Chapter 36: MAMA-36 Part 1

Before Jian Wanji could answer, Mi Shanxin spoke first. “What’s the problem with that?”

“Isn’t it a huge problem?” Li Yin imagined her friend being called “Mom” by a woman that age and felt her skin crawl. She had no idea her friend possessed such acting talent, with a dedication so strong she probably wouldn’t even NG on a film set.

“I’m being paid,” Mi Shanxin said. “I have to provide the client with an immersive experience.”

She said this with the same expressionless face. Her eyes, though not exactly round, held a certain look. Standing to the side, the corner of Jian Wanji’s mouth curved higher; she enjoyed watching Mi Shanxin act like this.

Li Yin couldn’t accept it, increasingly convinced her friend was suffering severe work-related trauma to earn money. She pulled Mi Shanxin aside, turning her back to Jian Wanji. “Shanxin, is it really okay?”

Her guard was extremely high, terrified her innocent, adorable friend was being deceived. “You guys have a contract, right? Do you need me to show it to my mom?”

Li Yin’s mother was a famous lawyer. Though a good person, Mi Shanxin was quite afraid of her—she was exceptionally stern.

Although the parents never showed it openly, Mi Shanxin could sense that Li Yin’s mother didn’t really like her being friends with Li Yin. Looking at the unfamiliar faces at last night’s gathering, that was clearly one reason Li Yin could invite her out.

Her friend was strictly controlled by her parents: studies, friendships, school choice. Without surprise, dating and marriage would be interfered with too.

They both had both parents. Compared to Li Yin’s high-pressure “full set,” Mi Shanxin occasionally felt grateful for her own parents’ abandonment.

Even without friends from elite schools, at least she didn’t have to beg for ages just to go out and have fun, having to use some professional competition as an excuse.

“No need,” Mi Shanxin recalled the lawyer from that day. She vaguely remembered Jian Wanji saying that one was also quite famous. “The lawyer who notarized it is also very well-known.”

Li Yin glanced back. The woman dressed in understated luxury was standing not far away. Noticing the girl’s glance, she smiled at Li Yin.

Way too suspicious.

Li Yin grabbed Mi Shanxin’s hand. “Shanxin, what’s that lawyer’s name?”

Mi Shanxin waved Jian Wanji over. The woman obediently came. “What instructions does Mommy Shanxin have for me?”

She was already playing the role. Li Yin’s face darkened, thinking this woman was incredibly thick-skinned.

And she wasn’t even ugly. Older, but completely unconnected to the word “old” in appearance—still full of mature charm. Really…

She started to fear her friend’s fetish was about to explode.

No. Absolutely not.

“What was the name of the lawyer who notarized our contract?” Mi Shanxin pointed at Li Yin. “My friend’s mom is a big-shot lawyer. She wants to check if they’re legit.”

Jian Wanji glanced at Li Yin again. The girl was a head taller than Mi Shanxin. Her own little mother’s height was clearly below average—small, thin, and pitiful. Even if her face passed muster, with that height, she could probably only debut as an idol in the neighboring country.

“What are you looking at?” In front of her parents, Li Yin was the dutiful, sensible, high-achieving darling daughter. In front of Mi Shanxin, she didn’t bother hiding her temper. “This is a rational inquiry.”

“Are you a cop?” Jian Wanji laughed and gave a name. “Need me to write it down for you? Send it to your mom to check?”

Li Yin: “Then you…”

Mi Shanxin cut her off. “I’ll send it to you on WeChat. It’s time. I need to go to work.”

She said “role-playing” with such seriousness, as if changing a jacket could make her a doctor starting rounds.

Jian Wanji nodded. “Then let me treat your friend to a meal.”

Li Yin: “What about Shanxin?”

Mi Shanxin: “I have a meal plan.”

Afraid her friend might worry she was being mistreated, she added, “It has meat. It’s pretty good.”

Only then did Li Yin follow Jian Wanji and leave.

Seeming to understand her friend would pry to the very end, Mi Shanxin messaged Jian Wanji on WeChat, saying Li Yin knew absolutely nothing about their additional contract.

At the end, she added: [You know. It’s hard to explain.]

Following behind Jian Wanji, Li Yin watched her chat with this nurse and that patient’s family member all the way, as if the hospital were her family’s property. She huffed through her nostrils.

As Jian Wanji stepped out of the elevator, she asked Li Yin, “What do you feel like eating? Chinese? Western? Thai? Korean? Or some regional cuisine?”

Alarm bells blared in Li Yin’s mind. “Do you eat these kinds of things with Shanxin?”

“Of course,” Jian Wanji hooked her key ring around her finger; the luxury car nearby unlocked. “We’re business partners, after all. Treating her to meals is a normal part of the process.”

Li Yin knew Mi Shanxin had a huge appetite. Back in high school, Li Yin always shared a meal card with Mi Shanxin, splitting the cost to ease the burden and let her friend eat her fill.

After they separated for university, Mi Shanxin still messaged her on WeChat, but campus life was busy. That was why Li Yin had pushed Mi Shanxin to start a vlog.

Though she also hoped her friend could earn more money, she mostly just wanted to see her daily life. Otherwise, with Mi Shanxin’s low desire to share—she didn’t even post on Moments—how was Li Yin supposed to know her friend’s daily path?

Even if Mi Shanxin said there was nothing much to see, every day was about the same.

“Just pick anything. I don’t have much of an appetite right now.”

“Alright~”

“Her appetite’s pretty huge, isn’t it?” Once in the car, Li Yin couldn’t help but say, “You’re not allowed to laugh at her.”

She bristled with the urge to shield her friend, looking to Jian Wanji like a hedgehog protecting a weasel.

“Her appetite is indeed good,” Jian Wanji casually picked a nearby restaurant. “A carnivore, too.”

“She loves braised pork.” Once on the topic of Mi Shanxin’s preferences, Li Yin talked freely. “Also likes that weird Sprite Bitter Gourd thing, smoked fish, stuff like that.”

Jian Wanji felt the same. “Very strong flavors.”

Li Yin bristled. “Don’t you dare mock her.”

The woman hummed in agreement. “I’m not mocking, I’m marveling. She can still eat all that. I’m envious.”

It was the kind of thing Li Yin’s elders always said. Her mother was also very conscious of her figure, advocating a light, bland diet. Her father was a doctor, also meticulous in that regard. Their housekeeper’s cooking was so bland it was suffocating—healthy, sure, but after eating she always craved spicy strips in secret. Back when Li Yin was with Mi Shanxin, she often hid snacks in Mi Shanxin’s backpack to avoid her mother’s bag checks.

Most people, hearing such world-weary talk, would feel reassured. No way the friend would be targeted.

But Li Yin’s friend was Mi Shanxin.

She connected Mi Shanxin’s sexual orientation and the indiscriminate crushes she’d shown over the years—heavily favoring married women with children. It was terrifying. Even if she wasn’t exactly homophobic, she’d heard rumors about certain “homewreckers.” She was genuinely terrified Mi Shanxin would pull something like that.

Given Mi Shanxin’s low energy and petite frame, she probably couldn’t be a top. Even a 0.5 was pushing it. She was likely what rumors called a “pillow princess.”

Thinking about this pained Li Yin to the core. She was grateful Shanxin hadn’t gotten tangled up with that delinquent blonde upperclassman in high school, but then her peripheral vision caught the woman beside her, whose age, assets, and career could rival her own mother’s. She felt even more despair.

“Eating so little? Compared to this, Shanxin’s appetite really is bigger than the average girl’s.” Jian Wanji watched her finish ordering, then casually ordered a pasta for herself.

Mi Shanxin loved braised pork dearly. Looking so tiny and thin, her stomach seemed like a black hole. She could completely finish a whole box of delivered rice. Left to her own devices, she could survive on rice balls—she probably usually suppressed her appetite, not dieting on purpose, simply never properly nourishing herself.

“She eats very little when she’s out.” Judging solely by appearance, Li Yin looked much healthier than Mi Shanxin and was also skilled at makeup. Though the same age, she looked much more mature than Mi Shanxin, her clothes clearly showing a comfortable family background.

Recalling how Mi Shanxin ate even less at gatherings, Li Yin felt so guilty she could punch herself.

The next second, she registered the familiarity in Jian Wanji’s words and asked, “Do you guys often eat together? I thought the hospital provides a meal plan?”

“The meal plan is a work meal. For this kind of job, of course, one needs to maintain good relations.” Jian Wanji answered with perfect composure. Clearly, handling Li Yin was far more effortless than handling Mi Shanxin.

Few people could be more terrifying than Mi Shanxin—looking so abstinent on the outside, yet utterly liquefied with desire once her shell cracked open.

Thinking about the almost daily sleep assistance sessions, Jian Wanji felt a flutter of nervousness again. Fortunately, Li Yin couldn’t tell.

“What do you mean? Do you have to rehearse? That must take a lot of effort, right?” Li Yin had known Mi Shanxin longer and understood her friend’s energy levels better. Back in senior year of high school, she’d often sneak her mother’s red ginseng extract for Mi Shanxin to drink.

If a person was destined to ignite a savior complex once in their life, hers had lit up for Mi Shanxin. Even she didn’t know why. She just wanted to give, without any of the sleazy intentions other classmates might imagine.

Was there no such thing in this world as purely wanting to be good to someone, a fondness without any physical desire?

“We don’t really rehearse. She just looks over the materials.”

As the client, Jian Wanji didn’t have such complicated demands. After all, keeping Wan Qingqing company wasn’t actually shooting a movie. But Mi Shanxin took her work very seriously. Occasionally, while Jian Wanji was at work, she’d receive screenshots of Wan Lingling’s diary, followed by Mi Shanxin reciting excerpts in voice messages.

Including but not limited to: “My daughter already knows how to talk. She can remember whoever passes by her, and what to say. Before bed, my daughter told me, ‘Mommy, I need to pee.’ I said, ‘Be good, Changchang, can you put on your slippers and go to the toilet yourself?'”

Just these excerpts were already painful enough for Jian Wanji, and Mi Shanxin would also send voice messages reading them aloud.

“‘Changchang has a great feel for English. She’ll be outstanding in the future.'”

“‘Changchang said, when she grows up, she also wants to marry Mommy.'”

“‘How could this child say something like that? She’s so adorable.'”

The woman in front of her suddenly put down her utensils. Li Yin looked at her strangely. “What’s wrong? Headache? I haven’t even started getting a headache over your deal with Shanxin yet.”

“Nothing. Just age-related migraines.” Jian Wanji deliberately brought up her age, just to draw a clear line with the girl across from her. If possible, she wanted even more to draw a clear line with Mi Shanxin. “You know, as one gets older, lots of ailments crop up.”

Li Yin looked at her complexion, which was better than her own, clearly seeing the masterful makeup skills—not heavy, yet maximizing her personal aura.

Old folks sure have their tricks.

She snorted. “Telling me that is useless. You need to tell Shanxin.”

Li Yin wasn’t here to chat with Jian Wanji. “I’m not planning to respect the elderly. I’ll warn you bluntly: don’t you dare do anything that crosses the line with my friend.”

Jian Wanji didn’t mind her slightly exaggerated tone. She answered very solemnly, “I legitimately invited her to play my mother. I also showed you the electronic version of the contract.”

“You said your mom is a big-shot lawyer. You can show the electronic contract to your mother for review.”