Yu Shuman was still wiping away her tears after boarding the train. Qin Ran wanted to comfort her but was worried about saying the wrong thing and making her feel worse.
Luckily, Yu Shuman was good at managing her emotions. When Qin Ran first met her, Yu Shuman quickly bounced back from setbacks, and now, it wasn't long before she was smiling again.
Traveling in first class was comfortable, though the seats were far apart, making it difficult for them to talk. After getting off the train and chatting for a bit, they exited the station and saw Sister Li waiting for them. Without giving Yu Shuman time to say goodbye to Qin Ran, Sister Li, with Xiao An's help, whisked Yu Shuman away.
Qin Ran waved, then sent Yu Shuman a message telling her not to worry, before getting into Assistant Wu's car. Despite it being the New Year, the entertainment industry wasn't quiet. Even though Qin Ran wasn't active on Weibo, she was aware of two major scandals involving secret marriages and childbirths. The paparazzi were so dedicated they didn't even take a break during the holiday.
However, none of this involved 99 Entertainment. The company was full of workaholics, constantly striving for success. Even the actors and actresses were focused on winning more awards, with no time for secret marriages or babies. The only wild card in the company was the top boss, who was a hopeless romantic.
Back home, the housekeeper hired by Assistant Wu was already at work. Although she wasn't thrilled about starting before the holiday ended, Assistant Wu used the power of money to turn her complaints into smiles.
Assistant Wu wasn't one to skimp on spending when it came to Qin Ran. She knew Qin Ran could be frugal in strange ways, but where it mattered, she was generous. So, the housekeeper was given triple pay for the holiday and happily went shopping early in the morning to prepare a delicious meal for Qin Ran.
Qin Ran had mentioned in advance that she wanted steamed bass, salt and pepper shrimp, and celery pork dumplings. The housekeeper was a skilled cook, holding chef and nutritionist certifications, but despite the superior quality, the food didn't taste as good to Qin Ran as the meals prepared by Yu's mother.
The night before, she had enjoyed a dinner filled with love at Yu's home, but now she was left with only a standard lunch prepared by the housekeeper. Qin Ran sighed, missing Yu's mother's cooking. Then she remembered the beef sauce Yu's mother had packed for her, and she eagerly fetched it from her suitcase, placing it on the dining table like a treasure.
The jar of beef sauce looked out of place in the luxurious room, old and a bit shabby, with even the lid slightly dirty. But to Qin Ran, the entire apartment couldn't compare to this jar of sauce. She had just returned from Yu's home and was already missing it. She wished the next New Year would come quickly so she could visit Yu Shuman's home again.
While Qin Ran enjoyed her lunch in the apartment, Yu Shuman was already dragged to an event site by Sister Li, without even having time for a proper meal. She had to eat hurriedly while getting her makeup done. The reason they had returned today was for an afternoon performance. By the time she arrived, the other four members of her group were already there, and Yu Shuman had to smile and apologize.
After changing into her outfit, Yu Shuman sat at the makeup table, where her personal makeup artist swiftly worked on her. Xiao An brought her water and some strawberry mochi, one of her favorite treats. Yu Shuman thanked her, carefully eating the mochi while protecting her dress from any powder fallout.
Once her makeup was done, Yu Shuman went to the restroom before going on stage. As she was finishing up and about to leave, she overheard a conversation outside, which made her hesitate.
Two women were talking about her.
"Hey, did you see that little idol from 99 Entertainment today?"
"Yeah, the one named Yu Shuman, right?"
"Yes, that's her. She arrived late today and even ate in the makeup room. People from 99 Entertainment really are different. Did you see her nanny van?"
"I did. And let me tell you, 99 is loaded. They didn't even need the event staff to pick her up. I saw she came in an Alphard."
"Right, an Alphard costs over a million yuan. How does a newcomer get to ride in one?"
"She's not the only one. That other girl, Ling Miaohan, also came in an Alphard today. Are Alphards that cheap now that everyone can ride in one?"
The conversation paused briefly, the sound of running water suggesting one of them was washing their hands. The topic then took a nastier turn. "I've heard that Ling Miaohan is involved with her boss, the company's CEO, Pei Qi... Is that his name? He supposedly visited her during that talent show, and they're quite close."
Hearing this, Yu Shuman didn't hesitate to push the door open, cutting off their conversation. She stepped out with a smile but spoke directly, "It's not good to gossip about others behind their backs. You never know who might be listening." After saying this, she calmly moved to the sink to wash her hands.
Yu Shuman was meticulous, wetting her hands, applying soap, rinsing thoroughly, and then drying them with a paper towel, which she then tossed into the trash. This careful routine took some time, leaving the two gossipers awkwardly standing there, clearly uncomfortable.
After finishing, Yu Shuman smiled at them and left. Moments later, they heard voices outside: "Manny, you're back! Did you wash your hands? Here, use some hand cream."
"Thank you, Xiao An, I was just about to."
Yu Shuman had a point—walls have ears, and it's easy to be overheard. Even in a backstage area like this, set aside by the event organizers, there were still plenty of people around. If Pei Qi were to hear about this, those two would be in serious trouble. Realizing this, they exchanged nervous glances and hurriedly left.
Meanwhile, Yu Shuman and Xiao An were chatting and laughing as they walked away. The hand cream Xiao An offered had a pleasant, subtle scent of gardenia. Yu Shuman commented on how nice it smelled, and Xiao An smiled without saying a word, carefully putting the cream back in its tube.
—Of course, it smells good. It's only 20g but costs 3,500 yuan, a super-expensive brand exclusively for the wealthy. To avoid Yu Shuman recognizing it, Sister Li even removed the packaging, leaving only the plain aluminum tube.
Xiao An hadn't known what brand it was until Sister Li, with a hint of reluctance, had said, "Use it sparingly... but don't skimp on Yu Shuman. When you run out, come to me for more." That's when Xiao An realized something was off. After some research, she identified the brand and realized how valuable it was. Since then, she had used it sparingly herself.
Curious about Yu Shuman's background, Xiao An had asked Sister Li, "Sister Li, can you tell me who Manny really is? Could she be the boss's daughter?"
Sister Li gave her a sidelong glance, considering Qin Ran's personality. If Yu Shuman were her daughter, Qin Ran's tough love approach would never allow for such indulgence. But Qin Ran was a friend-focused person, only spoiling her friends without limit.
Yet, Xiao An's question planted a seed of suspicion in Sister Li's mind: Could it be that the boss was actually in love with Yu Shuman?
In this industry, there were many same-sex couples, some of whom had been publicly exposed. A few years ago, being outed as gay would have been career suicide, leading to blacklisting and public shaming. But times had changed, and now even same-sex couples could be celebrated, though the industry still required discretion to avoid scandal.
As an artist, revealing a relationship—especially a same-sex one—could still be career-ending, so many kept it tightly under wraps.
At that moment, Sister Li began to wonder: Is it possible that Qin Ran actually likes Yu Shuman? If so, her efforts to keep this a secret would make sense. Sister Li's expression became a bit more knowing, feeling like she had uncovered something big. She patted Xiao An's shoulder and chuckled to herself.
"Oh, I see... That explains a lot."
Not only was it love, but it was unrequited love. This would be a tough situation since Yu Shuman seemed quite straight.
The grin on Sister Li's face was hard to suppress. She wouldn't use this knowledge against Qin Ran, but a little teasing would be inevitable. Knowing Qin Ran, she probably wouldn't admit it easily, but the thought of her eventually admitting it, perhaps with some reluctance, brought a sense of satisfaction to Sister Li.
Returning to the present, Xiao An had squeezed a little more hand cream for Yu Shuman, who rubbed the excess onto Xiao An's hands. "Don't waste it," she said, and Xiao An quickly nodded in agreement, knowing how valuable the cream was.
"This hand cream is really nice," Yu Shuman remarked. "It's fragrant but not overpowering, moisturizes well without being sticky, and it seems to last. I just danced and even sweated a bit, but it didn't leave any residue." After praising it, Yu Shuman asked, "Is there more? I'd like to take a tube."
For anyone else, the answer would have been no, but for Yu Shuman, Xiao An, following Sister Li's orders, nodded eagerly. "Yes, Manny, I'll get it for you."
However, Yu Shuman didn't keep the expensive hand cream for herself. Instead, she gave it to Qin Ran. Whenever Qin Ran had time off, she would sometimes visit Yu Shuman at work. And since Sister Li had instructed them not to restrict Qin Ran's access, Xiao An didn't stop her. But when Xiao An saw Yu Shuman hand over the expensive hand cream to Qin Ran, her professional smile nearly cracked.
—Oh no! My goodness! That stuff is really expensive!
Sister Li: Major discovery!