Snapping back to reality, Xia Bai opened the car door and got in. The temperature inside was comfortable, and the leather seats felt pleasant. Perhaps because there was a perfume diffuser placed upfront, a faint, lingering fragrance filled the air, quite pleasant to the senses.
“Where do you live?”
Su Lingyu asked while preparing the navigation.
There was no helping it—she really wasn’t familiar with the routes in this world from the book.
Xia Bai gave an address near her home. Since it wasn’t rush hour, the drive was smooth and unobstructed.
Soon, the two arrived at the location.
“Is this it?”
Su Lingyu checked the navigation.
“Yes, you can drop me off at the intersection up ahead.”
Xia Bai pointed to a fork in the road not far away. Beyond that point, one side led to the bustling, prosperous city, while the other descended into a dirty, dilapidated urban village.
“Is the intersection far from your home?”
“Not far, just a short distance.”
“If it’s far, I can drive a bit further so you don’t have to walk as much.”
“No need to trouble yourself, the intersection is fine.”
Thinking of where she lived, along with her mother and sister at home, Xia Bai quickly waved her hands in refusal.
“Alright, then take care.”
Su Lingyu didn’t insist further.
She knew that not every act of kindness was something others wanted to accept. Everyone had aspects of their life they wished to hide, especially the female lead in her current situation.
“Okay, drive safely. Bye.”
“Alright, bye.”
Only after Su Lingyu had driven away did Xia Bai slowly make her way into the narrow alley.
“You wretched girl, why are you back at this hour?”
Not far into the alley, Zhou Cuifen, who had been standing there unnoticed, slapped her.
“I wasn’t feeling well, so I asked for leave and came back early.”
Xia Bai rubbed her sore shoulder, feeling a bit dizzy.
“Wah wah~ Sis, no, wah wah, car car…”
Xia Hong pointed toward the intersection outside, her words slurred and unclear.
“Who was that who brought you back just now?”
“A colleague.”
“Male or female?”
“Female!”
“Really?”
“Didn’t you see for yourself?”
Xia Bai leaned against the wall to steady herself.
“Listen to me, you’ve just started working, your career is in its early stages, on the rise! You can’t go falling in love now, understand?”
Career on the rise? What career did she, an intern, have to speak of?
As for love—she wasn’t allowed to date during her studies, and now after graduation, she still wasn’t allowed. All her mother ever talked about was work.
Tears welled in Xia Bai’s eyes as she clenched her fists. Her mother only ever cared about money, never about her well-being.
“Are you listening to me?!”
“…I understand.”
Xia Bai lowered her head and walked toward the house, her voice muffled.
No one knew how deeply hurt and bitter she felt inside after falling ill.
She sniffled hard and bit her lower lip, afraid her tears might accidentally fall.
“Good that you understand.”
Zhou Cuifen took Xia Hong’s hand and followed her.
In this lifetime, she would never shake off the two of us!
The next day, as soon as work started, Qiao Feifei was summoned to Fu Yuchen’s office.
“Did you have something to do with what happened to Xia Bai?”
“Xia Bai? What about that woman again?”
Qiao Feifei muttered under her breath and sat down on the sofa. “What’s wrong with her now?”
“What do you think?”
“You’re asking me? How should I know?”
“Yesterday afternoon, she was locked in the women’s restroom.”
“She was locked in the women’s restroom?”
Qiao Feifei’s eyes lit up, her face showing excitement: “Serves her right…”
“You’re actually happy after what happened to her yesterday?”
Fu Yuchen looked dissatisfied with her reaction, suppressing his anger as he spoke.
“I… Wait, you don’t suspect I did it, do you?”
“…”
Fu Yuchen stared at her without speaking.
But the meaning in his eyes was clear.
“No, I don’t get along with Xia Bai, but this really wasn’t me! I’m not that childish. Locking someone in the bathroom? I stopped pulling that kind of prank back in school!”
Realizing the misunderstanding, Qiao Feifei immediately stood up to explain.
Though she did feel pretty great hearing Xia Bai got locked in the bathroom!
“So what’s your upgraded version now? Locking someone in the restroom, then cutting the power and closing the curtains to mess with them?”
Fu Yuchen’s deep eyes fixed on Qiao Feifei, revealing anger and danger.
“No, cousin! Did that bitch Xia Bai say something to you?”
“Let me make this clear. First, call me President Fu at the company. Second, stop calling people bitches. I’ll have to ask Auntie what kind of upbringing you received.”
“Sorry, cou— President Fu. Please don’t tell my mom.”
Seeing Fu Yuchen’s obvious anger, Qiao Feifei instinctively shrank back.
Truthfully, she’d always been somewhat afraid of this stern cousin and her mother—but what scared her most was how her mother always listened to Fu Yuchen.
If President Fu said something to her mother, she’d be doomed!
“Scared now? Why didn’t you think before pulling such a stunt?”I’m truly wronged, President Fu!” This really wasn’t me! I was gaming all day yesterday, I swear!”
“If you don’t tell the truth, you can leave the company today.”
“I am telling the truth! You have to believe me!”
Feeling utterly helpless, Qiao Feifei nearly cried. How could she leave the company now?
Suddenly remembering something, she grabbed her phone: “I can show you my gaming records! Or you can ask my in-game CP!”
Fu Yuchen’s brow furrowed slightly. Not only was she gaming during work hours, but she also had an in-game romantic partner?
Still, she didn’t seem to be lying. Could it really not have been her this time?
Twenty-first floor.
Su Lingyu, who knew Qiao Feifei had been summoned upstairs, was also thinking.
In the original story, locking Xia Bai in the bathroom was done by both the original host and Qiao Feifei.
This time she wasn’t involved, yet it still happened. Did Qiao Feifei act alone?
But Qiao Feifei seemed to be gaming all day yesterday—did she even have time?
If not her, then who else would have motive?
“…Who exactly harmed Xia Bai?”
Xia Bai, passing by, overheard Su Lingyu’s murmur.
Was she trying to find who messed with her?
“Hey, Xia Bai, you’re here?”
Su Lingyu turned and noticed the person standing nearby.
“Yeah.”
“Are you feeling better?”
“Much better now.”
“That’s good.”
Noticing the brown paper bag on her desk, Su Lingyu asked: “By the way, would you like some breakfast?”
When buying breakfast this morning, for some reason she wanted to buy an extra portion to get closer to Xia Bai.
After all, after everything that happened yesterday, the female lead should have developed some favorable impression of her, right?