Qin He lived in the innermost room, and Di Shishi's room was right next to hers.
After the two returned to their rooms and put away their luggage, Qin He took a shower and was about to go out when she saw Di Shishi smiling as she walked out, holding her phone.
"Did you see Mo Fa's message?"
"What message? I was taking a shower just now and didn't see it."
Qin He leaned closer to Di Shishi. The phone screen was almost entirely filled with messages from Mo.
Mo: [Are you guys even human? You left without telling me!]
Mo had sent a lot of pictures, including some of him waiting at the airport to pick them up, and some from a restaurant where a private room had already been booked.
The dishes were all served, along with a bottle of vintage red wine.
And his handsome face, which was already somewhat effeminate, now looked even more resentful, making one feel guilty.
Qin He gasped, "Didn't we send him a WeChat message?"
"I did, but he said he was waiting at the airport to pick us up and didn't check WeChat at all."
Qin He chuckled, "Let's not let him be so resentful. Since tonight is free time, why don't we go over there?"
"That's exactly what I was thinking," Di Shishi said with a smile.
She had also finished her shower, and her hair was still a little damp.
The two of them walked out of the villa, and Di Shishi borrowed a car from the production crew.
Jiangcheng's night view was unfamiliar, especially since it was only early February. The cold wind at night seemed to penetrate to the bone.
Qin He shivered. She had wanted to enjoy the night view, but the cold wind made her quickly roll up the car windows.
"I don't know what the organizing committee was thinking, holding a competition by the sea in the middle of winter," she complained softly.
Di Shishi laughed, "It must have been the production team's idea. This is, after all, Jiangcheng's most famous and beautiful scenery. And even in winter, it doesn't affect the beauty of the pink beach. No matter how authoritative the organizing committee is, as long as they need money, they will listen to some of the investors' opinions."
Qin He nodded, and the two drove towards the location Mo had provided.
The pink beach was in the north of Jiangcheng, while the restaurant Mo had booked was in the most prosperous city center.
By the time the two arrived at the restaurant, Mo was already slumped on the sofa in the private room, looking completely defeated.
As soon as Di Shishi entered, she immediately started to mock him, "Young Master Qian, what's wrong with you? Are you pretending to be a weak young master in front of us?"
Qian Zimo stood up and smiled, "Shishi, you don't want to take on any more jobs recently, do you?"
"What, you want to get revenge? The great Young Master Qian, you're not that petty, are you?"
"Haven't I always been like this?"
Qian Zimo chuckled, then turned and saw Qin He standing beside him, and smiled, "Qing Xie, you're here."
Di Shishi immediately became unhappy.
"Qian Zimo, you're showing way too much favoritism!"
The three of them sat down at the table, chatting and laughing. After a while, Qian Zimo brought up the topic of the perfume competition.
"I've seen all the comments online. I don't think you need to pay attention to the gossip. We trust you," Qian Zimo said with a smile. "You never go into battle unprepared."
Qin He chuckled, "I heard the Qian family is one of the investors this time."
Qian Zimo nodded, "Our family wasn't really interested in perfume-related things. However, since it's being held in Jiangcheng, the organizers approached my father. It's a major competition, so we decided to give them some face. But I didn't expect you to participate."
The three of them ate and chatted casually.
Qian Zimo also revealed a piece of information.
"I heard that a master is coming to compete this year. She was the champion of the competition two sessions ago."
Di Shishi frowned, "Why would the champion from two sessions ago compete? Isn't that like a top scorer in the college entrance exam going back to take it again after a few years of university?"
Qian Zimo nodded, "Anyway, when those people were introducing her to my father, I overheard them. The competitors this year are already more outstanding than in previous years, and this champion from two sessions ago is named Zhang Caiyu. She's Chinese, and after becoming famous, she immediately immigrated to the US and started her own luxury perfume brand. However, recently, she's been embroiled in controversy because some of her raw material sourcing involved child labor in Africa, which has dealt a heavy blow to her brand.
Zhang Caiyu is coming this time to expand her brand's recognition and make up for her previous losses, otherwise, her investors and shareholders won't let her off the hook."
"Whoa, so she's fighting a battle with her back against the wall this time."
"Yes. Zhang Caiyu has always had a bad reputation in their industry. While she's skilled at blending perfumes, her character is questionable. Whether it's in commercial competition or previous competitions, it's rumored that she's good at playing dirty tricks. You all need to be very careful this time. If she loses this competition, it will mean she loses everything. She will consider anyone who prevents her from becoming champion as a rival."
Qin He nodded, "Zhang Caiyu, I've noted her down."
"Just remembering Zhang Caiyu isn't enough. Her English name is Liya. Zhang Caiyu dislikes people calling her by her Chinese name, probably because she finds it too common," Qian Zimo said with amusement.
"The name Zhang Caiyu isn't common at all. It's much better than your Qian Zimo," Di Shishi said.
Qian Zimo narrowed his eyes, "Shishi, if you keep targeting me like this, it's easy to make me misunderstand."
"What misunderstanding?" Di Shishi laughed, "There's no misunderstanding. I'm doing it on purpose."
"I heard that girls usually pick on a guy on purpose if they have a crush on him," Qian Zimo said with a smile. "So, you have feelings for me?"
Qian Zimo was incredibly beautiful, with a sharp, effeminate look that wasn't feminine.
But when he spoke in such a sarcastic tone, it was particularly cutting.
Di Shishi almost jumped out of her chair.
"You really think too highly of yourself. I'd rather be blind and fall for Zuo Xiuxian than for you."
"So you like scoundrels?" Qian Zimo raised an eyebrow. "Then tell me, what's better about Zuo Xiuxian than me?"
Di Shishi was trapped by his words and spoke without thinking, "Everything is better than you. He's more handsome, has a better physique, and is taller than you—"
Qian Zimo frowned and thought for a few seconds.
"Zuo Xiuxian is 1.83 meters tall, and I'm 1.85 meters. Which eye did you see him as taller than me?"
"Maybe it's his aura. His aura is exceptionally noble, unlike your vulgar self! Even if you're 1.85 meters, you don't have his majestic presence." Di Shishi retorted.
Qin He covered her face, "Shishi, stop talking."
Di Shishi was always impatient. She picked a fight with Qian Zimo as soon as she saw him because Qian Zimo and Jueqing Liulang often teased Di Shishi in the Qingyan Mansion group chat.
There was nothing she could do, Di Shishi would explode whenever she was teased, and would fall into their traps.
Qian Zimo and Zuo Xiuxian did not mean any harm, but Di Shishi was always enraged, and she deeply resented these two.