A Pair of Evil Women's Love - Chapter 5
Chapter 5
“V-brand bags are so heavily discounted online,” Fu Haitang grumbled sleepily, brushing her teeth in the hallway in the early morning light. Her hair was a mess as she scrolled through her phone. “What a loss. I can only sell it for 50,000.”
Thud.
The wooden window behind her was suddenly pulled open.
The System yawned, perched on the windowsill. “What time did you get back last night?”
Fu Haitang: “After four.”
The System grabbed its phone and glanced at the time. “It’s not even seven yet.”
“I still have an hour on the subway,” Fu Haitang said, splashing cold water on her face. “Did you see the message I sent you last night?”
“No… Is the internet down at home? My game froze halfway through last night. Did you pay the bill?”
Fu Haitang’s rental was in a shabby corner of bustling A-City. The building was a series of single-room units, with a kitchen, a bathroom, and a room, all just over ten square meters. The soundproofing was terrible, the furniture was old, the walls were dusty, and the water and electricity often cut out.
Even so, the monthly rent was over 5,000.
Fu Haitang went to get water to rinse her mouth. She waited for half a minute, but only two drops trickled out of the faucet. She had no choice but to use the bottled water she hadn’t finished from two days ago.
“Can you please get a job? Constantly playing games and ordering takeout is going to make people jealous.” Fu Haitang went into the room to change.
“I have a job,” the System said. “I have social security too.”
Fu Haitang took out a pair of stockings, only to hear a tearing sound as they were snagged by a splinter on the wardrobe.
Fu Haitang: “…”
The System checked the calendar. “Payday is in three days. Once I get paid, I’ll treat you to some good food.”
“How much is your monthly salary?” Fu Haitang considered asking about income to be a very private matter, so she had never asked before. Besides, the whole transmigration thing was so strange that she hadn’t believed it until she met Fu Yilan and her mind was filled with memories. Only then did she completely trust the System.
System: “12,000? After taxes.”
Fu Haitang almost crushed her phone. “You can make 12,000 just by playing on your phone in a rental apartment every day? Is your company hiring?”
System: “No.”
Fu Haitang: “…”
The System waved goodbye to Fu Haitang and went back to sleep in its little nest on the living room sofa.
(Haitang, are you upset that I’m living off you? How about I give you half of my salary every month from now on?)
The subway was crowded. Fu Haitang had just sprayed her scent blocker when she received this message. Without a second thought, she immediately created a spreadsheet of her expenses and sent it to the System.
- (Do you have a real name?)
(You can call me by my code name, 007. My ID card says Ji Xiaotong.)
- (Xiaotong, this is a list of all your expenses at my place this month. Take a look. Transfer the money to me after you get paid. Also, the compensation from my car accident. It’s a total of 30,450. You can figure out how to pay me in installments.)
Xiaotong: (…You weren’t just letting me stay at your place because you were thinking about the compensation, were you?)
Over a month ago, Ji Xiaotong crashed her bicycle into some greenery, and Fu Haitang was affected, spraining her ankle for half a month. Medical bills, lost wages, examination fees, emotional damages, and other expenses added up to that compensation amount.
Additionally, they were roommates, so they split the rent and utilities. Since Ji Xiaotong had offered to sleep in the living room, Fu Haitang had saved a large amount of money on rent, so she was more than happy to have her.
However, the commute was way too long.
Looking at the tens of thousands of yuan in her WeChat wallet, Fu Haitang struggled to keep her eyes open. If I could move closer to the company… I could get an extra two hours of sleep every day.
“We are arriving at Qiaowan Station. Passengers, please exit from the left.”
“We are arriving at Qiaowan Station. Passengers, please exit from the left.”
Fu Haitang woke up with a start, swept along by the crowd as she got off the train.
Her phone rang. “Fu Haitang! Where are you? The team meeting is at 8:30!”
Fu Haitang pushed her way out of the crowd, her high heels nearly slipping off. “I’m coming, I’m coming.”
She had to clock in at 9:00, but the team meeting was at 8:30. It was a good thing she had left early. At that moment, Fu Haitang’s desire to move reached its peak.
(Bring me some good breakfast.)
It was a text from Gu Jingjing. Fu Haitang glanced at it and continued her hurried walk back to the station.
The breakfast, lunch, and dinner provided by the station for the trainees were all low-fat, low-calorie, and nutritious meals. Girl groups have strict body standards, so they couldn’t just eat whatever they wanted. She didn’t expect the young mistress to give up after just one day.
After the team meeting, Fu Haitang and Sini went to get breakfast.
Sini looked at Fu Haitang’s new work badge. “Are you getting used to the new badge?”
Her badge had changed from orange-yellow to blue-white, a demotion of one level. She had lost her team leader title after letting Fu Yilan go yesterday.
Brown sugar buns, crystal shrimp dumplings, dried pork floss mochi, sausage toast rolls, banana cheese muffins, roasted sweet potato milk… Fu Haitang’s plate was overflowing.
Sini: “You’re eating so much?”
Fu Haitang: “No.” She then took out a small container and, looking around furtively, carefully packed the food into it.
Sini: “Who are you getting this for?”
Fu Haitang said, “The trainees.”
“Wow! You’re with Class D, right? There’s a female alpha named Qiao Qiao. What do you think of her?” Sini smoothed her bangs back. “Don’t we look good together?”
“Dating a trainee? If you get caught, you’ll lose your job. Plus, there’s a two-year non-compete agreement. Do you not want to work in this industry anymore?” Fu Haitang quickly finished her breakfast. “I’m leaving.”
Sini: “Hey! Wait for me!”
“Texting some random alpha?” As the elevator ascended to the 23rd floor, Sini caught a glimpse of Fu Haitang’s phone and teased her. “Tell me about it!”
Fu Haitang was contacting a real estate agent to look at houses. “I want to move.”
The elevator arrived.
“See you later,” Fu Haitang said, bidding Sini farewell and heading toward the Class D filming area. She rummaged through her bag. As she passed Class A, she knocked on the practice room door.
“Teacher Fu!” Someone recognized Fu Haitang.
Gu Jingjing heard the commotion, and a glimmer of light appeared on her tired face.
Fu Haitang held up a stack of papers. “I think these are your lyric sheets. Come and get them.”
The crowd gathered around.
Gu Jingjing intentionally lingered, lowering her voice. “Where’s my breakfast?”
Fu Haitang handed the lyric sheets to Gu Jingjing and said with a troubled expression, “Miss, I live too far from the company. I didn’t have time to buy breakfast…”
“You’re useless! Why don’t you just live closer?” Gu Jingjing was furious.
Fu Haitang said, “Teacher Lu went back to W-City last night. He should be back at the station tonight.”
“Really?!” Gu Jingjing was overjoyed. She had been sulking all morning after hearing that Lu Jing wasn’t there, and she didn’t expect to hear such good news so quickly!
Gu Jingjing raised her hand and transferred a hundred thousand yuan to Fu Haitang with her smartwatch. “Find a place. From now on, you’ll bring me breakfast and a late-night snack!”
Fu Haitang was filled with gratitude. “Thank you, Miss!”
Gu Jingjing: “Now, get out!”
The money came too easily. With her balance soaring, Fu Haitang felt a little light-headed. She hugged her work bag tightly. The small food container inside reminded her that she still had something to do.
“Good morning, everyone!” Fu Haitang pushed open the door to the Class D practice room. She fumbled around in her bag. “I brought you a gift.”
“Wow! What is it?”
The trainees immediately stopped practicing and gathered around.
“Is it food? Or a drink?”
“What is it?”
Fu Haitang put on a mysterious act. She reached into her bag, and her fingers touched something hard. “Oh,” she said, piquing everyone’s interest, and then she dramatically pulled out a stack of papers. “Ta-da!”
“Your body management plans!” Fu Haitang exclaimed. “How do you like it?”
Trainees: “…”
“What a letdown…”
“Who wants body management plans?”
Everyone began to take their health reports with long faces.
The health check-ups were done during the local auditions, similar to a pre-employment physical. But girl groups have stricter body standards, so these plans were being prepared as soon as they started filming.
Fu Haitang: “Chen Na, your gland activity isn’t very strong. The nutritionist says you’ve probably used too many scent blockers. You need to be careful. The pheromones released during normal activities won’t affect group life.”
Chen Na’s face and neck immediately turned red.
“Next.”
“Fanny, alpha. Your physique is pretty good, but you’re tall, and there are a lot of omegas in Class D, so you look a bit muscular next to them. The nutritionist says you have seven more pounds to lose. You can get down to 90 pounds with a height of 1.72 meters, right?” Fu Haitang said.
Fanny: “…Teacher, am I going to die?”
“Hahaha,” Fu Haitang scoffed. “I can recommend a life insurance policy for you.”
“…”
Half an hour later, a pair of faded, flat leather shoes came into view. Fu Haitang pulled a file from her bag, and her hand touched the breakfast container again.
She handed the file to Fu Yilan without saying a word.
Ren Qian, one of the trainees, asked, “Teacher, aren’t you going to say something to Yilan?”
Fu Haitang: “Fu Yilan’s stats are all perfect. There’s nothing to improve.”
Ren Qian: “Huh?”
“No way,” Fanny said, walking over, and then a group of people swarmed forward.
Fu Yilan took two steps back, stopping just short of bumping into Fu Haitang. Her health report was snatched and torn into pages for her classmates to read. She, however, stared into Fu Haitang’s eyes without saying anything.
Fu Haitang reminded her, “You’re a little too close, student.”
Fu Yilan: “I’m sorry, Teacher. What’s in your bag? You’ve been touching it for half an hour.”
Fu Haitang: “…”
“Fu Yilan!” Qingqing held up a form in the crowd and read out loud, “Height 168 cm, weight 84 pounds, bust 92 cm, waist 56 cm, hips 86 cm… Holy crap!”
Fu Haitang: “Your figure is great. Keep it up.”
Fu Yilan forced a smile. “Smile one more time and I’ll tear your mouth apart.”
Fu Haitang: “…”
They only exchanged a few words, lasting about a minute. Fu Yilan let go of the microphone she was holding and returned to the crowd, immediately surrounded by people asking for her body management secrets.
Fu Haitang closed the practice room door, and she could faintly hear Fu Yilan’s last words.
“I starve myself. Yeah… I used to be a little heavy, then I ate less…”
“Huh? You eat less?” Someone else said loudly. “But I heard you were the only one who ate the free egg at the cafeteria yesterday afternoon.”
Fu Haitang touched her breakfast container.
Eleven o’clock.
Half of the planning team was on set, so the office was quiet. Fu Haitang took her water cup to the water room. She filled a cup with a little water, opened her food container, and ate all the snacks she had packed.
Finally, the food was in her stomach. After an hour of worrying about it, Fu Haitang rubbed her belly with satisfaction. While waiting for the coffee to brew, she daydreamed about lunch, and then she received a message from Gu Jingjing.
(Why is Fu Yilan back?)
(What are you even good for? Fu Yilan got all A’s in her physical evaluation. I heard she’s everyone’s ideal omega at the station!)
(That b*tch, Fu! You better come up with a plan for me. I want all A’s in next week’s physical exam!)
(Hello?)
(?)
- (Miss, the team leader just called me in.)
- (I know. I’ll copy Fu Yilan’s diet plan for you at noon? I heard she’s really good at controlling her food intake.)
(Really?)
(What does she eat? Is it leftovers?)
Fu Haitang choked on her coffee.
She replied while the computer was booting up:
- (Teacher Lu participated in making the body management plans. He was a trainee in Country H, so his evaluations are legitimate.)
(Brother Lu made this?)
(Why didn’t you say so sooner? Then, then does he like that little b*tch Fu?)
Fu Haitang choked on her coffee again.
What did one have to do with the other?
Wait, maybe he really did like her. After all… Lu Jing and Fu Yilan were the official couple. Who knew if Lu Jing had gotten any ideas after learning Fu Yilan’s measurements.
(Okay, this task is yours. From now on, whatever Fu Yilan eats, I’ll eat too. I don’t believe I can’t do it. It’s just 86 pounds. I can get down to 80!)
Fu Haitang almost burst out laughing:
- (Of course, Miss!)
Fu Haitang switched out of the chat and scrolled for two minutes through a pile of work groups to find Fu Yilan’s WeChat. She hesitated for a moment, then decided to show a little goodwill to the protagonist O.
- (Want to have lunch together?)
From 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. was the trainees’ lunch break.
“Teacher Fu? You’re eating here too?” Chen Na was sitting across from Fu Yilan. When Fu Haitang came over with her tray, she immediately noticed her.
Fu Haitang hummed in response and sat down in the empty seat next to Fu Yilan. She then asked softly, “Can I take a picture?”
Chen Na: “Sure, no problem.” She then took out a small mirror she carried with her and started to fix her bangs and clothes.
Fu Yilan leaned in, her body gently resting on Fu Haitang’s shoulder as she waited for the picture.
Fu Haitang took out her phone and snapped a picture of Fu Yilan’s lunch.
Chen Na: “…”
Fu Yilan stared at Fu Haitang’s profile without saying a word.
“Pfft,” Fu Haitang muffled a laugh. “My bad, my bad. Someone asked me for Yilan’s lunch menu. Come on, let’s take the picture.”
The three of them took five consecutive selfies for the camera.
“Chen Na, I’ll send these to you on WeChat.” Fu Haitang looked down and clicked on each picture, only to realize that in every one, Fu Yilan’s gaze was on her.
“Why are you looking at me?” Fu Haitang asked directly.
Fu Yilan rarely paid attention to other people’s clothes, but at the moment, she couldn’t help but take a closer look.
The planning department’s style was always fashionable, but Fu Haitang seemed to be the exception. For two days straight, she had been wearing casual shirts and long pants, and her hair was simply a ponytail with her forehead exposed.
A pair of glasses hid the brightness in her eyes. She looked listless, with a very ordinary, working-class look, but her facial features were still outstanding. And…
At this distance, Fu Yilan’s thigh was slightly touching Fu Haitang’s, and the latter felt a faint warmth emanating from her body.
Fu Haitang’s mind flashed back to a part of the book’s description.
[…Fu Yilan’s figure was perfect, a waist you could grab with one hand, and just the right hips and thighs. Her skin was moist and snow-white, her chest full, like a puddle of water or a mound of mud, so soft it was unbelievable.]
Fu Haitang adjusted her posture, the soles of her sneakers scraping the floor. She sat up straight and quickly glanced sideways.
Fu Yilan noticed the change. She leaned closer to Fu Haitang, cupping her hand over her mouth as she whispered, “Teacher, is your heat coming soon?”