In the past, Xiang Si would have immediately started a fight.
But now…
Xiang Si merely smiled and closely examined the dress—it was indeed beautiful.
Yao Leyi said it matched her aesthetic perfectly…
Heh.
Either someone deliberately tailored it to her tastes, or it was a genuine expression, and Second Master Fu couldn't help himself.
There was no denying it, he always had his first love on his mind!
Just like those two identical hairbands, when Second Master Fu ordered this dress, he must have imagined it on Yao Leyi.
Because of this, when she first returned to Jiangcheng, she ended up wearing the same dress as Yao Leyi at the welcome banquet...
Xiang Si smiled faintly.
She looked at the clerk, "Give this dress to Miss Yao."
"Huh?"
"This…"
Both the clerk and Yao Leyi were shocked.
Yao Leyi was overjoyed, "Are you serious? You're really giving it to me?"
"Yes," Xiang Si nodded.
"But…" The clerk was troubled, "Miss Xiang, this dress was ordered by Mr. Fu for you."
"It doesn't matter."
Xiang Si was indifferent, "Since it was ordered for me, I'm the owner of this dress. I can give it away if I want to, right?"
"…Yes." The clerk hesitantly nodded; there was no fault in her logic.
"That's settled then?"
Yao Leyi couldn't wait any longer. She immediately grabbed the dress and excitedly headed inside.
"Someone come help me!"
"Yes, Miss Yao!"
Yao Leyi happily went into the fitting room.
Meanwhile, the clerk anxiously looked at Xiang Si, "Miss Xiang, do you want to look at other dresses? We have many here."
"No need."
Xiang Si shook her head with a light smile, "If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving now."
She then decisively turned and walked out, feeling unburdened.
Great! Without the dress, she had an excuse not to attend the banquet tonight! After all, she couldn't go wearing her practice clothes, could she?
As Xiang Si left the store, Chen Zhong immediately approached, "Miss Xiang Si, are you done?"
"Yes, I am."
Xiang Si smiled and nodded, "I need to stop by the dance troupe. I'll go to the banquet myself; no need for you to take me, Uncle Chen."
"Alright then."
Leaving Tingxi Road, Xiang Si planned to head back early.
It was a rare evening with no performance, and she could spend time with Junjun. Because of her profession, she usually returned home when Junjun was already asleep.
Tonight, she could finally read Junjun a bedtime story and tuck her sweet little baby in.
While waiting for a car, her phone rang.
It was an unfamiliar number, a landline.
"Hello?"
She answered, puzzled.
"Hello, is this a friend of Bai Ran? This is the police station."
"Uh, yes!"
Xiang Si's heart sank, "Officer, is something wrong?"
"Please come over."
"Okay, I'll be right there!"
She hurried to the police station, feeling genuinely scared.
The officer on the phone had told her Bai Ran was involved in a fight!
At the station, Bai Ran sat alone on a bench, her hair disheveled, and her fair face bruised and swollen.
Her forehead and the corner of her mouth were bleeding.
"Ran Ran."
Xiang Si first checked on her, gently fixing her hair.
But she didn't ask anything, simply saying, "Wait here; I'll handle the paperwork and take you home soon."
Bai Ran wasn't solely responsible for the fight; it was mutual combat.
The other party involved had already been picked up.
While completing the paperwork, the police officer sighed to Xiang Si, "You should talk to your friend. Is it really worth it over a man?"
The speaker was even a male officer.
"In this world, there are no three-legged toads, but plenty of two-legged men. Why fight over a cheater? It's not worth it!"
Xiang Si was taken aback. Bai Ran fought out of jealousy?
"Heh," she chuckled, "You're right, officer."
After finishing the paperwork, Xiang Si went to fetch Bai Ran, helping her out of the station and taking her home.
They stopped by a nearby pharmacy for some disinfectant.
Inside the apartment, Xiang Si opened the bag, looked at Bai Ran, then got up to fetch a comb, gently brushing and tying her hair back.
"I'll disinfect your wounds and apply some ointment. It might hurt a bit, bear with it."
"Okay." Bai Ran nodded, letting Xiang Si do her work.
Xiang Si's touch was gentle, and Bai Ran barely felt any pain, except for the sting of the disinfectant.
Bai Ran pursed her lips, whispering, "Xiang Si, thank you."
"For what?"
Xiang Si waved her hand, cleaning up the trash, "Haven't you helped me before? There's no need for formalities between us."
"Yes." Bai Ran understood that Xiang Si considered her a friend.
They hadn't known each other long, but their personalities clicked.
After everything was cleaned up, Xiang Si pointed to Bai Ran's mouth, "Eating might be difficult. What do you want for dinner?"
Seeing Bai Ran in a bad mood, she assumed cooking was out of the question.
As expected, Bai Ran shook her head, "I don't want to eat. I have no appetite."
"If you don't want to eat, then don't."
Xiang Si helped her lie down, "Rest for a bit. I guess you don't feel like talking either, so just relax."
"Okay."
Bai Ran pressed her lips into a thin line and lay down.
Xiang Si quietly got up and left, closing the door behind her.
However, she didn't leave immediately. She went to the kitchen and opened the fridge.
The faint sounds from outside didn't bother Bai Ran, but she heard them and knew Xiang Si was busy.
After a while, it got quiet.
Then, her phone beeped with a message from Xiang Si.
[There's pumpkin porridge in the rice cooker and salted broccoli in the air fryer. Eat a little when you're hungry.]
Instantly, Bai Ran's eyes filled with tears.
She covered her eyes with her hand.
How wonderful.
Xiang Si didn't ask her anything, just cared if she was in pain or hungry.
…
Leaving Bai Ran's house, Xiang Si found it had started to snow.
"Wow."
Xiang Si raised her hand, catching a snowflake. It had rained all day and finally turned to snow.
Jiangcheng finally looked like winter.
With this delay, it was getting late.
Her rented apartment wasn't far, so Xiang Si grabbed a shared bike and started heading back.
Meanwhile, at the banquet, Fu Hanjiang scanned the crowd but didn't see Xiang Si.
What was going on?
He had arrived, but Xiang Si wasn't there? Didn't she say she'd come on her own?
Then, he saw Yao Leyi approaching, holding up her dress, "Hanjiang."
Hmm?
Fu Hanjiang frowned. Why did her dress look so familiar? Wasn't this the one he ordered for Xiang Si?
Identical?
Did they end up in matching outfits again??