Chapter 21

Chapter 21

The next day, Huang Yuanrui spent a long time packing. She drove her white Porsche to the post office twice, mailing most of her luggage to City A. Then, carrying two shoulder bags, she headed into the airport.

Shortly after she boarded her flight, Xixi appeared on the bar street.

Xixi usually ran a small business of her own, and this time she had arranged to meet a few friends at a bar to discuss some matters.

The bar was the same one the three of them loved to frequent, and Xixi was well-acquainted with the owner.

As soon as she walked in, the owner saw her and rushed over.

“Sister Xi, you’re finally here. That friend of yours…”

Xixi patted her companions on the shoulder. “You guys go find a seat first. I’m going to chat with the owner for a bit.”

She looked at the owner. “Which friend?”

The owner closed his eyes, trying to recall the painful memory. “Oh, who else? The one who’s tall and thin, long hair, very pretty… Huang something…”

“Huang Yuanrui?” Xixi asked. “What happened to her?”

“Good lord, what happened?” the owner exclaimed. “She made quite a scene in here last night! People weren’t even watching the live singer; they were all staring at her!”

“Who was she with?” Xixi asked.

“She was by herself! I’m telling you, she was sitting right at this table,” the owner said, pointing to a nearby table. “It seemed normal at first; she was just sitting there smoking. But after a while, she stood up, walked to the door, then came back and sat down again. I thought she was waiting for someone, but then she started rotating through all three seats at the table while talking to herself…”

“Impossible,” Xixi said. “You must have seen the wrong person.”

“We’ve seen you guys in here so many times, how could I be wrong? She really sat here talking to herself for ages!”

“Talking to herself? What was she saying?”

The owner slapped his forehead. “Oh, I almost forgot. I secretly took a video yesterday. Hang on.” He pulled out his phone and held it up to Xixi.

In the video, Huang Yuanrui was sitting in one seat with a quirky expression on her face, muttering under her breath. Listening closely, she seemed to be saying:

“…Eyelashes… Donald Duck… Mickey Mouse’s girlfriend…”

Then she stood up, changed seats, sat back down in a ladylike posture, and continued:

“…It’s normal for a Guest Room Manager to help unclog a toilet… so it’s reasonable…”

After saying that, she switched seats again, her face full of sorrow:

“…I can’t see what he’s sending, but I feel like something is wrong… If Hu Heng is your boyfriend and he lets you stay in 302…”

As she spoke, she suddenly seemed provoked by something and smashed the glass in her hand onto the floor.

People nearby had already been stealing glances at her, but at the sound of the glass shattering, even more people turned to look.

In the video, Huang Yuanrui stood up and bowed to the room with her hands clasped. “Stay calm, stay calm, everyone! Please continue, we’re just a bit drunk!” Then she sat back down and said with a giggle, “Yuanrui, stay calm. He’s already cheated once; what’s one more time…”

Xixi felt a layer of goosebumps break out as she watched the video.

In the recording, Huang Yuanrui was still moving.

She suddenly grabbed her shoulder bag and walked out of the bar in a rage, only to return a moment later, head hanging dejectedly as she slowly walked back to her seat.

She spoke again: “Messing around outside, keeping mistresses… how else do you think my mom got liver cancer… She clearly knew I hated people like that most, yet these past few years she’s been throwing herself at people to be their side-piece every single day…”

Xixi handed the phone back to the owner. “She recently signed up for an acting workshop; this was an assignment. It’s for practicing performance skills and overcoming social anxiety. Just delete the video, please. Put the broken glass on my tab.”

“There are workshops like that?” the owner asked. “Good heavens, that’s such a scam. Won’t people just think she’s mentally ill?”

“Watch your mouth, boss,” Xixi replied. “Have you ever seen a mentally ill person as beautiful and refined as my sister? She even put on makeup before coming here! She has to go back to the workshop later to give feedback on the assignment… Have you ever seen a crazy person who bothers with makeup?”

After watching the owner delete the video, she tried calling Huang Yuanrui.

Huang Yuanrui’s phone was already on airplane mode. At that moment, she was on the plane, resting with her eyes closed.

She had no idea that the thoughts of a madwoman had already begun to sneak into her mind.