Chapter 20

Jiang Xuxu also noticed Tong Fei and her group.

She turned to Tong Luo and muttered, “She really is everywhere. How could she still have the nerve to come after you?”

Tong Fei had exposed her weakness during the talent showcase. In essence, she was just some daughter of a rich family who was in the industry to have fun. She did not really join the talent show just to compete.

As for her goal, there was no doubt that she wanted to target Tong Luo.

That alone was enough to make Jiang Xuxu hate her.

Tong Luo’s face darkened.

She knew that no matter where she went, Tong Fei would never let her go.

However, she could not drag the people around her into her mess again.

Just as she was about to step up to Tong Fei and her group, Qi Wu chimed in with a disapproving tone in her voice, “Tong Luo, can you please make way for those whose legs and eyes aren’t working properly? We cannot discriminate against the disabled.”

Jiang Xuxu and Tong Luo had both been rendered speechless.

Qi Wu’s statement instantly caught the attention of Tong Fei.

“Who did you call disabled?” Tong Fei screeched.

Qi Wu tilted her head and calmly said with a sad shake of her head. “I see. Your ears aren’t working well either.”

“Pfft!”

Once more, Jiang Xuxu could not hold back the laughter from bursting from her lips.

The followers standing behind Tong Fei instantly glared at her.

Jiang Xuxu did not care about that now. From the moment she invited Tong Luo to join them for lunch, she was destined to be Tong Fei’s enemy.

Now that she was a character in this drama, she should just let herself enjoy the drama however she liked.

Not even Tong Luo was able to maintain a calm and unsmiling face when she heard what Qi Wu said.

“Qi Wu, right? I’ll remember you.”

Tong Fei was beside herself with fury, yet she could not find anything to attack at all.

After all, Qi Wu had not actually cursed Tong Fei out. In fact, Qi Wu had been very polite. However, those polite words were the very reason Tong Fei was simmering with anger.

With no choice but to take the loss, Tong Fei turned to glare at Tong Luo.

“Are you a coward who only knows to hide behind others now that you have someone to protect you, Tong Luo? Let’s see how long you’ll last strutting around in your arrogance!”

Exasperation flashed in Tong Luo’s eyes.

If not for the Tong family’s support, Tong Fei’s bullying ways would have her being the target of retaliation a long time ago.

Tong Luo did not want anything untoward to happen, so she had always chosen to just let it go.

However, she did not want to let it go or hold back anymore.

“When it comes to arrogantly strutting around, you’re more likely to win the match.”

Tong Luo’s response caused surprise to flash across Tong Fei’s face. However, she soon smiled and said, “What’s this? Do you think you can start over again just because Mr. Song gave you a comment on your performance?”

Taking a few steps forward, she then continued in a hushed voice that blatantly spoke of her sinister intentions, “Don’t even think about using this talent show to start over when I’m around.”

Tong Luo’s face twisted in surprise as her hands suddenly clenched into fists.

This was the one thing she could not tolerate, yet Tong Fei was never willing to compromise, forever pushing further and further into a corner.

Just as Tong Luo’s mind descended into chaos, Qi Wu’s bland voice echoed through her ears. “Tong Luo.”

Qi Wu had snapped Tong Luo out of her stupor.

Stunned, Tong Luo turned to look at Qi Wu.

“Do you know how to insult other people?” Qi Wu solemnly asked.

“Huh?”

Tong Luo was visibly confused.

Qi Wu tilted her head and said in a conflicted and frustrated voice, “While it’s not good to insult another human being, the woman standing in front of you is someone you can shout at.”

It was not good to insult other human beings, but Tong Fei was an acceptable target for insults.

It did not take long before most of the people present understood the implied message hidden in Qi Wu’s words.

Jiang Xuxu, who had completely let go of her self-control, instantly gave Qi Wu a thumbs-up for implying that Tong Fei was not human.

Her silly little angel really was a devil.

She had such a sharp tongue!

The innocent act she put on looked so very realistic. It was honestly such a pity that Qi Wu was not an actress.

“Qi Wu, are you…”

Tong Fei was so infuriated that she started shouting. However, halfway through her sentence, Tong Luo interrupted her.

With icy eyes, Tong Luo looked at Tong Fei and said, “Do you think you can still be here because you have the Tong family supporting you? No. You’re still here because the rules of this production have been protecting you.”

Tong Fei’s face darkened. “What do you mean by that?”

“If not for the rule that forbids contestants from challenging each other, you would have been sent packing as soon as the talent showcase ended just now.”

When Tong Luo said that, she felt a sense of freedom she had never felt before.

Ever since her mother passed away three years ago, she had been so very cautious in everything she did as if she was skating on thin ice.

When Qi Wu told her to insult Tong Fei, she actually felt herself trembling with anticipation.

She really did feel better after insulting Tong Fei.

As for the Tong family’s upcoming act of revenge, they would not interfere with anything at all in the production during filming.

With Song Qi’s power and temper at play along with the three leaders of the entertainment industry being invested in the show, what right did the Tong family have to meddle with the show?

“How dare you, Tong Luo! You actually…”

Tong Fei’s entire body was shaking from fury.

Perhaps it was because Tong Luo had never reacted to her bullying and mocking before, but Tong Fei had self-righteously thought Tong Luo was someone she could push around as she pleased.

It never occurred to her that no one would forever remain a pushover.

The group of girls standing behind Tong Fei glanced at each other, but no one would actually step up to defend Tong Fei. At the end of the day, their friendship was just a superficial lie.

If not for money and power, no one would want to be ordered around by Tong Fei like a maid.

“You’re shaking really badly. I think you should consult a doctor. We wouldn’t want the production team’s reputation to suffer. All right. We need to go now.”

After Tong Luo said that, she walked away with Qi Wu and Jiang Xuxu in tow as the others gazed at her retreating back in admiration.

*

The moment Tong Luo walked out of the cafeteria, her tense muscles suddenly relaxed, nearly causing her to fall over as she walked.

“Phew.”

She heaved a sigh of relief before solemnly looking up at the other two women. Her voice was filled with gratitude and sincerity that had been missing before.

“Thank you so much.”

She did not know what else she could say, but she felt like no matter how many words she said, she could never properly convey the emotions she felt right now.

Jiang Xuxu, who still had a hand holding onto Qi Wu’s arm, smiled in response. “It’s good that you can push past the trauma, but from now on, she will be after you even more. You have to be on your guard against her schemes.”

“I will,” Tong Luo replied.

She had never been delusional enough to ask Tong Fei to leave her be.

Once Jiang Xuxu escorted Qi Wu and Tong Luo back to their villa, she waved farewell before heading back to her room.

Tong Luo turned to Qi Wu with a faint smile spread across her lips. “Let’s rest up.”

At first, Tong Luo had been so wary and guarded against Qi Wu. In just one day, her relationship with Qi Wu had turned into a rather… peculiar state.

Tong Luo watched as the young woman quietly stood by the doorway while also acting like an innocent child and playfully kicked at the tiny stone that had been on the ground next to her feet. Tong Luo could not help but laugh.

Qi Wu had an air of sincerity that touched everyone around her. Who would not be lured in by her?

In response to Tong Luo’s statement, Qi Wu obediently nodded and paused for a moment before asking, “Before turning in for a nap, I need to call my debtholder first.”

Tong Luo was at a loss for words.

While she was not someone who liked to gossip, Qi Wu’s debtholder was truly someone who she desperately wanted to know more about.