Volume 1, Chapter 39: Ye Bing’s Treat, as a Gesture of Gratitude!

Seven hundred thousand! It was a transfer from the Godfather, likely part of the commission from his last mission. A smile spread across Su Ming's face as he looked at the funds; his sister's tuition was finally settled.

Half an hour later, Su Ming was dropped off in front of a villa in the Tianhai residential complex.

"Get out," Ye Bing said, her tone filled with resentment. She was still bitter that his arrival had caused her best friend, Ruoxue, to suffer. "This is Ruoxue's home. Her parents are away on a trip and won't be back until tomorrow. Go inside, but don't touch anything. If you break something, you can't afford to pay for it."

"If you talked a little less, you'd be quite beautiful," Su Ming replied as he opened the door and stepped out.

"Stop right there!" Ye Bing suddenly pushed open her door and chased after him. Just as Su Ming felt a wave of impatience, expecting another lecture, she asked, "That prescription you gave me last time—did you really write it?"

Su Ming was surprised by her change in tone. "Who else?" he replied calmly.

"I never realized you knew medicine. Regardless, you helped me, so thank you. Let me buy you a meal sometime," she offered.

"I have time now, and I'm hungry," Su Ming said with a grin.

"You really don't stand on ceremony, do you?" she sighed. "Fine, get in the car."

She had never met a man as blunt as Su Ming; he had actually taken her polite offer seriously. But considering he was knowledgeable in medicine and had helped her, she figured a meal wouldn't hurt. They drove off together, and half an hour later, they arrived at a Michelin-starred restaurant.

Two waiters hurried over as they entered. "Ms. Ye, your table is ready. Please, this way."

Ye Bing nodded and led Su Ming to a window seat. "Order whatever you like. I'm going to the restroom. Don't be shy; I have plenty of money," she said with a haughty toss of her head before walking away.

A waiter approached with a smile. "Sir, here is the menu."

"Steak. Give me the Kobe," Su Ming said. "For wine, bring me a bottle from the Lafite estate—the older the vintage, the better. Bring your signature bottle. Also, start me off with some pasta and a king crab."

The waiter froze. While the restaurant catered to the elite, it was rare to see someone order a king crab as an appetizer. A flicker of disdain crossed the waiter's eyes, though he masked it quickly. "Very well, sir. Please wait a moment."

As Su Ming idled on his phone, a gust of perfume hit him, and a woman stood before him. She had short hair, wore a designer suit, and carried an LV bag. Her heavy makeup gave her a gaudy, worldly appearance.

"Su Ming? You're actually out?" she exclaimed, her voice dripping with surprise.

"Yeah. Good behavior. Released early," Su Ming replied coldly, having no desire to engage. This was Chen Huilan, his stepmother's niece—a petty, snobbish woman who had once hired thugs to threaten his stepmother during a dispute over a family property.

"Well, since you're out, let's talk about the old house," Chen Huilan said, plopping down into a chair and crossing her legs. "Yingying is just a girl, and you have no blood relation to the Su family, so the house should be managed by us. We'll look after her."

Su Ming let out a cold laugh. "No need. You didn't do much looking after her in the years I was gone. As for the house, forget it."

"Don't push your luck, Su Ming. You don't get to decide this," she snapped. "I'll be filing a claim for the house. As for you, an ex-convict, you'd better figure out how to survive in this society." She waved over the waiter who had served Su Ming earlier. "Tell me, this is a high-end restaurant—why are you serving an ex-convict?"

The waiter's expression shifted. "Ms. Chen, how can I help you?"

"Our company sponsors this place for all our team-building and celebratory events," Chen Huilan continued loudly. "If this jailbird is allowed to sit here, we won't be coming back. It’s bad luck."

The surrounding diners began to whisper, and some even requested their checks to leave. The waiter turned to Su Ming, his tone now stern. "Sir, I apologize, but for the reputation of our establishment, I must ask you to leave."

Su Ming stood up slowly, uninterested in arguing.

"Sir, please settle the bill before you go," the waiter added.

"I haven't eaten anything. Why would I pay?" Su Ming replied.

"The order you placed is already prepared. Because you concealed your background, this is your responsibility," the waiter retorted.

"And if I refuse to pay?"

"Su Ming, can't you afford it? Why put on such an act?" Chen Huilan sneered. "Is this really a place for someone like you?"

"Sir, this is your first warning," the waiter said, emboldened by the situation.

Su Ming remained calm and fearless. Just then, Ye Bing returned from the restroom. Seeing the crowd and noticing the stranger sitting in her seat, her expression turned icy.

"What is going on here?" she demanded.