"Oi, how long are you going to mope?" Hu Lanying shouts, pulling the overly wrinkled blanket away.
Jia Yu groans, curling herself back into a burrito. "Leave me alone! I want to die in peace!" A single-arm pops out from underneath the sheets, and she waves her away.
Hu Lanying rests her fists against her curved waist. "How long are you going to continue feeling sorry for yourself? I told you not to say yes to being her bridesmaid, but you said yes anyway!" She waves her arms in the air, unable to handle her best friend since pre-school.
Jia Yu inhales the snots lurking down her nose as she remembers her new sister-in-law wedding. It's beautiful with the lavish flowers and stunning birds. Of course, she is happy for her brother for marrying such a wonderful woman, but at the same time, it reminds her of loveless love life.
Always the bridesmaid, never the bride.
The last person she remembers dating was when she was in high school.
Due to her ambition, she broke up with him during senior year.
She walked away stringing his broken heart along with her.
Finances first.
Love later.
So, she packed her bags and head to the big city.
Jia Yu spend four years in college then two additional years to gain a higher degree.
During her six years of college, she applied for multiple big businesses. With her position mindset, she self-convinced that one of them will eventually accept her. Finally, after numerous rejections, she got into one during her second year of college and worked from the bottom up.
Due to the accumulation of stress, Jia Yu picked up online writing.
It's introduced by Jia Yu's best friend, Hu Lanying.
Hu Lanying thought it was a good idea at the time.
Something that can distract Jia Yu from work.
Big mistake.
It became an obsession.
Jia Yu stopped going out, rotating her life around work and writing.
Fast forward, at the prime age of thirty, Jia Yu is alone.
Hu Lanying exhales, before settling herself beside the burrito. Cautiously, she places a hand on top of Jia Yu's body. "Who cares if you're alone?"
"Everyone! Everyone cared!" Jia Yu shouts, remembering her relatives and friends constant pestering of when she would get married at her brother's wedding. If they didn't question her about her lack of love life, they would whisper behind her back.
She knows they do!
She isn't paranoid!
"Well, forget everyone!" Hu Lanying wraps her arms beneath her chest. "You're pretty!"
"Liar! I'm average at the most, and you know it!"
There isn't anything anyone can say to comfort a woman in distress.
"Well, even if you're average looking. You still have money! Now, call me a liar!" Hu Lanying challenges her friend. Hu Lanying smiles at the lack of response. "Look, if you're sad because of the lack of men in your friend. Why not pay them to accompany you?"
Jia Yu frowns, "Isn't that pathetic?" she grumbles underneath the sheets.
"Please," Hu Lanying flips her hair back. "If men pay women for attention. Why is it pathetic when we do it?"
Jia Yu ponders at the thought before nodding. "What about family?"
"Adopt children!"
"But they will be fatherless."
"Better than being fatherless and motherless."
After some time, Jia pops her head out. "It isn't pathetic if I did all those things?"
Hu Lanying smiles and nods.
"If I get a sugar baby, it's okay?"
Hu Lanying smiles and continues nodding.
Jia Yu smiles, "Okay! Let's get me a sugar baby!"
Hu Lanying smiles drops. "Wait. What?"
Jia Yu sat upward, allowing the blanket to fall. "Let's do it! Let's get me a sugar baby!"
Hu Lanying could feel a vein throbbing against her temple. She only said those things to comfort Jia Yu. She didn't expect her to take it seriously. Still, it got her out of her pathetic burrito state. "Okay, we will get you a sugar baby." She would figure everything out later. "But, first, let's get on set!"
Hu Lanying's primary goal is to get Jia Yu out of bed and onto the movie set. That is her job as Jia Yu's agent.
Quickly, before Jia Yu changes her mind, Hu Lanying tied up her hair and started getting her ready for the set. She doesn't need anything fancy; simple clothes will do. After all, she is merely a writer. After a single nod of approval, Jia Yu can leave the set and mourn about her pathetic love life.
Jia Yu cuddle tightly to Hu Lanying as she continues driving. "I want to marry you," Jia Yu said. "Marry me and become my husband."
Hu Lanying couldn't hold back the snorting sound lingering inside her throat as she gently comes to a stop at the red light. "How can I become your husband when I don't carry a wing wang."
Jia Yu bursts out laughing at Hu Lanying's broad vocabulary. "Silly," she taps Hu Lanying nose. "You can please me in different ways."
Jia Yu and Hu Lanying had been together for as long as they can remember, watching each other backs whenever. If someone trash talks about Hu Lanying, Jia Yu will fight back with her fierce words. When someone teases Jia Yu, Hu Lanying would fight with her fists.
Jia Yu looks out the window, only to see a massive advertisement of the hottest male actor on board - Wang Xiu Ying.
"Handsome, isn't he?" Hu Lanying question, before continuing the car.
She nods, "Yeah. I guess."
"You guess?" Hu Lanying bursts out laughing. "We might meet him later."
"Why?"
"Because he is the male lead to your story."
Jia Yu lifts a brow. "He is? Since when?"
"Since they decided to cas-"Hu Lanying gave her a nasty glare. "Did you not read anything from the documents they send you?"
"The document says to keep it a secret, and we all know how I can't keep a secret. So, I decided not to open it."
"And the truth?"
"I was reading some contracts for the company and lost it. Then, my brother got married." Jia Yu settle her head against the glass. "Then, I said – Why bother."
Hu Lanying releases a breath of disapproval.
"I guess. He is fit," Jia Yu grumbles.
"What? Do you disapprove? You want someone else to be your main lead?"
Jia Yu smiles, very creepily. "I want you," she did what she assumes as a wink.
Hu Lanying smoothly pulls into the parking space. "Then, you better know. I'm not a hero, baby."
Jia Yu gasps, "You want to be the villain? What? Why? They die!"
Hu Lanying shrugs, "It's just always about the main lead. I feel like the villain or second male lead needs some love too. Hence, I will either be the villain or second male lead. Yeah. Yeah. Sounds good. If you ever write another book, put me as one of them. Give me a huge pow pow too."
Jia Yu rolls her eyes, "Please, the pow pow comes with the power."
"What does that even mean?"
"I don't know. I'm sad right now," Jia Yu exhales.
Hu Lanying shakes her head before she drags Jia Yu in.
Once they are on set, Jia Yu clung firmly onto Hu Lanying, behaving as if she forgot how to be a human. Her eyes jump around the setup room, from the dark clothes to the table of food. She swallows at the pitch-perfect table of food as Hu Lanying continues talking to the directors. Jia Yu pulls her hood further onto her face as she sneaks towards the table of food. She smirks, pushing a donut into her purse.
Hu Lanying pretends she did not see her best friend stealing a donut on set.
After Jia Yu pathetic thievery, she sneaks back to Hu Lanying's side with a proud smile. One step after another, her smile only widens until she hears a: "Watch out!"
Bang!
Right on the head.
Just like that, the thirty years of Jia Yu's life ended.
"I'm sorry!"