"Did you receive the gift?"
“I’ve already shown them.”
Sure enough, some sycophants told the story;
“That Suzhou-style jade three-legged stove is truly a treasure. Mr. Jin plans to place it in Fengmanlou.”
"A three-legged stove?" Shi Zhongming added fuel to the fire: "Is this an implication that Mr. Jin shouldn't be a mediocre person?"
"Which man isn't a 'three-legged cat' (meaning someone who is only partially capable of understanding things)?" Duan Pingting said with a stern laugh.
The conversation revolved around the pleasures of men and women. It was a delicate balance of conflict and subtle allure. No one else could utter a word. Only Li Shengtian, Tang Huaiyu, and Wei Jinbao remained uneasy, all of them guests. Huaiyu hadn't expected Shanghai women to be like this. "Such a beautiful young woman…," he gazed intently at Duan Pingting. Perhaps her sorrow was becoming more apparent; her thick eyelashes and glossy eyeliner seemed to be trying to conceal it all. He casually changed the subject, surprisingly taking it seriously:
What have you been busy with lately?
Jin Xiaofeng's eyes, like those of a beast, held a burning, almost painful majesty. No matter how upright his answer was, it still made the woman's heart tremble: "Money!"
"How can you never be satisfied?"
"With money and no connections, of course one is never satisfied."
But if you have money, why worry about not having people?
Every economist says that land prices worldwide, in any country or region, always rise and never fall. This is because there's only so much land available; land can only grow money, but money can't grow land.
Jin Xiaofeng's "entertainment business" is just one aspect of his business. His main businesses are in real estate, banking, entertainment, and a night market stock exchange. He was the one who wanted to become an apprentice last time. After a period of back and forth with them, he accepted the apprentice and took over the business.
The city's stock exchange only trades in the morning, but now that Le World is open until 7 PM, won't those who want to make a fortune through speculation flock here? Buying and selling morning and night, amidst the rise and fall, some will go bankrupt, while others will become incredibly wealthy—all will be caught in Mr. Jin's calculations, rolling in his palm.
Jin Xiaofeng grasped Duan Pingting's hand, surprised.
"Where is that purple jade ring?"
"Too small, I won't wear it."
Jin gave her a meaningful look, took out a small brocade box from his pocket, and opened it with a snap. The woman was a little surprised, but acted as if nothing had happened.
"A three-carat diamond, that's not small, is it?"
"Oh, it's too tight—"
Mr. Jin whispered something in her ear, but Miss Duan didn't react much, only saying:
"It's too tight."
She said to him, "It's my fault, my fingers have gotten fat."
"Hahaha!" Jin Xiaofeng laughed wildly: "Beautiful people are especially easy to forgive when they do something wrong."
As everyone pondered his meaning, Duan Pingting couldn't help but glare at him:
"What did I do wrong? You're not even allowed to have your fingers get fat?"
As she spoke, she forcefully pushed the man's hand away from under the table.
Jin Xiaofeng chose this evening to demonstrate his skills. Still feeling unsatisfied, he addressed Huaiyu, who had been silent for a long time and sat opposite him, filled with mixed emotions:
"Mr. Tang, you see, if one gets involved in extramarital affairs, I wonder if it will affect one's luck in life?"
Huaiyu simply smiled indifferently and remained silent.
Duan Pingting became inexplicably angry:
"I'm leaving."
Miss Duan was driven in a Stessinker sedan.
It's called "sending off," but it's actually "receiving."
We went straight to Mr. Jin's mansion on Juliusda Road in the French Concession.
She understood all too well:
Jin Xiaofeng wanted her; she was Xi Shi in his eyes, the apple of his eye, the pearl in his palm, a jade sculpture in a glass cabinet—but she couldn't keep him in suspense for too long.
He understood all too well:
Even a steadfast woman cannot endure long-term defiance, let alone a woman who is not steadfast enough. — There are indeed unyielding women in the world, but it is too difficult! They usually succumb to money, lavish gifts, vanity, or even sweet words... Are there really any unyielding women in the world?
Under the influence of smoke and alcohol, people are always absurd and inconsiderate. His hair was already mixed with gray, and his body, which still retained the scent of sake, was unimaginable to touch.
There was no time to think it through; Duan Pingting's black lace cheongsam slipped from her shoulders and fell to the ground.
How long should we hold out? Since he chose tonight, let's do it tonight.
This day would come eventually, sooner or later, and she did it willingly. A swift and decisive move.
Falling into depravity was exhilarating, especially when done willingly. She felt no resentment, never complained. She even felt a sense of pleasure; she was a "happy movie star." If she weren't who she is today, who knows where she would have ended up? Her family sold salt; she had ten children, seven of whom died young, leaving two boys and one girl. She was a little girl who survived the May 30th Massacre. She was content.
"Grain Buds! Grain Buds!"
—Strangely enough, she heard the man on top of her calling out another name during this tense moment. He was drunk, his eyes filled with alcohol, so close, roaring as he grabbed her hair and forced her face toward him. She was pulled back, unable to move.
He had to look at her, so intensely and resentfully, so greedily, fixated on her expression, which was indistinguishable between pain and pleasure. In that moment, he knew that the woman loved him most—both physically and psychologically.
He violently convulsed and cried out:
"Xiaoman!"