At night, after Ning Ran wrapped up her filming for the day, she boarded Feng Minsheng’s BMW to head for dinner together.
This time, Feng Minsheng did not opt for a high-end restaurant but a simple, ordinary one instead.
Ever since he met Ning Ran, he realized that he was ensnared into a cycle of high-end consumption. I was merely buying the kids a meal, but she had chosen A1 set meal, the most expensive set meal on the menu, causing me to run out of cash immediately.
Of course, he had no idea that Nan Chen was the one who had ordered the set meals when he made the restaurant reservation. He had intended for Ning Ran to spend more and had never expected Feng Minsheng to be the sucker instead.
After a few more dates with Ning Ran, Feng Minsheng could not stand it anymore, as the restaurants she had chosen were all high-end and expensive.
Feng Minsheng was very well aware that his smart, polished appearance was only a façade, and he was no rich person. Thus he finally opted for an ordinary restaurant today, caving under the immense pressure brought upon him by Ning Ran’s extravagant choices.
After reaching the restaurant, Ning Ran realized that it was too low-class and understood Feng Minsheng’s motive instantly.
“I don’t want to dine here.” Ning Ran refused to go in.
“Why?” Feng Minsheng asked, flustered.
“The environment’s not good. I don’t like it.”
“The food here is pretty good. You will know after you’ve tried it.”
“No, I don’t want to try it.”
With that, Ning Ran turned around to leave.
Huh! You’re trying to cause me harm, yet you don’t want to spend a penny. Dream on!
“Where do you want to dine at then?” Feng Minsheng asked testily, obviously displeased with her.
“Anywhere but here.”
Left with no choice, Feng Minsheng had to follow her out of the restaurant in a soured mood.
Detecting Feng Minsheng’s apparent displeasure, she said, “You can jolly well leave first if you’re not happy about my insistence to change restaurants.”
“Of course not. You have such a difficult time filming. You deserve a treat. I will accompany you to wherever you like to dine at.” Feng Minsheng pasted a forced smile on his face, suppressing his irritation.
“Okay. Then let’s go.”
Ning Ran boarded the car again. This time, she selected a restaurant she and Nan Xing had visited before.
Feng Minsheng gave up the moment they reached its entrance. The place was simply too expensive. After all, how could any restaurant that Nan Xing had visited be cheap?
“Ran, can we not frequent such places? I’m sick of dining at such restaurants.”
Ning Ran knew Feng Minsheng thought the restaurant was out of his league. Thus, she puts on a perplexed look.
“The food here is very nice. You will know after you try.”
“Ran, let’s change venues. This restaurant isn’t good.”
“Which part of it isn’t good?”
“It just doesn’t feel right. It may look nice, but the food probably doesn’t taste good.”
“It’s pretty good. You will know once you try it.”
“No, Ran. I.. I need to spend the money in other areas, so…”
“Oh! You’re broke? Why are you still asking me out if you’re broke?” Ning Ran asked coldly.
“No, that’s not the case…”
“What is it if it’s not the case? Go home and eat instant noodles if you’re broke. Why do you come out here to embarrass yourself?”
“Ran, how can you say that? What do you mean by ‘embarrassing myself’?” Feng Minsheng was really growing madder now.
“Isn’t it embarrassing yourself if you have no money for dinner? Then let us go our separate ways!” Ning Ran turned around to leave.
Feng Minsheng was agitated by now. Hardening his resolve, he said, “Let us dine here then!”
Anyway, I have a few credit cards with me. I can always swipe them if I’m left with no choice. My task is accomplished if I cause Ning Ran to fall out with the Nan family. At that time, I will come into a big pile of money and can settle everything then.
Ning Ran knew Feng Minsheng was going beyond his means to impress her. She scoffed and entered the restaurant with him.
Ning Ran asked after they were seated, “Aren’t you driving a BMW? I heard you’re a high-ranking officer? Why are you so broke that you can’t even afford a meal?”
Slightly abashed, Feng Minsheng replied, “The situation isn’t so bad. It’s just that I need to spend money on a lot of areas recently. That’s why I have exceeded my spending limit. But rest assured. I like you and will give you nothing but the best. Just order what you like.”
“Then I won’t stand on ceremony.”
Ning Ran started to order after scrolling through the menu on the iPad.
Nervousness crossed Feng Minsheng’s features. He must be worrying that I will order dishes that are too expensive and beyond his means.
Initially, Ning Ran had planned for him to cough up loads of money for the lavish meal, but she was worried that it might implicate herself if he had no means to pay for it. Thus, she capped her spending to within 3 thousand.
“Do you want some white wine?”
Feng Minsheng readily agreed upon hearing the words ‘white wine’.
“I have some white wine in the car. Let me go and take it.”
You still want to drug me? Dream on!
“No need for that. We can order any bottle here.”
“Fine, then I will order randomly.”
In the end, the cheapest white wine in the restaurant cost over a thousand. Feng Minsheng grimaced and went ahead with the order.
When the dishes were served, Feng Minsheng poured her a glass of white wine.
“I’m not drinking. I’m having gastric.”
“Ah? Weren’t you the one who wanted to drink white wine?”
“Your mood isn’t too good, so I have asked you to drink a bit to ease your mood,” said Ning Ran, feigning concern.
“I can’t finish the whole bottle. Why don’t you drink a glass too?”
“No, I can’t drink. My gastric isn’t too well. I still need to film tomorrow, and will drink other beverages instead.”
Ning Ran requested a glass of fruit juice, leaving Feng Minsheng to drink the bottle of white wine all by himself in a rather hasty manner, as he was in a soured mood.
Ning Ran poured him another glass, “I toast to you. Thank you for treating me to dinner even if your financial situation isn’t in the best state now. I will pay for the meal if you can’t afford it later.”
Ning Ran had said those words on purpose to agitate Feng Minsheng.
Expectedly, Feng Minsheng could not take her taunts lying down, “Ran, how can you say that? Even if I’m not as rich as the Nan family, I’m not that poor either. I won’t allow you to pay for the meal. Your words are too hurtful!”
With that, he downed the glass at once and poured himself another glass.
It was what Ning Ran had wanted, for Feng Minsheng to panic. He will drink a lot of alcohol if he’s agitated. In that way, I can make him drunk easily. The plan tonight is to make him drunk so that I can obtain his phone. Maybe I can find out the truth once I dial the number he frequently calls, using his phone.
“Ran, I know you look down on me. But please believe me. I will treat you well.”
“How do you intend to treat me well?”
“I will try my best. What’s so good about the Nan family? They’re only rich. Can one do everything simply by being rich?”
Feng Minsheng still felt inferior and brought up the topic of the Nan family without any prompting.
