The moment the words "Sister Yinyin" hit her ears, Qiao Yinyin swallowed whatever she'd been about to say.
She'd been ready to fire back at Bai Xiaoxiao—she'd never been the type to swallow insults.
But with an outsider present,
a soft smile instantly blossomed across Qiao Yinyin's face,
as though the little spat with Bai Xiaoxiao had never happened.
She nodded warmly to Peng Shiqi.
'Hi there, Shiqi. Just call me Yinyin—I'm still in college,' she said, sweet and friendly.
As she spoke, Qiao Yinyin shot Bai Xiaoxiao a pointed look.
Bai Xiaoxiao caught the cue at once.
'That's right, Shiqi—Yinyin's actually the same age as me,' she chirped, sweet as a freshly unwrapped candy.
She even drifted naturally closer to Qiao Yinyin.
'Look at Yinyin's hanfu today—gorgeous, so classy, perfect for tonight's intangible-heritage theme. She always knows how to dress.'
Qiao Yinyin smiled, reached out, and lightly brushed Bai Xiaoxiao's hair tips,
playing affection.
'Your look's stunning too—pure yet flirty, the perfect Rongcheng Sweetheart vibe. Your male fans online will be lining up to buy you dinner.'
Jiang Cheng stood to the side, watching the two girls trade polished compliments.
He couldn't help chuckling and shaking his head.
These two could really put on a show in front of outsiders.
So "well-behaved" that a stranger might think they were real sisters.
If the guy standing here were an ordinary one, the girls would already be clawing at each other,
and they wouldn't care about saving his face.
So yes—being rich is nice.
However unhappy the girls felt inside, they wouldn't dare vent at him, let alone embarrass him in front of others.
Just then the event coordinator walked over.
Seeing the three girls circling Jiang Cheng, he asked curiously,
'Excuse me, who is this…?'
All three answered in perfect unison: 'He's our boss at Xingchen Media.'
'Huh? You're the boss of Xingchen Media?'
The staffer was instantly stunned.
His polite question had been meant to find out if Jiang Cheng was a friend so he could give him a guest seat.
He'd never imagined the man was actually the boss.
Seeing the coordinator's bewildered expression, Jiang Cheng said, 'Don't worry about me—I'm just here to look around.'
'Um… please wait a moment; I'll report to the organizers.'
'No need—see to their arrangements first.'
Hearing this, the coordinator nodded hastily, then smiled at the three girls.
'Yinyin, Xiaoxiao, Shiqi, everything's ready over there. Will you go together or separately?'
Qiao Yinyin flashed a perfect smile at Jiang Cheng. 'Dar… then we'll head over now.'
When Jiang Cheng nodded, Qiao Yinyin quickly caught Bai Xiaoxiao's wrist.
'Let's go together; we can run through the flow on the way.'
Her grip was gentle but left no room for refusal.
Bai Xiaoxiao squeezed back, eyes curving in a smile. 'Sure—I've got a few things I'd love to ask you about, Yinyin.'
Chatting and laughing, they strolled off discussing makeup, outfits, and the event schedule, sounding perfectly harmonious.
To anyone unaware, the two actresses seemed the best of friends.
Even Peng Shiqi, trailing behind, felt dazed.
A few days earlier she'd watched Chen Yating, Wang Congcong's girlfriend, humiliate Li Man firsthand.
She'd seen how badly Li Man had been shredded.
So when she received luxury gifts from Jiang Cheng, Peng Shiqi felt a pang of dread.
She didn't want to be treated the same way.
Yet Bai Xiaoxiao and Qiao Yinyin were acting like sisters.
It felt almost surreal.
While Qiao Yinyin, Bai Xiaoxiao, and Peng Shiqi went to rehearse, a staffer led Jiang Cheng to a waiting room on the other side.
He didn't object; backstage was chaotic with performers, and there was nowhere quiet to scroll on his phone.
As he followed the staffer, two groups happened to meet at the lounge door.
Looking closer, he saw An Xin walking in with a middle-aged man in a Zhongshan suit.
They were heading toward the lounge escorted by a staff member.
Meanwhile, a cluster of middle-aged men in suits stood at the lounge entrance.
Their outfits screamed civil service.
The moment they spotted An Xin, they hurried forward.
'President An, Miss An, thank you so much for taking time from your busy schedules to join our event!' the leader said, beaming.
At that, Jiang Cheng's heart skipped.
So the refined, Zhongshan-clad man before him was An Xin's father—An Jingsheng.