At that moment, in the secondary bedroom on the west side of the second floor, Yun Rou and Yun Lan were engaged in one of the most common entertainment activities between girls... taking pictures of each other.
Even though it was just a secondary bedroom, as the best suite in the annex of the Waldorf Courtyard Hotel, its luxury matched that of most executive suites in five-star hotels.
From any angle, wearing any little camisole, and mimicking a few poses from internet celebrities in short videos, you could take a great shot just by clicking the shutter.
As the sky darkened, under Yun Rou’s guidance, they completed the final "photo retouching." Curled up on the luxurious sofa worth 70,000 yuan, Yun Lan couldn’t wait to post the carefully selected pictures on her social media moments.
She didn’t forget to include captions she’d just found from Little Red Book along with the location tag.
[Grid of nine pictures.jpg]
"When you can’t find the answer, go see the world."
— "Beidou·Waldorf Courtyard Hotel"
Shortly after posting, her moments already had over twenty likes, with the number of comments growing underneath.
Mother: "Sweetheart, where have you gone to play again? Rest less, focus on work!"
Cousin: "Wow, Little Dumpling, didn’t you just go to White City? How did you end up in Beidou again? That hotel looks fancy, is it expensive?"
Childhood friend: "Wow, is it for real? Dumpling, are you staying at the Waldorf?! The international five-star Waldorf in Beidou? It must cost several thousands a night!"
Stranger boy: "Hello, beauty, remember me? From the neighboring class in high school... When will you return to Salt County? I opened a bar, come visit!" ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ N0velFire.ɴet
These weren’t just comments; a lot of messages were also directly sent over through WeChat.
Yun Lan, wearing a white lace camisole, leaned against the sofa. The glow from the phone screen illuminated her fair, lightly made-up almond face as she browsed through the messages, filled with envy and probing nuances. A smile of satisfaction crept to the corners of her mouth unconsciously.
She thought for a moment and added a comment in her own moments: "For everyone asking, I’m staying at the Courtyard Suite of the Waldorf Hotel in Beidou. I would recommend it to friends with a generous budget if you’re visiting Beidou~"
Then she privately replied to some closer friends one by one. In doing so, her vanity was satisfied to the fullest.
... One must know that for a period of time, feeling the inferiority of becoming a "massage girl," Yun Lan hadn’t posted on her moments for a long time.
She hoped people would forget her, not discuss her.
But now, the situation had turned around.
Holding her phone, she replied to messages for a solid half-hour before finally feeling a bit tired. Yun Lan put the phone down reluctantly, then laughed playfully at Yun Rou:
"Sister Yun Rou, your photography skills are really great. I’ll have to rely on you in the future!"
Yun Rou also saw Yun Lan’s moments, and she only silently gave a like and smiled.
After all, she’d been through that phase and understood Yun Lan’s feelings very well.
In her past, Yun Rou’s need to show off was even more severe than Yun Lan’s. Especially the first time she saved more than a hundred thousand, Yun Rou even spent half of it buying an LV bag.
It was all just for that fleeting vanity.
It was more akin to a "revenge mentality" after a certain lack.
But now, while Yun Rou wouldn’t claim to have great enlightenment, she had experienced a lot and met all kinds of people. She’d learned what was real and what was illusory, and no longer valued just the superficial glamor.
Her academic credentials weren’t as good as many, but to stand out among many bright young women and become an "Ace" at the Jade Palace, she relied on more than just her classically beautiful oval face.
National studies, tea ceremony, posture, communication skills... The night school and various training classes she persisted in for years were her secrets to success.
Serve Mr. Zhou well to secure some meaningful protection for her soon-to-be-lost youth.
The longer she spent learning about Zhou Wang’s capabilities, this became Yun Rou’s only current thought.
"Hasn’t Mr. Zhou returned yet? It’s almost dark... um, what to do, Sister Yun Rou, I want to go shopping again."
Leaning on the window, Yun Lan gazed outside at the heart of Beidou, where the glorious city lights were vividly visible. She couldn’t help but mutter again.
Although Zhou Wang rarely imposed restrictions on the two sisters, Yun Rou was very clear-headed in this respect. When Zhou Wang didn’t instruct or take them, she stayed obediently in the hotel with Yun Lan, going nowhere.
Yun Lan surely had thought of going out. She’s only 19 years old, a bona fide Sichuan native, with a bit of restless spirit in her bones... that pioneering spirit of Sichuan people helped spread Sichuan cuisine across the country.
Visiting Beidou for the first time, Yun Lan wanted to see the Forbidden City, walk on the Great Wall, even feel the atmosphere at the legendary Gongti Night Club.
It wasn’t just to post more moments. This high school dropout, who had worked hard to make a living since reaching adulthood, still yearned for all kinds of novelties deep down.
Here, I must insert a side note.
Why are girls in vocational schools and technical colleges more easily approached? Those yellow-haired guys you look down on always have reasonably attractive girls with them... with low-education girls, as long as you know how to play and are bold enough, it’s always easier to win them over.