A Fish Worth Two Months' Living Expenses

"President Su, welcome!"

As soon as they entered the teahouse, the group was greeted with warm hospitality.

To be precise, the hospitality was directed at Su Bai.

After his last visit, Su Bai found the taste and service here quite impressive, so the "card-charging immortal" (as he jokingly called himself) topped up another membership card.

The amount? Just the maximum limit for system cashback.

The owner quickly realized Su Bai was a wealthy patron who loved indulgence and added him on WeChat.

Even before heading to the parking lot earlier, Su Bai had already contacted the owner, saying he’d be coming for morning tea.

He’d pre-ordered a few dishes, which were now almost ready.

"Any seasonal delicacies today? Price isn’t an issue—just make sure it’s fresh and delicious," Su Bai asked.

"Of course, President Su, of course!"

The owner beamed. "We just got a wild Hong Kong grouper today, air-flown from Malaysia. We’ll steam it and drizzle it with oil to highlight its natural freshness… though it’s a bit pricey—weighed out, it might cost over two thousand…"

"I already said price isn’t a problem. Bring it."

"President Su has quite the appetite."

"I love meat, even for breakfast."

Watching Su Bai chat casually with the owner, who was practically bending over backward to please him, the girls couldn’t help but feel intrigued.

This was a rather upscale teahouse, rumored to be a favorite spot for professors and business partners to discuss deals.

Cantonese cuisine, with its mild flavors and elegant presentation, was perfect for business banquets.

But seeing the owner address Su Bai so deferentially—"President Su" this, "President Su" that—

The easily impressed Wan Sisters couldn’t hide their admiration, their eyes practically sparkling.

Jiang Qiuran, meanwhile, was lost in her usual emotional turmoil.

Only Chen Yusheng remained unfazed. She had little interest in this kind of flashy display of wealth—she was just looking forward to that wild Hong Kong grouper the owner mentioned…

Hmm, it’d probably be delicious, though maybe a bit too bland for her taste.

What if she dipped it in chili powder? The thought struck her out of nowhere.

In any other setting, this would likely earn her some ridicule. After all, a two-thousand-dollar wild grouper was prized for its delicate, succulent flesh.

Dipping it in chili powder? That’d be a waste.

But around Su Bai, Chen Yusheng felt oddly emboldened to act on her whims.

She leaned in and whispered her idea to Su Bai, who nodded. "Sure, I’ll let the server know."

"Mm!" Chen Yusheng’s eyes lit up with joy. "You don’t think it’s wasteful? It’s such a fine fish."

"Don’t worry. If you like it, we can come often. The supply isn’t that scarce—just expensive. As long as we stay on good terms with the owner, it shouldn’t run out too quickly…"

Truth be told, most luxury ingredients were like this. If you were willing to pay, you could always get them.

Su Bai wasn’t afraid of running out of money, so the price barely registered with him.

But for Jiang Qiuran, the reality hit hard—her heart practically trembled.

Su Bai’s mother gave him a monthly allowance of twelve hundred yuan.

This fish alone, plus the tea service fee, amounted to two months of his allowance.

Honestly, even with the recent swarm of wealthy suitors pursuing Jiang Qiuran, none had treated her to anything this extravagant.

The most outrageous offer so far had come in early September, right after the semester started.

An upperclassman from the arts college reserved a table at a Michelin-starred restaurant for her, even offering to let her bring a friend—just to avoid making her uncomfortable by his presence.

In other words, the simp wasn’t even showing up—pure freebies.

But Jiang Qiuran hadn’t gone.

Accepting such favors would leave her indebted, one way or another.

At the very least, her reputation would take a hit.

She still wanted to maintain her image as the campus’s sweet, untouchable goddess.

Yet here was Su Bai, effortlessly indulging in even greater luxury.

Sipping the fragrant tea, Jiang Qiuran felt a storm of emotions.

Normally sociable and composed, she was unusually quiet today.

Thankfully, Wan Xinyan kept the conversation lively, so the table didn’t fall into awkward silence.

Wan Xinyan noticed Jiang Qiuran’s odd behavior, glancing between her and Su Bai.

Hmm…

A woman’s intuition told Wan Xinyan there was something going on between these two.

Especially with Su Bai’s deceptively innocent, yet mischievous expression—it practically begged for speculation.

Come to think of it…

Him suddenly inviting her out to eat probably had ulterior motives.

Wan Xinyan, true to her name ("Xinyan" meaning "clever words"), was sharp-witted.

But unlike girls who schemed against their partners, her cunning was reserved for their shared "enemies."

If she was going to stick with Su Bai, she had to anticipate his needs.

Her dark, gleaming eyes darted playfully as her doll-like face broke into a sweet smile.

"So, Jiang Qiuran, you’re still single, right? Any guys on this trip catch your eye?"

The moment the words left her mouth, Jiang Qiuran’s expression soured further. She hurriedly shook her head. "No, I… I’m not looking to date right now."

"Oh, I see… So your standards are just that high. What a shame—the best catch, Su Bai, has already been snatched up by our top student Chen Yusheng."

"…Haha, really? Well, good for them."

Jiang Qiuran’s reply was stiff. She shot Su Bai a loaded glance before finally asking him directly:

"You and Chen Yusheng got together so fast—you must really click, huh?"

"Wow, you noticed!" Su Bai grinned. "We’re basically made for each other."

"Mhm~" Chen Yusheng, busy wrestling with the first dessert—a coconut cake—mumbled her agreement through a full mouth.

She even locked eyes with Su Bai for a moment.

As the internet would say, their chemistry was off the charts.

Wan Xinyan monitored Jiang Qiuran’s reactions closely, growing more certain of her suspicions.

But she didn’t push further on the topic of Su Bai’s relationship.

She had a feeling Jiang Qiuran was about to crack.

Instead, she steered the conversation toward local tourist spots, especially the upcoming "Tianrong Resort."

A comprehensive destination blending hiking, ancient towns, and amusement parks, it had become Jiangcheng’s top choice for short getaways in recent years.

Travel didn’t always have to be about novelty.

Variety and relaxation were key—and by that measure, Tianrong Resort was perfect.

Beyond the usual attractions, it also catered to deep-pocketed visitors with exclusive perks.

Luxury hotels were part of the package, too.

"Oh yeah, so where are we staying for this trip?" Su Bai asked between bites of peanut-braised chicken feet.

Wan Xinyan giggled. "Su Bai, we’re leaving right after this meal—how do you still not know where we’re staying?"

"Didn’t bother checking. The locals booked the rooms for us."

"Ah, typical Su Bai—always so easygoing."

Jiang Qiuran bristled at that.

Who did Wan Xinyan think she was, acting like she knew Su Bai so well?

Though… he really was the carefree type, wasn’t he?