Zeng Qian's hands were trembling with excitement, not because the treatment at 99 Entertainment was so good that it made her heart flutter—after all, her family had some money and could support her easily. She was moved because Qin Ran had remembered what she had said. Previously, Zeng Qian had expressed her admiration for 99 Entertainment, saying it would be great to join them. Today, even though she was here to apologize, Qin Ran had offered her a chance to join 99 Entertainment.
At this moment, Zeng Qian's eyes were even turning red and misty. She sniffed to stabilize her emotions. Still, she couldn't help but spring from her seat and walk over to Qin Ran.
Qin Ran watched Zeng Qian approach, her first thought being that she'd been exposed and Zeng Qian was going to hit her. Being socially anxious, she felt utterly helpless in front of someone so socially adept. She shrank further into Yu Shuman's embrace. Yu Shuman didn't think much of it and simply patted her shoulder reassuringly.
This problem of her lover being shy around people was likely something she'd have to deal with for the rest of her life.
Yu Shuman thought with some amusement. But Qin Ran's current state was also quite adorable, much more so than when she would get pushy at night. Right now, she was like a little hamster, especially timid, being frightened by the overly enthusiastic Zeng Qian and seeking refuge in her owner's hand.
Zeng Qian, full of emotion, reached out to grab Qin Ran's hand. At that moment, goosebumps erupted across Qin Ran's skin.
She heard Zeng Qian's exceptionally cheerful voice, "Little Qin! You are so wonderful! I just mentioned how much I admired 99 Entertainment, and today you've given me this opportunity! I really love the work atmosphere at 99 Entertainment, and many of my friends in the industry also want to join. I never thought I'd have this chance!"
Zeng Qian's eyes sparkled with a sense of familiarity that made Qin Ran instinctively pull her hand back, leaning even more into Yu Shuman. Yu Shuman sighed and pulled Qin Ran closer to her.
"Zeng Qian, why don't you take a seat?"
—You're scaring her.
Yu Shuman left that last part unsaid. Zeng Qian then realized she had been a bit impolite and, with an embarrassed smile, returned to her seat. As the host, she noticed that there was nothing on the table yet and immediately got up again.
Like a busy bee, Zeng Qian couldn't sit still for even a minute. Qin Ran relaxed only when she heard her voice outside the room, calling the waiter.
"You're usually so composed, so why are you so scared now?" Yu Shuman teased Qin Ran while picking up a cup of tea. She blew on it gently to ensure it wasn't too hot and then placed it in Qin Ran's hands.
Qin Ran took a few sips to calm down, her eyes and voice filled with grievance. "Because... she's just too familiar. I can't handle it." The main reason was that Zeng Qian was a good person, someone who was kind and approachable. In the face of such a person, Qin Ran couldn't adopt the capitalist persona she usually had and inadvertently revealed her true self.
—Just like when she was around Yu Shuman's roommates, Qin Ran's response would depend on the type of person she was dealing with.
Qin Ran particularly struggled to respond to the goodwill of others; it made her feel uncomfortable.
Yu Shuman understood this, so her smile grew even brighter. She couldn't help but reach out and gently stroke her little hamster's head.
"Our little Ran is such a good girl too."
Qin Ran felt a bit bewildered but, since it was Yu Shuman's hand, she didn't move away and even seemed to enjoy it. However, Yu Shuman quickly put her hand down upon hearing Zeng Qian's returning footsteps.
Looking at Zeng Qian, Qin Ran vowed silently: She would have to find a way to keep Zeng Qian at a distance and make sure she wouldn't act alongside Yu Shuman again! When the variety show aired, Qin Ran saw people shipping Yu Shuman and Zeng Qian as a couple. Knowing that they were going to act together in a drama next, the shipping voices grew louder.
What if the show aired and things got out of hand?
Qin Ran didn't even want to think about it.
If they were paired up again and again in future works, wouldn't the "Man-Qian" duo go through the roof? No, this must not happen!
Qin Ran cleared her throat to draw Zeng Qian's attention to herself and began to speak, "Zeng Qian, regarding your joining—" But before she could finish, the dishes Zeng Qian had called for started arriving, with waiters filing in one after another, bringing in the appetizers.
Looking at the array of cold dishes in front of her, Qin Ran was puzzled. "I didn't order any cold dishes."
"After you left to come here, I took a look at what you ordered in the kitchen. I felt like the meal was missing something without cold dishes, so I took the liberty of ordering some. Manman, Little Qin, you should try them. The cucumbers here are really crunchy!"
—Are you kidding me?
Qin Ran almost blurted out an expletive. She had gone out of her way to book this private dining room, and now Zeng Qian had ordered cucumbers? She wanted to say something, but Yu Shuman had already picked up a piece of cucumber with her chopsticks. Under Zeng Qian's expectant gaze, Yu Shuman took a bite and commented, "It's actually pretty good."
Qin Ran refused to believe that a piece of cucumber could be that delicious. She picked up a piece with her chopsticks and took a bite. The fresh, crisp cucumber burst in her mouth, releasing a subtle sweetness. It wasn't overpowering, but the refreshing flavor made her want to take another bite.
Surprisingly, the quality of this cucumber was indeed quite good.
It wasn't a fancy cucumber, just a regular one, but it tasted even better than some high-end varieties. When Zeng Qian looked at her with anticipation, Qin Ran reluctantly nodded, admitting that the cucumber tasted quite nice.
The plate of cucumbers was quickly devoured by the three of them. Because they filled up on this appetizer, they didn't manage to eat much of the main dishes. Feeling that it would be wasteful, Yu Shuman called for some takeout boxes to pack up the leftovers.
Zeng Qian was somewhat surprised. "Manman, you're taking it to go?"
"Yes, we barely touched a lot of the dishes. They taste good here, so they'll make a great meal tomorrow."
Zeng Qian was visibly taken aback, and it was no wonder. In their circle, it was rare to see someone so down-to-earth and unpretentious. Qin Ran, however, expected this and started packing the food along with Yu Shuman. Many of the dishes were ones she had ordered, and since the ingredients were expensive, they couldn't just let them go to waste.
Plus, Yu Shuman wasn't the type to waste food. She had always been frugal and knew how to manage money.
Such behavior was indeed rare, not just in the entertainment industry but also in Zeng Qian's own wealthy social circle. Who would pack up leftovers at a dinner party without being mocked behind their back?
In this circle, wastefulness had become the norm.
Seeing Yu Shuman's nonchalant attitude, Zeng Qian hesitated for a moment before smiling. "Then could you save me some of the plum blossom cakes, Manman? I think they're quite tasty, but it's getting late, and I can't eat too much. I'll finish them tomorrow."
As an actress, Zeng Qian had to manage her figure, so she had recognized the high quality of the cucumbers. Even during the meal, she didn't eat much, savoring only two pieces of the plum blossom cake she liked. Now, with Yu Shuman taking the lead, she also felt brave enough to ask for a to-go box.
"Sure."
Without hesitation, Yu Shuman packed up the plum blossom cakes into a small container, placed them in a bag, and handed them to Zeng Qian.
With a bunch of bags containing the packed food, Qin Ran and Yu Shuman said their goodbyes to Zeng Qian, and the driver took them back home. Yu Shuman took one of the bags and placed it in the front passenger seat. "Sir, these are the leftovers from our meal today, untouched. We don't know if you've had dinner, so if you don't mind, you can take them."
The driver seemed a bit overwhelmed by the gesture. "Not at all, not at all... Thank you so much."
He certainly wouldn't mind. The restaurants the big boss usually dined at were places he could only wait outside; he couldn't afford to eat there. Now, Yu Shuman had given him a bag. He didn't know exactly what was inside, but he knew it must be something fancy.
The driver smiled happily. He found working for Qin Ran much better than any of his previous employers. Besides, the boss was... quite the homebody, always traveling between three fixed points with no extra plans except for occasional events where he had to pick her up and drop her off.
High salary, easy work, good benefits—it was a blessing to land this job. After parking the car, he happily took the bag home to share the leftovers with his wife, bragging that it was made by a chef at a place where the average person paid thousands per meal.
The driver left in high spirits, but back at home, Qin Ran was in for some lecturing.
"I know you wanted to prank Zeng Qian and make her foot the bill, but you shouldn't have ordered so much food, especially with such expensive ingredients. There were only three of us; no way could we finish it all," Yu Shuman began in the living room. Qin Ran sat obediently on the sofa while Yu Shuman stood before her, the takeout boxes they brought back silently mocking Qin Ran from the coffee table.
Qin Ran hung her head, speaking softly, "But we didn't waste it; we brought it back. And Zeng Qian wasn't even mad; she was happy."
"She's happy because she gets to join 99 Entertainment."
Yu Shuman sighed and patted Qin Ran's head. Qin Ran lifted her head slightly, nudging against Yu Shuman's palm. Yu Shuman pressed down lightly, not wanting Qin Ran to raise her head too high because it made it harder to pat her.
"Next time, don't do it. Even if you're the one treating, you shouldn't be so wasteful. It's important to save money and not waste food. If everyone is full and there's still a lot of food on the table, that's a real waste. And with all these leftovers we brought back, we'll have to eat them for days."
"Tomorrow, you have to go to work, and I have to go to school. We won't have time to eat it. I just hope it doesn't go to waste."
Hearing Yu Shuman's words, Qin Ran knew she was only worried about wasting food and wasn't actually blaming her. Unable to resist, Qin Ran reached out and hugged Yu Shuman's waist.