Don’t worry, I’m better at acting than you
Because she publicly announced that her injuries had not yet healed, Si Meng had to reluctantly accept Lin Hanyue’s “care” for the past few days. However, Si Meng couldn’t figure out why, even though she was the patient, her meals had been getting worse these days.
“Today, uh, what kind of soup is it again?” Si Meng mumbled, recalling the taste of the soup from yesterday, which was worse than drinking from the toilet.
“It’s a soup made from pig brain, sea cucumber, and sheep eggs. It’s very nourishing, and you must finish it,” Lin Hanyue carefully opened the thermos, and the steaming hot air wafted out. This soup had been simmered by her own hands for five hours, and Uncle Wang had said it would be very nourishing.
The moment Lin Hanyue opened the thermos, Si Meng’s expression changed. With just a gentle sniff, she knew that this soup was definitely a formidable creation in the world of dark cuisine. Si Meng had an extraordinary sense of smell from a young age and could usually tell whether something was good or not just by its smell.
“Can we not…?”
“Absolutely not! You must finish it,” Lin Hanyue was uncompromising.
Suddenly, Lin Hanyue received a call from her manager, seemingly to discuss Si Meng’s situation. She warned Si Meng with a glance and then left the ward to take the call.
Seeing Lin Hanyue leave the room, Si Meng breathed a sigh of relief. Wasting food might be shameful, but food poisoning was even scarier. The ingredients clashed with each other, and she didn’t want to risk her life or her beauty.
Si Meng discreetly poured the hearty soup down the drain and even smeared a bit of it on her lips. When Lin Hanyue returned, there was only an empty thermos waiting for her.
Si Meng acted like a child seeking praise, smiling as she showed the thermos to Lin Hanyue. But Lin Hanyue, well aware of Si Meng’s intentions, knew exactly what was going on in her mind.
Lin Hanyue rummaged through the trash can, but it turned out to be empty.
“Oh, come on, I told you I finished it. Don’t you believe me?”
In her heart, Lin Hanyue cursed silently, “Believe you, my foot!” She then shifted her gaze to the nearly lifeless lily flowers. She remembered buying them for Si Meng last week, but how had they wilted so quickly?
Lin Hanyue opened the base of the flowerpot, and there it was, the yellowish soup residue, unmistakably the hearty soup she had brought.
Si Meng panicked and pulled the blanket over her head, thinking, “You can’t see me, you can’t see me.”
(If you're not reading on littlepandatranslations.com, it means this has been stolen)
Lin Hanyue wasn’t buying into Si Meng’s act. She tossed aside the blanket and pinned Si Meng beneath her. Her movements were swift and skillful. She had long figured out that Si Meng only responded to a firm hand, and sometimes, a little discipline was necessary.
Lin Hanyue clamped Si Meng’s wrists with her left hand, straddling her slender waist, and pinched her chubby cheeks with her right hand. Si Meng’s cherry-red lips would blush without hesitation, looking like the soft, bouncy Fragrant Fruit Jelly1. One could easily be enchanted by it. Lin Hanyue used her thumb to caress Si Meng’s red lips while contemplating how to discipline this disobedient little one.
At that moment, Lu Qi pushed the door open, exclaiming loudly, “Meng Meng, the lousy crew is begging for your return. You… Oh my goodness, the two of you… Oh dear, I feel like I’m going to get a case of tunnel vision.”
With that, Lu Qi felt frustrated. She knew Si Meng couldn’t escape Lin Hanyue’s firm grasp. It was like a lamb walking into the mouth of a tiger. Had she already forgotten how cruel this woman had been to her in the past?
Si Meng felt a bit embarrassed. Just yesterday, she had promised Lu Qi that she would never have anything to do with Lin Hanyue for the rest of her life.
Lin Hanyue remained calm, showing no signs of embarrassment at being caught.
“The production team is asking Si Meng to come back. How do you all feel about this?” Lu Qi inquired.
“What else can we feel? It’s just another round of ‘Hongmen Banquet,'” Si Meng quipped, resting her chin on her hand.
“I suppose Bai Lu wants to turn the tables, make a mountain out of a molehill,” Lin Hanyue pondered.
“Well, she can forget about it. Rest assured, I have a plan to deal with her,” Si Meng had already devised a strategy. Pretending to be ill was not a long-term solution.
That evening, Si Meng wore a mask and headed to the Star River Hotel for the banquet. The dishes at the Star River Hotel were average, but the expenses could reach a fortune. The production team had spared no effort to impress Si Meng and express their sincerity.
As soon as Si Meng entered the private room, the director hurried over to greet her. He kindly inquired about Si Meng’s health and guided her to the seat on his right. Bai Lu was seated next to Si Meng. Throughout the event, the director wore a constant smile on his face, as if he might as well have the words “trying to please” written directly on his face.
Si Meng remained unruffled, displaying no signs of emotion. She maintained a composed and unassuming demeanor, quietly sipping her tea. She remarked, “This Longjing tea is excellent, but I’m afraid my tea-making skills are lacking. It’s a waste of this high-quality green tea.”
The director didn’t catch the deeper meaning behind her words and assumed she was showing interest in the “green tea.” He promptly ordered another pot.
Bai Lu’s expression soured slightly. She had long understood that Si Meng was subtly mocking her. She felt frustrated inside but had to maintain a proper appearance, not wanting to waste her sophisticated makeup.
“Si Meng, the things that happened before were due to my immaturity. Let’s put everything behind us with a cup of tea. You’re such a kind sister, and I’m sure you won’t give me or the production team a hard time,” Bai Lu spoke in a gentle tone, yet her words held a hidden agenda.
(If you're not reading on littlepandatranslations.com, it means this has been stolen)
Si Meng smirked. Oh, here we go again?
Si Meng found this intriguing and said, “Naturally, I won’t trouble the production team. However, it depends on your sincerity, little sister. We’re out of tea, so how about you demonstrate your tea-making skills for us?”
Bai Lu maintained a smile on her face, but she was cursing Si Meng in her heart. How dare she push the envelope and make her lower herself to brew tea for her?
Si Meng was in no hurry. She shifted her gaze towards the director and calmly said, “It seems that little sister Bai Lu has some concerns about me, doesn’t she?”
Everyone turned their attention to the seemingly unaffected Bai Lu, especially the director, who was on the verge of considering her a thorn in his side. Si Meng had already spoken about reconciliation, so it was up to Bai Lu to come around. If not, she should just leave the production team.
Unable to withstand the pressure, Bai Lu got up to find a waiter and request tea leaves for brewing. When Bai Lu left the room, Si Meng subtly tampered with the automatic tea machine, locking it in manual mode. The only option was to make tea manually, or else…
Bai Lu found the tea leaves and returned to her seat. She had no intention of making tea herself for others and opted for convenience by trying to use the automatic tea machine. However, the machine emitted a series of sharp noises, leaving Bai Lu in a state of panic. She had no idea how to operate it, even though she had just seen the waiter do it earlier. Frantically pressing buttons, she startled the waiter, who rushed over.
“Do you know how expensive this machine is?” The blunt waiter commented, ignoring Bai Lu’s embarrassed expression.
The waiter attempted to operate the machine but realized it was completely unresponsive. He started to worry; this was an imported product introduced by the owner from abroad just a few days ago. Could it be broken? It cost millions of yuan.
“It’s just a tea maker, what’s the big deal?” Bai Lu retorted, downplaying the cost of tea-making equipment.
“It’s worth several million,” the waiter grumbled.
Suddenly, the machine’s faucet moved a bit. Bai Lu’s face lit up, thinking the problem was resolved. She was annoyed with the stubborn waiter for potentially trying to make her compensate for it. She planned to give him a bad review later.
Splash! The faucet unexpectedly sprayed water directly onto Bai Lu’s face, catching her completely off guard. While Si Meng remained composed, the others were either surprised or amused. Bai Lu, on the other hand, let out a scream and rushed towards the restroom. Her makeup must stay intact at all costs.
The faucet abruptly rotated 180 degrees, as if it was about to spray everyone in the room. Panic ensued as people quickly stood up to evade the impending water spray. In their hearts, they had already grown resentful of Bai Lu, who seemed both ignorant and pretentious. Did she want to get them all soaked?
At a critical moment, Si Meng gently pressed the unlock button, then turned back to the waiter with a slight smile and said, “Don’t worry, the machine isn’t broken. It’s just that Bai Lu accidentally pressed the wrong button.”
Her words were considerate and tender, instantly winning the heart of the waiter. This was what a true idol was like, so warm-hearted. She was definitely going to become a devoted fan of Si Meng.
(If you're not reading on littlepandatranslations.com, it means this has been stolen)
Si Meng stood up, her face displaying genuine concern. She spoke softly, “Bai Lu has been away for a while. I’ll go check on her and see how she’s doing.”
Others couldn’t help but develop a fondness for Si Meng. She was such an understanding and compassionate young lady. Even when someone had acted against her, her initial response was to worry about their well-being.
Unconsciously, the group had started to compare Bai Lu and Si Meng. One was ostentatious, the other naturally beautiful, one was petty, the other was considerate. After a series of comparisons, the group began to dislike Bai Lu even more. She was seen as the troublemaker, which was why they say, “Trouble often comes from those less attractive.”LP: I do not follow this kind of thinking 🙁
On the side, Bai Lu’s assistant felt a sense of impending disaster. She wondered how Bai Lu, with her stubborn personality, could outmaneuver Si Meng. Thinking about getting up to stop Si Meng, she was instead held firmly by Lu Qi, who then offered her a glass of white wine.
Lu Qi slyly remarked, “If your artist won’t have tea, then as her assistant, you might as well have wine in her place.”
“Well… ahem, I don’t drink.”
“Bottoms up.” Lu Qi forcefully poured three glasses down her throat. After the alcohol had passed through their systems, the two of them engaged in a candid conversation, covering topics from astronomy to geography, forming a friendship almost as close as sworn sisters.
