As Qin Ran walked through the hall, her fitted gown clung to her figure. Tonight, she had opted for more elaborate earrings, looking more formal than last time—though it would have been hard to dress more simply than she did at the previous event. With her financial backing, just stepping out of the corner drew many eyes.
Though Qin Ran wasn't the host of this event, she was undoubtedly the most dazzling person there. Everyone knew that the owner of 99 Entertainment was lavish in her spending, making deals more for her pleasure than profit. She didn't care whether she made money or not.
Who wouldn't want to collaborate with such a partner? Associating with her meant guaranteed profit—the only question was how much. A risk-free venture was something no businessperson wanted to pass up.
As she moved through the crowd with determined steps, many corporate figures hoped she was heading their way.
Instead, Qin Ran passed by a crowd of businesspeople and walked straight toward a group of celebrities, stopping in front of them. Yu Shuman noticed her approach and, slightly flushed from drinking, smiled at Qin Ran. "Xuejie, why are you here?"
If I didn't come, you'd end up drunk.
Qin Ran silently remarked, taking the wine glass from Yu Shuman's hand and turning to the group of celebrities. They didn't have any malicious intent; they just wanted to network with Yu Shuman. None of them were bold enough to bully or mock her—not with 99 Entertainment's notorious reputation.
Qin Ran understood their intentions, and because of that, she decided to let it slide this time. She took the glass from Yu Shuman and replaced it with a non-alcoholic drink. "Xuejie, have this instead. You're not good with alcohol, so it's better to drink something lighter."
Yu Shuman hesitated, then nodded and accepted the glass, taking a sip. "It tastes pretty good."
"Right? Much better than alcohol."
After swapping drinks, Qin Ran didn't leave; she stayed beside Yu Shuman, clearly signaling that she was there to listen to their conversation. The celebrities, realizing they couldn't speak as freely, fell silent, awkwardly fumbling for words.
They had been trying to get Yu Shuman to introduce them to the boss of 99 Entertainment. But with Qin Ran standing right there, they suddenly found themselves at a loss for words.
If they had dared to speak up, Qin Ran might have respected them a bit more.
Qin Ran's presence was intimidating, especially when she turned on her "don't mess with me" aura whenever Yu Shuman wasn't looking. Her demeanor alone silenced the group, and they eventually dispersed. Qin Ran then softly asked Yu Shuman if she wanted to go home, her tone as gentle as that of a concerned partner. Yu Shuman nodded, set down her glass, and prepared to leave with Qin Ran.
Qin Ran glanced at Assistant Wu, who quickly walked over in response.
The three of them exited the venue, where the driver, having received Assistant Wu's message, was already waiting at the entrance. Once Qin Ran and Yu Shuman were seated in the car, Qin Ran's mind started to wander: Maybe she should buy a nicer car since she often ended up sharing a ride with Yu Shuman. It would make things more convenient.
Besides, whenever she and Yu Shuman attended the same event, the company's supply of cars always seemed insufficient.
Qin Ran was about to instruct Assistant Wu to purchase a few more vehicles and to add the luxury car to the shopping list when she remembered how Yu Shuman had stopped her from buying a villa last time.
...Maybe she would wait until Xuejie wasn't around to discuss it.
Yu Shuman, with her eyes closed, rested against the seat. She must have had a long day, and after drinking quite a bit, she was probably feeling light-headed.
Thinking about this, Qin Ran's heart ached with concern.
The car gently rolled to a stop in front of their building. Qin Ran looked over at Yu Shuman and asked softly, "Xuejie, are you okay? Do you need help getting upstairs?" If she could, Qin Ran would have preferred to say, "Let me carry you upstairs." But she knew her limits—wearing a dress and not being particularly strong, she'd probably end up falling in the elevator with Yu Shuman.
Yu Shuman slowly opened her eyes and shook her head. "I'm fine. I didn't drink that much, just a little."
Yu Shuman indeed hadn't drunk much. Compared to other celebrities, she had probably consumed the least alcohol since her debut. Sometimes, when she met up with her former group members, she would listen to them complain about drinking with producers, getting so drunk that they threw up when they got home, only to find that the promises made to them hadn't been kept.
Before entering the industry, Yu Shuman had seen plenty of scandalous news about the entertainment world. It wasn't uncommon for low-status celebrities to drink with producers or company executives, and there were even more unsavory rumors about such gatherings. Back then, Yu Shuman had vowed never to do such things, no matter what.
She wanted to make money, but not at the cost of her dignity. She couldn't bring herself to participate in such activities.
Yet, Yu Shuman had expected that her agent would eventually push her into these situations. To her surprise, she had never been pressured into any private dinners since entering the industry. At first, she had been anxious and asked her fellow 99 Entertainment artists, only to learn that it wasn't just her—none of the company's artists had to go through such things.
At that moment, Yu Shuman had thought that the boss of 99 Entertainment must be a really good person, and she had resolved to work hard and make a lot of money for the company. She hadn't expected that the boss would turn out to be Qin Ran, her best friend, and that the company had been created for her.
Yu Shuman didn't like drinking but also didn't want to make things difficult for Qin Ran. So when someone approached her with a drink, she felt obligated to be polite and drink with them.
Truthfully, Yu Shuman wasn't great with alcohol. Whenever she dined with Qin Ran, they usually drank non-alcoholic beverages, and only occasionally would they have a beer or two. Tonight, Yu Shuman wasn't so drunk that she couldn't walk, but her head did feel a bit foggy.
She followed Qin Ran's lead, her steps steady, and aside from her flushed cheeks, there were no signs of intoxication. However, as soon as Qin Ran opened the door and they stepped inside, Yu Shuman stumbled, knocking Qin Ran off balance and causing them both to fall. Qin Ran landed hard on the step, with Yu Shuman toppling over onto her.
Pain shot up from Qin Ran's tailbone, making her shudder. Her backside felt numb from the fall, and before she could think about rubbing the sore spot, she realized that Yu Shuman had landed on top of her. Instinctively, Qin Ran reached out to catch her, only to find herself lying flat on her back in the entryway, with Yu Shuman propped up above her.
When Qin Ran came to her senses, she found herself staring up at Yu Shuman, who was supporting herself on her elbows. The fall had disheveled Yu Shuman's hair, leaving her wavy locks cascading around Qin Ran's face.
Through the layers of hair, Qin Ran could see Yu Shuman's face, partially illuminated by the overhead light. Yu Shuman's face was flushed, her eyes sparkling with the effects of the alcohol. Only then did Qin Ran realize that Yu Shuman might be drunk.
Qin Ran had never seen Yu Shuman drunk before, so she had no idea what to expect. Now she knew—when Yu Shuman was drunk, she didn't cry, make a scene, or cause trouble. She just became adorably docile, so much so that it was easy to forget she was even drunk. Moments ago, Yu Shuman had been responding normally and had walked steadily beside her, but as soon as they stepped inside, she started to lose her balance.
Even when drunk, Xuejie is so cute…
Qin Ran couldn't help but marvel at the sight. Her eyes brightened as she gazed up at Yu Shuman, unable to resist reaching out to brush her hair aside and caress her cheek. Softly, she asked, "Xuejie, are you drunk?"
For a brief moment, Yu Shuman's eyes showed confusion, but it quickly faded. She shook her head and suddenly asked, "Xuejie, are you hiding something from me?" Despite Yu Shuman's drunken state, Qin Ran felt a jolt of panic at the question.
There were so many things she was keeping from Yu Shuman that she didn't even know where to start. But Qin Ran wasn't about to confess, and she stubbornly denied it. "Of course not. I wouldn't hide anything from you, Xuejie."
Hearing this, Yu Shuman pouted slightly, looking a bit aggrieved. "But you've been avoiding me. That morning, it was so obvious. Why were you trying to avoid me on purpose?" Drunk Yu Shuman was even more direct than sober Yu Shuman, and her questions left Qin Ran feeling cornered.
Qin Ran fumbled for words, trying to brush off the question. "No, I wasn't avoiding you."
"You're lying. You were avoiding me, not just that morning but these past few days too. I hardly saw you when I got back." Yu Shuman pointed out Qin Ran's lies with pinpoint accuracy, then began to blame herself. "Is it because you don't like me anymore? Did I do something wrong?"
Her eyes were filled with a mix of determination and hurt, and seeing Yu Shuman like this made Qin Ran's heart ache. How could she possibly hate her? Qin Ran had been overwhelmed by the bitterness of unrequited love, realizing how impossible her feelings were.
But seeing Yu Shuman like this, all of Qin Ran's softness resurfaced. After all, Qin Ran loved Yu Shuman, had loved her since the day they met four years ago. From that moment, Yu Shuman had occupied her heart completely. Qin Ran had never imagined that love at first sight could ignite such intense emotions. How could she ever hate her?
Qin Ran sighed softly, tempted to steal a kiss from Yu Shuman's cheek while she was drunk. But she was afraid that if Yu Shuman remembered, it would ruin their friendship.
In the end, all Qin Ran could do was speak gently. "You're amazing. I could never hate you, not ever."