C15 Intelligent yet Foolish

As classmates, Zhao Fei was well aware of Xiao Nan's struggles. His family was poor, and he juggled multiple jobs daily just to scrape together tuition fees. It was no wonder Su Xiaoyan had left him.

With this in mind, Zhao Fei swelled with smug satisfaction. Xiao Nan might have gotten the better of him yesterday, but there were no classmates around to witness the embarrassment. Today was a different story. The restaurant buzzed with students who wouldn't graduate for years. If he could humiliate Xiao Nan now, he'd have a hard time holding his head high at school.

He had only planned to grab a bite to eat, not bringing any of his prized possessions. But he did have one small item in his pocket. At the time, it seemed too insignificant to bother with. Now, it seemed even a trivial family trinket could astonish Xiao Nan.

Zhao Fei pulled out the item and flaunted it before Xiao Nan, taunting, "Know what this is, country bumpkin?"

Xiao Nan, engrossed in his meal, ignored Zhao Fei's comments. But when Zhao Fei revealed the item, Xiao Nan's attention was piqued—it was a Night-Luminescent Pearl! Yet, covered in a thick layer of paste and misshapen into an irregular quadrilateral, it hardly resembled anything of value.

Predictably, when Zhao Fei brandished the item, Yu Hui sneered, "What's that monstrosity? Can't you show us something actually worth money?"

Zhao Fei shot back, "Clearly, you're clueless. In the world of antiques, it's said that the more unassuming the item, the more precious it is. 'Don't judge a book by its cover'—that's the principle here."

"So enlighten us," Yu Hui scoffed. "What is it, and how much is it worth?"

Zhao Fei's previous words were just bluster. He knew nothing about antiques and couldn't possibly appraise the item in his hand. But the conversation had progressed, and he had to keep up appearances. Mulling it over, he finally said, "This is a treasure of great value, which I can't disclose just yet. But for the sake of our camaraderie as classmates, I'll let you have it for a bargain—how does ten thousand yuan sound?"

"You're asking ten thousand yuan for this piece of junk? Zhao Fei, have you lost your mind? I wouldn't even consider paying a hundred yuan without thinking twice. For all I know, it could be a worn-out sieve from your mahjong games," Yu Hui said with a sneer. "I've been around the block a few times, so don't try to pull one over on me with this trash."

Zhao Fei was momentarily stumped. He knew the items in his home were valuable, but he couldn't pin down their exact worth. This trinket, in particular, seemed hardly worth much. If his family hadn't cut him off financially, he never would have quoted such a steep price.

"So, what's your offer?" Zhao Fei asked, his voice lacking conviction.

Yu Hui glanced at the item once more and dismissed it with a wave of his hand. "I wouldn't take it off your hands even if it were free. Come on, with your family's reputation, you can't possibly be resorting to peddling such low-grade items. Isn't it time you showed me something actually worth my while?"

Zhao Fei had intended to take this chance to embarrass Xiao Nan, but it seemed his clever plan had backfired. Although he couldn't detect a hint of ridicule on Xiao Nan's face, deep down, he was convinced Xiao Nan was inwardly mocking him. With a scowl, he gathered up his wares and retorted, "I've got plenty of quality items. Let me just make a quick call, and I'll have my guys bring them over. Stick around; I'm about to give you a taste of the real deal!"

With that, Zhao Fei whipped out his phone and dialed hastily. Soon enough, four students arrived, drenched in sweat, lugging a heap of items before them.

Zhao Fei beamed with pride. "Feast your eyes on these gems. They ought to dazzle you!"

The assortment was vast, yet it was all trinkets—bracelets, rings, jade artifacts, and a handful of scrolls. Xiao Nan eyed the price tags and couldn't help but sneer; they were all practically worthless.

But to the uninitiated, these items were captivating. A crowd of students, drawn from their meals, especially the girls, who had a keen eye for jewelry, pressed forward to admire the display, their faces alight with longing.

Su Xiaoyan was certainly not going to miss out. Her eyes lit up like spotlights at the sight of the items. Her relationship with Zhao Fei was the talk of the school, but no one was privy to the details of their encounter the previous night, and thus unaware of the subtle shift that had occurred between them.

Sidling up to Zhao Fei, Su Xiaoyan looped her arm through his and asked in a sweet, teasing voice, "Fei Fei, are all these things yours?"

Zhao Fei's expression soured as he replied, "Of course they are. Who else would have brought them, that pauper?" He threw a dismissive glance at Xiao Nan.

Su Xiaoyan piled on the praise, "Exactly, I knew it had to be you. And him? Please, he doesn't even come close to deserving these. If he hadn't cozied up to Miss Lin yesterday, we wouldn't have been put in such an awkward position!"

Su Xiaoyan's lack of tact was astounding. She had the uncanny ability to say the worst thing at the worst time. Her thoughtless comment now had Zhao Fei seething.

He jerked his arm away from her grasp, his voice laced with anger, "You shameless woman, how dare you? If it weren't for you, would I be in this mess, forced to sell off my possessions? Watch your mouth from now on. You're making a fool of both of us!"

Stunned by his harsh tone, Su Xiaoyan's face flushed with embarrassment. Surrounded by their classmates, she felt her pride sting. Yet, driven by her desire for a lavish lifestyle, she reached for his arm once more, her voice tinged with a hint of blame, "Fei Fei, not in front of everyone, please. If I've done something wrong, just tell me. I can change, can't I?"

Zhao Fei gave her a chilly look and snapped, "Just keep that big mouth of yours shut, that's all I ask!"

Upon hearing this, Su Xiaoyan's face didn't darken; instead, it lit up with delight. Given her smarts, it was clear to her that Zhao Fei's words meant he was keen to keep things going with her. She smiled slightly and said, "I just knew Fei Fei would treat me the best, not like some who are so poor that all they can offer is shared hardship."

Her words struck a chord with Zhao Fei. Any disparagement of Xiao Nan was music to his ears.

Zhao Fei glanced down at Su Xiaoyan, his features softening considerably. "You know, it's always easier to accept words that have been thought through," he said with a laugh.

"Stop it, you're making fun of me again!" she protested playfully.