Chapter 177: A Heart Like a Lock |
After witnessing Miss Zhao's emotional entanglement, Jiang Linyuan returned to his throne.
"Back so soon? I thought you'd chat with her a bit longer."
Su Muzhi narrowed her eyes with a smile, shifting aside to let Jiang Linyuan sit down.
Sitting on the inside was Shen Wanyu.
The art of being sandwiched between two women!
Jiang Linyuan shot her a glance, and Su Muzhi giggled as she pressed him down into his seat:
"Hehe, not a fun chat?"
"Xiao Su, she's got a boyfriend. If I kept chatting and she got mad and hit me, what would I do?"
"I'm sure someone would lend you a hand."
Jiang Linyuan rolled his eyes.
I can tell the difference between Miss Zhao wanting to lend me a hand and wanting to lend me a whole lot more.
Playing the victim, acting jealous, dropping hints left and right—does she really think I'm her gay best friend?
"Xiao Su, there's a traitor among us!"
Jiang Linyuan looked at Shen Wanyu, who seemed utterly indifferent.
This Miss Zhao was brought here by you! Don't think I didn't notice!
When you had her stay for dinner yesterday, and when Xia Tao tagged along, you were the first to agree!
Self-cucking Department Head!
"When did you cuck her out?"
Su Muzhi looked from Shen Wanyu to Jiang Linyuan, her curiosity piqued.
"?"
"Shut up."
Shen Wanyu turned her head to look at her, her eyes cold enough to kill.
"Hehe."
Su Muzhi chuckled and handed Jiang Linyuan the milk tea she had been sipping:
"I can't get used to it. Good friend, help me finish it."
"If you really couldn't get used to it, you'd have thrown it away after the first sip."
Shen Wanyu said.
"Hehe, and you know that?"
Su Muzhi looked at Shen Wanyu, blinking:
"Or could it be that you can't get used to yours either, and need a good friend to help you out?"
Shen Wanyu glanced at Jiang Linyuan.
"Department Head, I'm sorry, it was my oversight. I failed to realize you couldn't get used to this kind of milk tea."
He wore a look of regret:
"Do you need me to help you rinse your mouth?"
"...You're truly incorrigible."
Shen Wanyu said, pushing her own milk tea over to him.
Oh? The Department Head is taking the initiative for once!
Is this the old 'give a beating, then a sweet treat' routine?
Jiang Linyuan took the milk tea with a smile. It was empty.
"Fool."
Shen Wanyu smiled faintly.
The milk tea was clearly empty.
It meant she didn't want an indirect kiss with me.
But the Department Head still pushed it over!
That means she wants a direct kiss! She's cornering me, leaving me no excuse for an indirect one!
Department Head! Truly a master of strategy!
"Smack!"
"Department Head, why do you keep touching me? Next time, you can warn me beforehand. I won't refuse."
"..."
Shen Wanyu let out a long sigh:
"It seems you've done zero reflection."
"Reflection?"
Jiang Linyuan thought for a moment. Did the Department Head think I wasn't being proactive enough with her?
"Just drink your milk tea."
Shen Wanyu said, pressing a hand to her forehead in exasperation.
"Department Head, you still owe me a cup of milk tea."
Jiang Linyuan took a small sip of Xiao Su's imported milk tea. It didn't taste particularly special.
"When did I ever owe you anything?"
"Miss Zhao just spilled my milk tea and didn't order me a new one. She's your friend, so you have to buy me one."
"She's not my friend."
Shen Wanyu said flatly.
"Then why does she care so much about you? Sending you New Year's gifts, bringing you food?"
Jiang Linyuan asked.
"I think I've told you before. Our relationship is ordinary. Her father is Shen Pingyan's subordinate. Most of the time when she comes to see me, it's on Shen Pingyan's orders."
Shen Wanyu explained calmly:
"Otherwise, I wouldn't have used her as your punishment."
Damn! You're a self-cucker too, aren't you!
"Does Zhao Qiulu have a grudge against Xiao Su?"
Jiang Linyuan couldn't be bothered to keep guessing and asked directly.
Something was off from the very first meeting. When I and Xiao Su came to the Department Head's place, she immediately claimed I was Xiao Su's boyfriend.
When I didn't deny it, she launched a flurry of attacks—asking for my number, casually revealing her relationship status, and today, she even put on a whole sob story, showing me her vulnerable side after a romantic setback.
If I made just a little move, I could easily slip right in.
But it was all too convenient, like a honey trap.
Miss Zhao would have to be a saint not to have bad intentions!
Shen Wanyu glanced at Jiang Linyuan and said:
"There's no grudge between them. Otherwise, you wouldn't have seen her today."
"Lying?"
"The truth."
Su Muzhi raised an eyebrow as she listened to their exchange:
"I don't recall anyone like that from my memory. But it doesn't matter. Plenty of people hated me in high school. Am I supposed to remember every single one?"
"But Xiao Su, she's come knocking on your door now, hasn't she?"
"Her?"
Su Muzhi let out a disdainful laugh:
"Go play with her. I'd love to see how you mess with her."
"Xiao Su, you're not angry? Not worried? You trust me that much?"
"Country bumpkin."
Su Muzhi smiled, nudging Jiang Linyuan with her arm, draped in a bright red embroidered sleeve:
"You're a bad man. I've known that for a long time."
"If even I couldn't turn you into a good man, how could she possibly do it?"
Shen Wanyu shot Su Muzhi a glance and said:
"What she means is, you're already rotten to the core. Nothing you do would surprise her—she'd just sigh."
"Department Head, is that your own thought?"
"...I have mind reading."
Shen Wanyu turned her face away.
Furious! The Department Head is a self-cucker too!
Even 'a heart like iron' can't describe you! It has to be 'a heart like a lock'!
What is your heart even made of? The more I lick, the harder it gets!
If you won't accept me, fine! But don't just package me up and ship me off!
Shen Wanyu raised her hand and gently tapped Jiang Linyuan on the head.
"I'm going to hit you."
"...Why do you announce it after you've already hit me?"
"You misremembered."
Shen Wanyu said, her face not reddening, her heart not racing, her expression utterly calm.
"No, no, no! Xiao Su, you can vouch for me! She hit me first, then said it!"
"Hehe, I didn't see a thing."
"Smack!"
"Xiao Su, why did you hit me?"
"I just said I was going to hit you. Didn't you hear me?"
Damn it! These two are treating me like I'm nothing!
Fuming, Jiang Linyuan grabbed Su Muzhi's hand and squeezed it, then secretly kicked Shen Wanyu with his foot.
Su Muzhi didn't mind and squeezed his hand back with a laugh.
Shen Wanyu, unwilling to back down, retaliated by kicking him back under the table.
Xia Tao watched the three of them interact, her worldview thoroughly shattered. She turned to Shen Guoguo beside her:
"Little sister, what exactly is the relationship between these three?"
"Good friends?"
Shen Guoguo thought for a moment before answering.
No, no, no! That's not what good friends look like!
That's girlfriend behavior!
Not good, not good!
I need to get out of here fast, before I get dragged into this mess!
I have to cut ties with this handsome guy immediately!
"He wouldn't be interested in you."
Shen Wanyu said out of nowhere.
"?"
Xia Tao covered her mouth.
I... I didn't say anything just now, did I?
Haha, I must have misheard! Yes, that's it! That must be it! Boohoo, this hurts so much.