Red Envelopes

Yu Shuman's question made Qin Ran's heart skip a beat. The truth was, there were still many things she was hiding from Yu Shuman.

But she couldn't admit that, so she gave a hesitant nod.

Qin Ran looked as if she was lying, but she had always been a bit timid in front of Yu Shuman, so her senior didn't think too much of it. Yu Shuman patted the empty seat beside her, and Qin Ran instinctively moved over to sit next to her.

Yu Shuman asked, "You revealed your identity as the boss because you were worried about the rumors bothering me, didn't you?"

Qin Ran nodded again, this time with more confidence. Seeing this, Yu Shuman couldn't help but pull her into a hug. "If you have money, take care of yourself! Why spend it all on me? You even exposed your identity because of me. This will only bring you more trouble later on, won't it?"

Being suddenly embraced by Yu Shuman left Qin Ran momentarily stunned. Yu Shuman's embrace was soft, with a pleasant scent. It was already summer, so instead of hand cream, she had likely used a light perfume. Even the perfume was something Qin Ran had bought for her, matching her preferences while also being a high-end product.

The subtle scent of gardenias surrounded Qin Ran, and hearing those words made her smile. Her senior really was a wonderful person, and Qin Ran understood the troubles Yu Shuman was referring to.

By exposing her identity, her classmates—many of whom were regular internet users—would inevitably see the news. Some of them might say unkind things because she had always presented herself as someone who didn't have much money. While these comments didn't bother her, Yu Shuman would still worry about her. Beyond the classmates, there would be other complications as well.

But what mattered most to Qin Ran was that her senior wouldn't hate her or stop being her friend. Even though she knew Yu Shuman wouldn't, she still couldn't help but ask for reassurance, "Senior, you're not mad at me? You don't hate me?"

Yu Shuman rested her head on Qin Ran's, her voice slightly muffled. "To be honest, it's hard not to feel a bit upset after learning all this suddenly. But if I blamed you now, I'd be ungrateful. You did all this for me. You could have kept your money hidden and stayed behind the scenes, but you did so much for me, even exposing your identity because of me. I… I can't be mad at you."

Finally, Qin Ran felt relieved. She reached out and hugged Yu Shuman's waist. Yu Shuman's waist was soft, her embrace comforting, and Qin Ran wanted to stay like this forever. But Yu Shuman pushed her away, her voice anxious. "The gifts you bought for my mom before… they weren't cheap, were they?"

Yu Shuman's gaze was serious, while Qin Ran's eyes couldn't help but dart away. She glanced to the side, and seeing this reaction, Yu Shuman understood immediately. She couldn't help but hold her head in her hands. "That brooch… it's real, isn't it?"

Qin Ran hesitated, then nodded.

"Ah…" Yu Shuman groaned and rubbed her forehead in exasperation. "How could you give us something so expensive? It's too much."

"Senior, you've helped me so much over the years. That gift isn't worth much…"

"Be quiet!"

Those three words from Yu Shuman made Qin Ran freeze in place. Even after becoming a boss, Qin Ran couldn't act like one in front of Yu Shuman. Yu Shuman's attitude toward her hadn't changed at all—not one bit. Qin Ran was still her junior, under her protection.

Yu Shuman waved her hand weakly. "Anyway, today has been overwhelming. Let me sleep on it, and we'll talk more tomorrow."

Qin Ran opened her mouth but could only say, "Alright."

Yu Shuman stood up and pulled Qin Ran to her feet, leading her toward the door. "Was the person sitting next to you today the manager you hired?"

"Sort of." The person sitting next to her was Assistant Wu, whom Yu Shuman hadn't met often, hence her question. Hearing Qin Ran's answer, Yu Shuman nodded. "Will she be picking you up later? Where are you staying? You mentioned an employee dorm before—is it near the company?"

Qin Ran replied nervously, "The employee dorm is… a house I bought myself."

Yu Shuman gave Qin Ran another look, unsure of what to say. After a moment, she finally commented, "You've really made something of yourself, even buying your own place. I'll visit you sometime."

"Okay."

They chatted as they made their way downstairs, where Assistant Wu was waiting in the lobby. When she saw Qin Ran, she stood up and approached. Yu Shuman said goodbye to Qin Ran, and after she left with Assistant Wu, Yu Shuman returned upstairs to rest.

That night, Yu Shuman couldn't sleep well. She tossed and turned in bed, unable to settle down. Qin Ran didn't get much rest either. By nightfall, the trending topic "Yu Shuman and 99 Entertainment's Boss" had gained some traction, clarifying the earlier rumors. But with Qin Ran's photo circulating online, her social media was flooded with messages, one after another, with classmates tagging her nonstop in their group chat.

When she checked the chat, she saw that some people were defending her, while others were being sarcastic.

One classmate in particular was especially harsh, saying things like, "Oh, so you weren't poor after all? Why pretend to be poor and pitiful all the time? You're the big boss of 99 Entertainment, right? How much did you spend to make your senior a star? Hilarious, I saw the big boss working a part-time job at the cafeteria just last semester. And the rest of you, especially the class president, wasting your sympathy on her, saying how she's struggling and needs extra help. Does she really need your pity?"

Qin Ran quickly understood the situation. This guy's bitterness was off the charts. She vaguely remembered him from earlier in the semester when he had made some snide remarks at her while she was working part-time. The class president had scolded him for it, so he must have held a grudge ever since.

Some people are just naturally mean, always looking to provoke others with hurtful words. Qin Ran found this kind of person annoying, but she didn't bother arguing. Instead, she started sending out red envelopes.

She knew exactly who had treated her well, especially the class president, her roommates, and other classmates who had been kind to her. Before, she had played the role of a poor student to keep her secret from Yu Shuman. But now that her senior knew and didn't hate her, Qin Ran was in a good mood, and there was nothing wrong with spreading a little happiness.

Qin Ran was a petty person who always paid back kindness and grudges in kind. She sent 200 yuan to each person who had been good to her, starting with the class president. In total, she sent out more than 30 red envelopes, totaling over 6,000 yuan. For most people, especially students, that was no small sum.

Everyone was thrilled to receive 200 yuan. Even for students with better financial support, most had monthly allowances of around 2,000 yuan, with the majority hovering around 1,500 yuan. With 200 yuan, they could easily treat themselves to a couple of nice meals.

The flood of red envelopes quickly pushed the bitter classmate's messages out of sight. Those who received the red envelopes filled the chat with laughing emojis and expressions of gratitude, all saying, "Thanks, boss!" Seeing this, the bitter classmate became even more uncomfortable but remained silent.

Qin Ran felt a wave of satisfaction wash over her as she lay in her spacious penthouse bedroom, though she still couldn't sleep. A new thought had suddenly popped into her head: What if there's a way for Senior to move in with me?

While the employee dorms provided by 99 Entertainment were decent, they couldn't compare to her luxury penthouse. Moreover, the challenges Yu Shuman would face moving forward would only increase. In the relatively innocent world of university students, social climbing wasn't as blatant, but in the real world—especially in the entertainment industry—it was commonplace.

As someone who had gained the favor of the big boss, Yu Shuman would inevitably attract the attention of other minor celebrities or staff, who might try to take advantage of her. While Yu Shuman was mature and composed, she was still just a young woman in her early twenties and might not have the cunning to navigate all the hidden agendas. With her kind heart and beautiful appearance, Yu Shuman might soften if someone came to her in tears.

Qin Ran thought up a myriad of excuses, all just to justify why Yu Shuman should live with her. The mere thought of sharing a roof with her senior left Qin Ran too excited to sleep. She stayed up most of the night and was up early the next morning.

Qin Ran, with dark circles under her eyes, freshened up and sat on the sofa, waiting for breakfast while scrolling through her phone. She watched as the trending topic from the night before slowly climbed the ranks.

Of course, the hashtag #YuShumanAnd99EntertainmentBoss# wasn't going to reach the top spot—it was just a minor story compared to the brand's founder and other big-name stars. It had some buzz but wasn't that popular.

Qin Ran was reading the comments under the trending topic. Many netizens had left remarks like:

"LOL, people were saying Yu Shuman and the 99 Entertainment boss were close. Turns out, they really are, but as besties."

"Jealous, I ran to my best friend's place last night and slapped her ten times, but she still won't admit she's secretly rich."

"Serious question: How do I get a bestie who's willing to spend millions to make me a star?"

Qin Ran wasn't pleased with the "bestie" comments. Who wants to be Yu Shuman's bestie? she thought. I want to be Yu Shuman's wife—or she can be mine.

Irritated, she continued scrolling until she found a comment that resonated with her:

"What's wrong with all of you? Why are you so sure they're just besties? Ever consider they might be more than just close friends? Just saying."

Exactly! Just because two women are close doesn't mean they're just besties. Qin Ran didn't want to be Yu Shuman's best friend at all. But for now, maintaining that close friendship was enough to make Qin Ran grateful. Unable to resist, she switched to a small account, quickly liked the comment, and replied:

"Well said, thumbs up."

Qin Ran thought: If I ever get together with her, I'll be sure to send you a red envelope.