"Xiao Lein, were you always this jealous of her? Or are you just too busy sulking to even admit the obvious?" Yin Yuli pulled the woman on other end out of stupor, her tone teetering between provocation and curiosity.
Mei Lein snorted. "Jealous? Hardly," she replied, though the edge in her voice betrayed her attempt to sound indifferent. "I'm just tired of her always being the one who can do no wrong. Pointing out the obvious isn't jealousy—it's her instinctive nature. She got quite a massive ego!"
Yuli chuckled dryly and spoke as of lived experience. "Massive or small ego! These days, it's less of a flaw and more of a survival tactic. Nobody gets ahead in this world by being humble. We've all learned to walk a little taller, even if it means puffing ourselves up along the way."
