Jiang Li had been worried about having nothing to talk about with Jiang Shi. But once the topic of Winnie the Pooh came up, their conversation flowed smoothly. Jiang Li even mentioned Jing Yi, who had given her the phone case.
"I hope I'll have the chance to be friends with her," Jiang Shi said, resting her chin on her hand with a smile on her face. "She must be a really cute girl."
Jiang Li couldn't help but want to laugh.
She really was a cute girl. When Jiang Li found her biological family, Jing Yi had said, "May you be prosperous." How could that not be cute?
The two sat and chatted for a while. Then a waitress entered the private room, bowing as she placed the fruit wine Jiang Li had ordered in front of her.
The moment the waitress looked up, her eyes met Jiang Li's. Jiang Li raised her eyebrows slightly, a bit surprised.
It was an old acquaintance.
Not expecting to see Jiang Li here, Qin Yaoyao's expression cracked for a moment. She quickly lowered her head, hugging the tray tightly with both hands, and quickly turned around and walked out.
"Do you know her?" Jiang Shi noticed the eye contact between the two just now and asked Jiang Li.
Jiang Li blinked and casually brushed it off. "We had some interactions before, but we're not that familiar now."
Jiang Shi nodded and didn't ask further.
After sitting for a while, Jiang Li got up and went to the restroom. Coincidentally, she ran into Qin Yaoyao coming out of another private room.
The light outside was brighter than in the private room. She could clearly see that Qin Yaoyao was wearing a figure - hugging dress. She seemed to have fallen into decline. Her face looked more haggard and down - and - out than before.
The two met in the corridor.
"What a coincidence," Qin Yaoyao said first. Jiang Li hadn't planned to greet her. "Long time no see, Sister Jiang Li."
It was the same words, but it felt completely different.
Jiang Li nodded at her. "Yeah, long time no see."
It should have been just a needless greeting, but Qin Yaoyao stopped Jiang Li.
"Are you happy to see me in such a sorry state?" Qin Yaoyao suddenly blurted out.
"You're overthinking," Jiang Li twitched her lips. "I don't really care about your current situation."
"Isn't this what you wanted? You used to pretend to take care of me as a newbie and show your false sympathy. But in fact, you're the biggest winner," Qin Yaoyao said with a sarcastic smile. "I'm no match for you at all."
Jiang Li smiled. "Well, you're right."
"Sister Jiang Li, I've asked myself. In the year at Jiang Entertainment, I never did anything to harm you. But what about you? You've ruined my life," she said desperately.
"I was almost going to marry Xiao Yanzhi. I was almost going to have a wonderful life. Why did you have to pick on me?"
"You're so excellent, with acting skills and connections. And now you have so many friends to hang out with. Why didn't you just give me a little bit?"
Jiang Li just shook her head. "You're wrong. I don't have a better life than you."
Qin Yaoyao was stunned for a moment.
"I've told you many times that there's a lot of fresh blood in this industry. If you don't work hard, you'll be eliminated," Jiang Li pursed her lips.
"Jiang Entertainment was a great stepping - stone, but you put your focus in the wrong place."
With Qin Yaoyao's looks, if she had worked a little harder back then, even if she couldn't become a big - name movie star, she could have been a popular young actress, acting in idol dramas or online dramas and appearing in variety shows. She would have had no problem making a living.
But she had gambled her life on others.
"The path of life is walked step by step by oneself. I wish you a comfortable life in the future. Goodbye," Jiang Li said.
Qin Yaoyao shouted behind her, "Who do you think you are to lecture me?"
"Do you think he'll marry you? No matter how excellent you are, you can't cross the class barrier. Su Jialan won't allow you to marry into their family!"
Her fierce tone wasn't like a warning but more like a complaint about her own life.
"You'll just be his mistress for the rest of your life, relying on his affection," she said with a smile on her lips and cruelty in her eyes. "The only difference between me and you is being loved or not."
Jiang Li didn't look back. She listened quietly, only feeling sad.
Even now, Qin Yaoyao still thought her failure was caused by her social status.
Back in the private room, it was still lively.
Jiang Li sat back in her original seat, took out her phone, and saw the message from the man just now: [I'll come pick you up.]
Seeing this message, Jiang Li pouted.
[Mr. Xiao, it's the most ungentlemanly behavior to keep a girl waiting.]
A moment later, the other side replied briefly with two words.
[Come out.]
It was just two simple words, but Jiang Li's lips couldn't help but curl up. She turned to Sheng Jingxi and said, "I'll go out for a while," then ran out of the private room.
She was in such a hurry that she didn't even have time to put on her coat.
Running out of the club, she looked around and then locked her eyes on the man standing next to the car.
Without hesitation, she trotted all the way over, wrapped her arms around his waist, and buried her face in his chest. "You're so fast."
Xiao Yanzhi still had a cigarette in his hand that wasn't finished. He pinched out the cigarette and threw it into the trash can. He placed his palm on her waist and chuckled. "You'd better choose your words carefully."
Choose her words carefully?
Oh, she had just said he was fast.
Jiang Li felt something was wrong and immediately struggled out of his embrace, keeping a distance for safety.
"Did you have a good time?" Xiao Yanzhi pinched her fingers. "You didn't even tell me in advance that you were coming out to play. I could have come to pick you up earlier."
She had sent the message to Xiao Yanzhi on a whim just now. Now that she saw him in person, she didn't want to be separated from him.
"Why did you run out without your coat?" Xiao Yanzhi touched her back and felt how thin her sweater was. So he took off his coat and put it on her shoulders to prevent her from catching a cold.
Feeling the weight and warmth on her shoulders, she lifted her head and blinked her eyes. "I just wanted to see you quickly."
After not seeing each other for a few days, she was even more clingy than before, making him not want to let go for a moment.
She was very beautiful today, with a rosy complexion. It seemed she had drunk a little wine.
"Are you drunk?"
"I only had a little fruit wine. I'm not drunk," she blinked her eyes. Her eyes were very bright, and she was full of gossip. She said proudly, "I'll tell you. I saw who my brother likes tonight..."
Before she could finish her sentence, a crowd of people came out of the club. The party was over.
Not wanting to be seen by others, the two immediately changed from hugging to holding hands.
Even so, Sheng Jingxi, who came out first, saw them clearly. He quickly walked over and patted Xiao Yanzhi on the shoulder. "Good evening, brother - in - law."