Chapter 1216: Tang Xue Borrows Money

Chapter 1216: Tang Xue Borrows Money

Su Shen had one arm draped lazily but protectively around Gu Zi’s shoulders, his tone low and gentle as he said, “Chen Yu’s been swamped lately with work in a different division, so the company’s been falling more on me. He’s off on yet another business trip, which means I have to be at the office more than I’d like. But give me a bit of time—once this period passes, I promise I’ll properly make it up to you.”

Gu Zi nodded, eyes soft with understanding. As reluctant as she was to let him go, she knew full well that if her husband didn’t work, how was she supposed to live the gloriously pampered life of a rich man’s wife? As long as he thought of her in between meetings and memos, she was content.

She walked him to the door and stood there for quite some time after he left, watching the empty path beyond their gate, her silhouette framed like a poignant painting. It was only when Su Jing noticed and worried that her sister-in-law’s legs might ache from standing too long, that she gently tugged Gu Zi back into the living room to rest.

By then, Chen Xi had already wrapped up his post-lunch cleanup duties and was lounging in the living room with the three children, all huddled in front of the TV watching cartoons with the kind of wide-eyed focus usually reserved for world leaders in press conferences.

It wasn’t until Gu Zi returned and took a seat beside them that Chen Xi suddenly seemed to remember something important. He turned toward her with mock indignation and said, “Gu Zi, do you know how desperately I’ve been waiting for you to come back? While you were away, Tang Xue kept pestering me about you—I was seriously on the verge of losing it. I had no idea you and she were such good friends!”

He had clearly let go of whatever puppy-dog affection he once had for Tang Xue and, with it, the emotional investment. But recently, Tang Xue had been appearing like clockwork, asking him a whole lot of absolutely irrelevant questions. Honestly, if she weren’t Gu Zi’s roommate, he would’ve started actively dodging her.

Gu Zi, however, didn’t seem the least bit surprised. Now that Chen Xi was no longer the one pursuing, Tang Xue must have sensed it and panicked. Claiming she was looking for Gu Zi was just her excuse to hang around Chen Xi. Poor boy still believed they were on great terms.

She peeled a sugar mandarin, popped a sweet, juicy wedge into her mouth, and replied nonchalantly, “We’re just regular roommates. Why’s she so eager to find me anyway?”

Chen Xi hesitated for a second, then shrugged. “She actually tried borrowing money from me. But you know, I’ve had a lot of expenses lately. I just bought a motorbike, and the modifications alone cost a small fortune. So, no, I didn’t have money to lend her. And I was upfront about it. But get this—she didn’t ask for a small amount. She wanted five thousand yuan! I mean, where am I supposed to find that kind of cash lying around? I figured she’s probably planning to ask you next.”

Gu Zi raised a brow. Given her not-so-close relationship with Tang Xue and the girl’s rather opportunistic tendencies, Gu Zi wouldn’t have considered lending her a cent. Still, curiosity got the better of her. “Her family pays her tuition, doesn’t it? And isn’t she working a part-time job too? What does she need the money for?”

“She said she wants to start a business,” Chen Xi replied. “Actually, you probably haven’t heard—there’s this whole entrepreneurship trend at our school right now. Lots of students are starting their own little ventures. Tang Xue’s got a project going where she resells luxury skincare products. She claims her supply comes from a coastal port city—Gangcheng, I think—and she flips the products to classmates for a profit. It’s actually not a bad idea.”

He leaned back a bit, speaking more thoughtfully now. “To be honest, we’ve been classmates for years. If I could help, I really would. But I’m kind of strapped right now. It’s not like I’ve got no pocket money at all, but I’m definitely not about to hand over my last few coins, you know? Oh—and get this, she gave me one of the hand creams from the brand she’s reselling. But come on, I’m a guy. What do I need hand cream for? Gu Zi, here—you can have it.”

He pulled a small tube from his jacket pocket like a magician revealing a treasure. Gu Zi took it and examined the label. Sure enough, it bore the logo of a luxury brand—the exact same one she used. Her own supply was personally brought back by Su Shen, who had gotten it through a friend with connections, and even then, it wasn’t easy to find.

So, if Tang Xue was reselling this stuff, she must be buying in serious bulk. And asking to borrow five thousand yuan? That had to be for stock purchases. But that figure didn’t add up. Gu Zi quickly did the mental math and frowned. “Where did she find a supplier? Her prices sound way lower than market.”

Chen Xi laughed. “Right? That’s what she told me! Said her stuff is even cheaper than the official distributors’. If you’re ever thinking about starting a little side hustle, you should totally ask her. Maybe she’ll give you the supplier’s info.”

But instead of being tempted, Gu Zi felt a gnawing suspicion. She unscrewed the cap of the hand cream and squeezed a small dollop onto the back of her hand. As she rubbed it in, her frown deepened.

The texture was all wrong—thick and greasy. The real product was famous for its featherlight, non-greasy formula that hydrated without stickiness and boasted a silky finish. This? This was the cosmetic equivalent of cooking oil.

Whatever this was, it wasn’t authentic. It might not even be safe. Use too much of it, and it’d clog your pores until you broke out like a teenager with a sugar addiction. Slathering it on your hands might leave you with a rash. Put it on your face? You might as well light your skin on fire.

Gu Zi narrowed her eyes. Was Tang Xue even aware her products were fakes? If not, she was unwittingly scamming her classmates. But if she was aware—well, then that was a whole different level of dangerous. This wasn’t just business anymore. This was playing with people’s skin—and their trust.

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