As it turned out, Shen Ruoxi’s worries were unnecessary. For the entire week that followed, she did not see Xie Yan once.

Dai Jing came every few days — sometimes to play a game of chess with her, sometimes just to drink tea before hurrying off.

Shen Ruoxi knew he was busy. Yun Jing had mentioned that before, Dai Jing used to come to the Red Gate once a month at most, and even then he would sit in his private room simply listening to the singing rather than requesting any particular songs.

Both Chen Xiaoman and Meimei had scrambled over each other trying to win his favor, only to be turned away every time.

So when Shen Ruoxi suddenly received Dai Jing’s attention, she naturally became the target of every singer at the Red Gate. The exclusion she faced had grown even more pronounced since Meimei’s return.

“Sister Meimei.”

“Sister Meimei.”

Shen Ruoxi, in the middle of doing her makeup, was suddenly engulfed by a wave of flattering voices.

“Sister Meimei, you’re finally back.”

“Sister Meimei, if you hadn’t come back, this place was becoming a forest with no tiger — the monkeys were running wild.”

“Exactly. You have no idea what a certain someone has been like lately — utterly insufferable.”

“Thinks that just because she won Mr. Dai’s attention she can overshadow Sister Meimei and become the Red Gate’s top singer — disgusting.”

“Can’t even hold a candle to a single strand of Sister Meimei’s hair.”

These singers had been on the receiving end of Shen Ruoxi’s flower attack before, so they’d held their tongues in her presence. Now that Meimei was back, they felt they had a pillar to lean on, and all the grievances they’d bottled up came spilling out like a flood.

“You’re Shen Ruoxi?”

The voice that appeared suddenly behind her didn’t startle Shen Ruoxi at all. In the mirror, she looked back and saw a woman in a red cheongsam with large, perfectly curled waves in her hair — alluring, to say the least.

Meimei wasn’t a breathtaking beauty, but she had a natural singing voice, and as her name suggested, she possessed a seductiveness that seemed to come from her very bones. Every man who had dealings with her was under her spell.

“I am.” Shen Ruoxi stood up. “Hello, Sister Meimei.”

Yu Meimei looked her up and down, a contemptuous smile fixed on her face. “Mediocre looks at best — nothing up front, nothing behind. Is it the singing that’s supposed to be remarkable?”

“Her voice isn’t half of Sister Meimei’s.”

“I think it’s her skills in a different area that are remarkable. Otherwise, in terms of looks and voice, how does she compare to Sister Meimei?”

Shen Ruoxi exchanged perfunctory greetings and turned to sit back down and continue her makeup.

“Shen Ruoxi.” Meimei suddenly pressed down on her chair. “Did no one tell you the rules here? As long as I’m standing, no one else may sit.”

Shen Ruoxi turned to look at her. “Then I must be terribly ignorant — I didn’t realize the Red Gate dance hall belongs to Sister Meimei.”

“What do you mean?”

“If it doesn’t belong to Sister Meimei, why should Sister Meimei reign supreme here?”

“The Red Gate is Mr. Xie’s establishment — what nonsense are you talking?” Meimei said, irritated.

She had intended to give Shen Ruoxi a dressing down on the first day back, but instead found herself pulled off course by Shen Ruoxi’s words.

“Shen Ruoxi, you really are brazen.” Meimei’s eyes narrowed. “It seems you haven’t had enough lessons yet, which is why you don’t remember the rules of this place. But I have all the time in the world to teach you — to make you understand what it means to know one’s place.”

With that, Meimei turned and walked out.

“Ruoxi.” Yun Jing, seeing everyone had left, hurried over with a worried look on her face. “Sister Meimei is back — she’s not easy to deal with. Why don’t you… why don’t you just give in to her a little.”

Shen Ruoxi smiled slightly. “Giving in won’t solve anything. Meimei and Chen Xiaoman see me as a rival — they’re afraid I’ll steal their limelight. Unless I stop singing altogether, even if I knelt and kowtowed to them, it would do no good.”

“Then… then what do we do?”

“Their worry isn’t unfounded. My goal is to become the Red Gate’s top singer — and not just the Red Gate. I want all of Shun Cheng to know the name of singer Shen Ruoxi.”

“Ruoxi, I believe you have what it takes. Your voice is extraordinary and your style is unlike anyone else’s. The gold medals you’ve collected are already close to Meimei’s peak numbers. And Mr. Dai is actively supporting you — whenever he can, he comes to fill the room. With the right conditions in place, that day is only a matter of time.”

Yun Jing was both glad that Shen Ruoxi was on her way to fame, and worried on her behalf now that Meimei had returned.

“Don’t worry. When soldiers come, we meet them with swords; when floodwaters rise, we build our earthworks. Whatever schemes she has, let her use them — Shen Ruoxi is not afraid.” Shen Ruoxi patted Yun Jing reassuringly. “And one more thing — now that Meimei’s back, keep some distance from me. If she finds out you’re close to me, she’ll go after you too.”

Yun Jing said, “Someone like me — I’m practically invisible in this place. They probably wouldn’t even bother going after me.”

“And is that how you plan to go on? A singer who plays it safe doesn’t make much money.”

“I only have my mother at home. My father and younger siblings died in a fire three years ago. That day I happened to be out, and when I came home the house was on fire. My mother was outside gathering firewood — when she saw the fire, she rushed back in to save the younger ones, but the neighbors held her back. With flames like that, even if she’d gone in, she would have burned to ash.”

Yun Jing had never spoken of these things before. Even now, her eyes carried the weight of that grief and despair.

“My mother was traumatized. She survived by chance, but when she saw the charred remains of our family, she lost her mind.” Yun Jing sighed. “Fortunately she’s now afraid of light and fire, so she stays indoors. I leave her at home every day with food ready — I don’t have to worry too much. As long as I can keep earning enough for the two of us, I’m content. I don’t need much more than that.”

“Have you never thought about getting married?”

A flush rose on Yun Jing’s face, and she pressed her lips together in a shy, faint smile.

Before Shen Ruoxi could ask further, the foreman came rushing in.

“Shen Ruoxi, get yourself ready — Brother Qiao wants you to have a drink with him.”

The foreman had previously treated her with reasonable courtesy, since she could earn gold medals and had caught Mr. Dai’s favor.

But for three days running, Mr. Dai had not come, and everyone was speculating that the novelty had worn off — that Mr. Dai had likely moved on to someone new.

“I understand.”

“Remember — dress nicely, don’t be too stiff, and whatever you do, don’t make Brother Qiao angry. Otherwise, you’ll suffer for it.”

The moment the foreman left, Yun Jing clutched Shen Ruoxi’s arm and shook her head frantically.

“Ruoxi, please find some way to get out of this.”

“Get out of it?”

“This Brother Qiao is a notorious thug. He keeps a whole crew of hired muscle who run protection for people. His greatest pleasure is beating women.”

Shen Ruoxi’s brow furrowed.

“Every singer he’s ever summoned has been left covered in bruises. He beats them, then tosses down a pile of money and walks out. The dance hall wants its profits, so it doesn’t care what happens to the singers — and it won’t hold anyone accountable for what he does to them.” Yun Jing shuddered even at the mention of Brother Qiao’s name. “He’s close with Meimei. He’s suddenly calling for you — it’s definitely Meimei’s doing.”