This towering Ferris wheel, known as the High Roller, holds the record as the world's tallest. In just over ten minutes, it ascends to the height of a fifty-story building, offering a panoramic view of Las Vegas.
The hours around sunset and after nightfall draw the largest crowds, with couples frequently choosing this spot for marriage proposals. After all, Ferris wheels are inherently tied to notions of romance.
Zhong Ziyan leaned against the observation glass, nibbling on a white grape as she took in the scenery, though no romantic sentiments stirred within her.
From such a lofty vantage point, the sprawling cityscape below inevitably evoked a fleeting sense of grandeur—the illusion that the world lay at one's feet. But that feeling was reserved for ordinary people who couldn’t fly.
She glanced at Wei Hanyun beside her, noting his focused expression, and couldn’t resist asking, "How’s the view?"
Wei Hanyun gazed out the window. "Skyscrapers, streams of cars and people, neon lights and bustling noise—prosperous cityscapes all look the same."
Zhong Ziyan: "...But you’re staring so intently?"
"But it depends on who chose the scenery. And..." Wei Hanyun turned to face her, leaning against the glass, "this is my first time on a Ferris wheel."
"Of course. Your time is precious, and a single ride takes over half an hour," Zhong Ziyan acknowledged.
With Wei Hanyun’s approval, even the blazing sun overhead seemed a little more endearing to her.
The Ferris wheel slowly climbed to its peak before descending just as smoothly on the other side. Aside from the breathtaking views outside, the half-hour passed uneventfully.
...Except for the $100,000 private booking fee.
Zhong Ziyan had planned dinner next, but the Ferris wheel ride ended earlier than expected, making it too soon to head to the restaurant.
"How about buying souvenirs? They’d appreciate it," Wei Hanyun suggested.
Only then did Zhong Ziyan remember the extended family she’d temporarily acquired through their contractual marriage. Even limiting the list to close relatives still meant a substantial shopping spree.
She recalled the mountain of gifts she’d brought when visiting the Wei family in Yan Capital and glanced at Wei Hanyun again. "Who’s picking?"
"We’ll choose together, with your preference as the priority," Wei Hanyun said amiably. "After all, you’re paying."
Zhong Ziyan... Zhong Ziyan wasn’t entirely confident in her own taste.
Even though Las Vegas was dotted with luxury boutiques from top-tier brands, ever since seeing handbags priced at over a million, she no longer considered items costing tens of thousands as true luxuries.
—To ordinary people, they might be. But to the Wei family, they were likely just everyday items.
And Zhong Ziyan had already been corrupted by the Wei family’s perspective on money.
A bag for tens of thousands, a bottle of wine for tens of thousands, a hotel suite for tens of thousands per night—all of these were now just "a mere" tens of thousands to her.
Before leaving the Ferris wheel, Zhong Ziyan plucked a single rose from the bouquet and handed it to Wei Hanyun.
—There were so many roses; sharing was only fair. She thought with a hint of mischief.
Wei Hanyun raised an eyebrow as he accepted it, spinning the red rose deftly between his fingers. The flower, typically a gift from men to women, didn’t look the least bit effeminate in his grasp—instead, it became a subtle accent to his composed demeanor.
"You’re giving this to me?" Wei Hanyun asked. "I can do whatever I want with it?"
Zhong Ziyan nodded. "Toss it if you like."
Wei Hanyun smiled, then signaled a bodyguard, handed him the rose, and murmured a few instructions. The bodyguard accepted the flower with both hands and departed.
Zhong Ziyan: "..." Was all that really necessary just to discard a rose?
Next came the shopping spree inside the mall.
Since arriving in this world, Zhong Ziyan had certainly visited ordinary shopping centers—she’d once wandered through a food court.
As for luxury shopping... she had indulged before, most notably with the twenty perfume gift sets.
But most of her purchases had been made in places the average person never set foot in.
With that in mind, she turned to Wei Hanyun and asked, "Have you ever been to a mall like this?"
Wei Hanyun answered honestly: "No."
Zhong Ziyan felt a sudden sense of responsibility. "I’ll show you around." Let me introduce you to the lives of ordinary people in this world!
She pulled Wei Hanyun straight into the nearest Fendi store, where a row of the latest handbags sat on display near the entrance, each adorned with fluffy pom-poms that looked irresistibly cute.
Zhong Ziyan reached out to squeeze one of the pom-poms—the texture was wonderfully soft. "Let’s get these for Shen Beibei and the others. The other girls couldn’t make it to the wedding."
Wei Hanyun nodded. "Fine."
"How much for one?" Zhong Ziyan asked the smiling sales associate.
"This is our latest runway piece, priced at just $1,980," the associate replied warmly.
Zhong Ziyan did a quick conversion in her head—¥13,000 per bag. What a bargain...
Zhong Ziyan: "..." I really have been corrupted by the Wei family. This is anything but ordinary.
—She had originally intended to show Wei Hanyun how regular people lived!
"The most popular colors are this ivory and baby blue," the associate continued. "The design is playful, perfect for everyday wear with different outfits. And even if it gets scratched, it won’t feel like a loss."
Zhong Ziyan: "..." I’d definitely feel the loss!
"Don’t like it anymore?" Wei Hanyun asked, looking genuinely puzzled.
"...We’ll take them. Both colors." Zhong Ziyan surrendered. She tallied the number of people on her list. "Three of each."
The associate guided her to the checkout, then helpfully added, "We can deliver these directly to your hotel room to save you the hassle of carrying them. May I have your hotel name and room number?"
Zhong Ziyan couldn’t recall, but before she could turn to Wei Hanyun for help, a hand reached past her to jot down the details.
She looked up to find Wei Hanyun standing beside her.
"You’d get lost without me," he teased, capping the gold-plated, diamond-studded pen.
"You remembered, didn’t you?" Zhong Ziyan countered matter-of-factly. After nodding to the associate, she headed out, mentally calculating how many more gifts she needed. "Should we get something for Fang Nan too? He’s probably working overtime while you’re on vacation."
Wei Hanyun, who had somehow fallen a couple of steps behind, caught up. "No need. I gave him a raise."
Zhong Ziyan promptly crossed Fang Nan off her list. "Then I’ll pick something for Hua Shuangshuang."
But remembering she’d recently bought Hua Shuangshuang a bag and two pairs of shoes, she wasn’t sure what else to get.
Wei Hanyun said casually, "You could just give her a bonus and let her buy what she likes."
Zhong Ziyan felt that seemed a bit impersonal.
But after Wei Hanyun assured her Hua Shuangshuang would prefer the cash, she crossed her name off the list too.
The only ones left now were Wei Hanyun's family members.
Thinking back to the luxury brands that had recently come to Tingshan to deliver seasonal catalogs for wardrobe updates, Zhong Ziyan realized she couldn’t just walk into a boutique and buy something—that would inevitably clash with the Wei family’s existing collections.
Her only options were limited-edition Las Vegas exclusives, niche local brands, or handmade pieces unlikely to have global distribution.
This was far trickier than strolling into a Fendi store and casually ordering "three of each."
Fortunately, the world had no shortage of solutions for the wealthy. Specialists existed precisely to handle such dilemmas.
Within ten minutes of Zhong Ziyan purchasing a handbag, the mall manager appeared. A handsome Middle Eastern man in his early thirties with a neatly trimmed beard and a warm, welcoming smile, he greeted them in flawless Mandarin: "Mr. Wei, Mrs. Wei."
This manager was essentially a walking catalog, effortlessly reciting every item available in the mall as if it were second nature.
A living database.
Zhong Ziyan tested the waters: "Is there anywhere here that sells paintings?"
"On the third floor, there’s a gallery currently exhibiting a piece by Sam Francis. If you’re interested, perhaps you’d like to take a look?"
Zhong Ziyan mused that even her own Mandarin wasn’t as refined as this Middle Eastern gentleman’s.
"Should we get a painting for Wei Second Sister-in-law?" she asked Wei Hanyun.
"She has a private gallery at home. There’s no such thing as too many."
Reassured, Zhong Ziyan called Wei Second Sister-in-law directly. "Who’s Sam Francis?"
Wei Second Sister-in-law chuckled. "Yanyan, stop filling out random student surveys on the street."
Still, she gave a brief rundown of the late painter’s life and style.
After hanging up, Zhong Ziyan reflected on Wei Second Sister-in-law’s generally positive assessment and nodded to the manager. "I’ll take the painting."
No need to ask the price—it was either a few million or tens of millions.
"Of course, I’ll arrange it immediately," the manager replied smoothly, accustomed to clients who bought without hesitation. "Anything else?"
Shopping suddenly became incredibly efficient.
Settled in an ice cream parlor, Zhong Ziyan and Wei Hanyun quickly decided on gifts: a fossilized amber piece for Second Brother Wei, a rare vinyl record for Wei Ziqian, a golden coral tree for Wei’s Mother, and a Las Vegas-exclusive diamond watch for Old Madam Yu.
Only Wei Hanyan’s gift—gems for jewelry design—proved challenging. After sifting through dazzling options, Zhong Ziyan finally settled on a small assortment of multicolored stones recommended by the boutique staff.
The manager politely suggested, "Your hotel offers excellent secure storage for valuables, ensuring their safety."
Zhong Ziyan smirked in amusement.
If someone could steal from her, they’d practically be a god in this world.
"Did you bring what I asked for?" Wei Hanyun inquired.
The manager handed over a paper bag with a smile. "Customized exactly as you requested."
Wei Hanyun checked its contents, then—under Zhong Ziyan’s curious gaze—pulled out a glass-encased rose and gave it to her. "For you."
The rose, perfectly preserved, looked strikingly familiar—like...
"The one I gave you earlier?"
"A little technology can make it eternal," Wei Hanyun said, raising an eyebrow.
Zhong Ziyan cradled the rose under envious glances from passersby. "..." Was her boss still salty about the "girly" rose she’d given him?
During the car ride to dinner at Hell’s Kitchen, Zhong Ziyan snapped a photo of the eternal rose and posted it online.
[Today’s Spending Challenge: I gave Mr. Wei a rose, and he sealed the same one in glass and gave it back. What’s the move here?]
Her followers, well-versed in her antics, responded with their usual enthusiasm.
That's called "love recycling"... Wait, no—eternal romance. Today's dog food quota met √
[PSA: This is from Eternal Rose Co., inspired by Beauty○Beast. Their cheapest preserved rose costs ~$300, and they only sell standard designs. Custom orders? Must’ve cost a fortune.]
[Thanks for the info. My peasant brain thought $50 preserved roses were luxury. How naive.]
[After their gift spree, this actually feels kinda low-key for them...]
[Absolute legends. salutes]
