Summer thunderstorms arrive swiftly and depart just as quickly.
Before nightfall, the entire city had entered a quiet mode.
Mrs. Su: "Go tell Xiao Yi that tonight's etiquette class is canceled and rescheduled for tomorrow morning."
Butler: "Yes, Madam. This is the menu prepared for Miss tonight. Please review it."
Mrs. Su: "No salad dressing in the salad, and no dessert either. She can't have any of that while she's on her diet."
Butler: "But Madam, Miss says she's hungry every night and can't sleep… Miss is still growing, and if this continues, I'm afraid she won't be able to handle it…"
Mrs. Su: "She's over twenty, what growth spurt is she having! If she can't sleep, it's because she's not tired enough during the day. When she's tired, she'll fall asleep as soon as she lies down!"
Butler: "Madam…"
Mrs. Su: "You may go!"
The butler watched as his young lady grew thinner each day, his heart aching.
These past few days, Mrs. Su had enrolled Su Ruiyi in numerous classes.
There were dance, etiquette, equestrian, foreign languages, and worse, she was not allowed to eat her fill. The butler, who had watched Su Ruiyi grow up, couldn't bear to see his young lady go hungry.
However, he dared not secretly give the young lady any food, because Mrs. Su had said that if she discovered Su Ruiyi sneaking food, she would not be given any food the next day.
The butler knocked on the door. Su Ruiyi was weighing herself.
Butler: "Miss, Madam says tonight's etiquette class is canceled and rescheduled for tomorrow morning."
Su Ruiyi: "Really? That's great! Does that mean I can go out?"
Butler: "Miss, Madam said you cannot go anywhere without her permission."
Su Ruiyi: "I just want to go out and get some fresh air. Please let me go out…"
Su Ruiyi pleaded, and the butler genuinely wanted to let her go out. But Mrs. Su stood behind the door.
Mrs. Su: "No, if you want to breathe fresh air, do it in the yard!"
Su Ruiyi: "Mom…"
Mrs. Su: "Since you've already agreed to attend the Paris Debutante Ball, you must behave like a true debutante! At least don't step on the Prince's feet when dancing with him!"
Su Ruiyi: "I don't want to be a debutante…"
Mrs. Su: "Insolence!"
"Do you know that the Paris Debutante Ball only invites 20 young people from all over the world each year? Do you think that just being the child of a wealthy and powerful family gets you an invitation? The hidden barriers are immense; you should cherish this opportunity that you've been selected for!"
Su Ruiyi: "Did Dad ask me to go, or did you want me to go?"
Mrs. Su: "No matter who it was, you should attend this ball!"
"The connections made at the ball are unattainable domestically. Of course, your dance partner is E/
A small pebble was thrown from inside the wall to the outside, a signal that Su Ruiyi was on the other side.
Wang Ziran quickly shone his flashlight at the cracks in the wall, prying at the bricks one by one.
Su Ruiyi: "Wang Ziran, hurry up! The mosquitoes are killing me!"
Wang Ziran dug out a small hole and passed a bottle of mosquito repellent through the opening.
Wang Ziran: "Spray some first. This hole hasn't been dug for a while, it's all caked with mud!"
Su Ruiyi: "Move aside, move aside, let me!"
Su Ruiyi found the right spot, stuck her butt out, and rammed the brick. Several bricks fell out with a clatter.
Wang Ziran quickly reached out to help Su Ruiyi, who was about to crawl out.
After finally climbing out, Su Ruiyi's first act of regaining her freedom was to take a deep breath of air outside the Su residence.
Wang Ziran: "What's wrong?"
Su Ruiyi: "You don't know, I've been suffocating these past few days!"
Wang Ziran: "Where do you want to go?"
Su Ruiyi: "I want to eat barbecue, hot pot, spicy stir-fry… and sing, drink, and go to nightclubs!"
Wang Ziran: "That's easy. Let's go grab a bite first, then hit the town!"
Su Ruiyi: "I'm sneaking out, I don't have much time. I have to be back before bedtime. If my mom finds out, it'll be disastrous…"
Wang Ziran: "What have you been doing at home these days? The last time I came to find you, Auntie wouldn't even let me see you, saying you were in class."
Su Ruiyi: "Ah, yes. I wanted to ask you too. You came to my house in such a hurry that day, what was it about? You said you wanted to take me somewhere, where was it?"
Wang Ziran: "Because I made a big discovery!"
Su Ruiyi: "What discovery?"
Wang Ziran: "It's related to Ou Yunchen!"
Su Ruiyi's interest was immediately piqued, and she forgot about her hunger.
Su Ruiyi: "Really? What about him? I haven't seen him in a long time either. My mom said he's very busy and doesn't come to our house to report on work anymore."
Wang Ziran: "I found out what he used to do!!!"
Su Ruiyi: "Did you? What did he do?"
Wang Ziran: "Were you also deceived by him? He's not a rich second-generation at all! He didn't immigrate to Sworze either! Maybe Auntie was deceived by him too!"
Su Ruiyi: "No, that can't be right. My mom said he's a friend's child…"
Wang Ziran: "Not at all! He's just a bar worker!!!"
Su Ruiyi was a little unhappy.
Su Ruiyi: "He's not a worker! Don't talk nonsense!"
Wang Ziran: "Why would I lie to you! I heard it with my own ears!"
Wang Ziran told Su Ruiyi everything that had happened that day at Athena. Perhaps because he told it so convincingly, Su Ruiyi began to waver…
But she really couldn't believe that such a cool and aloof man was someone who accompanied people for meals and drinks. It was too far from her impression of him.
Su Ruiyi: "Did you hear it wrong? I don't believe what you're saying…"
Wang Ziran: "It's absolutely true! Jin Yuri told me. She also said Ou Yunchen was Athena's top bartender at the time!"
"You understand, right? You can't say it too explicitly, it's that kind of service!"
Wang Ziran deliberately exaggerated, with a hint of disdain.
Su Ruiyi: "Athena…"
Isn't that the place Aunt Hong owns? Aunt Hong and Mrs. Su have been friends for many years. She had been to Athena before, but only to deliver something for her mother.
Su Ruiyi: "Let's go to Athena!"
Wang Ziran: "What for?"
Su Ruiyi: "To verify if what you're saying is true!"