Chapter 068: An Awkward Encounter

Lin Luyao carried the freshly made omurice all the way to the GS Securities building. This skyscraper wasn’t far from the XM Fund Company where Zhen Hao worked; both stood along the same street.

But sometimes, luck is just that fickle. She was about to turn into the building when someone called out to her. The voice was all too familiar—she turned around, and sure enough, it was Zhen Hao.

“You…” Zhen Hao clearly had much to say, but in the end only managed, “Congratulations, you got into the company you wanted.”

“Ah, thank you…”

Since that last time she’d stabbed at his heart without holding back, this was the first time Lin Luyao had seen Zhen Hao again.

When they didn’t meet, she could pretend nothing had happened, pretend he was still her brother, still a friend. But now, facing him in person, Lin Luyao was overwhelmed by awkwardness, utterly at a loss for how to handle him.

“Oh, you’re so slow—I’m starving!”

Fortunately, Jiang Xiaohan arrived at just the right moment.

After finishing her call with Lin Luyao, she’d seen Zhen Hao coming out of their mentor’s office. At once, she sensed trouble; the two were almost certain to run into each other.

Indeed, when she came downstairs, she found them standing in the lobby like statues. She hurried over, grabbed Lin Luyao, and wedged herself between the pair.

Although Zhen Hao’s company had business dealings with her team, and Zhen Hao himself was an important partner, even a partner holding large transactions was not as important as her best friend.

So Jiang Xiaohan feigned casualness with Zhen Hao: “Hey, Hao, you’re still here. At this hour, it’s probably hard to get a taxi. Should I call one for you?”

Zhen Hao could see the closeness between the three and took the hint to step down.

Seeing he didn’t need her help with a ride, Jiang Xiaohan grabbed the takeaway bag from Lin Luyao’s other hand and said,

“Well, we won’t keep you then! We were just busy with meetings and haven’t eaten yet, so we’ll head upstairs.”

With a nod to Zhen Hao, she pulled Lin Luyao into the elevator.

Once they’d turned the corner, out of Zhen Hao’s sight, Jiang Xiaohan let go of her hand and scolded her with frustration:

“Honestly, do you have to be like this? You argue with me so easily, but when it comes to Zhen Hao, you clam up. Come on… you’re the one in the right here!”

“I just feel things got a bit too tense last time… Even if we sorted things out, he’s still my brother’s best friend.”

“You already said you cleared things up. Just treat him like a stranger and be done with it!” Jiang Xiaohan scoffed, “He’s your brother’s best friend—so what? Just because he’s your brother’s friend doesn’t mean you have to accept him as yours.”

“Besides, what’s your connection with him? He liked you, tried to pursue you, and you turned him down. It’s not some earth-shattering romance where you meet again after a dramatic breakup… just say what you want to say. What’s so awkward about it?”

Sometimes Jiang Xiaohan really wanted to crack open Lin Luyao’s head and see how she managed to be so sharp when she needed to be senseless, and so stubborn when she should just laugh things off.

She was only fierce in her own little territory; aside from Jiang Xiaohan indulging her, who else could she argue with? She’d probably help someone count their money if they sold her off.

“I don’t want to be like this either… but my tone was pretty harsh last time. You know how it is, when I lose my temper, I lose all sense of boundaries.”

Lin Luyao’s mind was still replaying that argument with Zhen Hao. She was usually quite measured, but that time she’d been too upset.

Jiang Xiaohan shot her a sidelong glance, as if to say:

So you know how poisonous you can be when you snap at someone—yet you always snap at me.