Jin Yuanyuan's Top-Tier Life

Jinjia Village is like a small society, full of competition yet also warmth. Jin Yuanyuan grew up here and indeed received a lot of care and warmth from her neighbors, but this is also what bothers her the most.

From small things like having to share meat with familiar neighbors when stewing meat at home, to big things like having to tell how much money you brought with you when studying abroad... all these things seem like concern, but they can actually be annoying and restrictive.

That was one of the reasons she rushed off to study abroad back then.

Now, it turns out that her old neighbors and Zhu Hongying's friends were envious of her business and did something so despicable. This was not only surprising but also infuriating. However, just as Jin Yuanyuan dialed the police, Zhu Hongying hung up, refusing to call the police no matter what.

Jin Yuanyuan was very angry, but there was nothing she could do.

Later, she had no choice but to install ten cameras, both real and fake, near the power switch and put up a sign that read "You have entered the monitored area," which finally stopped the intermittent power outages. However, she also wondered if there might be more direct acts of sabotage.

Sure enough, the lock on the warehouse door had been filled with glue again.

Jin Yuanyuan again suggested calling the police to deal with the matter, but Zhu Hongying still disagreed. She insisted that these were neighbors and that they shouldn't ruin their relationship, otherwise it would be even more difficult to get along in the future.

Watching the locksmith struggle to break the large padlock, Jin Yuanyuan was furious. She thought to herself that she had worked hard for months, and with the New Year approaching, she deserved a few days of relaxation. She decided to give up!

Wanghu Pavilion naturally welcomed her arrival, and Zhao Zhuoran even opened a bottle of wine for her, saying that his rotating manager duties in Hangzhou had ended and it would be a good opportunity to celebrate with her.

After dinner, the two discussed inviting other friends to go to a bar for a while, but Zhao Zhuoran said he would go back to his apartment to change his clothes first. Jin Yuanyuan was waiting for him downstairs.

Zhao Zhuoran's rented apartment is in a mid-to-high-end residential area. The security guard at the entrance looked down on Jin Yuanyuan because of her outfit of a hoodie and a fuchsia down jacket. He even told her to move aside so as not to block the way for other guests.

"Just a nanny, all rustic and unsophisticated," the security guard muttered.

But Jin Yuanyuan overheard this and immediately became furious, loudly questioning the security guard, "What did you say?"

"What's wrong? This is a high-end neighborhood. Look at what everyone else is wearing. You're such an eyesore here..."

The security guard was indeed tight-lipped, and Jin Yuanyuan finally couldn't hold back any longer, raising her voice loudly: "You're looking down on me! What's wrong with me? How I dress is my own business! I'm standing here in a public area; I can stand wherever I want. Have I broken the law?"

At that moment, Jin Yuanyuan suddenly realized that she actually cared a lot about what others thought. She still retained the pride she had when she worked in the fashion industry and could not tolerate any contempt or disdain.

When Zhao Zhuoran came downstairs after changing his clothes, Jin Yuanyuan was still arguing with the security guard. He pulled Jin Yuanyuan out of the apartment lobby and told her to calm down.

But Jin Yuanyuan had drunk some alcohol, and as the effects kicked in, she couldn't control herself. She said excitedly, "Why do you say I'm unfashionable? Is my outfit unfashionable? I come from Jinjiacun, I've worked in the fashion industry for so many years, I know far more than him, I even studied abroad, and I almost got my green card! Why do you say I'm unfashionable? I hate it when people call me unfashionable!"

Zhao Zhuoran looked at her and suddenly said, "Aren't you unsophisticated? Jin Yuanyuan, you need to recognize your position at all times. Here, you must abide by the rules."

"What do you mean?" Jin Yuanyuan looked at him.

"Just like at a fashion event, you should wear a business suit to show your professionalism and style. But when you're in the Jin Yaya hosiery factory, you should dress more simply, sharing the hardships and moving forward together with your workers. Now, you're here, and the people coming and going are all from the fashion industry, so your attire is indeed inappropriate. Although his words are unpleasant, if you argue with him, wouldn't that lower your own status?"

"Then how can he judge a person by their clothes?" Jin Yuanyuan frowned.

"And what about you? Would you be like that too?" Zhao Zhuoran looked at her. "Don't think that just because you've studied abroad, you're superior. You're Asian, and you're still at a disadvantage in Western society. You should know that better than anyone. Do you think you're so noble, so fashionable, or even so rich? What you need to do is recognize yourself, be yourself, and strive to become the best version of yourself, instead of arguing with these people and trying to show off your worth!"

"Because he looks down on me!"

"Don't you look down on him too? You think he's just a security guard, a doorman, right?" Zhao Zhuoran said seriously. "Everyone's world has its limitations. You can't expect them to have the same perspective as you. But because you've seen more of the world than others, you should try to understand others and be more tolerant, instead of constantly talking about human rights and calling the police. These are the most meaningless things."

"What do you mean?" Jin Yuanyuan finally snapped at Zhao Zhuoran. "Was it wrong of me to call the police? Are we just going to let them continue like this?"

"I'm not saying you should be lenient, but rather that you should be more tolerant," Zhao Zhuoran said seriously. "Mencius, a Chinese philosopher, said: 'Be kind and tolerant of others, and you will win their hearts; be strict with yourself, and you will establish your authority.' You studied history, so you should understand the meaning of this saying better than I do. Being your own boss is completely different from working for someone else. You need to win people's hearts and establish your authority to run the company successfully."

"So you mean I'm not suited to be a boss?"

"Yuanyuan, don't misunderstand me like that. You know that's not what I meant."

But Jin Yuanyuan was no longer listening to any of Zhao Zhuoran's explanations; she was filled with anger and frustration. She was indeed still in the process of transitioning into her new identity, and she needed time to recover. However, time wasn't giving her any time; it was even forcing her to transform quickly.

Once pent-up emotions erupt, they become completely uncontrollable.

Jin Yuanyuan looked at Zhao Zhuoran's excessively handsome face and thought that this person was just someone she knew. What more could she want? Ye Huanxi's boyfriend of ten years broke up with her just like that and betrayed her just like that. What could someone like Zhao Zhuoran do?

She turned and walked away before she could have a bigger emotional outburst.

She knew she was acting a little drunk, but no one knew the loneliness in her heart.