Inside the pub, the music remained lively and dynamic, the lights still flashing in a kaleidoscope of colors. Yet that slap seemed to carry its own spotlight effect, drawing all eyes toward Ji Mingshu at the center.
—“Listen, does one hand clapping make a sound?”
—“Yes, a thunderous one.”
The onlookers silently answered in their hearts.
Little White Flower had recently starred in a low-budget historical romance web series. The show followed a mindlessly lighthearted style—though lacking in logic, it sparked high discussion and was considered a minor hit. As the female lead, she had gained some recognition.
Now, following the commotion, many recognized her. In an instant, the flashes of covert photography mingled with hushed whispers.
Truthfully, no one cared much about the origin of the conflict. What truly astonished them was that someone had dared to cause trouble at Second Young Master Zhang’s birthday party. Was this girl trying to slap Zhang Er in the face or deliberately stir up trouble?
Zhang Baoshu, seated not far away, was also completely stunned.
From a distance earlier, she hadn’t been able to see clearly. But now, seeing Ji Mingshu up close, she unconsciously began to agree with the words Cen Sen had spoken that night.
With a pearl by your side, why bother with fireflies?
The scene fell into an abrupt silence for dozens of seconds amidst the lively clamor.
Little White Flower’s friend snapped back to reality and quickly shielded her, shouting at Ji Mingshu, “What’s wrong with you? Who are you? What do you think you’re doing, hitting someone?”
“Exactly, can’t you talk things out properly? Do you have any manners?” another chimed in to back her up.
Little White Flower herself remained silent, biting her lip and wearing a pitiful, dazed expression.
But she soon remembered—back in Paris, it was this same woman who had stood up for Jiang Chun, forcing Yan to apologize.
At the time, Yan seemed reluctant to clash with this woman. So perhaps she had some connections.
Thinking this, she pursed her lips, lowered her head, and stayed silent, executing the white lotus trifecta flawlessly in one breath.
Her friends, completely oblivious, wore expressions of righteous indignation as if they had suffered a great injustice, taking turns demanding an explanation from Ji Mingshu.
Ji Mingshu didn’t even lift her eyelids. She took the warm towel Little Earth Goose had magically produced from somewhere and leisurely wiped her hands, her eyes and brows radiating an unapologetic arrogance. She perfectly embodied the brazen fearlessness of “I’ll hit you if I want to—do I need to pick a day?”
If anyone present tonight had ever crossed paths with Cen Sen, they might have noticed that when it came to dealing with people, this couple shared the same lofty, dismissive attitude.
Before long, Second Young Master Zhang arrived upon hearing the commotion.
Little White Flower’s friends were utterly two-faced. Seeing Zhang Er approach, their voices suddenly turned sweet and coquettish, as if seizing the chance to complain to him. “Boss Zhang, what’s going on with this girl? She just came over and hit someone out of nowhere. Today is your birthday party—isn’t this disrespectful to you?”
Zhang Er was so unnerved by the sugary tone that he froze for three seconds. Looking left and right, he still couldn’t figure out how these completely unrelated women had crossed paths.
Fortunately, he hadn’t started drinking yet, so his mind was clear. After determining who had hit whom, he breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Soon, he turned and asked eagerly, “Sister Shu, is your hand okay? Does it hurt? Should I have someone bring some medicine?”
Ji Mingshu chuckled lightly. “It’s fine. Sorry about this—it’s your birthday. I should have held back.”She truly hadn't intended to ruin anyone's event, but as luck would have it, just moments ago when she went to the restroom with Jiang Chun, that Little White Flower's hypocritical remark about "it takes two to tango" happened to fall right into her ears. Acting on impulse, she hadn't thought much of it.
Zhang Er waved his hand dismissively, "Hey! No big deal! Sis, as long as you're happy, that's all that matters!"
He then called someone over, exchanging the towel for a fresh one to press against Ji Mingshu's hand, all while spouting a stream of smooth-talking flattery.
Taking a moment, he glanced back at Little White Flower and her friends but didn't do anything further. After all, it was his birthday, and he didn't want to spoil the mood.
But someone had to be tactless. Even though Ji Mingshu didn't want to cause more trouble at someone else's birthday party, there were still those who snorted disdainfully after she turned away.
Ji Mingshu paused briefly and looked back.
The one who snorted was Little White Flower's friend, looking quite haughty and refusing to meet her gaze directly.
Little White Flower, meanwhile, kept holding the side of her face that had been slapped, tears welling up in her eyes but never falling.
Ji Mingshu found it amusing, "You're already a mistress, yet you haven't prepared yourself for getting slapped at any moment. Your professional standards are a bit lacking."
Zhang Er suddenly flared up as well, turning back with a frown and saying impatiently, "What's wrong with you people? Who brought these things in? Are you deliberately trying to ruin my thirties? It's my birthday, and you're here crying like it's a funeral. What grudge do you have against me?"
Startled by this, Little White Flower's tears, which had been skillfully circling her eyes, suddenly fell.
Zhang Er was so furious he felt smoke coming out of his head. Without another word, he gestured for someone to escort these unlucky individuals out.
The surrounding crowd fell into silence, unsure whether they were still processing what had happened or were simply stunned by Zhang Er's illogical double standards.
Even after the birthday party ended, Jiang Chun hadn't fully regained her composure.
She pulled Ji Mingshu aside and asked bluntly, "Why was Zhang Lin fawning over you like that? Isn't the Zhang family quite influential too? There's no need for that, it was downright embarrassing to watch."
"His older brother naturally doesn't have to, but he wasn't born to Mrs. Zhang," Ji Mingshu said nonchalantly.
Jiang Chun looked bewildered, "What? He wasn't born to Mrs. Zhang? But... isn't he very favored in the Zhang family?"
"Being favored and being an illegitimate child aren't mutually exclusive. Haven't you studied logic?"
"No," Jiang Chun replied earnestly.
Ji Mingshu was momentarily speechless before asking, "How many years have you been in the capital? How do you know nothing?" She was genuinely shocked by this Little Earth Goose's ignorance.
But Jiang Chun wore her ignorance like a badge of honor, acting foolishly yet unapologetic as she linked arms with Ji Mingshu and said, "No one ever told me before. Since you know everything, why don't you teach me?"
"No."
"You stood up for me earlier, so aren't we good friends now? Haven't you heard the saying, 'Once sisters, always sisters'?"
She hadn't heard it, and who said she was sisters with this Little Earth Goose?
Ji Mingshu shot her a look that said, "Please stop trying to claim a connection immediately."
But Jiang Chun held onto her arm tightly, even threatening her with the fact that she'd once used the men's restroom, insisting on dragging her toward her family's car. She claimed she wanted to show Ji Mingshu the luxurious apartment she'd bought in the city center.
Along the way, Ji Mingshu was pestered by Jiang Chun into sharing quite a few secrets about wealthy families, leaving Jiang Chun wide-eyed and amazed.
By the time they entered the apartment elevator, they were still discussing a model couple from their social circle.Jiang Chun asked in surprise, "Is it really that messy? I thought they were very loving. So according to what you're saying, everyone is just using each other, and not many people are truly in love."
Ji Mingshu was about to nod and tell her the harsh truth that "reality is already a mess."
But after swiping her elevator card, Jiang Chun corrected herself, "Wait, I think you and Cen Sen are doing great. Cen Sen dotes on you so much."
...?
Ji Mingshu was momentarily at a loss for words.
Jiang Chun's apartment wasn't far from Baicui Tianhua, about a ten-minute drive. It was also in a prime location, though this area was more densely packed with commercial districts and could get a bit noisy at night.
But Jiang Chun loved it herself—all the bubble tea shops she adored were within a five-hundred-meter radius.
As soon as she stepped inside, Ji Mingshu was stunned.
Jiang Chun proudly introduced, "What do you think? Look here, and here—I hired a designer to remodel these. It was originally a furnished apartment, but the original design was so impractical and ugly."
"Could it be uglier than what you changed it to?" Ji Mingshu stared at a wall of plastic sliding-door wardrobes that looked like they belonged in a rural-urban hybrid area, feeling as if she'd time-traveled back to the '90s. "Are you planning to open a farmhouse inn at home?"
Looking at the hideous apartment Jiang Chun treasured so much, Ji Mingshu didn't even know where to step.
Yet Jiang Chun was stubborn, dragging her around to introduce every detail, trying to change her taste in aesthetics.
Ji Mingshu stopped in front of the bookshelf and glanced at the books inside: My Private Makeup Techniques, How to Capture His Heart, How a Graceful Beauty Is Forged, One Hundred Ways to Improve Emotional Intelligence, The Cold-Hearted CEO and the Clumsy Angel...
Seeing Ji Mingshu staring at the book with "CEO" in the title, Jiang Chun pulled it out and handed it to her. "The title sounds a bit tacky, but it's actually pretty good. Take a look."
Ji Mingshu recoiled, her face full of disdain. "Get that away from me. I never read stuff like this. What kind of taste is that?"
Jiang Chun: "Really? How could a girl not read romance novels? You're so weird."
Even if I read romance novels, I wouldn't read this kind of outdated, naive fluff, okay? Ji Mingshu silently retorted, her expression blank.
Jiang Chun continued to push her recommendation, "But I don't really read physical books much anymore. You should download the Jinjiang app. The novels on Jinjiang are pretty good."
Ji Mingshu didn't respond.
After touring the hideous apartment, the two sat on the sofa to chat.
Ji Mingshu had never been one to keep track of time—as long as she wasn't tired, she could stay awake until dawn.
It was Jiang Chun who suddenly reminded her, "Gosh, it's almost midnight. Shouldn't you send a message to your husband to let him know? He'll worry if you're out this late."
Ji Mingshu instinctively wanted to say, "He's not my boss, why should I report to him?" But to avoid shattering Little Earth Goose's last shred of hope for a happy marriage, she just mumbled an "Mm" and opened WeChat.
Ji Mingshu and Cen Sen's chat history was still stuck on the last round of flattery.
Jiang Chun glanced over, though she didn't see everything, and exclaimed with surprise and envy, "I didn't realize your husband was so good with words."
Ji Mingshu: "..."She thought about it. If she directly followed Jiang Chun's suggestion and informed Cen Sen that she hadn't returned home yet, given his way of thinking, he'd probably assume her sudden check-in was a hint that she'd been kidnapped.
So what could she say to lead into the topic?
She remembered the noodles Cen Sen had cooked and got an idea.
Ji Mingshu: [What did you eat tonight?]
After sending it, Ji Mingshu admired her own message. Perfect—a perfectly normal conversation that wouldn't make her seem overly enthusiastic. Plus, the cute tone would give Jiang Chun the illusion that "our marital relationship is really good."
About three minutes later, Cen Sen actually replied.
Cen Sen: [Didn't eat duck.]
Seeing the message, Jiang Chun's eyes sparkled with hearts. "Your husband is so cute! So this is what he's like in private—I really couldn't tell at all."
She quickly nudged Ji Mingshu and urged, "He said he didn't eat anything. He must want you to comfort him. Reply quickly!"
Ji Mingshu felt a chill down her spine, thinking tonight's Cen Sen was so cute it was as if his account had been hacked.
The next second, another WeChat message came in.
Cen Sen: [Ate bamboo shoots.]
Jiang Chun & Ji Mingshu: "..."
The ugly apartment fell into silence. The two of them went through a series of psychological stages together—from confusion to vague understanding to sudden realization.
After staring at each other for three seconds, Ji Mingshu saw two complex emotions in Jiang Chun's eyes: "Don't call me tacky anymore—your husband is even tackier than me" and "Doesn't your husband's job require internet access?"
My apologies.
Humble.jpg
Tonight, there was a business dinner with Japanese partners. Half the dishes on the table were local specialties, and the other half catered to the partners' tastes. But Cen Sen didn't care much for any of them, only taking a few bites of the braised bamboo shoots.
By the time the dinner ended, it was already late at night. The cold wind had blown away most of the alcohol's effects, and there were no stars in the night sky.
When he returned home, Cen Sen found that Ji Mingshu had already come back.
Earlier, after receiving Ji Mingshu's message, he had asked Zhou Jiaheng where the lady was that evening.
Zhou Jiaheng said she had attended Zhang Lin's birthday party and then gone to Jiang Chun's apartment.
Cen Sen had thought that Ji Mingshu, being such a party animal, wouldn't return tonight.
Ji Mingshu originally hadn't planned to return, but for one thing, Jiang Chun's apartment was so ugly it was hard to fall asleep, and for another, she had finally gotten a hold on one of Cen Sen's weaknesses and intended to come back, lie in wait, and mock him properly.
Little did she expect that after taking a shower and lying in bed reading a novel, she had unknowingly fallen asleep.
Cen Sen glanced at her but didn't bother her.
By the time he finished his shower, Ji Mingshu had already shifted positions, still dominating the bed, though she was still clutching her phone tightly.
He walked to the bedside, effortlessly picked Ji Mingshu up, arranged her into a proper sleeping position, and then tried to take the phone from her hand.
It was then that Ji Mingshu woke up.
She drowsily opened her eyes, glanced at Cen Sen, then at the time on the screen, her mind not fully awake. She rolled over and went back to sleep.
As she turned, she automatically let go of the phone, and that brief moment of opening her eyes had unintentionally unlocked the phone's facial recognition.
By the time it reached Cen Sen's hands, the screen was still on the Weibo interface from before she fell asleep.
To be precise, it wasn't the Weibo interface but the ad-supported novel page pushed by Weibo.
Cen Sen glanced at it."When Shangguan Haoran removed Mu Ziwei's corneas and kidneys, Mu Ziwei's heart was already dead. Three years later, Mu Ziwei returned to City B, originally just wanting to live a plain and uneventful life, but that cold, ruthless, and merciless empire commander tightly embraced her once again, 'Woman, trying to escape? You'll never escape my grasp in this lifetime.' Fear filled Mu Ziwei's eyes, 'Haven't you taken enough with my corneas and kidneys?' 'Not enough, I want your heart'..."
Cen Sen paused, lost in thought for a moment, and even opened the first picture to browse through it.
Ji Mingshu seemed to be sleeping restlessly, having just turned over, and after a while turned back again, tightly wrapped in her little blanket, her bare arm exposed outside, covering the position of her heart.
Cen Sen: "..."
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