NOVEL SIMPLE
Chapter 44
When Lingling heard that Third Uncle who lived in a villa invited them to a big hotel, she immediately got up to dress up and put on a new dress.
"Didn't Brother Ying buy you new clothes? How come you're wearing these old clothes again?" Lingling glanced at Yi in her shabby clothes and wrinkled her nose.
"Washed." Yi said.
"You might as well wear your school uniform instead of wearing this. Do you know which hotel Third Uncle is treating us to? The Grand Cloud Hotel - the best five-star hotel in Yun City. If you wear that, you won't even get in later, how embarrassing." When Lingling heard the name of the hotel, and saw the expectant look on her face, ready to take photos with her phone to post on her social media after eating, Yi didn't bother saying anything more to her.
Qiao's father also took out his best clothes to change into, and even spent money to rent a six-seater taxi.
All the way there, Lingling kept looking in the mirror to check her makeup, chattering with Li Lilian about how luxurious the hotel was.
Lingling even looked it up online to show her mother.
"Mom, it says online that even a plate of vegetables in this hotel costs hundreds of yuan, look at these abalone and lobster."
"How can vegetables be so expensive?" Qiao's father, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, turned his head back in surprise, feeling that this food was not vegetables at all, but pure gold.
Ying and Yi sat in the back row.
Yi accidentally swiped to Ying's interview video, as well as the very unfriendly comments in the comments section, and the various exposes by people claiming to be insiders.
Yi nudged Ying next to her with her elbow.
Ying took off her headphones and looked at the phone screen Yi handed over.
Then Yi said to her in a low voice, "Sis, why don't you delete these videos when we get back tonight?"
For Ying, hacking into these devices and deleting a few videos was certainly not difficult.
But she was totally indifferent. "Why waste time with them?"
Seeing Ying's attitude, Yi didn't say anything more.
When they arrived, before they even got out of the car, Li Lilian had already stuck her head out to look at the luxurious hotel, exclaiming in admiration.
Lingling straightened her skirt before getting out of the car, suppressing her excitement as she took out her phone to start taking pictures, planning to post them on social media after the meal to show off to her friends.
The doorman recognized Ying and Yi and immediately bowed 90 degrees, warmly asking, "Do you have a reservation?"
"Uh, um, I'm looking for my third younger brother, my third younger brother is treating us." Qiao's father was very nervous and stuttered awkwardly.
"I see. May I ask your brother's surname?"
"Qiao, Qiao Shengxiang." Qiao's father spoke in a thick Yun City accent, seeming helpless.
"Please come this way." The waiter led them inside.
Lingling kept taking pictures with her phone, and also took a few selfies with her mother in front of the hotel's beautiful decorations per her mother's request.
Ying walked slowly behind with her hands in her pockets, alongside Yi.
They had just walked into the hotel when a luxury car stopped at the entrance. Xu Mingchen and his father got out of the car.
Soon after, another million-dollar luxury car arrived, and the school belle Ye Jingning got out along with her father Ye. Jingning was elaborately dressed up, looking even more beautiful than at school. She held a handbag, fully embodying the image of a rich young lady. After getting out of the car, she smiled at Mingchen.
But Mingchen didn't seem to notice her at all.
Ye's father made a beeline for Xu's father, smiling almost obsequiously as he reached out to Xu's father: "Deputy Mayor Xu, you're here so early!"
"Just arrived." Xu's father briefly shook Ye father's hand.
"It's been a while since we've seen each other, but Mingchen has grown taller again, and is still so handsome." Ye's father then looked at Mingchen.
"Hello, Uncle Ye." Mingchen politely greeted him.
"Very Good, very good." Ye's father nodded repeatedly.
"Mayor Feng had something come up temporarily and will arrive later. Let's go up first, everyone else is already there." After Xu's father spoke, he told the waiter who came up, "Top floor, Room 101, we have a reservation."
The group entered the hotel.
"Mingchen, how was your exam?" Jingning found an opportunity to sidle up to Mingchen's side.
"It was okay." Mingchen was neither cold nor warm in response.
"Everyone says it was difficult. I didn't do very well either. Which university are you planning to apply to?"
"Capital University."
Hearing Mingchen say he wanted to go to Capital University, Jingning bit her lip.
She wished she could chop Ying into thousands of pieces in her heart.
If it wasn't for Ying bringing those gangsters to make trouble at school, her grades wouldn't have slipped so much. Then she would have had the chance to go to Capital University together with Mingchen.
It was all because of that Ying!
The position Qiao's third uncle booked for them was on the first floor lobby, at a large crystal round table that could seat over thirty people.
When the waiter brought Qiao's family over, almost everyone had arrived.
"Am I late?" Qiao's father hurriedly went up to greet his three younger brothers.
"Yo, big brother you're here." Qiao Shengxiang, who was sitting in the main seat, had a big pot belly. He called Qiao's father big brother and welcomed him, but didn't even shift his butt. He pointed to the remaining seats and told Qiao's family, "Sit down, the dishes will be served soon."
"Sister-in-law is looking quite fashionable today. Looks like you made quite a bit this year." Second aunt looked Li Lilian up and down with her slender painted eyes.
"Ah, how can I compare with you all in business with my meager dead-end job salary?" Li Lilian responded politely on the surface, but was cursing inwardly, "Just because you have some stinking money, you show off every day, every day. My daughter has a guaranteed spot in Capital University, and your son - who knows how he did on the exam and which lousy school he'll go to!"
Lingling was sweet-talking, calling each and every relative at the big table, successfully earning elders' praises.
"Look at your cousin, so polite. Just knows how to hug her phone and computer to play all day." Second aunt then scolded her son.
"Who's this?" Third aunt pointed at Ying sitting down and remarked.
"This is Little Ying." Qiao's father said.
"Little Ying? She's so much thinner, I almost didn't recognize her. She looks so pretty after losing weight, even prettier than Lingling."
Hearing this, Lingling's smile froze on her face.
"Little Yi seems to have grown taller again too. Why didn't you ask them to call me Auntie?" Second aunt then looked at Yi.
"Little Ying, Little Yi, go ahead and call her Auntie." Qiao's father told the two girls.
"Auntie." Yi politely called her.
Ying looked towards the so-called Second Aunt who was quite far from her. Her lips moved slightly, but the next second she turned her gaze away. "When do we eat?"
Second aunt's expression immediately changed. "No manners at all. What are you teaching them at home? As if she's never eaten a meal before."
"Go easy on her. You know Big Brother's financial conditions aren't good. It's her first time at a luxury hotel like this eating a meal. The child's never eaten good food before, of course she'd react like this." Second uncle said.
It was evident that none of the three younger brothers thought much of this Big Brother.
Qiao's father's old face turned red from embarrassment. As a meek person he didn't know how to retort, he could only lower his head, rub his thighs with both hands, and let out a couple of awkward chuckles.
Seeing his father being humiliated, Yi felt awful. He comforted, "Dad, don't mind it."
Qiao's father looked up at his sensible son, immediately feeling much better. He nodded, "Oh! Dad's fine."
In the past, Li Lilian could only scold back in her heart at times like this, but this time, she no longer endured silently. Instead, she looked at Second Aunt's son, "How did your exam go, Little Feng? Your grades have always been excellent, you must've done very well right? Can get into Capital University?"
Second uncle's family's faces darkened.
Mufeng, who had been looking down playing on his phone, raised his head. Influenced by his parents, as a junior, he had no respect whatsoever for this poor relative of Li Lilian's. He retorted impatiently, "Capital University isn't a toilet where anyone who wants to go can get in. Why are you asking this, Auntie? Could it be my cousin got into Capital University?"
Second aunt gave a disdainful laugh.
Everyone present knew about Ying's grades. Barely getting into high school was already grace from the ancestors. With such bad grades and poor family, she'd probably go straight to work in a factory after finishing the exam.