Chapter 978: Perplexed and Smitten (38)
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“That’s because he only raids tombs overseas. Just do your job as an archeologist properly. Stop fantasizing about such wild thoughts,” said An Xiaoning, who did not wish to talk more about the matter.
Wen Lele felt a little ashamed to see that An Xiaoning was much more knowledgeable than her despite the latter being two years younger.
Fan Shixin entered with a plate of chilled litchis and placed it in front of An Xiaoning. “Young Madam, these are fresh litchis that Xiao Huang’s mother brought back from her home especially for you and Young Sir. It’s completely organic and unpolluted.”
“I can tell that they’re going to be delicious just from the color.”
Just as An Xiaoning was about to pick up a litchi, Jin Qingyan beat her to it and said, “Don’t peel it lest you get your hands wet. I’ll do it for you.”
An Xiaoning retracted her hand and said to Wen Lele, “Have some too.”
Noticing that the litchis were too far away from her, she thought to herself, It’s not like I haven’t eaten litchis before, it doesn’t cost much to get a bunch in the market.
“Nah, I don’t like litchis,” she said.
An Xiaoning remained quiet, not bothered about whether or not she was speaking the truth.
Jin Qingyan placed a peeled litchi near An Xiaoning’s mouth, which she then ate before saying to Fan Shixin in satisfaction, “It really tastes superb. Please help me thank Xiao Huang’s mother for her kindness.”
Fan Shixin smiled and said, “Sure. She sent a huge bunch of litchis. The rest of the bodyguards have tried them too.”
“Shixin, get Xiao Bai to give Ms. Wen a lift home later. It’s burning hot outside.”
“Okay.”
Just as Fan Shixin left, Wen Lele asked, “Is he your butler?”
“You could say so.”
“Is he married yet?”
An Xiaoning shot her a glance and immediately knew what she was thinking about. “No,” she answered.
“Could you introduce him to me then? He’s dashing.”
Jin Qingyan and An Xiaoning had totally expected her to say that.
An Xiaoning smiled and said, “Qingyan and I hate matchmaking for others. If you’re interested in him, you may try talking to him yourself. We don’t have any objections if he’s willing to date you.”
Upon hearing her words, Wen Lele lit up with joy and excitement. She immediately stood up and said, “I shall try talking to him about it, then.”
An Xiaoning let out a sigh upon seeing Wen Lele scurrying away.
“Why did you sigh?” he asked.
“How long was she your table mate for?”
“A year.”
“Must’ve been hard on you. Do you think Shixin would be interested in her?” An Xiaoning asked.
“Impossible,” he answered without hesitation.
“How are you so sure?”
“I don’t know Wen Lele that well, but no one knows Shixin better than I do.”
Less than five minutes later, Wen Lele returned.
They could already tell the outcome from her expression.
“Ms. Wen, how did it go? What did he say?” An Xiaoning asked, nonetheless.
“He said I wasn’t his type.” Staring at Jin Qingyan peeling a litchi for An Xiaoning again, Wen Lele snapped angrily, “Can you two stop showing off your relationship and being so affectionate with each other publicly? It’s such a torment for a singleton like me!”
“This is just our daily routine. How are we showing off? You think we’re flaunting our love simply because you don’t have a boyfriend?”
Wen Lele sat down and stomped her feet on the ground. “I really can’t stand you guys, especially you, Jin Qingyan. No matter what, we’re still old classmates who shared the same table. How could you be so heartless as to leave me in the lurch when I’m still single at this age?” she groused.
Jin Qingyan retorted, “I wasn’t the one who made you single. Why are you blaming me? Besides, how am I supposed to help you get attached? There’s nothing I can do.”
“What do you mean there’s nothing you can do? You can just tell your butler to give me a chance and spend some time with me. He brushed me off and said that I wasn’t his type when he barely even knows me. Once he knows me well enough, he wouldn’t be saying that.”
An Xiaoning interjected, “Yes, once he understands you well, he won’t be saying that you’re not his type. Instead, he’ll wish that he had never met you before. Fancy you saying that he doesn’t know you well enough. You don’t know him well either, but you said you wanted to date him. Don’t you think you’re really strange and absurd?”
“…”
“That’s enough, Ms. Wen. Please leave.” An Xiaoning did not wish to speak to her any further. She had no words left to say about this ignorant 32-year-old woman.
Wen Lele left with her spirits dampened.
Just as she left, He Yi arrived.
They obviously bumped into each other.
Upon the sight of them enjoying some fruit, He Yi immediately questioned, “Ms. An, if you don’t wish to go, so be it. Why did you have to jeopardize my plans?”
“You really enjoy speaking with your tongue in your cheek, don’t you? The previous time we met, you said that you learned more from speaking to me than you would have from ten years of studying. Seems like I really wasted my breath trying to warn you against the possible dangers. I don’t wish to bother about someone who’s asking for death, but why do you have to implicate an innocent person? I’m not exactly close friends with Wen Lele. I just don’t like to see you making use of others by tempting them with money.”
With a sullen expression on his face, He Yi retorted, “Fine, you do make some sense, but you’ll be in no place to interfere with what we do if I make her my girlfriend.”
Upon hearing his words, An Xiaoning immediately lost all admiration and respect for him. “Suit yourself,” she said composedly.
He Yi did not say anything else and instead left straight away.
An Xiaoning picked up a piece of tissue paper to wipe her mouth and said, “Why do such people exist? They only care about money and not their lives.”
“Let’s ignore them. Their lives have nothing to do with us,” Jin Qingyan said coldly. “Don’t let their silly actions affect you. Do you want to take a nap?”
“Yes, I’ll go upstairs to take a shower first.”
“I’m heading to the office now.”
An Xiaoning took a cold shower and changed into her pajamas. She then lay in bed and began browsing through some shopping websites casually. All of a sudden, a skirt caught her eye.
She fell in love with it immediately at first sight.
She would rarely buy clothes online, unless she particularly fancied the design of the apparel.
Considering that it was rather reasonably priced at three hundred dollars and that it was a local website, An Xiaoning decided to purchase it without hesitation. As usual, she wrote Fan Shixin’s name as the recipient.
Thinking to herself that she would receive the dress when she wakes up later, she closed her laptop and began taking a nap.
She woke up three hours later, feeling comfortable and relaxed.
She changed into a comfortable homewear outfit and headed downstairs in a bid to inform him of the item she had bought online. To her surprise, he handed her a parcel straight away and said, “Young Madam, this parcel is for you, isn’t it?”
“Smart. I was just about to tell you about it. How come it arrived so soon?”
“I knew it was yours right away. Well, which other woman in here would dare to write my name as the recipient?”
An Xiaoning quickly zoomed upstairs to open the parcel in a bid to try it on. However, there was no need for it at all.
She had received a skirt that was worlds apart from the photos displayed on the website.
The skirt seemed posh and elegant in the photos online, a far cry from the low-quality piece that she had received. In fact, it seemed even worse than those sold at street stalls.
The material was coarse, and many of the sequins fell off with the touch of a hand.
She threw the skirt into the sink inside the bathroom. As expected, the water in the sink turned red immediately due to the heavy dye of the fabric.