At first glance, seeing the categorized one-two-three-four in the notebook, Ji Mingshu instinctively thought it was Cen Sen’s work plan, until she caught sight of her name. Only then did she realize what it was and examine it carefully.
After reading it, she was dazed for quite a while.
How to put it… It was so meticulous… so meticulous that she involuntarily recalled the trembling uncertainty she felt when writing academic papers during her school days.
The stylist had already come upstairs and politely knocked on the door.
Ji Mingshu collected herself, put the notebook aside, and went to turn the doorknob.
The afternoon event was an outdoor tea party. Although the invitation didn’t specify a dress code, convention dictated that wearing the brand’s new designs from the past two years was considered polite and appropriate.
Ji Mingshu chose a dark green fringed dress. The stylist agreed it was suitable, but since the dress was the type worn by pulling it over the head, she suggested Ji Mingshu change clothes first before doing her makeup and hair.
Those in the styling profession are extremely skilled with words; compliments and flattery flow naturally and sincerely from their mouths.
Moreover, they often serve celebrities and socialites, so they know many gossip and inside stories. With several hours of styling, as long as you’re willing to listen, they’ll ensure you’re never bored.
Now the stylist was talking about how, a few days ago, while styling the second female lead of a popular movie, the actress had yelled at her assistant and pulled a diva act with the event organizers.
Ji Mingshu occasionally responded with “mm” and “ah,” letting the gossip go in one ear and out the other, while continuously playing with Cen Sen’s little notebook in her hand.
Thinking of something, she suddenly opened the notebook and casually took up an eyebrow pencil to write something in it.
“Darling, what are you writing?” The stylist caught a glimpse but couldn’t see clearly, and curiously inquired.
“Nothing.” Ji Mingshu finished writing and closed the notebook on her own, looking up at the mirror and slightly tilting her head, pointing at her hair. “I think this side could be a bit looser; it’s too tight.”
The stylist followed her gaze and used the thin handle of a comb to loosen it a bit. “Is it still tight?”
“No, it’s good now.”
The stylist relaxed, tactfully not pressing further, and continued telling her the gossip about the second female lead.
Ji Mingshu wasn’t naive. Someone who shares others’ gossip with you today might share your gossip with others tomorrow.
But she couldn’t suppress the urge to share about her treasure of a husband, so after some thought, she opted to forcibly share with Jiang Chun and Gu Kaiyang.
Jiang Chun: [?]
Jiang Chun: [I suspect this is just showing off your love.]
Jiang Chun: [Cold dog food slapping randomly across my face.jpg]
Gu Kaiyang: [What did I do wrong?]
Jiang Chun: [What did I do wrong again?]
Ji Mingshu affectedly said: [He can remember a phone number after hearing it just once, why would he need to write this down, and in such detail? Sigh, I’m feeling a mixed bag of emotions now.]
Gu Kaiyang: [Alright, no need to say more, we already get how much he values you. /smile]
Gu Kaiyang: [Our formidable, brilliant CEO Cen dumbing himself down for love, meticulously arranging a date itinerary in a notebook, awsl! What a cold but adorable man!]
Gu Kaiyang: [Woman, are you satisfied now.jpg]
Satisfied, very satisfied.
Ji Mingshu couldn’t help but smile secretly.
Jiang Chun: [Although it’s sweet, but—]
Jiang Chun: [Isn’t it “mixed emotions”, not “mixed bag of grains” tvt]
Jiang Chun: [Professional nitpicker number one.jpg]
Jiang Chun: [Covers head with pot lid.jpg]
Ji Mingshu: […]
Ji Mingshu: [Alright, professional number one, you can shut up now.]
The daily banter of the Gu-Que-E iron triangle continued to the brand event venue.
Jiang Chun originally hadn’t planned to attend, as she knew her former fiancé and the little white lotus would also be at the event. It had been a long time since she’d seen these two shameless individuals, and she wasn’t sure if she could control her temper well.
However, Gu Kaiyang and Ji Mingshu both said they would back her up, and since all the socialites at the event were Ji Mingshu’s plastic sisters, if a scene erupted, she certainly wouldn’t be the one at a disadvantage.
Thinking of it this way, she came with peace of mind. After all, Yan Zai would also make an appearance today, and she hadn’t seen the exquisite, handsome, and coldly merciless divine face of her baby at an event for a long time. She missed him.
At the event venue, twelve small fountains were running, a young couple was playing a four-handed piano piece in front of a large white triangle, and the dessert table spiraled upward in a copper-edged glass staircase design. Celebrities posed for photos and signed autographs at the display boards, giving interviews. Shadows of temples, fragrance of clothes, and clusters of fresh flowers filled the space.
“What are you afraid of? You’re not the one who cheated, and that slap was given by me—it has nothing to do with you.”
Ji Mingshu secretly encouraged Jiang Chun in a flat whisper, while on the surface maintaining a curved smile that made her look touchingly beautiful, occasionally raising her glass in greeting to acquaintances from afar.
Jiang Chun: “I know, it’s just a bit awkward.”
“If he’s not embarrassed, why should you be? Besides, you’re now engaged to Tang Zhizhou. Isn’t it better for everyone to go their separate ways happily?”
Ji Mingshu put down her glass, turned her back to the crowd, and rattled off an analysis, followed by various preventative measures for Jiang Chun in case a dramatic confrontation occurred.
But just as she was speaking so assuredly, someone behind her called out with evident interest, “Hey, Ji Mingshu, right?”
She paused slightly and turned to look.
Perhaps due to her limited sparrow brain memory, the person before her looked somewhat familiar, but she couldn’t immediately recall who it was.
No matter, the newcomer quickly introduced himself, attempting to awaken her dormant memories. “I’m Zhou Zhen.”
“…”
Ji Mingshu finally remembered, and as she did, her face took on a slightly awkward but polite smile. “Long time no see.”
Jiang Chun gave her a questioning look.
She briefly introduced, “Zhou Zhen, my high school senior.”
Zhou Zhen raised his eyebrows slightly, apparently not entirely satisfied with her introduction.
But aside from calling him a high school senior, Ji Mingshu truly didn’t know what additional information to provide. Should she add a modifier: the high school senior who almost became my first love?
She wasn’t good at reminiscing and didn’t want to reminisce. She didn’t even introduce Jiang Chun to Zhou Zhen, merely nodding politely before picking up her glass to continue drinking.
The atmosphere grew somewhat dry.
High school had ended six or seven years ago, and there weren’t any grudges that couldn’t be let go of. If it had been any random old classmate with whom she had no special history, she might have patiently chatted about the past, but Li Wenyin wasn’t in this category, and neither was Zhou Zhen.
Simply put, Zhou Zhen was the high school senior for whom she once had feelings, but who, after just a couple of days, was seen eating in the cafeteria with Li Wenyin, happily chatting and laughing.
It was clear that Li Wenyin had deliberately approached Zhou Zhen just to oppose her. After Ji Mingshu’s admiration for his looks gradually faded, Li Wenyin quickly disappeared from his side. By the time she entered her second year of high school, Li Wenyin had officially established a relationship with the already graduated Cen Sen.
At that time, Li Wenyin was proud and triumphant, while Ji Mingshu couldn’t muster enthusiasm for anything.
It was during this period that Zhou Zhen, who previously had little interaction with Ji Mingshu, heard through her roommate that she had once been interested in him. He then actively appeared by her side, frequently conveying signals of pursuit.
Being a handsome guy, although Ji Mingshu didn’t immediately accept, she also didn’t explicitly refuse.
Later, during winter break, they went out with friends a couple of times. She thought this guy wasn’t bad and was considering giving dating a try. However, she didn’t expect that this seemingly shy and slow-to-warm-up brother was a player, not only having a small pond of fish but managing seven seas.
WeChat wasn’t popular in that era, but according to his roommate, just on QQ alone, he could simultaneously handle five conversations, and he could watch one Harry Potter movie with six different girls.
Ji Mingshu had truly seen it all.
She naturally rejected his subsequent confession.
Having almost been deceived by this player, Ji Mingshu felt very humiliated. For many years afterward, she never mentioned this first love that fortunately never began.
Meeting an old acquaintance and recalling the past, Ji Mingshu didn’t want to engage much.
But this old acquaintance, Zhou Zhen, wasn’t particularly tactful. Despite Ji Mingshu’s clear attitude, he still stood there refusing to leave, insisting on chatting with her. He brought up their past ambiguous relationship in what he thought was just the right way, then switched to talking about his developments abroad after graduation. In his words, he seemed to think he had done quite well and was rather superior, inexplicably giving off a triumphant air as if wanting Ji Mingshu to regret her past rejection.
Ji Mingshu listened politely for a while, just about to interrupt.
Suddenly, a woman approached, possessively taking Zhou Zhen’s arm and intimately calling, “A-Zhen.” Then she gave Ji Mingshu a not-so-friendly once-over.
Her pronunciation of “A-Zhen” wasn’t very standard; she was probably an ABC (American-born Chinese).
Ji Mingshu glanced at the woman’s dress—the same design as hers but in a different color—and indifferently lowered her eyes, swirling her red wine.
The ABC quickly noticed Ji Mingshu’s dress as well, her expression turning slightly unpleasant.
She had wanted to buy this dress in dark green, too, but it was out of stock everywhere. She’d been upset for several days and finally settled for white.
The gossip-hungry little mud goose observed everything silently, only taking out her phone to type a line for Ji Mingshu to see: [Wearing the same outfit isn’t scary; whoever looks worse is the one who should be embarrassed.]
Ji Mingshu pursed her lips.
“And these two are?” The ABC looked at them both, asking Zhou Zhen.
Zhou Zhen wasn’t uncomfortable at all. He introduced them briefly, then introduced the ABC as his fiancée, intentionally mentioning her background.
Ji Mingshu smiled and said, “Oh.”
The couple, either having just returned to China and unaware of the local social dynamics or for some other reason, stood in front of Ji Mingshu without leaving.
One person kept implying that he was doing well now and that not dating him was her loss; the other, probably suffering from a boyfriend-theft complex, clung tightly to her player, asserting her position as the official wife.
Ji Mingshu was getting impatient and gave Jiang Chun a look.
Jiang Chun, always on the same page, suddenly followed up on the ABC fiancée’s words, exclaiming, “Planning to honeymoon in Norway? How romantic! I’ve never even seen the Northern Lights.”
The ABC smiled contentedly and responded courteously.
Jiang Chun then looked at Ji Mingshu. “Hey, how’s the paperwork going for that island your husband bought you? You promised to take me to see the Northern Lights. Can we just take your husband’s giant yacht there directly?”
Zhou Zhen and his fiancée both paused slightly.
Jiang Chun pretended not to notice, praising Cen Sen as if he were her husband rather than Ji Mingshu’s, with genuine feeling and exaggerated embellishments.
“…By the way, what time is your husband coming to pick you up today?”
“Ah, Mingshu is truly blessed. Her husband comes to get her whenever he has time and even cooks for her.”
Ji Mingshu discreetly pinched her, signaling her to stop, thinking how awkward it would be if the event ended and they left together with no one picking them up.
But looking up, she saw that perfect man Jiang Chun had been praising, whom she barely recognized anymore, standing not far away, gazing deeply at her.