Chapter 38: Messy Hair (Requesting Monthly Tickets!!!)

Around ten o'clock in the evening, Fan Shengmei returned to Room 2202 with Qiu Yingying.

Hearing the commotion, Guan Ju'er came to the living room and asked curiously, "Sister Fan, why are you off work so early today?"

Fan Shengmei pinched Guan Ju'er's cheek and smiled. "Silly girl, we don't have live streams every day. Our team also needs to prepare scripts and design sets, so we naturally finish a bit earlier."

"Then what about Yingying? Why did she work overtime so late today?" Guan Ju'er stuck out her tongue, looking at Qiu Yingying, who was slumped motionless on the sofa.

Fan Shengmei shrugged, indicating she didn't know.

Qiu Yingying began to vent her grievances on her own. "Sigh, Guan Guan, don't even mention it. I've been working for almost a week now, but there's still so much I don't understand. My performance is at the bottom; I've only managed to pull about a dozen customers into the group so far, while the other colleagues have pulled in at least a hundred."

"Guan Guan, I finally understand how you felt when you first joined the company—the fear of doing a bad job. Even if others don't say it out loud, they must be thinking: 'This person is incredibly stupid!'"

Guan Ju'er nodded in deep agreement. When she first joined Huaxin Securities, she had been completely in the dark, exactly like Qiu Yingying's current state.

Hearing this, Fan Shengmei quipped, "Yingying, your situation is completely different from Guan Guan's. Guan Guan has no connections in the company, but you are the boss's biological sister. Who would dare give you a hard time?"

Qiu Yingying pouted. "That's exactly why I don't feel secure. Sometimes I'd rather they scold me. Now, everyone treats me like a deity to be worshipped; I feel like a mere mascot."

If it were anyone else, Fan Shengmei would have certainly thought she was being a "humblebragger." With a brother like that, why bother working hard? But knowing that Qiu Yingying wasn't that calculating, Fan Shengmei could only envy her for having such a good brother.

Guan Ju'er comforted her, "Yingying, you shouldn't think that way. Regardless of whose face you're saving, as long as you focus on learning, the knowledge will be yours and no one can take it away. Once you improve your performance, they will definitely see you in a new light."

"Yeah, Guan Guan, you're absolutely right!" Qiu Yingying waved her small fists excitedly, instantly revitalized.

Fan Shengmei shook her head and went back to her room to get clothes for a shower, when her phone suddenly rang.

"Hello, Xiao Mei, it's Wang Baichuan."

A ripple stirred in Fan Shengmei's heart. "Oh, it's so late, you haven't rested yet?"

On the other end of the line, Wang Baichuan's tone carried a hint of excitement. "Xiao Mei, I'm coming to Shanghai on a business trip tomorrow. There's something very important I want to tell you. Can we meet?"

"Tomorrow? I have a live stream tomorrow." Fan Shengmei felt a bit conflicted. She was past the age of risking everything for love; to her, romance was far less important than a steady salary.

"Then how about the day after tomorrow? The day after is the weekend, and I can stay in Shanghai for two more days," Wang Baichuan said hurriedly.

Fan Shengmei thought that since she was off during the day on the weekend, she would have time, so she agreed.

"Alright then, Xiao Mei. I won't disturb your rest. Let's talk when we meet this weekend. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

After hanging up, Fan Shengmei sighed and picked up her clothes to head to the bathroom.

The next day, after idling through her time at her old job until clock-out, Fan Shengmei rushed to the company via subway. She went through makeup, script reviews, and product checks, staying busy until eight in the evening when the live stream officially began.

Through this period of training, Fan Shengmei had become able to handle various emergencies during live streams with ease. Even her mentor, Sister Liu, said that Fan Shengmei was ready to go solo.

The live stream lasted until one in the morning. Fan Shengmei felt both exhausted and joyful; today's sales had increased again, breaking the forty-million mark. Their group should be able to secure a top-three spot this month.

As an intern streamer, her bonus was only half, but the end-of-month dividends were distributed directly per person. Calculating it out, she could earn at least thirty thousand. This meant her monthly income from live streaming alone would be fifty thousand. For someone who had lived in Shanghai for over a decade with zero savings, this was a massive sum.

More importantly, with this income, her dream of buying a house in Shanghai was no longer a fantasy.

She no longer had to pin her hopes on a man; she could buy a house in Shanghai on her own.

That night, Fan Shengmei dreamed that she had bought a house in Shanghai with excellent surroundings and a prime location. Although it was only a two-bedroom, it was cozy enough. She had finally settled down in Shanghai.

On the other side, Qiu Yingying and Guan Ju'er arrived at Qin Hao's place downstairs early in the morning.

Ever since Qin Hao's heartfelt confession last time, Guan Ju'er had completely accepted her status as his girlfriend. However, in front of Qiu Yingying, she was still a bit embarrassed to show it. Even a brief exchange of glances between the two would make her blush for half a day, feeling as if they were "having an affair."

While Qiu Yingying was playing games, Guan Ju'er slipped into the kitchen. Qin Hao leaned close to her ear and asked teasingly, "Do you think this is exciting? How much longer do you plan to keep them in the dark?"

Guan Ju'er's face flushed as she looked guiltily toward the living room. "I... I just don't know how to tell Yingying and the others for the moment."

"Just tell them the truth. Or is it that I'm not good enough to show off, and I'm making you lose face?" Qin Hao mischievously pinched Guan Ju'er's chin.

Guan Ju'er grew anxious upon hearing this and waved her hands frantically to explain, "I didn't mean that! How could I? I... I..."

Seeing that Guan Ju'er was on the verge of tears from anxiety, Qin Hao felt a pang of sympathy and comforted her.

"Alright, alright, I was just joking with you."

Only then did Guan Ju'er realize she had been tricked. She punched Qin Hao with her small fist and turned her back to him in a huff.

Qin Hao shamelessly hugged her from behind and teased, "Are you really going to ignore me?"

"Yes, I am. You're too bad. You knew very well..." Guan Ju'er struggled, looking indignant.

"That you like me so much, right?" Qin Hao dominantly turned Guan Ju'er's body around and kissed her passionately.

"Mmph..." Fearing that Qiu Yingying would find out, Guan Ju'er tried to struggle, but the pleasure between their lips quickly sapped her strength to resist, leaving her to passively accept Qin Hao's advances.

In the living room, Qiu Yingying's character in the game died. Only then did she realize Guan Ju'er was missing, so she called out curiously, "Guan Guan, where are you?"

Like a bolt of lightning striking her ears, Guan Ju'er's consciousness snapped back. She quickly broke free from Qin Hao's embrace and answered guiltily, "Yingying, I'm in the kitchen helping Brother Qiu pick vegetables!"

Qiu Yingying followed the sound to the kitchen. Qin Hao was pretentiously starting to chop vegetables, while Guan Ju'er searched around but couldn't find any vegetables to pick, so she could only open the refrigerator to mask her embarrassment.

"Huh? Guan Guan, your hair is so messy. Did you not comb it when you woke up this morning?" Qiu Yingying's eyes suddenly narrowed.

Guan Ju'er gave a sheepish laugh. "Really? Is it that messy?"

"It is quite messy," Qin Hao added with a mischievous, gloating grin.

Guan Ju'er glared fiercely at Qin Hao in anger.

(End of Chapter)