Jiang Shasha noticed Zhao Chen walking straight toward her.
Disgust filled her heart. She couldn't believe how stubborn this man was. Just last night, she had clearly told him they belonged to different worlds, yet he kept rambling about their childhood friendship, hoping she'd change her mind.
What a joke!
Only after leaving that impoverished star system did she truly understand what a glorious life meant.
How could she possibly return to that backwater system as some worthless baroness, with children who wouldn't even inherit a title?
She refused to live that kind of life—the very thought was unacceptable!
The young man beside her was a promising prospect she'd carefully chosen. His family background was decent—his father currently held the rank of count and might even be promoted to earl in the coming years. Then his son would naturally inherit the title too.
"Whatever. I'll just find an excuse to reject him later. I've already saved his dignity—if he can't appreciate it, don't blame me for humiliating him publicly," Jiang Shasha muttered to herself, her expression turning icy as she rehearsed rejection lines.
Even the young man beside her wore a mocking smile. Having pursued Jiang Shasha, he'd naturally investigated her background and knew all about Zhao Chen, the destitute baron.
He particularly enjoyed seeing the humiliated fury on people's faces after he took what they cherished.
As both anticipated the upcoming drama, something unexpected happened.
Zhao Chen didn't even glance at Jiang Shasha, walking right past them instead.
The move left Jiang Shasha and the young man dumbfounded. Even Li Wei was stunned.
He'd assumed Zhao Chen would confront his fiancée after seeing her with another man, but Zhao Chen simply... walked by?
"Look, this spot has the best view. You can even see the starships docked over there." Zhao Chen sat at a table by a massive transparent window, pointing toward a distant spaceport where dozens of starships were berthed.
Li Wei was baffled. "Bro, did you really come here just for the view?"
Zhao Chen genuinely was here to observe starships. Perhaps it was something innate in men—he found himself deeply fascinated by them now.
Drawing from knowledge in his mind, he began identifying the docked starships one by one.
Most were T2-class, with some T1-class mixed in.
T1 starships were already outdated in this era, primarily used for civilian purposes or regional patrols.
For actual combat deployment, at least T2-class was required.
T2 starships were several times larger than T1 vessels. The most common types were interstellar destroyers and frigates, accounting for two-thirds of the docked ships.
The remainder consisted of interstellar cruisers and battlecruisers.
Zhao Chen even spotted a T1-class interstellar battleship—clearly an antique by now.
However, he didn't see any carrier starships among them.
Interstellar battleships and carriers were the most expensive vessel types—one being the undisputed ruler of space warfare, the other a symbol of massive firepower.
Soon, Zhao Chen identified a starship identical to the one Li Wei had purchased—a T2 Hyena-class Medium Interstellar Destroyer.
Currently the best-selling T2 destroyer model in the Stellar Glory Empire, popular among many.
At 230 meters long, its hull matched the size of a large stadium.
The docked Hyena-class destroyer bore standard steel-gray paint, with three emblem insignias on its starboard side serving as identification markers.
The foremost was the Galactic Alliance emblem—mandatory for all alliance member vessels, including those from the Stellar Glory Empire.
Next came the Stellar Glory Empire's Seven Stars emblem, representing the seven founding families.
Lastly and most prominently displayed was the owner's personal emblem with ship registration details.
Together, these three emblems functioned as the starship's identification.
"What are you ordering today? My treat!" Li Wei offered generously.
"Really?" Zhao Chen teased, pressing a dining button on the table. A holographic menu appeared, which he immediately scrolled to the bottom.
Li Wei smiled wryly. "Bro... sure, my dad bought me a starship, but you know my monthly allowance isn't exactly..."
Zhao Chen stopped joking. "You're the rich heir here, not me—just some down-and-out baron. But I'm not desperate enough to mooch off you yet.
Treat me when you've really made it big."
With that, Zhao Chen ordered the cheapest set meal. Li Wei followed suit.
Soon, robotic waiters delivered their orders.
"Nutrient Set A and Nutrient Set C for the gentlemen. Enjoy..."
Zhao Chen began eating the visually appealing but tasteless food—if he had to describe it, the texture resembled chewing plastic.
"Food prices have risen again lately. Eating these synthetic nutrient meals every day is killing my taste buds.
I'd kill for some real farm-grown food..." Li Wei complained bitterly.
"Ask your dad for more allowance," Zhao Chen said without looking up.
"That miser? Other than splurging on this starship, getting another cent from him is impossible. Do you know how expensive organic ingredients are now?
Even my dad only gets basic three-dishes-one-soup meals, with meat just once weekly. Only top-tier nobles can afford daily feasts." Li Wei waved dismissively.
Zhao Chen examined his meal.
In this era, everything was advanced—except the food.
Due to overpopulation, overexploited planetary resources, and exorbitant farming costs, most commoners subsisted on cheap synthetic meals devoid of flavor.
Only the wealthy elite could afford natural, farm-grown produce.
Even basic rice, steamed buns, and vegetables—commonplace in Zhao Chen's previous life—were luxury items here, affordable only occasionally by mid-to-low ranking nobles.
"If it isn't Baron Zhao Chen! How shocking to see such esteemed nobility eating this garbage." A hostile voice interrupted.
Li Wei frowned toward the source—Jiang Shasha and her companion had taken the adjacent table after being ignored earlier.
The man, Zhang Haoran, was no ordinary figure—his father was a count.
Zhao Chen ignored them, continuing his meal.
"Forgot to inform you, Baron Zhao—Shasha has agreed to be my girlfriend. As for your engagement, do the decent thing and annul it yourself.
You think you're worthy of Shasha? Know your place." Zhang Haoran sneered contemptuously, reveling in the humiliation