I Don't Want to Scare

Chapter 2: A Bittersweet Encounter

That day, Su Hua was working diligently, finishing her tasks early. She leisurely sipped her tea, waiting for the end-of-day punch-out. While refilling her water in the break room, she overheard Senior Li, a more experienced colleague, talking to Xiao Yang.

"Xiao Yang, you're so beautiful. Do you have a boyfriend?" Senior Li asked.

Xiao Yang shyly smiled, "No, not yet, Auntie."

Senior Li's eyes lit up, her gaze on Xiao Yang becoming more eager. "Let me set you up with someone. A rather handsome young man."

"No, thank you. I'm focusing on my career right now. I'm not in a rush," Xiao Yang declined tactfully.

"I've made the coffee, I'm off now," Xiao Yang said, quickly leaving with her cup, never meeting Senior Li's eyes.

Senior Li looked disappointed, muttering about how girls should eventually get married, and how today's young women were too playful. She lamented that as they aged, it would be harder to find good partners, and that a woman's value seemed to decrease with age...

Noticing Su Hua beside her, Senior Li asked, "Don't you think so, Xiao Nan?"

Su Hua gave an ambiguous smile, not responding. She always dismissed such notions. Girls weren't like consumable goods that could depreciate in value.

Seemingly in no hurry to return to her office, Senior Li leaned casually against the wall and asked, "Do you have a boyfriend, Xiao Nan?"

"Yep," Su Hua nodded.

She wouldn't mention that she'd be single after today. She certainly didn't want Senior Li to play matchmaker for her.

"I remember now," Senior Li smiled, "if things are going well, you should get married sooner. Campus romances are the purest."

Su Hua bent down to pour water, thinking to herself, So innocent.

Innocent to the point that our long-distance relationship fell apart in less than half a year.

The outside world is really quite fascinating!

If it weren't for my strange ability, I'd probably be completely oblivious, still singing praises of Xiao Ran's kindness towards me.

La la la!

When Su Hua finished making her tea, Senior Li was still standing there. Su Hua couldn't help but suggest, "Senior Li, maybe you shouldn't introduce partners to Xiao Yang anymore."

"Why not?" Senior Li asked.

Su Hua thought for a moment, then managed to say, "She's quite independent-minded."

Would Su Hua mention that Xiao Yang liked cute girls? Or recall the time she accidentally became Xiao Yang's underwear, leaving her unsure whether to cry or laugh?

The girl usually wore loose clothes, hiding her impressive figure. But as a fellow woman, Su Hua really didn't need that kind of "benefit."

Senior Li nodded thoughtfully.

Su Hua quietly closed the break room door, thinking she could only help Xiao Yang so much.

...

As soon as work ended, Su Hua quickly left the company and caught the bus. Gu Xiaolian was probably in City N, and Xiao Ran had chosen a Western restaurant in City N for their date. Coincidentally, Su Hua worked in City N. The restaurant was just a few stops away from her company, significantly reducing the "catching the cheater" costs. Xiao Ran dared to date so openly there, confident that she didn't like Western food. The date was at six, and with Xiao Ran's personality, he would arrive ten minutes early.

Perfect, Su Hua had ten minutes to "enjoy" a two-person world with him and "exchange" feelings. The Western restaurant he chose had a romantic atmosphere, with soft music and gentle lighting. A delicate vase on the table held a single, vibrant rose. The waitstaff were polite—definitely better-looking than Xiao Ran, which Su Hua found quite satisfying. She stood to one side, scanning the room, and spotted Xiao Ran sitting by the window.

...

Xiao Ran was looking down at his phone, replying to a message when he felt a light tap on his shoulder. He smiled indulgently, thinking it was his date. "You're here," he said.

But when he turned and saw Su Hua's face, his expression froze for a moment.

"Why is it you?" he blurted out, unguarded.

Su Hua sat down opposite him with a sly smile. "Who else would it be? Didn't you text me an invitation?"

She waved her phone, feigning annoyance. "You know I don't like Western food, yet you brought me here."

Xiao Ran rubbed his forehead, looking a bit troubled. He suspected the phone had malfunctioned the night before, causing this mix-up. This so-called "virus" was too smart; even the phone repair shop couldn't find any issues.

Phone Virus: I'm not taking the blame for this.

Su Hua smirked, her gaze probing. "So, the person you wanted to invite today wasn't me?"

Xiao Ran shook his head reluctantly. "Of course, it's you."

He glanced at the time on his phone; he was almost late for his date with Gu Xiaolian. If the two of them crossed paths, it would be disastrous.

Xiao Ran smiled gently. "Baby, it's my mistake. I forgot you don't like Western food. How about we go somewhere else? You choose the place."

Su Hua glanced at him skeptically. "Trying it out once in a while isn't bad. Let's stay here; the ambiance is nice."

She called over the waiter and started ordering, not looking at the dishes but at the prices, ensuring Xiao Ran would remember their last meal together.

"I've ordered," Su Hua looked at the obviously restless Xiao Ran. "Dear, what will you have?"

Xiao Ran was clearly distracted. "The same as you."

In his subconscious, Su Hua wouldn't order anything too expensive. They had met in college and had only been out in society for half a year. Neither of them had much money, and their gatherings were never too fancy. But this time, Su Hua was determined to disappoint Xiao Ran. It was too late for him to cancel his date with Gu Xiaolian. He had just posted a selfie at the restaurant to Gu Xiaolian.

"Su Hua," Xiao Ran began.

Su Hua looked up. "Hmm?"

Seeing her gaze, Xiao Ran pondered how to proceed. Su Hua blinked, curious what excuse he would come up with.

"In a bit, my cousin might join us," he said.

"Pfft," Su Hua almost laughed out loud. After holding it in for a while, the best he could come up with was a cousin? How uncreative.

"Cousin, huh? Then we should treat her well and order something for her too," Su Hua said, already planning her revenge.

The dishes arrived one by one, and Su Hua enjoyed her meal, the quality indeed matching the price. On the other hand, Xiao Ran barely tasted his food. Twenty minutes later, his "cousin" finally arrived.

Su Hua looked her over from head to toe. Her face wasn't as delicate as Su Hua's, her skin wasn't as fair, her bust wasn't as ample, and her waist wasn't as slim. How could Xiao Ran have fallen for Gu Xiaolian? His taste was really going downhill.

Gu Xiaolian was taken aback to see Su Hua sitting across from Xiao Ran. It was clearly a date for two, so who was this extra person? And she was even more attractive than Gu Xiaolian, which made her feel a bit threatened.

Xiao Ran took the initiative, standing up to introduce them. "Xiao Lian, this is my university..."

"Girlfriend," Su Hua cut him off bluntly. She wasn't about to play along with his charade.

Gu Xiaolian's face fell, and before Xiao Ran could explain, she hit his head hard with her bag.

"You said you only had one fiancée, a poor girl from the mountains whom you pitied and married. How could she..." Gu Xiaolian choked up, continuing, "be more beautiful than me?"

Hey, girl, you're focusing on the wrong thing.

Upon hearing this, Su Hua took a deep breath, looking at Xiao Ran meaningfully. He really did mention she was from the mountains when explaining to others.

She picked up a glass of lemon water with her right hand and splashed it right in his face, giving him a chilly surprise.

"Su Hua, let me explain," Xiao Ran said.

In reality, Xiao Ran was at a loss for words. He liked Su Hua, but he also couldn't bear to let go of Gu Xiaolian.

"I worked so hard, dropped out of school, farmed, and worked to support your education. Now that you've made it, you've found a city fox spirit and wasted my youth," Su Hua feigned sorrow, resting her head on the table, her shoulders shaking. To the onlookers, it seemed like she was heartbroken over the man's betrayal, but in reality...

She looked up and threw a plate at him, "You heartless man, you ungrateful wolf."

Xiao Ran was stunned by Su Hua's words for a moment, then realized she was using this opportunity to vent.

The commotion they caused wasn't small, but fortunately, there weren't many people in the Western restaurant, and only a