The girls in the lounge burst into a clamor the moment Huang Liuer mentioned she was treating them.
"Sister Liuer, are you really being this generous? Did you meet some big shot?"
"With Sister Liuer’s capabilities, isn’t landing a big shot as easy as pie?"
"Long live Sister Liuer!"
They cheered, speeding up their dressing, all shouting about which high-end restaurant they wanted to go to. They were so excited that no one noticed what kind of mood Song Xi was in, sitting quietly in the corner.
Before long, the colleagues had all left, and only then was Song Xi noticed, still huddled in the corner. A warm hand rubbed her cold little face.
"Xiaoxi, why are you crying?"
Song Xi looked up to see Huang Liuer’s beautiful, charismatic face. Huang Liuer was a good friend Song Xi had met at the entertainment complex. When she had first arrived, she didn’t understand anything, and while others couldn’t be bothered to pay her any mind, only Huang Liuer had been willing to help her.
"I accidentally lost a bottle of wine yesterday. They’re going to deduct over eight thousand yuan from this month’s salary. Now I won’t have enough for my tuition."
"Is that all? It’s just money. I’ll lend it to you."
"But..." She bit her lip, feeling too embarrassed to ask for the money.
Huang Liuer smiled gently. "No 'buts.' I’ve transferred it to you. Pay me back when you have it. It’s no big deal—don’t shed tears, it breaks my heart just to see it."
Looking at the 20,000 yuan displayed on her phone screen, Song Xi bit her lip to force back her tears. She had never imagined that someone would be willing to help a girl as destitute as herself. Yet, for some reason, Huang Liuer was so good to her.
"Thank you, Sister Liuer. I will definitely pay you back once I earn enough money!"
"Oh? Xiaoxi, what’s wrong with your neck? Why is there a red mark there?"
She quickly covered her neck. "I... I think a mosquito bit me."
"That’s one vicious mosquito." Huang Liuer couldn't help but scoff. "Let’s go grab something good to eat in a bit."
"Sister Liuer, I’m tired and want to go home to rest. Is that okay?"
"Of course. Be careful on the way, stay safe."
"Okay."
Huang Liuer gathered her things, waved a casual goodbye, and left with a graceful air. Song Xi returned to her spot, packed up her own belongings, and prepared to head home.
Just as she was about to reach the entrance of the entertainment complex, she coincidentally ran into Song Xiangming, her adoptive father, who was fawning and laughing in front of some big shot. It was a classic scene of a cold shoulder being met with an eager, fawning face.
Song Xi turned her head, hoping to pretend she hadn't seen him, and deliberately took a long detour to slip past them unnoticed. However, she hadn't gone far when someone grabbed her.
"Song Xi?"
Song Xi lowered her head even further, not daring to look up. Song Xiangming was livid. "What is the meaning of this? You’re actually working in a place like this? Have you no shame? How disgraceful!"
Song Xi hurriedly shook her head to explain. "No, it’s not like that. I’m just working here as a waitress. I haven’t done anything else... I..."
Her voice stalled; she found herself unable to continue. Thinking of what had happened last night, she felt so guilty that she couldn’t even defend herself.
Song Xiangming sneered. "Heh, feeling too guilty to speak? First you steal Lili’s necklace at home, and now you’re pulling these low-class stunts outside. You really are something. It’s a good thing we already kicked you out of the Song family, otherwise, our whole family would be humiliated by you!"
"I didn't steal the necklace. I didn't take it."
"If you didn't take it, did it crawl into your pillowcase by itself? You’re full of lies, it’s disgusting!"
Looking at the unconcealable disgust in Song Xiangming’s eyes, Song Xi felt as if a knife were being driven into her heart, causing her to bleed internally. She once had a warm home. Who could have imagined that one day, Song Xiangming would suddenly bring a girl home and tell her that the two families had accidentally swapped children, that their identities had been switched, and that she was not the Song family’s daughter at all?
That girl told her that she never had a father, and her mother had passed away while she was in elementary school; she was an orphan. Just like that, Song Xi was forcibly stripped from that family, becoming an outsider living under someone else’s roof.
That girl, Lili, was already a well-known entertainer in the industry—pretty, well-behaved, and skilled at winning favor. The parents' affection quickly shifted to her. Song Xi was left out, ignored. She became like a rat in the sewers, peeking at the happiness of others. Later, when Lili claimed her necklace was missing, they searched high and low until they found the expensive piece inside Song Xi’s pillowcase. Faced with their disappointed stares, she had no way to explain herself. Song Xiangming, having lost faith in her, cast her out of the Song family, and she truly became a helpless orphan.
Song Xi remained firm. "I truly did not take it."
"Lord Shang is coming out! Move aside, quickly!"
The entertainment complex’s security team appeared to clear the area, quickly dispersing the loiterers at the entrance and interrupting Song Xiangming’s berating. Song Xiangming wasn't even listening to Song Xi anymore; he was peering inside with great anticipation.
"Lord Shang is actually here? I can't believe I’m only finding out about such important news now! Why am I still here groveling before President Qian? I should be looking for Lord Shang directly!"
Gu Lishang emerged from the elevator surrounded by a group of bodyguards in black. The crowd surged as everyone hoped to catch a glimpse of the crown prince of the Beijing circle. Gu Lishang was the strongest contender among all the heirs of the prestigious Gu Family.
Rumor had it that this Lord Shang was indifferent to women, cold and ascetic. Some even speculated he was practicing some form of Taoist cultivation; otherwise, how could a perfectly healthy man remain completely unmoved by the beautiful women surrounding him? Such a man seemed to have no weaknesses, and there was no way to get close to him.
The man stepped out of the elevator. Standing at one meter eighty-eight, he stood out from the crowd like a crane in a flock of chickens. He was exceptionally handsome, his brow carrying a cold, sharp air, with a beauty mark at the corner of his eye that was both ascetic and seductive.
Some women couldn't help but whisper, "He’s so handsome!"
"Good heavens, I didn't expect Lord Shang to be this handsome!"
"Handsome, yes, but impossible to seduce. I suspect he doesn't even like women."
"Stop speculating. There are some things you really shouldn't try lightly. I hear the women who tried to seduce Lord Shang ended up in a pretty miserable state."
"Tsk, tsk, that’s terrifying. Best to just look from afar."
Song Xi was also looking in that direction. As luck—or misfortune—would have it, she locked eyes with Gu Lishang’s deep, beautiful gaze. Song Xi’s pupils dilated!
Wasn’t this the man from last night?
Was he the "Lord Shang" these people were talking about?
Thinking of what they had just said, she quickly withdrew her gaze and turned to leave this place of trouble. Since any woman who tried to seduce him ended up in a miserable state, she’d better steer clear of him in the future! Even if her life was worthless, she still wanted to live it out properly.
Seeing Gu Lishang stop, Mu Xi followed his gaze. Apart from the group of lovestruck women and a crowd of men eager to introduce themselves, he didn't see anyone special.
"Lord Shang, what are you looking at?"
"There’s someone... she looks a little familiar."