Chapter 29 — Life is like a play, dependent on acting skills

Xia Wei went to her nail salon that morning. After a week without working, there were some things that needed to be dealt with. At noon, she met up with Tao Yu for lunch, this time without inviting Tian Tian. It was just the two of them.

“How’s Tian Tian?” Tao Yu had seen how intoxicated she was yesterday and was unsure about what happened to her afterward.

Xia Wei replied, “She was already better when I left, but she has to work overtime today. That might have some influence.”

Tao Yu nodded and asked, “She really works overtime so much? It seems like she’s under a lot of pressure.”

“Yes; that’s why she wanted to go to the bar yesterday. She normally doesn’t touch alcohol.”

Tao Yu smiled lightly and said, “When she was in school, she was very obedient. Frankly, I was quite surprised to see her drink alcohol yesterday.”

Xia Wei laughed and didn’t comment. After lunch, Tao Yu drove back to D City. Xia Wei saw him off before taking the subway home by herself. Her phone began ringing in her bag, causing her to take it out and see that Xia Ming Ming had sent her a message.

Xia Ming Ming: 「Old sis, did you know that Starlight General Merchandise is having a silk scarf promotion?」  

Xia Wei: 「I know, seems like the designer is Tang Zhi, right?」  

Xia Ming Ming: 「Right right, it’s her. Do you want to come and look? I have invitations.」  

Xia Wei: 「This requires an invitation? I thought anyone could go and take a look 『sweatdrop』」  

Xia Ming Ming: 「There’s a fas.h.i.+on show! Not only that, celebrities are coming! The invitation is for seats! 」  

Xia Wei: 「Oh oh! Is Tang Zhi going?!」  

Xia Ming Ming: 「Yes! It’s on Sat.u.r.day next week. Come grab an invitation before then, okay?」

Xia Wei: 「I’ll come over right now. I just happen to be outside 『grin』」   

Xia Wei exited the subway entrance and headed toward Starlight Plaza. First, she went to Starlight General Merchandise to find Xia Ming Ming for the invitation before returning to her nail salon. She was very pleased about Xia Ming Ming’s current job. When Starlight General Merchandise held their annual domestic marketing meeting, he could help her get a hold of good things!

Xia Ming Ming was currently pleased about his job as well. Although he was busy, he

felt happy about his job because his colleagues were all beautiful women.

When he went with his beautiful colleagues to set up the silk scarf exhibit, he saw Jiang Zhi Zhou strolling through the department store.

“Mr. Jiang!” he called out in pleasant surprise, quickly making his way over. “Long time no see!”

Jiang Zhi Zhou was stunned but nodded his head in greeting. “It really has been a long time.”

“Righto, I haven’t seen you since I moved.”

These words startled Jiang Zhi Zhou slightly. Xia Ming Ming hadn’t seen him since he moved?”

“Yi, and you’re strolling through the mall with your girlfriend?” Xia Ming Ming saw Sun Jiao Jiao standing beside him and flashed her an uncertain smile.

Sun Jiao Jiao politely hummed at his question, to which Jiang Zhi Zhou said, “This is my friend, Sun Jiao Jiao.”

Xia Ming Ming blinked. Not his girlfriend? Sun Jiao Jiao also glanced up at him. Strictly speaking, they indeed were not significant others; they could only be considered as blind dates with a possible future together. Jiang Zhi Zhou’s words, however, still made her feel frustrated.

“Then I won’t trouble you. I’m still on the clock!”

Xia Ming Ming intended to retreat then. Jiang Zhi Zhou glanced in the direction at which Xia Ming Ming came from and asked, “You’re holding some event here?”

“Righto, there’s a silk scarf promotion this Sat.u.r.day, plus a fas.h.i.+on show.” He took out two tickets from his folder and handed them to Jiang Zhi Zhou. “I have invitations here. You’re welcome to come watch. My older sister is coming that day too.”

Jiang Zhi Zhou paused and accepted the tickets. “Thank you, I’ll come.”

Xia Ming Ming smiled and said, “The silk scarf promotion is designed by Teacher Tang Zhi. It’s super pretty, and if you see things you like, you can buy them as gifts to send to a girl. “

He glanced at Sun Jiao Jiao upon mentioning this, who looked away in slight embarra.s.sment.

“Then I’ll go back to work, you two enjoy your date!” He waved at them before leaving.

When the beautiful colleagues saw him finally return, because they were waiting for him to the side, they impatiently threw questions at him. “Was that handsome guy just now your friend?”

“Mn, my older sister’s neighbor.”

“Oh, then do you have his contact details? Tell, tell.”

……

Xia Ming Ming flashed her what he believed to be a bright, handsome smile, exposing his small white teeth. “Did you not see the beautiful

beautiful woman by his side? He already has a companion, so why not have my contact details? I’m single.”

Beautiful colleague: “…”

As the two walked further away, Sun Jiao Jiao smiled and asked Jiang Zhi Zhou, “Was that your friend just now? He’s quite an interesting person.”

“Mn.” Jiang Zhi Zhou nodded but didn’t say anything.

Sun Jiao Jiao’s smile faltered for a second before slowly fading away. “Is there something bothering you today?”

Jiang Zhi Zhou didn’t expect her to confront him like this and looked at her in surprise. “Why do you ask?”

Sun Jiao Jiao giggled and replied, “I feel as if you are especially quiet today; besides, you look absent-minded.”

Jiang Zhi Zhou pursed his lips and reflected on himself. “I apologize.”

“It’s alright.” Sun Jiao Jiao shook her head. “If you have some matters to handle, then you can leave early.”

Jiang Zhi Zhou muttered to himself irresolutely. He had planned beforehand to take Sun Jiao Jiao to a concert, but he really wasn’t in the mood to attend. He looked at Sun Jiao Jiao and apologized, “I’m not feeling particularly well today, so I apologize. Next time, I’ll take you to the concert.”

“Okay.”

Sun Jiao Jiao watched him leave and stood there slightly despondent. Since she had allowed him to leave, he really did leave…

Once Xia Ming Ming was done with work, he animatedly sent Xia Wei a message. 「The Mr. Jiang who lives downstairs from you, does he have a girlfriend?」

Xia Wei raised a brow and threw back: 「Why do you ask?」

Xia Ming Ming: 「I saw him this afternoon at Starlight General Merchandise. He was walking around with a beautiful woman.」

Xia Ming Ming: 「That beauty looks like a young miss of some family, especially cla.s.sy. She also looks particularly innocent and pure.」  

Xia Wei: 「Oh 『smile』」  

Xia Ming Ming: 「Yingyingying,1 seems like Mr. Jiang really is a man of high status; he’s never lacking beauties by his side qwq」 

… Xia Wei really didn’t care about what he was saying.

Xia Ming Ming: 「Today, our company’s beauties saw him and also asked me for his contact details qwq」  

Xia Wei: 「Keep it up. Without great effort, you will never know if you’ll become like him :)」

Xia Ming Ming: 「…」  

Xia Ming Ming: 「Smilingly drinking this bowl of poisoned chicken soup『smile』」2

Xia Wei turned off her phone and propped her chin up with her hands, sighing. Mr. Jiang was taking a stroll through the mall together with Lady Sun? What would they

would they do next: watch a film together, or go to a concert? Based on their elegant hobbies, probably a concert, right?

She quickly shook her head twice, tossing the thoughts of Mr. Jiang and Lady Sun out of her head. Turning on her computer, she typed in the name of an apartment rental website into the search bar. She still needed to find an apartment as soon as possible, so she could move out of Twiggy’s home.

After searching online for three days, Xia Wei found a suitable apartment rental that was conveniently located quite near her nail salon.

She made an appointment to meet up with the landlord on a day when she was off from work, to take a look at the apartment. Upon taking a look around, Xia Wei felt that it was not bad. Although it wasn’t as good as Twiggy’s apartment, she was now raising Suns.h.i.+ne, so the crux of the matter was having enough room for it to roam free. She could walk Suns.h.i.+ne just as well in this neighborhood as in her current one. Moreover, the living s.p.a.ce was quite large for a one bedroom, one living room apartment.

“Then I’ll go back and prepare the contract. We’ll sign it at our next appointment.”

“Sure.” At last, she was moving out.

When Xia Wei returned home, Suns.h.i.+ne bounded up to her immediately, welcoming her back. Xia Wei stroked its head and said, “Suns.h.i.+ne, we’re moving. The place is pretty nice, so you should like it.”

Woof!

“After I do the laundry, I’ll take you for a walk, okay?”

Woof woof!

“So obedient.” Xia Wei rubbed its ears and then went to do her laundry. Since she was raising a dog, there was dog hair everywhere… She suddenly felt that moving was a sensible choice; otherwise, when Twiggy returned, she would find her home in a sorry state. Twiggy might break off relations with her.

While she cleaned, Suns.h.i.+ne nosed around her, looking for trouble. Xia Wei ultimately got angry and made it stand to the side in punishment, which made it calm down. While she hung her wet clothes on the balcony, Suns.h.i.+ne followed her out.

“Suns.h.i.+ne, stop making trouble. If you make more trouble, I’ll cut down on your snacks!”

Woof! Suns.h.i.+ne pretended to be deaf, acting as if it was merely a dog. It wagged its tail and circled around Xia Wei’s calves incessantly.

“Haha.” While Xia Wei was drying her clothes, Suns.h.i.+ne’s hair rubbed against her, making her feel ticklishher feel ticklish and unsteady on her feet. Her grip on her clothes laxed, causing them to fall.

…………

She stopped laughing.

Because she had been hanging up her underwear just now.

That was right, her underwear. History always had such an astonis.h.i.+ng repet.i.tion rate. 

She glanced down below; her underwear once again fell into the greenery, which set her mind very at ease.

“Suns.h.i.+ne!” She pointed a finger at it angrily. “Look at you, making trouble! Go downstairs and help me get my clothes back!”

…Woof. Aware that it truly had done wrong, Suns.h.i.+ne became completely obedient this time.

“What’s the use in acting obedient now; go downstairs and find Mr. Jiang!”

…Woof. Suns.h.i.+ne obediently sat down and simply lolled its tongue.

Xia Wei: “…”

Jiang Zhi Zhou did not go to Tian Xia Restaurant that afternoon. For the past few days, he had not been able to concentrate. He felt that with this state of mind, he was not fit to cook. Perhaps he really should go to a psychiatrist?

He sat in the living room with a scowling Tangeriney and a bitter expression when he glimpsed something float down from upstairs.

A somewhat familiar something.

After the first time, Jiang Zhi Zhou was now very experienced at this. He recognized what that thing was in just two seconds.

Jiang Zhi Zhou: “…”

That, could it belong to Miss Xia from upstairs? Why did she…always drop her underwear?

Jiang Zhi Zhou sank heavily into his seat and didn’t move. What should he do now? Notify Miss Xia from upstairs, or pretend he didn’t see it?

From her reaction last time, she wouldn’t want him to see it, right?”

Then he would act as if he hadn’t seen it.

He turned his head and continued to expressionlessly stroke his cat.

Orange Cat: “…”

Soon, the doorbell rang. Jiang Zhi Zhou stiffened subconsciously and thought to himself that it must be Miss Xia, right?

He stood up and did his best to not look at the balcony, his gaze fixated in the direction of the door as he walked over to open it.

On the other side, it really was Xia Wei. She was holding the leash of that dog she took in. Her smile was a bit rigid, and when she saw him, it became even more artificial. “Eh, Mr. Jiang, you’re home, hahaha.”

“Mn.” Jiang Zhi Zhou pursed his lips and asked, “You…came to see the orange cat?”

He felt that there was a saying that was too accurate for this scenario——Life is like a play, dependent on acting skills.