Online Love, Based on the Real Object - Chapter 3

Taking the shopping bag from the sales assistant, Qi Ning let out a long sigh. Chen Churan couldn’t understand why she’d bought clothes that didn’t fit.

“I thought you wouldn’t buy it.”

“It’s a gift,” Qi Ning said with a smile. Since Chu Yunjing had bought her pajamas, this dress would make the perfect return gift.

“Another present for your best friend?” Chen Churan’s expression wasn’t exactly surprised. Having gone shopping with Qi Ning several times, she’d noticed that whenever Qi Ning came across some interesting little trinket, she’d buy it for this mysterious best friend she’d heard about but never met.

Qi Ning nodded. Chen Churan rubbed her chin, curiosity getting the better of her as she asked, “You two must be really close. When are you going to introduce me?”

She imagined that someone like Qi Ning, with her social butterfly personality, would have a best friend who was similarly outgoing.

But Qi Ning suddenly burst into laughter at the thought of Chu Yunjing’s icy demeanor probably scaring people away. She quickly composed herself and casually replied, “Sure, if there’s a chance.”

As they walked and chatted, Chen Churan suddenly stopped in front of a skincare flagship store. She picked up a face mask displayed at the entrance counter, her face lighting up with excitement.

“This brand’s masks have great hydrating effects! Want to grab a couple of boxes to try? I heard they use all-natural botanical ingredients. My skin used to react badly to other brands, so finding something suitable was really tough.”

“This seems like a new brand. I thought they only sold online didn’t expect to see a physical store,” Chen Churan remarked, carefully inspecting the packaging to confirm it was genuine.

Qi Ning glanced at the brand logo on the mask box and calmly said, “Ver has a store in Xiyue Mall too, doesn’t it?”

“Huh??? Really? I’ve never noticed.”

“Yeah. It’s on the fourth floor, Shop 19.”

Chen Churan nodded, but soon a hint of suspicion crept in. “How do you know that so well?” Remembering the exact shop number was a little too precise.

Qi Ning grinned at her, picked up the mask, and pointed at the logo. “Because the owner is the best friend you wanted to meet.”

Back when Chu Yunjing was starting her business, she had personally designed this logo, blending the brand name “Ver” with an elegant crown motif, making it instantly distinctive. Even now, Chu Yunyi often sought her input on packaging designs.

Thanks to her best friend in the industry, Qi Ning rarely had to buy her own skincare products. Whenever new products launched, Chu Yunjing would send her a few bottles first jokingly calling her a “guinea pig.” Qi Ning didn’t mind at all. With so many big brands causing skin disasters, she trusted her best friend’s products completely. Whatever Chu Yunjing gave her, she used without hesitation.

Besides keeping her stocked with skincare, Chu Yunjing had also given her a special VIP card, offering a 100% discount, meaning everything was free.

But Qi Ning had never used it. She’d never even come close to running out of the products Chu Yunjing provided. And even if she needed to buy something, she’d rather pay for it herself.

The skincare industry was fiercely competitive. Every year, countless unknown brands emerged, and just as many disappeared. It had taken Chu Yunjing five years to establish a foothold in the beauty industry, and only in the last two years had her business started turning a real profit. Of course, Qi Ning wanted to support her best friend’s venture, she wasn’t about to freeload.

The women Qi Ning knew were all particular about their skincare, opting only for the most expensive products regardless of quality, and she never pushed recommendations on others. Now that she’d met Chen Churan, who actually brought up the topic herself, Qi Ning naturally wouldn’t miss this chance to drum up business for her best friend’s brand.

“For sensitive skin, I’d recommend our soothing series~”

Chen Churan: “…” Why did she suddenly feel like she was being sized up as easy prey?

“Will it work?” Chen Churan remained skeptical. Her sensitive skin had driven her to madness before, making her too afraid to casually switch products. The mask she’d been using was originally a gift from a friend, and she’d hesitated for a long time before trying it, only when she’d run out of her usual brand did she finally give it a shot.

And then… she was completely won over.

Not only did it not cause any allergic reaction, but her skin also felt incredibly moisturized afterward.

“Absolutely!” A sales assistant who’d just finished with another customer immediately came over, smoothly joining their conversation with a practiced smile. “The soothing series is our flagship product! It helps repair sensitive skin especially useful during hot weather when skin gets easily irritated and flushed… Though your skin doesn’t seem too severe. If you’re unsure, you could start with a few individual items to test. We have many repeat customers!”

As she spoke, the assistant naturally picked up a bottle of serum from the shelf. “This repair serum is the star product of our soothing line, extremely effective!”

Chen Churan found herself swayed by the sales pitch. Before she knew it, she was already holding several products in her hands. “???”

“Don’t buy so much at once,” Qi Ning interjected. Though she wanted to boost her friend’s sales, unlike the commission-driven assistant, she wouldn’t risk ruining the brand’s reputation if the products didn’t suit Chen Churan’s skin.

“Just try the toner first.”

The sales assistant’s smile faltered slightly.

“The serum is too nutrient-rich your skin won’t absorb it well yet. Hold off on that for now.”

Chen Churan didn’t argue, simply taking the toner and a few boxes of masks to checkout. As she did, she asked Qi Ning, “Aren’t you getting anything?”

Almost immediately, she regretted the question.

“I still have plenty at—”

“Okay, never mind!”

Once they left the store and were out of earshot of the assistant, Chen Churan’s curiosity got the better of her. “I was actually interested in trying the serum. Why did you say it wouldn’t absorb well?” Her mind was already racing with conspiracy theories about shady industry practices.

Qi Ning gave her a look, immediately guessing what she was thinking. “It’s that your skin can’t absorb it yet, not that the serum doesn’t work. Even if you’d bought it, the assistant would’ve told you to wait before using it. Since you’re worried about allergies, try the toner first and see how it goes before considering repurchasing.”

Different skincare brands had different formulations and usage methods. While Qi Ning wouldn’t call herself an expert, she’d picked up enough knowledge from Chu Yunyu’s influence over time.

For women, knowing a thing or two about skincare never hurt.

Chen Churan fiddled with her hair. “Oh… I’ve never encountered that before. I usually just use all the products I buy at once.”

“It depends on your skin. Some types can’t handle too many nutrients at once, it’d just be wasteful. Of course, it also depends on what exactly you’re using.”

Chen Churan stopped in her tracks and stared at Qi Ning’s face for a long moment. Qi Ning instinctively touched her own face was there something on it?

After a prolonged silence, Chen Churan sighed. “No wonder your skin is so good.”

She expected Qi Ning to modestly brush it off, but instead, the latter waved her hand and said,
“Pfft, all thanks to having a great bestie.”

“……” Show-off much?!

After browsing a few stores, their reservation time soon arrived. What started as casual window-shopping to kill time ended with them hauling multiple shopping bags to dinner.

“This way, please,” the waiter guided them through a maze of corridors to the innermost section.

Luckily, a private booth had just opened up. The restaurant featured traditional Chinese decor, a small ornamental pool by the entrance, with the interior constructed entirely of wood. The booths were partitioned by latticed carved screens, offering semi-private dining spaces.

Though the screens were perforated, loud conversations could still be overheard.

No sooner had they sat down and ordered than Chen Churan buried herself in her phone. Qi Ning paid no mind, opening WeChat to reply to unread messages.

Before she could finish, Chen Churan suddenly gasped, “Holy moly.”

Qi Ning lifted her gaze. “What’s up?”The ever-curious Chen Churan had just researched the brand story and Baidu Encyclopedia entry for ‘ver.”” Clicking the blue hyperlink under “Founder” in the encyclopedia immediately displayed Chu Yunjing’s profile.

The so-called profile was essentially a public resume listing age, gender, alma mater, and award histories traceable on university forums.

“Is this your bestie?” Chen Churan turned her phone screen toward Qi Ning, who instantly recognized the name and nodded in confirmation.

“So impressive! She’s already on Baidu Baike at such a young age! Wow, 172 cm, that’s tall! And all these academic awards!”

Qi Ning stifled a laugh. Anyone could edit Baidu Baike entries with minimal effort, no expertise required.

Many cautious skincare consumers would thoroughly investigate a brand’s history before trying new products. A well-documented brand profile could alleviate most of their concerns.

While user-edited, the basic facts were accurate. Chu Yunjing’s height was Qi Ning’s lifelong envy her ideal goddess stature, just 4 cm beyond reach!

“Yeah,” Qi Ning replied vaguely.

“Hey, is your bestie pretty?” Chen Churan suddenly asked, propping her chin on both hands with sparkling eyes. The encyclopedia had no photos, only dry facts.

“…” Qi Ning paused, studying the woman across from her. Chen Churan’s slightly overgrown bangs partially obscured her inquisitive eyes. She brushed them aside impatiently.

The Japanese-style short haircut and doll-like features made her look like a fresh college graduate, radiating youthful energy.

Though Chen Churan’s sexual orientation seemed to lean toward women, they’d never discussed it explicitly. Hearing her ask about Chu Yunjing’s appearance with such enthusiasm gave Qi Ning inexplicably mixed feelings.

“Yeah, quite pretty,” Qi Ning answered, resting her chin on one hand with an inscrutable smile as she observed Chen Churan’s reaction.

“Don’t even think about making a move on her.”

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