Still, there were people willing to lend a hand. A few pretty girls waved at Jack Young, "Hey, handsome! We've got room, hop in!" Even the lead singer of the band called out from his SUV, "I've got space too, come on over!"
Jack Young politely smiled and declined each offer, then pulled out his phone and dialed, "Hey, Dummy Meg, urgent rescue needed!"
"Rescue?" Dummy Meg was clearly awake. "Did someone beat you up?"
"Partly got beat up, partly saw a good opportunity. You've bought me so much stuff, Dummy Meg—this time I want to get you a present." Jack glanced at the woman in the Ferrari's passenger seat, a strange feeling pushing him to do something he'd never normally do: "Bring the car out and come find me."
On the other end, Dummy Meg sighed and muttered something. Jack caught it—it was, "No idea what debt I owed you in my past life..." Then Dummy Meg raised her voice, "Alright, I'm coming over, Jack. Time to show off and take you flying!"
"You really get me!"
"Cut it out, go die somewhere else!"
Just as he hung up, a young guy walked over and said, "Hey man, don't be shy, I can give you a ride!"
"Thanks, but no need. My family will be here soon."
"How long's that gonna take?" The young man patted Jack Young on the shoulder. "Bro, not to nag, but you should've driven here yourself. Even renting a nice car keeps your reputation up—why bother with taxis?"
"Well..." Jack Young chuckled awkwardly. What could he say? He could only shake his head with a wry smile, "I didn’t take a taxi, I live nearby—just walked over."
The young man was stunned, not getting it for a moment. Walked here? There aren’t any neighborhoods nearby—how long would that take?
Just then, someone nearby started shouting, "Whoa, look over there! Quick, look!"
Everyone turned to look. Not far away, a manor suddenly lit up its exterior lights. With a snap, the place was bathed in brilliance, and under the spotlights, a dazzling golden manor appeared in the night. Peeking through the gate, you could only see bits and pieces, but even that was enough to blind you. "It’s basically a palace!" "What kind of rich person lives there?" "Shh, quiet, look—the gate’s opening!"
Under the dazzling lights, the manor gate slowly opened and a car rolled out. It was a bit far, but that front grille was unmistakable—anyone who knew cars recognized it instantly. Suddenly, everyone whipped out cameras and phones, gasping, "Look, it’s a Bugatti! A Bugatti, coming this way!"
This road wasn’t even the closest exit, and it was noisy and crowded here, yet the Bugatti cruised right over, slow and steady. Its headlights dazzled, making everyone squint. The young man glanced at Jack Young’s smile, then at the luxury car and palace-like mansion, and suddenly had a wild thought. He stammered, "Bro, no way... don’t tell me you..."
Before he could finish, amid a chorus of cheers and screams, the Bugatti screeched to a stop right at the villa’s entrance. Both were supercars, but the Bugatti and Ferrari parked side by side—yet their prices were worlds apart.
Snap! With a crisp click, the car door opened. A shapely leg stretched out, and everyone craned their necks to look. Out stepped a stunning beauty—Dummy Meg herself. The crowd couldn’t help but get excited, some even shouting, "Goddess!"
Even Jack Young was momentarily stunned—because Dummy Meg at this moment was nothing like her usual self.
She was still the same person, in the same outfit, but if Dummy Meg before was in "everyday mode," now she looked like she’d switched to some kind of "battle mode" or "full bloom." Instantly, she went from reliable girl to ultra-reliable goddess. The whole "beauty and luxury car" thing—no one knew which was more dazzling. And even though the Bugatti was a top-tier supercar, everyone’s eyes were glued to her.
Right now, Dummy Meg was absolutely radiant. Every gesture, every smile, every wave was mesmerizing—she was flawless, instantly outshining all the other pretty girls at the party. That "goddess" shout? Most people really meant it.
The young guy next to Jack Young was dumbstruck. He absentmindedly patted Jack on the shoulder and muttered, "You’re savage..."
Jack Young was a bit dazed too. Turns out, without even realizing it, she’d become so dazzling. She just usually kept it hidden, never showing it off.
And the goddess everyone was staring at spoke to Jack Young: "I can’t handle your car—better if you drive."
"Sure." Jack snapped back to reality, then turned to Zhu Ming, whose face looked terrible, "So, where to? I don’t know Shanghai’s roads—can you lead the way?"
How did everyone react? No need to spell it out. That woman who mocked Jack Young for being broke got hit with a massive, long-lasting, group-style, full-saturation roast. There’s always someone better—now everyone knew Zhu Ming couldn’t outplay Jack Young.
When the arrow’s drawn, it’s gotta fly. Zhu Ming looked even worse, but had no choice but to lead the way. His supercar, once the show-off leader, now felt more like the emperor’s carriage driver. As the cars rolled out, nobody cared about his Ferrari anymore—every street photographer’s flash was aimed at the Bugatti in back.
There’s an old poem: "With spring wind at my back, my horse gallops fast—one day, I see all the flowers of Chang’an." Shanghai makes you feel powerless and tiny, because the city’s just too big and too fancy. But if your pockets are full of cash, you don’t feel powerless anymore—you feel drunk on luxury.
This chapter isn’t over yet~.~ Click next page for more awesome stuff!
The convoy cruised on, hitting all the high-end hotspots.
Jewelry, accessories, clothes, cosmetics, skincare—you name it, they hit every shop. Everyone else was just a spectator, a witness. Sure, the crowd joined in the chatter and cheers, but the four main players—Jack Young, Dummy Meg, Cecilia Qi, and Zhu Ming—didn’t care about any of that. Zhu Ming’s forced smile looked painful—he’d been hit with a combo and had no idea what face to put on. He came to sell rings, but whenever he saw Jack Young, he didn’t know whether to keep up the act. When it came to money, he just couldn’t compete.
Cecilia Qi stuck close to Zhu Ming the whole time, occasionally catching up with Jack Young and sharing old work stories. She was cheerful and natural, smoothing over the awkwardness. Meanwhile, Dummy Meg stayed with Jack Young, their sides clearly drawn. She kept things appropriate—no flirting, but still close enough that everyone noticed. If charm counted as power, Dummy Meg was at max tonight, earning Jack Young more than a few jealous looks.
Jack Young went all out. He’d never been one to flaunt his wealth, but tonight, every luxury item he saw, he bought for Dummy Meg. Dummy Meg either accepted graciously or declined with witty remarks, but her gaze at those fancy goods was never greedy—she had a natural elegance that couldn’t be ignored. In terms of looks, Dummy Meg wasn’t the absolute top beauty, a bit behind The Queen. But when it comes to charisma, as long as you’ve got the vibe, you’re the real deal. The Queen’s like that, and tonight, so was Dummy Meg.
Decked out in beautiful clothes and dazzling jewelry, it just felt like all that stuff was there to set her off—they couldn’t steal the spotlight. Even Jack Young, walking beside her, couldn’t help sneaking glances, surprised and delighted.
Who knew going full throttle could make such a difference? Never underestimate her—Dummy Meg’s come a long way since back then.
Time changes us all.
Tonight was Jack Young’s time to shine. He didn’t even have to try—he was already glowing. With everyone watching in envy, only one young guy grumbled under his breath, "So what if you’re rich? Money and power aren’t everything!"
Someone overheard him and whispered, "Bro, you mean... Chosen Ones?"
"Huh?" The young guy was startled. "How’d you know?"
"Who doesn’t? Everyone’s talking about it! So, bro, you got Chosen One news? Or... are you one yourself?"
"No, no, no, don’t jump to conclusions!" The young guy still had some basic caution, quickly denying, "I just heard rumors—it all sounds pretty wild, and who knows if it’s true!"
The other guy looked mysterious. "I think it’s real. Like, take those two tonight—they’re just too extraordinary..."
Off in the distance, Jack Young’s ears twitched, but he quickly shook his head and ignored it. Shanghai is a mega-city, and big cities have a way of concentrating everything—wealth, goods, people, and rumors. Sometimes, when there’s no sign of anything in a small town, folks in the big city have already caught wind. These rumors can’t be stopped, can’t be blocked, and there’s no way to clarify or debunk them. You just have to let it go.
Because one day, the truth will come out.
Shaking off those random thoughts, Jack Young grinned at Dummy Meg, "Hey, I think this outfit would look great on you—want to try it on?"
It wasn’t until after eleven that this party-turned-farce finally ended. In the end, nobody bought a new ring.
Everyone got a dose of the city’s dazzling lights, but nothing more happened—people packed up and went their separate ways. Bags loaded in the car, the Bugatti carried two people away, leaving only an enviable taillight behind. Zhu Ming cheerfully reminded guests to drive safe, joking that if anyone got busted for drunk driving, he’d bail them out. After all that, he seemed totally unfazed, chatting away with poise.
Qi Xi was gracious as ever, greeting and seeing off guests with the poise of a hostess—her performance was spot on.
But when Zhu Ming got back behind the wheel of his Ferrari, his smile vanished. Qi Xi’s smile faded too. The street outside was rowdy, but inside the car was silent—outwardly dazzling, but empty and hollow inside. After a few minutes of silence, Zhu Ming suddenly said, "Come to my place tonight." Every adult knows what that means.