Category: Shion’s Notes

Chapter 110: Barbecue

The barbecue grill was set up, the charcoal lit. Dai Wenqian, with a professional air, oiled the grill, enthusiastically taking charge of all the tasks, declaring that she wanted to properly showcase her culinary skills. Although Yu Linna offered to help, she was declined.

After all, the image of a sweet, petite girl barbecuing felt somewhat incongruous, so Dai Wenqian decided to handle it herself.

Today was their last day at the villa. They would be returning after tonight. Tang Yumeng had joined them purely as a guest; her arrival, though unexpected, brought laughter. Everyone seemed to enjoy this older sister’s presence. Tang Yumeng was only a year or two older than them, but she was remarkably mature and gentle. Even Dai Wenqian, the usual troublemaker, was somewhat subdued in her presence.

“Alright, come and eat! There’s tons of food, don’t be shy.”

Dai Wenqian had fully transformed into a head chef, handling all the ingredients. This troublemaker, though fond of stirring things up, was surprisingly skilled in the kitchen. According to Ye Zhiyun, she had taken professional cooking classes while attending a prestigious school, so she was quite adept at preparing food.

Despite lacking any semblance of a spoiled young lady, when it came to cooking, she was rather particular.

“Unexpectedly, Wenqian, someone as lively as you is no less skilled at delicate work. At least I couldn’t create this kind of flavour.”

Enjoying the barbecue she had prepared, Tang Yumeng couldn’t help but offer praise. Dai Wenqian scratched her head, a slight blush coloring her cheeks as she gave a few embarrassed laughs.

“It’s just from practice.”

Tang Yumeng was quite capable, managing to make even this troublemaker shy. Ye Zhiyun’s admiration for this senior grew.

“Not bad, even better than the barbecue we had on the street last time…”

Yu Linna was enjoying herself the most, both hands holding skewers. For her, where there was food, there she was; she wouldn’t miss any opportunity to eat.

Strangely, despite her love for food, and having access to delicious meals during her stay at Ye Zhiyun’s house, her physique hadn’t changed at all. She remained frail and thin, a puzzling fact. Yu Linna simply attributed it to possibly being too undernourished in the past, unable to recover now.

“Wenqian, although a bit hyper, is a good cook. Her hotpot last night didn’t really showcase her skills, but the barbecue definitely reveals her talent.”

Ye Zhiyun wasn’t usually one for compliments, but considering how delicious the barbecue was, she made an exception.

“It’s rare for you, the aloof ice queen, to praise me. Here, Zhiyun, have some corn.”

“What do you mean, aloof ice queen? Watch your mouth. Give me another skewer of leeks.”

The open-air courtyard, lit by lamps, filled with smoke and a cheerful atmosphere. Dai Wenqian sang as she grilled, clearly enjoying herself.

Although she had originally planned to invite her juniors from her club, they were all unfortunately unavailable, leaving her no choice but to join Zhiyun and the others. Fortunately, Tang Yumeng joined midway, injecting the group with more energy, something Dai Wenqian, who loved lively gatherings, appreciated.

“Senior Yumeng, try my ‘heart-connected-to-bone’ skewers. After eating my heart, remember to take care of me~”

“Haha, alright, alright, of course. Your heart is already piercing my bones.”

Tang Yumeng joked as she ate, accepting the offered skewer. She had thought yesterday evening was rather unlucky, but she didn’t expect today to be so enjoyable. Meeting these lovely juniors here felt like a blessing.

Her previous misfortunes no longer mattered; she was relishing the present joy.

Tang Yumeng’s career wasn’t going smoothly. She had failed to secure good roles several times and had even been replaced on multiple occasions. Some directors had even attempted to pressure her into inappropriate relationships, but she had endured these difficulties and persevered.

She felt immense pressure. If she couldn’t make a name for herself in the entertainment industry, her family wouldn’t allow her to continue pursuing this path.

Meeting these girls seemed to lift the weight from her shoulders, allowing her to completely relax. All her difficulties and sorrows seemed to vanish. She simply wanted to savor this moment of warmth.

“I can’t eat anymore…”

After about an hour, Yu Linna clutched her stomach, sitting in a chair placed in the courtyard, completely immobile. Her stomach was slightly distended, and her face was flushed from overeating. It was a rare sight for this glutton to be defeated by food. Fang Jiangning found her appearance so amusing that she couldn’t resist snapping a few pictures to keep.

“No way, little Linna, you can’t live up to the title of ‘glutton’ like this. Look at me, I can still go!”

Dai Wenqian, biting into a skewer, declared she could still eat, despite her flushed face.

“Alright, Wenqian, don’t push yourself. You’ll have an upset stomach tomorrow!”

“Let me go, I can still eat…Ugh!”

“Oh my god, don’t throw up in the courtyard!”

Tang Yumeng chuckled at their comical scene. Simply watching them brought her a sense of happiness.

She lit a cigarette, exhaling a puff of smoke. This day was probably the most relaxing one she’d had in months. All her previous unhappiness had vanished without a trace.

However, she hadn’t forgotten her aspirations. She was still the young woman striving for her dreams, and she needed to continue working hard to achieve them.

“Alright, is everyone full? Let’s clean up. Those who haven’t showered can do so in half an hour.”

Tang Yumeng stubbed out her cigarette and called out. At this moment, she truly played the role of the elder. Being the oldest here, her words carried weight, and everyone listened.

Fang Jiangning and Yu Linna were the first to move, removing the barbecue grill and setting aside the leftover food. Ye Zhiyun joined them a few minutes later. As for Dai Wenqian, having overeaten and thrown up, she needed some digestive medicine to recover.

Dai Wenqian had brought this upon herself.

After cleaning up, everyone retreated to the living room. With nothing to do, Dai Wenqian suggested playing mahjong, but since few were interested, she became quite dejected.

After watching some TV and chatting, an hour passed. Seeing that it was getting late, Ye Zhiyun suggested they shower, a proposal met with no objections. Each room in the villa had a private bathroom, so there was no need to crowd into one; this wasn’t some steamy scene from an anime, and there was no possibility of communal bathing.

“Next time, let’s go to a hot spring. I know a really good one.”

Dai Wenqian, seemingly struck by another fun idea, declared triumphantly, hands on her hips.

They had enjoyed their time at the villa, though they hadn’t done much, mostly staying indoors since the surrounding area was all forest with little to explore. Someone had suggested a test of courage, but it was vetoed due to the small number of people.

Therefore, Dai Wenqian wanted to take them somewhere else, preferably somewhere they could explore.

“You’re always thinking about having fun. Not everyone has so much free time.”

Ye Zhiyun flicked her forehead.

“You’re right about that. Not everyone is as busy as you. Blegh.”

“Looking for a beating?”

Their relationship is really good, Yu Linna thought.

After some playful banter, they each went to their respective bathrooms. The villa was so large that it was easy to get lost when they first arrived, but after a few walks around, they became familiar with the layout. Yu Linna’s room was in a corner on the second floor, requiring her to navigate at least three turns to find it. Initially, it was inconvenient, like staying in a hotel, but she had grown accustomed to it.

Entering the bathroom, Yu Linna locked the door, removing her clothes one by one and tossing them into the basket. Stripped down to her underwear, she examined her body. Her fair skin was flawless, the soft flesh on her calves felt like jelly, and her complexion was whiter than most girls’. The white undergarments, a bra and panties, revealed underdeveloped breasts, but her overall figure was attractive enough to compensate.

However, Yu Linna sometimes wished she had a bit more padding upfront.

She sighed, removing her underwear and, taking a towel, stepped into the shower. Turning on the showerhead, the warm water cascaded down, washing away the day’s fatigue.

She opened her small, pink hands, pressing them against her chest, her eyes obscured by the mist.

“I’m used to it now…”

Having lived in this world for so long, she had grown accustomed to her female identity. Her memories of being male in her previous life were fading, and the time spent as a girl now exceeded her time as a boy. Thus, she identified more strongly with her female self, though certain habits remained.

Since she was born as a girl, would she marry a man or pursue a relationship with a woman in this life? It was a question worth pondering.

But, why worry about it? She was still young; there was no need to overthink things.

Lathering herself with shower gel, Yu Linna hummed a tune. Half an hour later, she finally emerged, towel-drying her hair, slipping into a sky-blue nightgown, buttoning it up, and picking up the hairdryer.

Her hair billowed in the warm air as she held it down, preventing it from flying about, enjoying the sensation. The warm breeze felt so comfortable.

Knock, knock.

The door was knocked twice. Yu Linna put down the hairdryer and, with her hair still damp, opened the door.

“Coming, who… Zhiyun? What’s up?”

It was Ye Zhiyun. Her presence here at this late hour was puzzling, but even stranger was the fact that she hadn’t changed her clothes; she was still wearing the same outfit she had on in the living room half an hour ago. Moreover, she was holding a few garments in her arms, looking like she was about to shower.

“The showerhead in my bathroom is broken. Mind if I use yours?”

Tonight was a beautiful night.

Chapter 109: Because of Dreams 

She used to have dreams, dreams of flying far away, to higher and farther places. But her wings were ruthlessly clipped before their feathers were fully grown. The places she yearned to reach, before she could even take off, her journey ended at the starting point.

She would never forget the pain of Nangong Ying’s betrayal that day.

For her, even being cut by a knife, being driven out, starving for two days and nights, sleeping on a park bench – none of it compared to the pain of betrayal. That agony, she would never forget for a lifetime.

“So you’ve also been in the entertainment industry. Are you still in it now?”

“No, I’m not in the entertainment industry anymore.”

After the Orange River incident, she couldn’t possibly return to the entertainment industry, not anymore.
That experience made her clearly see how complex the adult world was. That place was filled with schemes and insidiousness; for a novice like her entering there, she could only be prey.
Especially that Orange River executive. If her reaction had been any slower then, she truly wouldn’t have escaped.

“The entertainment industry really isn’t suitable for you. The waters are too deep there.”

Tang Yumeng looked at Yu Linna. Although she was smiling, her smile was filled with bitterness. As someone who was in the entertainment industry, how could she not know the situation there? There, just having strength wasn’t enough; one also needed backing. Without backing, one could only go through the back door. Those who truly became famous through strength were too few.

People like Tang Yumeng, who didn’t use connections and had no backing in the entertainment industry, relying completely on her own efforts to secure supporting roles, were very rare. But she did it, using her own hard work to earn recognition.

That dyeing vat, filled with the stench of transactions everywhere, was a battlefield for men, a hell for women. But if one crossed this hell, what awaited was the heaven of boundless brilliance.

Tang Yumeng disliked the ways of the entertainment industry, but she carried a dream in her heart, so she endured. She had to persevere.

“Senior Tang, you know, that place…”

“Yes, I understand. You don’t have to say it, I understand. It must have been difficult for you there. Leaving early was a good thing for you. You’re still young; that place isn’t suitable for you.”

Tang Yumeng patted her head, comforting her with a gentle voice. This intelligent older sister liked to pat people’s heads, although Yu Linna also enjoyed being patted.

Having been in the entertainment industry, Tang Yumeng knew how dirty the water was there. She understood Yu Linna’s choice. If one could still persist in the entertainment industry after witnessing its darkness, that would be truly difficult to understand. Although Tang Yumeng was one of those people, she also understood that ordinary people shouldn’t enter this circle.

There were so many professions in this world, so many in the entertainment field for people to choose. Why insist on choosing the entertainment industry specifically? Although this circle was bright and glamorous, how many hidden transactions occurred behind it? In a sense, the entertainment industry was actually an underworld.

The others didn’t say anything more, perhaps having sensed the helplessness in Tang Yumeng’s words. They obediently chose to keep quiet. The entertainment industry, although glamorous on the surface, didn’t seem as beautiful as they imagined.

---

Taking advantage of a break in preparations, Tang Yumeng took Yu Linna aside to chat privately. It wasn’t for any other reason than that they shared a common topic, so she wanted to have a good talk.

“Little Sister Linna, you must have witnessed something unacceptable when you chose to leave the entertainment industry.”

Tang Yumeng sat on the floor of the courtyard, one leg bent upward, her left hand resting on her leg. She brushed aside the hair covering her ear, revealing the earring on her earlobe.

“Not just witnessed something unacceptable…”

If it were just witnessing something unacceptable, that would have been great. If it were just so simple, there wouldn’t have been so much pain afterward. If only it were so simple.

Even today, Yu Linna still couldn’t accept that she was almost subjected to the unspoken rules and ruthlessly betrayed by Nangong Ying.

The one she once considered her best friend, a friend worth her lifetime trust, betrayed her so heartlessly. You know, their relationship used to be so good. Even when it was hardest, they could share one steamed bun. Yu Linna was also a foodie. That she was willing to share her precious food with someone else showed how much that person meant to her.

Yet this trust was repaid with betrayal.

“The entertainment industry is a circle where brilliance and darkness coexist. People always want to enter this place, but once inside, they all want to get out. It’s not as good as people imagine. It’s full of darkness, full of transactions, nothing honorable.”

Tang Yumeng smiled bitterly. She herself had crawled and tumbled in that place; she knew clearly the situation there. Although still young, she had seen plenty.
She was still just a supporting role now. If she ever became the lead, how many more transactions would she have to witness?

“Do you know Nangong Ying?”

“Nangong Ying? I know her. Isn’t she the recently popular newcomer? Just because of acting in a good film, she became famous. But she indeed has ability, even the popular actress Li Yuexin supported her, and she got important roles from the director. She is also one of the few talented actors I know.”

“What kind of person do you think she is?”

“I don’t know her, so I can’t comment on whether she’s good or bad, but just from the perspective of an actress, she is indeed an outstanding person. She’s a year younger than me, yet she has caught up already. I really feel unwilling.”

She didn’t know Nangong Ying, didn’t know how to evaluate her personally. But from an actor’s perspective, Nangong Ying was sufficiently excellent. This answer was also within Yu Linna’s expectation.

Indeed, everyone thought Nangong Ying was very outstanding, excellent. This was normal.

But if they knew that Nangong Ying’s present status was obtained by betrayal, would they still like her?

Yu Linna kept this secret in her heart, without saying anything. She was sad, but she didn’t want others to know this matter. Being betrayed by one’s best friend, she didn’t want people to know.

Nangong, I liked you so much in the past, yet you ruthlessly stabbed me in the heart with a knife. How would you know how much that stab hurt?

“Why are you so concerned about this Nangong Ying? Do you have a connection with her?”

“…She’s a third-year student at the City’s First Middle School, the same school as me.”

“So you’re schoolmates. No wonder you’re interested in her. What a small world.”

Tang Yumeng didn’t know her relationship with Nangong Ying. If she knew their past relationship, she would probably be very surprised.

Nangong Ying was now a very popular star, a super newcomer. And with so many female fans, this was a rare situation. After she became famous, many stars in the industry wanted to get close to her, build connections, even visit her personally, give her gifts.

When someone gets famous, even their poor relatives from the countryside appear. Once Nangong Ying became popular, relatives who were previously unknown suddenly came to the city looking for her.

This is the so-called “more famous, more trouble.”

If people knew that Nangong Ying and Yu Linna were extremely close, then Yu Linna would probably get into a lot of trouble as well. But Yu Linna never acknowledged their relationship. At school, besides her third-year classmates, few people knew her relationship with Nangong Ying.

“Having such an outstanding schoolmate must be quite a source of pride, right?”

“Yes…”

As long as I don’t know her.

Thinking about their past, her heart always ached faintly. Those bygone days always made her heart bleed with pain. She always thought, if only that hadn’t happened. But it was already impossible; they couldn’t go back, they had reached the end.

“Senior Tang, I want to know, since the entertainment industry is so complicated, the water so deep, why do you still insist on staying there? Wouldn’t it be better to just leave early?”

Tang Yumeng froze slightly, then smiled wryly. Why did she continue to stay in the entertainment industry? She had thought about this question many times, but every time there was only one answer.

She took out a pack of cigarettes from her pocket, put one between her lips, lit it with a lighter, and exhaled.

So she smokes too? Yu Linna couldn’t help but feel greatly surprised.

It was truly hard to imagine that this intelligent and gentle older sister would actually smoke. She was only 19, right? Actually smoking like a boy?

Tang Yumeng exhaled a puff of smoke, gazing at the depths of the forest, her eyes slightly dazed. But quickly, her gaze turned resolute. She smiled, a natural smile.

“Because of dreams.”

A very simple sentence, also the most unadulterated sentence, the most sincere sentence.
How could she not understand the darkness of the entertainment industry? How could she not know how terrible the entertainment industry was? She knew all these things. But to achieve her dream, she still chose to persevere, chose to keep striving. For no other reason than that dream in her heart.

“Others advised me to leave, to give up this dream, but only I know what I want. No matter how many difficulties, no matter how many setbacks, I still choose to move forward. Persistence might not guarantee results, but without persistence, there will definitely be no results. Whether or not there’s a path ahead, I want to walk forward and see for myself.”

After finishing a cigarette, Tang Yumeng stubbed it out, stood up, and stretched.

Perhaps her words sounded hard to understand, but just as she said, whether or not there’s a path ahead, she wanted to walk forward and see for herself.
Even if the path was difficult to tread, even if there was no path ahead, even if she had no backing, she still had to walk. Because, at the end of this path lay her dream.
She wanted to become famous, wanted more people to know her existence. That’s why she would choose to continue.

“Don’t overthink it. Just think of it as me venting to you. Let’s go, time for dinner.”

Patting Yu Linna’s head, Tang Yumeng turned and went inside. Yu Linna still sat there, a bit stunned. Those words just now had greatly impacted her, so much so that she still hadn’t come back to her senses.

Dream, this word, she could actually hear it from someone else’s mouth again.

She used to have dreams, but later gave up due to certain events. Now, the dream buried deep in her heart was slowly being unearthed.

Yu Linna felt lost, unsure what to do.

Dreams, were they really that important? She kept asking herself this in her heart.

Chapter 108: Tang Yumeng 

She slept soundly, probably due to the alcohol. It was a deep sleep, and no one could wake her. When she finally got up, it was already nine o’clock. She clearly didn’t drink that much last night, so why did she sleep so late? Yu Linna yawned.

She got out of bed and went to the bathroom in slippers. This villa had prepared toothbrushes and towels, so she didn’t have to worry about washing up. Looking out the bathroom window, the morning scenery of the suburbs was truly beautiful. She hadn’t properly observed it yesterday, but now she found this place truly pretty.

Surrounded by greenery, a few birds flew past. Sunlight streamed through the window. The weather seemed to be getting warmer, not as cold as the past few days. Dressed in her pajamas, the warm sunlight on her face, Yu Linna closed her eyes.

Coming to the villa was really quite nice. Yu Linna felt she had come to the right place this time.
She wanted to continue like this in the future.

After brushing her teeth and washing her face, Yu Linna got up, intending to change clothes. Today they were still hanging out at the villa. Yesterday was hot pot, today would be barbecue. Anyway, she had nowhere to go during the holiday; coming along with everyone to play was the best choice.

Suddenly, looking through the window, she saw someone seemingly wandering outside the villa. She looked closely and found that the person was a girl. This girl’s appearance was striking, with refined features, carefully styled clothes, and those towering Mount Everests. It was just that the clothes on this girl were a bit dirty, and exhaustion was written all over her face.

Could it be a celebrity down on their luck?

She saw this girl pacing back and forth in front of the villa’s iron gate, wondering whether to press the doorbell.
Wearing her slippers and pajamas, Yu Linna went to the main hall, opened the door, and walked out of the villa. The girl, seeing a small and cute blonde girl coming out from inside, was startled. Could the owner of this villa be a foreigner? Even has a daughter.

“Um, ahem… hello, I…”

“Hello, do you need help?”

“You speak Chinese?”

“I’m Chinese, of course I speak Chinese.”

Another one who mistook her for a foreigner. Although she was mixed-race, there was still Chinese blood flowing through her. Did she look that much like a foreigner?

“Oh, sorry. I’d like to ask, how do I get out of these suburbs?”

The girl cleared her throat twice before uttering her prepared words.

“Sorry, I don’t know. I’ll go ask someone. Come in and have a seat.”

“Is that okay? This is your home, right? Your family is still resting.”

“This isn’t my home. I’m here with friends. Come on in, I’ll get my friends.”

She brought this strange girl back inside and invited her to sit down. Seeing the layout inside, the girl was stunned at first, then adopted a composed expression. Only when Yu Linna asked her to sit did she finally settle on the sofa. It had to be said, this villa was truly spacious, as expected of a place where rich people lived.

Yu Linna went to the room to wake up Dai Wenqian and explained the situation to her. After listening, Dai Wenqian didn’t say anything, changed clothes, and freshened up. One naturally had to dress nicely to meet guests; such a sloppy appearance wasn’t a good look.

Ye Zhiyun also woke up hearing Dai Wenqian’s movements. She had a drinking contest with Dai Wenqian late last night and woke up with a terrible headache. But for the sake of meeting the guest, she endured it, washed her face, and changed into clean clothes.

And Fang Jianing had long since gone to the hall, placing the prepared snacks for the girl. Seeing the snacks, the girl’s eyes lit up. She ate a few, then finished them all in no time. She seemed very hungry, rubbing her tummy with a dissatisfied look.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Miss. I heard you wanted to know how to get out of the suburbs. Did you encounter some difficulty?”

After changing clothes, Dai Wenqian looked like a completely different person. A smart dress, subtly decorated collar, a pair of boots, slender legs encased in black stockings that one couldn’t help but want to grasp and play with. Her temperament was also different from yesterday. If the Dai Wenqian of yesterday was still the Troublemaker King, today’s Dai Wenqian had truly transformed into an ojou-sama.

No, this is not the Dai Wenqian I know!

Countless fuck you (cao ni ma) raced through Yu Linna’s mind.

“My apologies for the late introduction. My name is Tang Yumeng. I got lost here due to some circumstances. I walked for a whole night and couldn’t get out of the suburbs. Hungry and tired, seeing this villa, I thought about coming to ask for directions. Luckily it’s all girls here; I feel relieved.”

This girl named Tang Yumeng seemed to be about their age, though why she got lost in the forest was unknown. She seemed relieved it was an all-girls villa, perhaps having encountered something that made her wary of men.

Ye Zhiyun saw that this child clearly hadn’t just gotten lost. She actively approached and chatted with her, asking Fang Jianing to prepare some pastries. Seeing the pastries, Tang Yumeng’s eyes fixed on them; she was truly hungry. Wandering in the suburbs all night, frightened, she almost thought she would become food for wild dogs. Encountering these people now was truly a stroke of luck.

“To be honest, I encountered a chikan (pervert).”

After chatting for a while, Tang Yumeng finally revealed what happened last night. Hearing this, everyone held their breath, their expressions turning serious.

“I wanted to go home last night, but I encountered a stalker on the road. He kept following me. There was no one around. I was really scared and ran into the suburban woods. The stalker kept chasing me. Later, I hid in the woods, and he couldn’t find me. So I hid in the woods all night, only daring to come out when it was light. I saw this villa and wanted to ask for directions, but I was also afraid of encountering men, encountering men like last night.”

Recounting this incident, Tang Yumeng felt lingering fear, a wave of panic washing over her. It was hard to imagine such a girl encountering this kind of thing. If she weren’t lucky, she might have become someone else’s prey. Thankfully, she seemed unharmed.

“Yumeng, if you don’t mind, why not stay with us? We have food and a place to stay. My driver won’t be here to pick us up until tomorrow, and it takes about an hour to drive from here to the city. It’s really dangerous for you to walk out alone. Why not stay with us for a night?”

Dai Wenqian’s suggestion made sense. No one could guarantee the stalker wasn’t still lurking around. Leaving now was still dangerous. It was better to let her stay here for a night and leave together tomorrow. Besides, they were all girls living here and could look after each other.

“If it won’t trouble you, I will be very grateful.”

“Don’t mention it. Since you’re here, we’re friends. Friends should have fun together. I’m Dai Wenqian, call me Wenqian. We’ll have a barbecue today. Welcome to join us.”

Having gotten to know her, Dai Wenqian became lively again. That was just her personality. Once familiar with someone, she liked to make things happen.

According to Tang Yumeng, she was 19 years old this year, a university student, older than everyone here. She even joked, saying they could call her “senior.”

And Tang Yumeng wasn’t just an ordinary university student. Based on her reveal, she was actually an actress! She had acted in film crews, even filmed TV series. But she wasn’t famous, just a third- or fourth-tier actress.

“Really can’t believe you’re an actress. Then you’re like, a star?”

Fang Jianing seemed to be very interested in her, constantly asking questions.

Tang Yumeng took a sip of tea and smiled wryly.

“I’m not really a star. I’m an actress. I’m currently studying at the Film Academy, came home for the holiday break. I’ve filmed many TV series and commercials, but haven’t been in a movie yet. And I only play supporting roles, never the lead. Calling me a star isn’t really accurate.”

Tang Yumeng smiled and patted Fang Jianing’s head. Tang Yumeng gave people the feeling of a gentle and intelligent older sister, very caring towards girls, the typical gentle onee-san.

She was different from a mature and confident woman like Li Yuexin. She gave people more of a sense of dependability.

“Then Senior Tang, can I visit your film set in the future? I’ve never been to a film set; I don’t know what it’s like~”

Fang Jianing’s eyes sparkled, eager to get close to her. She thought of another good idea: next time she made a video, she could make a video about a real film crew, documenting their everyday lives. Live streaming was absolutely prohibited on set; she wouldn’t dare do that, so she decided to bring a miniature camera to secretly film.
Although doing so had a high probability of getting her caught, what did it matter? As long as she was happy.

“Of course, you can visit anytime when I’m back on set. But I’m not famous, I don’t get many roles.”

Saying this, Tang Yumeng smiled wryly.

“Oh, right, speaking of film sets, didn’t you go to be an extra before, Linna? I also heard you auditioned, almost becoming the female lead.”

Yu Linna’s hand holding the teacup trembled.

She noticed everyone in the hall, except Ye Zhiyun, staring at her.

“You’ve been on a film set before?”

Tang Yumeng was the first to speak.

“Sigh, I really didn’t want to bring it up again,” Yu Linna inwardly sighed. If possible, she didn’t want to mention her experiences in the entertainment industry at all, absolutely not. Those weren’t pleasant memories.

Whenever the entertainment industry was mentioned, those painful memories would torment her, making her unable to escape. If possible, she really didn’t want to recall those memories; they were too painful.

“I was briefly an extra before, but never a supporting role. It was a long time ago.”

Recalling those days, not eating her fill, worrying about rent, having to find jobs to support herself. At that time, she had also been a background extra. To eat her fill, she did everything, but also because of this, she lost a lot.

When you are poor, you only think about eating. Now, she no longer wanted to recall that impoverished past.

Chapter 107: Drunk 

The induction cooker was turned on, the hot pot base went in, and when the water was almost boiling, the ingredients were poured in. This year’s first hot pot meal began just like that.

The old year ended, and the new year arrived, accompanied by joyful sounds as the hot pot broth boiled.

“Let’s eat!”

Dai Wenqian excitedly picked up her chopsticks and lifted the lid. This year’s start was pretty good.

Yu Linna ate happily. She loved having delicious food and eating until she couldn’t move. She remembered when she was very little, she celebrated the New Year at someone else’s house. Everyone gathered around a table, a hot pot in the center, adding food and eating, while she silently nibbled fried rice in the corner.

For so many years, she rarely had the chance to eat her fill, but since the end of last year, she had always been full, no longer experiencing hunger. To encounter such happiness, and for this happiness to last continuously…

Such a wonderful life, she really wanted it to continue like this, on and on, forever.
Even if she had no other relatives in this world, even if she had no parents, that didn’t matter. As long as she had everyone by her side, even without family, so what? If everyone was here, she was also here, never alone again.

“Is it that delicious? I didn’t even add chili peppers. Why are you crying?”

Eh?
Hearing Dai Wenqian say this, Yu Linna only then realized that tears streamed down her face. She pulled out a tissue and wiped them. How embarrassing. Even crying while eating, she had to control herself.

“Nothing, I just got some pepper in my eyes.”

“But I didn’t see you add pepper.”

“Nonsense! I said there was, so there was!”

Wiping away her tears, Yu Linna continued smiling, looking at the boiling water and the tumbling meatballs. This year was her happiest. She wasn’t alone anymore; she had friends.

In the past, she was always rushing around, always wandering, with no end in sight. Throughout elementary school, she was constantly changing schools. In six years, she had changed schools dozens of times, so she didn’t have any elementary school classmates she could still contact.

But now it was different; now, she had friends.

It was no longer just Nangong Ying.

She could live peacefully.

Ye Zhiyun looked at the smiling girl, her heart tightening. Others might not know, but didn’t she know what Yu Linna was thinking? Of the few people present, only she knew Yu Linna had no parents since childhood, just an orphan. And having wandered since young, she never experienced warmth. She had just realized, she finally had happiness.

“I told you, I can give you everything you don’t have. Now, I’ve fulfilled my promise. You don’t need to be sad for the past, nor happy for the present. Your future belongs only to yourself.”

Life is so long; live well, and you will find what’s valuable.

The current Yu Linna seemed to be slowly understanding what she sought.

“Fatty beef time! Everyone, come eat! It’s delicious!”

“Wenqian, don’t be impatient, slow down. There’s still so much we haven’t eaten.”

“Call me Wenqian.”

Everyone enjoyed the hot pot meal, feeling satisfied. This year’s beginning was really quite good.

After everyone had eaten their fill, Ye Zhiyun and Fang Jianing cleared the table and went to wash dishes in the kitchen. The meal ended. Yu Linna rubbed her round belly and collapsed onto the sofa. The happiest thing in life is being able to eat until you burst. She would still have plenty of opportunities in the future. Those days of not having enough to eat could finally be bid farewell.

“Since everyone’s full, shall we play mahjong?”

“Come on, Wenqian. Everyone’s stuffed. Let’s just watch TV. What mahjong?”

“If not mahjong, we need to do something. Come on, let’s drink!”

With that said, Dai Wenqian took a dozen beers from the fridge, her face flushed, eager to give it a go. Dai Wenqian was already 18, almost 19, legally an adult and allowed to drink.

“Why are we drinking? Some people can’t drink!”

“What does it matter? Everyone here is over 18. Linna should also be 18, right? Just a few months ago, she said she was 17.”

Everyone’s eyes fell upon Yu Linna. Yu Linna felt wronged. It’s just drinking; why must they ask for her opinion?

“Little Sister Linna, tell us, when’s your 18th birthday? Has it passed or not?”

“Yeah, Linna, when’s your birthday? We’ll go celebrate with you then.”

Yu Linna’s head was spinning; she just stood there, completely at a loss.

“Hey, don’t make things difficult for her…”

“Zhiyun, you step aside! You’re almost 19. In three months, you’ll be 19. You can drink. I’m asking Linna now, is she of legal drinking age?”

“Speaking of which, I’m also almost 19. My birthday is in a month and a half. Everyone, remember to come eat my cake~”

Ye Zhiyun, Dai Wenqian, and Fang Jianing, the three surrounded her, causing Yu Linna a big headache.

“I’ll just watch TV. You guys drink. Hahaha…”

“No way! Unless you tell me whether you’ve turned 18 or not, I won’t make things difficult for you!”

Dai Wenqian, the troublemaker king, really wasn’t going to let her off the hook, determined to find out her birthday. What could Yu Linna do except remain silent? But even so, Dai Wenqian wasn’t planning to let her go.

“Really not saying? If you don’t say it, you have to drink.”

The blonde girl sighed, feeling truly helpless.

“I count every year. After the first day of the Lunar New Year, I add one to my age automatically. According to that calculation, I should be 18 now.”

“Oh, although I don’t understand, but you’re already 18, right? Alright, let’s drink!”

Beer was served; now she couldn’t avoid it. Dai Wenqian picked up the bottle opener; bubbles fizzed, and the glass quickly filled with the yellow liquid. First time drinking alcohol, and it had to be under these circumstances? Forget it.

Although Fang Jianing wasn’t good at drinking, she also poured herself a glass, then sat next to Yu Linna, clinking glasses with her.

“Linna, when is your birthday? You didn’t even tell me when your birthday is. I told you, mine is in a month and a half. You should tell me too.”

“…”

Yu Linna quietly took a sip of the beer. The first time she tasted beer, it was bitter, hard to swallow. But she could still drink it; she just wasn’t used to it yet.

Even the bitterest beer has its enthusiasts.

But the bitterest heart, who would want to hear about it?

Actually, Yu Linna didn’t even know when her birthday was, nor when she was born.

She was displaced since she was young. Every day, just eating her fill was incredibly difficult; who would know when her birthday was? She just vaguely remembered that when she came to this world, it was very cold. And after that, she wasn’t clear; she had already been sold by then, didn’t know where she was taken.

How could she possibly know her birthday? If only she knew; she also wanted to know.

But it didn’t matter. She hadn’t celebrated her birthday since her last life either. It wouldn’t matter if she didn’t celebrate it in this life either. She lived longer in this life than her last; this was already enough.

“I’ll be there for your birthday.”

“Che, you refuse to tell me. Stingy. Come, drink.”

The alcohol spread in her mouth, filling her brain, taking away all her memories. Her consciousness fell.

“Zhiyun, want a drink? Let’s drink and eat peanuts!”

“I think you will definitely become an alcoholic in the future…”

“Come on, come on, eat peanuts~”

“Fine, fine, fine, if you insist. I’m not afraid of you! I’ve had my share of drinking parties.”

Dai Wenqian and Ye Zhiyun had already moved outside to the courtyard to drink, setting up a table. It could be seen that Dai Wenqian was in high spirits tonight, determined to get herself drunk. Just as Ye Zhiyun said, she would definitely become a bold alcoholic in the future.

And Yu Linna, only after one glass of beer, felt the alcohol spreading through her entire body. She felt hot, her consciousness began to blur, her face flushed red, swaying unsteadily.

“Hey, Linna, you’re drunk already? It’s just beer!”

Fang Jianing caught the swaying Yu Linna and helped her lie down on the sofa.

Yu Linna’s consciousness had already blurred, completely forgetting who she was. All her memories gushed forth, and she fell into a deep sea. By the time she realized it, there was no going back. Her entire being disappeared in the vast ocean.

Fang Jianing supported her and took her to the room to sleep. This child’s alcohol tolerance was really low, just one glass and she was completely drunk. But thinking about it, it was normal for a girl with her physique to not have a high alcohol tolerance.

“Don’t let go of me…”

Yu Linna clung to her shoulders, murmuring in her sleep, her flushed face turning from white to red.

Fang Jianing couldn’t help but smile wryly. This child was really drunk.

“Don’t kick me out, I’ll be good. Don’t drive me away, I’ll be very obedient…”

Her hands wrapped around her neck; Fang Jianing couldn’t even walk, only able to carry her on her back. But the words echoing by her ear were these.

She stopped, a little surprised, looking at the blonde girl on her back. A glistening teardrop flowed down the girl’s face, wetting her eyelashes.

“I won’t eat much. Just give me a steamed bun. Please don’t kick me out…”

She murmured again. This time, Fang Jianing felt the cool touch of liquid on her neck.

This child…

Had she experienced something?

Fang Jianing had never really learned about her past, didn’t know what she had gone through. But now, Yu Linna kept repeating “Don’t kick me out” behind her. What was she so afraid of?

All along, she thought Yu Linna was a girl who liked to take advantage and had a cheeky personality. But now it seemed like she wasn’t as simple as she imagined.

Putting her on the bed, covering her with the blanket, Fang Jianing, her heart heavy with complicated emotions, exited the room. Her back against the door, she felt awful. She suddenly recalled how Yu Linna had been unwilling to reveal her birthday tonight. Could it be related to this?

Fang Jianing didn’t dare to think further.