It was just after four in the afternoon, and as closing time approached, there weren’t many customers in the bank, just eight or nine individuals.
An Yiqing sat on the couch, reading a newspaper while waiting for Ruan Xue and Gu Tingting to return.
"Cough cough! Cough! Cough cough!"
"Madam, please take it slowly. Oh! Really, I told you not to come out, but you’re so stubborn."
"Today is Niuniu’s birthday. Every year on this day, I deposit some money for Niuniu’s dowry, even though she now... "
For some reason, upon hearing this gentle and frail voice, An Yiqing couldn’t help but turn her head towards the direction of the woman.
This was a woman as dignified as a chrysanthemum, probably in her forties. Her eyebrows were delicately arched, her almond eyes curled, and the corners of her mouth turned up slightly. Despite her pallor, she retained an air of nobility and elegance. She wore a beige woolen coat, plain and graceful. There was a refined and gentle grace about the woman, whether in her demeanor or dress, one could tell she was a lady of a wealthy household.
However, looking at her complexion, she probably couldn’t shake off a chronic illness born from accumulated stress.
An Yiqing watched the frail woman sitting not far away, and for some reason, looking at her, An Yiqing felt a sourness in her heart and a faint wetness in her eyes.
As if by an unspoken understanding, the woman also turned her head and looked over.
One young, one composed, two women quietly gazed at each other. In their similarly almond-shaped eyes, there were hints of a bitter moisture.
"Xiao Qing! You must be anxious!" Ruan Xue and Gu Tingting had finished their business and walked out of the manager’s office.
An Yiqing, who was lost in thought, started at the sound and then glanced back at the graceful woman.
"It’s fine, is everything settled?"
"All done, let’s go!"
An Yiqing followed Gu Tingting and Ruan Xue, giving the graceful woman one last reluctant glance before slowly heading towards the exit.
The woman seemed to want to call out to An Yiqing, but before she could finish, a deafening gunshot rang out in the lobby!
"Nobody move! This is a robbery!"
"Everyone get down, hands on your head! Stay down!"
Four or five men wearing black ski masks and wielding handguns burst through the front door. Upon entry, they fired three shots at the corner of the room, "bang bang bang."
The crowd, startled, all turned pale with fright. After the initial panic, under the intimidation of the gunfire, the customers and staff in the lobby obediently crouched down.
An Yiqing, who had not yet left the entrance, pulled Ruan Xue and Gu Tingting down with her. Afterwards, she couldn’t help but glance worriedly at the graceful woman several times.
"Quick! Hand over the money! All of you, give me the money now!" The lead masked man pointed a gun at the temple of the lobby manager and dragged him to the counter, "Make them hand over the money! Fast! Or I’ll kill you!"
"Y-yes, yes, yes..." The lobby manager, trembling, signaled the tellers with his eyes, instructing them to do as the robbers said.
"Qingqing, what if they try to... you know?" Gu Tingting was worried; robbery was one thing—they could just give them the money, but if they went further, oh dear—she was still a pure young maiden!
"Shut your damn mouth!" Ruan Xue, crouching beside her, kicked the crestfallen Gu Tingting and gritted her teeth in anger, "If you dare to spout nonsense again, I’ll have at you first!"
Listening to the ludicrous conversation between Gu Tingting and Ruan Xue, An Yiqing silently mourned for her life a few minutes, wondering what kind of friends she had made?