At nine o’clock sharp, the official account of Nut Yogurt posted a new update, 【Pretty girls go best with yogurt [image] [image]】

The supervisor at Jinghua Company was very good at taking photos. In the picture, Meng Zhen sat beside the record player, her left hand supporting her chin. Her bright almond-shaped eyes were fixed on the bowl of yogurt, making her look especially charming.

【OMG, my favorite brand is collaborating with my favorite celebrity. What kind of divine combination is this?】

【When I went to the supermarket just now, I saw a standee of Sister next to Nut Yogurt. It looked so good that I had to buy some.】

【When will the advertisement be released? These few photos aren’t enough.】

This set of photos caused quite a stir online. Not only did the fans praise them highly, but even passersby remembered this young and lively woman.

At this time, Meng Zhen was still recuperating in the hospital. She wanted to thank Gu Ting but realized she didn’t have the other party’s contact information. So, she called Fei Yun and got his phone number.

She lay in bed, pursing her lip as she composed a message, 【Teacher Gu, this is Meng Zhen. Thank you for today. If it weren’t for you taking me to the hospital, I might have fainted on the street.】

After sending the message, she placed her phone on the bedside table and stared at the white ceiling, the smell of disinfectant filling her nose.

Meng Zhen originally thought Gu Ting wouldn’t reply. When she heard her phone vibrate, she was momentarily stunned.

【You’re welcome.】

As expected, Movie King Gu cherished his words like gold. Meng Zhen thought for a moment, then sent a smile emoji.

Gu Ting: “……”

———pr

On the day Meng Zhen was discharged from the hospital, drizzles began to fall over the capital, bringing down the temperature abruptly.

Zhao Rong called her, sounding displeased as she questioned, “You went to Hengdian to shoot a film before, so it was fine not coming home for a few months. Now that you’re back in the capital, is it that difficult to visit your own family?”

Meng Zhen hadn’t responded yet when she heard Xu Xuero’s soft and timid voice from the other side, “Mom, don’t be angry. Sister just signed with a new company, she must be very busy.”

Meng Zhen was quick to learn, and with her previous experiences interacting with the Xu family, she understood that Zhao Rong responded better to a softer approach. So, she deliberately lowered her voice and said in a deep tone, “I had a stomach problem a few days ago, and I just went through the discharge procedures.”

The words of reprimand surged to Zhao Rong’s throat, but she forcefully swallowed them back. She awkwardly asked, “You were perfectly fine, how did you have a stomach problem?”

“Maybe because I’m too busy at work.”

Meng Zhen didn’t directly answer Zhao Rong’s question, giving only a vague response. She and Xin Xin walked to the hospital’s underground parking lot and sat directly in the front seat.

“I told you that being a celebrity is no good, but you didn’t believe me. Now you’ve worn yourself out and gotten sick. Was it really worth it?”

In the end, Meng Zhen was still her flesh and blood. Despite their limited time together, Zhao Rong did care about her daughter. However, Meng Zhen’s place in her heart was ultimately overshadowed by Xu Xuero.

Meng Zhen’s lips curved into a sarcastic smile. She turned her head away, gazing at the bustling traffic outside the car window.

“Tomorrow is Xuero’s birthday. We’re hosting a birthday party for her. As her sister, so you can’t miss such an occasion.”

Remembering the conversation she overheard at the barbecue restaurant, Meng Zhen’s eyes flickered briefly. She murmured softly, “Mom, don’t worry. I’ll be there on time.”

Upon seeing the delighted expression on Zhao Rong’s face, Xu Xuero could also guess what had happened. She gritted her teeth in frustration, unable to understand why Meng Zhen didn’t refuse. Wasn’t she supposed to dislike her so much?

Meng Zhen didn’t care about Xu Xuero’s thoughts at all. She exchanged a few more words with Zhao Rong before hanging up the phone.

At that moment, they happened to hit a red light. Xin Xin couldn’t help but ask, “Sister Zhenzhen, are you going out?”

“I’m going to attend someone’s birthday party.”

Xin Xin looked conflicted, whispering, “But I promised Sister Fei that I’d keep a close eye on you. What if your stomach acts up again?”

“Don’t worry, I won’t eat recklessly tomorrow. I take good care of my body.” Meng Zhen reassured with a smile. She was beautiful, and her smile was charming, her eyes crescent-shaped like a waxing moon.

Xin Xin was soft-hearted and couldn’t bring herself to firmly refuse her. In the end, she could only come up with a compromise.

“How about you give me the address, Sister Zhenzhen? I’ll drive you there.”

Meng Zhen understood that Xin Xin had her best interests at heart, so she didn’t refuse further and simply nodded in agreement.

———pr

The next afternoon, Meng Zhen wore a deep burgundy spaghetti strap dress. Not skilled in makeup, she applied just a thin layer of lipstick and left her thick hair flowing loosely.

Shortly after, Xin Xin’s car pulled up downstairs. Meng Zhen threw on a long trench coat and stepped out in ten-centimeter high heels.

Unless for work purposes, Meng Zhen’s casual wear leaned towards comfort, often opting for loose-fitting sportswear. When Xin Xin saw Meng Zhen’s fair legs, she was momentarily stunned, taking about half a minute to snap out of it.

“Sister Zhenzhen, you look so beautiful in this outfit!”

Xin Xin’s tone resembled that of a fangirl when she complimented Meng Zhen, much like Lei Yin. Meng Zhen didn’t take it seriously. Once they got into the car, she provided the location of the Xu family’s villa.

“Wow, it sounds like a wealthy area. The residents there must be rich and powerful figures.”

Meng Zhen hummed lightly.

The car drove for nearly an hour, and as they neared the destination, they were stopped by security at the entrance of the villa area. Meng Zhen presented the access card given to her by Zhao Rong, they registered, and then Xin Xin drove the car inside. Seeing the ground covered in golden ginkgo leaves, she couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration, “It’s so beautiful. The happiness of wealthy people is really beyond my imagination.”

Soon they arrived at the front of the Xu family’s house. Likely due to Xu Xuero’s birthday, luxurious cars were parked in front of the villa. Xin Xin’s Volkswagen, parked among them, looked out of place.

“Who drove this old car here, blocking the way?”

A young man of about eighteen or nineteen years old grumbled as he got out of his car. When he saw Meng Zhen’s face, his ears turned bright red, and he stuttered, unable to say a word.

“Sorry, we’ll park the car right away.” Meng Zhen smiled at the young man.

“I-I-I’m not in a hurry!”

“Yu Shao^[1]son of a rich family; young master, didn’t you say you wanted to give Miss Xu her gift right away?”

“When can’t gifts be given? What’s wrong with your brain?” Yu Shao wiped his face, his eyes staring fixedly at Meng Zhen as he tentatively asked, “Oh, aren’t you that actress?”

“I’m an actress, that’s correct.”

As soon as Meng Zhen finished speaking, Xin Xin spotted an empty parking spot. Swiftly maneuvering, she parked the car directly into it.

“Sister Zhenzhen, go ahead inside. I’ll wait for you here. And remember, don’t drink any alcohol!” The other young woman urged with a serious expression.

Meng Zhen nodded and took off her trench coat, placing it on the back seat. Stepping out in her high heels, she exited the car.

The coming-of-age ceremony for the daughter of the Xu Group was naturally grand and magnificent. Now well into autumn, the garden was adorned with clusters of champagne roses, their light fragrance mingling with the sound of saxophone music drifting around the villa.

When Meng Zhen walked into the living room, everyone paused for a moment.

Xu Xuero felt a twinge in her heart, slowly turning her head like a marionette on strings. When she saw the young woman in the deep burgundy spaghetti strap dress, her cheeks instantly drained of color.

Today, Xu Xuero wore a strapless dress in avocado green, which was beautiful in its own right. However, compared to Meng Zhen, she felt like the green leaves that complemented the red flowers. She was always competitive and couldn’t bear to be overshadowed.

“My goodness, it’s Meng Zhen. She’s even more beautiful in person.”

“Before, there were rumors online that she was CEO Xu’s illegitimate daughter. I always took it as a joke, but could it be true?”

“She’s coming over, she’s coming over! She’s looking at me!” A teenage girl who was Meng Zhen’s fan trembled with excitement, her cheeks blushing with shyness.

Taking in everyone’s reactions, Meng Zhen lowered her eyelids and walked up slowly to Xu Xuero. She handed the other party a beautifully wrapped gift box and smiled, “Happy birthday.”

Xu Xuero seethed with hatred inside, but she dared not show it. After all, from childhood to now, she had always been seen by family and friends as a gentle and kind-hearted person. If she showed even a hint of jealousy, her carefully maintained image would be ruined.

Therefore, Xu Xuero could only grit her teeth and swallow her anger. She forced a smile and said, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

The two ‘sisters’ stood face to face. Meng Zhen, already three centimeters taller than Xu Xuero, wore high heels today, making her half a head taller. Xu Xuero’s demeanor was completely overshadowed.

“The gap between celebrities and ordinary people is really huge. Xu Xuero, being a school flower, looks like an average person next to Meng Zhen.”

“You can’t say that. Meng Zhen’s face is top-notch in the entertainment industry. As for our school, you know how much they favor family background and grades over looks. Putting appearance as the last criterion results in such a stark outcome.”

“If I were Xu Xuero, I wouldn’t be in the mood to celebrate my birthday anymore. Being adopted aside, her father’s illegitimate daughter is still a rare beauty. Standing next to her sister, it’s like a chicken next to a phoenix.”

The schoolmates attending the birthday party all came from well-off families. They hadn’t entered society yet, so they didn’t conceal their thoughts like adults do. Whatever they thought, they said openly.

Xu Xuero also understood this. She tightly gripped the light blue box, exerting so much force that she almost deformed the packaging.

It was her best friend who noticed something was wrong and gently patted Xu Xuero’s hand, bringing her back to reality.

Noticing Xu Xuero’s stiff expression out of the corner of her eye, Meng Zhen curled her lips into a smile and said nothing more. She walked to the dessert table, picked a slice of red velvet cake, and ate it slowly, savoring each bite.

On such an occasion, Xu Youheng and Zhao Rong naturally wouldn’t be absent. They observed Meng Zhen’s calm demeanor and then glanced at Xu Xuero, who was visibly flustered. Unconsciously, they made comparisons between the two.

Zhao Rong left her husband and walked towards where Meng Zhen was.

Seeing this, everyone’s hearts couldn’t help but tense up. Could it be that Madam Xu was going to publicly confront her husband’s illegitimate daughter at her adopted daughter’s coming-of-age celebration?