Chapter Sixty-Two: Annoyance

"And who might this be?" The man, though handsome, wore a cold expression as he sized up Mo Shu from head to toe, directing his inquiry to Liu Ting.

"Let me introduce you two. This is Mo Shu, my high school classmate, and this is Roger, my fiancé," Liu Ting said to each in turn.

Roger—Mo Shu couldn't tell if it was a Chinese name or a foreign one. He recalled the Chinese surname Luo, but also remembered that in Germany, Sweden, and Austria, many foreigners went by the name Roger. Even in anime, there were a few characters called Roger.

"Oh, so it's him," Roger's face darkened further. Clearly, he must have heard something about Mo Shu and Liu Ting's past.

"Oh? You know me?" Mo Shu shot back with a cold retort. He had intended to be polite, but Roger's inexplicable aloofness was already grating on his nerves.

"Liu Ting mentioned you to me. She said you were very close friends in high school. I always thought you'd be a man of some distinction, but seeing you now, you seem quite ordinary." Roger's words went too far. He must have known about the old romance between Mo Shu and Liu Ting—his heavy-handed hostility was a blatant attempt to establish dominance.

Ordinary? Me? You think you're special? Your whole family is special, eh? Show me what makes you so special!

"By the way, I overheard Ting asking about your job earlier. What exactly do you do? You're not an illegal immigrant, are you? Haha!" Roger tried to disguise his mockery as a joke, but his tone was all wrong—it sounded more like an insult. If not for Liu Ting's presence, Mo Shu might have already slapped him.

"Liu Ting, I currently make my living by driving cars," Mo Shu replied, forcing himself to hold back his temper for Liu Ting's sake.

"Oh, as long as you have a job," Liu Ting answered, though her eyes betrayed a hint of disappointment.

Driving cars for a living? Most people would immediately think of a chauffeur. In some eyes, service jobs carry little social status. Liu Ting was no exception. She had expected that for Mo Shu to be on business in Switzerland, he must hold a very respectable position. Her disappointment now had an explanation.

"A driver? Really? Liu Ting, your taste is something else. Looks like you've scored big with me—an insurance company director." Roger's tactless boasting made Mo Shu dislike him all the more.

"So what if he's a driver? Many drivers provide warm and attentive service to their clients and earn plenty of respect! Liu Ting, if you'll excuse me, I'll head back to my room. Perhaps we'll meet again if fate allows." With those words, Mo Shu felt a twinge of regret. Why was he stooping to the level of this self-important fool? It was undignified.

He turned to leave, annoyed that his rare moment of peace had been ruined by such a conceited man.

"Wait!" Liu Ting called after him, trying to stop him.

"It's been so long since we last met. If you have time while you're in Switzerland, let me treat you to a meal," Liu Ting invited. "Will you still be here next week? Leave me your contact."

"I should be here next week, but really, Liu Ting, you don't need to trouble yourself, because..." As Mo Shu took out his phone to pull up his WeChat QR code, he was already thinking of how to politely decline. After all, he now belonged to Miss Wang Yining.

"Next week won't do! You promised to go see the ERC opening round with me!" Roger interrupted again, his tone full of irritation.

Mo Shu was exasperated. He glared fiercely at Roger. You want to watch my race? Are you even worthy?

"Ting, don't glare at me. You know I've watched the ERC every year. I heard this year some so-called Divine Racing Team from China is participating. I have to be there!" Roger said, as if he were a devoted motorsports fan.

Could he really be a fan of Divine Racing? Mo Shu felt disgusted.

"You like the Divine Racing Team?" The question slipped out before Mo Shu could check himself, perhaps out of curiosity about how others saw the team.

"Like them? Don't make me laugh," Roger snorted. "Chinese motorsports has only been around a few years. I'm just here to watch them get wiped out!"

Mo Shu had had enough. How did someone like Roger become an insurance company director—by sucking up to the right people?

Seething, Mo Shu turned and strode toward his room, but halfway there, he couldn't resist looking back and sneering, "Liu Ting, is your fiancé of Chinese descent? Does he carry the blood of Chinese ancestors? Is his surname Luo, or is his name really Roger? Why does he seem to look down on Chinese people at every turn?"

Roger cut in, "Are you kidding? I'm a full-blooded Swiss citizen. My full name is Roger Karimo—a thoroughly Central European name."

Mo Shu sneered again. Ridiculous.

He heard Roger still babbling to Liu Ting behind him: "Is he accusing me of forgetting my roots? Tell him I have a Chinese name too—Gao Jianren."

Mo Shu nearly burst out laughing. He raised his thumb in mock praise as he backed away: "Great name! Really fitting!"

...

Back upstairs, Mo Shu knocked lightly on Wang Yining's door, but there was no response. She must have already gone to bed.

He had no choice but to return to his own room, take a hot shower, towel off his hair, and stretch out idly on the bed.

Ding-dong~

Mo Shu perked up, thinking it might be that long-absent system assistant, but after a while realized it was just his phone.

He unlocked it and saw a message waiting for him.

"Mo Shu, I'm so sorry about today. Roger isn't usually like that. He must have gotten jealous seeing you. Please don't take it to heart," Liu Ting had messaged her apology.

"It's fine. Your fiancé just seems to look down on people."

"Sigh..."

"Sorry, I shouldn't have commented on your fiancé."

"Sigh, that's not what I meant. It's just, Mo Shu, you have to understand, that's the way the world is. With wealth and status comes more dignity."

"Is that so? I don't think so. For example, at my company, everyone treats the cleaning lady at the door with respect. I never thought she lacked dignity compared to anyone else," Mo Shu replied, unwilling to agree.

"That's why I've always said you're a truly good and kind person, just..."

"Just what?"

"Never mind..."

"It's alright, Liu Ting, just say it."

"Don't be upset, but... sometimes you don't seem very ambitious."

Mo Shu stared at the screen, and in that moment, it all became clear—their old romance, that long conversation between Liu Ting and her parents.

He composed himself and quickly typed,

"So that's what you always thought of me?"

"Yes. If only you had studied a bit harder back then, gotten better grades, or had a slightly better background... Maybe... you know."