The salesgirl's expression shifted slightly.
Just moments ago, The card machine in their store had just been used by another customer successfully So,there shouldn't have been any problem.
Besides, Su Yiran wasa regular customer—she bought bags almost every month. There was no reason to believe she couldn't afford one.
To be safe, the salesgirl took another card machine from the counter and swiped the card again.
"Ms. Su, please try entering your password again," she said politely.
Su Yiran nodded and slowly pressed the digits of her birthday, one by one, making sure not to mess up.
But as she tapped the final key and hit confirm, the screen flashed—
Password Incorrect!
The salesgirl's tone remained courteous, but there was now a trace of hesitation in her voice.
"Ms. Su, maybe try a different card? If you enter the wrong password again, this card might get locked."
Su Yiran's fingers tightened slightly around her wallet.
In the years she'd been with LiChengyan, she had grown accustomed to spending freely—her own salary of 6,500 yuan a month had long been forgotten.
In a city like Beijing, where every square meter of land was worth a fortune, that kind of salary wouldn't even rent a proper apartment, let alone allow shopping at high-end malls like this.
Much less becoming a VIP at the LV store.
Under the salesgirl's gaze, Su Yiran felt her face heat with shame. Her entire body stiffened. She wished she could disappear into the floor. At the same time, her resentment toward Li Chengyan deepened.
He must have changed the password without telling her!
Around her, it felt like every eye in the store was on her. Judging. Mocking.
"Look at that poor woman—coming to LV like she owns the place. Can't even afford a bag. Doesn't she know her place?"
Li Chengyan had embarrassed her completely today.
Su Yiran clenched her fists.
Finethen! When Li Chengyan comes crawling back asking for forgiveness, I definitely won't forgive him that easily!
Just then, her phone buzzed. On WeChat, a familiar avatar appeared—LiChengyan.
Su Yiran snorted, rolled her eyes, and deleted the message without even opening it.
Didn't he block me yesterday?
What's he doing messaging me today?
She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of a response. Let him wonder. Let him regret. She wasn't the kind of woman who responded at a man's whim.
This time, he would pay the price.
---
On the other side of the city, LiChengyan sat in silence, a storm brewing inside him.
The company's new project had just gone online that afternoon. Everything was progressing smoothly. As the project director, he had to ensure the final stage of risk control. Thankfully, his team was reliable and competent, so work stress wasn't the real problem.
What troubled him most was the wedding—the one that had been in preparation for nearly six months.
Only nine days remained.
Every day, relatives, friends, and classmates sent him congratulatorymessages on WeChat. But… he had nobride.
Where could he find one in just over a week?
Could he even rent one?
No matter how he looked at it, the situation was a mess—and a humiliating one at that.
His phone rang, pulling him from his spiral. It was Zhao Rui.
"OldLi," Zhao Rui said quickly, "The game demo we developed was just spotted by Yue Games—they want to buy our source code and ideas for thirty million yuan. I can't make a decision on this by myself. Come out tonight, let's talk."
Li Chengyan's brow furrowed.
Thirty million?
For most people, that amount was life-changing. Enough to buy a large apartment in the heart of the CBD, just like Su Yiran had wanted.
But money had never been his ultimategoal.
From planning to development, from architectural logic to debugging every single algorithm, this project was his andZhao Rui's baby. They had poured their hearts and souls into every line of code.
How could that be measured in money?
He didn't want to sell. He wanted to expand. Innovate. Make this game a household name among passionate gamers.
He tapped a quick reply.
"See you at the usual place. 7 PM."
---
That evening, after work, Li Chengyan arrived at the same bar he had visited the night before.
ZhaoRui was stuck in traffic, so Li Chengyan ordered two drinks and sat in their usual booth. As the warm lighting settled around him, bits and pieces of memory from the previous night crept in.
He had drunk a lot. Stumbled into the bathroom half-conscious… and then?
His hand instinctively reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small, velvetpouch.
Inside was a pair of earrings—delicate, lustrous, and warm to the touch. Crafted from top-grade mutton-fat jade, their beauty was undeniable.
He vaguely remembered his grandmother owning a pair passed down through generations, but even hers hadn't been this fine. A collector had once offered seven figures for that pair.
And yet, these earrings—clearly more valuable—had somehow ended up in his pocket.
Who on earth would just give something like this away?Who was the woman from last night?
As he pondered, he remained unaware that Su Yiran and her best friend TangRou had just entered the bar and taken a booth across the aisle.
The first thing Su Yiran saw was LiChengyan—sitting there with a drink, gazing intently at the earrings in his hand.
Tang Rou nudged her hard with an elbow.
"Yiran, don't give in too quickly. It's normal for men to give jewelry and gifts. If you cave now, he'll think you're easy to win over. Let him work for it!"
Su Yiran gave a cold snort.
"Forgive him? He went way too far. A gift isn't going to cut it."
Tang Rou nodded firmly. "Exactly. When he comes over, ignore him. Make him sweat!"
"Mm, that's what I plan to do."
They each ordered a cocktail and began chatting about various topics. But while her mouth moved, Su Yiran's eyes frequently drifted toward Li Chengyan.
He was still staring at the earrings.
Hmm. His taste has finally improved. I actually really like those earrings…
Suddenly, something clicked in her mind.
Weren't those the same earrings worn by that devil woman from Mu Group?!
She had just been scolded to tears by her earlier this week. There was no mistaking that distinct, high-end jade design.
Su Yiran's heart skipped a beat.
Could it be that Li Chengyan had bought them for her?Did he spend a fortune just to make her happy?
She suddenly felt a surge of satisfaction. If he came to talk to her, maybe—just maybe—she would smile back.
---
Across the bar, Li Chengyan remained oblivious to the watchful eyes on him.
ZhaoRui finally arrived, half an hour late.
"Old Li," he said, breathless, "So? What's your call? Do we take the thirty million or keep the game?"
Li Chengyan had already made up his mind.
"Zhao Rui, I don't want to sell. Let's start our own company. Register a studio. Bring in some talented juniors to help build this thing into something great."
Zhao Rui grinned and bumpedfists with him.
"Perfect. I'll call Professor Tang this weekend. See if he can recommend some good students."
Both of them had graduated from Yanjing Institute of Technology, top of their class in Computer Science. They'd met at a coding competition and instantly bonded over shared passion and ambition.
Li Chengyan chuckled. "It's been a while since I saw Professor Tang. I kind of miss him."
They chatted for a while longer before parting ways.
As Li Chengyan passed Su Yiran's booth on his way out, their eyes met for the briefestmoment.
But instead of stopping—or even acknowledging her—Li Chengyan simply walked past with a cold expression, treating her like a stranger.
Su Yiran froze, stunned.
TangRou looked just as shocked. "He didn't even look at you?!"
Both women stared at the bar entrance, watching his figure disappear into the night.
---