I'm Interested In Your Friend - Chapter 5

5

“Hmph, Tan Suran actually tried to throw money at you.” Du Tanyu sneered.

“Hmph, Tan Suran actually tried to throw money at me.” Yu Lili pouted, repeating Du Tanyu’s words.

“Doesn’t she know that the one thing you, Yu the Second, have never lacked since childhood is money?” At this point, Du Tanyu frowned uncertainly—because, well… Yu Lili was currently a bit strapped for cash.

“You… you didn’t agree, did you?”

Yu Lili leaned back against the car seat guiltily, crossing her arms. “I—of course I didn’t agree!”

But Du Tanyu’s frown only deepened.

She inched closer to Yu Lili without a word, delivering a soul-crushing question: “Really?”

Yu Lili pressed her neck against the headrest. “R-really! As true as my heart is for you!”

Du Tanyu let out a skeptical “Hmm?”

Then, with lightning speed, she reached for Yu Lili’s bag.

Yu Lili reacted just as quickly, launching into a tense and thrilling bag-defense battle.

After a fierce struggle, Yu Lili lost.

She lost because she was too poor to risk damaging one of her few remaining luxury possessions.

The silver Bkrlin bag fell into Du Tanyu’s hands.

Du Tanyu unzipped it and rummaged inside.

Finally, she let out a mocking laugh.

Holding up a pristine white check, she demanded, “What is this?”

Yu Lili fell silent for a moment before solemnly looking up. “It’s love, warmth, and hope.”

“It’s corruption! Degeneracy! Decadence!”

Yu Lili’s voice grew smaller. “It’s just driving for someone. I do have a driver’s license, you know.”

Du Tanyu planted her hands on her hips. “Have you forgotten what your driving instructor said when you graduated? The one with his leg in a cast?”

Yu Lili pouted and stayed silent.

“He said that in his thirty years of teaching, you were the first student to injure him so badly. He begged you—since your family was so well-off—to just fly a helicopter instead.”

Yu Lili hung her head, too guilty to speak.

“And there’s no way Tan Suran would offer you that much money just to have you drive for her.”

Now that was something Yu Lili could argue. “Well, someone as good-looking as me driving for her—that price isn’t too high, is it?”

Du Tanyu jabbed a finger toward Yu Lili’s forehead. “This isn’t payment for a driver. This is payment to buy you.”

Yu Lili bit her lip and mumbled, “I didn’t want to, but… she offered so much.”

“After paying rent and my credit card bills, there’d still be enough left for a limited-edition master-grade camera lens.”

Du Tanyu rolled her eyes.

“Trust me, I’ll protect myself. As long as I’m sober, Tan Suran won’t be able to lay a finger on me.”

Du Tanyu: “Then aren’t you afraid your boss might ask you to pick up her best friend or something?”

Her boss’s best friend…

That would be Yu Mu.

A thunderbolt struck Yu Lili’s head.

With Yu Mu dragged into this, Yu Lili immediately surrendered, waving the white flag. “Then… then forget it. I’ll tell Tan Suran I quit.”

Du Tanyu nodded. “I’ll think of a way to handle the money. If necessary, I’ll borrow some from Qi Luo.”

“Then ask Old Qi, but don’t mention me. I’m afraid my mom has already warned her parents too.”

“Then what should I say? Since when do I need to borrow money?”

Yu Lili pursed her lips in thought. “Got it! Just say you’re being blackmailed by a minor celebrity with compromising photos. If you don’t cough up two million, they’ll leak them to the tabloids.”

“……” Du Tanyu sighed and gave her a thumbs-up. “Your mom was right. Your ability to spin lies is truly next-level.”

“Alright, I’ll text Tan Suran right now.”

Du Tanyu raised an eyebrow. “Using Yu Lili’s WeChat?”

“Duh, of course I made a separate ‘Anna’ WeChat account.” Yu Lili smugly shrugged.

After sending Tan Suran the message saying she was quitting, Yu Lili hummed cheerfully, tapping her fingers rhythmically against the car door.

Finally, this mess was cleaned up.

“Wanna grab another drink?”

“I’ll pass. I’m a working woman now! Tomorrow morning, I have to go to the magazine studio to check the indoor set, and the shoot is in the afternoon.”

Du Tanyu smirked. “Wow, our Lili has really grown up. I’ll drive you home.”

The sports car sped through the night, trees and streetlights blurring past, the cool wind whipping their hair wildly.

With dreams to chase, a home to return to, and friends by her side, Yu Lili slowly smiled in the swaying shadows, feeling like the world was truly wonderful.

That blissful mood came to an abrupt halt when she saw Tan Suran’s WeChat reply.

[No problem. Pay the penalty fee.]

When the car stopped at Yu Lili’s doorstep, Du Tanyu noticed she hadn’t moved. Peeking at her phone, she saw the message on the screen.

“Penalty fee? You signed a contract?”

Yu Lili looked dazed as she lifted her head. “I… I think… I think there was something like that.”

“But if you used the name ‘Anna,’ it wouldn’t count, right?”

Yu Lili bit her lip, then slowly raised a hand. “But… I… I think I fingerprinted it…”

Du Tanyu nearly fainted from anger. “How much is the penalty?”

Yu Lili held up two fingers, her expression pained. “Two million.”

Du Tanyu nearly collapsed again.

No matter what, the next day, Yu Lili regrouped and went to the magazine studio. Even if the sky fell, she had to focus on making money and working.

If she ever saved up two million on her own, she’d withdraw it all in cash and throw it right in Tan Suran’s face, bill by bill.

But given Yu Lili’s current monthly salary of 1,500 yuan, she’d have to live to 120 to make that dream come true.

“Lili, come take a look at this.” For this indoor set review, Amy was guiding her and Su Mianxin.

Because the task was important, the two intern photographers couldn’t handle it alone.

“I think this set still feels a bit empty.” Amy mused, chin in hand. “Even with the subject standing here, the surroundings feel too scattered.”

The shoot’s theme was still the British style they’d discussed earlier.

A small street scene had been set up in the studio.

Yu Lili nodded. “The street signs on the side could be a bit bigger.”

Su Mianxin walked over and took a panoramic photo with her phone. “I’ll ask Sela. She said we could contact her directly if there were issues.”

Before Amy could say “Don’t,” Su Mianxin had already sent the message.

Amy could only shrug and roll her eyes behind Su Mianxin’s back before continuing to discuss prop adjustments with Yu Lili.

Soon, Su Mianxin’s phone rang.

Her face lit up as she answered sweetly, “Sister Sela…”

The other end spoke a brief sentence in English.

Two seconds later, the call ended.

Su Mianxin looked bewildered as she turned back.

Facing Amy and Yu Lili, she masked her confusion and declared confidently, “Sister Sela just gave her suggestion.”

Yu Lili and Amy gestured for her to continue.

Su Mianxin rested one elbow on her other hand, pointing delicately with a slender finger as she uttered a single word.

“What did you say?” Yu Lili couldn’t believe her ears.

Su Mianxin: “Don’t understand? Pig.”

Yu Lili: “You heard correctly?”

Su Mianxin, initially unsure, grew more assertive under Yu Lili’s skepticism. “Of course! I think Victorian farm culture is very distinctive, truly one-of-a-kind.”

Yu Lili blinked and pointed at the set. “You think putting a pig in this scene is appropriate?”

“Why not? If Sister Sela said it to you directly, would you still be questioning it?”

“Even if Sister Sela told me herself, if I didn’t understand or saw a problem, I’d still raise it.”

“You don’t know what innovation is, do you?”

Yu Lili shook her head, spreading her hands. “I admit I don’t understand this kind of art. I seriously thought about how a pig could fit into this scene, but I couldn’t figure it out. How do you think it should be placed? Have the celebrity pose with the pig?”

The idea was ridiculous.

Su Mianxin was left speechless, lips trembling as she failed to respond.

“I think it could work,” a smooth, charming voice chimed in from the doorway.

Everyone turned to see a glamorous woman in sunglasses sauntering in, a faint smile on her lips. “Sorry, I overheard your discussion and couldn’t help chiming in.”

As she slowly removed her sunglasses, her striking, fair face came into view.

“Teacher Yu Mu!” someone gasped. “What brings you here?”

Yu Lili was momentarily stunned to see Yu Mu. Wasn’t Song Yu supposed to be the cover star?

Then she remembered—Tan Suran had acquired Pictorial’s parent company, Taiya Fashion Group. As her best friend, Yu Mu could probably monopolize the magazine’s covers for a year with a single word.

Yu Mu greeted everyone gracefully. “Hello, everyone. I came to discuss something and thought I’d check out the set for this afternoon’s shoot.”

Her gaze swept over the group before landing on Yu Lili. “I think this suggestion is brilliant. Farm style is a kind of fashion.”

With a celebrity backing her, Su Mianxin grew even more confident.

“What do you think… Teacher?” Yu Mu’s eyes locked onto Yu Lili.

This was the first time the estranged sisters had met in a professional setting.

Yu Lili maintained a professional smile. “Well… fine. But I’d like to double-check with Sister Sela.”

Yu Mu leisurely settled onto a sofa, accepting the tea someone handed her. After a sip, she spoke slowly, “Though you’re young, I won’t act superior. But as a senior, let me say this: in work, obedience matters more than stubbornness. As a newcomer, your experience is nothing compared to a veteran’s. When I first started, I was just as headstrong, always thinking the director was wrong and that my acting choices were better. Later, I realized how foolish I’d been.”

She set her cup down with a soft clink.

Yu Mu met Yu Lili’s eyes. “So, no need to confirm with anyone. Just do as I say.”

“Didn’t you hear Teacher Yu?” A portly middle-aged man strode in.

The magazine staff greeted him as “Manager Wang” before scrambling to find a pig.

With Tan Suran’s elevated status, Yu Mu’s influence had also skyrocketed. A crowd fawned over her as she sat smugly, watching the scene unfold.

Manager Wang exchanged a few words with Yu Mu before glaring at Yu Lili.

“Which company are you from?” he demanded, hands behind his back.

Someone answered, “She’s an intern under Photographer Sela.”

“Since when do interns get to call the shots here? From now on, you’re banned from all Pictorial shoots.”

The room fell silent.

Everyone exchanged glances, but no one dared to speak up in front of Manager Wang.

This was the first time Yu Lili had been publicly humiliated. She froze, overwhelmed by shame and anger—especially under Yu Mu’s triumphant gaze.

Amy quickly pulled her outside. “Lili, it’s fine. We work with more than just them.”

The moment they left the studio, Yu Lili’s tears spilled over.

Wiping her eyes, she nodded and told Amy she was fine before retreating to the stairwell to compose herself.

Soon, the heavy fire door creaked open.

Yu Lili turned, her eyes still red.

The glamorous star stood there, a cigarette between her fingers, heels clicking as she approached. “You have something to say to me, don’t you?”

Yu Lili sniffled. “I have nothing to say. I just think it’s ridiculous to embarrass yourself by posing with a pig in a British-style shoot.”

Yu Mu exhaled a slow smoke ring, lips curving. “You overthink things. I’d never mistreat my dear little sister.”