A friend comes from afar

After get off work, Jin Yuxi, Zhang Li, Lin Weiwei, and Wang Qian, with a strange sense of tragic heroism, rode in Su Wanwan's luxury car to Qu Shiyao's apartment building.

Looking up from the apartment building entrance, warm lights shine from the windows of every household, and the air is filled with the aroma of food, creating a cozy and welcoming atmosphere.

As they walked, Zhang Li suddenly remembered an important question and asked Jin Yuxi in a low voice:

"By the way, Yuxi, did you tell Shiyao that we were coming to see her?"

We were almost at the door when I realized she hadn't called ahead.

"Huh?" Jin Yuxi, who was leading the way with her head down, was taken aback by the words and turned around blankly. "Wasn't it you who would tell her?"

"When did I say that?!" Zhang Li was speechless.

"Can you two be a little more reliable?" Lin Weiwei crossed her arms and let out a disdainful snort, fully expressing her contempt for her two incompetent teammates.

Zhang Li immediately turned around with a smile and retorted, "Oh? You think you're reliable? Then may I ask, this reliable sister, have you informed Shiyao yet?"

Seeing that the battle was about to reignite, Wang Qian quickly and secretly tugged at Lin Weiwei's sleeve, gesturing with her eyes to the area behind her.

Su Wanwan, standing behind, always wore a faint smile, but her thoughts were completely unfathomable.

Lin Weiwei immediately backed down and could only glare fiercely at Zhang Li.

Su Wanwan seemed oblivious to their subtle interactions, maintaining a relaxed demeanor.

Her bodyguard, Tan Zhendong, bent down and whispered something to her. She nodded slightly, and Tan Zhendong turned and left.

The group finally arrived at Qu Shiyao's apartment.

Jin Yuxi took a deep breath and rang the doorbell.

After waiting for a while, there was still no movement inside.

Then she pressed the button twice more, but there was still no response.

"Didn't you hear me? Let me try making a call."

Jin Yuxi wondered to herself, "Could it be that it's fast asleep? Or did it go out?"

The call was answered shortly after it was dialed.

"Hey, Shiyao, are you home?" Jin Yuxi asked in an extremely natural tone, "We came to see you!"

She hesitated for a moment, but still didn't dare to say directly that Su Wanwan was also there, thinking that this might be a surprise for her.

Before Qu Shiyao could reply, the door of the neighboring house clicked open.

"Hey! What brings you all here today?" Qu Shiyao peeked out from next door, looking at the large group of people at the door with surprise.

When her gaze swept across the back of the line and landed on the baby-faced girl in the delicate little dress, her expression froze instantly, and her brain went blank for a few seconds.

Wait a minute! She suddenly remembered that she seemed to have stood this young lady up in the police station reception room that day?

They said "we'll see" and then nothing happened?

Could it be that they realized they'd been tricked, so they came looking for trouble?

Otherwise, why wouldn't Jin Yuxi have tipped them off in advance?

"Shiyao, good evening!"

Before Jin Yuxi and the others could speak, Su Wanwan greeted them with a smile, watching with great interest the dramatic changes in Qu Shiyao's expression, from confusion to shock to feigned composure.

"What are you doing here?" Qu Shiyao blurted out, then realized it was a bit insensitive and quickly tried to smooth things over:

"Well, I mean, I left in such a hurry last time, and then I got busy and didn't have your contact information. I'm really sorry." She forced an apologetic smile.

"So you still remember this?" Su Wanwan's smile deepened, her tone light, yet strangely tinged with resentment.

"I thought Assistant Qu was too busy and had long forgotten that someone was waiting for your reply!"

Jin Yuxi and the others were so frightened that they dared not breathe, and cold sweat began to break out on their backs.

"How could that be!" Qu Shiyao seemed completely oblivious to the barb in her words, and smiled sincerely.

"It's not too late to reply now! Thank you so much for your appreciation and invitation, Miss. I appreciate your kind offer, but I still want to stay in my current position and work hard!"

Su Wanwan's expression softened slightly.

It wasn't just because of Qu Shiyao's reply, but also because, judging from her expression and reaction, she seemed genuinely unaware that she was the new colleague who had joined the company today.

This shows that Qu Shiyao's warning to Lin Weiwei was not directed at Su Wanwan herself, which made her feel much better.

But new questions have arisen:

If Qu Shiyao didn't know it was her, then who was she warning Lin Weiwei to be careful of?

Does Lin Weiwei have made too many enemies outside, so she has to be extra wary of any woman who suddenly appears in her life?

Su Wanwan couldn't help but cast a suspicious glance at Lin Weiwei.

Just how many people has this woman offended?

Lin Weiwei felt a chill run down her spine from the stare, inwardly cursing: What's wrong with this young lady now?!

"Shiyao, what are you doing next door?" Jin Yuxi finally snapped out of her daze and pointed to the door next door. She remembered that the male college student lived in that apartment!

"I'm having dinner at my boyfriend's house, is there a problem?" Qu Shiyao leaned against the door frame, looking at Jin Yuxi with a "this is normal" expression.

Everyone: "???" When Su Wanwan said that Qu Shiyao had a boyfriend this morning, they all thought it was a misunderstanding.

"You really have a boyfriend?! When did this happen?!" Lin Weiwei reacted the most, her voice suddenly rising.

Although she had been hoping that Qu Shiyao would have a boyfriend, she felt inexplicably annoyed when she heard the news that Qu Shiyao was no longer single!

How could someone find a partner before her, especially a crazy woman like Qu Shiyao!

"Just a few days ago, right?" Qu Shiyao tilted her head and thought for a moment, then refocused her gaze on them.

"So, you all really came all this way just to see me?" Although the question was directed at everyone, his eyes were mainly fixed on Su Wanwan.

Based on her understanding of these colleagues, apart from Jin Yuxi, the other three were not the type to take the initiative to visit her in the hospital, especially without giving prior notice.

"Shiyao, let's formally introduce ourselves again. I'm Su Wanwan." Su Wanwan stepped forward, smiling innocently.

"Now that I'm a new member of your assistant team, I figured I should get to know all my colleagues on my first day, so I asked them to bring me along to visit you, who are currently on sick leave."

She spoke so naturally as if it were really true.

Trouble? Lin Weiwei and the others' lips twitched, inwardly cursing: Who was it this morning who threatened us that we had to come?! Can't people stop being so hypocritical!

Qu Shiyao then turned around and looked Su Wanwan up and down, her eyes filled with a hint of probing.

【Wait! Host! This is what the villainous female supporting character looks like?!】The system screamed in her mind.

[This doesn't match the description of her as cunning and ruthless in the original work at all! And she's actually the baby-faced girl from a few days ago?!]

Su Wanwan took another step forward, tilted her head slightly to look at Qu Shiyao, and winked playfully: "Assistant Qu seems quite surprised to see me?"

"I just didn't expect Miss Su to be so kind and lovely in person, and I never expected you to condescend to come to our small town as an assistant."

Qu Shiyao reacted very quickly. Based on the conversation just now, she had most likely seen the group chat. Although she was not sure how much she had seen, let's assume that she had seen it all.

Now, no matter what, you absolutely cannot admit that you knew all along that the newcomer was Su Wanwan, otherwise there will be a lot of trouble later.

"What's impossible?"

Su Wanwan clearly wasn't going to let her off easily, and pressed on, "Speaking of which, before you heard I was coming, what kind of person did you imagine me to be?"

"Hmm..." Qu Shiyao's gaze drifted to Jin Yuxi, who wished she could shrink into a crack in the ground, and she unceremoniously betrayed her best friend:

"I heard that Miss Su once booked a giant screen in the city center to show Mr. Si's...beautiful photos on a loop, and even hired a symphony orchestra to play 'Conquer' downstairs at the Si Corporation building, etc. These things are widely circulated..."

Jin Yuxi lowered her head even further, almost burying it in her chest, staring intently at the polished floor as if she could see something amazing in it. She didn't dare to look up at Su Wanwan at all.

"Yes, that's true." Su Wanwan smiled and glanced at Jin Yuxi, admitting it openly. She even turned back to wink playfully at Qu Shiyao.

"But this is just the tip of the iceberg! If you want to know more details, can we sit down and talk?"

After her reminder, everyone realized what was happening.

Qu Shiyao actually let them all stand at the door chatting for so long! Are they even colleagues anymore?!

“Yes! We came here specifically to see you!” Zhang Li immediately raised the exquisite fruit basket in her hand to indicate.

Qu Shiyao deftly took the fruit basket, turned around and placed it on the cabinet in the entryway, then turned back and waved to them very naturally:

"Alright, I've received your kind words and gifts! I've seen you all, and you're still alive and kicking! Thank you all for your concern! It's getting late, so please head back now!"

"No?! Qu Shiyao! You're just going to dismiss us like this?!" Jin Yuxi and the others widened their eyes instantly, their faces filled with disbelief.

That's incredibly fast—they're abandoning us after we've crossed the river!

"Otherwise what?" Qu Shiyao stood defiantly blocking the doorway, her right arm still across the door frame.

"You didn't even call before you came. It's lunchtime now. Did you expect to come in and watch us eat?"

His demeanor was that of a rogue, as if to say, "You can only enter by stepping over my dead body."

"Then give the fruit back!" Jin Yuxi wasn't buying it. The fruit was bought with money that the four of them split equally!

They're definitely going to eat dinner tonight!

"You want to take back what's already in my hands?"

Qu Shiyao scoffed, then lifted her other slipper-clad foot and decisively stepped onto the other side of the door frame, completely blocking the entrance.

"Are you kidding me? Don't I, Qu Shiyao, have any dignity?"

Everyone: "..." You're thinking about saving face now? You accepted the fruit but wouldn't let people in—does that give you face?!

Even Su Wanwan was shocked by Qu Shiyao's actions, and for the first time, she showed a hint of astonishment on her face.

"Sister Shiyao? Is your friend here?" Just then, Yi Yu, wearing an apron, poked her head out from inside.

He was visibly taken aback when he saw the scene at the door.

"Yi Yu! It's me! Your Sister Jin!" Jin Yuxi waved repeatedly across Qu Shiyao's arm as if she had seen a savior.

"Quick! Open the door, you doorman! We want to come in as guests!"

Yi Yu looked at the group of women outside the door who were staring at him expectantly, and then at his girlfriend who was determined to guard the door to the death.

He hesitated for a moment, but finally said firmly, "I'll listen to Sister Shiyao."

Jin Yuxi's hopes were shattered. Overwhelmed with grief and indignation, she collapsed to the ground, accusing Qu Shiyao with her eyes.

Qu Shiyao tilted her head back and let out a classic villainous laugh: "Hehehe... Give up! You can't beat me!"

Just then, Su Wanwan's bodyguard, Tan Zhendong, returned, carrying several large, exquisitely packaged food boxes bearing the logo of a well-known five-star hotel.

He quickly walked to Su Wanwan's side and whispered a report.

After listening to the whole thing, Su Wanwan looked at the farce unfolding before her, shook her head, sighed, and spoke with a tone full of regret:

"Sigh, I had specially asked my family's chef to prepare a few dishes and send them over for our first formal meeting, thinking we could eat and chat at the same time... But now it seems like that wasn't necessary."

"Ah Dong, let's go." She made a move to leave.

"Wait!" Qu Shiyao's ears twitched, and she shouted almost reflexively.

The moment Su Wanwan stopped and turned to look at her questioningly, Qu Shiyao flashed a bright smile: "Friends have come from afar! Yi Yu! Why didn't you let them in just now!"

Yi Yu received his girlfriend's signal remotely, immediately understood, and a warm smile spread across his face:

"This is really my fault. Please come in and sit down. Since you are all Sister Shiyao's friends, then you are all my friends!"

Jin Yuxi and others: "..."

They stared at the woman in front of them, whose expression changed faster than turning the pages of a book, and fell into a collective silence, their lips twitching.

Only one thought remained in my mind: Shameless! Utterly shameless!