But the thought that Xu Xiaoyue was even less educated than her made Zheng Jiaojiao feel like she was overthinking it.  

The sound of water in the bathroom suddenly stopped. Xu Xiaoyue walked out slowly, drying her hair while humming a cheerful tune, clearly in a good mood.  

Zheng Jiaojiao had been holding back for a long time but finally couldn’t resist asking, “How’s the planning document Manager Yan asked you to work on coming along?”  

“Planning document? She never mentioned it to me.” Xu Xiaoyue looked genuinely surprised, her almond-shaped eyes fixed on Zheng Jiaojiao as she pressed, “What is that? I had no idea.”  

“You didn’t know?” Zheng Jiaojiao narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing Xu Xiaoyue’s expression. Seeing no trace of deception on her face, she felt an inexplicable surge of smug satisfaction.  

It seemed Manager Yan had only entrusted this important task to *her*—perhaps a sign that she was the more valued one.  

With that thought, Zheng Jiaojiao felt her recent efforts to build good relationships with the people at the counter hadn’t been entirely in vain.  

Xu Xiaoyue stood behind the counter, rubbing her shoulders.  

Working at the state-run supermarket had its perks, but the one downside was having to stand all day—it was exhausting.  

“Ningning, why did you bring us here?” A chorus of chattering voices came from the entrance.  

Sun Ningning, arm-in-arm with Ruan Wei, simply smiled and raised an eyebrow. “You’ll find out once we’re inside.”  

The group of young women from the cultural troupe exchanged puzzled glances, unsure what Sun Ningning was up to.  

As soon as they stepped inside, Ruan Wei looked up and immediately noticed Xu Xiaoyue.  

Her gaze locked onto Xu Xiaoyue, jealousy coiling inside her like a rampant vine.  

As the reigning beauty of the cultural troupe, Ruan Wei had always been confident in her looks and style. Whenever a new girl prettier than her joined the troupe, she would inevitably scheme behind the scenes to humiliate them.  

It had only been a few days, but Xu Xiaoyue—wearing a simple blouse with a scarf tied around her waist and a modest ankle-length skirt—looked effortlessly stunning. The scarf accentuated her waist perfectly, and her jet-black hair cascaded down like a waterfall.  

They said beauty was skin-deep, but Xu Xiaoyue seemed to have been born with an alluring charm from head to toe.  

Ruan Wei’s eyes roamed over Xu Xiaoyue, her displeasure barely contained.  

She glanced around but didn’t see the person she was looking for. She wasn’t sure whether to feel disappointed or relieved.  

Forcing a smile, she stepped forward and feigned surprise. “Oh, isn’t this Comrade Xu? What a coincidence running into you here.”  

The arrival of several strikingly beautiful young women instantly drew everyone’s attention.  

Gao Yuan recognized them—they were from the nearby cultural troupe and frequented the supermarket, often splurging on clothes without hesitation.  

She nudged Zheng Jiaojiao and whispered, “Does Xu Xiaoyue know them?”  

Zheng Jiaojiao shook her head. She was curious too.  

Gao Yuan leaned in again and murmured, “These girls are regulars here—wealthy and generous. Just a friendly reminder: you and Xu Xiaoyue were hired at the same time by Manager Yan. If your performance ends up looking too shabby in comparison…”  

She left the implication hanging. Zheng Jiaojiao’s expression darkened—she understood perfectly.  

Sun Ningning’s eyes swept over Xu Xiaoyue, noting she was still wearing the same white blouse she’d bought here last time, now accessorized with a scarf at the waist.  

Remembering that day, Sun Ningning’s gaze turned cold.  

Back then, she’d even suspected there was something between Regimental Commander Yan and this woman. But now, after some digging, she’d learned Xu Xiaoyue was just an orphan with no connections.  

“Comrade Xu, that blouse still looks as lovely as ever.”  

Ruan Wei’s eyes followed Sun Ningning’s words, landing on the blouse. “Is this blouse sold here too? The design is so fresh.”  

Sun Ningning took the opportunity to embellish the story of what had happened that day.  

Ruan Wei’s eyes flickered as she turned to Gao Yuan and the others. “Is Comrade Xu working here now?”

Before Gao Yuan could respond, Zheng Jiaojiao cut in eagerly, “Sister Xiaoyue hasn’t been here long and isn’t very familiar with things yet—”  

She barely got halfway through her sentence when Ruan Wei raised a hand to stop her.  

“Perfect. Our cultural troupe is short on blouse designs for an upcoming performance, and the one you’re wearing is just right.”  

“Comrade Xu, we’d like you to make a set for each of us based on your design, with different pearl patterns and color schemes. You can manage that, can’t you?”  

Xu Xiaoyue frowned slightly. “How many pieces do you need, and by when?”  

Ruan Wei lifted her eyelids, giving her a sidelong glance. “About twenty or thirty. In three days.”  

“Three days? There’s no way I could handle that alone…” Xu Xiaoyue said.  

Ruan Wei covered her mouth with a light laugh. “But I don’t trust anyone else. What if the styles turn out inconsistent? Besides, hiring others would mean paying extra labor fees.”  

“You work here, so this should be part of your job. Just lift a finger, and it’ll be done. We’re even buying so many pieces and pearls at once—consider it supporting your business.”  

At this point, if Xu Xiaoyue still didn’t realize Ruan Wei was just toying with her, she’d have lived all these years for nothing.  

“Comrade Ruan, that’s impossible,” Xu Xiaoyue replied bluntly, her smile not reaching her eyes.  

Sun Ningning, standing nearby, was taken aback. She hadn’t expected Xu Xiaoyue to refuse them outright.  

Her tone turned sharp. “Impossible? How can you say that when you work here? Do you want me to report you?”  

“Go ahead and report me, then.”  

Even Ruan Wei was stunned now.  

She knew these state-run supermarket clerks all too well—they’d bend over backward to please people with even a little money like them.  

And if a complaint reached higher-ups, the consequences ranged from disciplinary lectures to losing the job entirely.  

Was Xu Xiaoyue really not afraid of any of that?  

If Xu Xiaoyue knew what Ruan Wei was thinking, she’d probably just scoff. What they saw as an “iron rice bowl” was, to her, just a temporary job to get by.  

Besides, expecting thirty handmade pieces without even offering a labor fee? Ridiculous.  

The atmosphere grew tense until Zheng Jiaojiao rushed forward.  

“Ladies, please don’t be upset. Actually, I can do this too—I string beads quickly and neatly.”  

“In three or four days, I guarantee you’ll have your order.”  

Zheng Jiaojiao shot Xu Xiaoyue a look as if she were an idiot. Turning down easy money? Unthinkable.  

Thirty blouses, plus pearls and other accessories—this was a golden opportunity handed to them on a platter.  

If she could secure this deal, Xu Xiaoyue wouldn’t stand a chance against her.  

“You can do it?” Ruan Wei eyed this newcomer skeptically.  

“Absolutely. Three days max. You can come pick them up then,” Zheng Jiaojiao declared confidently.  

“Fine. Get started, and I’ll check the finished pieces. If I’m satisfied, I’ll pay in full.” Ruan Wei waved a hand dismissively, her gaze drifting back to Xu Xiaoyue.