Chapter 88: Deep Sisterly Affection

Lan Qing had just closed the bathroom door when someone else entered. She paused, listening closely to the footsteps, wondering if Sang Yijia had followed her in.

“Hey, what’s going on with this season’s show?” It was a member of the production staff.

Instantly, Lan Qing lost all interest in eavesdropping further.

At that moment, a staff member at the sink touched up her makeup and clicked her tongue. “I heard Sang Yijia’s backer is President Wei.”

“Director Chen even went in person to apologize to Sang Yijia.”

“Really?”

“I work under Director Chen—would I lie?”

“Then what about Yan Ningsi? How come so many of the show’s tasks are assigned by her?”

“That I’m not sure about, but I can tell you for certain that Yan Ningsi’s backer is just as influential as Sang Yijia’s.”

“Seeing how close the two of them are, do you think Yan Ningsi and Sang Yijia are in the same situation?”

“They’re both President Wei’s people?” one staff member exclaimed. “Wow, that’s real sisterhood.”

“I really envy President Wei—he’s got two young, beautiful women at once.”

“When will it be our turn to land a few athletic types?”

Lan Qing had planned to leave, but the conversation outside grew increasingly provocative. She waited inside for a while, only emerging when the footsteps faded into the distance. She glanced at the backs of the departing staff, kept silent, and went to the sink to wash her hands and fix her makeup, but her thoughts lingered on what she’d overheard.

Yan Ningsi and Sang Yijia share the same backer?

Lan Qing felt as if she’d stumbled upon something, a smile playing at her lips. “Now, this is truly interesting.”

She recalled that Yan Ningsi had been quite friendly to her during the first two days of filming, but later, for some unknown reason, she started spending time with Sang Yijia instead.

Gazing into the mirror, Lan Qing narrowed her eyes. “If they share the same backer, things will be easy to handle.”

In this world, there isn’t a single woman who doesn’t become jealous over a man.

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Yan Ningsi and Bian He arrived at the restaurant. As soon as the elevator doors opened, they spotted the two people ahead walking hand in hand and were immediately stunned.

Bian He looked at Yan Ningsi, whose mouth was agape wide enough to fit an egg. He made a fist and tried to test it, but Yan Ningsi shot him a glare and punched him on the shoulder.

“You’re stronger than you look.” Bian He rubbed his aching shoulder, glanced at Yan Ningsi’s reaction, and then at the couple ahead. “Since they’re holding hands, should we…?”

“Heh,” Yan Ningsi shot him a sidelong glance. “Didn’t you just say my mouth was big enough to fit an egg?”

“Holding hands? Go home and hold your dog’s paw!” With that, Yan Ningsi stormed ahead and called out, “Jiajia!”

For a fleeting moment, Sang Yijia wanted to pull her hand free from Lu Wenchuan’s grasp, but his hold was too firm—she couldn’t shake him off!

She hesitated, unsure what to say before Yan Ningsi rushed over and looped her arm through the one on Sang Yijia’s free side. “Ningsi, why aren’t you with Bian He?”

Sang Yijia turned to glance behind them. Bian He strolled over at a leisurely pace and took his place beside Lu Wenchuan, resting his elbow on the man’s shoulder.

Lu Wenchuan glanced sideways at him. Bian He quietly dropped his arm and complained in a wounded tone, “Jiajia, tell me, was I wronged?”

“I didn’t even do anything, and she bullied me.”

Yan Ningsi clicked her tongue. “Didn’t do anything, my foot.”

“Jiajia, let me tell you—he just said my mouth was so big it could fit an egg!” Outrageous, right? Completely outrageous!

Lu Wenchuan’s palm was now empty. Sang Yijia gently touched Yan Ningsi’s cheek and gave it a poke—it was soft, bouncy, and felt wonderful. “No, not at all.”

“How could that be?” Sang Yijia said.

Yan Ningsi raised her chin defiantly and looked smugly at Bian He. “See? Jiajia says no.”

“Tch,” Bian He tugged on Lu Wenchuan’s sleeve. “Brother Lu, what do you think?”

Lu Wenchuan glanced at the two of them and replied coolly, “Six of one, half a dozen of the other.”

At that, Sang Yijia covered her mouth, laughing.

Yan Ningsi snorted, turned her head away, and pulled Sang Yijia two steps ahead, speaking with a hint of displeasure, “Brother Lu, I’m taking Jiajia in first.”

“Bian He, you and Brother Lu can dine together.” With that, Yan Ningsi led Sang Yijia inside.

Sang Yijia found the situation awkward as well. She glanced at Lu Wenchuan, gave a helpless shake of her head, and said, “See you later.”

“Hey,” Bian He watched the two women walk off, then turned to Lu Wenchuan. “Brother Lu, you should have said ‘no’ just now. Then we could have taken our girlfriends to dinner instead of two single guys dining together.”

Lu Wenchuan’s gaze grew cold, as if to say, “Weren’t you the ones who butted in first?”

Bian He fell silent immediately.

---

After Yan Ningsi pulled Sang Yijia away, she looked back to make sure Lu Wenchuan and Bian He weren’t following, and her mood soured again.

“But Jiajia, how did you and Brother Lu end up holding hands?” Yan Ningsi quickly recalled the scene she’d witnessed earlier. “Progress already?”

“No,” Sang Yijia answered honestly. “I overheard the staff saying we didn’t look like a couple; we seemed awkward.”

And…

Sang Yijia hesitated. “This is a show. It’s work. I should take it seriously.” Otherwise, the pay would feel too easily earned—she couldn’t quite believe it was real.

Yan Ningsi made a noise of acknowledgment and looked at Sang Yijia’s clear, sincere face, realizing she wasn’t lying. In her heart, she silently lit a candle for Lu Wenchuan, mourning his situation for a second.

“So, Jiajia, what do you think of Brother Lu?” Yan Ningsi linked arms with her, growing even more intimate. “Is he boyfriend material?”

“Why not consider it?”

Sang Yijia was puzzled. “Why?”

From the start, Yan Ningsi had said Lu Wenchuan treated her differently, but in her experience, Sang Yijia had only found him to be a gentleman—nothing more.

“Ningsi, do you know the three great human misconceptions?”

“???” Yan Ningsi tilted her head. “Tell me.”

“Your phone vibrating, someone knocking at the door, and being liked by someone,” Sang Yijia replied quietly.

Yan Ningsi’s mouth twitched, but she remained resolute. “Jiajia, I may not know Brother Lu well, but someone like him wouldn’t waste his time on a variety show.”

That was all Yan Ningsi could say; the rest would depend on Lu Wenchuan’s actions and Sang Yijia’s insight.

After a moment’s silence, Sang Yijia said, “I’ll ask him later.”

“???” Yan Ningsi’s eyes widened. Was it possible to be so direct?

Sang Yijia didn’t think her approach was direct; compared to Yan Ningsi’s, she felt hers was actually more subtle.

As soon as they entered the restaurant, a server came over to take their orders.

Naturally, Yan Ningsi wouldn’t truly keep them from their time together. She requested two tables for two, set a little distance apart.

She worried that otherwise, she might spend the whole evening just watching Sang Yijia and Lu Wenchuan.

Vote for me—any kind of vote will do—please! (End of chapter)