Ye Huohuo held the black card that Li Mohan had stuffed into her hand and wandered around the mall for several laps, wincing at the prices on the clothes.
She carefully counted the digits before the decimal point and couldn't help but gasp. A single outfit cost five figures? That was enough for her to eat so many skewers of barbecue!
As she was silently doing some mental arithmetic, a somewhat familiar voice rang out beside her.
"Isn't this Miss Ye? I never expected someone of your spending level to be browsing clothes here! Be sure to look at the prices carefully, or you'll be embarrassed if you can't afford to pay later!"
Ye Huohuo didn't turn around. Her hearing was sharp; she could generally remember anyone's voice after hearing it once. She had heard this person's voice just yesterday and certainly wouldn't forget it.
As she turned, she smiled faintly, "Miss Sun, what a coincidence! We meet everywhere!"
Ye Huohuo wore a white shirt with jeans. These were clothes from Mei Jie's youth, naturally outdated compared to current fashion. Most girls wouldn't wear them.
But Ye Huohuo never cared about such things and felt no discomfort wearing them.
Li Mohan had originally intended to take her to the mall to buy a few outfits. However, as they reached the mall entrance, he encountered some directors and was pulled away to handle some urgent matters.
This mall was also Li's family's property, so he had stuffed a black card into her hand, telling her to take whatever she liked.
However, it was truly Ye Huohuo's first time in such a high-end clothing store. Looking at the dazzling array of clothes, she felt a bit like Grandma Liu entering the Grand View Garden.
Everything seemed new, yet she dared not touch anything.
Her attire and demeanor had already drawn disdain from a sales associate. Now, seeing Sun Jinyu, one of the mall's managers, mocking Ye Huohuo, the associate ingratiatingly joined in the ridicule.
"Miss, all the clothes in our mall are made from the finest materials. Please wash your hands before touching them!" the sales associate said sarcastically.
Sun Jinyu and the sales associate's voices were quite loud, attracting the attention of shoppers and staff nearby.
This was a high-end shopping district. Those who came here to buy clothes were either second-generation rich or high-ranking white-collar professionals. It was rare to see someone like Ye Huohuo, dressed in outdated, inexpensive clothing.
"Isn't this a high-end consumption zone? How did such a person manage to get in? Don't the security guards do anything?" a sharp voice cut in at that moment.
Ye Huohuo's eyelids twitched at the sound. She instinctively glanced towards the source of the voice – Ye Xiaowan!
The "Five Fiends of the Day" would not disappear just because of her engagement to Li Mohan. The person she least wanted to see had appeared right before her eyes.
It was a girl wearing a high-fashion white dress. She had a sweet face, but her slanted eyes gave her a rather sharp appearance.
"Oh, isn't this the eldest daughter of the Ye family? We welcome you to our mall to buy clothes today!" Sun Jinyu's face lit up with a smile upon seeing the newcomer.
These young ladies were all VIPs at the mall. High-end merchandise was mostly sold to them, and sometimes, when they were in a good mood, they might buy ten or twenty items at once.
Ye Xiaowan naturally knew Sun Jinyu and smiled gently, "Sister Sun, what eldest daughter are you talking about? You are the one I should learn from. You have a prominent family background yet are self-reliant and strong. If I had half your capability, I wouldn't be this idle person."
Both of them were pleased with each other's flattery, and their conversation naturally drew envious glances from those around them.
Whether it was being a second-generation rich heir or a corporate elite, both were the dreams of many girls.
Many young ladies and ladies also came over to greet them.
For a moment, Ye Huohuo felt like the only poor island in a wealthy ocean.
"Oh yes, Miss Ye, your surname is Ye, and it's the same as this young lady's!" Sun Jinyu, who had harbored intense hatred for Ye Huohuo since last night, naturally wouldn't miss this opportunity to humiliate her.
"Oh, it truly is the same surname but different destinies!" a female companion of Ye Xiaowan said with a smirk, looking at Ye Huohuo's shabby clothes.
"Our Xiaowan is the only daughter of the Ye family in Haicheng and will be the sole heir to billions in assets. This is truly a life born with a silver spoon."
Ye Xiaowan smiled politely, "Not at all, I'm just lucky. Actually, I really hope to earn my own living through my own abilities, just like Sister Sun."
At the end, she didn't forget to praise Sun Jinyu.
Ye Xiaowan's gaze fell on Ye Huohuo, and she looked her up and down. Her brow furrowed slightly. "Your surname is Ye? What's your name?"
There seemed to be a hint of nervousness in her voice.
Ye Huohuo was about to turn and leave, but Sun Jinyu spoke up first, revealing the name, "Her name is Ye Huohuo!"
"Ye Huohuo?" Ye Xiaowan looked her up and down again, then muttered to herself, "It can't be her!"
Seeing her reaction, which suggested she hadn't recognized her, Ye Huohuo's clenched fist gradually loosened. Only then did she notice that her palm was damp and cool.
"The things here are indeed not affordable for poor people like me. I'm leaving!"
As Ye Huohuo spoke and turned to leave, Sun Jinyu wasn't about to let her go so easily. She wanted to make Ye Huohuo recognize her place, not to think she could climb into Li Mohan's arms just because of her status.
"Hey? Miss Ye, aren't you Mr. Li's girlfriend? This mall belongs to Mr. Li. Didn't he tell you to just take a couple of items?"
The sales associate, covering her mouth, burst into laughter. "Manager Sun, you're joking. She's Mr. Li's friend? To begin with, Mr. Li doesn't even have a girlfriend yet, and even if he did, it wouldn't be someone like her!"
Speaking of Li Mohan, he was the white knight in shining armor for all the young girls in Haicheng. How could he be compared to this ugly duckling?
Suddenly, there were all sorts of whispers.
Talk of a toad wanting to eat swan meat, of not looking in the mirror to see what one looked like... all sorts of unpleasant remarks.
Sun Jinyu had successfully pitted Ye Huohuo against all the women with a single sentence. With a triumphant smile in her eyes, she watched Ye Huohuo being attacked by everyone, feeling extremely pleased.
Ye Huohuo knew she was still under the influence of malevolent energy and didn't want to cause trouble. However, when pushed, she was never afraid.
She turned and looked coldly at Sun Jinyu, a cold smile gradually appearing on her lips. "Miss Sun, they might not know my relationship with Mr. Li, but you certainly do. We were together last night. Are you going to make me tell everyone here about what your Sun family did?
Mr. Li is magnanimous and doesn't bother with you. Why are you trying to use me to slap Mr. Li in the face? Your forehead shows a dense, lingering black energy. You are about to be hit by bad luck. If you don't guard your tongue and refrain from evil speech, be careful when retribution comes, or you'll regret it too late."
"You're spouting nonsense! Madam Sun is the second-in-command of our mall, and Mr. Li trusts her immensely. Moreover, the Sun family is one of the major shareholders of Li Corporation. Even if you disappear, the Sun family will still stand strong in Li's company!" The sales associate, seeing this as an opportunity to flatter Sun Jinyu, unleashed a barrage of words at Ye Huohuo.
Ye Huohuo had no intention of arguing with such people, but they were like rabid dogs, clinging on and refusing to let go, relentless in their pursuit of her.
Ye Huohuo's gaze swept over the sales associate's face, and she let out a cold laugh. "Your job is to sell clothes. You should serve every customer diligently, regardless of who they are. Yet, you judge customers by their appearance and look down on people.
Misfortune comes from the mouth. I predict with certainty that you will be unemployed within an hour!"
"Who do you think you are? Mr. Li's wife? What right do you have to make me leave?" The sales associate's voice rose several octaves, making the surrounding people wince.
Sun Jinyu had been momentarily stunned by Ye Huohuo's imposing demeanor. Now, she recovered and couldn't let Ye Huohuo gain the upper hand. Moreover, that sales associate was her loyal subordinate. She couldn't abandon her dog now, or who else would follow her?
Just as Sun Jinyu was about to say something, a voice called out from outside the crowd.
"Xiao Qing? Is that Xiao Qing?"
Upon hearing this name, Ye Huohuo's face instantly turned deathly pale.