Volume One Chapter Five Just a Waiter

A greasy, balding middle-aged man pointed at a waiter, whose suit was stained with spilled wine. The waiter, youthful in appearance, clutched a tray nervously, his voice trembling as he apologized repeatedly.
"I'm sorry, I truly didn't mean to," he pleaded.

Beside the middle-aged man stood a woman draped in designer brands from head to toe. Yu Mo studied the woman's face, searching her memory until she recalled who she was—Fu Yanting's distant cousin, Xie Mengqi. The Xie family had married Fu Yanting's aunt and had only this one daughter, spoiled beyond measure and notoriously arrogant. Yu Mo had once bought her several luxury handbags, only to have Xie Mengqi scorn them for not being limited editions. After that, Yu Mo never bought her another gift.

Xie Mengqi looked at the waiter with undisguised contempt.
"Do you think an apology is enough? You'd better figure out if your salary for a few months is enough to pay for this," she sneered.

The waiter grew even more flustered, bowing repeatedly in apology.

Yu Mo stepped forward and addressed the greasy middle-aged man beside Xie Mengqi.
"Sir, you seem to be a gentleman of considerable stature. Surely you wouldn't trouble a mere waiter over such a trivial matter?"

Xie Mengqi snorted coldly.
"Yu Mo, it's just a waiter. Why are you speaking for him? Or do you have some shady connection with him?"
She glanced Yu Mo up and down. The dress Yu Mo wore showed no obvious brand. Xie Mengqi smirked, her eyes filled with disdain.

Before Yu Mo could respond, the middle-aged man spoke. From the moment Yu Mo appeared, his gaze had lingered on her.
"Miss, which family are you from? May I get to know you?"
He pulled a business card from his inner pocket and handed it to Yu Mo.
"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Xu Hong, forty-three years old. Perhaps we could have dinner together sometime."

Yu Mo took the card, noticing something fall to the floor beneath it. Looking down, she realized it was a room key for Yunlan Hotel. She immediately picked it up and handed it back to Xu Hong.
"Mr. Xu, you dropped something."

Xu Hong took the key with some embarrassment, his expression darkening.

Xie Mengqi seized his arm, her face flushed with jealousy.
"Mr. Xu, the Yu family in Shangcheng isn't in business. They run a traditional medicine clinic."
Yu Mo's family background wasn't even worthy to polish her shoes—a mere medical student, pretending to be aloof.

Yu Mo sensed Xie Mengqi's hostility, lowered her gaze, and smiled in silent agreement. Her university major was medicine; in the business world, that hardly counted as a prestigious lineage. She was clear-eyed about her own position and had never been servile or arrogant because of it.

She would not fawn over others simply because they belonged to influential families.
The Xie family, after all, was no true elite in Shangcheng, nor were they in business—they did processing work. It was only through the Fu family connection that Xie Mengqi had the opportunity to mingle with high society at today's banquet. Clearly, Xie Mengqi was willing to curry favor with Xu Hong at any cost for her own gain, a kind of person Yu Mo despised and would never associate with.

She only wished to endure the birthday banquet and thereafter sever all ties with Fu Yanting.

"Is that so?" Xu Hong leered. "Miss Yu, I've had persistent back pain lately. I wonder if I could visit your family's clinic for treatment?"

His smile was lewd and his gaze lingered lasciviously.

Yu Mo returned a polite smile, her eyes devoid of warmth, and replied softly,
"I'm afraid that's not possible."

Xu Hong's face fell again, his bulbous nose twitching in obvious displeasure. He had tried to be accommodating, and this woman simply didn't know what's good for her.
Hmph!

"Yu Mo, you're really being disrespectful. Do you know who I am?"
His tone was menacing, and his already greasy face twisted into a grimace.

Yu Mo glanced at the man, who wasn't even as tall as herself, wondering where his confidence came from. She signaled the waiter with her eyes to leave quickly.

Xu Hong grabbed the waiter's arm and yanked hard. The slender waiter stumbled and fell to the ground. Xu Hong raised his foot, about to deliver a vicious kick to the waiter's abdomen.

Yu Mo kicked Xu Hong's foot aside. Xu Hong, heavy-set and unbalanced, nearly toppled over. Xie Mengqi quickly caught him, concern plastered on her face.
"Mr. Xu, are you all right?"

Then she turned to Yu Mo, glaring fiercely.
"Yu Mo, how could you kick Mr. Xu? Are you insane? Are you trying to ruin Grandpa's birthday banquet?"

Yu Mo's expression was fearless, her tone sharp.
"Mr. Xu, today is Master Fu's birthday. If you make a scene, it would be an affront to him."

Xu Hong snorted derisively.
His attendance at Fu Ronghan's birthday banquet was already a great honor to the Fu family. Xu Hong was not about to bow to the likes of them.

"What if I do make a scene?"
His voice rose.
His group was influential in the capital—what was the Fu family to him?
He looked at Yu Mo, his pride wounded by her rejection.

"And who do you think you are?"

At this moment, the commotion drew the attention of many guests, who cast curious glances their way.

Fu Yanting, holding Lin Hua's hand, strode up to Yu Mo.
He snorted coldly.
"Yu Mo, on what grounds do you stand here? Shameless."

A sly glimmer flashed in Lin Hua's eyes.
"Yanting, Yu Mo did date you, after all. If she wants to stay, let her stay."

"Dated?"
Fu Yanting's lips curled in contempt, and he sneered.
"When did I ever admit to being with her? It was nothing but her own wishful thinking."

He turned to Yu Mo, mocking her, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
"Yu Mo, maybe next life you'll be pitied enough for me to show you some mercy—"

Fu Yanting leaned slightly toward Yu Mo, his face still full of disdain, and continued,
"I might let you stay in the Fu family and give you a sinecure at the company."

His words drifted lightly but reached Yu Mo's ears with clarity.

Yu Mo's rosy lips curved into a smile. She lifted her fair hand to tuck a stray lock behind her ear, casting a sidelong glance at Lin Hua as if unconcerned.
"Well, that's very generous of you, Fu Yanting! Aren't you worried your new sweetheart might get angry?"

Lin Hua tightened her grip on Fu Yanting's arm, inwardly scoffing—Yu Mo's mouth surely deserved to be slapped.
Today, she would make sure Yu Mo learned what it felt like to be put in her place.

With this thought, Lin Hua spoke,
"Yu Mo, Yanting only means well. He talks tough, but he's soft-hearted. He really cares about you."

Yu Mo's thick lashes lowered briefly. When she raised her eyes again, they were cool and indifferent.
"Lin Hua, I've told you before—since you like Fu Yanting, I've given him to you. Keep him close, and don't let him ruin any more women's lives!"

"Yu Mo!"
Fu Yanting stepped forward, raising his hand to slap her.

Lin Hua's lips curled imperceptibly, anticipating Yu Mo's humiliation.

Xie Mengqi crossed her arms, waiting with relish for the spectacle.

"Stop!"
A sharp voice rang out.