The National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai City is located next to the airport. After about an hour's drive, they finally reached their destination. Fang Sihan took a call and parted ways with the trio at the entrance of the exhibition hall.
Sun Dasheng then took his two "guides"—or rather, burdens—for a stroll around the venue. The main focus of this auto show was still traditional gasoline-powered cars, with fewer new energy vehicles on display. Judging by the foot traffic at the booths, he noticed that although new energy vehicles were rising in popularity, conventional cars still held a significant market share.
As he browsed casually, he saw that the booths of well-known brands were swarmed with people. They were holding up phones and cameras, snapping away relentlessly. It was hard to tell if they were photographing the new cars or the scantily clad models posing in front of them. Some of the sleazier guys were practically shoving their cameras under the models' skirts.
The convention center was enormous, and the air conditioning was struggling to keep up. The indoor temperature was still below ten degrees Celsius, and it felt bone-chillingly cold. I have to admire these models, he thought. In this weather, they still have to strike all sorts of poses for the cameras. It seems Fang Sihan's 1,000 yuan for four hours of work won't be easy to earn. I wonder if she'll be able to handle it.
When the trio moved on to the dedicated sports car area, it was as if a spell had been broken for the two young women, Li Sili and Yun Yuqing. They had been following along quietly, but now they abandoned him and rushed off to admire the beautiful cars.
It's truly a girl's nature, Sun Dasheng mused. They don't know a thing about car brands, but a good-looking sports car can captivate them in an instant. No wonder sports cars are such a powerful asset for picking up women. It's not just about the price tag; they are genuinely designed to be beautiful.
Sun Dasheng smiled and let them be, crossing through the sports car section to the next area: luxury cars. This section featured high-end brands like Porsche, Maybach, Bentley, and Rolls-Royce.
At the Porsche booth, he spotted an acquaintance—Wu Xiaoli. She was standing with a young man and woman. The man bore a slight resemblance to her, so Sun Dasheng figured it was probably her brother. The young woman, then, must be his girlfriend. She was quite attractive, but she had a jaded, worldly air about her that was particularly alluring to younger men. Her brother was speaking to her animatedly, his expression agitated.
Sun Dasheng edged closer through the crowd until he could hear their conversation.
"Wu Xiaojun, do you hear the words coming out of your mouth?" Wu Xiaoli's voice was icy.
"Sis, what did I say? I'm just asking you to beg my brother-in-law. He's a big boss; he has plenty of money. Remember when Mom was hospitalized? You asked him for the 200,000, and he gave it, didn't he?"
At the mention of the 200,000 yuan, Wu Xiaoli's expression flickered, but she hid it so well that no one noticed.
"Just ask him to support me with another 1.5 million. If I buy this car and give a 500,000 yuan bride price, Zhao Fang will agree to marry me. I swear I'll never ask him for money again."
His righteous tone was utterly shameless. Wu Xiaoli's face remained cold as ice, and she said nothing more.
The woman beside Wu Xiaojun, Zhao Fang, was no pushover either. She began to speak with a wronged tone, "I'm not even asking your family to buy a house. Just a Porsche Cayenne registered in my name and a 500,000 yuan bride price. Can't your family even manage that? If not, then I guess Xiaojun and I just aren't meant to be."
Choking up, Zhao Fang made a show of turning to leave, but Wu Xiaojun grabbed her, growing even more frantic.
"Sis, my dear sister, I'm begging you, just this one last time! I really love her and I want to marry her. Please, just grant your little brother this wish," he pleaded, starting to sink to his knees.
Wu Xiaoli pulled him up, her expression a mixture of frustration and disappointment. As a woman, I can see exactly what kind of person Zhao Fang is. She's not the type to settle down and build a life; she's a terrible match for my brother. But then again, my brother isn't exactly a prize himself. The thought brought a strange sense of clarity.
But where am I supposed to get 1.5 million yuan? My husband, who's out carousing day and night, how much money could he possibly have left? Even if he had it, he wouldn't give it to me. Would he hand it over and be left with nothing to eat himself? He used to be generous, but that was only because he was living off the fortune his late wife left him. It's easy to be lavish with money you didn't earn. Over the years of our marriage, I've saved up a fair amount, but I left it all with Mom, and she let my brother squander every last bit.
She felt completely helpless. Should I just wash my hands of him? But then she thought of her mother, lying in a hospital bed, still worrying about her brother's marriage, and a wave of sorrow washed over her. Our father passed away when we were young, and Mom raised us both on her own. She never showed favoritism. Because I did well in school, she used all the family's savings to send me to university. My brother went to work right after high school, and even his earnings went toward my college fees.
Her family had given her so much. But over the years, she felt she had already repaid most of that debt. A few years ago, her mother had needed a heart transplant, a procedure that cost a fortune. Fresh out of college, she had no way to pay for it. Relatives had introduced her to Wang Jiadong, a wealthy businessman from a neighboring village whose wife had recently died. His reputation back home was poor, but she hadn't cared. All she wanted was to save her mother, so she married him without hesitation. At the time, Wang Jiadong had been incredibly generous, tossing out a million yuan for the surgery and aftercare without a second thought. She had resolved to build a good life with him.
But it wasn't long before the novelty wore off. He reverted to his old ways, running around with his hedonistic friends, eating, drinking, gambling, and womanizing, rarely ever coming home. And then there was that time she went to a bar to drown her sorrows and met... him.
Am I hallucinating? How is it that the moment he pops into my head, I see him standing right over there, smiling at me?
"Sis, say something! Please, help me!" Wu Xiaojun wailed, clinging to her and putting on a tearless show.
She pushed his head aside to get a clear view and saw that it really was him standing there. She quickly pulled her brother's head back into place, feigning nonchalance.
Sun Dasheng saw Wu Xiaoli's subtle movements and almost laughed. This woman's true personality is the complete opposite of her public persona. Blonde, wavy hair, heavy makeup, managing to look sexy and alluring even in her winter clothes. On the surface, she's the epitome of a flirtatious, bold, and fiery woman. But deep down, she's actually a very conservative, traditional, domestic type. This contrast is absolutely intoxicating, especially after I've had a taste of this exquisite woman. Judging by her reaction just now, she probably wants nothing more to do with me.
Sun Dasheng looked at Wu Xiaojun, who was still draped over his sister, clinging to her arm and pleading pitifully. He smiled. Isn't this the perfect opportunity to win her over?
The next moment, he straightened his clothes and walked toward them with purpose.
"What are you doing here?" Wu Xiaoli asked coldly, watching him approach.
"What are you all doing here?" Sun Dasheng countered, ignoring her question.