Chapter 51: Bottom Line
Since everyone had drunk, naturally, it was inconvenient to drive, so they called a taxi at the entrance of Youran Cuisine.
Huang Dexing politely asked Tong Wenhai and Mo Fei to go in first. Tong Wenhai got into the car, but just as the driver was about to drive, he suddenly rolled down the window to ask Anran, “Anran, where do you live? You can ride with us if it’s along the way.
Upon hearing this, Huang Dexing and Xiao Xiao, who were standing beside Anran, all turned to stare at her.
Anran responded quickly and waved her hands. “No, no, I’ll just take a taxi home.”
“Let’s go together, it’s not safe for a girl to go back alone,” Tong Wenhai insisted.
“I—” Just as Anran opened her mouth to say something, the phone in her bag started ringing. It was a call from Su Yicheng.
“Are you still outside?” Su Yicheng’s voice sounded a little tired.
Anran nodded and asked, “Yes, have you returned?”
“Me? I just got back and saw that you weren’t home yet.”
“I-I had to do some business entertainment for the company today.”
“Has it ended yet? Did you drink? Should I go pick you up?” Su Yicheng asked.
“Yeah, I drank a little, so I’m afraid I can’t drive.” Anran smiled lightly.
......
“Where is it? I’ll go pick you up,” Su Yicheng asked. Anran even heard the sound of his hands reaching for the keys, and he seemed to be heading out at that moment.
“No, I’ll take a taxi home,” Anran said quickly, not wanting to bother him.
“Address,” Su Yicheng demanded in a firm tone.
“Um, I’m at Youran Cuisine,” Anran answered reflexively.
As soon as he heard this, he hung up the phone without saying anything further.
Anran hung up the phone and turned to see that Tong Wenhai’s car still hadn’t left yet. She told him, “Thank you for your kind offer, Chief Tong, but you really don’t have to worry about me. M-my friend is coming to pick me up.”
Tong Wenhai nodded, then turned to tell the driver to drive away.
“Don’t tell me that Chief Tong is actually interested in you,” Xiao Xiao said icily, and her tone was mean and bitter.
“What did you say?” Anran glanced at her a little irritatedly. She was offended by Xiao Xiao. She could tell that Tong Wenhai was taking special care of her, but that was only because of her mother. Although Anran didn’t know the exact history between him and her mother, her intuition told her that the two of them must have been more than mere acquaintances.
At this time, Huang Dexing’s phone started to ring. It was a call from his wife, telling him to go home.
After he hung up the phone, he asked Anran and Xiao Xiao as a courtesy, “Are any of you going the same way as me? If so, do you want to hitch a ride with me?
“My friend is coming to pick me up,” Anran shook her head and said.
“I’ll ride with Anran. We’re going the same way.” Xiao Xiao said.
Huang Dexing nodded without saying anything further, then got in a taxi and left.
After watching Huang Dexing leave, Xiao Xiao asked, “Is the handsome guy who came to pick you up that day coming today as well?”
“Um.” Anran smiled and nodded. To be honest, she really didn’t want to trouble Su Yicheng, but he insisted on picking her up. She was actually a little touched. It was nice to feel prioritized like this.
Xiao Xiao played with her wavy hair, then said somewhat bitterly, “You seem to have lucked out lately. Weren’t you busy with setting yourself up for blind dates before the break? How did you two fall in love?”
Anran frowned. She didn’t like Xiao Xiao’s tone. She watched the neon lights on the street without answering Xiao Xiao.
Seeing that she didn’t plan on answering, Xiao Xiao lost interest and said mirthfully, “Why don’t we go in and wait? By the way, you don’t mind me hitching a ride with you, right? If you do, then I’ll take a taxi and leave.”
“No, we’re going the same way anyway,” Anran said indifferently, then turned into the hall and sat down by the window, so she could get a bird’s eye view of when Su Yicheng’s car arrived.
Xiao Xiao leaned on the seat opposite Anran, and she had an aloof expression on her face. After sipping on the tea the waiter had served them, she said nonchalantly, “Don’t tell me that you can’t tell that Chief Tong is interested in you.”
Upon hearing this, Anran was enraged, and she turned her head to look at her straight in the eye, then said, “Xiao Xiao, I don’t like the way you are talking about this. Everyone has a bottom line. Please don’t cross my line. There are some things that you simply can’t say, and just because I don’t say anything doesn’t mean I’m not offended.”
Xiao Xiao froze, then started laughing. “Why be such a bore? I’m just kindly reminding you, that’s all. It’s up to you whether or not you want to listen.”
“Thank you, but I think you’re overthinking it. It’s not as complicated as you think,” Anran replied icily.
Xiao Xiao shrugged indifferently and said, “I hope.” Then, as if she suddenly thought of something, she said mirthfully: “But that Mo Fei is definitely interested in you. I saw him touching your hands.”
Anran blushed, then turned her head away. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Really?” Xiao Xiao smiled as she watched her, yet what Anran didn’t notice was the jealousy and disdainfulness hidden in that smile.
Anran looked outside. The night was misty, and the streets flashed with neon lights. Jiang City was even busier at night than during the day.
Xiao Xiao also turned her head to look outside. With her hands on her chin, and the corners of her mouth slightly curled, she appeared especially seductive.
When Su Yicheng got off the taxi, he immediately caught sight of Anran sitting by the window. She appeared to be in deep contemplation. Although her eyes were looking toward his direction, she seemed to look right past him without noticing him at all.
Su Yicheng smiled as he shook his head, then stepped forward and walked toward Youran Cuisine.
Xiao Xiao saw him the instant he got out of his car. He was truly an eye-catching man. With his extraordinarily good looks and irresistible aura, it was difficult not to notice him. His only Achilles heel was his status, otherwise, he would have been worthy prey.
Su Yicheng approached them, and only then did he notice Xiao Xiao sitting opposite Anran. He had a vague impression of her. He remembered encountering her at Anran’s company gates that day and remembered that she was Anran’s colleague. He smiled and nodded toward her courteously.
Xiao Xiao, raising her eyebrows slightly, stood up gracefully while flipping her hair. She gazed at him seductively, then stretched out her hand and said with a smile, “Xiao Xiao.”
“Su Yicheng.” Su Yicheng reached out and held her hand briefly out of courtesy, then quickly retracted his hand. Paying no further attention to Xiao Xiao, he turned to look at the woman sitting by the window daydreaming, and he shook his head in amusement.
Xiao Xiao glared at that man with disbelief. Her beauty had always been her number one pride. There had never been any man capable of ignoring her—except for Mo Fei, he was the only other one!
“Gu Anran, are you still daydreaming?” Su Yicheng said with amusement.
Upon hearing this, Anran suddenly came back to her senses to see that Su Yicheng was standing behind her at that moment and watching her with amusement.
She shot up and exclaimed, “You’re here!” Anran felt inexplicably yet pleasantly surprised at his arrival.
Su Yicheng tucked away the stray hair on her forehead and said with a smile, “Yeah, I’ve come to pick up my wife to return home.”
Anran smiled bashfully and blushed. Although she was still not quite used to it, the way he called her his wife was sweet and endearing in her eyes.
Su Yicheng grabbed her bag from her seat and said, “Give me the car keys. I’ll drive. Wait for me at the door.”
Anran nodded and passed the car keys to him.
After watching Su Yicheng’s erect figure walk out first, Xiao Xiao turned her head to see the sweet look on Anran’s face, and an inexplicable sense of jealousy rose up inside of her. There was not even the slightest hint of a smile on her face as she asked, “You two are living together?”
Anran glanced at her with her cheeks flushed, then she nodded without speaking. Since they were already married, it was natural for them to live together. Anran didn’t feel like explaining anything to her, and she didn’t care what Xiao Xiao thought about it either.
“That’s some fast progress,” Xiao Xiao said in a disdainful and contemptuous tone.
Anran shot her a look, yet instead of answering her, she simply said, “Let’s go. We’ll take you home first.”
“No need, I’ll take a taxi back home.” Xiao Xiao refused curtly, then grabbed her bag and turned around to leave.
Anran watched her leave and couldn’t help but feel befuddled by Xiao Xiao’s unfathomable rage.
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