“What do you mean?” Duoduo looked at her, confusion clouding her eyes.
The Heiress didn’t hold back. “Do you really think the production crew is kind enough to invite a celebrity guest for someone like you?”
Duoduo’s brow furrowed, her expression turning grim.
The Heiress was delighted. She took a step forward and lowered her voice to a whisper. “Actually, I paid off a staff member to lie to you. No one is coming. Can you imagine how embarrassing it will be for you tomorrow?”
This wasn’t just about embarrassment anymore; it was about grinding Duoduo’s dignity into the dirt. Even if the guest wasn’t her favorite “Sister Anna,” Duoduo had been sincerely looking forward to it and planning to provide the best hospitality.
To find out it was all a scam…
The Heiress saw the mask slip and laughed with pure satisfaction, finally venting the frustration she’d been holding back for days. “When everyone else has guests and you’re the only one sitting there alone, what will the netizens think? A nobody like you doesn’t belong on this show. If I were you, I’d take that mother of yours and go home now, don’t—”
Duoduo couldn’t take it anymore. She thrust her elbow out to push her away, and as if she had calculated it perfectly, the Heiress collapsed to the ground.
Instantly, the Heiress’s eyes welled up with tears. “Why did you push me? I just wanted to help you carry your bags. How can you be so cruel?”
The director’s camera immediately swiveled toward them. Duoduo felt a surge of absurdity. She scoffed, “I didn’t push you.”
“Everyone saw you! How can you lie?” The Heiress sobbed, looking like the victim of a heinous crime.
Truthfully, Duoduo wanted to step forward and slap her, but she knew now wasn’t the time. She had worked too hard to let everything go to waste. She tightened her grip on her shopping bags and said, “Stay away from me. I don’t want any more of your melodramatic soap opera stunts. I hope you can learn to behave yourself.”
She spoke clearly for the mics. If the Heiress approached her again, it would be obvious who was looking for trouble.
Duoduo finished her shopping, buying everything on Li Qinglian’s list. Along the way, she fought to stabilize her emotions; she didn’t want her mother to worry.
Back at the house, Li Qinglian was tending the garden. Seeing Duoduo return so early, she asked, “Did you get everything on the list?”
“Mom…” Duoduo’s voice hitched. Seeing the concern on her mother’s face, she forced the emotion down. “Mostly. The apples didn’t sell very well, so I just bought the groceries and came back.”
Li Qinglian could tell her daughter had been mistreated. Her heart ached. She hadn’t realized how cutthroat the industry was until now. “Put the food in the kitchen. I’ll cook later. Go rest for a bit.”
…
“If only the Big Sister could come,” Duoduo whispered to herself.
She opened WeChat and messaged Huai Jian: “Sister, are you there? I’ve finished my task for today.”
Huai Jian: “So early?”
Huai Jian checked the time—it had only been two hours.
“There wasn’t much to do,” Duoduo replied.
Even through the screen, Huai Jian could sense something was wrong. “Did something happen to make you unhappy?”
“No,” Duoduo lied, trying to sound upbeat.
Huai Jian sipped her coffee and asked, “Who is the celebrity guest coming for you?”
Clinging to the last of her pride, Duoduo typed: “No one is coming.”
No one? Huai Jian remembered how excited the girl had been this morning. “Did something come up at the last minute?”
“Mhm.”
Huai Jian: “You’re not telling the truth, are you?”
Being seen through so easily made Duoduo’s eyes sting. She turned her back to the door, a tear splashing onto the screen. “I thought a guest was coming, but today the Heiress told me she bribed the staff. No one is coming. They all conspired to lie to me.”
Huai Jian’s face darkened. She felt a surge of nameless anger. She realized that because she had been chatting with Duoduo so much lately, she had started to view the girl as “one of her own.”
Duoduo quickly added: “It’s fine if no one comes anyway. I wouldn’t have known them.”
Huai Jian: “Are you sad?”
“No, I’m okay,” Duoduo replied.
Her forced strength made Huai Jian’s brow knit. Duoduo stared at her phone, feeling conflicted—part of her wanted to stay strong, but another part desperately craved Huai Jian’s comfort.
“I’m a little sad,” Duoduo admitted finally. “But mostly angry. I feel like they’re playing me for a fool—not just her, but the whole production team.”
Huai Jian: “That’s a normal reaction.”
Huai Jian would be furious too.
Huai Jian: “Her goal isn’t just to make you awkward. She wants the audience to hate you. Do you understand?”
Duoduo was confused. “What do you mean?”
“Inviting a guest is a mandatory part of the show, right?”
Duoduo realized with a jolt of horror—if she didn’t have a guest, the audience would think she was a diva or that she had no friends in the industry. All her hard work to rebuild her image would be destroyed.
“But I can’t find anyone now,” Duoduo typed frantically. “My friends can’t make it on such short notice.”
Huai Jian: “Contact your agent.”
“My agent was poached by the Heiress. I terminated my contract before I came here. I have no one. What should I do?”
While the girl was panicking, a smile tugged at Huai Jian’s lips. She was a powerful businesswoman, but she believed girls should be protected.
Huai Jian: “What if I come?”
As soon as she hit send, Huai Jian laughed at herself.
Duoduo froze. She rubbed her eyes vigorously. Just as Li Qinglian walked in, Duoduo jumped up and shoved the phone in her face. “Mom! Look! I’m not hallucinating, right? The Big Sister is coming! She’s going to be our guest!”
“Stay calm,” Li Qinglian said, her heart filling with gratitude toward this mysterious woman. “Don’t just stand there, tell her thank you.”
“Wait, wait!” Duoduo was so happy she was nervous. “I’ll wait two minutes. If she doesn’t unsend the message by then, I’ll ask her again.”
“Silly child,” Li Qinglian patted her back.
The longest two minutes of Duoduo’s life passed. As soon as the timer hit zero, she typed: “Sister, are you really coming?”
Huai Jian: “Why? Am I not welcome?”
Huai Jian had been considering it since the morning, but Duoduo’s predicament had sealed the deal.
Huai Jian: “You look very confident and optimistic every day, but you hide your feelings deep inside. You’re quite fragile.”
Fragile enough to make one’s heart ache. Huai Jian paused, wondering if she was starting to see Duoduo as a little sister.
Duoduo was moved to tears. “I won’t be like that anymore.”
“Are you really coming tomorrow? Do you need me to pick you up? The roads here are rough.”
Huai Jian was an artist but also a businesswoman; she didn’t make decisions lightly. Plus, she actually wanted to see the place—it would be a nice vacation. “I’m serious,” she said.
Duoduo was ecstatic. She ran in a circle, then bolted to the kitchen to look at her groceries. “Ah! If I’d known, I would have bought more! This isn’t enough! I need more!”
She messaged Huai Jian: “Sister, I have to go! I’m going to buy more food! You have to keep your word!”
Huai Jian smiled and went to book her flight.
Duoduo grabbed her basket and headed back to the market, her heart singing. The Heiress, seeing her return with a beaming smile, huffed. “Still smiling? What a fool!”