Chapter 37 A Soul-Searching Question: The person you want to see isn't Senior He, is it...?
Tian Xingyu watched from inside the car as Zhu Liushuang rushed towards her. She keenly sensed something unusual.
So when Zhu Liushuang opened the car door, panting, to take the coffee, she suddenly became playful and grabbed the paper bag, refusing to let go.
This sudden action made Zhu Liushuang's eyes widen. She looked puzzled: "What's wrong?"
"Tell me... is that him?" Tian Xingyu pointed out the window and threatened, "I won't let go until you tell me!"
"Yes, yes, yes..." Zhu Liushuang just wanted to get the coffee to Lin Hui as soon as possible, her words were mostly perfunctory.
Tian Xingyu loosened her grip a bit, loosely holding the carrying strap, and couldn't help but complain, "That guy looks skinny and small, like a clueless greenhorn. Shuangshuang, you actually like this kind of guy?"
Zhu Liushuang had no time to notice the indescribable expression on Tian Xingyu's face, snatched the paper bag, and turned to leave.
But she was afraid of spilling her coffee if she walked too fast, so she had to slow down and try not to appear so eager.
Actually, Lin Hui wasn't far from her, maybe only a few minutes away. It was more important to be safe! Zhu Liushuang silently reminded herself.
Upon reaching the office building, she handed over the paper bag she was carrying, her smile unwavering: "I didn't know what you liked to drink, so I just ordered a few things. Oh, and the hot caramel macchiato is for Shuting."
This time it was Lin Hui's turn to be surprised. When Jiang Shuting first found out tonight that she would have to stay and work overtime, she had complained to him that she was on her period and had stomach cramps, so she might not be able to stay up all night.
In the sweltering summer heat, it was truly thoughtful of them to order a hot drink for Jiang Shuting.
Lin Hui accepted the paper bag with both hands: "Miss Zhu is so thoughtful. I thank you for the coffee on behalf of everyone! Especially for Shuting, she's on her period today and can only drink hot coffee!"
"You're welcome." Zhu Liushuang smiled sweetly, taking the opportunity to get closer to the other party, "I heard from President Guo that you will also be in charge of our company's annual report audit from now on. In the future... we will probably meet often, and there will definitely be things I need to trouble you with."
"Miss Zhu, you're too kind. I hope we can do business together smoothly."
...
Zhu Liushuang smiled and exchanged pleasantries with Lin Hui downstairs for a while. The two chatted back and forth for several rounds, and Lin Hui remained in high spirits.
She felt that if this went on any longer, the mosquito bites on her legs would probably be arranged in a row, and she just hoped that the other person would stop talking as soon as possible.
Fortunately, Lin Hui finally realized that he had talked too much and wisely ended the small talk.
But on the elevator back to the office, he suddenly slapped his forehead, belatedly realizing: what on earth had he been laughing about? Miss Zhu hadn't sent him the coffee specifically because of his WeChat Moments post. He'd only gotten it because of Teacher He!
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After saying goodbye to Lin Hui, Zhu Liushuang walked back to Tian Xingyu's car in a good mood. She knocked on the car window and said, "Ayu, I'm going to find the electric scooter! Thank you for bringing me here today. Let's meet up again another day."
Tian Xingyu was extremely worried, so she turned off the engine and got out of the car right after her: "There's no one at the carport, it looks kind of eerie, I'll go with you."
Zhu Liushuang naturally wanted to refuse, but she couldn't go against her friend's wishes, so she had no choice but to agree.
As the two walked hand in hand toward the bike shed, Tian Xingyu suddenly launched a sneak attack, tickling her: "Tell me the truth, who is this man who made you come to see him so late at night? It can't be that young man from earlier, right?"
How could she be so sure that she wanted to see a man? Zhu Liushuang giggled from the tickling sensation, bending over to protect her stomach and muttering to herself.
"Are you trying to retort to me, 'Why a man of all people?'" Tian Xingyu laughed smugly. "Which girl doesn't dream of love? Your eyes don't lie, Shuangshuang."
The bike shed was right in front of us, and there were only three electric bikes parked in the huge space. The one at the very front belonged to Zhu Liushuang.
With her sharp eyes, she rushed over the moment she spotted the car: "The car's been found! Ah Yu, you should go back now, there are too many mosquitoes outside! And... there's really no one I specifically wanted to see!"
Zhu Liushuang took off the safety helmet hanging on the dragon head and put it on her head. The thick plastic mask covered the panic that was about to show on her face.
Tian Xingyu couldn't get any information out of her, but she wasn't annoyed. She knew her friend was meticulous and wouldn't easily say things she wasn't sure about, so she gave up the idea of making things difficult for her.
"I'm just kidding... Anyway, our two houses are going in the same direction, so I'll follow behind you and take you home." Tian Xingyu kicked at a small pebble by the roadside. "I'm worried about leaving you to go home alone."
Zhu Liu, who was turning the key, paused. She turned to look at Tian Xingyu's gentle smiling face, and a sense of guilt welled up in her heart.
Despite her best friend's deep concern for her, she is still trying her best to hide her secret.
Zhu Liushuang silently said "I'm sorry" to Tian Xingyu in her heart. When she raised her head, her voice was slightly choked: "Okay—"
"Oh, you didn't cry because I moved you, did you, you little rascal..." Tian Xingyu couldn't pinch Zhu Liushuang's face, so she quickly jumped to the back seat, hugged her waist tightly, and said, "Hurry up, let's go—take me to the car!"
...
That evening, the two best friends' journey home wasn't as smooth as they had imagined. As they turned the corner out of the parking lot, Tian Xingyu accidentally bumped into someone else's car.
The crucial point is that the owner of that car wasn't even present.
Zhu Liushuang squatted on the ground, swatting away mosquitoes while shining a flashlight on Tian Xingyu. The two of them checked the car body several times, finally confirming that apart from a few scratches on the lower right door, there were no other scratches.
"I'll take pictures for you, let's take photos as evidence first." Although Zhu Liushuang had never driven a car before, she was still clear about the general process.
"Waaaaah, I was driving perfectly fine, how did I bump into this car!" Tian Xingyu was still immersed in her panic. "The radar didn't sound an alarm, is it broken? Is this car parked too far out?"
“Although his car was on the line, it was still in the parking space, so you are fully responsible.” Zhu Liushuang looked at the other car and concluded ruthlessly.
Her friend's words forced Tian Xingyu to accept the truth, and she obediently squatted down to take photos to preserve evidence.
After a series of quick clicks, Tian Xingyu asked dejectedly, "Should I call the police now?"
Zhu Liushuang nodded blankly: "I guess so? There was no contact information left in the car. Or you could try calling 114 to move the car and see if the owner will come down by themselves?"
Fearing being harassed by an unscrupulous driver in the middle of the night, novice driver Tian Xingyu ultimately chose to call the police first. The traffic police responded quite promptly, and arriving at the scene with a "familiar face" they hadn't seen in a long time was also present.
"Zhu Liushuang, Tian Xingyu, how come it's you two?" The newcomer was so surprised that his jaw almost dropped.
The parking lot was dimly lit, but even so, Zhu Liushuang noticed her best friend's sudden change in expression. She didn't dare to say anything, her gaze darting back and forth between Tian Xingyu and Ye Xingzhi.
After a long silence, Zhu Liushuang said awkwardly, "Senior Ye, it's been a long time."
Tian Xingyu snorted coldly and turned her face away.
"Hey—Tian Xingyu, you hitched a ride on my car, and you're acting like this? Isn't that a bit much?"
The meeting between exes was fraught with tension. Zhu Liushuang quickly stepped between them to smooth things over: "Senior Ye, Ayu is a little frightened, please don't mind!"
Ye Xingzhi found a way out and took it: "Forget it, I'm too magnanimous to hold a grudge against a petty person..." As he spoke, he turned around to talk to the traffic police.
A few minutes later, Ye Xingzhi beckoned to Tian Xingyu in a stiff tone: "Come over here quickly, go through the procedures, and sign."
Zhu Liushuang squeezed her friend's palm, urging her not to neglect her business. Tian Xingyu then awkwardly moved over.
The vehicle scratches were not serious and there were no injuries, so the case was closed through a simplified procedure.
After the traffic police left, only three people remained at the scene, looking at each other in bewilderment.
"Tian Xingyu, do you think I owe you something? I just got a brand new car, and you crashed into it!" Ye Xingzhi said, arms crossed, his tone icy.
"Should we go through insurance or settle privately?" Tian Xingyu's tone was equally unfriendly.
Standing between the two, Zhu Liushuang trembled with fear, wishing she could become invisible.
"The right door has so much paint chipped off; the dealership will charge 2,500 yuan to repaint it. It's up to you what you want to do..."
Only two thousand five? It's easier to settle this privately then. Tian Xingyu's car has a sturdy front end and isn't badly damaged. If we go through insurance, it will inevitably alert her parents. Once her parents find out, the situation will be completely different.
Adhering to the principle of "better to avoid trouble than to cause trouble," Tian Xingyu waved her hand and said readily, "Show me your payment code, I'll transfer you three thousand, and the remaining five hundred will be compensation for emotional distress."
"Wow, that's extravagant!" Zhu Liushuang thought to herself, seeing her best friend's unwavering reaction. Then, she turned to look at Ye Xingzhi's phone screen.
Wait, why isn't this a payment QR code?
"Ye Xingzhi, we're strangers now!" Tian Xingyu glared fiercely at the phone opposite her. "I want a payment code, not an account QR code!"
Ye Xingzhi wasn't offended by her tone. Instead, he changed his attitude and said with a grin, "If you add me back as a friend, we won't be strangers anymore."
The emotionally charged Tian Xingyu didn't even glance at Ye Xingzhi's expression; her focus was entirely on the money transfer.
But Zhu Liushuang observed carefully.
She clearly detected a hint of elusive melancholy on Ye Xingzhi's carefree face.
The atmosphere plummeted to freezing point. Zhu Liushuang reached out and put her arm around Tian Xingyu's waist, whispering in her ear, "If this keeps going on, I don't know how late we'll be able to go home. Your house has a curfew, right? Let's add him as a friend first, then transfer the money..." She coaxed softly, "At worst, we can delete him after we transfer the money."
"It's not that... it's not possible..." Tian Xingyu finally relented. Reluctantly, she raised her phone, scanned the QR code, and added Ye Xingzhi to her friend list.
After a few quick "dings," the two finished their negotiation, and the money for the paint repairs was quickly transferred out.
Tian Xingyu felt a pang of regret. She had recently had a falling out with her mother, Ms. Jin, and had been cut off from her allowance. She already had little money left, and tonight she'd suffered a major financial blow—she was truly unlucky. Therefore, her gaze towards Ye Xingzhi became filled with utter disgust.
"Tian Xingyu, do you have a heart? You were the one who said we should break up, and now you're the one trying to scam me. Why are you acting like I owe you a million or two?" Ye Xingzhi's tone was cold, and the smile he had managed to muster on his face vanished.
Fearing the two would start arguing again, Zhu Liushuang forced a smile and changed the subject: "Senior Ye, are you already on summer vacation? What are you doing here so late at night?"
Ye Xingzhi withdrew his cold gaze and answered Zhu Liushuang in a calm tone, "Yes, No. 1 High School has officially started its summer vacation. However, the senior students will start classes earlier in mid-August. I came here today to see He Ming about something..."
Ye Xingzhi seemed to recall something and asked with concern, "I haven't seen either of you speak in the group since I created it for you last time. Have you added each other as friends?"
Still angry, Tian Xingyu whispered to Zhu Liushuang with a forced smile when gossip came up: "He Ming? Is he our senior from high school? What group chat... I have no idea!"
On one side was Ye Xingzhi's expectant gaze, and on the other side was Tian Xingyu's aggressive probing questions.
Zhu Liushuang wished she could desert on the spot.
But she knew that if she didn't say something, the two people in front of her would probably immediately "bury the hatchet" and then turn their anger on her.
"We've added each other as friends, but Senior He is so busy with work that I don't dare bother him. So we haven't been in touch much." Zhu Liushuang decided to deal with Ye Xingzhi, whom she was trying to fool, for now.
As expected, Ye Xingzhi was quickly led astray by her: "That's true... He Ming is a complete workaholic, he works overtime 300 out of 365 days a year!"
"He's busy at the company right now! Their company is..." Ye Xingzhi suddenly pointed to the office building next door, "What a coincidence, their company is right here. Zhonghe Accounting Firm, ever heard of it?"
An alarm went off in Zhu Liushuang's mind. She hurriedly looked at Tian Xingyu's face and, as expected, found a "sudden realization" expression on her best friend's face.
"I said—Shuang—Shuang—" Tian Xingyu's voice came through clenched teeth, so low that only she could hear it, "The person you wanted to see just now, it wasn't—Senior He—, was it?"
Zhu Liushuang's hands were behind her back, and several red marks were left from her twisting.
She was heartbroken, but had to maintain a calm facade: How should she deal with her best friend's overly sensitive intuition? Need help urgently!
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Author's note: Hahaha, Senior Ye and A Yu are such a bickering couple!
Shuangshuang's secret is about to be exposed by her best friend.
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