“Hmm?”
Jiang Ling was naturally unaware of this, so she paused for a moment before asking, “When?”
“November 7th.”
Mo Ran replied smoothly, handing over a pair of chopsticks to Jiang Ling.
“Let me check…”
Jiang Ling immediately picked up her phone and started searching on Baidu for ‘What zodiac sign is November 7th?’
The result appeared glaringly on the screen.
Scorpio.
Jiang Ling tilted her head, thinking this quite fit her stereotypical impression of Bai Xue.
If she were to sum up that stereotype—
Strong-willed?
From the very first meeting, Jiang Ling had always been on the losing side in her interactions with Bai Xue; it was almost always Jiang Ling being toyed with in her grasp.
Shaking her head to dismiss the sudden thought, Jiang Ling tore open the disposable chopsticks’ wrapper just as the beef noodles were served.
She picked up a bite; it was savory yet light, and she quite liked it.
“So that’s after the first public performance?”
She calculated the date, already beginning to plan what gift to give Bai Xue.
After all, although Bai Xue loved to tease others normally, she took good care of Jiang Ling, and Jiang Ling was never one to be ungrateful.
“Mm, but she might not be in the dorm on her birthday.”
Mo Ran slurped a mouthful of noodles, reminding her.
“Does someone celebrate with her?” Jiang Ling asked curiously. “But she wouldn’t be gone the whole day, right?”
Hearing this, Mo Ran shook her head. “You probably don’t know her true identity, do you?”
“Huh?”
Jiang Ling’s face instantly filled with question marks.
True identity?
Could Bai Xue be secretly involved in some unspeakable dealings behind her back?
“Pfft, I can tell from your expression you’re overthinking. It’s nothing serious. She probably just didn’t have time to tell you, but she doesn’t mean to hide it, so it’s fine for me to tell you.”
After a brief pause, Mo Ran flipped through her phone and then opened a picture, holding it up in front of Jiang Ling. “Recognize them?”
The screen showed four glamorous young girls wearing dazzling stage outfits, smiling brilliantly at the camera.
Surrounding them were countless waving glow sticks, creating a spectacular scene.
“Looks familiar… I think I’ve seen them in some commercial?”
Even Jiang Ling, who previously never paid attention to idols, had a vague impression.
“They’re called Candy, currently the hottest girl idol group. Although some of their fame isn’t exactly positive, there’s no denying how popular they are.”
Mo Ran spoke while glancing at Jiang Ling, who was still distractedly eating noodles. “Do you know who their manager is?”
“What’s their name?”
“Bai Ming.”
Mo Ran’s lips parted slightly, and a string snapped somewhere in Jiang Ling’s mind.
Bai?
To confirm Jiang Ling’s guess, Mo Ran nodded faintly. “Bai Ming is Bai Xue’s older brother and currently the head of Yuantian Entertainment, the company their father owns.”
“So she goes home to celebrate her birthday?”
Jiang Ling seemed to understand what Mo Ran had meant earlier.
But Mo Ran smiled, a bit helpless in it.
“Not to celebrate.” She stirred the soup with her spoon. “It’s more like a trial.”
“Actually, it’s not much of a secret. Everyone except you knows about this. The Bai family has been struggling in the entertainment industry for years and naturally hopes their two children will inherit the business, but Bai Xue has always kept her distance.”
“Because she doesn’t accept some of the gray areas in the family.”
Mo Ran paused. “You’re an adult; you should understand what I mean.”
Jiang Ling’s heart suddenly sank.
Gray areas, huh.
Compared to the glamorous surface, maybe the entertainment world really harbored many sordid secrets people didn’t notice.
She suddenly recalled Bai Xue’s exhausted face after a phone call in the practice room.
Could that call have been from her family? It must have been—she heard the word ‘younger sister’—probably Bai Ming.
But the tone on the other end was unpleasant, even downright harsh, so Jiang Ling had a poor impression of him.
“I’m not telling you this to make you pity her, nor am I asking you to do anything.”
Mo Ran stopped stirring the soup, her expression softening back to usual. “I just think you should know. And…”
“If possible, I hope you can give her a gift. I think you two get along well. At the very least, don’t let her be so sad. After all, it’s her birthday once a year.”
She sighed softly as she said this.
Hearing that, Jiang Ling showed no refusal, only nodding earnestly.
Though what gift to give was still undecided, at least Jiang Ling put it to heart.
“It’s about time; I should go to the convenience store. Practice some details when you have time, and remember to keep an eye on Xiaoyu. She’s unexpectedly fragile sometimes. Nan Nan seems to have family matters these days. No need to worry. I’m off.”
After a long string of instructions, Mo Ran grabbed her bag and left.
Watching her go, Jiang Ling inexplicably thought she looked a bit like a mother managing a household, smiling as she stood to pay.
“The girl just gave money earlier,” the owner said with a smile.
After stepping out, Jiang Ling wanted to give the money back but felt it petty to fuss over a few yuan.
She decided to treat her next meal instead.
After eating, Jiang Ling wanted to take a walk to digest, so she strolled around the dormitory building leisurely, enjoying the scenery by the roadside.
The autumn wind was growing bleak, and the leaves by the road had begun to fade.
Jiang Ling touched her thin clothes, thinking she should find something thicker to wear before the temperature dropped suddenly.
But the flowers by the roadside were still blooming beautifully… Wait, what was that wriggling unknown creature squatting beside the flowerbed?!
Jiang Ling jumped in fright, about to take another path when the ‘unknown creature’ lifted its head.
Its messy teal-green hair stuck out wildly, and the crooked glasses slid askew.
Ah…
The perverted green-haired glasses girl!
Jiang Ling immediately thought of her abstract ID and reflexively covered her rear, stepping back half a pace before turning to run.
However, before she could run, a faint voice slowly drifted over.
“Meow—”
This stopped Jiang Ling’s footsteps, and her gaze landed on Xu Nuo’s arms.
There lay a scruffy multicolored kitten, its body thin and frail, its tail drooping weakly, looking like it had been wandering for a long time.
Xu Nuo held the kitten with a look of deep affection.
She had passed by and heard the kitten’s feeble meowing, so she crouched down to pick it up.
But honestly, she didn’t know how to help it and could only warm the weak kitten with her body heat.
Ah, if only an angel could descend beside her right now!
Xu Nuo clutched the kitten, quickly lost in endless daydreams, when she suddenly felt a light tap on her shoulder.
She jumped in fright and trembled as she turned around to meet Jiang Ling’s concerned eyes.
“I’ve taken care of stray cats before. Just hold onto it for now, and I’ll go get some food…”
Before Jiang Ling could finish, Xu Nuo began sobbing loudly, her nose red and her face flushed:
“Wuwu, Lingling-chan, my angel! Please, allow me to offer you a pure contract kiss!”