Chapter 129: Chapter 64: Top Star of the 60s Cultural Troupe (3)
"Youâre the one who needs to watch your back from now on. Keep an eye out for schemers!"
He Qingran poked the uninjured side of Xia Zhaoyunâs cheek. It was so soft and bouncy, with a warm, smooth feel. Even a babyâs skin wasnât this good. Poking it was addictive!
âI must just be taken with this girlâs pretty face,â she thought. âWhy else would I be spending all this time and energy worrying about her?â
Xia Zhaoyun slapped her mischievous hand away and raised an eyebrow. "I was only gone long enough for a trip to the hospital. Has the news really spread that fast?"
"This isnât the workshop, where no one can ever step away. Weâre in the main office building," He Qingran said with a pout. "Anyone can just make an excuse, hop on a bike, and start flapping their gums. They could spread a story about you farting in your sleep and make it sound like a huge scandal! And besides, that whole mess of yours has been common knowledge for ages. Everyoneâs been waiting for a show, and now theyâve got some fresh, hot gossip. You think they wouldnât go all out publicizing it?"
"They call it âclearing the nameâ of that whatâs-her-name, Miss True-Gem-or-Fake-Gem, but itâs really just those petty, jealous little things who canât beat you at anything and can only try to tear down your reputation, right?"
"But still, whatâs the deal between you and this âGemâ?"
Xia Zhaoyun scoffed. "What else could it be? Sheâs after my man. She wants me kicked out of the Song Family, figuring that without their support, I wonât be able to go through with this marriage."
"Saddle me with a reputation for being intolerant and ruthless, and she can just take my place, continuing the marriage alliance between the Song Family and the Tong family."
"So youâre not going to clear your name? Your future mother-in-law is a formidable woman who cares more about appearances than anything. She might actually agree to this," He Qingran said, starting to worry.
Father Tong was the head of the security department, and Mother Tong was a salesclerk at the factoryâs supply and marketing co-op. Compared to the dazzling Xia Zhaoyun, who outshone everyone, Tong Yuanbin was what you might call a "model child"âhe was as gentle and refined as his name suggested, did well in school, and had even received the factoryâs recommendation to attend the Industrial and Agricultural University last year.
Mother Song and Mother Tong had been best friends for decades and were delighted at the prospect of their children getting together. Half-jokingly, half-seriously, they had arranged the engagement for the two of them right before Tong Yuanbin left for university.
Tong Yuanbin absolutely doted on Xia Zhaoyun. Ever since they were children, he had wanted to be at her beck and call. It was widely assumed heâd been bewitched by her stunning, pixie-like face.
Initially, Mother Tong had been very pleased with Xia Zhaoyun. She probably felt that having a daughter-in-law coveted by all the factory directorsâ wives brought great prestige to her family, as if sheâd been gilded in gold herself.
But even so, Mother Tong had never given up on trying to persuade Xia Zhaoyun to leave the performance troupe for a simple office job with a less complicated work environment.
But now that Xia Zhaoyunâs reputation was in tatters, Mother Tong would surely be the first one to jump up and object to the marriage!
âIf the engagement goes through, the poor girl will be caught between her husband and her mother-in-law. But if it falls apart, her situation will be even worse.â
Xia Zhaoyun pursed her lips, glancing at the watch on her left wrist with a flash of irritation. She held out her arm. "Help me take this off. If someone else wants a mamaâs boy, they can have him."
"Youâre not heartbroken?" He Qingran shot her a look as she unfastened the watch. Shaking her head with a smile, she said, "I really wasted all my worrying on you. Even a stone would have warmed up after being cherished for over ten years."
"They havenât even said anything yet, and youâre already shutting him out in the cold so heartlessly?"
"Tsk, tsk. Now Iâm actually starting to feel sorry for your childhood sweetheart."
Xia Zhaoyun finished her meal and poured herself a glass of water. After just one sip, she frowned and looked listlessly at He Qingran. "Ranran, Iâm afraid Iâll be living the hard-knock life with you from now on."
He Qingran patted her shoulder with a gloating smile. "Donât worry." Seeing the girlâs brow begin to unfurrow, she immediately twisted the knife with a smug look. "Iâm not like you. Even though Iâm living on a fixed salary and my real dad has become my stepdad, Iâve got my grandma and my older brother who dote on me. Not to mention all the red envelopes my relatives stuff me with during the holidays, and the dowry my mom started preparing for me ages ago."
"If my grandma wasnât afraid Iâd spend money like water and decided to save all my red envelope money for me to add to my dowry, would I ever need to cry poor in front of you?"
"You could say that as soon as I get married, Iâll be a little heiress," she said, proudly tilting her chin and eyeing Xia Zhaoyun, her expression practically screaming, âCome on, suck up to me.â
Xia Zhaoyun laughed in exasperation. "Haha, you really are a mean-spirited woman. So unlikable!"
He Qingran huffed twice, then took out her half-finished container of malted milk drink. After scooping out three generous spoonfuls for herself, she climbed onto the bed to help her friend pack.
She didnât stop talking, resuming the pestering sheâd been keeping up for days. "You canât practice your dancing looking like this, can you? Why donât you get a temporary transfer to our Publicity Department for a few days?"
"The cityâs holding a Golden Microphone competition. Your pronunciation is perfect, you have a beautiful voice, and your writing skills are top-notch. It would be a real shame if you didnât compete."