Chapter 28: MAMA-28 Part 2

Mi Shanxin was very obedient in this aspect.

Maybe Jian Wanji’s styling always captivated her, and she was trying to learn something from her as well.

“Is it real?” the classmate asked curiously. “A scarf like that costs five or six thousand.”

Li Yin knew how stingy Mi Shanxin’s father was and glared at her. “Even I wouldn’t say something so provocative.”

“What does it matter if it’s real or not, as long as it’s warm and looks good?”

Li Yin was always very protective of Mi Shanxin. Even if a classmate she had a crush on invited her for a walk, she’d first consider whether Mi Shanxin would be lonely alone at night.

Back in high school, someone joked that Li Yin was too protective of Mi Shanxin, as if she were her guardian.

Some people also suspected their relationship, but asking Li Yin would get you a furious scolding.

Asking Mi Shanxin, her eyes were so dark and deep they were unsettling, hard to interpret as romantic. It felt more like a pet and its owner. Later, no one brought it up again.

“Am I being provocative?” The classmate quickly waved her hands. “Just curious. We all know Mi Shanxin’s family situation. Suddenly having such an expensive bag and scarf, and look at her clothes, way better than before… Sure, if we save up our living expenses we could afford them, but we wouldn’t spend all of it on these things.”

Only then did Mi Shanxin belatedly realize that the things Jian Wanji gave her were genuinely expensive.

Even though she repeatedly emphasized not needing them, Jian Wanji kept sending them anyway, saying, “Your clothes changed, so your accessories need to keep up. Since you think new items are troublesome, then just use my used ones.”

Jian Wanji had thrown out all the cheap stuff in Mi Shanxin’s home, gilding this Little Mother of mud, seemingly forgetting she was still a poor university student, very easy to misunderstand.

“Li Yin, did you buy them?” The classmate narrowed her eyes. “You used to scrimp and save for Mi Shanxin, even giving her such an expensive scarf.”

Mi Shanxin asked, “What?”

She looked at Li Yin. “Was it the striped one?”

The classmate nodded. “Yeah, several thousand. She spent all her New Year’s money. You really didn’t know?”

Others sighed, “Li Yin really is the best to Mi Shanxin.”

Someone else looked towards one of the guys in the group. “And what about you? Mi Shanxin is your crush’s best friend. You’ll have to bring her along on your dates in the future.”

Mi Shanxin finally looked at the boy she hadn’t spared more than two glances for. He was fairly ordinary-looking, probably even more plain than the classmate Li Yin had liked back in high school.

The girl looked away after one glance, fixing her gaze again on the newly arrived dishes.

People nudged each other, whispering that Mi Shanxin’s orientation was indeed a bit questionable. Li Yin heard it and glared at them covertly.

“Why glare at us? It’s not something that can’t be talked about. Mi Shanxin, do you like boys or girls?”

The steaming main courses arrived. The main hall had tables for four and tables for six. Mi Shanxin’s seat wasn’t ideal for reaching dishes, but she liked sitting in the corner, as if it gave her more security.

The sudden question made her chopsticks clatter against her bowl. So many people were looking at her. Mi Shanxin asked, “What is it?”

“Just asking, we won’t do anything.” The classmate smiled. “Li Yin even wanted to introduce you to a boyfriend before.”

“No need.” Mi Shanxin shook her head. She looked at Li Yin, feeling a little sad.

She had one, and only one, good friend. Everyone else was just decoration. But even with the best friend, there were things hard to speak of, like her unspoken orientation.

Li Yin was very popular, including with girls.

That was her biggest worry. Li Yin had fallen out with friends before because feelings changed and the friendship fell apart.

Mi Shanxin was a wild grass by the roadside, inexplicably filling the gap left by the potted plant, which was why she received this special care.

Jian Wanji’s friends were also straight. Did she have the same troubles?

Mi Shanxin suddenly missed her very much.

If it were Jian Wanji, she could definitely handle this kind of situation.

“See, I told you. People have said before she doesn’t look like she likes guys.”

“Stop it, don’t you know Li Yin before…”

Mi Shanxin had her head lowered. The screen she was poking suddenly lit up. Jian Wanji sent her a message: [What are you typing? It’s been ages and not a word?]

Mi Shanxin jumped, startled.

Jian Wanji sent another: [Is the triple mushroom delight good?]

[Why didn’t you order the pearl potato braised pork?]

Mi Shanxin looked around, strongly suspecting Jian Wanji was spying on her.

Surely she hadn’t put a tracking device on her.

Li Yin asked, “What’s wrong?”

She had asked Mi Shanxin out, not to talk about this. She regretted agreeing to the group dinner.

She knew perfectly well Mi Shanxin didn’t like crowded gatherings, she should have just eaten with her alone.

“It’s nothing.” Mi Shanxin put away her phone. She hadn’t noticed a person leaning on the railing upstairs. This restaurant specialized in retro cuisine, and also offered costume experience projects. It was invested in by one of Jian Wanji’s former colleagues.

Jian Wanji always used to decline invitations, but today she got off work early and called Sui Yuqian, who’d been planning to order takeout.

Jian Wanji hadn’t really wanted to dress up, but Sui Yuqian said something like “since we’re here,” so they changed clothes in the wardrobe area on the second floor.

Jian Wanji really didn’t want to wear a wig, so she just tied her long hair at the back of her head. Her ear bridge was swapped for a dangling maple leaf design. Some out-of-town tourists even thought she was an NPC and asked to take photos with her. She didn’t refuse, and ended up with a prime scenic spot.

“What are you looking at?” Sui Yuqian leaned closer, her eyeshadow startling Jian Wanji. “Isn’t that makeup a bit too dramatic?”

Sui Yuqian laughed, the red mark at the corner of her lips becoming more pronounced. “Since we’re here…”

She followed Jian Wanji’s earlier line of sight. “What, see someone you know?”

“Saw your ex-girlfriend.” Jian Wanji turned around and pushed her away. Sui Yuqian refused to budge, scanning the crowded main hall until she found someone. “Your mom is here?”

“Are you cursing me?” After saying this, Jian Wanji realized. “What your mom, my mom.”

“The Little Mother you found.”

Sui Yuqian pointed to the large table in the corner. “I saw you add this top to the cart during a meeting. I even wondered, this color is so unsuitable for you. Sure enough, bought it for your Little Mom, right?”

“You bought the scarf too, right? Picked out a scarf as a gift for someone. I assumed you would wear it yourself.”

“What Little Mom, that’s a completely different meaning.” Jian Wanji pushed her into the private room. “Are we eating or not? No? Then get lost.”

“Just the two of us eating is boring. Your Little Mom looks restless too. Call her up here.”

“Are you crazy? They’re having a university student gathering. Don’t butt in.” In others’ eyes, Jian Wanji behaved frivolously, part of her persona. Sui Yuqian, on the other hand, was genuinely the type to vent whenever she felt like it, which was mostly why she got dumped.

“My eyes are sharper than a ruler. You were leaning there for ages. You can’t tell me you didn’t think about going over to say hi.”

“If you don’t go, I will.”

“After a few sips, you’re already this drunk?” Jian Wanji pushed her inside, asking their former colleague to look after Sui Yuqian. “I’ll go down for a bit.”

Mi Shanxin wasn’t a picky eater, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have dishes she preferred.

Today’s dishes clearly weren’t chosen with her in mind. She kept eating cold dishes right in front of her, which didn’t require too much exaggerated reaching.

The topic had only just been detoured from, but it still revealed information about Li Yin dating someone.

“Shanxin, are you still making your vlogs?” Another classmate asked. There were others at the table meeting her for the first time, asking what that was.

So they began passing around the account Mi Shanxin had started in an attempt to improve her living conditions.

It was one thing when they’d all given likes in the group chat, but mentioning it in front of strangers made Mi Shanxin even more uncomfortable.

She said, “I have something to do, I’m leaving first.”

Li Yin grabbed her hand under the table. “Shanxin, you haven’t eaten much.”

Mi Shanxin looked into her eyes, swallowing some words. “I’m full. I have plans later.”

She had slept much better this week; she was no longer perpetually sleepy-looking. But she was still unlikable, the kind of icy, cold beauty.

Being too silent always made people think she was easy to handle. Mi Shanxin was a person who would refuse outright.

Unless Li Yin was present.

“I still have things to tell you.” Li Yin had very long hair. It looked good whether worn loose or tied up, not unhealthy and split like Mi Shanxin’s, but thick and glossy black.

“I know. No need to tell me specifically.”

Mi Shanxin glanced at the boy sitting on Li Yin’s other side, her university classmate. “I can see he likes you.”

She didn’t ask when they met, or why she hadn’t told her.

Same as always, easily accepting things, whether it was the arrival or departure of people around her.

No matter how long Li Yin spent with her, she always felt she could never truly enter Mi Shanxin’s heart.

Shouldn’t true friends ask more?

“What else do you have to do?” Li Yin knew her schedule. “Isn’t it still early?”

“I need to go back…”

“Teach me calligraphy.” A voice dropped down along with a figure. Jian Wanji, dressed eccentrically in costume, walked over, her voice lazy. “Teacher Shanxin, weren’t you already on your way?”

————————!!————————

Mi Shanxin: “So when are you going to write on me?”

Jian Wanji: “Ah?”

–

Mi Shanxin: “Don’t buy me so many things. It’s too much.”

Jian Wanji: “It’s no big deal. This is all money I needed to spend anyway. Didn’t hit the spending requirement this year.”

Mi Shanxin didn’t understand. “Why not?”

Jian Wanji explained a few things, something about credit card VIPs, and mentioned she had a dedicated financial assistant.

Mi Shanxin listened to her ramble on, still not understanding. She asked, “Is the assistant male or female?”

Jian Wanji didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Why do you care so much?”

Mi Shanxin: “Because I’m the mother.”

“Fine. Female, married, not a mistress, so you have no chance.” Jian Wanji shoved the card into her hand. “This is my filial offering to you, Mom. Spend freely.”