"Ningning, I’m the asshole, I’m the one whose brain was filled with water. It wasn’t on purpose, please, just forgive me this one time!" Qin Cuifen grabbed Sheng Ning’s clothes, her eyes growing crazier.
"What thick skin this person has." Lu Dabao expressed disgust.
"Exactly! She just cursed Sheng Ning and now she’s running to her for help. Sheng Ning, you shouldn’t pay her any attention." Wu Youli said angrily.
"Shut up!" the hatred in Qin Cuifen’s heart found no outlet, and she angrily turned back, her eyes bloodshot as she glared at the two. "It’s all your fault, all of you, these fair-weather friends, who made Ningning turn against me. If not for you, Ningning would still be a good friend to me right now."
"Fuck!" Lu Dabao was about to lose his mind with anger and rolled up his sleeves, ready to start a fight, but Wu Youli held him back fiercely.
"Get out!" Sheng Ning shouted, silencing the whole room; all three turned to look at her.
"Qin Cuifen, we’re enemies, not friends! You can leave now! I don’t want to see you again. Otherwise..." She paused, revealing a sinister smile, "Otherwise, I’ll have you thrown in jail, then you won’t have to worry about going back to your hometown ever again! You can’t go back even if you die, and even if you get out of prison, you’ll just die alone, tortured by illness!"
Qin Cuifen shuddered violently; she saw seriousness in Sheng Ning’s eyes. She believed that Sheng Ning might really do it.
"You’re ruthless!" She gave up completely, realizing that Sheng Ning wouldn’t help her, and ran outside.
"You get along so well with Hai Lan, why not go to her for help? She’s the Hai Family Miss; it would only take a greeting from her to help you, right?" Sheng Ning said offhandedly.
Qin Cuifen turned back, giving her a puzzled look. She knew very well what kind of person Hai Lan was; that kind of person would never help her.
That’s why she was so persistent in seeking help from Sheng Ning.
"Who else can you turn to now, if not her?"
"I... I can also turn to Shen Jian..." Qin Cuifen wanted to say Shen Jianguo, but she knew nothing about the Research Institute. It was several hours away by car; where could she find him? Besides, Shen Jianguo had always been infatuated with Sheng Ning. Would it really be useful to approach him?
It seemed she really had no choice but to seek out Hai Lan!
Having left the dormitory area, Qin Cuifen looked increasingly disheveled. She wandered around the courtyard before finally getting to the reception to make a call after a long wait.
She didn’t know the Hai Family’s phone number, but she had always been aware of the General Union Courtyard’s number. They were all direct lines; just by calling there, she could reach Hai Lan.
Qin Cuifen dialed the number with shaky hands, and a cold voice came through.
"I’m looking for Hai Lan; I’m her friend. Please, call her for me!"
"What kind of friend are you?" the person on the line asked skeptically.
"I’m from her Song and Dance Troupe. It’s urgent; please help me out!"
In the General Union Courtyard, Chen Huaying hadn’t gone back since leaving the Hai Family; instead, she sat on a stone bench by the road.
In the summer, the blooming flowers made sitting on a stone bench a perfect spot to cool off. But in the dead of winter, she had waited for half an hour, and it was far from comfortable.
If Hai Lan didn’t come out soon, she would freeze to death!
Chen Huaying stood up, jumped around on the spot, and still felt cold. She couldn’t help but walk back and forth. She didn’t know how things were going on Sheng Ning’s end; Hai Lan was likely to be fooled, but it was uncertain whether Qin Cuifen would be.