Chapter 159: 159. Chapter 159: Can I join you?

159. Chapter 159: Can I join you?

After Li Xinran left, only Liu Shishi, Lin Yeman, and "Shen Huai" remained in the training room.

The surroundings were terrifyingly quiet, with only the faint sound of the air conditioning, as if it were amplifying Liu Shishi's uneasy heartbeat at this moment.

She secretly sized up "Shen Huai" and discovered that he was sizing her up with great interest.

That gaze was as deep as a bottomless lake, making her want to flee.

"Team Leader Lin, why did you help me?" Liu Shishi finally gathered the courage to ask, her voice as small as a mosquito's hum.

Lin Yeman crossed her arms and leaned against the table, a hint of playfulness in her eyes: "What, are you afraid I have ulterior motives?"

"No, it's not that..." Liu Shishi hurriedly waved her hands to deny it, though a blush spread across her face.

Lin Yeman chuckled, reached out to pat Liu Shishi on the shoulder, and said with a teasing tone: "Don't worry, I'm not exactly a good person, but I won't bully a newcomer for no reason. Besides, I only helped you for the sake of Shen Huai, so don't you forget his kindness."

Liu Shishi was stunned for a moment and subconsciously turned to look at "Shen Huai," only to see him smile slightly without saying a word.

"For the sake of Shen Huai?" Liu Shishi muttered to herself, while a stormy sea surged in her heart.

What exactly is the relationship between Lin Yeman and Shen Huai? Why would Lin Yeman help her for the sake of Shen Huai?

Liu Shishi's heart was a tangled mess.

She recalled how overbearing Lin Yeman had been toward Li Xinran just now, and the tenderness that occasionally appeared when she looked at "Shen Huai," and a bold guess suddenly popped into her mind.

"Team Leader Lin, you..."

Liu Shishi bit her lip, hesitated for a moment, and still asked, "Do you like Shen Huai?"

"Cough, cough..."

Lin Yeman was choked by Liu Shishi's sudden question, and her originally nonchalant expression instantly became somewhat unnatural.

Her eyes flickered as she avoided Liu Shishi's gaze, and she gave two dry laughs: "What are you saying? General Manager Shen and I are just ordinary friends, don't talk nonsense."

"But..." Liu Shishi wanted to say something else, but was rudely interrupted by Lin Yeman.

"Alright, stop gossiping and hurry out! Otherwise, someone will get anxious in a moment."

As Lin Yeman said this, she raised her eyebrows at Shen Huai and turned to leave the private room with a smile.

Watching Lin Yeman's hurriedly departing back, Liu Shishi became even more certain of her guess.

The more Lin Yeman tried to cover it up, the more it showed that she had something to hide.

But would Shen Huai like a woman like Lin Yeman? Liu Shishi shook her head, shaking this absurd thought out of her mind.

No matter what, this was a matter between them.

She had nothing to do with Shen Huai now, so what right did she have to ask about his private affairs?

Liu Shishi took a deep breath, trying to calm her restless emotions, exited the private room, and walked toward the corner.

In the corner.

Su Meng, Luo Xiaoya, Tong Yue, and others were sitting in front of the bar, boredly scrolling through their phones.

Seeing Liu Shishi walk over carrying the mask, they immediately swarmed over excitedly.

"Shishi, are you okay? That crazy woman didn't do anything to you, did she?"

As soon as Su Meng saw Liu Shishi, she immediately greeted her nervously, looking her up and down as if confirming whether she was missing any arms or legs.

"I'm fine, Team Leader Lin helped me out of the situation." Liu Shishi managed to squeeze out a smile; her mind was now full of the mysterious relationship between Shen Huai and Lin Yeman, and she really had no mood to deal with Su Meng's solicitous inquiries.

"Team Leader Lin? Why would she help you?" Luo Xiaoya raised her meticulously groomed eyebrows, her tone full of disdain, "Could it be that you said some nice things to butter her up?"

Liu Shishi couldn't be bothered to explain and just replied flatly: "You're overthinking it."

"That woman in the clown mask was Li Xinran."

"What?! It was her!"

Everyone exclaimed. Although they didn't have many opportunities to interact with these artists on a daily basis due to the different nature of their departments.

But the impression Li Xinran had given them from her debut until now was quite independent and clear-headed; she didn't look like a short-sighted shrew at all. Could this Liu Shishi be making things up?

"Are you sure it was Li Xinran? You didn't see wrong, did you?" Tong Yue frowned and questioned.

"It's true, I swear." Liu Shishi unscrewed a bottle of water and took a sip to calm her nerves before briefly and concisely telling everyone what had just happened in the private room.

After hearing Liu Shishi's account, everyone's expressions became even more shocked in an instant.

"Tsk tsk tsk, as expected, there's a lot of gossip in wealthy families. Didn't I say that wealthy families aren't that easy to enter?"

"I didn't expect our Team Leader Lin, who usually looks charming and graceful, to have such thunderous methods at a critical moment. I had only heard that she was good at disciplining artists, but I didn't expect her to be this ruthless."

"It's a must! There are no soft characters among women who are successful in their careers! Team Leader Lin's slap was truly satisfying." Su Meng's eyes flashed with a hint of envy.

Tong Yue secretly rolled her eyes in disdain.

"What's there to envy? Isn't this just workplace bullying in disguise?" She snorted coldly and mocked.

It's estimated that Li Xinran herself didn't expect that she had gained everything she has now by relying on the popularity of workplace bullying, only to end up being bitten back and truly suffering from workplace bullying.

To a certain extent, it could be considered a closed loop.

Just as everyone was chattering, a commotion came from the center of the dance floor.

Tong Yue looked up and saw that Lin Yeman and Shen Huai had put their masks back on and walked out of the private room.

The two danced gracefully in the center of the dance floor, becoming the focus of the entire venue.

"Wow! It's Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask! This pair is so shippable!"

"Ahhh! My girlish heart! I have to take a picture and post it on Moments!"

"Oh my god! They dance so well! It's like they walked right out of a manga!"

The surrounding exclamations and screams rose one after another, almost drowning out Tong Yue.

Watching that dazzling pair in the center of the dance floor, she almost crushed the stem of the glass in her hand.

A deep sense of bitterness welled up in her heart.

Why? Why did she exhaust all her strength, yet still only stand in the corner, silently watching him shine brilliantly with someone else?

Just then, the ballroom doors let out a dull "creak—" sound.

A girl dressed in a magnificent, glossy black evening gown walked slowly from the entrance into the dance floor.

Her jet-black long hair draped over her shoulders, her exquisite makeup set off her skin as fair as jade, and a light of confidence flickered in her clear, bright eyes.

In an instant, everyone's gaze turned toward her in unison.

This girl was actually wearing a "Pretty Girl" mask identical to Lin Yeman's.

Two "Pretty Girls"! "Thrilling! Isn't every mask at a masquerade ball supposed to be one-of-a-kind? How could two identical ones appear?"

"Now there's a show to watch. There are two 'Pretty Girls' now, but there is only one Tuxedo Mask—the ultimate choice between two!"

"What choice between two? Only children make choices!"

"..."

Listening to the surrounding discussions, Lin Yeman's dance steps also came to a halt.

Without even needing to think, there could be no one else before her wearing the exact same mask as her but Yang Lan.

Yang Lan was seen smiling slightly at the crowd and walking up to Shen Huai.

She reached out her hand and said in a tone that was almost bewitching, "Sir, may I join you?" (End of chapter)