The sky was already dark by the time the rehearsal ended.
The student council wanted to treat them to dinner.
Qingqing circled around to Ying Jing's side. "Do you want to stay for dinner? If you don't feel like it but are too shy to decline, I'll leave with you."
She hadn't done anything wrong, so there was no need to avoid it.
If she couldn't handle this, she wouldn't cope with school life in the coming years.
"Of course! Why not go when there's free food and drink?"
"Miss Qingqing, don't you know your own worth? Would you really want to take advantage of such a small benefit?"
Ying Jing just smiled and didn't say anything. She felt that there was no need to hide from things she was supposed to face. Once or twice was understandable, but you can't keep ignoring them forever.
"I haven't done anything wrong, so why can't I position myself right? It's better to be straightforward. The student council hasn't hesitated to exploit us, might as well eat to recoup some costs."
The executive committee booked a large double-table private room at a well-known local restaurant, just enough for their group.
Qingqing and Ying Jing walked together.
"Lu Zishu doesn't seem to be here. After you made Jiang Li cry, would she even dare to come for dinner?"
Indeed, Lu Zishu wasn't there. As soon as Ying Jing left the corridor, Lu Zishu received a call and left, bidding farewell to the others.
While leaving, he glanced at her a few times but was completely ignored by Ying Jing.
Jiang Li was with her group of friends.
Someone like her, who had plenty of people fawning over her.
Even if Ying Jing made her cry, there would be plenty of people saying nice things to appease her afterward.
"If you ask me, Jiang Li won't be pitiful even if those people chew her to the bone. They're all after her family's money and status. When things went south, none of them were around to help, but they fled faster than rabbits. Now they're sweetly calling her sister. Jiang Li is such a naive and silly rich girl!"
Listening to her friend's rant, Ying Jing occasionally replied.
There were several cars parked outside the school, and roughly counting, there were a few people left over who couldn't fit in the cars.
"Sorry, one of the cars that was reserved had an issue. It's easy to catch a cab here, so we can figure out a few to take a cab over," the person in charge said. Those who could board a car did so immediately, leaving the rest to wait.
The cars at the school gate were easy to get into, but it depended on the time. During peak hours, no matter how many cars there are, you'll still have to wait. Plus, the hot weather made it undesirable to stand by the roadside sweating like a fool.
Jiang Li squeezed into a car with her sisters and stuck her head out the window to mock Ying Jing.
"Sorry, the car is full. Ying Jing, I suppose you wouldn't mind, right?"
It's not her car, why should she mind?
Ying Jing couldn't be bothered to talk to her, turning to the person in charge instead. "You guys go ahead! Qingqing and I will get a cab over."
"Is that okay? Really sorry about that."
There were also an extra male and female left behind, seemingly new students who hadn't mingled yet and missed the car.
That's when Zhao Qingran poked her head out of one car and called her over.
"There's still space here. We can squeeze in."
Ying Jing politely declined, taking Qingqing and walking forward.
"They did it on purpose. Didn't you see Jiang Li's smug expression? Really makes you want to tear that smirk off her face."
Whether intentional or not, the fact was there were fewer seats, it's just that others jumped in to grab them.
"Getting a seat is one thing, but squeezing into a car with several people, yet pretending like, oh dear, sister, really sorry but there's someone here now, look around, true sincerity. Sister, so sorry, there's no more space here, try looking elsewhere! I just want to sit on those little bitches and crush them."
Ying Jing laughed.
The other two joined in the laughter.
"Senior, you're hilarious."
"Senior has such a fiery temper, I like it."
Qingqing also felt she had quite a quick temper. For people like her, those who like her really like her, and those who dislike her really dislike her. With such a straightforward character, she doesn't like beating around the bush. It's great but can easily offend people.
Her verbal skills were unmatched by many.
Being praised by junior students made Jin Qingqing quite embarrassed.
"I just think if they don't want us to join, it should be made clear. It's not like we're dying to get in."
"Exactly, exactly."
...
Unknowingly, Qingqing gained a couple of little fans.
Their sweet calls of "senior" were endless.
She was in a fantastic mood.
"Senior, we have handheld fans, how about sharing one with you?"
Four people with two small fans stood by the roadside trying to hail a cab. At this time, cars were either occupied or carpooling was inconvenient.
The group felt no frustration, standing together, chatting and laughing.
Qingqing even suggested that if they really couldn't catch a cab, they could just go eat hotpot nearby. It would be better than dining with that group.
Everyone agreed.
Ying Jing looked down at her phone, staring at the more than three-minute call log.
She wondered how much Wen Fu had overheard of the previous conversation between her and Lu Zishu.
"Miss Ying."
Beside her, Zhang's assistant's voice came.
Ying Jing looked up. Zhang Yang had parked Wen Fucheng's car right in front of her. Feeling guilty, Ying Jing instinctively glanced at the backseat, amused by Zhang Yang's playful expression.
"The boss isn't here."
Ying Jing smiled apologetically.
"Assistant Zhang, why are you here?"
"The boss has a dinner nearby, so I'm driving around waiting to pick him up after it's over. Miss Ying, are you waiting for a cab?"
"We were planning to get a cab to dinner."
Zhang Yang unlocked the car doors without saying more and invited them in.
"Where to? I'll take you directly."
"Are you sure? It's too much trouble."
"It's not trouble at all. If the boss were here, he'd drive you himself. We're all family, so no need to be formal. Get in! It's too hot outside."
Ying Jing wasn't being pretentious, so she invited her friends into the car and sat in the front.
"Thank you so much."
Ying Jing provided the address, and Zhang Yang drove them there.
"Has he been busy today?"
"Not too bad. He arrived here, so there are quite a few things to handle, but rest assured, he eats three meals regularly, his routine is normal, and the boss has been behaving very well overall."
Ying Jing: ...
Zhang Yang is a reliable guy, fearless in speaking the truth.
Ying Jing was just asking, no need to be so detailed.
Well, actually, she did want to know.
Assistant Zhang is quite perceptive!
Chatting along the way, they arrived at their destination, and Ying Jing thanked Zhang Yang as she got out.
Zhang Yang parked the car and followed. "Perfect timing, I'll eat nearby too. Would you like to join me to pick up the boss later?"
This bait was irresistible.
Ying Jing couldn't refuse.
Ying Jing shyly agreed, although her heart was already soaring with happiness. "It's settled then! Keep the phones linked. As for the dinner, honestly, I don't want to attend at all, but oh well! Assistant Zhang, you're so smart, we'll play it by ear later!"
After Ying Jing left, Zhang Yang picked up his phone, revealing a still-active call.
"Boss, you heard everything, right?"