readbooksol Chapter 198: Cheap Imitator
Chapter 198: Cheap Imitator
Yuan Zhihe had been thoroughly brainwashed, her mind filled with the narrative of Shanshan’s ingratitude.
She was convinced that Cao Daqiang was the victim, and Shanshan was the ungrateful wretch who never knew how to be thankful as a child and turned her back on her own family as an adult.
"Who gave you the right to stand here and gossip about my daughter?"
The words had barely left her mouth when Ling Anxun appeared in the doorway.
He was wearing a crisply tailored black trench coat.
The hallway light fell on his face, illuminating his calm yet oppressively intense gaze.
The moment Shanshan saw him, her eyes lit up.
She immediately looped her arm through Ling Anxun’s, pressing close to his side.
The sight of him made Yuan Zhihe freeze on the spot.
She had long heard that Ling Xueshan’s father was handsome, but she had never run into him before. She hadn’t expected to see him in person today.
The rumors weren’t an exaggeration; if anything, they were an understatement.
Seeing him face-to-face, she almost regretted choosing Cao Daqiang.
’That little bit of self-righteous confidence I had just deflated like a popped balloon in front of Ling Anxun.’
Knowing she was in a bad spot, Yuan Zhihe didn’t wait for any snide remarks. She simply turned on her heel and walked away.
She didn’t want to stay a moment longer; even another glance felt like torture.
Seeing this, Cao Daqiang didn’t dare hesitate and bolted after her to calm her down.
"Wait, just listen to me for a second!" he yelled as he ran.
His voice was filled with anxiety, terrified their relationship would fall apart just like that.
"What’s wrong? Were they rude to you?"
Ling Anxun stood his ground, staring at the two figures as they hurried away.
"Who bullied me? I’m the one who just taught them a lesson."
Shanshan grinned, linking her arm with his again and pulling him outside.
As they walked, she recounted everything that had just happened from start to finish.
After that, Yuan Zhihe laid low for quite a while and didn’t come looking for trouble again.
No phone calls, no appearances—it was as if she had completely vanished from their lives.
When neighbors occasionally brought her up, they would just shake their heads and say they hadn’t seen her recently.
But before long, Shanshan ran into an old acquaintance at school.
The person was standing on the steps in front of a classroom building, holding a designer bag and wearing high heels. Her entire outfit was exceptionally conspicuous.
"Cao Jiajia? What are you doing here?"
Shanshan couldn’t help but frown as she looked at the other girl’s flashy, glamorous outfit, which was covered in the logos of luxury brands.
The Cao Jiajia of the past had never been this ostentatious.
’Didn’t the rich kid she was leeching off of dump her a long time ago?’
’Cao Daqiang is too busy juggling several women to have any time for her, right?’
The whole affair was a hot topic in their social circle. Everyone said she was dropped so completely that she didn’t even get a cent in severance pay.
"Why can’t I be here? Do you own this school or something? Or do I just belong on the street sweeping gutters?"
Cao Jiajia’s mouth was foul from the get-go, finally venting the frustration she’d been holding in for so long.
"I’m different now. Most people couldn’t even dream of affording this outfit. Not like you, still wearing something you probably stitched together yourself, right? It’s tacky as hell."
"Oh, really? Are you nearsighted and forgot your glasses?"
Her senior pulled Shanshan behind her and immediately fired back.
She was tall, and just by standing there, she blocked Cao Jiajia’s view, her tone completely unapologetic.
"This was custom-made for her by a top designer. Her socks are worth more than you are. So if you don’t know what you’re talking about, stop running your mouth. You’re making a fool of yourself and don’t even realize it."
Cao Jiajia’s expression instantly soured.
She had always thought Shanshan was just some ordinary country girl who dressed tackily and used unremarkable things.
A few students nearby leaned in for a closer look and began whispering among themselves.
Someone recognized it as a certain overseas bespoke brand. Although it had no obvious logo, people in the industry knew that such understated designs were their signature style.
Cao Jiajia’s stomach churned. She had deliberately worn a newly bought limited-edition dress and put on exquisite makeup today, but in the end, she was the one who looked like a cheap imitation.
’To me, Shanshan’s clothes looked completely unremarkable. Who would have thought she was secretly burning so much money?’
’Just a few days ago, I saw her in the cafeteria eating the cheapest set meal—a bowl of rice and two vegetable dishes was all she had.’
At the time, she had secretly mocked Shanshan for being a cheapskate, unwilling to spend money on her appearance.
Thinking about it now, she realized the girl didn’t need external things to keep up appearances at all.
The more the surrounding gazes shifted toward Shanshan, the more her own face burned with humiliation.
But she had finally gotten a rare chance to hold her head high in front of others, and she didn’t want to back down so easily.
This semester, she had gone to great lengths to get into the lab’s core group, using her connections to get in with Yuan Zhihe.
She had been waiting for this very opportunity to put Shanshan down in front of everyone.
She couldn’t just admit defeat, and she certainly couldn’t lower her head and walk away with so many eyes on her.
If she backed down now, people would only look down on her more in the future.
She gritted her teeth, straightened her back, and forced herself to stand her ground.
"Hah, who are you trying to fool? There isn’t even a brand name on the clothes. Who knows if it’s really custom-made? For all we know, it’s just some old rags the maid altered."
A girl next to them couldn’t help but retort, "What do you know? Real haute couture doesn’t just slap logos all over the place."
Another guy chimed in, "Exactly. Have you ever seen a major brand sew a label onto a private custom order?"
Cao Jiajia’s face flushed then paled, but she didn’t dare say another word.
In reality, she couldn’t tell the difference between ready-to-wear and custom-made at all; she was just arguing illogically based on some vague concept she had in her head.
But the more she did this, the more she came off as someone completely unsophisticated.
She wanted to keep pestering her, but Shanshan had grown annoyed.
She looked up and glanced at Cao Jiajia, her gaze so calm it was unsettling.
"Alright, that’s enough. I don’t have time to waste with you comparing who’s dressed better. But looking at you now, you must have broken up with that Brother Kang, right? Since you’re broken up, you should just live your life quietly."
She spoke as she stood up.
Her voice wasn’t loud, but every word was crystal clear.
The few people around them subconsciously held their breath.
There had long been rumors circulating around school about Cao Jiajia and Brother Kang.
It was said that when they were together, they spent money like water, staying in fancy hotels and driving luxury cars. Later, they had a falling out over money, and Brother Kang simply blocked her and disappeared.
Cao Jiajia had an emotional breakdown at one point and took a week off from classes.
Everyone knew about these things, but no one dared to bring them up to her face.
Now, Shanshan had mentioned it so casually, as if poking a hidden wound.
"Don’t mess with me. Otherwise, if I accidentally let something slip one day, I’m afraid you’ll lose your meal ticket, no matter who’s funding you right now."
With that said, Shanshan picked up her bag and walked away.
But those words struck Cao Jiajia’s ears like an icicle piercing her heart.
She opened her mouth but couldn’t make a sound.
She suddenly remembered the scene from a few days ago when she ran into Brother Kang in the hallway.
He had been wearing a brand-new suit with an unfamiliar woman by his side. When he saw her, he pretended not to know her and quickly walked away.
In that moment, she knew her days of glory were truly over.
"You—!"
Cao Jiajia’s heart clenched violently.
A ringing filled her ears as flashes of those bleak days appeared before her eyes.
She could even smell the damp, musty odor of that rented room and feel the cold night wind seeping through the window cracks, so cold it made the blankets stiff.