When Qin Shu came back from the bathroom, she found Little Su waiting for her with folded arms, "This time I will let it go since Anru has apologized to me on behalf of you. If this ever happens again, I"ll definitely report to the boss!"
She picked up the doc.u.ment and returned to her desk, like she disdained to talk to Qin Shu.
"What"s that supposed to mean?" Qin Shu frowned and asked Tang Anru.
"Nothing, it doesn"t matter."
Tang Anru smiled with soft and warm light in her eyes. She held Qin Shu"s arm and said, "It"s been a long time since the last time we went shopping together. Shall we go shopping this weekend?"
Qin Shu did not reply. Instead, she pulled out her arm from Tang Anru"s grip and asked, "You apologized to her on behalf of me?"
Tang Anru replied awkwardly, "Don"t be angry. I was afraid that things might get too nasty, and that would leave a bad impression on the boss."
Qin Shu stared at her delicate face and smiled faintly, "Why would the boss have a bad impression on me if I did nothing wrong? Do you also think that I framed you and Little Su up?"
"No, no. I was just worried about you..." Tang Anru became anxious. Her arch eyebrows knitted together, making her look frailer.
Qin Shu sneered in her heart. Tang Anru apologized to Little Su on behalf of her under the banner of being her bosom friend. By doing so, she was telling everyone that Qin Shu had stabbed someone in the back. But in fact, Qin Shu had never done such things.
Many people in the office looked at them.
Some whispered, "Anru is being kind-hearted but Qin Shu just won"t appreciate it. If they were not bosom friends, how would Anru apologize on behalf of her? It"s so shameless."
"Yes! She just won"t admit what she had done and blamed Anru instead for helping her. Good intentions never pay off!"
Hearing this, Tang Anru walked over and said softly, "Please stop saying that. Qin Shu didn"t blame me. She"s not that kind of person."
She specially looked back sadly at Qin Shu when saying this, as if she was pretending to be fine. Some people in the office started to pity her.
Qin Shu raised her eyebrows and smiled. She decided to ignore them and continued to enter the data.
She concentrated on her work the entire day and rarely talked to Tang Anru. She even ordered the food delivery service at lunch time.
Tang Anru was restless with a sad frown all day.
Soon, rumors about Qin Shu bullying Tang Anru spread in the office. Qin Shu was accused of framing up Tang Anru because she was jealous of Tang Anru"s beauty and ability.
But Qin Shu was busy dealing with the new task that Lin Xian had a.s.signed to her until seven o"clock in the evening. She barely had the time to pay attention to the rumors.
It was dark when she got out of the building of the Military Group. The cold wind gave her gooseb.u.mps all over.
She was heading to the subway when she was stopped by some people. She looked up, and saw Yang Bin and Tang Anru.
Qi Mingran had to work overtime today, so he didn"t have time to pick up Tang Anru from work.
So Yang Bin, the ace escort took the chance to pick her up, in case the simple and pretty would run into some bad guys on the way home alone.
"What"s the matter?" Qin Shu raised her eyebrows slightly and looked at the two of them in front of her.
Yang Bin stared at her and was about to say something when Tang Anru stopped him.
Tang Anru apologized, "Qin Shu, it"s my fault. I shouldn"t have apologized in your name without talking to you first. Don"t be angry with me. You didn"t even talk to me today. I feel really terrible. I really treat you as my bosom friend."
"I was not angry." Qin Shu tidied her long hair and stared at Tang Anru"s delicate and innocent face with interest. "Anru, I wasn"t expecting this. But on second thought, it makes perfect sense."
Her words were vague but contained deep implications.
Yang Bin became angry immediately, "Qin Shu, what do you mean with this sarcasm?"
"Sarcasm? Well then, tell me, what sarcasm did I say about her?" Qin Shu rolled her eyes at him indifferently.
Yang Bin suddenly felt his mouth parched and his tongue scorched.
He had to admit that Qin Shu"s beauty was completely different from Tang Anru"s.
Her facial features were exquisite and gorgeous. Her pair of peach blossom eyes seemed to contain spring water. Sometimes, she casually gave a look, and it was also like a seductive kitten, making people feel itchy and aroused.
Not knowing whether it was because he was angry or because of this gaze, what Yang Bin had wanted to say was suddenly stuck in his throat. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn"t say it. Instead, his heart was in a state of chaos.
Tang Anru bit her lower lip gently. She sounded like she was being wronged and was restraining her emotion, "Qin Shu, it was all my fault. I shouldn"t have apologized for you…I didn"t think too much at that time. I did that only to prevent the boss from knowing about it. I"m worried that if he found out about the novels you translated with all those bold words, he wouldn"t give you the job offer at the end of internship."
She looked at Qin Shu with watery eyes and seemed so delicate and touching.
Qin Shu didn"t buy it and replied calmly, "You are so smart. How come you didn"t know that by apologizing to Little Su on behalf of me, you were admitting that I did frame her up?"
"I"m sorry, I was at a loss then. I"ll explain to Little Su tomorrow." Tang Anru"s face showed she was trying to save the situation by making concessions. Her delicate face looked so pitiful.
"No!" Yang Bin objected. He already knew what had happened in the office by chatting with Tang Anru on WeChat, "Anru, you did nothing wrong. Somebody just won"t appreciate your good intention!"
He glared at Qin Shu, "Qin Shu, stop being so mean! She apologized for you with good intentions and worried about your job offer. You not only rejected her help, but also embarra.s.sed her. Don"t you feel guilty about treating her in this way?"
Qin Shu nodded calmly, "No, I have nothing to feel guilty about. It was you, Tang Anru, who really impressed me this time. Do you feel guilty?"
The last sentence lacked contexts and sounded baffling, but Qin Shu believed that Tang Anru would understand!
Tang Anru"s eyes were glistening with tears. She said in a crying voice, "Qin Shu, don"t put it that way. I really didn"t mean it. Feel free to scold me if you"re angry. But don"t ignore me. I feel so bad."
Yang Bin couldn"t help feeling sorry for Tang Anru and put his arm around her shoulder, "Anru, it"s not your fault. You don"t have to apologize to her so humbly."
"No, I was wrong. Qin Shu was misunderstood because of me." Tang Anru replied with a guilty expression on her delicate face.
Qin Shu raised her hand and looked at her watch. It was almost eight o"clock. No wonder she felt so hungry.
She wanted to end this nonsensical discussion and said coldly, "Let"s just be acquaintances from now on. Don"t bother to apologize or take the blame on behalf of me in front of anyone. Also, you know well what you"ve done to me. I just don"t want to tear your mask off."
Four years ago, Qin Shu"s father killed Tang Anru"s parents in a car accident. If it wasn"t for that, Qin Shu wouldn"t have had to endure her so long.
Tang Anru"s face stiffened slightly. Seeing that Qin Shu was about to leave, she suddenly grabbed her wrist.
"Qin Shu, don"t leave. I know it was my fault to apologize on behalf of you. But I have never done anything to hurt you. I had not even blamed you even when my parents died in that car accident. We grew up together. Our friendship is so valuable, so I have always treated you as my bosom friend. I hope I can help you somehow."
She said with tears streaming down her face, as if she was desperately trying to maintain her friendship with Qin Shu.
Qin Shu seemed like a cold-blooded and heartless person compared to her.
"Let go." Qin Shu said coldly.
Hearing this, Tang Anru grabbed her even tighter and looked at Qin Shu with tears blurring her vision, as if she was the one who was being hurt and sad.
Yang Bin threw his tantrum on Qin Shu, "Anru had said such humble words, what else you want? Your family made her an orphan and you are still blaming her? It was you who should make an apology to Anru!"
That accident had always been a pain in Qin Shu"s heart.
She pursed her thin lips, shook off Tang Anru"s hand and strode forward without saying a word.
Tang Anru couldn"t help but lean on Yang Bin"s arms, her shoulders trembling. She sobbed and whispered, "Qin Shu is blaming me. It"s my fault. It"s me who have wronged her."
"Anru, don"t cry. It breaks my heart to see you cry like this." Yang Bin hugged her tightly.
An SUV was parking not far away.
Seeing the whole thing, the man in the car found it interesting and laughed. He started the car and drove to Qin Shu.
When Qin Shu reached the street lamps, a car suddenly stopped beside her. The window of the car lowered, revealing Xia Lun"s feminine and beautiful face.
"Hop in, I"ll drive you home." He leaned his arm against the window and smiled at Qin Shu charmingly.
Seeing his smile, Qin Shu got rid of her bad mood immediately and raised her eyebrows, "What are you doing here?"
Xia Lun replied lazily, "To pick up the beauty."
Qin Shu clicked her tongue. She walked to the other side of the car and got in. Xia Lun said, "The boss was occupied tonight, so he asked me to pick you up. He has to train those new soldiers. Hey, tell me. What"s the relationship between you and my boss?"
Qin Shu fastened her seat belt and asked, "What do you think?"
Xia Lun started the car, "I think that things are not simple. I"ve been following the boss for all these years. But I"ve never seen him so interested in any woman before. Oh, no, there"s also Beauty Ji. Then you"re the second."
"Beauty Ji?"
Qin Shu turned round with great interest. Xia Lun"s profile was even prettier than a woman"s. She couldn"t help but admire. A handsome man was really a feast to the eyes!
"She"s a military doctor in the army. A famous cold beauty who would only smile to the boss," Xia Lun said with one arm leaning against the window while enjoying the night breeze.
Then he suddenly turned round and stared at Qin Shu seriously.
Qin Shu was puzzled, "What?"
"On a closer look, you look kind of similar to Beauty Ji." Xia Lun said jokingly. "Any chance you are sisters?"
Qin Shu laughed. "You said "kind of" a moment ago, but now you"re calling us sisters. Captain Xia, your Chinese must be taught by a PE teacher."
Xia Lun"s rank was captain.
He shrugged, "Forget about it."
Qin Shu turned round and looked at her reflection in the window. Her face was wildly delicate and charming, like a burning red rose, making it impossible to a.s.sociate her face with an iceberg.
According to Xia Lun, Ling Mohan probably loved that Beauty Ji. But why didn"t he marry her? Why did the b.a.s.t.a.r.d keep pestering her?