My besties planned a lavish dinner that would cost 3,600 yuan per person. But with prices that high, I was too broke to afford it, so I complained in the group chat about my financial woes: “Sigh, I have a huge mortgage payment every month. The pressure is killing me. I really can’t join you for this fancy meal. Have fun without me~” Then I quietly stepped aside, ready to fill my stomach with another bowl of cheap instant noodles.
But just then, I happened to glance at my phone and was shocked to see my friends showing off huge transfers and all kinds of dazzling luxury goods on their social media feeds. The sight stung, and bitterness and anger welled up inside me. Was friendship really this fragile? So, as I mechanically shoveled noodles into my mouth, a cold smile crept across my lips. “Hmph. Besties, sisterhood, whatever you want to call it, it’s all fake plastic nonsense. Nothing’s as real and reliable as my fragrant bowl of braised beef noodles!”
Who could have guessed that everything would take a shocking turn just one night later? Early the next morning, a sudden, urgent pounding on the door jolted me awake. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and opened it, only to find five unfamiliar men standing there, looking anxious and stern. Without any preamble, they asked, “Excuse me, was my wife with you last night? We can’t get hold of any of them! And all the money in her bank account is gone!”
Pretentious [vomit]