctor. With that ten million, we could go to Happy Valley and check out the cute guys, go to Disneyland and scout for more, or hit the Changbai Mountain ski resort and let the handsome instructors give us a lift. Hurry up and make some money!"

Yu Mo massaged her forehead, resigned to her best friend’s obsession—clearly, attractive men were Chu Xirui’s lifeblood. She couldn’t survive without them.

"If he’s willing to offer ten million, it must be a tough illness to cure. I’m not some miracle-working sage."

"Sigh, I heard Zhuang Zhizhi even tried to find the legendary physician, ‘Xuan Ji,’ hoping the miracle doctor could cure him. But the man is elusive—no one knows his whereabouts. Mo Mo, if only ‘Xuan Ji’ was my bestie! We could take the ten million and live it up chasing all the cute guys we want!"

Yu Mo felt a touch of embarrassment.

"Send me the details of the reward, and whatever you know about Zhuang Zhizhi’s illness. Message it all to my phone."

"Okay!"

It wasn’t long after Yu Mo hung up that Chu Xirui sent her a series of screenshots. Zhuang Zhizhi was a prominent figure in Shanghai, in his early fifties, rumored to have suddenly fallen ill years ago—a mysterious sickness no doctor had been able to cure. His public reward seemed to be a last resort, a desperate gamble, since both Shanghai and Beijing’s finest hospitals had failed him.

Yu Mo slipped her phone away, a knowing smile on her lips. Ten million? It was certainly worth a try. Who would ever think they had too much money?

She washed her hands at the sink. Xie Mengqi exited a stall, her face brimming with disdain. As she washed her hands, she sneered, "Yu Mo, do you really think you’re some miracle doctor, thinking you’ll cure Zhuang Zhizhi’s illness? Do you really believe getting that ten million will be so easy?"

Yu Mo paused, realizing her conversation with Chu Xirui had been overheard. She calmly reapplied her lipstick in the mirror, her radiant beauty like a vivid painting.

With a subtle click, she closed the lipstick cap, her tone breezy. "How would I know if I didn’t try? What if I really can cure him?"

"Heh, in that case, maybe I should try too." With a final glare, Xie Mengqi turned and left.

Yan Kejia exited the restroom next, shooting Yu Mo a hostile look. "Yu Mo, I’m warning you—stay away from Qin Xiang!"

"Oh? You treat your man like a treasure and think everyone else does too? I’m hardly interested." Yu Mo lazily tidied her hair in the brightly lit mirror. Qin Xiang might be handsome, but compared to her own pretty boy, he was nothing. Why settle for peanuts when you already have a watermelon?

Yan Kejia stormed off in a fury.

Yu Mo returned to the private room. Fu Yanting approached, wanting to speak to her. Yu Mo acted as if he were invisible, ignoring him completely. Misreading her indifference as anger, Fu Yanting silently stood by her side.

"Yu Mo." A pleasant male voice sounded beside her, reaching her ears. She looked up at the speaker.