Chapter 25

“Ouch!”

Xu Heran covered her forehead, her fingers trembling slightly over her brow. She gazed at Xin Nuo with a deep and enigmatic look, as if observing a heartless and promiscuous woman, not admitting in the slightest that she was just talking nonsense.

Xin Nuo coldly smirked at Xu Heran. She really wanted the medical field to study Xu Heran’s brain and see if its structure matched biology.

Otherwise, why did something perfectly normal sound so abnormal coming from her mouth!

The girl with her brain knocked off its axis puffed up her cheeks, tiptoeing behind Xin Nuo until she didn’t seem angry anymore. Then she quickly approached and clung to Xin Nuo’s arm, saying, “Sister Xin Nuo, can I move to your dorm?”

Now she knows how to call her “sister”?

Xin Nuo glanced at her, her tone nonchalant. “Is there a sign on the dorm door that says ‘Xu Heran is not allowed to move in’?”

“Hehe!” Xu Heran immediately perked up, hugging Xin Nuo’s hand and sliding it downward. Her slender fingers touched the other’s slightly cool palm, and without hesitation, she interlocked their fingers, just like intimate friends everywhere, fingers entwined and swaying gently in the breeze.

Laurel took the phone from the staff, thanked them, and entered the room.

Inside the room, there was only a chair with a backrest and a small table. On the table, there was a camera. If the trainees didn’t want to be recorded, they could turn off the camera themselves.

Laurel didn’t mind. She pulled the chair over, adjusted her pants, sat back, rested her chin on the chair’s backrest, and placed her phone on the table. She casually dialed a number and put it on speaker.

Before long, a piercing and stimulating noise echoed from the phone, making Laurel’s blue eyes roll upward without expression.

“Hello?” She was the first to speak.

“Wait a moment!” The voice of a woman came from the other end of the phone. After a while, the noisy sounds subsided a bit, indicating that the person on the other side had moved to a quieter place.

Laurel heard the sound of a lighter.

“Sigh… I’m exhausted, when are you coming back?” The woman on the other end of the phone took a drag from a cigarette and asked her, “I just had someone move things, let me tell you some good news. There’s a night market outside the Galaxy Mall. I’ve set my sights on a stall there. It’s crowded, and selling things at night will definitely work.”

“I have a friend who manages the night market. I paid a deposit in advance to reserve a spot. When you come back, go to the wholesale market with your sister and see what to sell. Set up immediately. I’ll provide you with a power cable. You’re good at rapping, right? You can perform here and diss anyone you want. Those losers shouldn’t have the guts to come to the night market and mess with our stall, right?”

Laurel didn’t respond, her tone indifferent. “Could you please stop smoking? Your voice makes me breathless.”

“You don’t know shit. This is called a smoky voice.”

“Heh.” Laurel mocked, “Sounds like a throat infection.”

The woman on the other end of the phone burst into laughter and took another strong drag from her cigarette.

The phone suddenly fell silent, and after a while, both of them spoke at the same time.

“When are you coming back?”

“I’m in.”

“…”

Laurel rolled her eyes again, halfway through recalling a compilation of Xu Heran’s eye rolls. She couldn’t help but pull her eyelids back and repeated, “I’m in.”

“Of the 70, 28 out, 42 in. I’m 25, got it?”

The woman: “…”

“Hold on a moment.” She suddenly put down the phone, opened the window beside her, and the room filled with smoke was instantly dispersed by the wind.

“No wonder my head feels dizzy, I can’t hear clearly. Life of a person who can’t afford to pay the electricity bill and use the air conditioning, it’s so miserable!” The woman lamented outside the window, then raised her phone again, “I’m awake, what did you say just now?”

“I said, I’m in. Your furniture can wait another two weeks. Hanging up.” After speaking, Laurel decisively hung up, lazily leaning on the chair and using the remaining time to log onto the program’s official website.

On the other end of the phone, the woman was stunned for a while, until her fingers were burned by the cigarette butt, she cursed under her breath, extinguished the cigarette, and stared at the hung-up phone.

“Hiss… Did that bastard Ge Tao spare us?” She found it increasingly impossible as she thought about it. She immediately logged onto WeChat, which she hadn’t used in centuries. Suddenly, countless message notifications chimed, and the woman’s eyes grew wider.

Laurel was busy voting for her Team Ten teammates, her finger had just landed on the “share” button, when a call interrupted her action.

“Speak,” Laurel said concisely.

“I got it, you’re really something, damn it!” The woman burst into raucous laughter. “I just couldn’t bear to see you suffering on the show, too scared to watch it. I didn’t expect you to join the Little Princess’s team! Do you know what your online fans are saying about you?”

Laurel returned the rolled eyes she had taken back.

“Ha ha ha, they say your dead fish face is quite unique, very memorable. They remember your lifeless, spiritless eyes when you sleep. They want to see you continue being a dead fish all the way, the deader the better!”

“Heh.”

“Hahaha, no wonder your scenes haven’t been edited out. No matter how capable Ge Tao is, he wouldn’t dare to cut the scenes of the sugar daddy’s daughter in the later stages, right? Hahaha, you must hold onto the sugar daddy’s thigh tightly. If you can live another day, you live another day. Try to make your face more recognizable, so that when we set up our stall at the night market, maybe some fans will come specially to take care of you. Hey? Hey… hey?”

“Got it. Cut?”

The unique-voiced boss chuckled with a smile, hands on hips, and walked back to the partially moved office. She waved her hand, “Don’t move for now. I’ll call you all again in two weeks. Hahaha… Oh, by the way, can we negotiate the moving fee?”

After finishing the accounts, she lay on the couch, where she hadn’t entertained guests for a long time, her hands crossed, and a hint of desire inexplicably arose within her.

Laurel, you must absolutely live up to expectations!

Laurel walked out of the room, returned the phone to the staff, and left. She turned into the hallway and her gaze suddenly collided with Xu Yanran.

Without cameras filming, the girl with a pale complexion had a downturned mouth, a stark contrast to her usual sweet smile. When she saw Laurel, Xu Yanran suddenly sneered, her pupils shifting to the corners of her eyes as she stared at Laurel disdainfully.

Innocently stared at by Xu Yanran, Laurel: “…”

“Want to fight?” Laurel lifted her chin slightly, hands in her pockets, her tone calm.

“…Are you crazy?” Xu Yanran exclaimed in fright, her face even paler. Startled, her body, which had been about to bump into Laurel, instantly veered towards the wall and she hurriedly slipped away, hugging the wall.

Laurel chuckled, casually strolling away at a leisurely pace.

“Damn it, everyone wants to bully me!”

Xu Yanran cursed inwardly, angrily pressing her phone. It rang for a while before the other person finally picked up.

“Mom—what’s going on? How did my ranking drop so drastically? Didn’t you get people to vote for me? Do you know I almost got eliminated?” Xu Yanran complained unhappily.

“Do you still have the nerve to ask me? Do you know that many people mock you for always crying? They see you and know you’re about to burst into tears. I don’t want to see you. Get in quickly! I told you to act pitiful, not annoying!” Xu Yanran’s mother sneered. “And don’t you know how the voting mechanism of the program works? I’ve mobilized everyone I know to vote for you. The artists in your father’s company are also endorsing you, but you, you!”

“Tell me, what’s your current ranking?” Mother Xu asked.

Mentioning her ranking, Xu Yanran felt a mixture of hatred and resentment. She gritted her teeth, “39.”

“What?” Mother Xu suddenly sat up. “Why did it drop so much? Your father will definitely be furious when he finds out!”

When Xu Yanran’s father was mentioned, both Xu Yanran and her mother felt a bit afraid.

“So… I plan to quietly use that incident to generate some buzz,” Xu Yanran whispered.

The phone call fell silent for a moment. After a minute passed, Mother Xu said coldly, “How do you intend to use it?”

“The incident happened a long time ago, and we still have opportunities to manipulate it… Dad said that the Xu family only flaunts its power abroad and is insignificant domestically, right? We can always resort to our usual methods, like blurring lines between right and wrong. Mom, didn’t you use that approach numerous times when dealing with Dad’s mistresses?” Xu Yanran casually remarked.

“What do you understand? Can these two matters be equated?” Mother Xu scolded, “Your father told you to keep it a secret, absolutely not to let this matter be revealed.”

“So annoying! I don’t want to listen to what he has to say at all!” Xu Yanran’s voice, filled with resentment, echoed in the room. She continued coldly, “For so many years, besides giving money, when has he ever thought of me as his daughter? Every time he sees me, all he talks about is Xu Heran and Xu Junran. Has he ever considered whether they acknowledge him as their father?”

“I don’t care. He’s the one who sent me to this program, and he’s the one who wanted me to use Xu Heran to climb higher and vent his own frustrations. He’s the selfish one. I’ve made up my mind about this matter!” As she spoke, Xu Yanran chuckled triumphantly. She lifted her leg, her tone deliberate, “Moreover, what have I done wrong? I’m just a pitiful illegitimate child. Am I the one who wanted to be an illegitimate child? I’m the innocent one here!”

“Just because I’m an illegitimate child, does that mean I can’t get along well with my sister? Doesn’t that make me, her sister, too selfish and arrogant… doesn’t it?”

On the other end of the phone, Mother Xu chuckled softly, “You truly are my good daughter.”

“Go ahead. If there’s any trouble, you know who to shift the blame onto.”

“Don’t worry, Mom.”

Xu Yanran hung up the phone, a look of hatred on her young and tender face. She pondered her plan for a moment and then turned to face the camera on the table, its red light shining.

“!”

Xu Yanran’s heart skipped a beat, and she felt her heart sink. She stood up, walked over to the camera, and a smirk played at the corner of her mouth.

“What are you looking at, little thing?”

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“Are you really giving up a single room to stay in a seven-person room?” Jiang Qiong asked Xu Heran. She sat on the carpet in Xu Heran’s room, her things packed and ready to go after everyone else finished moving.

“Of course! Lingxi’s bed is next to Nuo Nuo’s, and she promised me she’d save a bed for me!” Xu Heran raised her fist and shouted loudly, “Tonight, I’ll be sleeping with Nuo Nuo!”

Jiang Qiong immediately had an expression of “ignorant child doesn’t know the ways of the world” on her face. She turned to Haya, who was lying on the floor, and said, “You should talk some sense into her!”

Haya closed her eyes and raised a finger, wiggling it in the air.

“Damn, you don’t understand. This is… love!”

Jiang Qiong coldly flicked away her finger, “You’re underage, what do you know about love? Only a big bed is real!”

“Wahh, I want a single room!”

Xu Heran grinned, “I’m just going to Nuo Nuo’s room to sleep. My things are still here. If you like, you can come and sleep here.”

Before anyone else could speak, a compelling gaze fixed itself upon them. Jiang Qiong shrunk her neck and immediately gave up, “Forget it, how could I be a third party.”

She thought about every time she had “slept” with Xu Heran and how she always carried the scent of roses that came from Xin Nuo. She casually remarked, “But Xin Nuo’s body wash smells really good. She said it’s yours. Can I use some?”

This time, even before Haya’s death glare could solidify, Xu Heran raised her hand and immediately crossed her arms over her chest. “Damn it! That can only be used by Nuo Nuo!”

“Everything else is fair game for you~”

“I won’t fall for it. You’re just a little pearl who’s focused on romance at the expense of friendship! I can’t believe I came here to help you move!” Jiang Qiong picked up a pearl pillow from the carpet and playfully threw it at Xu Heran.

“Hehe, Cui-jie  already had her assistant pack up for me. As a token of my gratitude, I’ll treat you all to something delicious!” Xu Heran stood up, waved her hand grandly, and declared, “Let’s go, I’m paying!”

Haya and Jiang Qiong’s eyes lit up.

Today, the production team had mentioned that the cafeteria had prepared a feast, and if they didn’t want cafeteria food, they could order takeout. But surely, none of that could compare to what Little Pearl was referring to as “delicious”!

Half an hour later, the two of them stood in the cafeteria, exchanging puzzled glances with the aunties.

“This is the so-called ‘delicious’ you were talking about?” Jiang Qiong exclaimed with frustration, hands on her hips.

Xu Heran raised her chin confidently, “Of course! It’s sponsored by my family, so it’s practically like I’m treating you all!”

Congratulations on advancing, the dinner tonight was a seafood buffet, specially prepared by the program team and quite thoughtful.

“Have you noticed, during this period, the cafeteria food has been of really high quality? Look, even Haya can’t bear to diet anymore!” Jiang Qiong whispered.

“What do you know? I need muscles to dance,” Haya said earnestly, as if she was a completely different person from the one who had been starving herself every day to lose weight. She quickly changed the subject, “Do you want to exercise with me and Little Pearl?”

Jiang Qiong didn’t even need to think about it, “No.”

The meaning of life is in stillness, and dancing has already exhausted her. She didn’t need any additional exercise.

As the two of them discussed the essence of life, Xu Heran sat beside them wearing gloves, fully focused on peeling shrimp. She had a faint smile on her lips, humming a tune, and carefully placed the peeled shrimp into a container beside her.

Next to Xu Heran, a small mountain of shrimp shells had piled up.

Jiang Qiong observed Xu Heran’s elaborate arrangement: fish with bones removed, shellfish drizzled with fresh sauce, the vibrant red shrimp arranged in the shape of a heart on the steaming seafood rice. In addition, there were fruit and soup containers. Looking at Xu Heran’s demeanor, it was even more serious than when she used to do crafts back in elementary school.

“…What are you doing?” Jiang Qiong asked in confusion, “Preparing so much, for two people?”

“Mhm,” Xu Heran nodded, “This is dinner for Nuo Nuo and me.”

Jiang Qiong, Haya: ?

“Yes, this is enough!” Xu Heran stood up and closed the brimming lunch boxes.

“You two enjoy your meal. I’ll head back first. Nuo Nuo must be waiting for me!” Completely unaware that taking so much food out of the cafeteria was unusual, Xu Heran put the lunch boxes in her bag, pushed her chair in, and left.

“Oh, by the way, as a token of my gratitude for treating you to this meal, could you return the trays for me? Thanks! A heartfelt thank you to my dear friends!” Xu Heran said with a cheerful smile, completely unfazed by the possibility of retaliation.

Jiang Qiong: “…”

Haya: “…”

The two of them watched as Xu Heran left the cafeteria with brisk steps.

“Do you know why she can call Nuo Nuo by name while you can only call Xin Nuo?” Haya gave Jiang Qiong a mysterious smile and provided guidance.

“Ha,” Jiang Qiong responded indifferently as she stood up. “You make it sound like you’re not a single dog. I’m leaving too. Goodbye!”

“Oh, right, whoever gets back last has to clean up the table.” Jiang Qiong turned around and returned the mysterious smile to Haya.

“Hey!”

Back in her dorm room, Jiang Qiong found it empty except for the sound of running water coming from the bathroom. She brought her suitcase inside, opened it, and began making her bed and hanging her clothes.

Not long after, someone emerged from the bathroom. Jiang Qiong, facing the bed, heard a “thud” followed by an irritated voice, “What’s wrong with you? Is the dorm room just for you?”

Jiang Qiong quickly turned around to see Xu Yanran, her eyes red, clutching her clothes and glaring at her. “Your suitcase bumped into me!”

Although she didn’t understand how a suitcase lying on the ground could bump into her, Jiang Qiong said with a good temper, “I’m sorry.”

“Hmph, just as expected, someone who’s close with Xu Heran is a rascal and selfish.” Xu Yanran muttered these words in a low voice.

Jiang Qiong: ?

She frowned tightly, her hands momentarily pausing while packing her suitcase. Standing up, she coldly asked, “What does this have to do with Heran?”

However, Xu Yanran seemed startled, intentionally stepping back and shouting fearfully, “What are you going to do to me?”

She yelled out loud, yet her eyes were provocative.

The dorm room’s camera was installed in the corner, capturing only their bodies, not their facial expressions. Yet, Xu Yanran expression clearly conveyed, “If you have the guts, then hit me!”

“…”

Jiang Qiong had lived for twenty years and never encountered a shameless girl like Xu Yanran. She looked at Xu Yanran’s smug expression and politely smiled, “It’s alright. Since I bumped into you, I know a folk remedy that can help relieve the pain.”

With that, she immediately crouched down, grabbing hold of Xu Yanran’s leg.

Xu Yanran had just finished bathing and was wearing shorts. Her legs were clean, without a trace of any impact. However, Jiang Qiong exclaimed, “I’m really sorry. Look, it’s all red here. Let me help relieve the pain for you—ha, ptui!”

She pretended to spit into her palm, then rubbed it onto Xu Yanran’s leg while saying, “This is something my grandma from the countryside taught me. Don’t you know that countryside saliva can cure all kinds of ills? Ha—ptui!”

“Ah, ah, ah! Get away from me! Don’t touch me! Go away!” Xu Yanran screamed and yelled in disgust, her hands flailing wildly. Her clothes scattered all over the floor, but her leg was firmly held by Jiang Qiong, rendering her unable to move.

“Hey, not that leg. How about the other one? Ha—ouch!”

Xu Yanran lifted her leg to kick, and Jiang Qiong quickly dodged, falling onto the floor. She watched Xu Yanran cry loudly, shout in disgust, and even managed to pick up her scattered clothes and run out while still yelling.

“Hahaha!”

“Look, I can’t treat you anymore!” Jiang Qiong said, standing up, clapping her hands. She bent down and pulled the scattered suitcase to the side of the bed. At this moment, a black SD card rolled down from her wash bag with a Q-version Wonder Woman design.

“Well, what’s this?” Jiang Qiong picked up the SD card, puzzled.

“Your food delivery rider is online. Did you order this loving dinner?” Xu Heran opened the door, peeked out, and raised a beige bag, asking Xin Nuo.

Xin Nuo sat under the bed, one ear wearing headphones with the other end connected to an MP4 player. She was selecting songs for the competition. Seeing Xu Heran’s expression of “praise me, praise my thoughtfulness,” Xin Nuo chuckled, “No, I didn’t place an order. Did they send it to the wrong person?”

“Don’t keep the real seller waiting.” Xin Nuo raised her hand and gestured, “Go quickly.”

Hearing Xin Nuo’s words, Xu Heran remained unfazed. “It’s not a mistake. This is from a lady named Evil Dragon Root Dragon Lady Juagen Long for her beloved Princess Nuo Nuo!”

Xin Nuo immediately responded, “That’s even stranger. We all living here are humans. Dragons and princesses are all from fairy tales, right? Even elementary school students know they’re fake. Mmm, mmm, mmm!”

The girl whose mouth was forcibly covered narrowed her eyes, a smile dancing in her dark pupils.

“You clueless little princess!” Xu Heran reprimanded. “Quick, let me see how you managed to bewitch Juagen Long, the dragon gentleman!”

She placed the dinner bag on Xin Nuo’s table, then leaned down, cupping Xin Nuo’s face with both hands. She kneaded and pressed, muttering as she did, “You wouldn’t cooperate, so watch me use the Rua Nuo technique—wow, Nuo Nuo, your face is so soft, so smooth, and so fun to pinch!”

“Xu Heran!” Xin Nuo warned her using her full name.

Xu Heran became addicted to kneading, feeling like her palms were pressing a ball of water-soaked dough, or freshly whipped cream, or perhaps something like pudding—soft, fragrant, and delightful.

“Are you using this beautiful little face to seduce Juagen Long?”

Xin Nuo was forced to tilt her head back, the fair skin of her face turning a faint shade of red. That red resembled being crushed softly in a mortar and pestle, spreading out and overflowing like a richly hued floral branch that could tinge the fingertips crimson.

Glistening teardrops were squeezed from the corners of her eyes, falling onto the rosy cheeks. The corner of her eyes spread with a faint pink, blending seamlessly with the rosy hue, particularly beguiling.

“… Nuo Nuo, you’re really good-looking,” Xu Heran’s palm pressed against Xin Nuo’s face, her fingertips wiping away the teardrop. But she didn’t see Xin Nuo’s hand slowly rise, gripping her wrist.

“Xu—He—Ran!”

A dangerous sound echoed, and Xu Heran instantly reflected on what she had just done, her pupils narrowing. However, Xin Nuo wouldn’t let her escape. Just as Xu Heran had “Rua-ed” her earlier, she intended to return the favor completely.

“Hehe, I can explain! Nuo Nuo!” Xu Heran took a step back, but Xin Nuo held onto her wrist.

“Shut up!” Xin Nuo took a step forward.

A mischievous glint flashed in Xu Heran’s eyes. As Xin Nuo took that step forward, she immediately extended her right leg, thrusting it between Xin Nuo’s legs and pressing against Xin Nuo’s thigh flesh. With a sudden forceful upward movement, she used her leg’s strength.

“Xu Heran!” Xin Nuo exclaimed in panic, subconsciously releasing her grip on Xu Heran’s hand. Unbeknownst to her, this played right into Xu Heran’s plan. With her hands now free, Xu Heran tightly held onto Xin Nuo’s slender waist and, utilizing the power of her leg, lifted Xin Nuo completely off the ground.

“Ah…”

Xin Nuo cried out in surprise, lowering her head in shock, her eyes reflecting Xu Heran’s smiling face.

“Nuo Nuo, squeeze.” Xu Heran reminded her.

Squeeze? What?

Xin Nuo, being lifted by Xu Heran, had none of her usual calmness. Subconsciously following Xu Heran’s voice, she crossed her legs, just right… and clamped Xu Heran’s waist.

“Umm.”

Xu Heran quietly furrowed her brows. She tilted backward, colliding with the bed’s stairs. Her shoulder pressed against the stairs, using the support to keep her body suspended and avoiding contact with Xin Nuo’s legs.

She had thought it through well, but overestimated her current strength. She could only maintain this posture, holding Xin Nuo in her arms.

“Xu Heran, you’re really messing around,” Xin Nuo said coldly, but a hint of fear crept in due to the sudden change in perspective.

Her left hand tightly gripped the railing, her right hand tightly embraced Xu Heran’s neck, and her legs forcefully encircled Xu Heran’s body. Meanwhile, Xu Heran… Xu Heran was completely at a loss for words.

Because of this movement, her head, by sheer coincidence, was buried in a certain soft, warm, full, and rounded area. Tightly and closely, snug as a bug.

And Xin Nuo, having just taken a shower, was wearing form-fitting pajamas. Underneath the pajamas, she wasn’t wearing a bra, so…

“Umm.”

Xu Heran’s ears turned red, then her face, followed by her neck, and then other parts of her body.

If we were following the novel’s plot, she should be smelling a certain milky fragrance that would make her heart race and her mind go wild. However, from Xin Nuo, there was only a faint rose fragrance.

A fragrance that was enough to intoxicate one’s heart and mind.

Nuo Nuo changed her shower gel…

Even though Xu Heran was panting, feeling a bit dizzy from lack of breath, her mind stubbornly held onto this thought.

And also.

Nuo Nuo is really soft.

Sob.

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The author has something to say:

Xu Heran! What are you doing! (Cold)

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Translator: Glariosa
Editor: Sinensis

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