C1 I Was Fooled!

My name is Yang Rui, also known as Muyi Yang—wise and somewhat handsome, yet just another face in the crowd. I lack any outstanding talents, have no savings, no billionaire father, and certainly no rich friends. Basically, I'm just an average Joe scraping by. I clock in and out of work on time every day, diligently doing my job.

I've got a girlfriend who scores a solid 90 out of 100. Considering the odds, I count myself lucky. In an era with a male-to-female ratio of 11:1, snagging a 90-pointer is a testament to my decent looks and good fortune.

Her name is Lee Li. We've been together for nearly two years now. Our relationship might have cooled from its initial fervor, but that's the inevitable trajectory of most romances. Lately, I've been planning a surprise for her. After all we've been through, I've decided it's time to pop the question.

I just stepped out of Zhou Cheng's Jewelry Store today, clutching a small red box in my hand and grinning like an idiot. Watching the hustle and bustle around me, I couldn't help but reflect: "Life sure isn't easy. Some decisions you've got to make on your own, only to find out later if you'll regret them."

I've saved up six months' worth of paychecks for that diamond ring. As I was about to call Lee Li, my phone rang instead. Glancing at the caller ID, I couldn't help but chuckle—it was Zhang Peng. Before I even had a chance to reach out, my best bud had beaten me to the punch. That's loyalty for you.

"Hey! Pengzi, what's up?" I answered, skipping the formalities.

"Mr. Rui, where are you at?" inquired Zhang Peng.

"I'm over on East Street. What's going on?"

"Oh, nothing much. It's just been a while since we hung out, and I thought we could get together."

"What's gotten into you today? You, of all people, have time to hang out?" I laughed. Zhang Peng is known for pinching pennies, so his sudden generosity caught me off guard.

"What's with the sudden invitation? Just spit it out! Are you coming or not?" Zhang Peng had no time for small talk.

"Coming, coming, coming. The one who foots the bill calls the shots. I'm on my way~" I quickly accepted the invitation. How could I pass up the chance to get together? It would be silly to miss out.

"Great, I'll be waiting for you in room 702 at the Bless Coming Building," Zhang Peng said before hanging up.

Wow, look at you, splurging at the Bless Coming Building. That place isn't cheap, with a minimum spend of over 1000 yuan. You need some serious cash to flaunt there. But, to give credit where it's due, the cuisine at Bless Coming Building is top-notch. It wouldn't have stood the test of time otherwise in such a discerning era.

Yang Rui hailed a ride and belted out tunes all the way to the Bless Coming Building, plotting how to get his money's worth out of Zhang Peng. But as soon as he arrived, Zhang Peng, who was waiting at the entrance, whisked him upstairs, leaving no time for contemplation. Settling into the private room, Zhang Peng announced, "I've already ordered the dishes; we were just waiting for you." Well, when a good friend goes to such lengths, what more is there to say? What are friends for? They treat you to a feast when times are good and stand by you when they're not.

Still, Yang Rui was curious. Why had Zhang Peng suddenly decided to treat him to a meal? It was one of the great unsolved mysteries of the 21st century. But why overthink it and give yourself a headache?

Zhang Peng wrapped an arm around Yang Rui with a grin, "It's been too long, Mr. Rui."

Reflecting on the nearly six years since graduation, Yang Rui was awash with nostalgia, "Indeed, it's been six or seven years. Time flies. We've all gone our separate ways, but today's a rare chance to catch up. Speaking of which, why didn't you invite Dongzi and the rest?"

In response to Yang Rui's question, Zhang Peng simply smiled, "Them? I've invited them several times, but they're always too busy. Let's not worry about it."

"Alright, everyone's pretty busy anyway," Yang Rui mused, not giving it much thought. They had all been in touch recently and were indeed swamped with work.

The dishes started arriving in quick succession, and within ten minutes, the table was full. Yang Rui raised an eyebrow, "What's up, Pengzi? You're on a vegetarian kick lately? Why all the veggies?"

Zhang Peng just chuckled in response, "Well, I've been feeling a bit overheated lately, so I've been opting for lighter fare."

Accepting this, Yang Rui didn't push the issue. It wouldn't be fair to force someone feeling overheated to share a spicy meal, right? The two of them fell into their usual banter, a routine they had grown accustomed to during their meetups.

A few minutes into their chat, Yang Rui, feeling quite famished, grabbed a handful of greens and plunged them into the hot pot, eating with gusto. Suddenly, Zhang Peng let out a sigh, prompting a curious glance from Yang Rui. "What's wrong? Can someone get depressed while eating?"

Zhang Peng gave Yang Rui a sidelong glance, "No, it's not that. I'm just a bit worried about something."

"What's bothering you? Maybe I can help sort it out?" Yang Rui mumbled, his mouth full of a leafy green.

"Ah, it's not something you can fix," Zhang Peng replied, his voice tinged with frustration.

"Hmm?" Yang Rui was puzzled. What could it be that he couldn't solve? His interest piqued, he urged, "Tell me about it."

Zhang Peng didn't hold back. "Well, it's about a good buddy of mine. He's always been a stand-up guy. But that day..."

That day, Zhang Peng had gone to ask his friend for a favor, only to unexpectedly find his friend's girlfriend chatting with another man downstairs. Initially, he thought nothing of it and was about to say hello when he noticed the two getting closer. What the heck? Zhang Peng was dumbfounded. Great, he thought, come to see a friend and walk into a cheating scandal? Fantastic! Inside, Zhang Peng felt as though ten thousand Divine Beasts were stampeding through his heart. Luckily, he kept his cool, opting to quietly observe how things unfolded while sending a WeChat message to his buddy: "Bro, what are you up to?"

"I'm in a meeting. What's up?"

"Nothing, just checking in."

Alright, it seemed too harsh to say it outright. Better to find the right time to bring it up.

Watching that couple head upstairs, there was no doubt they were off for a tryst.

"Hmm?" Yang Rui gave Zhang Peng a look. "That's it?"

"That's it!" Zhang Peng replied with an air of innocence.

"So, how do you plan to break it to your buddy?" Yang Rui inquired.

"I'm still figuring it out..." Zhang Peng was clearly troubled.

"You've got to drop a hint, you dope!" Yang Rui speared a piece of water spinach, blanched it briefly, then dipped it in sauce before taking a bite.

"A hint?" Zhang Peng looked at Yang Rui, then suggested, "You should eat more."

Yang Rui grabbed another generous helping of greens, "Exactly, more hints..."

Suddenly, Yang Rui set down his chopsticks and just stared at Zhang Peng, wordlessly. Zhang Peng returned the gaze, equally silent. After a ten-second stare-down, Yang Rui casually picked up his chopsticks again and blanched another piece of water spinach, but he couldn't bring himself to eat it. "Are you serious?"

Zhang Peng didn't utter a word, simply nodding in confirmation.

"Ugh!" Yang Rui suddenly found himself without an ounce of appetite. He fumbled for the small box in his pocket and forced a wry smile, "Talk about a rare occurrence."

With that, he stood up and left the private room. Zhang Peng said nothing, just silently watched Yang Rui walk away, unsure whether his actions were right or wrong.