Transmigrated as the Top-Tier Alpha's Secretly Married Ex-Wife - Chapter 41

Chapter 41

The late-night snack location was an established old barbecue joint in City A, selling various grilled items and braised foods. The place was small, only open three days a week, and only seasoned foodies would know about it.

Shen Jun’s car couldn’t enter the alley. Su Tuantuan and He Xiyao got out, walked through a long residential lane, stepped over a few puddles, and finally saw a small, dilapidated neon sign.

Qiao Yanran, Bai Xue, Sun Qiushuang, and even Ding Zhao were already seated. Several small tables pushed together made the space cramped. Qiao Yanran was drinking wine and quickly stood up when she saw them. “Sister!”

Sun Qiushuang had drunk quite a bit. She squinted at Su Tuantuan, called the boss to grill a few more rabbit kidneys, and Bai Xue, who was playing finger-guessing games with Ding Zhao, quickly patted the table when she saw them.

Su Tuantuan pulled out a chair for He Xiyao. Seeing Shen Jun quickly occupy the seat next to Qiao Yanran, she smiled and was about to sit next to Bai Xue, but He Xiyao beat her to it and sat down by Bai Xue’s side.

Su Tuantuan: “?”

She looked at Shen Jun, then at He Xiyao.

She felt like something was amiss…

“Sister Tuantuan, what do you want to eat? You must be tired just getting off the plane. Do you want congee?”

Ding Zhao stopped playing the game and handed Su Tuantuan a cup and chopsticks. “We just got here not long ago. You don’t have any work arranged for tomorrow, right?”

Su Tuantuan answered, “No.”

She casually ordered some signature dishes and poured herself a glass of wine.

Qiao Yanran said sweetly, “Lawyer Shen, you can’t drink. I didn’t call a driver or assistant. If you drink later, how will you take me home?”

She took Shen Jun’s wine glass, decided on her behalf, and poured her a glass of juice. “Drink this. This is much better than wine.”

Shen Jun adjusted her glasses. Sun Qiushuang pounded the table and grunted, “Qiao Yanran, what’s your relationship with Lawyer Shen? You’re controlling her like this. Could you possibly like her?”

Qiao Yanran’s cheeks flushed. “You, what business is it of yours what our relationship is…”

“Of course it’s my business.”

Sun Qiushuang smiled mischievously and winked at Qiao Yanran. “If you don’t like her, I’ll pursue Lawyer Shen. Lawyer Shen is good-looking and has a great profession. Her conditions are so excellent…”

Qiao Yanran stood up flusteredly, nearly flipping the small table. There was a plate of oysters and scallops on it. Her knee hit the tabletop, turning slightly red. “You can’t pursue her!”

A few of them had been drinking. Although Qiao Yanran was usually bold, she would never snap at someone like this.

Even Bai Xue, who was cracking melon seeds, stopped what she was doing.

He Xiyao stared at her with a blank expression, her gaze darting between Qiao Yanran and Shen Jun.

Bai Xue noticed this and glared at her. “What are you looking at?”

He Xiyao didn’t speak. Bai Xue “tsk-ed.” “You dummy, you don’t like Lawyer Shen too, do you?”

“No.”

He Xiyao quickly lowered her head and drank from her cup. Seeing Sun Qiushuang and Qiao Yanran about to erupt into a quarrel, Bai Xue quickly mediated, “Alright, alright. We’re out here to drink and have a late-night snack. What’s all the fuss?”

Sun Qiushuang was drunk and snorted. “Why am I making a fuss? I was just waiting for Tuantuan to arrive! What I said was the truth. If she doesn’t like Lawyer Shen, I’ll pursue her—”

“But I don’t like you.”

Shen Jun, who had been silent, looked up, her gaze cold toward Sun Qiushuang. She tugged at Qiao Yanran’s hand, signaling her to sit down. “She’s just joking with you.”

The last part was directed at Qiao Yanran, and it carried a hint of coaxing.

Qiao Yanran pouted.

Su Tuantuan gave the pair a meaningful once-over and sighed slightly. “I rushed over here from the airport just to listen to you fight? If you keep fighting, I’ll just leave…”

She pretended to get up, but He Xiyao grabbed her arm.

Sun Qiushuang also realized Su Tuantuan was annoyed and smiled. “Okay, okay, I was just saying!”

Ding Zhao immediately stood up. “Sister Tuantuan, Director Sun is drunk. I’ll take her home first. My assistant is here too, and I have an event tomorrow afternoon, so I’m afraid I won’t be able to get up if it’s too late.”

Su Tuantuan also felt that any more commotion would spoil the mood.

Although Sun Qiushuang wasn’t particularly likable even when sober, she was at least better than when she was drunk.

“Fine, I’ll see her to the car.”

Su Tuantuan was about to help her. Bai Xue stood up. “I’ll go. You sit down and eat something.”

Bai Xue and Ding Zhao helped the person leave. The stall immediately quieted down again. Qiao Yanran was clearly unhappy, drinking sullenly, glass after glass.

Shen Jun clearly had something to say.

Su Tuantuan stood up. “I’m going out for a smoke.”

She got up, saw He Xiyao sitting blankly and gnawing on barbecue, and kicked her chair.

He Xiyao looked at her blankly.

Su Tuantuan gave her a meaningful look. “Come with me to buy a pack of cigarettes.”

He Xiyao took a few seconds to react. Then, seeing the two others sitting closer and closer, she finally understood, slowly stood up, and said, “Oh.”

She followed Su Tuantuan, holding her barbecue skewer.

Su Tuantuan: “…”

This infuriatingly slow personality, like a sloth, who did she learn it from?

She was clearly so agile when acting!

If she were He Xiyao’s mother, she’d have hit her with a coat hanger by now.

As the two left, Shen Jun grabbed Qiao Yanran’s wrist, which was holding a wine glass. “Stop drinking.”

Qiao Yanran turned to look at her, tears in the corners of her eyes. She was usually the most well-behaved girl, but at this moment, she looked truly heartbroken. “Shen Jun, you know I like you, right?”

Shen Jun was silent for a moment, took the wine glass from her hand. “Ranran, you’re drunk.”

Qiao Yanran struggled hard to pull away from her hand, a burst of unknown grievance bubbling up. “Let go of me!”

She stood up, stumbling, and her knee hit the table again, becoming redder than before.

Shen Jun quickly chased after her. Qiao Yanran paused, turned back to ask the boss for the bill, and didn’t spare Shen Jun another glance.

Shen Jun stopped walking, watching Qiao Yanran pay the bill without acknowledging her, and walk straight out with her bag. Shen Jun pursued her. “Qiao Yanran!”

The alley had many puddles, but Qiao Yanran just wanted to quickly escape the area. She heard Shen Jun call her, but her steps quickened. Shen Jun caught up and grabbed her just as she rushed out of the alley.

“Qiao Yanran!”

Shen Jun was also anxious. “Why are you running?”

Qiao Yanran was restrained and turned her head away, refusing to look at her, but her shoulders were shaking with sobs. Shen Jun clamped her shoulders and forcibly turned her to face herself.

Tears streamed down Qiao Yanran’s face. Her porcelain doll-like face was heart-wrenching.

Shen Jun used her finger to wipe her tears. Qiao Yanran choked. “I just don’t believe you didn’t notice I liked you! Shen Jun, I didn’t even mind that you’re old, and you dare to dislike me!”

She slapped Shen Jun’s hand away, wiping the tears from her cheeks. “I know I’m not good enough for you, and your family wouldn’t accept a girl from my background. And you always attract attention wherever you go; everyone falls for you!”

Qiao Yanran had lost all pretense of a lady.

She was usually graceful and tactful in public, never throwing a tantrum like this, but in front of Shen Jun, she was crying so fiercely.

“Since you don’t like me, I won’t like you either! Don’t you dare manage me anymore!”

Qiao Yanran swung her arm and walked away. Shen Jun pulled her, but Qiao Yanran’s strength was surprisingly great. With another swing, Shen Jun nearly lost her footing and stumbled. Qiao Yanran heard the noise and turned back.

Shen Jun held onto the wall, looking at her through her glasses.

“Ranran—”

Shen Jun still couldn’t say it. “I’ll take you home.”

“I don’t want you to take me!”

Qiao Yanran walked away indignantly. Shen Jun quickly stepped forward and lifted her up by the waist.

This time, Qiao Yanran didn’t resist.

Shen Jun opened the passenger door, buckled her into the driver’s seat.

Qiao Yanran immediately wrapped her arms around Shen Jun’s neck.

Shen Jun looked uncomfortable. “Ranran, let go.”

In this dark alley, they looked exactly like secret lovers. Qiao Yanran’s arms clung like vines. She stopped crying. “Do you like me?”

She stared intently at Shen Jun. Shen Jun lowered her head, not meeting her gaze, but her ears were blazing hot.

“Shen Jun, I’ve known since I was little that no one can be relied upon. I thought I would always live in hell, but you saved me.”

Qiao Yanran’s fingers touched Shen Jun’s cheek, their skin warm against each other. “I know very clearly that what I feel for you isn’t dependence or gratitude. This is love, Shen Jun. Don’t you understand?”

Shen Jun looked up, meeting Qiao Yanran’s eyes.

Pure and clear, like a child unaware of the world’s ways.

Only Shen Jun knew how much she had suffered.

But Shen Jun also knew she couldn’t love her.

In the plot of the previous life, Ranran fell in love with Mo Xian. She was with a top idol, their love was earth-shattering, and they received everyone’s blessings.

How could she stain this girl?

She could only stand by her side, silently loving and giving.

She couldn’t let her regret it.

“Ranran—”

Shen Jun’s voice was a little rough. She knew she was a very twisted person.

She desperately wanted to possess her Ranran, but she also needed Ranran to find her own happiness.

“You’re still young. Maybe you don’t fully understand what love is yet.”

Shen Jun pressed her arm, her eyes flickering. “Wait until later, wait another two years. You’ll probably understand everything. By then, you’ll realize I’m not as good as you think…”

“I…”

Qiao Yanran’s arm around her neck stiffened, then slowly dropped.

Qiao Yanran smiled. Before Shen Jun could say anything more, she had regained her composed expression.

“I see.”

She feigned indifference as she wiped away her tears and turned her head to sit properly. “You’re right. I just had a sudden thought, thinking you were pretty good and wanted to tease you. I actually knew we weren’t suitable at all.”

She laughed, staring at the dim streets ahead and the lights still on in the residential buildings. “I didn’t expect you to take it seriously. It seems my acting skills are really good; I even fooled you.”

She wiped away her tears and showed her perfectly aligned teeth to Shen Jun. “Lawyer Shen, I’ll have to trouble you to drive me home.”

Shen Jun was startled. Seeing her back to normal, she was silent for a few seconds, straightened up, and closed the car door. “Okay.”

Su Tuantuan and He Xiyao searched for a while before finding cigarettes. After buying them, He Xiyao was about to head back. Su Tuantuan called out to her, “Where are you going?”

He Xiyao looked confused. “Aren’t we going back to eat barbecue?”

That table of oysters, rabbit kidneys, and scallops hadn’t been touched yet.

Su Tuantuan: “…”

She narrowed her eyes. “Before, I just thought you didn’t like to talk.”

He Xiyao: “?”

Her glowing white skin looked even paler under the streetlights. “And now?”

Su Tuantuan exhaled a puff of smoke. “Now I think you’re a blockhead.”

He Xiyao: “…………”

After finishing her cigarette, Xiao Yu’s car arrived. Su Tuantuan kindly sent He Xiyao home, and she went home to sleep well.

The next day, however, she was awakened by Sister Zhou pounding on her door.

Su Tuantuan sleepily opened the door and saw Mo Xian standing behind Sister Zhou.

She pulled her pajama jacket closed. “What’s wrong?”

Sister Zhou thrust her phone screen at her. “You and He Xiyao, what the hell is going on!!!”

Mo Xian stood behind Sister Zhou, looking at Su Tuantuan like a bullied child, with a “please comfort me” expression.

Su Tuantuan glanced at the phone screen and saw pictures of her and He Xiyao walking and getting into a car late at night. She choked.

Then she looked at the headline.

Are Su Tuantuan and He Xiyao Together? Something was Off with These Two During the Competition!!!

She looked at Mo Xian, then at the raging Sister Zhou.

Su Tuantuan let out a dry laugh. “I can explain this.”