91: Chapter 91 As expected of the woman I've chosen.

"They can't even put it on a tab?" Li Na whispered to Wang Ting, her eyes full of doubt. "Isn't Young Master Pei a member of Zhanghua Mountain Villa? How can he not even have the qualification to put it on a tab?"

Wang Ting also panicked and pulled Ruan Shu's arm. "Shushu, do you think... Young Master Pei might not be able to come up with 870,000?"

Ruan Shu was also feeling uneasy, but she couldn't back down. If Young Master Pei really couldn't afford the bill, her collection of the slot fees would become a joke!

She quickly stepped forward and raised her voice at the manager. "What do you know! It's not that Young Master Pei can't afford it; it's just that his parents have been strict lately and suspended his supplementary card! Once his parents cool off, never mind 870,000—even 8.7 million wouldn't be a problem!"

These words were like a life-saving straw. Pei Yunxiao quickly nodded. "Right! That's it! My parents are upset with me lately and suspended the card. I'll settle it with you in a couple of days!" He had used this excuse several times before, and every time Song Zhiwei would silently cover the cost for him. But now... he had no confidence, yet he could only force himself to keep up the act.

Zhao Ya also chimed in, pointing at the manager's nose. "Exactly! Young Master Pei is a high-level member of your Zhanghua Mountain Villa. What's wrong with putting it on a tab? You're just a lowly manager, don't you even understand a bit of flexibility? Believe it or not, Young Master Pei will find your boss and have you fired!"

"Exactly! If you know what's good for you, let us leave quickly, or else you'll have hell to pay!" Li Na also joined in the commotion, trying to use momentum to force the manager to yield.

The manager rolled his eyes, his tone full of mockery. "If this gentleman were truly our member, he would know that Zhanghua Mountain Villa has never allowed putting things on a tab. Members who spend at our hotel must have a minimum deposit of over 10 million on their cards—unless this gentleman is using a supplementary card, which has a spending limit of only 50,000."

Manager Liu's words were like ice picks, piercing Pei Yunxiao until he froze all over.

Li Na grabbed Wang Ting's arm, her voice extremely low, but her eyes were full of shock. "10 million? A minimum deposit of 10 million for a membership card? That's too exaggerated!"

Wang Ting's tone carried a hint of sour envy. "More than just exaggerated... that money is enough to buy three houses in my small county town. I really don't understand the world of the rich."

The two of them were so busy marveling at the membership deposit amount that they didn't take the phrase "supplementary card limit of 50,000" to heart. In their eyes, since Pei Yunxiao could afford to treat them at Zhanghua Mountain Villa, even if it was a supplementary card, he should have the ability to pay the bill.

Only Ruan Shu's heart skipped a beat, her gaze fixed on the words "supplementary card" that Manager Liu had mentioned.

She remembered what Song Zhiwei had said earlier about "fearing Young Master Pei couldn't afford the split," and then thought of the 2,500 yuan slot fee she had collected. Her back instantly broke out in a cold sweat.

If Pei Yunxiao really was using a supplementary card and couldn't afford this 870,000, then she wouldn't just be an accomplice—even her own little bit of money would go down the drain, and she might even be treated as an accomplice by Zhanghua Mountain Villa!

But she didn't dare show weakness. She could only brace herself and step forward, raising her voice at Manager Liu. "What do you know! Young Master Pei is just being low-key! His parents were afraid he'd spend money recklessly, so they temporarily limited the supplementary card's limit. Once the restriction is lifted in a couple of days, never mind 10 million—he could deposit 100 million!"

As she spoke, she turned to wink at Pei Yunxiao, hoping he would quickly pick up the thread and smooth things over.

Pei Yunxiao seemed to have grabbed a life-saving straw. His expression softened slightly, but he still didn't dare look Manager Liu in the eye, only mumbling in agreement, "Right... that's how it is. My parents are strict."

In his heart, however, he was cursing. If his parents really had that kind of money, would he still need to rely on Song Zhiwei's supplementary card to show off?

The manager wasn't buying it. A mocking smile curled at the corners of his mouth. "Mr. Pei, for primary card members of Zhanghua Mountain Villa, there is no such thing as 'parents limiting the amount'—the primary card's authority is entirely controlled by the cardholder themselves. Only supplementary cards are restricted by the primary cardholder, and the maximum daily spending for a supplementary card is indeed only 50,000."

He intentionally emphasized the words "50,000," as if deliberately slapping Pei Yunxiao in the face.

As soon as these words came out, Pei Yunxiao's face instantly turned from pale to ashen. His hand resting on the table was trembling. He wanted to defend himself, but he found his throat blocked, unable to utter a single word—Manager Liu's words had completely stripped away his last shred of dignity, leaving no room to fix the lie.

Just then, a crisp sound of footsteps came from the hallway, and Song Zhiwei walked over, leaning on Zhang Fan's arm.

She held a black primary card in her hand. The gold-stamped "Zhanghua Mountain Villa" logo on the card shimmered coldly under the lights. Her entire aura was a world apart from the little follower who used to trail behind Pei Yunxiao.

"Manager Liu, it's so lively. Did something happen?" Song Zhiwei's voice was calm but possessed an undeniable penetration, instantly drowning out the noise at the entrance of the private room.

Seeing Song Zhiwei, Manager Liu immediately dropped his mockery of Pei Yunxiao and replaced it with a respectful smile. "Miss Song, you've arrived. This gentleman spent 870,000 tonight and says he can't pay the bill, yet claims to be a member. We are currently verifying the situation."

"Miss Song?" Li Na and Wang Ting were stunned at the same time, looking at each other, both seeing the same confusion in the other's eyes.

Manager Liu didn't even know the "Pei" in Young Master Pei's name, only calling him "this gentleman," yet he addressed Song Zhiwei as "Miss Song" one after another. The difference in treatment was too vast, wasn't it?

Li Na gripped her glass, her tone full of disbelief. "No way?! That manager just called Song Zhiwei 'Miss Song,' but he couldn't even name Young Master Pei's surname—could Song Zhiwei really be that young lady?"

Wang Ting frowned as she spoke, then paused with a bit of uncertainty. "Then what about Young Master Pei's side...?"

"How is that possible!" Ruan Shu immediately interrupted, her voice rising as if to suppress that inexplicable doubt. "It's not like it's the first time Young Master Pei has taken us out to eat and drink. That Michelin restaurant we went to last time, didn't Young Master Pei pay for that too? What's there to guess blindly? It must be Song Zhiwei playing tricks behind the scenes!"

Just as she finished speaking, Song Zhiwei happened to walk up to them. Seeing Ruan Shu pointing at her, a hint of bewilderment appeared on her face as she lightly tapped her own chest. "Me?"

"It's you!" Ruan Shu acted as if she had caught her red-handed, her tone becoming even more aggressive. "You must have conspired with the hotel manager to cause trouble on purpose! She's just the daughter of a nanny; why should she be the young lady? Young Master Pei, don't you agree?" As she spoke, she deliberately turned to look at Pei Yunxiao, her eyes full of flattery.

A faint smile played at the corners of Pei Yunxiao's mouth, but there was no warmth in his eyes. He thought to himself: There's no helping it; Ruan Shu's sucking-up skills are truly top-notch.

He had almost let the cat out of the bag just now, but she was able to immediately pull the conversation back and even shift all the trouble onto Song Zhiwei—as expected of the person he had chosen back then; clever enough, and 'sensible' enough.