The Billionaire's Hidden Affection-Chapter 550 - 547: Wretched Maid, Give Up Hope 11_1

Xu Xiaoya snapped, "We can’t afford it, alright?"

"Can’t afford it? Then why browse? What a waste of time."

"For the pleasure of window-shopping, is that not permissible?"

Huang’s mother seemed not to notice their bickering, her face blooming with joy as she turned to Zhou Ting. "Zhou Ting, is there any other store you’d like to visit? Let’s keep walking ahead..."

"We have been walking around for so long, Auntie, I’m worried you might get tired."

"I’m not tired at all. I love seeing you all dressed up. Let’s go buy a few more items."

Just as Zhou Ting was about to reply, she abruptly fell silent. Following her gaze, Yan Xixi also froze. Huang Xiaojue appeared from the opposite direction, carrying several bottles of soda water. Even the squabbling Xu Xiaoya and Zhou Xiaoxuan fell silent, all eyes turning to settle on Huang Xiaojue. Huang Xiaojue’s glance swept indifferently over them all. It rested on Yan Xixi’s face for a moment before moving away. He was extraordinarily cold, ignoring her entirely as he passed the sodas to the other three.

Huang’s mother beamed at them. "Zhou Ting, have some water—it’s your favorite brand."

Zhou Ting gave a radiant smile. "Xiaojue, thanks."

Huang Xiaojue returned the smile. "Let’s go."

Huang’s mother, even more enthusiastic, said, "Zhou Ting, let Xiaojue carry your bags."

"Auntie, I couldn’t impose like that, could I?"

"What’s there to impose about? You’re wearing high heels and must be tired from walking. Son, help Zhou Ting carry those..." With swift, bustling hands, Huang’s mother took all of Zhou Ting’s shopping bags and handed them to Huang Xiaojue. "It’s perfectly natural for a boyfriend to help carry his girlfriend’s bags."

Zhou Xiaoxuan gave an apologetic smile. "Xiaojue, will this be too much trouble for you?" 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Huang Xiaojue just smiled and gazed at her. "Let’s go."

Huang’s mother said, "It’s still early. Let’s browse some more. Xiaojue, you have good taste; help Zhou Ting pick out a few more items..."

"Thanks..."

Zhou Xiaoxuan led the way ahead.

Huang Xiaojue and his group also left, laughing and chatting. Zhou Ting glanced back casually, noting that Huang Xiaojue hardly looked at Yan Xixi at all from start to finish, and Yan Xixi, for her part, also maintained a poker face. As the four of them walked away, Huang’s mother’s doting voice carried back, "Zhou Ting, walk slowly. Your feet must be hurting in those high heels. Take a break if you need..."

"Zhou Ting, come have dinner at our place with Xiaojue tomorrow. Xiaojue’s father and I have prepared a special gift for you..."

...

Only when the four of them had entered the elevator did Xu Xiaoya exhale a long, shocked breath. "My God, how could Huang Xiaojue be with her? It looks like they’ve been having an affair for a while. Xixi, I told you he was cheating on you, but you didn’t believe me."

Yan Xixi didn’t respond. Her throat felt tight. Was it because Xiaojue had never treated her this coldly before? They were now utterly like strangers, heading down separate paths.

Xu Xiaoya fumed, "Huang’s mother is such a social climber! Judging by her behavior, she’d kneel down and lick Zhou Ting’s feet if she could. Is there really any need to suck up to her like that? Is Zhou Ting really that great?"

Thankfully, there was a wall behind her; Yan Xixi leaned heavily against it to prevent her knees from buckling.

At that moment, it wasn’t jealousy or anger she felt, but a deep sorrow—

Hadn’t Zhou Ting also had seven or eight boyfriends? So why, in Huang’s mother’s eyes, was Zhou Ting treated like a princess, while she herself was seen as nothing more than a cockroach or a louse?

Only now did she fully understand Liu Daqing’s words: Why are luxury goods considered luxury? The raw materials are actually quite similar for everyone, but some people are skilled at packaging. An item costing three to five hundred yuan can be sold for ten to twenty thousand, or even more.

This was the power of branding.

Yan Xixi had lost to Zhou Ting. It wasn’t because of Wan Donglin—it was because of a crucial difference in perception. When Zhou Ting was intimate with other men, people saw it as a natural part of dating. But when Yan Xixi cohabited with a man, she was labeled as selling her body for money!

The essence was the same, the result was the same, but the packaging was different.

That was all.

So, Zhou Ting was the princess, and she was the lowly maid.

At that moment, she looked down past the railing at the escalators below. Huang Xiaojue was walking arm in arm with Zhou Ting, his other hand carrying seven or eight shopping bags. Huang’s mother was by their side, making jokes and laughing. They looked like a picture of familial bliss.

Tears welled up in her eyes. Despite their love of over ten years, Huang Xiaojue had never once treated her this way.

End of today’s installment. To be continued tomorrow.