Watching An Hao choke up, Qin Jian’s lips slightly pursed, a faint smile curling up at the corners: "Right now is a good opportunity, you can thank me!"
"I..." Alright, she was defeated by his thick skin.
Since things had gone this far, she might as well agree to his request this time.
Even if Qin Jian didn’t like her, she could consider it repaying him a favor.
Qin Jian’s eyebrows relaxed: "Couldn’t be better."
"I need to say something to my classmates." She couldn’t just leave like that.
"Alright. I’ll wait for you," Qin Jian agreed.
Inside the bookstore, Shen Zhihua and Lin Li had paid for and bundled their books, each carrying a bundle and were just about to leave, when they suddenly realized An Hao was missing.
"Where’s An Hao?" Shen Zhihua looked around the area.
Song Yueqin curled her lips in disgust: "Outside with a few soldiers, chatting up a storm, playing the dutiful soldier and demure sister."
She had been boiling with rage while watching from the window, wishing she could rush out and tear that long face of An Hao’s.
"Where?" Shen Zhihua asked.
"Go see for yourself, by the roadside! Not even ashamed!" Song Yueqin cursed bitterly.
Shen Zhihua hurried to the entrance and happened to run into An Hao approaching from the opposite direction.
"An Hao, where did you go? We’ve bought the books, and I’ve found out there’s a bus back to the town at twelve o’clock. If we leave now, we’ll just catch it."
"Squad leader, you guys go back first. I have some things to take care of in the city and will return later," An Hao said.
"What things?" Shen Zhihua looked up and outside, indeed, by the roadside stood a man with a straight figure and outstanding temperament, who was also looking this way.
"Personal matters. Squad leader, no need to wait for me. Go back first," An Hao said. In her previous life, she had been no stranger to traversing the city, familiar with every street and alley here.
Shen Zhihua, seeing An Hao unwilling to elaborate, felt gloomy and uncomfortable inside.
What could he do about feeling uncomfortable?
An Hao didn’t like him, otherwise she wouldn’t have rejected him that night.
"We will wait for you. Since we came together, we should go back together!" he insisted on waiting for An Hao; he was worried about her being alone in the city. What if she got lost?
"Really, no need. Thank you, squad leader, I won’t get lost."
Song Yueqin stepped forward with a cold laugh, patting Shen Zhihua’s shoulder: "Squad leader, you needn’t worry about her. When it’s time, she’ll have Brother Qin to escort her back!"
Shen Zhihua looked at An Hao: "Is that true?"
"Isn’t it true?" Song Yueqin interrupted, "They’re old acquaintances after all, and he’s a guy who drives a car, working at the research institute in the provincial city!"
"Yueqin!" An Hao’s smile at the corner of her mouth cooled down, "Do you have to be so mean with your words? Are you upset because he’s driving me and not you? Feeling sour, isn’t it?"
No one knew Song Yueqin’s thoughts better than An Hao herself.
Just like now, was Song Yueqin trying to annoy her?
Fine, she knew exactly where to poke her where it hurt the most!
Song Yueqin’s face turned pale in an instant, her stomach full of anger without a way to vent. She could only grit her teeth and stubbornly retort: "Pssh! I wouldn’t want him to drive me even if you begged me to!"
"Really? Then I wonder who was just now calling out ’Brother Qin, Brother Qin’ so affectionately. Seeing Qin Jian, your legs must have been too jelly to move, right?" An Hao didn’t want to expose her faults, but she shouldn’t be pushed too far.
"You! You! An Hao, you’ve gone too far!" Song Yueqin, hopping mad, grabbed Shen Zhihua’s arm and stomped away, "Squad leader, don’t you see? We’re in the way here. What are we still doing here? Let’s go!"
"Just be careful when you go back on your own," Shen Zhihua, being dragged off by Song Yueqin, still couldn’t help but admonish An Hao worriedly before leaving.
"Don’t worry, I’ll be fine," An Hao assured him with a smile, watching them leave until they were far away, before crossing back to the other side of the street.