Feng Kai Ze took Da Tian Ting to the most expensive restaurant in the city. She felt out of place in a restaurant full of rich people.
‘Mr Feng, let’s go somewhere else to eat,’ Da Tian Ting said.
Feng Kai Ze held Da Tian Ting’s hand, and took her to a private corner table. He pulled out a chair for her, and they sat down.
‘This is the restaurant where I bought lunch for you yesterday,’ Feng Kai Ze said.
‘Everything on the menu here is expensive,’ Da Tian Ting said. ‘I don’t want to eat all the money in your wallet.’
Da Tian Ting only brought enough money to buy groceries. She didn’t want the pauper to become homeless.
Da Tian Ting held Feng Kai Ze’s hand, and failed to pull him up.
‘Where do you want to go?’ Feng Kai Ze asked.
‘Mr Feng, I’m not looking down on you,’ Da Tian Ting said. ‘I didn’t bring enough money to even pay for one drink here. Later if we can’t afford to pay, it’ll be embarra.s.sing. Let’s go somewhere else to eat.’
‘Money isn’t an issue,’ Feng Kai Ze said. ‘You can order as much as you want.’
‘I’m not fussy about what I eat,’ Da Tian Ting said. ‘I’m happy to eat at a small cafe with you.’
‘Trust me,’ Feng Kai Ze said. ‘I can afford to pay for you to eat at this restaurant.’
‘You don’t have to take me here to impress me,’ Da Tian Ting said.
‘What dishes do you want to order?’ Feng Kai Ze asked.
Feng Kai Ze didn’t expect pretending to be a pauper would be a hard task.
A waiter came to take Feng Kai Ze and Da Tian Ting’s order.
‘Sir, madam, what would you like to eat and drink today?’ the waiter asked.
Da Tian Ting winked at Feng Kai Ze to signal him to leave with her. But he ordered a list of dishes she never heard of before that sounded expensive.
Feng Kai Ze gave the waiter the menu, and the waiter took his order to the kitchen.
‘What are you thinking about?’ Feng Kai Ze asked.
‘About your wallet,’ Da Tian Ting said.
‘Do you like my wallet?’ Feng Kai Ze asked.
‘I’m thinking if what’s inside your wallet can save your pride,’ Da Tian Ting said.
‘What do you mean?’ Feng Kai Ze asked.
‘It means we’ll be washing a lot of dishes today,’ Da Tian Ting said.
‘All you need to worry about is making your stomach full,’ Feng Kai Ze said. ‘I’m taking you shopping after we eat.’
Since Feng Kai Ze acted confident, Da Tian Ting stopped worrying about washing dishes.
The waiter returned with the dishes Feng Kai Ze ordered. Da Tian Ting looked at the different spoons, forks and knives and was reminded of the past. She used to do everything for Shang Duan Hua, and missed out on opportunities like learning how to use fancy cutlery.
‘Why aren’t you eating?’ Feng Kai Ze asked. ‘I chose the dishes you liked yesterday.’
‘Mr Feng, aren’t you embarra.s.sed to be seen in public with me?’ Da Tian Ting asked.
‘Why would I be?’ Feng Kai Ze asked.
Feng Kai Ze was angry at Shang Duan Hua for underestimating Da Tian Ting’s worth.
‘You know about my past,’ Da Tian Ting said. ‘My fiance dumped me. I did everything for him for ten years. Now I don’t even know how to do simple things like how to use these fancy cutlery.’
Feng Kai Ze didn’t pa.s.s Da Tian Ting a tissue, because he knew she was putting on a brave front for him by holding back her tears.
‘I think highly of you,’ Feng Kai Ze said. ‘To me Shang Duan Hua and Da Ming Sheng are pathetic people.’
‘Why?’ Da Tian Ting asked.
‘Shang Duan Hua is shallow,’ Feng Kai Ze said. ‘He can’t see how beautiful your heart is. He’s blinded by Da Ming Sheng’s two faced act. Da Ming Sheng’s youth will fade soon, and not enough makeup can hide her decaying looks. She’s under the delusion that he loves her. But after her looks fade, he’ll leave her for a younger woman. Ten years from now, she can’t attract another rich man. You should thank him for dumping you, because you and I will have a happy life together.’
‘Do you think so?’ Da Tian Ting asked.
‘Yes,’ Feng Kai Ze said. ‘Shang Duan Hua isn’t business savvy. Shang’s company will become insolvent under his management within a year. By then he’ll look for a younger woman to be his mistress to salvage his broken ego.’
‘How do you know that’s Shang Duan Hua’s future?’ Da Tian Ting asked.
‘I met a lot of men like him who only values appearance,’ Feng Kai Ze said. ‘Those men are either in jail for corruption or homeless. Da Ming Sheng doesn’t know yet, but she saved you from having a desolate future.’
Feng Kai Ze sounded like he was jealous that Da Tian Ting used to spend time and energy on Shang Duan Hua. It cheered her up.
‘Mr Feng, thank you for cheering me up,’ Da Tian Ting said.
‘Let’s eat lunch,’ Feng Kai Ze said. ‘Starting from today you can’t skip another meal.’
Da Tian Ting didn’t care if she didn’t know what the right cutlery to use was. She was happy to put food in her mouth. Feng Kai Ze made her feel comfortable to be herself, and he didn’t expect her to change. She enjoyed his company more than Shang Duan Hua’s company.
‘Mr Feng, judging by your speech mannerisms you sound like a highly educated person,’ Da Tian Ting said. ‘What do you do for a living?’
Da Tian Ting’s impression of Feng Kai Ze improved a bit, but she didn’t trust him yet.
‘What happened to thinking I’m Mr Slimy?’ Feng Kai Ze asked.
‘I don’t trust you yet but I don’t think you would kill me in my sleep,’ Da Tian Ting said.
‘In the future I’ll always be nice to you,’ Feng Kai Ze said.
Feng Kai Ze didn’t mention that he was capable of being ruthless toward anyone that wasn’t Da Tian Ting.
‘You haven’t told me what you do for a living yet,’ Da Tian Ting said.
‘I don’t have a job,’ Feng Kai Ze said.
‘Impossible,’ Da Tian Ting said.
Da Tian Ting didn’t think an orphan like Feng Kai Ze could afford to pay for their expensive lunch if he was jobless. He gave off a vibe that he had triad connections.
‘Right now I don’t have a job,’ Feng Kai Ze said.
‘Then what did you used to do?’ Da Tian Ting asked.
‘The day you met me was the same day I came back from England,’ Feng Kai Ze said.
Da Tian Ting didn’t know orphans these days were well off enough to travel overseas.
‘Let’s finish our lunch,’ Feng Kai Ze said.
Feng Kai Ze would eventually tell Da Tian Ting about his ident.i.ty after she accepted him in her life.
Feng Kai Ze and Da Tian Ting were enjoying their lunch together when a man interrupted their lunch.
‘Miss, aren’t you embarra.s.sed to dress like this here?’ the man asked.
‘Sir, don’t you understand the concept of being civilized in a public place?’ Da Tian Ting asked.
Feng Kai Ze was about to put the man in his place on behalf of Da Tian Ting, but she spoke up for herself.
Hong Shi Chi wanted to provoke the same woman who was framed at the restaurant. He didn’t expect she would stand up for herself.
‘A foolish woman like you who could be framed by a cup of coffee shouldn’t show herself in public,’ Hong Shi Chi said.
‘You were at the same restaurant as me yesterday?’ Da Tian Ting asked.
‘Yes,’ Hong Shi Chi said. ‘I witnessed everything that happened at the restaurant yesterday. I didn’t help you because you’re a foolish woman who let yourself be framed.’