She wanted to laugh but didn't want it to be too obvious, so her lips twitched up and down.
"Of course not. I'm almost 50."
"Really! I couldn't tell at all. I thought you were at most 30!"
Seeing that she had managed to gloss over the matter of being out wandering, Qian Lili stepped up her flattery of Qin Hongying.
Qin Hongying smiled and reached up to touch her delicate and smooth cheek. Although she didn't like the heavy smoky makeup on Qian Lili's face, anyone would be happy to be complimented on looking young.
Wanting to play the perfect hostess, Qin Hongying asked kindly with a smile, "Are you thirsty? I'll pour you some juice."
"Sure." Qian Lili readily agreed and followed Qin Hongying downstairs into the kitchen.
Qin Hongying poured her a glass of mango juice. Recalling what Aunt Zhou had said about these kids being her fans, she couldn't help but want to test Qian Lili.
"What's your name?"
"My name is Qian Lili."
Qian Lili sat comfortably on the leather sofa, holding the juice. She ate fruits and drank the beverage at the same time.
"Qian Lili."
Qin Hongying nodded and repeated Qian Lili's name. She sat down next to Qian Lili and continued to ask her, "Are you very interested in business?"
Since these young girls admired her, a strong businesswoman, it must mean that they were also interested in business.
Since Aunt Zhou had said that these kids of the new era were introverted, she would take the initiative to help Qian Lili open up and have a good discussion with her about business.
"Huh?"
Hearing Qin Hongying's strange question out of the blue, Qian Lili choked on a mouthful of juice. She almost spat it out and looked at Qin Hongying blankly with both eyes.
"What business?"
She was just an ordinary high - school girl and wasn't interested in business at all.
But this didn't stop Qian Lili from being observant. Seeing the disappointment in Qin Hongying's eyes, she immediately understood that Qin Hongying wanted to talk to her more.
Qian Lili had an ulterior motive. If she could get closer to Qin Hongying, she might be able to find out whether Zhou Qianqian was really the owner of this villa.
"Do you mean doing business when you say 'business'? I'm quite eager to give it a try."
Qian Lili changed her tune. Hearing this, the smile that had faded from Qin Hongying's face immediately reappeared. Her unhappiness vanished instantly, and she even brainwashed herself.
It seemed that just as Aunt Zhou had said, these kids were really her fans.
Qian Lili and Qin Hongying discussed the topic of business back and forth.
Although Qian Lili didn't know the jargon related to business, she knew how to flatter.
She said all the nice things that Qin Hongying liked to hear and made Qin Hongying extremely happy.
In Li Jiayi's room, Zhou Qianqian and Aunt Zhou were helping Li Jiayi and her deputy class - monitor make the beds and put on the quilt covers.
After Li Jiayi and the deputy class - monitor had packed their luggage, Zhou Qianqian planned to take them for a walk on the sunny beach to watch the sea.
"Since you've finished packing your luggage, let's go out and have some fun."
"I'll call a sightseeing car for you. It's a bit far from our house to the beach. I don't want you to get tanned."
Aunt Zhou had a kind smile on her face. After finishing her work, she habitually wiped her hands on the apron tied around her waist, looking a bit humble.
Who would wear an apron all the time at home!
Zhou Qianqian quickly reached out her hand and pushed Aunt Zhou towards the door, saying, "Mom, go quickly then. I'll go and call Yu Wenwen and Qian Lili."
Zhou Qianqian pushed Aunt Zhou all the way to the stairway in one breath. Then she frowned and complained to her.
"Mom, can you stop wiping your hands on the apron all the time?"
"Look at which rich person wears an apron all the time and wipes their hands on it after doing a bit of work! It's so petty!"
Only then did Aunt Zhou realize that she had almost exposed herself. She felt embarrassed and put her hands behind her back, promising Zhou Qianqian.
"Thank you for reminding me, daughter. I'll take off the apron as soon as I go downstairs."
"Okay."
Zhou Qianqian nodded in satisfaction. Just as she was about to turn around to find Li Jiayi and the others, she heard the laughter coming from the living room.
The laughter was from Qin Hongying and Qian Lili. Qian Lili was complimenting Qin Hongying as an independent woman of the new era.
This made Qin Hongying even happier, and she found the heavy smoky makeup on Qian Lili's face more bearable.
Seeing the two chatting and laughing merrily in the living room, a sense of unease welled up in Zhou Qianqian's heart. She exchanged glances with Aunt Zhou, and they both saw the unease in each other's eyes.
When did Qian Lili get so close to Qin Hongying?
"Mom, go and separate them quickly! Qian Lili has always been trying to find something against me. What if she asks something she shouldn't... Everything will be exposed!"
Zhou Qianqian was so nervous that her heart was pounding. She was afraid that her carefully - crafted rich - girl persona would be exposed by Qian Lili.
"Got it."
Since Aunt Zhou had learned that Qian Lili was the one who had bullied her daughter Zhou Qianqian, there was a hint of hostility and hatred in her eyes when she looked at Qian Lili.
How dare she bully her daughter! She would surely make Qian Lili pay the price!
Yu Wenwen endured her annoyance and helped Qian Lili make the bed. Instead of waiting for Qian Lili to bring her fruits, she waited for Li Jiayi and the deputy class - monitor to come and tell her to get ready to go out and play.
Seeing Li Jiayi and the deputy class - monitor looking radiant, Yu Wenwen thought of her roommate who only knew how to threaten her. This made her feel even more aggrieved and sad.
The moment she saw Li Jiayi and the deputy class - monitor, tears welled up in her eyes.
"Yu Wenwen, we're going out to play... Hey, why are you crying?"
Seeing the big teardrops rolling down Yu Wenwen's face, Li Jiayi reached out her hand lovingly to wipe away her tears.
"I don't want to share a room with Qian Lili anymore. She threatened me to make the bed for her and wouldn't let me eat the fruits. Why am I so unlucky!"
The more Yu Wenwen cried, the sadder she became. Sniffling, she grabbed Li Jiayi's hand, her eyes full of pleading.
"Jiayi, you're the one who invited Qian Lili. You're on good terms with her. Can I switch rooms with you?"
Hearing Yu Wenwen's request to switch rooms, the comforting smile on Li Jiayi's face instantly froze. She forcefully pulled her arm out of Yu Wenwen's grasp and spoke in a lackluster voice.
"Wenwen, this is the room assignment we've made. If you suddenly switch bedrooms with me, aren't you afraid that Qian Lili will get even angrier with you?"
"Just hold on for a while. Anyway, we won't be staying here for long."
While comforting Yu Wenwen, Li Jiayi exchanged glances with the deputy class - monitor. In her heart, she was glad that they had managed to avoid being assigned to the same room as Qian Lili.
Otherwise, they would be the unlucky ones!
Hearing Li Jiayi's words, Yu Wenwen's shoulders slumped instantly. She looked dejected and listless.
Where was the vitality of a tourist!
"Don't be sad. Let's go out quickly. Zhou Qianqian is waiting for us."
Li Jiayi patted Yu Wenwen's shoulder consolingly and quickly walked out of the room with the deputy class - monitor.
Yu Wenwen let out a wail and could only follow them, resigned to her bad luck.
Aunt Zhou walked downstairs expressionlessly. Looking at Qian Lili with the exaggerated smoky makeup, she felt nothing but disgust. Her voice was no longer kind and amiable but cold and icy.