The Female Lead of the Abusive Novel Can Hear My Heart's Voice - Chapter 35

Sister Li gave her a Gothic style makeup look, letting her pose with the teddy bear in various ways for photos though it still felt more natural when the teddy bear was the one holding her.

Despite such a cool and fierce makeup and outfit, the teddy bear always seemed to have a stronger presence than her.

It wasn’t fair, not fair at all!

The three of them picked photos together. Two of them unanimously agreed that the photos where the teddy bear was holding her looked better. They were clearly bullying her.

Because they were outnumbered.

Sister Li comforted her, saying, “You’re still the star of the photo.”

Xia Mucai said, “I want to hold the teddy bear.”

When she held the teddy bear, it was like a girl holding a plush doll bigger than herself exuding a sense of innocence that clashed with the Gothic style.

She was brushed off with a single sentence; Sister Li said, “Go practice more.”

The teddy bear was holding her sideways should she hold the teddy bear sideways as well?

The teddy bear looked at her innocently.

Fine, fine, what’s wrong with being held?

The shoot ended late in the evening. Sister Li pulled her aside and gave her five thousand yuan.

She looked at it in surprise, not recognizing the number transferred to her phone five thousand… if she added two thousand more, she could cover one day’s hotel fee.

“Take it. That’s the high pay for being my model. Also, I’ve packed that outfit for you, you can carry it home yourself.”

Sister Li was just too kind she wanted to consider her as her real sister.

Seeing her so surprised and flustered, Li Yuan enjoyed it. “Come be my model. High pay, good benefits.”

Xia Mucai refused immediately, “No, I won’t stay long. I’ll leave soon.”

Though the high pay and benefits were tempting, she hadn’t forgotten she was basically a doomed person. If Xia Chi found her, she would surely die miserably.

“Tsk tsk tsk, even this can’t tempt you. What would it take for you to agree to be my model?”

Li Yuan sighed, not understanding Xia Mucai’s thoughts. Ordinary people would have been overjoyed.

She pouted angrily as she spoke, “Am I that kind of person?”

Her expression made Li Yuan laugh, who poked her nose. “Alright, alright, you’re not.”

Li Yuan sensed that their bond was shallow.

Xia Mucai was quite interesting if one day she left, it would suddenly feel like the world had quieted down, leaving an empty feeling in her heart.

“Remember, you still owe me one day as my model.”

Xia Mucai didn’t understand why this came up suddenly, but she smiled and nodded, “I remember.”

She saw the teddy bear finishing tidying the studio. The teddy bear came over to find her. She greeted Li Yuan, saying, “Sister Li, we’re leaving.”

Li Yuan waved without looking at them in front of the computer. “Go ahead, be careful on the way.”

Outside the studio, Xia Mucai happily changed the handbag in her hand. She could already imagine how Xia Chi would look wearing this outfit.

She whispered, “I wonder if Xia Chi will like it.”

The teddy bear overheard and felt warm inside, silently thinking, Xia Mucai seems a bit less angry now. I wonder how the clothes will be.

As long as it’s from Xia Mucai, she will like it.

She wanted to immediately take off the headgear and tell her that she was right beside her.

The urge to hug Xia Mucai grew stronger she wanted to say, “I like you, like you very much.”

Xia Mucai grabbed the teddy bear’s hand. The other person was obviously surprised; it seemed she startled the teddy bear.

Why? What was she thinking about?

The teddy bear probably looked dumb, was very obedient, but was easy to be bullied.

“Did you forget something?” she said, holding the teddy bear’s hand. She hadn’t forgotten the payment she promised after the shoot.

The furry creature tilted its head cutely.

She was surprised obviously, the other person had forgotten such an important thing.

She was truly cute. Xia Mucai laughed until tears nearly came out, wiped her eyes, and reminded, “Did you remember what I told you this morning?”

The teddy bear shook its head, unable to recall at all. Things not kept in mind are surely forgotten.

That was money! How could it be forgotten?

She explained, “I promised you this morning. I’ll give you five times the pay. You work as my assistant for one day.”

The teddy bear nodded, as if suddenly remembering. Then shook its head again, seeming to say, “No money, no money.”

She wouldn’t believe that just because the teddy bear shook its head, it didn’t need money. If it didn’t need money, why would it do such a tiring and risky job under the sun?

“You don’t have to be polite. This is what you deserve. Besides, Sister Li just gave me five thousand. If I give you one thousand, I still have four thousand left.”

Buzz buzz buzz the phone vibrated.

Xia Mucai’s phone rang. Embarrassed, she glanced at the teddy bear, then took out her phone. It was Xu Qin calling.

She quietly said, “I’ll take the call.”

The teddy bear nodded. Under its watchful eyes, she answered.

She wondered what Xu Qin wanted.

The girl’s voice on the other end sounded happy, “Cai Cai, let’s go shopping this weekend. I’ll show you the world.”

She hoped Xu Qin wasn’t trying to get her to work in the bar again. She thought Xu Qin considered her a good friend to invite her out on the weekend.

Thinking about it, she had nothing to do on weekends. When she was at the company, she often dumped work on Mo Qi and Xia Chi, and went shopping herself.

It had been almost a month since she came to Binhai City and she hadn’t really had fun. It would be nice to play a little in her last days.

She agreed without hesitation, “Okay.”

They happily set the time on the call, “Saturday morning at ten. Don’t forget to come. I’ll send you the location.”

Xia Mucai: “Mm-hmm.”

After hanging up, the teddy bear had somehow run off. It was supposed to be paid, yet it didn’t want the money. How could it unconditionally be her assistant?

Such a strange person.

The money earned at the bar last time was split evenly between Xia Mucai and Xu Qin one thousand each. Xu Qin immediately used hers to buy an expensive lipstick.

On her dorm desk were all kinds of makeup and skincare products that ordinary people couldn’t afford. A branded bag hung on the wall.

The three dormmates all thought Xu Qin came from a wealthy or at least middle-class family. They believed her family couldn’t be ordinary.

All three would gather around Xu Qin, who was generous enough to share what she bought with them.

Actually, her family was far from well-off. Both her parents worked at an electronics factory. She had a younger brother who did nothing but loaf around. In high school, she got into the top high school in Binhai. The students there mocked her family and her style. She was bullied by classmates the entire first year.

She vowed never to be a country bumpkin again and disguised herself as from a middle-class family.

She never took off this disguise even in college, fearing that if her secret was exposed, she’d return to being mocked like in high school.

Seeing Xia Mucai, who she thought was from a rich family, wanting to be friends, she saw a reflection of her own past.

She pitied her, but couldn’t help imagining the bullies from high school. Though she knew it was wrong, she still felt those kinds of people deserved to be bullied.

On Saturday morning, Xia Mucai arrived early at the shopping mall location Xu Qin had sent near where she and the teddy bear handed out flyers. She immediately spotted Xu Qin waiting at the mall entrance.

“Have you been waiting long?” She jogged up, carrying a small shoulder bag filled with VIP cards.

Xu Qin shook her head, glanced at her, then smiled mysteriously, “Let’s go have a coffee.”

She breathed a sigh of relief good, she hadn’t waited long. Hearing coffee, she thought of her membership cards, “Great, I have a membership card for a coffee shop.”

Most people get membership cards because they often drink coffee. She liked collecting various membership cards.

Xu Qin was a little stunned, asking, “You like coffee?”

“No, who likes that stuff without a reason? I don’t need caffeine. I can wake up naturally.”

Xu Qin: “Then how do you have membership cards?”

“Getting the card isn’t expensive. I just like collecting cards.”

Thinking about it, coffee shop membership cards cost about 88 to 128 yuan, not too expensive.

“Alright then.” Xu Qin didn’t think too much. To her, Xia Mucai was very similar to her past self.

Xu Qin linked her arm, making Xia Mucai uncomfortable. She wanted to pull away but stopped herself.

Scratching the back of her head, she asked, “After coffee, where to?”

“Of course to check out new clothes! Cai Cai, you’re so pretty; you should come shopping more.”

She laughed awkwardly, not knowing why being with Xu Qin made her feel looked down upon.

It felt like Xu Qin liked to talk to herself.

She simply replied, “Okay,” and didn’t say more.

Since they just met, they had no real topics to talk about. Once in the mall, they each went their own way.

Xu Qin let go of her arm and buried herself in her phone.

At the coffee shop inside the mall, they ordered coffee separately and sat facing each other by the window.

Xu Qin still buried in her phone, occasionally sipping coffee.

This was nothing like what Xia Mucai imagined. She thought they’d chat and look at clothes together, but instead, it was like this.

It was a bit boring…

She propped her chin up and stirred her coffee with a spoon, gazing out the window. She was so bored she started counting couples passing by the café.

A familiar figure suddenly caught her eye. Her pupils shrank sharply. Though it was just a fleeting glimpse, she was certain it was Xia Chi’s back.

With a clink, she put down her coffee spoon, her expression tense.

Xu Qin across from her was startled and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Xia Mucai comforted herself it might be a mistake; the figure just looked a bit like Xia Chi.

Trying to steady her nerves, she found her throat so dry she couldn’t speak. She quickly took a sip of her milk coffee to moisten it.

“I’m fine.”

Xu Qin looked at her suspiciously but seeing she really seemed fine, said, “Alright, after I finish this coffee, let’s go look at clothes.”

Already scared and unable to say much, Xia Mucai could only respond simply, “Mm.”

She only hoped that person wasn’t Xia Chi she didn’t want her peaceful weekend ruined.