Chapter 127: Relative
“A real man keeps his word like it’s set in stone. How can words spoken be taken back with regret? I don’t care! We’re just friends!”
“But I’m not a real man.”
“…”
If she kept talking like this, not only would they fail to be friends, but they might directly turn into enemies.
Qiao Yuan had a mournful face and really couldn’t figure it out. Clearly, after the incident with the thugs intercepting them, he could clearly sense her changed view of him.
Clearly, on the day he was discharged from the hospital, they ran into each other in the canteen and had a pretty pleasant conversation. How did it suddenly make her avoid him, even with an attitude colder than before?
Could it be just because of his confession?
From childhood to now, Qiao Yuan had truly never encountered a woman like Su Ning, who was impossible to figure out or see through, and yet the more like this, the more irresistible she became.
Rubbing the goosebumps that suddenly rose on her arm, Su Ning felt that if this person kept looking at her with such a weird gaze, let alone not being able to eat, her fist would harden uncontrollably!
Noticing her little movement, Yan Bei stood up and came behind her, using his broad shoulders to completely block Qiao Yuan’s gaze.
“You, get out of the way…”
Yan Bei, who had completely cooled his expression, had an indescribable sense of oppression about him.
Even without speaking, just looking at you with that extremely indifferent gaze made an inexplicable chill surge from the bottom of one’s heart.
Having fought Fu Jiaming several times, Qiao Yuan knew that since this person was his friend, his skills probably weren’t much worse.
He… even with Chen Baisi behind him, the two of them together might not be able to take him!
But leaving so dejectedly like this was really hard to swallow, and he even less wanted to lose face in front of Su Ning.
Besides, they were all men—how could he not see that this guy had feelings for Su Ning?
Hah, pfft, hiding behind the guise of being friends…
Damn it! He had been too hasty!
If he had known Su Ning was neither soft nor hard to persuade, rejecting confessions outright and immediately drawing distance, why hadn’t he learned to start as friends first, to get the advantage of proximity?
His cheeks were nearly twitching from his tightly clenched teeth. Qiao Yuan was both regretful and angry, but fortunately, realizing it now wasn’t too late.
Controlling his temper that was about to explode, he flashed a provocative smile at the person coldly watching him from across.
‘The future is long. Can you, from outside the factory, have more opportunities than me?’
After completely sobering up and figuring it out, Qiao Yuan immediately changed his strategy. Even with someone in between, he didn’t mind. Instead, he tiptoed and turned his head to look at Su Ning.
“Su Ning, then I won’t disturb you and your friend eating. I’ve thought it through—even if we can’t be partners, we can still be good friends, right? You don’t have to avoid me like this tomorrow. I mean it!”
“It’s good that you can think it through.”
As for friends or not, that would depend on the situation later.
Su Ning wasn’t a fool to take whatever others said as truth, especially after these days of entanglement. She actually felt very repulsed inside toward someone like Qiao Yuan, who was somewhat obsessive and wouldn’t stop until he achieved his goal.
If she were interested, this relentless pursuit could be seen as deep affection. But since she truly had no interest, it was just an annoying entanglement she couldn’t shake off.
Deep down, she coldly snorted. Yan Bei didn’t miss the glint that flashed in his eyes.
Seeing that after he finished speaking, he truly didn’t pester further and turned to leave very straightforwardly, both of them couldn’t help but relax inwardly.
“Su Ning, don’t mind him anymore. Eat more.”
“Okay.”
Sitting back down in his seat, Yan Bei picked up his chopsticks again. “Jiaming said this guy is a notorious playboy who always uses sweet talk and flattery to specially deceive little girls.”
“Deceive?”
“Chasing someone, dating for just a couple days then breaking up—what is that if not deception?”
Yan Bei didn’t think there was anything wrong with badmouthing a rival behind their back. Besides, he hadn’t exaggerated or made anything up—these were really things Jiaming had grumbled about in front of him before.
“Hehe~”
Although he hadn’t said it outright, his intention was too obvious. Su Ning was amused by this rare gossipy look of his.
“Rest assured, I won’t be deceived. He’s not my ideal partner.”
“…”
There was a little interlude midway, but they still finished this lunch quite satisfactorily.
Sending her to the textile factory gate, Yan Bei stood in place watching her gradually receding back until she was completely out of sight before turning to leave.
The afternoon office still only had her and Hu Yong.
After fermenting, the matter between Tang Tian and Qin Jianjun, carrying a scandalous color that everyone loved to hear as gossip, had spread even more boisterously.
In just a short while, one wave after another came, all openly or covertly making excuses to come to the Purchasing Department to probe for news.
Su Ning busied herself with the report at hand while listening to and watching this ‘lively scene’ that temporarily wouldn’t quiet down, her mood neither good nor bad.
…
South Gate First Street, Su Family Small Courtyard.
Xiao Lian, alone at home, was initially a bit unaccustomed, but just as she herself had said.
At home, she often stayed by herself quietly too. Once she settled down, with Little Round Circle’s company, she really didn’t find the time hard to pass.
With work in her eyes, besides helping Su Ning clean and tidy up inside and outside the house, she also watered and fertilized the flowers and plants, fruit trees, and vegetable seedlings in the yard.
That flower wall currently in full bloom was something any woman would like upon seeing, so it naturally received her special care.
Using a ladder, she picked off the somewhat withered and yellowed leaves at the top of the wall, then carefully moved the flower buds squeezed inside the vines that couldn’t emerge to better positions.
Busy for half a day, aside from missing her family a bit, Xiao Lian didn’t feel tired at all. On the contrary, she was quite happy.
The smiles occasionally showing on her face still looked so terrifying and scary to outsiders, but her family, who knew her well, would certainly discern that the sparkle in her eyes finally had warmth.
“Dong dong dong~”
The sudden knock on the door interrupted Xiao Lian, who was busy looking for more work to do.
“Woof woof~”
Bending down to scratch Little Round Circle’s chin, Xiao Lian remembered Su Ning’s reminder before leaving and didn’t open the door or even ask who it was.
Sister Su had said that people from her neighbor brother’s house all had keys to the home and knew she was at work during the day, so they wouldn’t come at this time.
Friends were also busy with their own work. If there was really an emergency, they would go to the factory to find her, so if someone knocked, don’t make a sound or pay attention.
“Dong dong~”
“Xiao Lian? Are you in?”
“Mom?”
Although surprised, hearing the familiar voice of family, Xiao Lian couldn’t help but joyfully trot over.
Quickly arriving at the door, she removed the door bolt and opened the gate.
Standing at the door was Gao Fen, carrying big and small bags full of things. Seeing her daughter, she couldn’t help but reveal a smile. “Lian’er, why did it take so long to open the door?”
“Sister Su said not to respond or open the door for people who don’t speak or whom we don’t know.”
“Yes, yes, listen to your Sister Su!”
The city was different from their countryside, where every household knew each other and everyone knew each other’s roots. If there was someone with bad intentions, as long as you called out, who wouldn’t lend a hand?
In this city, with unfamiliar people and places, bad people don’t have ‘bad guy’ written on their faces. Ignoring them naturally avoids the chance of danger.
“Mom, give me some of the things. I’ll carry them for you!”
“Okay, you take these two light ones. The heavy ones you don’t need to—Mom can manage!”
Gao Fen’s smile deepened as she nodded in complete agreement, picked up the things in her hands, entered the yard with her daughter, and then turned to close the door properly.
“Mom, didn’t you go back home with Dad this morning? How come you’re back?”
“It’s all because of your dad. Your grandma isn’t reassured leaving you alone here. With the fish in the reservoir nearly all fished out and the terraced fields on the mountain finishing up work soon, she insisted I come stay with you.”
Gao Fen led her daughter to send the things to the kitchen while explaining, “These are the fish and shrimp our family got. Besides these, we don’t have any good things to bring your Sister Su.”
“I asked last night. Sister Su likes to eat fish and shrimp, especially river shrimp.”
“That’s good, as long as she likes to eat them.”
Putting the fish and shrimp into emptied water buckets and wooden basins, Gao Fen washed her hands, stood up, and subconsciously patted the pocket sewn inside her waistband.
It was still bulging just like when she left home, and only then did her heart fully relax.
This was money pooled by the whole family, with work points prepaid and borrowed from the team, for the ointment to treat Xiao Lian. If it were lost, she really would have to bury her head and crash into a wall.
“Has Xiao Su said when she gets off work and comes home?”
“Sister Su said she gets off at six, probably back before seven.”
Glancing at the sun in the sky, Gao Fen, used to working and reading the weather, estimated the time. It was still early before seven, so there was still time.
