Chapter 122 Then Come Work for Me

She is far from being as calm as she appears.

Su Xiaonuan watched from the side and sighed silently in her heart.

This tangled web of emotions...

Just then, Qin Haochu suddenly turned his head, his gaze passing over An Ran and looking at Su Xiaonuan standing beside the car.

His usually aloof and ascetic face, which seemed to be in complete control, was now filled with unprecedented seriousness and sincerity. He bowed deeply to Su Xiaonuan, his voice low and clear:

"Su Xiaonuan, I'm sorry. For taking advantage of you in college, and for the harm and estrangement I've caused you and Anran over the years because of my selfishness and scheming. I know an apology is inadequate, but... this is what I owe you."

An Ran clenched her fingers so tightly that her nails dug deep into her palms.

She looked at Su Xiaonuan with a complicated expression, her voice trembling slightly, and asked softly, "Nuannuan... are you... are you willing to forgive him?"

Su Xiaonuan was completely taken aback when the topic suddenly turned to her, and was momentarily stunned.

She blinked her big eyes, looking at Qin Haochu, who was bowing deeply in front of her, and then at An Ran, whose eyes held tension, anticipation, and perhaps even a hint of hope that she herself was unaware of.

Thinking about it carefully, this matter is indeed related to her, and to some extent, she is indeed one of the victims.

Although Qin Haochu's actions back then did not cause direct harm, that scheming and manipulation did indeed sow the seeds of misunderstanding between her and An Ran.

After a brief silence, Su Xiaonuan shook her head clearly and without hesitation, her voice calm yet firm:

"I will not forgive."

These three words were like cold pebbles thrown into a still lake.

Qin Haochu's body swayed almost imperceptibly, then he slowly straightened up, his eyes instantly dimming as if the last bit of strength had been drained away.

A bitter, self-deprecating smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he murmured to himself:

"...Yes. It's only right not to forgive. After all... I did something so outrageous."

The deep night enveloped him in an overwhelming sense of loneliness and regret.

The air seemed to freeze, with only the rustling of the leaves in the evening breeze bearing witness to this belated apology and the crisp rejection.

An Ran seemed to have anticipated Su Xiaonuan's words, her expression calm and unwavering, as if she had only heard a simple "The weather is nice today."

She knew Su Xiaonuan well. This girl looked soft and gentle, but she was actually very determined. Once she made up her mind, nothing could change it.

Suddenly, Su Xiaonuan blinked her clear, big eyes and spoke calmly, her voice still sweet and soft, but what she said stunned the two people opposite her: "However... you two can work for me. I'll forgive you whenever I'm satisfied."

Qin Haochu and An Ran both showed surprised expressions.

Qin Hao glanced at An Ran subconsciously. She frowned slightly, seemingly displeased, but her eyes held a competitive spirit ignited by provocation.

He almost immediately weighed the pros and cons in his mind—agreeing meant he would have more time to spend with Anran, even under these strange circumstances.

He would do anything to get close to her, even if it meant working for her "creditors."

"Okay." Qin Haochu agreed readily, his voice carrying a sense of resignation. "I agree."

An Ran glanced at him with great surprise, seemingly not expecting him to "condescend" to do so.

Her indomitable spirit was ignited. She bit her lower lip, curled her slender white fingers, and uttered a stiff sentence: "...I agree too."

Neither of them was short of money, and at that moment neither of them thought about bringing up their salaries.

Su Xiaonuan opened her mouth, but hesitated, watching the silent exchange between them, sparks flying, as if the battle of wits was about to escalate into a physical duel. She silently swallowed the "salary and benefits" that was on the tip of her tongue.

It feels like... it's okay not to say anything, anyway, judging from their posture, their attention is completely no longer on the money.

"Stop, stop, stop!" Su Xiaonuan quickly stepped aside to block the two people's almost-collision gazes, and said quickly to Qin Haochu, "Qin Haochu, come to my house to report for work at nine o'clock tomorrow morning. Remember to bring your own electric scooter for delivery."

Qin Hao nodded, his gaze lingering on An Ran's face for a moment, his eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions, like embers covered in ice. Then, without hesitation, he turned and strode away, his back view carrying a hint of impatience.

As Su Xiaonuan watched his figure disappear quickly at the end of the corridor, a sudden pang of regret welled up in her heart—wasn't it a bit like inviting a wolf into the house to keep this obviously scheming guy by her side, especially one who had once "plotted" against her and An Ran?

But when she thought about how the system tasks were becoming increasingly difficult and sometimes she really needed help with miscellaneous tasks, she calmed down.

Forget it, we'll deal with whatever comes our way. At worst... we'll have him deal with those troublesome thugs!

An Ran returned home with a face full of resentment and a "I'll see what you can do" attitude. As soon as she opened the door, a dark figure darted over and affectionately rubbed against Su Xiao Nuan's ankle.

"Meow~" Yantai tilted its small cat face up, its golden eyes shimmering like jewels under the light, and the tip of its tail swayed gracefully.

Su Xiaonuan felt the slight tightness in her heart caused by Qin Haochu instantly softened by this fluffy little thing, and even the fatigue from a busy day seemed to be dispelled by this soft meow.

She crouched down, gently scratched the inkstone's chin with her finger, and said in a voice so soft it could melt your heart: "My dear inkstone, are you hungry?"

An Ran watched this heartwarming scene from the side, and the tense lines on her face softened involuntarily. She couldn't help but squat down and carefully reached out to touch the inkstone's smooth, black fur.

“It must be hungry.” An Ran’s voice softened, carrying a gentleness she herself didn’t even realize.

"Mm." Su Xiaonuan nodded, rubbed her slightly empty stomach, and looked at An Ran. "We're hungry too. How about some braised food for supper? It's been sitting out for a while, and there's some duck necks, duck wings, dried tofu, lotus root slices, and stuff in the fridge. Let's just use them all up."

An Ran nodded immediately, like a chick pecking at rice, her face instantly filled with obedience and expectation: "Okay, okay! I'll help you!"

Su Xiaonuan readily agreed.

The two people and the cat then squeezed into the small but well-organized kitchen.

Su Xiaonuan tied on the apron with cartoon cat prints, and her clean hands looked exceptionally fair and nimble under the warm light.

She took the ingredients out of the refrigerator, while An Ran assisted her by washing and peeling the lotus root slices.

The real magic begins when Su Xiaonuan starts cooking.