Chapter 29: It’s All That Egg Waffle’s Fault
Bai Wanwan had no concept of tact. Especially when it came to Shen Lu, she’d always say the most cutting things she could think of.
"If Miss Bai can’t stand to look at this, why don’t you buy me a nicer house?" Shen Lu was perfectly calm, even trying to get a rise out of Bai Wanwan. "You said it yourself, we’re old classmates. Now that I’ve fallen on hard times, this is exactly when I need you to lend a helping hand."
"?"
Bai Wanwan was thoroughly confused. She looked at Shen Lu, who was walking out after putting her things away. "Did the shock twist your personality or something?"
Bai Wanwan was used to a Shen Lu who was aggressive and looked down her nose at everyone. This calm, detached version of her was completely unsettling.
’Can she really take any insult I throw at her?’
"Maybe?" Shen Lu feigned a thoughtful expression. "After all, I’ve been through things most people haven’t. Isn’t it normal for my personality to change drastically?"
"I get it now." Bai Wanwan suddenly clapped her hands. "You know you have absolutely no chance of making a comeback, so you don’t have the guts to stand up to me, right?"
"If you say so." Shen Lu had little interest in bickering with Bai Wanwan.
’In my eyes, Bai Wanwan is just a sharp-tongued, clueless young heiress. The type with a screw loose.’
’She can’t be all that bad, otherwise she wouldn’t have driven all the way to Gold Street by herself just to trash-talk me.’
’If she were truly malicious, she would have brought a few lackeys to wreck my stall and make my already difficult life even worse.’
Bai Wanwan’s methods weren’t kind, but they were childish.
Shen Lu wasn’t a real seventeen-year-old girl; arguing with a child over such things was pointless.
Besides, getting into a catfight in front of customers would ruin her image. Shen Lu didn’t want to jeopardize her grand plans over something so unnecessary.
Shen Lu locked up, settled her payment with Wang Daguo, and quietly told him the arrangements for tomorrow.
After taking the money, Wang Daguo didn’t leave right away. His gaze swept over Bai Wanwan, and he looked like he wanted to say something but held back.
"Just come on time tomorrow." Shen Lu pretended not to see Wang Daguo’s unspoken hint and sent him off with a few quick words.
Wang Daguo could only nod and walk away.
Bai Wanwan took off her sunglasses and leaned closer to Shen Lu, her eyes probing. "Shen Lu, that big oaf isn’t your new lover, is he?"
"Bai Wanwan, who told you I was running a stall here?" Shen Lu didn’t answer her question, asking about something else instead.
"Why should I tell you?" Bai Wanwan watched her warily. "You haven’t answered my question yet!"
Shen Lu started walking toward the end of the street. "You’re not comfortable here. Let’s talk in your car."
Bai Wanwan didn’t refuse. She had never been to the Lower City District, let alone a place like the Seventeenth District.
The two got into the car, one after the other. Shen Lu sat in the passenger seat and naturally fastened her seatbelt.
"This is a really nice car."
Shen Lu praised it sincerely.
The exterior was sleek and stylish, and the interior was quite high-class. Ergonomic leather seats that hugged every curve of the body, complete with a massage function—maximum comfort.
"Of course. I’m a huge fan of Dog Hero. As soon as this car came out, I ordered the top-spec model. It just arrived today." Bai Wanwan raised her chin smugly. "You should enjoy it while you can. I bet you’ll never get to ride in a car like this again in your life."
"You’re right. So why not show a little more of that kindness and take me for a spin?"
"Fine." Bai Wanwan put on an expression of bestowing charity. "I guess I’m just too kindhearted."
She pressed the start button, stepped on the gas, and the car shot off like an arrow.
"The roads in the Lower City District suck!" Bai Wanwan grumbled, forced to ease off the gas and slow down.
She had just gotten the car and was still babying it. If it got scratched up by the crappy roads in the Lower City District, she would be genuinely pissed.
Shen Lu rested one hand on the window frame, her tone casual. "Exactly. Which means the person who told you where I was must have had ulterior motives. They probably wanted you to wreck your new car."
Based on the original owner’s memories, Shen Lu felt that Bai Wanwan wouldn’t have gone out of her way to find her just to stir up trouble. It was more likely someone had intentionally been gossiping in front of her.
"Chen Cheng, that scheming bitch!" Bai Wanwan slammed her hand on the steering wheel. "She’s the one who’s full of nasty tricks!"
Originally, Chen Cheng had been the first to order this car, but Bai Wanwan had whined to her family, paid extra, and snatched it from her.
Shen Lu narrowed her eyes. ’Chen Cheng?’
Bai Wanwan wasn’t the only person the original owner didn’t get along with; she was just the most prominent one.
Chen Cheng was another one. But she saw herself as a socialite and wouldn’t stoop to something as low-class as a public catfight. Her favorite pastime was instigation.
Instigating this simpleton, Bai Wanwan, to come and cause trouble for the original owner.
"Stop for a second," Shen Lu suddenly said. Bai Wanwan reluctantly pulled over.
"What for?"
Shen Lu opened the door, got out, and walked into a pharmacy.
A few minutes later, she came out carrying a bag with medicine and gauze.
"Alright, you can take me back now."
No matter how slow on the uptake Bai Wanwan was, she finally got it. Shen Lu didn’t want to go for a spin at all; she was just using her for a ride to the pharmacy!
"Shen Lu!" Bai Wanwan glared at her, annoyed.
"No need to shout. I’m not old yet, and my hearing is just fine."
"How can you be so shameless now?" Bai Wanwan’s cheeks puffed up in anger. "You’ve fallen this low, and you still dare to trick me? Aren’t you afraid I’ll have someone teach you a lesson?"
"I didn’t." Shen Lu shook her head. "Don’t think so poorly of me. Your car is so nice, I really did want to go for a spin. I just happened to see a pharmacy and took the opportunity to buy some medicine. You know how chaotic the Lower City District is, especially at night. I didn’t want to have to come out again later to buy it."
"Really?"
"Really." Shen Lu blinked innocently. "So you shouldn’t linger here for too long either. Just drop me off at Gold Street, and then you should head back quickly too."
Bai Wanwan gave Shen Lu a few suspicious looks but started the car anyway.
The car stopped at the entrance of Gold Street. Bai Wanwan couldn’t be bothered to drive in. Shen Lu got out and thanked her.
"Bai Wanwan." After a moment’s thought, Shen Lu decided to give her a piece of advice. "You know Chen Cheng is full of nasty tricks. Next time she says something to you, don’t get so worked up so easily, or you’ll just end up being used as her pawn."
"What are you talking about?" Bai Wanwan rolled her eyes at her.
Shen Lu chuckled lightly. "Alright, goodbye."
Some things didn’t need to be spelled out. A hint was enough.
Shen Lu turned and walked quickly toward her rental apartment.
Bai Wanwan stared at Shen Lu’s back for a few seconds before turning the steering wheel and driving off.
On the way back, the more Bai Wanwan thought about it, the more something felt wrong.
’Didn’t I come here to laugh at Shen Lu’s misfortune, mock her mercilessly, and watch her fly into a powerless rage and throw a tantrum?’
’But what did I actually do?’
’I did mock her a bit when we first met, but then she shut me up with an egg waffle. I actually waited obediently for her to close up her stall, and I even took her for a drive to buy medicine.’
’It was all that egg waffle’s fault!’
Bai Wanwan concluded that Shen Lu had used the egg waffle to bewitch her, making her completely forget what she had come there to do.
’Then again,’ she thought, ’that egg waffle Shen Lu made was really delicious.’