Wu Qiuhong was the first friend she had made in this world. She didn’t want the two of them to end up in such an awkward situation, so after a brief silence, she smiled and said, “I bought two servings. If you don’t eat yours, it’ll just go to waste.”  

Hearing this, Wu Qiuhong choked back her words. She stared at the two large bowls of Crossing-the-Bridge Rice Noodles and pressed her lips together tightly.  

Just then, Song Shixi asked again, “Qiuhong, we’re friends, right?”  

“Of course we are!”  

Wu Qiuhong answered almost without thinking, but as soon as the words left her mouth, she flushed with embarrassment.  

Song Shixi, however, didn’t bother hiding her delight. She laughed heartily and said, “Then that settles it! I told you not to stand on ceremony with me. I’m happy to buy you food, just like you’re happy to come and help me.”  

“You’re my only friend. If you didn’t help me, I’d be completely lost trying to handle everything alone.”  

As she spoke, she shoved a pair of chopsticks into Wu Qiuhong’s hand, her tone light and playful. “If you really feel bad about it, just think of it as me placing a bet—a bet that you’ll become a world-famous accountant someday, running your own firm. Then I’ll get to live the high life with you.”  

Wu Qiuhong looked at Song Shixi, her eyes gradually welling up with tears. She quickly lowered her head and whispered, “Okay.”  

Her voice was almost inaudible, but deep in her heart, a seed of determination had been firmly planted.  

The two squatted side by side, shoulders touching, as they ate the steaming-hot Crossing-the-Bridge Rice Noodles.  

In these times, there were no artificial additives or shortcuts—the broth was painstakingly simmered for hours with chicken and pork bones, resulting in a milky-white soup topped with a layer of shimmering oil. The first sip was rich and savory, the rice noodles smooth and springy. Each bite of noodles followed by a sip of broth made them feel happy as divine immortals.

Not long after they finished eating, the school’s lunch break began. The back street quickly grew crowded, and Song Shixi snapped into high alert. Holding up two dresses as makeshift advertisements, she paced in front of the stall, soon attracting a group of girls.  

“This dress is so pretty! How much is it, boss?”  

“I bought this for over fifty, and I’ve only worn it a few times. I’ll sell it to you for twenty.”  

At this, Chen Huili immediately withdrew her hand. “Huh? You’ve worn it? Then I don’t want it.”  

With that, she started dragging her friends away, though her eyes remained fixed on the dress—clearly, she loved it.  

Song Shixi discreetly sized up Chen Huili. Noting her fashionable outfit, little leather shoes, and delicate ladies’ watch, she quickly grabbed a mirror, took the dress off the rack, and called out to stop her.  

“Even though I’ve worn it, you don’t have to worry—I’m perfectly healthy, no contagious diseases. The dress has been washed and ironed, so it’s clean.”  

After a few seconds of hesitation, Chen Huili slowly stopped and turned back, taking the dress from Song Shixi’s hands to examine it in the mirror.  

Seizing the opportunity, Song Shixi piled on the praise: “Comrade, you have such fair skin and short hair—this dress will definitely suit you better than it does me.”  

Hearing this, Chen Huili instinctively glanced at Song Shixi’s face. When she got a clear look, her eyes flashed with surprise—she had been so focused on the dress earlier that she hadn’t noticed how stunning the stall owner was.  

Chen Huili had always known she was somewhat pretty, but compared to this woman, she fell short.  

Now, listening to her flattery, Chen Huili felt a mix of embarrassment and irritation. Her voice rose as she scoffed, “You’ll say anything to sell your clothes, won’t you? Well, I’m not so easily fooled.”  

With that, she shoved the dress back into Song Shixi’s hands and turned to leave.  

But Song Shixi wasn’t about to let a big customer like Chen Huili walk away. She quickly stopped her.  

“Wait, comrade, I’m not just spouting nonsense. Just because someone is good-looking doesn’t mean everything suits them. Clothes and people have to complement each other to bring out their best. Look, this light green dress I’m wearing today—does it look nice?”  

The crowd unconsciously followed her words and nodded.  

“But if I were wearing this dress instead, wouldn’t it look worse? It’d make my neck look shorter and my body proportions awkward. The difference is obvious, right?”  

Again, the crowd found themselves nodding, because the contrast really was too stark to deny.  

Seeing this, Song Shixi’s smile deepened. She held the dress up against Chen Huili’s chest and said, “But if you wear it, the effect would be completely different. You have short hair, and the dress has a wide round neckline—it’ll visually elongate your neck, making your head appear smaller and your shoulders broader. It’ll flatter your figure.”  

“Why don’t you ask your friends if it suits you better than me?”  

Chen Huili’s mind was in a daze. When she looked up, her friends were nodding eagerly, showering her with compliments. If these hadn’t been her classmates of three years, she would’ve suspected they were all plants sent by the stall owner!

At this thought, Chen Huili pursed her lips and looked at herself in the mirror again. She had to admit that what Song Shixi said was true. And no matter what, being praised by such a stunning beauty gave her a faint sense of satisfaction.  

After an internal struggle, she finally said, “I’ll take it for eighteen.”  

Song Shixi pretended to hesitate, deliberating for a long moment before nodding. “Alright, since we’re all fellow students, eighteen it is.”  

“Fellow students?” This immediately caught the attention of the others, who crowded around curiously.  

“How come I’ve never seen you at school?” Chen Huili frowned skeptically. Logically speaking, if there were such a beautiful girl on campus, word would’ve spread long ago, and she would’ve remembered her.  

“I’m a freshman in the accounting department, just like her. Aside from classes, I’m usually not around campus.”  

Song Shixi naturally noticed Chen Huili’s suspicion and scratched her temple awkwardly. The original host had often dressed in gaudy, mismatched colors, which dulled her natural beauty. On top of that, she’d spent all her free time chasing after Li Yanxing and Qin Zhiyi at their school, so even her own classmates barely knew her, let alone the rest of the university.  

Chen Huili remained half-convinced, but the others readily accepted the explanation and struck up a conversation.  

From their chat, Song Shixi learned that they were third-year business administration majors. Not only that, they were all members of the university’s recitation team—no wonder their enunciation was so polished, their voices crisp, and their Mandarin more standard than most.  

“What a coincidence! I was also in my high school’s recitation team.”  

Song Shixi, scheming to build rapport, casually added this detail.  

Of course, it wasn’t entirely a lie—the original host had briefly been on the recitation team, though only because the teacher thought her looks would spruce up the front row. She hadn’t learned a single technique.  

But Song Shixi was different. In her past life, she’d majored in Broadcasting and Hosting Arts. Though she hadn’t pursued a career in it after graduation, her foundational skills were still there.  

“Really?”  

The girls’ eyes lit up at her words.  

Seeing their reaction, Song Shixi smiled. “Of course! Why would I lie?”  

Then, clearing her throat, she recited a short excerpt from Shu Ting’s To the Oak Tree right there on the spot.  

“If I love you—

I will never be a clinging trumpet creeper,

Using your high boughs to show off my height;

If I love you—

I will never imitate the infatuated birds,

Repeating a monotonous song for green shade.”

Though just a brief passage, it was enough to showcase her skill—her pronunciation, rhythm, and emotional delivery were all perfectly balanced, even more professional than their team’s lead reciter.  

By the time she finished, the others were looking at her with newfound admiration, bombarding her with questions—how she’d practiced, how long she’d trained…  

Song Shixi patiently answered each one. Her generous, unselfish attitude moved them. Aside from their teacher, no one else was willing to share tips, especially those with real skill—they usually guarded their knowledge jealously, afraid others might learn from them.  

“Come by often! And if any of your friends are looking to buy clothes, feel free to recommend me. I’ll give them a discount.”  

As she saw them off, Song Shixi cheerfully revealed her ulterior motive. After that performance, how could they refuse? They even each bought a hair clip on their way out.  

Wu Qiuhong, who had been watching the whole exchange in stunned silence, silently gave Song Shixi a thumbs-up.  

The morning passed quickly, and business had been good. Song Shixi wanted to keep the momentum going, but since she had afternoon classes, she packed up the clothes. Together with Wu Qiuhong, she carried them back to her dorm to store temporarily, planning to return to the back street after class.  

The back-and-forth was a hassle, but there was no other way.  

This went on for three straight days. Exhausting as it was, she’d sold quite a few items, and now she had over two hundred yuan on hand. Figuring this was enough to rent a place, she began asking around about available housing near campus.  

Most vendors on the back street lived in nearby alleys, so a casual question while shopping yielded plenty of leads. But in these times, few people rented out property. The available options were mostly cramped single rooms in crowded tenement courtyards—cheap, but tiny, with shared bathrooms and washing areas.  

Song Shixi shook her head the moment she heard the conditions. She’d rather stay in the dorm than rent something like that.  

Besides, though the capital’s public security was decent, it was better to be safe than sorry. She’d rather spend more to live comfortably and securely than pinch pennies for a dark, coffin-like room in a tenement.  

Returning to such a place every day would feel like her life was over.  

Song Shixi knew good listings couldn’t be rushed. Unfamiliar with the area, she simply bought some snacks and asked Deng Cuixia, the neighboring stall owner, to keep an eye out for her—efficient and hassle-free.  

This brought the two closer.  

Deng Cuixia even gave her two yuan to sell some stationery at her stall when she couldn’t be there due to classes.  

Song Shixi happily agreed.  

Just as she was bustling with activity, an unexpected visitor showed up.