Chapter 6: Shang Que – Pure Malice

“The ‘Who’s Best Friends’ test officially begins now. The first question is—” The director flipped over a cue card, deliberately pausing for suspense before continuing, “How many different ways do you have to contact each other?”

Jiang Yizhe asked from an unexpected angle, “Does being in the same super-topic count?”

【??? So, does this mean I also have a way to contact Shang Que?】
【I’m in the same fan group as Ji Jingchuan. Does this make things a little too ambiguous?】
【So, when Ji Jingchuan left the group, it was basically like he deleted us all as contacts.】
【Who would’ve thought that in the end, their friendship would have to be upheld by Shang Que? Shang Que: If it weren’t for me, this whole thing would fall apart. [Control Level: Master]】

“It doesn’t count,” the director immediately rejected Jiang Yizhe’s idea, cutting off any chance for debate. “Group chats don’t count either. It has to be direct, one-on-one contact.”

“Then it’s just WeChat and Weibo, two ways,” Lin Jinyi summarized.

Next was Ning Sheng. She thought for a moment. “I think I only have two ways to contact Lu Zhixu—WeChat and Weibo follows.”

Lu Zhixu added, “Also Alipay contacts.”

“I deleted you.” Ning Sheng looked slightly embarrassed. “Because you kept attacking my virtual chicken.”

【Huh? Hahahaha, Lu Zhixu, why are you bullying her virtual chicken?!】
【This reminds me of my ex. Six months after we broke up, I found out he had been stealing my energy every day and attacking my chicken. I was livid! The chicken was innocent, but he was not!】
【Thanks for the reminder—I need to log in today to collect energy and feed my chicken.】

Everyone else was amused by her words. Lu Zhixu had a faint smile on his lips and, after a brief pause, said, “We’re also friends on QQ.”

“That one, I didn’t delete!” Ning Sheng quickly clarified. “So, that makes a total of three.”

Lin Jinyi furrowed her brows and asked skeptically, “You guys still use QQ?”

“Yeah,” Jiang Yizhe nodded. “Most university course groups are on QQ. Open the app, and it’s all just ‘Received, received.’”

【This is literally my life! Eight hundred course groups in university, and all you see is ‘Received’ or just ‘1.’ It’s maddening.】
【After you graduate, you’ll find out that work is the same.】
【Cows go ‘moo,’ horses go ‘neigh,’ and corporate slaves say ‘Received.’】

At this point, Lu Zhixu and Ning Sheng led with three contact methods. The others turned their gaze toward the remaining two contestants.

Ji Jingchuan: “Pass.”
Shang Que: “No need.”

【Are you guys playing a game of Landlord?】
【From now on, can we just skip these questions for Shang Que and Ji Jingchuan?】
【They’ve been fighting for two years, yet even now, they’re still not following each other on Weibo.】

“Lu Zhixu and Ning Sheng get a point. The second question: Do you have a photo together in your phone?”

Lin Jinyi and Jiang Yizhe answered in unison, “Yes!”

Jiang Yizhe explained, “It was taken as punishment for losing the boat race yesterday. We had to pose, holding hands and making a heart shape. I even added her on WeChat just to send her the photo.”

Unexpectedly, what had once been a punishment had now turned into a blessing. He grinned, as if he had just won the lottery.

Ning Sheng was silent for two seconds before smiling and shaking her head. Lu Zhixu cooperated and said, “No.”

“Then, Ji—”

Ji Jingchuan: “No need.”
Shang Que: “Pass.”

“……”

The third question: How long have you known each other?

Lu Zhixu answered first: “Eight years.”

The comment section was surprised.

【They’ve known each other for that long?】
【They both graduated from the Drama Academy. Lu Zhixu was two years ahead of Ning Sheng, but they probably weren’t close back then—just regular senior and junior classmates.】
【No wonder they have each other on QQ.】
【So, out of everyone here, they’ve known each other the longest, right?】

Lin Jinyi and Jiang Yizhe didn’t need an explanation—they had only met for the first time yesterday.

Ji Jingchuan was about to mention that he had known Shang Que for much longer than eight years, but when he glanced at her, she looked completely indifferent, as if she had no interest in bringing up their past.

Oh? She doesn’t want to bring it up? Fine. He didn’t care either.

Ji Jingchuan let out a cold snort, pursing his lips without saying a word.

He rocked his chair against the floor, making a loud screeching noise. Shang Que gave him a puzzled look. “Is there a thorn in your chair stabbing you?”

“……” Ji Jingchuan stopped rocking and replied in a stiff tone, “No. Mind your own business.”

【Is she worried about his butt? Hahahahaha.】
【Shang Que probably just thinks he’s being noisy. The sound of chair legs scraping against the floor is pretty irritating.】
【Why is Young Master suddenly mad again? Weren’t he and Shang Que just casually playing Landlord a moment ago?】

Shang Que also found him inexplicable and turned away, ignoring him. But soon, Ji Jingchuan suddenly started acting out.

The director asked, “How often do you two chat?”

Lin Jinyi: “Never.”
Ning Sheng: “About once or twice a week.”
Ji Jingchuan: “Every day. Shang Que and I argue on Weibo daily. Right, Shang Que?”

Shang Que: ?

Idiot.

She finally realized that Ji Jingchuan’s mood swings were directed at her. Frowning, she felt a surge of irritation rise within her.

“No matter how good friends are, they shouldn’t bottle up their thoughts. Open communication is the key to a lasting friendship. So, the next question: Have you ever said the word ‘love’ to each other?”

“Yes,” Shang Que answered instantly, then looked at Ji Jingchuan. “Love to eat? Then eat. If not, get lost.”

Ji Jingchuan’s jaw tightened, and his expression darkened even further.

“When was the last time you had hot pot together?”

“This morning,” Ji Jingchuan raised his voice, glaring at Shang Que. “The noodles in the seafood ramen were taken from an instant hot pot.”

…

【Why are they at it again? Weren’t they just having a peaceful breakfast together?】
【What do you mean ‘just now’? That was two hours ago. You have to understand—Shang Que and Ji Jingchuan can go from peaceful to pissed off in a second. One word, one glance, and they’re at each other’s throats.】

Both were now openly antagonistic. Shang Que scraped her chair loudly, Ji Jingchuan slammed his cup onto the table, Shang Que immediately banged the table and stood up, and Ji Jingchuan climbed onto his chair.

Neither was willing to back down. Just as they were about to crawl onto the dining table, the director hurriedly intervened. “Peace brings prosperity! Let’s not fight!”

“Who’s fighting with him?”
“Who’s fighting with her?”

They spoke in unison.

Shang Que sat back down. “We’re just answering the questions.”

Ji Jingchuan hopped off the chair. “Yeah, does this count toward our team’s points?”

“Uh…”

Again, two voices in sync: “Why wouldn’t it count?”

“Fine, fine, fine,” the director quickly conceded. “Congratulations, you two have earned the title of ‘Best Friends.’ Now, you can each designate someone to drink the bitter melon juice. Who will it be?”

“Ji Jingchuan!”
“Shang Que!”

【LMAO, so they did all this just to screw each other over?】
【We’re not fighting. We just want them to drink bitter melon juice.】
【This is pure comedy gold.】

Ji Jingchuan saw this and refused to be outdone. He immediately followed suit, drinking while gagging. After finishing the entire glass, his handsome features scrunched up like a bitter melon. Looking at Shang Que, who showed no reaction at all, he asked incredulously, “How can you drink this?”

Shang Que sneered. “I told you, worry about yourself.”

Forget bitter melon juice—when she first returned to the country and didn’t want to cook, she used a blender to make celery and cilantro juice every day.

Ji Jingchuan’s face took on a slightly greenish hue as he chugged a large glass of water. Then, with a fierce look, he declared, “Next.”

The second mini-game was called “We Are the True Friends.” The director explained, “Each guest’s chair has a hidden cream cannon. If the game detects that you’re not true friends, it will spray cream.”

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone instinctively looked under their chairs. Sure enough, there were small spray guns installed on both sides.

A line of staff members dressed in black suits entered, swiftly placing over a dozen colorful drinks on the table.

Seeing their confused expressions, the director was satisfied. “The first task: please select your partner’s favorite drink. Let’s start with Shang Que.”

“This one.” Without hesitation, Shang Que picked the greenest drink—cilantro juice.

The staff placed it in front of Ji Jingchuan, who looked utterly horrified. “Who in their right mind would like this?”

“Pfft—”

Suddenly, the cream cannon under his chair fired, making everyone jump. When they looked again, Ji Jingchuan was covered in white foam from head to toe.

Wiping his face, he protested, “Shang Que was the one who got it wrong! Why am I the one getting sprayed?”

Lu Zhixu reminded him, “The game is called ‘We Are the True Friends.’”

Ning Sheng quickly caught on. “So we have to act like true friends and not show any signs of doubt. No matter what the other person says, we have to agree.”

The others finally understood.

Lu Zhixu looked at Ning Sheng with admiration. “So, you figured it out early on?”

“No,” Shang Que admitted with complete honesty. “I just thought cilantro juice was disgusting.”

【HAHAHAHA this is so on-brand for her.】
【Shang Que: pure malice.】
【The universe never fails those who hate with dedication.】

Ji Jingchuan had just finished forcing down the cilantro juice when he heard her words. He immediately counterattacked, “Shang Que likes freshly squeezed lemon juice. No water, no sugar!”

Without a word, Shang Que picked up the lemon juice on the table and downed it in one go, not even blinking.

The others winced just watching. Lin Jinyi couldn’t help but ask, “Do you even have taste buds?”

“I do.” Shang Que casually made up an excuse. “Maybe it’s because I was never a picky eater growing up.”

Ji Jingchuan scoffed. “Lies.”

Not a picky eater? When they were kids, she was the pickiest eater of them all. If she didn’t want something, she’d sneak it into his bowl, and because of that, he got scolded by their parents for eating too slowly countless times.

Unlike the two of them, the other pairs weren’t out for each other’s blood. Once they understood the rules, they simply chose normal fruit juices for one another.

“Second question: Say your partner’s childhood nickname.”

This time, the order was reversed, so Lu Zhixu answered first. “Her nickname is—”

He stretched out the last syllable, smiling as he watched Ning Sheng’s nervous expression, then finally said, “Sheng Sheng.”

Ning Sheng visibly relaxed and quickly nodded. “Right, and his nickname is Xu Xu.”

“Oh, so Xuxu Rusheng came from that?” Shang Que suddenly commented.

【OMG Shang Que, you’re so bold!】
【LMAO she really just went there.】
【How is this bold? Don’t accuse our Que Que of being deliberate! She only came back from abroad two years ago—of course her Chinese isn’t perfect. Let me explain: Xuxu Rusheng comes from Lu Zhixu (Xu) and Ning Sheng (Sheng).】

Shang Que genuinely didn’t realize the meaning behind it. When she read the novel “Starlit Romance: The Top Star’s Sweet Love”, she nicknamed the male and female leads Lu Mimi and Ning Ai Ai and had always wondered why the book called them Xuxu Rusheng CP.

Sensing the sudden shift in atmosphere, she smoothly changed the topic. “So does Sheng Ming Que Qi refer to you and me?”

“I think so,” Ning Sheng chuckled. “Where did that come from?”

“I saw it on Weibo yesterday. There’s also Que Chao Kafei (Magpie’s Nest Coffee) and Que Qiao Xiang Hui (Magpie Bridge Reunion).”

Shang Que listed off several of her CP (ship) names with other female celebrities. Lin Jinyi, who didn’t hear her own name mentioned, immediately pouted and turned away in annoyance.

With the awkward moment successfully glossed over, Lin Jinyi and Jiang Yizhe followed suit.

“Her nickname is Yiyi.”

“And Jiang Yizhe’s is Zhezhe.”

Ji Jingchuan narrowed his eyes. Shang Que immediately knew he was up to no good. Sure enough, with a smug expression, he announced, “Shang Que’s childhood nickname was Fat Ball, because she used to be round like a little ball. One time, during a fight, someone pushed her from behind, and she rolled all the way down the hill—just kept rolling and rolling—unstoppable.”

His vivid storytelling made everyone burst into laughter. He then raised an eyebrow at Shang Que and smirked. “Right, Fat Ball?”

“Yes.” Shang Que returned a fake smile before striking back. “And Ji Jingchuan’s childhood nickname was Dog Egg, because he used to love imitating dog barks. Whenever he barked, all the neighborhood dogs would join in, creating a whole symphony. Right, Dog Egg?”

“Yes! My nickname was Dog Egg—what about it?” Ji Jingchuan slammed the table and shouted, “Fat Ball!”

Shang Que: “Oh? Dog Egg!”

Ji Jingchuan: “Woof woof, Fat Ball!”

Shang Que: “Oh? Dog Egg!”

“Woof woof! Fat Ball!”

“Dog Egg!” “Fat Ball!”

“Dog Egg Dog Egg Dog Egg!”

“Woof woof woof woof woof!”

#JiJingchuanHasLostIt

#ShangQueToo