099 New Best Friend
On Sunday afternoon, Pei Ningle and Han Yixuan agreed to go shopping together.
Over the past few days, both of them had been intentionally probing each other’s situations and thoughts, so they had chatted a lot. The chat history on Q was a long, dense list.
So much so that when a roommate accidentally glanced at the chat history, she couldn’t help but ask, “It doesn’t seem to be a boy. We thought you were in an online relationship…”
Han Yixuan, who was combing her hair in front of the mirror, walked over, closed her laptop, and said with a smile, “I’m not interested in online relationships. This is a girl.”
“That long string of Q messages just now, were they all sent by this girl?”
Han Yixuan nodded. “Yes.”
Her roommate couldn’t help but ask again, “So the person you’re going to meet later is also this girl?”
The girl continued to nod. “That’s right.”
Her roommate calmly took two steps back, putting some distance between herself and Han Yixuan.
Another roommate asked, “Is this an old classmate of yours?”
Han Yixuan shook her head gently. “No, it’s a new best friend I just met.”
“Best friend…”
While talking, Han Yixuan finished combing her hair. And all other preparations were already in order. So the girl picked up her small bag, checked the phone, keys, wallet, and other items inside, and opened the dormitory door.
“Bye. I might not be back for dinner, but I’ll definitely be back before lights-out.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Han Yixuan closed the dormitory door from the outside.
The two roommates looked at each other and muttered a few words:
“She and that new best friend are really close.”
“They specifically made an appointment to do activities together. I wonder what they’re going to play…”
**
At Han Yixuan’s suggestion, the shopping location was chosen at a mall in the center of Rongdu. This was not the busiest commercial district, but its popularity was not low either. From eating, drinking, and playing to clothes and beauty, there were all kinds of businesses.
And the most crucial point was that the consumption level here was not high, which was suitable for Han Yixuan, who didn’t want to spend money.
At the main entrance of the mall, Han Yixuan saw the petite love rival who called herself ‘Wang Le’.
Pei Ningle was wearing very simple long-sleeved sportswear and capri pants, paired with light-colored socks and sneakers, full of youthfulness. She didn’t have a handbag, just a small backpack. Looking at her cute face, she seemed innocent and naive from every angle, as if she had no scheming thoughts at all.
The most scheming people are those who don’t let others know they are scheming.
Han Yixuan secretly clenched her small fists, full of vigilance, but with a smile on her face. “Little Le, I’m here!”
Pei Ningle smiled and waved. “Good afternoon. Where are we going now?”
“I don’t know. Let’s just walk around and see…”
The two girls walked side by side, strolling through the mall.
Han Yixuan had no intention of buying anything; she just wanted to use this opportunity to continue scouting the enemy. And Pei Ningle didn’t seem to plan on buying anything either—this made Han Yixuan secretly guess, there were many clothing and accessory shops in the mall, but probably none of them caught the rich loli’s eye?
Suddenly, Pei Ningle stopped in front of a shop.
It was a KTV.
Han Yixuan asked tentatively, “Little Le, do you want to sing?”
Pei Ningle nodded. “My biggest hobby is music.”
She had mentioned this when chatting on Q before, but Han Yixuan hadn’t paid much attention to it. After all, there were too many girls who claimed to like music, and many of them had nice voices.
So, is she going to show off her talent?
With this guess, Han Yixuan followed Pei Ningle into the KTV.
They booked the cheapest mini-room for only two hours, costing just a few dozen yuan. Before Han Yixuan could take out her wallet, Pei Ningle had already paid.
“I’ll definitely sing more than you, so it’s my treat this time.”
What does that mean? Does hogging the mic imply some deeper meaning? The problem is there are two microphones in the room… Han Yixuan pondered, wondering if she was overthinking things.
Entering the room, Pei Ningle first selected several songs, then turned her head and said, “Little Xuan, you pick some songs too.”
Han Yixuan went to the song selection station and glanced at the songs Pei Ningle had chosen. The first one was a childhood memory for countless peers—”Our Love.”
Is there any deep meaning in choosing this song?
Han Yixuan patted her head, controlling her thoughts. After all, this was karaoke. If she really analyzed the deep meaning of every love song, she didn’t know how many brain cells she would kill in these two hours.
“I used to… actually never like love songs…” As the intro played, Pei Ningle said softly, “But now I seem to understand a little.”
Hmm?
These words forced Han Yixuan to think more. But before she could think carefully, her thoughts were interrupted again.
Because Pei Ningle picked up the microphone and started singing:
“Recalling the blurry childhood in my memories…”
The low notes at the beginning were immediately impressive. Not only was the voice beautiful, but every enunciation had a heart-gripping beauty.
The melody gradually rose, and by the chorus, this beauty was fully displayed.
“Our love, once gone, will never return…”
Different from the original singer’s voice, it lacked some mature emotion but had an added touch of girlish ethereality. Recalling the feeling of the original song, Han Yixuan felt she preferred Faye’s original version, but she had to admit that ‘Wang Le’s’ version was also good.
Suddenly, Han Yixuan realized—she’s just singing in a KTV. Why am I comparing her to a professional singer like the original artist?
The song ended.
Han Yixuan pressed the pause button and applauded. “Little Le, you sing really well…”
Pei Ningle stuck out her tongue playfully. “It’s okay. I told you this is my only hobby and my only specialty. And since I make a living from this, it can’t be too bad.”
Han Yixuan frowned, realizing something was wrong. “Make a living from this?”
Pei Ningle: “Yeah, I’m a resident singer at a bar.”
Han Yixuan said in surprise, “You didn’t tell me that before!”
Pei Ningle: “Um, I forgot to mention…”
Han Yixuan stared at the love rival in front of her, lost in thought.
Is this ‘Wang Le’ really a rich loli? Was her family originally well-off, and she’s singing in a bar to experience life? Or did I misunderstand earlier, and she’s supporting Wang Heng with the money she earns herself?
If it’s the second case, that’s even more terrifying. A bar singer’s job isn’t stable, and the earnings aren’t much. Even so, she’s paying to keep him… You know, a rich person spending a little money to buy something is completely different from a poor person emptying their wallet to buy it.
Just how obsessed is this ‘Wang Le’ with Wang Heng?
Han Yixuan suddenly shuddered.
