Shen Ximan stopped in her tracks and listened quietly.
"She's still better than that second young lady from the Shen family before. Such an ugly duckling! She had neither talent nor background."
"Exactly. I think the second young master must have been bewitched by her. Otherwise, who would marry a disfigured woman as his wife!"
These ubiquitous insults seemed to have become a habit.
She stood aloof, observing indifferently, just like appreciating how these stinky fertilizers nourished the soil. The more vicious the insults were, the more she thrived.
Suddenly, an idea popped into Shen Ximan's mind, and she wasted no time in putting it into action.
She forcefully squeezed herself between the two young girls, looking calm and composed.
"Who do you think you are?"
"There's so much space over there. Why do you have to squeeze in between us?!"
"Sorry. I didn't even notice you two at all," she said, looking straight ahead without even bothering to spare them a glance.
"You! How can there be such a shameless person?"
Shen Ximan glanced at the accessories on the girl and sneered disdainfully.
"Miss, do you like the brand Ahaly so much?"
The girl was taken aback for a moment, then proudly raised her head. "Oh, you even recognize the logo of Ahaly. So? Are you envious?"
"I bet you can't afford it! My mom queued up all night to buy this necklace for me. I'll just let you, this uncultured poor girl, take a few more looks so you won't seem so naive."
Shen Ximan couldn't help but laugh. "It's you who seems naive."
The girl flew into a rage and raised her arm, trying to slap Shen Ximan. But Shen Ximan anticipated it and firmly grabbed her wrist.
"You resort to violence when you can't win an argument. You're even more uncultured than me," she said. Seeing that the girl was about to defend herself, she interrupted her first. "Your necklace is a street - market knock - off. It's not even a proper imitation. It's worth no more than 100 yuan."
The short - haired girl standing on Shen Ximan's right was stunned.
"Is what you said true? This is a street - market item?"
"Juanjuan! How could you believe her instead of standing by me!"
The commotion attracted quite a few onlookers. Some even took out a bag of sunflower seeds and started munching noisily.
Juanjuan felt too ashamed to hold her ground. "Arou, stop being stubborn. There are so many people here. I'm already embarrassed for you!"
Arou bit her lower lip and didn't dare to act rashly.
"Fine, I won't hit you. Let go of me quickly!"
Shen Ximan let go of her willingly and added as she left, "Take it to the counter and you'll know if it's a street - market item."
Listening to the two girls arguing behind her, Shen Ximan felt in high spirits.
She was no longer that weak and timid woman.
Now, Shen Ximan was a woman who would never let an insult go unavenged. Whoever offended her had made a wrong start, and things would only get worse. There was no room for negotiation.
All these years of unfair treatment and exclusion pent up in her heart.
She was going to get it all back.
In the dormitory of Yancheng University.
"Are you really not going to take on any more advertisements or something?" Yan Yueyue asked, kicking off the conversation while munching on a zongzi.
"Um... not for the time being. There's a small test tomorrow," Xiao Shujing replied listlessly, her mind wandering as she stared at the book.
"You! You've just started to make a name for yourself and now you're backing out. Aren't you afraid that all the popularity will be snatched up by Tian Danni?"
"The entertainment circle isn't just up to me. Besides, I don't plan to be an entertainer in the long run. I have my own goals."
Yan Yueyue finished one zongzi and peeled another.
"What you said makes sense, but matters of the heart can be both simple and complicated. Once you miss the chance, it's really gone. Look at me and A Yuan. We have an amazing relationship!"
Xiao Shujing smiled. "I'd like to congratulate you in advance."
"In my opinion, you should go and talk to Su Minghan about taking on advertisements in person tomorrow."
"No, there's no need for that."
Just thinking about the scene in the hospital that day, when he was chatting happily with Tian Danni, made her feel extremely embarrassed.
The endorsement thing was Xiao Shujing's own idea in the first place. She felt so ashamed in front of Tian Danni. And with Su Minghan in the picture, she felt like a heinous criminal.
"Okay then. Don't regret it later," Yan Yueyue said helplessly.
"There's nothing to regret about this."
Yes, there was really nothing to regret.
If Su Minghan really had feelings for her in his heart, he would find a chance to talk to her and would also maintain a proper distance.
If not, doing more would be in vain.
"OMG! OMG!"
Yan Yueyue waved at her with her mouth full of red - bean zongzi.
"See what I just said? Tian Danni has landed an advertisement!"
Xiao Shujing calmly picked up her pen and started writing down formulas. "As an entertainer, it's normal to either take on TV shows or advertisements."
"But she got the makeup advertisement for Ahaly! And it's the photoshoot you did in that villa in Lanshan!"
She froze.
After the endorsement fashion show that night, apart from transferring the payment to her card, Ahaly didn't propose further cooperation.
Just a few days later, they gave the opportunity to Tian Danni?
This was hard for Xiao Shujing to accept.
She was, after all, a popular actress at the peak of the first - and second - tier level. How could Ahaly not take a fancy to her but instead choose a rising star who was only slightly famous abroad? What on earth was going on?
"Shujing, for her to be able to go to the Lanshan Villa, Su Minghan must have given his consent. Otherwise, who would be so generous as to let an entertainer use their own property casually?" Yan Yueyue probed, observing her expression.
"It should be the brand's requirement. It has nothing to do with him," Xiao Shujing said, still trying to comfort herself and not daring to believe the truth.
"You usually seem so smart, but why are you so confused when it comes to matters of the heart? Su Minghan won't just stand still waiting for you forever. He's not a fool!" Yan Yueyue stamped her feet in anxiety on her behalf.
"Do you mean I should go after him? I can't do such a thing."
"I'm not saying you should go after him. I'm saying you should give him some hints!"
"... Hints?" Xiao Shujing asked in a muffled voice.
"Yes. When I was chasing A Yuan back then, I would wait for him every day after his basketball game to hand him water and towels. Then I would deliberately time it right to meet him in the cafeteria and take walks with him on the playground."
Yan Yueyue recalled the sweetness of the past and couldn't stop smiling.
"After a while like this, he was touched by my sincerity!"
Xiao Shujing lowered her head and was silent for a long time.
"I'll try my best."
Just as she unlocked her phone, Yan Yueyue snatched it away.
"No 'try my best'. You must do it!" Yan Yueyue found Su Minghan's number in the contacts and dialed it without hesitation.
Xiao Shujing jumped up in shock and tried to grab the phone back. "Yueyue! Give it back to me quickly!"
"Not gonna give it back. I'll give it to you when it's connected!"
"Yueyue!"
Just as they were struggling, the phone was answered.
"Hello?"
That deep and magnetic voice was like a fuse that ignited Xiao Shujing's longing. She felt as if someone had grabbed her throat, making it hard for her to breathe.
Yan Yueyue pointed at the phone and mouthed.
Answer it.
"Hello?" Su Minghan opened his eyes groggily and checked the caller ID.
"Mr. Su, it's me."
"Yeah, I know. What's up?"
These simple words revealed a sense of coldness and distance.