“I’m so tired…”
But overall, the atmosphere around the dinner table had lightened up considerably.
“Let’s eat, everyone—quick, let’s eat.” Liang Sheng called out to the girls around her, acting like a total social disaster, enthusiastic as if she were the hostess herself.
Ni Sihan sat at the head of the long table. Once all the dishes were served, she lightly lifted her skirt and stood up with graceful poise. “Everyone…”
The others looked up at her in unison, faces filled with dread, terrified she was about to launch into another long-winded speech that would delay their meal.
Fortunately, this time Ni Sihan merely asked everyone to stand and raise their glasses.
She held an expensive glass of red wine aloft.
The others rose to their feet as well. Among the targets of interest, everyone except Dong Yue was sipping either juice or milk.
“Cheers!”
“???”
It was supposed to be a simple toast, but Liang Sheng had forgotten—as a true-blue northeasterner—that no toast was complete without belting out “Cheers!” at the top of your lungs.
How awkward. She was the only one who’d shouted it.
“Hahaha!!”
Laughter erupted around the table.
Another day of multiple social suicides.
Fine, fine—awkwardness over. Time to eat and drink their fill, shoving those moments of cringe to the back of their minds.
Once everyone was stuffed, Ni Sihan launched into yet another grand speech.
Ugh, enough with the humblebragging already.
Liang Sheng propped her chin on her hand, staring listlessly at Ni Sihan’s moving lips while tapping her fingers rhythmically on the table.
She let out a massive yawn.
A milk bath? She’d never indulged in anything so extravagant in her life. Wasn’t that just wasting food?
Even so, Liang Sheng still wanted to stick around and give it a try.
“There’ll be some fun little games next—hope everyone enjoys!” Ni Sihan wrapped up her speech once more.
“Any little prizes?” Liang Sheng shot her hand up. That was the real thing on her mind.
“Er?” There were prizes, of course, but Ni Sihan hadn’t expected anyone to ask so bluntly.
Naturally, the gifts Ni Sihan offered were as lavish as everything else: designer handbags, high-end clothes, and in some cases, straight-up wads of cash worth tens of thousands.
“Wow~” Liang Sheng rubbed her hands together, raring to go.
Activities with rewards this juicy? Sign her up for a dozen more!
“As for what games to play, you all decide~” Ni Sihan said innocently. “I haven’t thought of anything yet~”
“Then… how about Musical Chairs?” Liang Sheng blurted out a game straight out of elementary school parties.
“And Drop the Handkerchief! Hopscotch!” She kept rattling off childhood classics.
In the sudden silence, Liang Sheng pondered a moment longer. “Emm… Red Light, Green Light works too!”
Everyone turned to stare at her in sync.
Some of the rich girls had never even heard of these games and were whispering among themselves.
“What’s Hopscotch?”
“We can Google it, right?”
“I think I’ve heard of Drop the Handkerchief.”
No way? Liang Sheng scratched her head as she overheard their chatter. They really never played these? These were everyone’s childhood staples!
But the truth was… they really hadn’t.
No one to back me up…? Liang Sheng stood there awkwardly. “How about you all suggest some games?”
The rich girls glanced at one another, but none had any bright ideas.
This was the age of good-girl vibes and no-fun-allowed homes—gambling games were totally off-limits.
“How about we just play the ones you mentioned?” One girl agreed, and suddenly the rest snapped awake, nodding enthusiastically.
“Yeah, sure!”
“Show us how it’s done!”
Liang Sheng perked up. It had been ages since she’d revisited these childhood games.
“That’s how you play!” She pulled out her phone, Googled it, and read off the rules.
“…”
Why look it up and read it aloud when we could just Google it ourselves?
“Got it?” Liang Sheng blinked her big eyes.
“Sort of…”
“Maybe…”
“Kind of…”
“Then let’s get started!” Perfect! If they hadn’t gotten it, that meant no one else knew how to play. She’d be the only expert—and the surefire winner. All that prize money was hers! Hahaha!
So that’s her game—playing dumb this whole time just to snag the cash. No wonder she skimped on the demo.
“Grab some chairs! What? No stools? Fine, chairs it is!” Liang Sheng waved her little hand, summoning the servants to fetch a dozen chairs.
Ni Sihan watched, wide-eyed, as her lavish setup got repurposed for grade-school antics, but she couldn’t exactly object.
“Right, line them up like that!” True to her social bull syndrome, Liang Sheng stood with hands on hips amid the group, bossing the servants around as they arranged the chairs.
“Who wants to play?” Liang Sheng was itching to dive in. Back in elementary school, she always nabbed first place in Musical Chairs!
Maybe they hadn’t loosened up yet—only a few stepped forward.
The targets of interest were keen, though. Apart from the tsundere Lu Ziqing, who was too embarrassed, even Dong Yue stood up.
Dong Yue had played Musical Chairs as a kid; she’d gone to ordinary public schools for elementary and middle.
Seeing participants, a few more classmates trickled over.
Twelve chairs, thirteen players.
They circled the chairs, standing poised, waiting for Ni Sihan to call “Go.”
“Ready—begin!” Ni Sihan waved her hand.
Liang Sheng went on high alert, eyes locked on Ni Sihan, not wanting to miss the “Stop!”
“Stop!” Ni Sihan waved again.
“Yo!” Liang Sheng didn’t hold back, image be damned. She plopped straight onto the nearest chair, her butt glued to the seat like it was coated in superglue.
Song An’an was out.
Inevitably so—this kid with her skinny arms and legs couldn’t compete with the taller boys and girls.
Song An’an slunk off, dejected.
“Don’t worry, An’an~ I’ll avenge you! Just wait! Stay right there and be good!” Even now, Liang Sheng couldn’t resist some sweet-talking.
“Ding~” Favorability increased.
“Song An’an’s Favorability toward Liang Sheng: 200+”
Wow~ A-Sheng is so good to me~ The love-struck Song An’an had already spun those words into a full-blown yuri idol drama in her head.
“‘Don’t worry!’ Liang Sheng cradled the bloodied Song An’an in her arms, tears streaming down her face, eyes blazing with desperate fury. ‘I’ll avenge you for sure! Wait for me! Once I’ve gotten revenge, I’ll come join you! Just wait there like a good girl, An’an…’ With those words, Song An’an slowly closed her eyes.”
Ahh~ What perfect, heartbreaking love! Song An’an clasped her hands, gazing adoringly at Liang Sheng on the game floor.
A-Sheng playing seriously was so cool!
