The early morning sun streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, spilling into the room. The heating was on full blast, making the hotel room a bit too warm. The disheveled quilt and clothes strewn across the floor testified to the wildness of the previous night. Beneath the quilt, two bodies were tangled together like a pair of octopuses.
Sun Dasheng was the first to awaken, a dull ache in his arm. He found the woman's head resting on his bicep, fast asleep. Carefully, he slid his arm out from under her and rubbed the aching limb, finally getting a chance to properly look at the woman beside him.
Her features were well-defined, with a full forehead, a soft facial contour, and fiery red lips. Her long eyelashes quivered gently. It was the very picture of a sleeping beauty. She bore a slight resemblance to an online card dealer from a high-stakes gambling movie. It was just that the 'child's rations' she was carrying were far more generous.
Damn it, how could that bastard Wang Jiadong have such a beautiful wife? He felt a pang of envy and jealousy.
Compared to her, Lee Li was like the maidservant standing next to the female lead in a period drama. While the maid might be pretty in her own right—and both women were attractive when considered separately—a side-by-side comparison revealed a vast difference, even if it wasn't quite heaven and earth.
What the hell was that son of a bitch Wang Jiadong thinking? Ignoring the flower at home to pick the wildflowers by the roadside?
But then he thought of all those male celebrities who were outed for soliciting prostitutes. Which of them didn't have a gorgeous wife at home? Sun Dasheng had an epiphany: the flowers at home are never as fragrant as the wildflowers.
Thinking about how he had gone wild several times last night, he felt his face flush.
This is a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black. Fine, so all men are like this. He was just a late bloomer.
The woman was already awake, though she kept her eyes closed. Seeing her eyelashes fluttering rapidly, Sun Dasheng felt a flicker of amusement and pulled the quilt up to cover her.
He took a shower in the bathroom, and when he came out wrapped in a towel, the woman was already fully dressed. As their eyes met, the atmosphere turned somewhat awkward.
Sun Dasheng poured her a cup of freshly brewed tea. "You should have some water. Your lips are pale."
Wu Xiaoli shot him a glare. I wonder who's to blame for that? Who was it that spent all night gnawing on me? How could my lips *not* be pale?
She took the tea and went GLUG, GLUG, GLUG... finishing the entire cup. It seemed last night's activities had left her dehydrated and in dire need of replenishment. After the initial awkwardness, she quickly composed herself, showing an impressive mental fortitude.
Indeed, how could someone without strong psychological fortitude endure a husband's long-term infidelity? Last night, her emotions must have finally hit their breaking point and erupted. And by a strange twist of fate, Sun Dasheng had been the one to benefit.
"You're much better looking than him. What's your wife thinking?" After finishing her tea and setting down the cup, she finally took the time to scrutinize the man before her.
"You're much better looking than Lee Li. What's your husband thinking?" he retorted, kicking the ball back into her court.
The boomerang of a question left Wu Xiaoli speechless. Just then, her phone rang.
She didn't try to hide the call from Sun Dasheng, so he heard the whole conversation. It was her brother. He said their mother was back in the operating room and asked for money to cover the medical bills. He also mentioned that his new girlfriend was demanding a bride price, a house, and a car, threatening to break up with him otherwise. From the long phone call, he really only heard two words: "Send money."
"Sis, say something!" her brother yelled, getting anxious when he realized she hadn't said a word after his tirade.
"I know you don't have any money, but you could ask your brother-in-law, right? Wasn't it him who paid for Mom's heart surgery before?"
"Did you anger Mom so much that she ended up in the hospital?" Wu Xiaoli's expression turned cold.
Her brother protested, "Sis, what are you saying? I might be thoughtless sometimes, but I'm not an animal. Why would I deliberately upset Mom? The doctor said it was an organ rejection."
"You just take care of Mom at the hospital. I'll figure out the money."
Wu Xiaoli calmly hung up, then immediately crumpled, collapsing onto the bed and sobbing.
Sun Dasheng felt a pang of heartache. This scene seemed all too familiar. He, too, had once been a man who always appeared strong in front of his parents and wife, as if nothing could ever bring him down. Only when he was sitting alone on his little scooter in the basement garage, smoking a cigarette, could he take off life's mask and be his true self.
He walked over, gently touched her head, and asked in a low voice, "How much do you need? I'll give it to you."
Wu Xiaoli wiped away her tears and looked at him coldly. "Why would you give me money? Who are you to me?"
She had put her mask back on in an instant. It was clear life had beaten her down, too. She didn't have the naivety of a young girl who truly believes that sleeping with someone means they owe her unconditional support.
Sun Dasheng didn't explain further, knowing more words would be futile at this moment. He decisively took her phone, unlocked it, added himself on WeChat, and transferred two hundred thousand yuan. It was the daily limit.
"Go pay your mother's medical bills first. If it's not enough, let me know."
Indeed, there's a reason the domineering CEO trope exists. Wu Xiaoli was stunned by his actions. After a long pause, she managed to say, "I'm not going to divorce him."
Sun Dasheng shrugged. "Did I ever say you should?"
"So you just like other men's wives?" Wu Xiaoli blurted out, her face flushing a rare red. "You men are all scum! Every last one of you is a filthy Cao the Bandit!"
With that, she grabbed her phone and left swiftly.
Sun Dasheng watched her retreating back, still savoring the memory of last night's madness. He mocked himself, "Am I really a Cao the Bandit?"
After checking out of the hotel, he received a phone call. It was from his young apprentice, who had been on a business trip and had only just found out about his resignation. She comforted him for a bit, then said her trip ended tomorrow and she wanted to take her master out to dinner in the evening.
The apprentice still had some conscience, which made Sun Dasheng feel slightly better. In his decade at the company, he'd mentored quite a few newcomers, but after he resigned, she was the only one to call. All the others had simply vanished.
It was still early. With the 15 million yuan that had arrived in his system account yesterday, he decided to go buy a car. Because of his mortgage, he had never bought a car, even though he'd had his driver's license for seven or eight years and had even renewed it once. Buying a car had long been one of his greatest wishes.
The suburbs of the Pudong New Area were dotted with numerous 4S car dealerships. He planned to look around first before heading to the Huawei dealership to buy a recently popular M7 to use as a daily driver. Unfortunately, his system didn't reward "face-slapping" points for showing off; otherwise, he definitely would have bought a sports car first to flaunt it. The M7's intelligent driving system was impressive and quite friendly to a novice driver like him.
After visiting several dealerships, just as he was about to leave the Fengtian 4S shop, he ran into someone completely unexpected.
Amid the staff's chorus of "President Wang," Wang Jiadong walked in with his arm around his ex-wife, Lee Li. Seeing Sun Dasheng at the entrance, Wang Jiadong's eyes lit up, and he sauntered over with the woman on his arm.
"Well, well, look who it is. Old classmate, here to give me some business?" he asked, his tone dripping with mockery.
Sun Dasheng didn't give him a pleasant look in return, but smiled faintly. "A poor guy like me, who doesn't even have a hundred thousand yuan, can't afford to buy a car here. I'm just looking. I'll get out of your way now, President Wang, so I don't hold up your business."
Hearing this, Wang Jiadong reacted as if someone had stepped on his tail. The recent Fengtian 4S shop scandal had happened at this very dealership. A customer had come to buy a car, and the salesperson had told them, "What's all the fuss about a hundred-thousand-yuan car? If you're not buying, then get lost!" The incident had made national headlines. As a result, he not only had to offer a groveling apology but also pay a hefty sum in compensation. Business at the dealership had since plummeted. Now, it wasn't even making enough to cover the rent, let alone turn a profit.
Sun Dasheng was oblivious to the details; the news story had barely registered. He was just using it as a taunt, but he had inadvertently hit the nail right on the head.
Seeing his jab backfire, Wang Jiadong slid his hand from Lee Li's waist down to her buttock and gave it a firm squeeze. "Old classmate," he said, "your wife... not bad at all."
A message box popped up on the panel: [You have been humiliated to your face by Wang Jiadong. Spite Value +100]
So, the same person can repeatedly provide experience points, as long as the time, place, and event are different.
Sun Dasheng grinned. This bastard is just a walking delivery service for my experience points. Savoring the moment, he replied with a knowing tone, "Your wife... she's not bad at all, either."
Then he turned and walked away.
Watching Sun Dasheng's retreating figure, Wang Jiadong found it somewhat amusing.
What's this? Some kind of spiritual victory? 'Your wife is not bad at all, either'? My wife is always at home, a model spouse. How could he possibly know her?