Lihua clenched her fists. She had discerned the pair the moment they had stepped in the VIP lounge. What's worse they even decided to sit next to her table, but it seemed like they didn't recognise her.
Lihua's lips trembled as she bit down on them, a mixture of bitterness and relief washing over her. Observing how Lingyun showered Mengrui with affection, she couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude for having ended their engagement and walked away with whatever dignity remained.
Lingyun had never held hands with her when they were together. She glowered at the hand that was holding Mengrui's like it was his greatest treasure.
"Miss?"
Lihua quickly turned her neck to pay attention to the man sitting opposite to her. She had come to this restaurant specifically to meet with him regarding a gig. He was a representative of an idol show, determined to persuade her to join their program.
"Yes sir, please continue."
"Miss Xia, it'll benefit you if you accept our offer. Your popularity will definitely increase if you participate in this survival show."
Lihua frowned at the idea of participating in a survival music show. She couldn't help but feel a sense of hesitation, knowing that such shows often came with immense stress and the prevalence of unfair things happening behind the scenes.
"Do I need to appear for an audition?"
"No miss, artists who have already debuted don't have to give an audition. You'll get a free pass to the first round."
"Any other new artists are participating in this show?"
"Yes Bo Yanyan, Wu Sha'er and Zhao Qianci have already agreed to join Best Idol Champ."
Bo Yanyan made her debut just two months ago, while Wu Sha'er was a member of an old girl group. On the contrary, Zhao Qianci, who had previously been an actress, had now chosen to embark on a career in the music industry.
Lihua gave him a blunt nod and said, "I'll join your music show, Mr Su."
If new artists like her were participating in the show then she could do it too. Plus, Feiyi had repeatedly said not to lose this opportunity, so she didn't want to turn down this offer.
Su Zhirou quickly took out the papers from his file and hastily asked Lihua to sign them, afraid that she might change in mind if he delayed the process.
Lihua chuckled seeing him lose composure and quickly signed the papers. Then they finished their food and decided to split the bill.
Su Zhirou was the first one to leave because he had another client to meet at a different location.
Lihua had to visit the washroom, so she asked the staff members to show her the way.
She looked at her reflection in the mirror near the sink. There were brown stains on her blouse.
"Dammit. Nuozhi will be mad." Nuozhi had gifted her the dress and now she was disheartened to see it ruined after wearing it just once. A clumsy waitress had nearly spilled her cola drink while serving causing few droplets to fall on her blouse. Though the blemishes weren't vivid it didn't look good. She cleaned the blouse using soap and water. She also tied her hair in a low ponytail and wore the baseball cap.
Just as Lihua was about to exit the bathroom, someone stomped in.
Her eyes widened with surprise, but she swiftly adjusted her cap, tugging it down to partially conceal her face.
Mengrui was occupied in washing her hands before she noticed the girl standing beside her. She eyed the girl in the mirror. It was the same girl from earlier who had supposedly caught Lingyun's attention.
"That's the latest design from a famous designer in Milan you are wearing." Mengrui timidly said. She had a smile planted on her lips that made her appear pure and friendly. "How did you get it?" She had asked Lingyun to gift her the same dress but he said that it was sold out.
The girl didn't answer and tried to leave.
"Stop!" Mengrui screamed. She was being friendly to this bitch and she had the audacity to blatantly ignore her.
Lihua stopped in her tracks and clenched her fists tightly in frustration. She didn't want to make small talks with her cousin after not seeing her for two years and most importantly Mengrui still hadn't recognized her. Mengrui approached her, the sound of her heels clicking on the tiled floor coming to a halt right behind her.
Megrui reached out to remove the baseball cap which was covering the mysterious woman's face and forced the girl to face her as she tugged at her arm.
"Is that you, Lihua?", Mengrui gasped.