Sun Yuyu came with three girlfriends to discuss a project. Both Sun Yuyu and Zhuo Min were regulars who visited often, so the receptionist immediately beamed upon seeing them and hurried over.
At the same time, she noticed two other girls holding their phones to record videos. They wore exquisite makeup, were dressed in designer brands, and had quite attractive appearances, though their outfits leaned a bit too heavily into the influencer aesthetic.
“Miss Zhuo, Miss Sun, you’re here!”
Then, with a glance, she asked, “And these two are…?”
Zhuo Min pointed at them. “This is Meng Qin, and this is Qingzi. Their combined followers across platforms are nearly ten million.”
Both were friends from social circles, and they got along well enough that she brought them along.
The receptionist smiled slightly, already accustomed to such influencers. Their clientele consisted of wealthy heiresses, celebrities, actors, and occasionally influencers. However, from past experience, influencers tended to be picky, difficult to handle, and less willing to spend compared to the first two categories, leaving a less favorable impression. Still, business was business—they wouldn’t turn them away. Besides, influencers loved posting online, which could help drive traffic.
“Since they’re friends of Miss Zhuo and Miss Sun, it’s truly an honor.” Nevertheless, she had to clarify: “Our clients value their privacy greatly. When recording videos, please be careful not to include other guests, as it could lead to complications if issues arise later.”
Such incidents had happened before. Once, a popular female influencer recorded a video while getting cosmetic treatments at their salon, accidentally capturing a top-tier actress who was receiving a massage at the same time. The video spread online, leading to rumors about the actress getting plastic surgery, which affected her endorsements and forced her studio to issue a public denial.
Since then, whenever they encountered bloggers or influencers recording, they made sure to emphasize this point.
Meng Qin had always been adept at handling social situations, especially in front of outsiders, presenting herself as humble, polite, and poised. Otherwise, the socialites of the Beijing circle wouldn’t have been willing to include her.
Her reason for coming here wasn’t just for a beauty treatment—it was to connect with the resources of these wealthy heiresses. Sun Yuyu was one of them. Her family ran a film and television company, and the project her company was currently negotiating for her was overseen by Sun Yuyu’s brother.
“Minmin, don’t worry, we’ll be careful. We’ll just film the surroundings.”
Since Meng Qin had spoken up, Qingzi could only nod in agreement. “We’ll pay attention.”
These people were all shrewd. Since the other party was cooperative and well-behaved, they were happy to offer some perks. The receptionist said sweetly, “Thank you both so much for your cooperation. Please wait a moment—I’ll have my colleague bring you a small gift to take with you when you leave.”
Sun Yuyu joked, “How come we never get gifts?”
“Miss Sun, feel free to visit our storage room later and pick out anything you like,” said the salon manager, who had hurried down personally upon hearing of their arrival.
“Manager Chen really knows how to talk,” Zhuo Min remarked.
Manager Chen laughed. “I mean every word. I’d be thrilled if you came to pick gifts here every day.”
After a few more pleasantries, he finally got to the point, sounding slightly apologetic. “I didn’t know you were coming, so we didn’t reserve a room. Would you mind waiting for a bit? I’ll notify you as soon as one becomes available.”Zhuo Min waved her hand, “It’s fine, we’ll wait a bit, just sit and chat.”
Soon, a staff member brought water and placed it in front of them. “Please have some water and wait a moment.”
Manager Chen chatted with them: “Miss Fu and Miss Su are also here today, what a coincidence.”
Sun Yuyu asked happily, “Xiao Si and Yan Yan are here too? Which room are they in? I’ll go find them later.”
Manager Chen said, “It’s the first room on the left after going upstairs.”
Meng Qin and Qingzi had also heard a bit about the young masters and ladies of the Beijing circle. They could roughly guess which family the Fu surname belonged to, but they couldn’t quite place the Su surname.
Qingzi was more straightforward than Meng Qin and asked directly, “Which families are Miss Fu and Miss Su from?”
“Miss Fu is the eldest sister of the current head of the family and the only daughter of the third daughter of the Fu family. As for Miss Su, you probably don’t know her. She hasn’t been active in the circle for several years now. Be careful when speaking to her.”
Sun Yuyu’s family connections also ran deep in Beijing. Even she seemed so cautious, which made Meng Qin and Qingzi exchange glances, both curious.
Qingzi: “Why does this Miss Su sound even more imposing than Miss Fu?”
Sun Yuyu blinked, “You’ll know when you see her. Yan Yan—that is, Miss Su—isn’t imposing at all. But since she was little, she’s been the kind of ‘other people’s child.’ Even now, my mom often tells me to learn from her.”
The Su family’s ancestral home was in Jiangnan. Although they had declined, they were once a scholarly family that placed great emphasis on upbringing. Later, Su Luoyan was raised by the Fu family and was closest to Fu Cheng Shen. Fu Cheng Shen was groomed as the heir, receiving the highest level of education—not just in terms of money but also connections. Su Luoyan’s teachers were the same as Fu Cheng Shen’s, with the best instructors for both education and etiquette.
Zhuo Min said, “Don’t scare them. Yan Yan is very nice and easygoing. Coincidentally, she’s also from Nanjiang, just like Meng Qin.”
Sun Yuyu joked, “Was Nanjiang part of Jiangnan in ancient times?”
Meng Qin said, “Yes. Many emperors in ancient times loved Jiangnan, and some even set their capitals there.”
Zhuo Min: “Nanjiang truly produces outstanding people. Everyone I’ve met from Nanjiang is beautiful.”
The beautician was massaging Su Luoyan’s face and said enviously, “Miss Su, your skin is truly amazing.”
Before Su Luoyan could speak, Fu Siqi chimed in, “Right? It’s infuriating. I’ve never seen her have a pimple since we were kids.”
The beautician followed with flattery, “Miss Su is naturally beautiful. I’ve truly never seen anyone with skin as good as Miss Su’s.”
“You’re exaggerating,” Su Luoyan smiled. These beauticians knew exactly what to say to please people—they could make a stone sound like a flower. She had heard this kind of praise hundreds of times.
The beautician pretended to be hurt, “I’m telling the truth.”
“So am I,” Fu Siqi said. She wasn’t lying. Girls often break out during adolescence, especially in their senior year of high school. Looking back, most students had pale faces and dark circles under their eyes. But Su Luoyan’s skin remained smooth and flawless—no pimples, not even visible pores. Her complexion was rosy, as if she had never gone through the awkward phase of adolescence.”Do you remember that guy from the class next door? He chased you for a whole semester, giving you a rose every day. After sending a whole month’s worth, he finally realized your flowers were all being taken by someone else. That guy was hilarious.”
Su Luoyan didn’t really remember—there had been far too many people pursuing her.
“Not really.”
Fu Siqi teased her, “All your admirers would cry if they heard that.”
The beautician joined in the laughter, “If I were a man, I’d want to chase Miss Su too.”
Su Luoyan: “…”