He Yining let out a bitter laugh. "Grandma, Lan Lan is my sister!"
"She doesn't bear the He surname!" Old Madam He snorted coldly. "I don't have a granddaughter like her!"
He Yining felt helpless. "Grandma, are you worried about Xiao Qi's competition? I'll send you Xiao Qi's test questions and answers later, alright?"
"Don't change the subject on me." Old Madam He's tone was firm. "I don't oppose you being filial to your mother, but does that mean I, as your grandmother, don't matter to you anymore?"
"On my honor, how would I dare?" He Yining sighed repeatedly. "Grandma, please don't make things difficult for me. The competition has just started; let's wait and see. I've already spoken with the organizing committee—this competition will be handled fairly, and no one dares to cheat in secret!"
"Hmph, that's more like it." Old Madam He's voice softened slightly. "Alright, I have nothing else. Just reminding you not to favor that Cui Yuelan!"
"Yes, yes, absolutely not! I promise!" He Yining quickly gave his assurance.
After hanging up, He Yining wisely handed his phone to Xiao Chun. "Unless it's extremely urgent, tell everyone I'm not here!"
"Yes, President." Xiao Chun took the phone and left.
He Yining continued to intently study Shen Qi's test paper. Even if he couldn't see her now, seeing her answers was still comforting.
After eating, Shen Qi and Liu Yi took a stroll outside to digest their food. Liu Yi then insisted on dragging Shen Qi to watch her practice boxing.
The hotel's fitness room had a boxing area, and Liu Yi was thrilled when she heard about it, determined to take Shen Qi there to see her train.
Since Shen Qi had nothing else to do, she agreed.
Chatting and laughing, they returned to their room to change clothes.
Before they could enter, Cui Yuelan suddenly shrieked, "Shen Qi, have you no shame? You're going into a man's room?"
Shen Qi was baffled. When had she ever entered a man's room?
Before she could react, Liu Yi coldly shot back, "Miss Cui, mind your own business."
With that, Liu Yi pulled Shen Qi into the room.
Shen Qi was still confused. "That Cui Yuelan really has issues. This is our own room—why can't I come in?"
Liu Yi laughed heartily. "Who cares about her? As long as we're comfortable and happy, that's enough!"
Shen Qi nodded, quickly changed into workout clothes, and headed to the fitness room with Liu Yi.
Cui Yuelan was in her room, smashing things in a rage. "That Shen Qi is such a slut! Shameless! Going into a man's room and still acting like she's in the right! Hmph! She hasn't even divorced Yining yet, and she's already flirting around during the competition. Disgusting!"
Jiang Xiao Jiang winced as she watched Cui Yuelan destroy those items, thinking how nice it would be if they were hers.
Cui Yuelan smashed everything except the gifts from He Yining. She couldn't bear to part with them, and she didn't dare. If she broke something he gave her, he might never give her anything again.
Shen Qi and Liu Yi changed into their sportswear and went to the fitness room.
By then, quite a few people were already there.
Liu Yi warmed up and said to Shen Qi, "Xiao Qi, watch me box later and see how cool I look!"
Shen Qi smiled and nodded. "Sure."
Liu Yi flashed a handsome grin and pulled Shen Qi into the boxing room.
The boxing room was simple, filled with punching bags.
Liu Yi picked one suited to her weight and started training without hesitation.
Normally, Liu Yi was sunny and handsome, but once she started boxing, she became focused and serious, her eyes sharp, making her already androgynous features even more striking.
Shen Qi stood nearby, holding water and a towel, smiling as she waited.
After finishing with the bag, Liu Yi was drenched in sweat, her short hair completely soaked and standing up defiantly.
Shen Qi couldn't help saying, "If I didn't know you were a woman, I think I'd fall for you."
Liu Yi laughed. "A lot of women have said that to me, but hearing it from you makes me especially happy."
"Why am I special?" Shen Qi asked playfully.
"Because you blush the easiest!" Liu Yi ran over and pinched Shen Qi's cheek, affectionate and natural. "Who wouldn't like a girl who blushes so easily?"
"Annoying." Shen Qi shot her a playful glare.
A server behind the door captured this scene with her phone and instantly sent it to He Yining.
Though contestants couldn't bring phones, no one had banned servers from using theirs!
Unable to see Shen Qi, He Yining had come up with this plan to have a hotel server secretly snap photos of her.
This time, it was a disaster.
When He Yining saw the photo, he nearly lost it.
Why?
In the photo, Liu Yi had her back to the camera, while Shen Qi was fully visible.
They were looking at each other—one with a tender, lowered gaze, the other smiling brightly.
And that person dared to pinch Shen Qi's cheek, and Shen Qi was laughing happily!
He Yining was furious.
What did this mean?
They weren't divorced yet!
He hadn't agreed to it!
And Shen Qi was already looking at another man during the competition?
No, he had to find out who this man was!
Was he more handsome than him?
Impossible!
Besides Shen Lu, no other man in the world could make him feel threatened in terms of looks!
Unhappy, very unhappy.
Thinking that his little angel was now being coveted by another man, He Yining's heart felt like it was being clawed by a cat, restless and agonizing.
He Yining directly called the hotel and used his influence to secure the most luxurious suite.
He wanted to see up close which clueless brat dared to snatch food from a tiger's mouth—no, dared to compete with him for a woman!
Shen Qi handed water to Liu Yi and personally wiped her sweat. "Do you train like this every day?"
"Yeah." Liu Yi nodded. "I'm used to it. I love boxing."
"I can tell. You really have to love it for this. I'm way out of my league." Shen Qi tossed the towel into the bin for cleaning and walked over to a treadmill next to the boxing area, starting at a slow pace.
Liu Yi dragged a chair over and sat down, watching Shen Qi gradually speed up. "For you, this level of exercise is enough. A delicate little beauty like you—if I built up muscles like mine, it wouldn't suit you. If I were a man in my next life and I wasn't gay, you'd be safe marrying me!"
With that, Liu Yi flexed her arm, showing off her biceps, looking incredibly cool.
Cui Yuelan walked in and saw this scene.
A sweat-soaked Liu Yi with impressive muscles was showing off her biceps to Shen Qi, who was running on the treadmill.
The image was incredibly warm.
Cui Yuelan hadn't expected Liu Yi, who looked so slender, to actually have muscles.
Hmph, she should have taken a photo of this to use against Shen Qi later!
What a shame!
Shen Qi didn't notice Cui Yuelan enter. Hearing Liu Yi's comment, she laughed. "Well, I guess I have no chance in this life. In the next, if you still remember me, I'll marry you!"
It was just a joke between two girls.
But to Cui Yuelan, it meant something entirely different.
She was almost certain that Shen Qi had fallen for someone else and was only waiting for the divorce to make a move.
Hmph, slut!
Even though Shen Qi's infidelity would benefit her, Cui Yuelan couldn't stand seeing Shen Qi so happy.
Anything Shen Qi liked, she had to destroy.
Everything! Destroy it!
Cui Yuelan deliberately walked past Liu Yi and stood on the treadmill next to Shen Qi.
Shen Qi glanced at her, noticing her heavy makeup.
Wearing that much makeup to run?
Was she sure about that?
Wasn't she afraid it would smudge into a panda face?
Cui Yuelan kept glancing at Liu Yi, but Liu Yi didn't even look her way, which only annoyed her more.
Just then, someone ran in and shouted to everyone in the fitness room, "Everyone, head to the meeting room! The organizing committee has an announcement!"
Hearing the committee's call, everyone rushed back, took quick showers, and gathered in the meeting room.
Each hotel housed several hundred people, so the large meeting room was packed.
Every sub-venue was assembled, and Shen Qi felt something was off.
Liu Yi whispered to her, "I feel like something's about to happen."
Shen Qi nodded. "Let's wait and see. There are so many of us here."
At that moment, several committee members appeared and signaled for everyone to quiet down.
Thousands fell silent instantly, all eyes on the committee members, waiting for their announcement.
"Today's preliminary round is over, leaving over three thousand people for the first test. Originally, we planned to hold the first test at a designated location, but the provincial weather station has issued a gale warning and a heavy rain warning, so we'll conduct the first test inside the hotel," the committee head explained. "Starting tomorrow, each hotel's meeting room will serve as the competition venue. Every sub-venue will be broadcast live to the main venue's LED screen, where the judges will score the results."
The crowd erupted in murmurs.
"Please, everyone, stay calm. Although the venue has changed, the content remains the same. Just focus on your performance," the committee member continued. "We hope everyone can advance to the finals and meet with the CEOs of major companies to discuss your dreams."
The crowd burst into applause.