Li Haojie said angrily, "You're the one who is mad! You humiliate the music and mess around here! You're over the line! I'm telling you now, I'll never get together with you again!" 

Zhen Shanmei was still puzzled. 

She frowned and stared at the man who was so familiar yet so strange to her at the same time. 

She had never thought that this man would become so ugly and pathetic in front of her after she decided to give him up entirely. 

She wanted to scold him but she did not know how to do so, and so, she turned to look at Ning Meng with a pleading look.

Ning Meng took a single step forward. As expected, she stood in front of Zhen Shanmei and laughed sarcastically. "Li Haojie, just how smug are you? Why do you have such high regard for yourself? Or did you think that you are the sun and the earth will revolve around you? I'm telling you, get over it. People won't go near you even if you're a fresh flower!"

 She spoke ceaselessly with her small mouth, rooting Li Haojie to the spot with her scolding.

The look of disdain on Zhen Shanmei's face stung his pride as well. 

Did she not come for him this time around?

Li Haojie became angry. He could only shout at Lin Qingbei. "You truly put shame on your ident.i.ty as a musician! How could you cooperate with a fool who knows nothing about music just to advance further in your career? Are you sure about that?" 

Lin Qingbei raised his chin proudly and then said, "Don't talk nonsense here if you're a man! Let's meet during the match!" 

Li Haojie responded angrily. "Sure!" 

Ning Meng was watching them from the side. Rolling her eyes, she said, "Let's make a bet! Both of you are musicians. The one who is defeated needs to upload a Weibo status based on what is requested of him by the winner. Li Haojie, are you brave enough to accept this challenge?"

Li Haojie was excited and nervous. He laughed sarcastically when he heard that. "What is there to be afraid of? I'll accept the challenge. How could Lin Qingbei defeat me when he has Zhen Shanmei with him?" 

Zhen Shanmei had never sung in front of him. He had asked her before but she had claimed that she was not good at singing and would always sing off-key. 

Thus, it was impossible that he would be defeated!

***

The match would be carried out in a week. 

After making the bet, Zhen Shanmei worked very hard. She practiced relentlessly with Lin Qingbei in the soundproof room which was prepared by the crew. 

Two days pa.s.sed by and without further ado, they were in the set. 

It was noon and everyone was rather tired, and so, they took a two-hour rest. 

Zhen Shanmei was having a video call with her father who was away on business. She held up her phone and showed the practice room to her father. "Dad, can you see that? The surroundings are just fine, I'm not having a difficult time here. Don't worry!" 

Papa Zhen nodded his head. "Fine. As long as you're happy." 

Zhen Shanmei nodded her head. Suddenly, she saw somebody behind her father. A couple was having an argument. The woman cried and threw herself into the man's embrace, and they entered the private room while dragging and pulling at each other. 

The man's face darkened. He turned around and she could see his face clearly. Why did he seem quite familiar to her?

She paused for a while. Then, she asked, "Dad, where are you?" 

Papa Zhen said, "I'm in the hotel."

After that, somebody pa.s.sed by her father's side, talking on the phone. "Don't worry. The girl I arranged for Huo Beichen is just the type he likes. I saw them entering the room in a rush just now!"

Zhen Shanmei was shocked. 

***

At that moment, Ning Meng was tidying up the room in the mansion. She felt as though she was just like a hardworking bee. 

Hmm. She wasn't tidying up the room because Huo Beichen was going to return home that day... It was surely not because of that.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. 

She walked over to the door wondering who could it be. Soon after, she saw Zhen Shanmei standing outside. 

Ning Meng was puzzled. "Why are you here?"

Zhen Shanmei seemed rather awkward at the same time. She held up a new green Chanel handbag and handed it to her. "Here you are. This is for you."

Ning Meng was speechless.