C13 The Original Life

Luh Xinxin's long, wavy auburn hair cascaded down her back like a tangle of seaweed. Upon seeing Ann Xiaomin, her sleepy eyes brightened, and she greeted her with a teasing smile.

"Hey, long time no see."

Ann Xiaomin poured herself a glass of water, sprawled out on the couch, and took a sip, looking deeply content.

"You know what they say, 'There's no place like home.' It's true—nothing beats the comfort of your own place."

Xinxin sat across from her, casually tying up her hair, then gently lifted Xiaomin's chin to inspect her face. "Weren't you supposed to be living the high life, pretending to be some big shot? Why do you look so worn out?"

Xiaomin lightly swatted Xinxin's hand away. "Don't even get me started. I'm about ready to drop."

Both Xinxin and Xiaomin were freelance models who met at a show. They hit it off right away and kept running into each other at various events, gradually becoming close friends. Working in the same industry, they looked out for each other, and their friendship naturally blossomed.

Xinxin had originally been living with another girl from the same line of work, but her roommate's chaotic personal life, with different men staying over all the time, became too much. Coincidentally, Xiaomin had just found a new two-bedroom apartment and was looking for a roommate. So, Xinxin moved in.

Now, the two shared everything with each other. Xiaomin trusted Xinxin enough to confide in her about her life, though she kept one secret: she was pretending to be the new wife of Gu Junbai, the CEO of Boyu Group.

"Xiaomin, you're really getting the short end of the stick here. It's bad enough to be stressed out, but having to constantly pretend to be someone you're not? That's exhausting. You might as well just be upfront about it; at least you wouldn't have to act all the time."

Ann Xiaomin knew Luh Xinxin was teasing her, but she still looked pitiful.

"I'm already down in the dumps, can't you at least give me some comfort?"

Luh Xinxin chuckled and moved to sit next to Ann.

"Alright, to make it up to you, I've got some good news. The Yawa brand's summer fashion show is about to start. Two of the models originally scheduled were in a car accident and can't make it. I've been chosen to replace one of them, and they're still looking for another. Are you interested? If you are, I can contact Mr. Lei right now."

Xinxin perked up immediately, as if she had just been given a shot of adrenaline.

"Of course I'm interested! The Yawa brand's summer show is a big deal—a rare chance for fame and fortune. Only a fool would pass it up. Hurry, help me get in touch."

Xinxin called Mr. Lei, who asked her to send over some photos of Ann's previous runway work. After a while, he called back to confirm that Ann was in.

When Ann and Xinxin arrived at the venue for the Yawa brand's fashion show, they couldn't get in at first. Mr. Lei had to come out to meet them. He was a man in his late thirties or early forties, dressed like someone much younger. He was tall and burly, but not particularly good-looking, with a shifty appearance that didn't inspire trust.

"Mr. Lei, this is my good friend, Ann," Luh Xinxin introduced Ann Xiaomin.

"Mr. Lei," Ann greeted him warmly.

Mr. Lei, with his small eyes, stared at Ann from head to toe, making her feel uncomfortable under his gaze.

"Ann, right? Not bad, not bad. You're really quite pretty. With looks like yours, you could be a star. Here, take my card. I'm sure we'll have a chance to work together in the future."