Capítulo 19: A Challenge To A Miser

October 27, 20XX (Saturday)

Sheng Palace Restaurant

"By the way, You can ride on their jet to Italy. They'll be going tomorrow, it might be a bit earlier than plan, but it saves me time since I need to be back to the capital at the same time." Yang said carefully cutting the steak in his plate. Curse his elegant fingers that made Mei Li want to paint the scene into a canvass.

Mei Li raised her brows, "I can book a flight for myself, you know."

Ru Shi jumped with excitement, seeing an opportunity to know more of this exciting woman and be closer to Miss M at the same time, "No please, we must go together!"

"But-"

Ru Shi's smile blinded Mei Li's eyes, "I insist. I'm curious about the processes… I've always come on the events but never seen what's behind the scene."

Yang mumbled before eating the food in his fork, "… and you want to see the paintings first."

"Also that, but she doesn't need to know that." Ru Shi rudely pointed her fork towards Yang, teasingly smirking at Mei Li.

Mei Li giggled softly, "Alright… since you insist."

"Only because I insisted and not because you find my company appealing?"

"It is certainly more appealing than CEO Zhao's."

Alexandre and Yang sighed in unison. They shouldn't have introduced these two women to each other. Both were equally capable of wielding their weaknesses.

"… and here," Yang told gave her a card with her name on the bottom right.

Her jaw dropped as she stuttered in surprise, "why, why is my na-name in this card?"

In her hands was the well-known exclusive credit card with no preset spending limit, dubbed as 'The Black Card.' She knows she doesn't have the means to be invited to have this card nor the necessary qualifications, to see her name on the card made her worry if she could even afford to pay for it.

"Mom wants my credit card so she can shop in Italy, she'll probably also use it to pay for your paintings. Since I can't go to Italy with you two, I can't give my card for security purposes. Imagine if the sales attendant asks you to present your ID or worse sign the receipt."

Although Yang's reasons were valid, Mei Li still huff with her ears turning red in anger, "But I can't afford this! Why not put Mother Zhao's name here instead? When did you have this made?!"

"Relax… it's not connected to your bank account; it's connected to mine. It's my card just with your name on it. Whatever you buy, I pay… I also get notified with every purchase."

Yang's relaxed reply made the painter angrier, "You trust me, a stranger, with this?!"

Mei Li ignored the way Alexandre and Ru Shi snorted at her emphasis with the word stranger.

Yang gulped his juice, he would have loved to order wine but refrained because of the painter, before replying with a shrug, "I trust you, a miser, more than my mother, a proven shopaholic."

"I may hoard money, but that's because it's my money… this, this…" Mei Li showed the card while pointing at it with her finger, rudely taping it with every word, "this is your money!"

"I don't see why you're so stressed about this… Even if you do take advantage of that card, it only depends if I let you. Remember, I get notified every time you use it." Yang shrugged carelessly. "It's not like you can bankrupt me."

"I can't bankrupt you, but I can buy ten pairs of Louboutin with this! Imagine the cost of that!" For a Miser, that would hurt her most but to a CEO with companies that also existed internationally, that was pocket change.

"or a whole collection of Hermes bag, that's what I usually do." Ru Shi crudely interjected without care.

"or a three canvas painting made by a famous painter named Miss M." Alexandre taunted Mei Li, referencing their card being swiped to buy the paintings she had created.

"Mom bought a yacht with a card I gave her… Buying only Louboutin will not faze me. You need to add more zeros to your threats."

Mei Li's eyes narrowed, her annoyance still evident in her face as she seethed, "Is that a dare?"

"You can take it as a challenge if you want…" Yang like the way her face flush in repulsion at his indifference with Money, as expected of a Miser.

"You have to buy two stores worth of Louboutin for him to flinch a little bit," Alexandre snorted knowing how much Mother Zhao had given Yang headaches with her obsessions.

Ru Shi laughed unrestrained as Mei Li grumbled, "…Rich bastards without common sense."

They continued to eat with Mei Li scrawling every time Yang taunted her ability to spend as she was a proven opposite to Mother Zhao in his eyes while the husband and wife duo were merely watching and quipping small talk and replies when they had too. They felt that Yang and Mei Li's interaction was much interesting than their 5-star food.

The dinner ended with Ru Shi and Mei Li exchanging contact information.

Yang's handkerchief in Mei Li's pocket felt like it was a ton heavier, she had felt like a thief when she snatched it from Yang's hands, promising to buy him another to use instead to what she had cried on.

The CEO grinned in secrecy to himself; he already knows that Mei Li would try to use the card but would give up halfway. He's already fated to win this challenge so he needs to give his mother another card so they can enjoy themselves.

Yang wished that Mei Li could be like him a little, take advantage of people, but then again she wouldn't be herself if she did.

He looked at the woman beside him, still fuming as they went home. Yang still thinks she's beautiful even if she is a miser.