Volume One, Chapter Three: Money Matters Greatly to People Like You

The next day, Su Qiuyu let out a soft sigh in front of the mirror. The swelling on her face seemed even worse, the bruises darker. She applied ointment evenly, then put on a mask and pulled her fisherman’s hat low over her forehead.

Her phone rang.

Glancing at the screen, she answered, “Zhenzhen.”

On the other end, Zhu Lizhen was bubbling with excitement. “Are you ready yet, Xiao Yu? This is so thrilling! Hurry up and come down!”

“...Did you see something by the roadside?”

“Hahaha, no! I just thought of a perfect disguise! I guarantee the senior won’t recognize you!”

“...”

Five minutes later, Su Qiuyu headed downstairs.

Zhu Lizhen rolled down the car window, frantically waving her hand. “Here! This one!”

Su Qiuyu approached. “This is your car...”

“It’s rented, of course! I have to disguise myself too!”

Su Qiuyu opened the passenger door and got in. Zhu Lizhen handed her the phone. “Xiao Yu, you pick!”

Su Qiuyu skimmed through the options: glam punk, non-mainstream, leather jacket and pants spy outfit, inflatable costume, giant cartoon plush suit... She looked up at Zhu Lizhen and saw she was serious.

After a long silence, Su Qiuyu pointed at one on the screen. “This one.”

Zhu Lizhen frowned in disappointment. “I thought you’d choose the one I just saw. Fine! Then I’ll wear it!”

*

Half an hour later, Zhu Lizhen, dressed as a mummy, drove Su Qiuyu—sporting a dated glam punk hairstyle—and Tony, the stylist who created their looks, to a small café in the Yunsheng CBD district.

On the way, Su Qiuyu finally replied to Gu Moting and arranged to meet him at this café.

Gu Moting replied, “Alright, Ms. Su. I apologize for yesterday’s incident.”

Su Qiuyu: “I only want cash compensation.”

Gu Moting: “Agreed.”

Inside the café, Su Qiuyu and Tony took their seats.

Zhu Lizhen hid behind a magazine at a distance, observing discreetly from a corner.

Su Qiuyu sat upright, stiff as a plank. Her head bore the glam punk hairstyle, her fisherman’s hat pulled low.

Her small face was concealed tightly behind cheap sunglasses bought from a street stall and a mass-produced mask costing only a few yuan. This look was awkward and mismatched.

Still, Zhu Lizhen was a little worried. Su Qiuyu’s neck and shoulder proportions were so perfect that even under the hairstyle, her shoulders were apparent. What if Gu Moting recognized her?

Tony, with his multicolored hair, sat next to Su Qiuyu, rehearsing lines nervously; he was to play her cousin.

As the appointed time neared, Tony grew increasingly anxious. Su Qiuyu, caught up in his rhythm, felt her nerves fray.

She took a sip of hot coffee and commanded herself to stay calm.

It had been four years. As long as she remained silent and seated, Gu Moting wouldn’t recognize her.

After all, Su Qiuyu was a ghost.

A ghost erased entirely from the civil registry.

At the agreed time, the café’s glass door opened promptly.

Everyone inside glanced toward the entrance.

*

A brief silence was followed by a loud stir in the small café.

Su Qiuyu dared not turn her head.

A terrible tension ran up her spine to her head; her fingers trembled around the coffee cup.

Steeling herself, she glanced sideways and was startled: it wasn’t Gu Moting but Shao Shanshan.

She looked back ahead; the prickling sensation faded, replaced by an indescribable stiffness, like someone had carved out a chunk of flesh from her chest, leaving a hollow.

But this was better. Facing Shao Shanshan, at least she need not be nervous.

Shao Shanshan shone from head to toe—blinging brilliantly. Her softly curled shoulder-length hair was meticulous to every strand. She wore a khaki British-style trench coat, custom-made just for her. Her feet were clad in limited-edition autumn heels. Even her earrings, the cheapest item on her, cost five figures.

In the elite white-collar cluster of Yunsheng CBD, no one was fooled. Shao Shanshan’s high-end aura made her radiate the moment she appeared.

Shao Shanshan removed her sunglasses and scanned the room, stopping at Tony’s rainbow-colored hairstyle.

She glanced at their clothing quality, frowned slightly, and carried her crocodile bag toward them.

Tony looked at the bag she set down. “Someone’s here.”

With an elegant smile, Shao Shanshan said, “Hello, you’re waiting for me.”

Tony replied, “No way. The person we’re waiting for is a man.”

Shao Shanshan smiled and sat down. “Sorry, my boyfriend is busy, so I’m here instead.”

“Boyfriend?” Tony nodded. “Oh, what’s his name?”

“He’s surnamed Gu. His little niece offended you yesterday...”

Shao Shanshan looked at the slouched, hunched figure of Su Qiuyu beside her.

“May I ask, what’s your relationship?”

“I’m her cousin.”

Shao Shanshan nodded, curiously studying Su Qiuyu.

That hairstyle, that style of dress, that demeanor... did it match Su Qiuyu?

Had the girl switched paths because she was mistaken for too many “Su Qiuyus”?

“Excuse me,” Shao Shanshan said, “I need to verify your identities. May I ask your name?”

Su Qiuyu said nothing. She took out a piece of paper, unfolded it, and pushed it toward Shao Shanshan.

It was the shipment invoice for the broken set of porcelain.

Tony, seeing this, opened his phone and showed Shao Shanshan several photos of the damaged porcelain that Su Qiuyu had sent him earlier.

Shao Shanshan glanced at the invoice. “Thirty thousand, right?”

Tony said, “Her ointment and the lost wages for yesterday should also be included.”

“Okay, let’s round it to fifty thousand,” Shao Shanshan said.

“Great!” Tony beamed, opening his palm. “Where’s the money?”

Shao Shanshan glanced indifferently at his open palm, took out her phone, and looked at Su Qiuyu. “Scan the code.”

Su Qiuyu’s eyebrows furrowed beneath the hat’s brim; she didn’t move.

Tony asked, “Scan? Didn’t you say cash?”

Shao Shanshan paused. “Cash?”

“Yes, my cousin made it clear in the text that your boyfriend was to bring cash.”

Su Qiuyu lowered her head, opened the message page on her phone, and pushed the message she’d sent Gu Moting toward Shao Shanshan.

Shao Shanshan’s expression darkened; she smiled faintly. “Cash or transfer, it’s not much different, is it?”

Tony said, “No. We agreed on cash, so it must be cash. Your boyfriend promised. Didn’t he explain clearly to you? Are you really his girlfriend?”

Shao Shanshan’s smile froze, her eyes narrowed slightly as she stared at Tony.

“Yes,” she said lazily, leaning back in her chair, “I am his girlfriend. But I’m curious—why not transfer? Are you fugitives? Or because you’re undocumented, the transfer would be swallowed? If so, I’ll have to check this invoice carefully. What if you’re scamming us?”

Tony was furious. “Hey! What nonsense is that? You called us out here and now you’re refusing to pay? Are you mocking us?”

Shao Shanshan smiled sweetly. “No, I just need to verify. I didn’t say no money.”

“What else do you need to check? Here’s the stamped note, here are photos of the broken porcelain, and it was filed at the police station. Now you say you won’t settle the bill? Do you think our time isn’t valuable?”

Shao Shanshan eyed him with interest. “You came from far away?”

Tony said, “You think so?”

Shao Shanshan’s gaze suddenly shifted to Su Qiuyu. “Oh, was the fare expensive? No, I should ask, was the subway crowded and tiring?”

Tony frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Is your time really that valuable? Sorry, I don’t see it.”

Shao Shanshan smiled as she put her sunglasses back on, looking at Su Qiuyu’s cheap sunglasses, which cost no more than ten yuan. “Ms. Su is well covered up, but you can tell she’s young. How old are you?”

Su Qiuyu said nothing, her lips pressed lightly beneath the mask.

Shao Shanshan smiled. “Ms. Su, either accept my online transfer or you won’t get a penny. Money must be important to people like you, right?”

“...”

Su Qiuyu lowered her eyes, staring at her phone, now blackened.

The scene before her overlapped with one from four years ago.

Life was like a circus, spinning around in circles.

She once thought she would be a warrior wielding a sword, riding a lion through a ring of fire.

In the end, the circle appeared beneath her feet, transforming into a three-dimensional sphere—and she was the clown standing on it.

Tony shouted, “No, it has to be cash! You promised! Why aren’t you keeping your word? There are several banks nearby, it’s simple, come on!”

“Am I talking to you?” Shao Shanshan’s tone suddenly turned harsh and furious. “Sir, can you shut up? Your manners and speech suit your cheap outfit perfectly—they match your humble origins! Don’t you think, after yesterday’s misunderstanding, you deserve to sit here drinking coffee with me? Are you even worthy to speak to me?”

Tony was stunned, then suddenly slammed the table and stood. “You filthy harlot! You look down on my background? Today, either you pay cash or stop pretending to be wealthy!”

From afar, Zhu Lizhen, hiding behind the magazine, lifted her sunglasses in shock.

Su Qiuyu quickly grabbed Tony’s arm, signaling him to sit down.

Shao Shanshan’s eyes widened and she stood abruptly, pointing at Tony’s nose. “What did you say I sell? Say it again!”

Su Qiuyu shook her head repeatedly at Tony.

Tony snorted coldly but said nothing.

“This is a café, a public place! How dare you slander my character? You won’t get a single cent today. Prepare to face a lawsuit!” Shao Shanshan said as she grabbed her bag and turned to leave.

Suddenly, her wrist was gripped by Su Qiuyu’s hand.

The strength was immense, like iron tongs.