Eh?
Liang Rou’s body froze instantly.
She swallowed hard, unable to believe her ears, and slowly turned her head—only to meet Xia Rui’s curious gaze.
Crap…!
I’m doomed!
What should she do when her girlfriend comes out of the Bathroom in a moment? Tell Xia Rui that she was lying earlier, that she wasn’t out with her Parents at all, but with her girlfriend?
That wouldn’t just be putting on the Hat of Favoring Romance over Friendship!
That would be the full “Not only favoring romance over friendship, but also lying, and playing tricks on others” Liar’s Hat!
How could she ever show her face at the Company again?
She’d become the laughingstock of all her colleagues…
She might not even be able to keep her job…!
Liang Rou forced out an awkward smile.
She glanced quickly around and spotted the Luxury Store nearby.
Instantly, she pointed at it and explained to Xia Rui, “My Parents just got here, so I thought I’d buy them some Gold Bracelets and Gold Chains. You know how the older generation loves these things.”
Xia Rui’s mouth formed a perfect “O” as she nodded thoughtfully.
“So that’s how it is, Senior.”
She looked around again, then peered behind Liang Rou.
“Huh? Where are Uncle and Auntie? Did they go to the Bathroom?” Xia Rui blinked in confusion, scanning the area once more.
“Gulp~”
Liang Rou swallowed hard again, sweat beading on her forehead.
“Ah, well, you know how the older generation is—always thrifty, never wanting their kids to spend money on them. I came out to secretly buy them some gold, planning to present it after the fact, so they won’t feel bad about the money… haha~”
Xia Rui nodded again. “I see~ Senior, you’re so filial~!”
Her eyes sparkled with little stars.
Liang Rou’s heart pounded like a drum.
She wiped the sweat from her forehead.
“Then let me help Senior pick out some gold~”
As Xia Rui finished, she stepped forward, trying to drape her arm over her senior’s shoulder as if they were close friends.
No, no, no!
Liang Rou quickly stepped back, glancing nervously toward the Bathroom.
Only after confirming An Luxi hadn’t come out did she breathe a sigh of relief.
Then, looking up, she saw Xia Rui’s wounded, puppy-like expression.
Come on… why are you looking at me like that? It’s not like I did anything to hurt you—I just dodged a little… But now’s not the time to think about this.
Liang Rou was terrified An Luxi would come out of the Bathroom and expose her lie on the spot.
Gritting her teeth, Liang Rou took a long stride.
Time to escape!
She broke into a run, waving back at Xia Rui as she went.
“Oh, I already finished buying the gold! No need to keep me company! Besides, I’ve been out here so long—my Parents just called to rush me home! If I don’t get back soon, they’ll come looking for me… Xia Rui, see you at the Company tomorrow!”
With that, she dashed straight out the mall’s main entrance.
“Eh——?”
Xia Rui stood rooted to the spot, her hand still frozen in mid-air.
Only when Liang Rou’s figure vanished into the crowd did Xia Rui finally come back to herself.
“Ah…”
She withdrew her hand, clearly disappointed.
“Sigh~ It’s so rare to run into her by chance, and it ends like this…”
The blonde girl pouted, nudging the Trash Bin beside her with the heel of her High Heels, then let out a heavy sigh.
“Well, fine, that’s how it is. I’ll see her at the Company tomorrow anyway. One more day won’t make a difference.”
After comforting herself, Xia Rui perked up, took a step forward—and at that very moment, An Luxi emerged from the Bathroom, wiping her hands with a tissue.
The two brushed right past each other.
Eh?
Xia Rui glanced over, thinking, “That girl just now is the same type as Senior~ but not as pretty as the one before.”
An Luxi also turned to look at Xia Rui.
“Ah, if only I were that tall, and had a face as mature and striking as that…”
Xia Rui pulled out her Phone, opened the Jiyan App, and posted a new update: [ Sigh, I ran into Senior at the mall today. I wanted to chat and shop together, but she finished her errands and had to go home to her Parents. What a pity~ Sigh~ Hope I can have a Perfect Date next time~ I feel like it’s not far off, we’re already in the Ambiguous Phase~ ]
After posting, Xia Rui’s mood brightened again, and she happily put her Phone away.
On the other side, An Luxi lowered her head with a soft sigh, lamenting that her Sweet Girl Face wasn’t enough①. But when she looked up, she was stunned.
“Eh?”
There was no familiar figure in sight—just surging crowds. An Luxi grew uneasy, nervously clutching her clothes and wrinkling the edge of her pretty JK uniform into a ball.
“Rou Rou?”
She called out softly, but no one responded. Everyone was busy with their own affairs; only a few people glanced at her curiously.
“Rou Rou?!”
“Rou Rou?!”
An Luxi raised her voice a bit, but still, no one paid attention. Some people even gave her stranger looks.
If she got any louder, she wouldn’t dare… She was extremely shy, a super introverted girl—shouting in a crowded mall would be as bad as making a scene in public!
With no choice, An Luxi fished her Phone from her JK pocket and called Liang Rou.
The call connected after just two rings.
At this moment, Liang Rou was outside the mall, bent over and gasping for breath, her hand on her knee. She’d run so fast and so hard she had a stitch in her side. She moaned and groaned, patting her knee, then rubbing her stomach.
“I really need to exercise… Just a little running and I’m this tired—no, no, no, I’m a girl now, even my kidneys are going to give out at this rate.”
Before she could tell An Luxi where she was, An Luxi called her.
“Hello? Xiao Lu, listen, I—”
She didn’t get to finish.
“Rou Rou! Where did you go? Why did you disappear all of a sudden?”
An Luxi’s voice came through the Phone, tinged with tears—soft and fragile, as if she might burst into sobs at any moment.
“Uh, uh, I…”
Liang Rou was at a loss for words, her mind racing for a convincing excuse to fool her girlfriend.