Chapter 411: Yanran Is Waiting for Her Cousin?!

“Aiya! That’s enough out of you.”

Xiao Yanran stomped her foot in frustration. The more Zhu Xiaoxiao spoke, the more outrageous it got.

Big Brother Wang wasn’t that kind of person.

“It’s not like that at all. Don’t just assume things!”

“Not like that? With how pure you are, if I were a guy, I would’ve already chased you down.”

“Fine, fine! If you’re that worried, you can come along, okay?!” Yanran practically shouted the last sentence. She was unable to take it anymore.

“Deal!”

Zhu Xiaoxiao immediately agreed without hesitation, not giving Xiao Yanran even a sliver of room to back out.

As soon as she said “deal,” a collective exhale rose from the surrounding crowd. Several of the male onlookers let out a long breath of relief.

Whew. Thank goodness. This cabbage hasn’t been taken by a pig yet!

That was what everyone was thinking.

“My boyfriend’s here, I’m off!”

“My husband just pulled up too, bye girls!”

All around them, people began heading out. Dozens of girls stood at the gate, waiting for their rides. Meanwhile, some of the guys—seeing their cue—hurried toward the subway station instead.

In this era, women were still viewed as a vulnerable group. They needed men.

But men, in return, also sought validation and satisfaction through them. It was a mutually dependent game of give and take.

“Look at Xiao Li from our department, she switched boyfriends again. From a VW to a Cadillac, now she’s moved on to a BMW. Step by step, climbing the ladder!”

“Right? If I were still young like her, I’d do the same. These days, people are realistic. Better to cry in a BMW than laugh on a bicycle!”

At last, Xiao Yanran had managed to shut Zhu Xiaoxiao up.

Thankfully, Xiaoxiao didn’t press her any further. She figured as long as she tagged along, nothing could go wrong.

But Yanran grew even more anxious. Her eyes searched the stream of cars slowly moving up the drive.

From nearby came gossip and idle chatter—noise she’d long since grown tired of.

Whether commuting or during office hours, wherever women gathered, these kinds of conversations were inevitable.

“Eh? Yanran? Xiaoxiao? What are you two standing around here for? Not leaving yet?”

Just then, a woman’s voice called out from behind them.

They turned to see that it was Team Leader Qing from their project group.

She was only two years older than them but already a team leader, known for her capabilities.

“Team Leader, we’re just waiting for someone. Yanran’s friend is picking her up,” Zhu Xiaoxiao said quickly with a smile, simultaneously shooting Yanran a warning glance.

Qing was known for her strong personality precisely because of her ability. She especially looked down on women who relied on men to climb the ranks, believing such methods were cheap and disgraceful.

However, she had a favorable opinion of both Yanran and Xiaoxiao.

She often looked after them in the team, not for any ulterior motive, but because they were honest and stayed away from gossip circles.

Both were pretty, yet carried themselves with a rare simplicity.

When Qing heard that someone was picking Yanran up, a hint of curiosity flickered in her eyes.

“A friend of Yanran’s? A guy or a girl? I don’t think I’ve ever heard you mention them.”

Her tone was casual, but there was a probing edge to it.

“Oh, I misspoke!” Xiaoxiao immediately corrected herself. “It’s not a friend, it’s her cousin, from out of town. Came to visit her and invited her to dinner. I’m just tagging along to mooch a free meal.”

Xiaoxiao reacted fast.

The moment she realized she’d said “friend,” she wanted to slap herself. She couldn’t let this “scumbag” ruin both her and Yanran’s good reputation in Qing’s eyes.

Sure enough, when Qing heard it was just a cousin, her probing curiosity immediately faded.

“Oh, a cousin? I figured. You two are so well-behaved, it’d be strange if you suddenly started dating someone. Alright, have fun tonight and don’t be too late. We’ve got a meeting first thing tomorrow morning.”

With that, Team Leader Qing turned and walked off.

Zhu Xiaoxiao let out a long sigh of relief.

Both she and Yanran were from out of town, attending university here. Zhu Xiaoxiao had already graduated and stayed with the company, while Yanran was now interning in her final year.

Team Leader Qing was familiar with all their backgrounds.

As for Xiao Yanran, she was still confused by the whole conversation.

She hadn’t been here long and didn’t really understand Qing’s character yet.

She glanced at Xiaoxiao, puzzled by the strange looks she was giving her, but chose not to ask.

Just as she turned back with a polite smile to bid Qing goodbye—

Screech!

A car pulled up behind them and braked sharply.

And then, the voice that had echoed in Xiao Yanran’s mind countless times finally rang out. It was clear, real, and right behind her.

“Yanran!”

Wang Yun had spotted her from the line of cars the moment he entered the parking lane. But traffic was heavy, and someone had even stopped on the side, making the congestion worse.

Now that he’d finally pulled in, he wasted no time opening the door.

First date—and he was already late. Embarrassing.

He got out of the car quickly.

His voice had everyone nearby turning their heads instinctively.

And then—

When they saw where that voice came from, a wave of stunned silence fell over the crowd.

Black athletic jacket with a raised collar. Gray joggers. Spotless white sneakers. Long legs, sharp nose bridge, finely sculpted features—

He looked like he had stepped right out of a painting.