164: Chapter 165 Why did it take so long to sign the contract? Something must have happened.

Inside Leng Ba's apartment, time ticked away second by second.

The chattering about photo editing that had previously filled the living room had long since died down, replaced by a subtle silence.

The young women were either sitting or lying down, but their minds were clearly no longer on their phone screens.

Nazha looked toward the door for the Nth time, then glanced down at her phone, unable to help muttering, "Why has Leng Ba been gone for so long? Signing a contract… does it really take this long?"

These words were like a pebble tossed into a calm lake, stirring up ripples.

Li Xibing and Zhu Xudan exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with the same speculation and a hint of imperceptible envy.

They weren't naive little girls; when a man summoned a beautiful woman to his hotel room in the dead of night, and she hadn't returned after over an hour of "signing a contract," what that meant was practically self-evident.

Da Mimi leaned lazily against the armrest of the sofa, taking in the expressions of everyone present.

Her tone was relaxed and natural as she casually remarked, "I guess there were a lot of contract details that needed careful checking, or… maybe Jiang Jing had some other temporary matters to attend to. Leng Ba is a diligent girl, so she might have just gotten held up."

She paused, her gaze sweeping pointedly over the group, her voice slowing down with a hint of warning: "Let's not make wild guesses. We shouldn't let any rumors spread; it wouldn't be good for Leng Ba. She is our good sister, after all."

The meaning behind these words couldn't be clearer: know the truth in your hearts, but keep your mouths shut and don't talk about it outside.

As Leng Ba's fellow townsman and friend, Nazha immediately stated, "Sister Mi is right. Leng Ba must be busy with important business. Let's not overthink it, and let's not talk nonsense."

Although she felt sour inside, the desire to protect her friend took precedence.

Tong Liya sat on a single-seat sofa, holding a water glass. She appeared to be drinking quietly, but the corner of her mouth twitched imperceptibly.

Important business? I'm afraid she went to do some "real" business!

She cursed inwardly, "That guy Jiang Jing! He just… yesterday… and today he's already making a move on Leng Ba! I'm truly speechless."

An indescribable bitterness and the feeling of being outdone spread through her heart.

"Mm, got it, Sister Mi."

"Don't worry, we understand."

"We won't talk about it."

Li Xibing, Zhu Xudan, and the others nodded one after another, indicating they understood the boundaries.

Their relationship with Leng Ba was indeed good, so naturally, they wouldn't go around spreading gossip about something involving privacy and reputation.

But as for the little schemes in their own hearts, only they themselves knew.

After chatting for a few more minutes, the atmosphere was ultimately not as lively as before, so everyone listlessly prepared to wash up and rest.

They each returned to their temporary rooms.

Da Mimi and Tong Liya were, naturally, sharing one.

Closing the door and shutting out the view from outside, Da Mimi wore a teasing expression.

She leaned in toward Tong Liya, who was brushing her hair, nudged her gently with her elbow, lowered her voice, and winked with a smile:

"Tsk, it looks like our Sister Ya is going to have some competition! This little girl Leng Ba, she's from your hometown and is young and full of energy; I bet she'll be overshadowing you in the future."

Tong Liya looked into the mirror at her own face—still beautiful, but undeniably carrying a hint of mature charm—and smiled self-deprecatingly.

"Overshadowing? How could I compare to a young girl? I'm getting past my prime; once the novelty wears off, I doubt Jiang Jing will even look at me anymore."

"Cut that out!" Da Mimi slapped her playfully.

"You call that having lasting charm; your appeal is at its peak! So many people love this type of mature vibe you have!"

"You've got the figure, the face, and the allure. Young girls can't imitate that kind of vibe. That old lecher Jiang Jing has a huge appetite; I see him as someone who isn't picky about what he eats. He definitely hasn't gotten tired of a dish like you yet!"

As she said this, she deliberately stretched out her "devilish claws" and pinched Tong Liya's pert backside.

"Ah! You're going to be the death of me!"

Tong Liya's face turned bright red instantly, and she slapped away Da Mimi's mischievous hand in embarrassment and annoyance.

"You have no sense of propriety!"

"Hehe, why act all innocent with me?"

Da Mimi chuckled wickedly and teased her a few more times.

The laughter and playfulness diluted some of the subtle jealousy and sense of competition in the room.

The two lay down on the bed and turned off the lights.

In the darkness, each lost in her own thoughts, it was hard to fall asleep for a long time.

The events of tonight were like a pebble tossed into the lake of their hearts, and the ripples stirred up were far from settling.

In the other rooms, Nazha, Li Xibing, Zhu Xudan, and the others were much the same.

All sorts of emotions fermented quietly in the silent night.

For the other actresses in the apartment, Leng Ba's lucky night was destined to be a sleepless one filled with mixed thoughts.

The horn of competition seemed to have been sounded silently on this night.

They couldn't sleep, and it was the same situation over on Leng Ba's side.

The difference was that Leng Ba really wanted to sleep, but she was being pestered relentlessly by that animal Jiang Jing.

She couldn't help but curse those who spouted nonsense in her heart—saying that women were inherently more advantaged than men (specifically in one aspect).

But looking at it now, that was completely not the case.

She was like a tiny boat in the ocean, unable to resist, and could only drift and bob with the waves of the sea…

PS: [Can't hold on anymore, too sleepy. Will continue writing when I wake up tomorrow.]