After busying themselves for most of the afternoon, everyone was exhausted. They gathered for a meal before parting ways.
Sang Ning said goodbye to her friends and walked with Shen Tingwan toward the open-air parking lot. She slowed her steps a bit. She had seen Shen Tingwan take a painkiller, so she must have been hurting.
They stopped in front of a black car.
Sang Ning called out to Shen Tingwan. “Let me drive.”
Shen Tingwan paused for a moment where she stood, then smiled and said, “It’s not that bad. It doesn’t hurt anymore.”
Sang Ning could only nod.
The night was hazy, with warm yellow streetlights stretching along the road like an endless path.
Sang Ning had her driver’s license. Their line of work often required travel, so having a car would be convenient, but she didn’t like driving much, so she hadn’t put buying one on her agenda.
As a child, she had once been hit by a car because she didn’t hear the horn. Though she wasn’t seriously injured, it left a significant shadow. She got her license in college, gritting her teeth through it—better to have one than not.
Soft music played in the car, creating a quiet atmosphere. Sang Ning wasn’t as uncomfortable as the previous two times. She noticed that Shen Tingwan didn’t talk much while driving.
She started to enjoy this quiet between them, even hoping the drive back would last a little longer. She could always catch the faint fragrance on Shen Tingwan, different each time but always pleasant and likable.
After three kilometers,
Shen Tingwan rarely spoke while driving. “If you’re sleepy, you can rest a bit.”
“I’m not sleepy.” Sang Ning wasn’t stubborn about it. Being around Shen Tingwan always kept her alert.
Shen Tingwan kept her eyes on the road ahead. “Do you ever get tired?”
Sang Ning looked ahead too. “Of course I do.”
Shen Tingwan let out a very soft laugh. She answered every question so earnestly.
Sang Ning thought that laugh was too beautiful; it gently tugged at her heart.
The destination arrived all too soon. After the car stopped, Sang Ning unbuckled her seatbelt and thanked her as usual.
Shen Tingwan said, “You forgot something.”
“Hm?” Sang Ning looked over.
Shen Tingwan reached out to her, opening her palm to reveal two rabbit keychains. “One for each of us.”
Sang Ning picked one. As she took it, her fingers accidentally brushed against the warm palm, sending a faint tingle through her fingertips.
Shen Tingwan pocketed the remaining one.
Sang Ning quietly gripped her keychain and smiled politely. “I’m off then.”
“Sang Ning.”
Sang Ning turned back, seeing she had more to say.
Shen Tingwan turned slightly toward her and asked, “Are we friends now?”
The question came suddenly.
Sang Ning fell silent for a moment…
“Don’t you want me as a friend?” Shen Tingwan discovered she had a shameless side too. She pressed, “Do you? Or not?”
Sang Ning met her gaze, and the next second, she softly replied, “I do.”
She couldn’t refuse at all…
Shen Tingwan smiled at the corner of her lips. She felt like she had seen through something—like if she reached out, Sang Ning would take a step closer.
Sang Ning didn’t linger on Shen Tingwan’s gaze for long. She shifted her eyes away and said goodbye.
Shen Tingwan watched her retreating figure in the night for a moment longer. She rarely took the initiative to connect with someone like this, but this junior felt so comfortable to be around.
Sang Ning brought some more peaches to the office. Yu Shuang already looked troubled—the remaining ones couldn’t be eaten fresh, so they could only be made into jam for preservation.
At noon, the two ordered takeout from a mala hotpot place. It tasted pretty good.
Sang Ning idly checked WeChat. There were a few unread messages, all work-related. She scrolled down several times before seeing Shen Tingwan’s avatar. Their chat history had stopped at some old work discussion.
No new messages.
Being friends didn’t mean they’d stay in touch, right?
In her ears came emotional dialogue she couldn’t fully understand—Yu Shuang was watching a drama. She had recently gotten hooked on a Korean series and always watched an episode during lunch.
Sang Ning hadn’t seen the show, but just listening to Yu Shuang’s rants during meals had given her the gist. It was a kind of indirect drama-watching.
Yu Shuang must have been engrossed; she held a celery stalk halfway to her mouth, eyes glued to the tablet screen.
“Oh my god, it’s killing me. If you like her, just go for it. What’s with the secret crush?” Yu Shuang was hot-tempered and couldn’t hold back her complaints. “If you don’t make a move, how will there be a story?”
Sang Ning listened quietly and smiled without responding.
Crushes in dramas were always mutual, with happy endings. In reality, they mostly fizzled out one-sidedly.
Sang Ning recalled a university forum post she’d seen: “What does being secretly crushed on feel like?” The comments were all words like “annoying.”
Your sneaky glances that you think are careful are really bothersome.
Sang Ning agreed. Being watched by someone you didn’t like, having them deliberately get close—it would definitely be intrusive. So she guarded her secret well, even keeping her gaze on Shen Tingwan proper at all times. She looked forward to chance encounters but wouldn’t force her way into Shen Tingwan’s life.
Properly distant, neither approaching nor disturbing.
After twenty minutes of the drama, Yu Shuang set down her chopsticks and rubbed her belly. “Ah, I’m stuffed.”
Sang Ning had finished too. She packed up the takeout boxes when WeChat pinged with a new message—a friend request verification. It had come several times; she ignored it and kept ignoring.
After pulling two days of overtime, she finally got off early on Thursday. Back at her apartment, Sang Ning washed her hands clean and made herself dinner in the kitchen.
Her cooking was decent. When not too busy, she cooked for herself.
She made a simple meat and veggie dish. Before eating, she snapped a photo and sent it to Sang Mingjuan.
During the meal, she got a call.
Sang Ning checked the caller ID—it was her aunt from back home. She swiped to answer. “Auntie?”
A middle-aged woman’s raspy voice came through. “Ningning, are you super busy with work lately? Come home more when you have time.”
Standard small talk before getting to the point. Sang Ning lowered her eyes. “Yeah, a bit busy lately.”
Sure enough, after the opener, Sang Mingli cut to the chase. “That boy from last time added you on WeChat—why didn’t you accept? Did you not see it?”
Sang Ning had guessed it was about this. “No need, Auntie. I’m not looking right now.”
“How can that be? You can’t stay single forever. You’re twenty-six already—gotta hurry. By thirty, it’ll be tough to find someone.” Sang Mingli exaggerated.
Sang Ning said flatly, “Don’t worry about it, Auntie.”
Sang Mingli ignored that and kept going. “That boy just has a bit of eye trouble, but he’s got a great personality—thoughtful, caring. He’ll treat your mom well too.”
Sang Ning’s tone hardened. “Really, no need.”
The other end sighed, paused, then said earnestly, “Ningning, I know you’re excellent and look down on him, but you yourself… Auntie means well and speaks plainly for your sake. Don’t be upset. He didn’t mind your ears either. With your situation, you need to lower your standards a bit…”
“Auntie, I’m eating. Gotta go.” Sang Ning coldly cut her off and hung up. Her voice was soft, but she wasn’t a pushover—she had her own stubbornness.
After the call, Sang Ning continued her dinner as if nothing happened. She was used to this. Plenty of people advised her the same way: don’t be picky. The subtext was always that she was the flawed one, unworthy.
Soon, she got a WeChat from Sang Mingjuan: Don’t take your aunt’s words to heart.
Last Spring Festival, Sang Mingli had tried setting her up with a guy who had a limp. Sang Mingjuan found out, flushed with anger, and had a huge fight with her. They didn’t speak through the holiday.
Afterward, Sang Mingjuan had pulled her aside and quietly said, “You’re no worse than anyone else.”
Sang Ning replied to Sang Mingjuan: It’s fine. Didn’t take it to heart.
She really didn’t. She was used to it.
On Saturday, Sang Ning worked through her day off. Toward evening, as she wrapped up at the studio, she spotted a familiar face walking in. Surprised, she asked, “Weren’t you coming next week?”
Zheng Cheng smiled. “I had time today and swung by. You done?”
Sang Ning nodded. “Yeah.”
“Dinner time? Want to grab a bite and talk business?”
A few days earlier, Zheng Cheng had mentioned his company needed shooting services, so she naturally came to mind.
Sang Ning thought for a moment. “Sure.” Zheng Cheng was the son of her family’s old neighbor; the Zheng family had helped Sang Mingjuan a lot. She added, “I’ll treat.”
Zheng Cheng said, “How can I let a girl pay? My treat.”
Sang Ning smiled awkwardly. “Then forget it.”
Zheng Cheng changed tack. “AA?”
Sang Ning didn’t want to haggle. “Fine.”
Leaving the studio, Zheng Cheng asked, “What do you feel like? I’m good with anything.”
Sang Ning didn’t think long. “Pasta okay?”
“Sure.”
After a crosswalk, Sang Ning headed to the familiar mall. It was the weekend, so Wei Xue’s Store was busier than usual.
Sang Ning walked in and spotted a familiar back at her usual spot. She noticed a pattern—Shen Tingwan seemed to come to Wei Xue’s often on weekends. Tonight looked like a group gathering.
Shen Tingwan was chatting with someone when Wei Xue spotted Sang Ning first and greeted her warmly.
“Your junior’s here patronizing my business again.” Wei Xue finished and whispered to Shen Tingwan, “She wouldn’t really have a crush on me, would she…”
Shen Tingwan turned to look.
Sang Ning happened to pass their table. She paused and called out, “Senior Sister.”
Shen Tingwan was about to say something.
Then a voice from behind: “Sang Ning, where should we sit?”
Shen Tingwan glanced back. She wasn’t alone. With company, it wasn’t right to invite her over.
Wei Xue noticed and smiled. “Dining with a friend?”
Sang Ning replied with a “Mm.”
Wei Xue saw it was a guy next to her and raised an eyebrow, a bit disappointed. Had her intuition been wrong? She’d always thought Sang Ning was one of them, into girls.
After Sang Ning left, Wei Xue blinked at Shen Tingwan with a regretful tone. “Your junior wouldn’t be straight, would she?”
Shen Tingwan stayed quiet, annoyed at Wei Xue’s dramatics.
Sang Ning found an empty table and sat. She asked Zheng Cheng what he wanted; he said anything, so she ordered two signature meat sauce pastas.
They finished talking work quickly. The rest of the time, Sang Ning ate quietly.
Zheng Cheng chatted idly. “I heard from my mom your mom fought with your aunt again—over setting you up.”
Sang Ning remembered.
“I saw the guy she introduced. Ugly as sin, and half-blind.” Zheng Cheng ranted while eating. “Your aunt’s something else—what kind of people does she set you up with? Totally unworthy of you.”
Sang Ning didn’t want to discuss it. “Let’s eat.”
Zheng Cheng went quiet for a moment, then half-jokingly said, “Sang Ning, how about considering me? I’m at least normal, right?”
…
Shen Tingwan was sipping her drink when she caught Sang Ning hurrying out from the corner of her eye, the other person flustered and chasing after her.
Someone noticed her distraction. “Tingwan, what’s up?”
Shen Tingwan smiled. “Nothing.”
A bit later, she set down her glass and softly told the person beside her, “I need to step out for a bit.”
![The Villain Is The True Beauty [Quick Transmigration]](https://i0.wp.com/dobytranslations.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/quick-tr.png?resize=151,215 "The Villain Is The True Beauty [Quick Transmigration]")
