Hu Jiayao's words struck hard in Su Zhenzhu's heart.
She had long wanted Mu Qingli to take her to the Mu Family in the Imperial City!
But Mu Qingli had been tight-lipped all along!
Mu Qingli never really treated her like a sister.
Such a person was nothing but an ingrate; Zhu Cuiping should never have saved her back then. She should have been left to freeze or starve to death!
Su Zhenzhu bit her lip, a sinister glint flashing in her eyes, "Mentioning that little wretch annoys me! Let's stop talking about her!"
"Mmm." Hu Jiayao nodded and continued, "Zhenzhu, it's because you are kind-hearted. If it had been me, I wouldn't let anyone who makes my life difficult have an easy time. If it weren't for your mother back then, Mu Qingli would have died long ago! And now she has the nerve to show you attitude! Truly shameless!"
Su Zhenzhu narrowed her eyes, "Yao Yao, what do you mean by that?"
Hu Jiayao answered indirectly, "Speaking of which, although Mu Qingli is not a good person, she does have a face that is exquisitely beautiful, unmatched anywhere under heaven. You don't know..." She lowered her voice and added, "Even as she walked in, Lin Hangzhi couldn't help but steal several glances at her. At such a young age, she's learned to seduce men..."
Hu Jiayao was clever; how could she not know that Lin Hangzhi was Su Zhenzhu's real target?
She didn't have many hobbies in life, but she loved watching dogs fight.
Sure enough, upon hearing these words, the jealousy within Su Zhenzhu's eyes almost overflowed.
How could Mu Qingli be so shameless? If it weren't for her, the person Lin Hangzhi fancied right now would definitely be herself!
Su Zhenzhu's eyes narrowed, and a swift, sinister glint darted through them.
"Yao Yao," Su Zhenzhu tightly grasped Hu Jiayao's hand, her face twisted with malice, "What would happen if Mu Qingli were an ugly monster instead? Would Lin Hangzhi still spare her a glance?"
Upon hearing this, Hu Jiayao looked startled, "Zhenzhu, you can't do anything foolish! Heavens will take care of the wicked; don't dirty your hands."
Su Zhenzhu smiled and patted Hu Jiayao's hand, "Yao Yao, don't worry, I'm just saying. Where did you mind wander off to?" In fact, Hu Jiayao was quite right; if someone made her life difficult, she would do the same to them!
She was determined to leave Mu Qingli with some 'pleasant' memories before returning to Beijing.
"That's good then." Hu Jiayao breathed a sigh of relief, unaware that a gleam of triumph flitted across the depths of her eyes.
To her, Su Zhenzhu was nothing more than a knife to commit a murder with, easily disorienting Su Zhenzhu with just a few words.
The two chatted for a while until the director came out of an inner room and got everyone ready for the next round of filming.
Hu Jiayao took special care to speak to the director, turning Su Zhenzhu into a friendly neighbor who came to deliver local specialties, a less than two-minute scene, yet Su Zhenzhu was over the moon.
She finally got to appear in front of the camera.
Such an instance brought her one step closer to her goal of becoming a big star.
Now, Su Zhenzhu was even more grateful to Hu Jiayao.
After her cameo in front of the camera, Su Zhenzhu happily hummed a tune on her way home.
In the main room.
Su Qiandeng was shelling peanuts, Zhu Cuiping was sweeping, and only Mu Qingli was absent.
"What kept you fooling around outside? Why'd you only come back now? All you do is run wild all day long; don't you know you should be studying?" Seeing Su Zhenzhu return, Zhu Cuiping picked up her broom and swung it fiercely at Su Zhenzhu.
Su Zhenzhu grabbed the broom and said cheerily, "Mom, I've got some good news for you, your daughter's going to be on TV!"
Zhu Cuiping looked Su Zhenzhu up and down, delivering a ruthless retort, "With your looks, are you going on TV to be made a fool of?"
"Of course not!" Su Zhenzhu wrapped her arms around Zhu Cuiping's, protesting, "Your daughter isn't bad looking, okay? With a bit of luck, maybe I'll become a big star too."
Zhu Cuiping expressed her disdain, "What's that stuff you've slapped on your face? It's even whiter than the walls of our house! A big star? More like a big orangutan!" As a genuine countrywoman, Zhu Cuiping really couldn't stand to see Su Zhenzhu tormenting herself to look like that.
She could not appreciate this kind of beauty.
After saying that, Zhu Cuiping continued, "The Mu Family called, saying they'll only be able to arrive tomorrow morning. Go quickly and call your sister out for dinner, she's leaving tomorrow. Reign in that foul temper of yours, and don't offend her at such a critical time."
"Me, go call her to eat?" Su Zhenzhu widened her eyes, crossed her arms in disbelief, and asked, "Why should I?"
Zhu Cuiling tapped Su Zhenzhu's forehead, not in a good temper, and whispered, "My silly girl! Mu Qingli is just a stepping stone for you in the city! Why get mad at her!"
Hearing this, a glint of shrewdness flickered in Su Zhenzhu's eyes, and she cheerfully said, "Alright, Mom, I'll go call her."
Seeing her daughter finally come to her senses, Zhu Cuiping nodded in satisfaction.
**
When Su Zhenzhu arrived at the room, Mu Qingli was sitting in front of the desk, engrossed in a book, not even noticing her entrance.
The book was of old vintage, its cover rotten and moldy. After her grandmother had passed away, its only use was to prop up a table leg.
Who would have thought that Mu Qingli could actually be engrossed in a book used to prop up a table leg!
Indeed, an ugly duckling is still an ugly duckling; even if you gild her, she cannot become a swan.
Seeing this, a look of disdain flickered at the bottom of Su Zhenzhu's eyes.
"Sister," Su Zhenzhu adjusted the emotions on her face, walked over with a smile, looking every bit the understanding and good little sister.
Sister?
This unfamiliar address made Mu Qingli startled.
Whenever something is out of the ordinary, there must be something strange afoot.
What was Su Zhenzhu playing at this time?
"What is it?" Mu Qingli closed the book, slowly lifted her gaze, her eyebrows and eyes serene.
Even the dim yellow light could not hide her stunning face.
This face, let alone men, even a woman like Su Zhenzhu would find her breath taken away.
Although the previous Mu Qingli was also beautiful, in Su Zhenzhu's memory, she had never been so coldly radiant.
How strange.
In just the span of one day, Mu Qingli had undergone such a drastic transformation...
Not just in appearance, but along with it, her aura had also changed.
Looking at Mu Qingli, then at herself, Su Zhenzhu was overwhelmed by a baffling sense of inferiority.
Su Zhenzhu's eyes tightened.
It seemed Mu Qingli's beautiful face was really not going to last!
"Sister, Mom asked me to call you out for dinner," Su Zhenzhu answered with a smile.
Mu Qingli slightly raised an eyebrow, put down the book, and replied in a subdued voice, "Okay, I'll come."
Knowing Su Zhenzhu was up to no good, Mu Qingli chose not to expose her, stood up, and followed Su Zhenzhu out...