After Being Bent by Reader
Chapter 35: Pt.1

Every office had a small photocopier of its own. However, the Engineering Department's photocopier just so happened to have run out of ink today, so Xu Chuanchuan had no choice but to photocopy her documents in the printing room.

The printing room was spacious, and it housed only a large photocopier, a desktop computer, and some cabinets holding blank papers of various sizes. Because of how empty the room was, everyone within the room could hear the sounds made inside the room. Hence, to avoid embarrassing herself even further, Xu Chuanchuan stifled her breath and breathed as quietly as possible.

Even after some time had passed, nobody else entered the printing room.

After being dumbfounded by Murong Shi's words, Xu Chuanchuan decided to play deaf, lowering her head and pretending to have never heard what Murong Shi had said.

Despite there being only several dozen sheets of paper, Xu Chuanchuan felt that as if there were several thousand of them. No matter how many she picked up, there didn't seem to be an end to them.

Rarely anyone used the printing room, so there was no air conditioning here. After some time had passed, sweat started seeping out of the pores on Xu Chuanchuan's nose. Murong Shi, on the other hand, appeared to be unaware of the heat as she continued calmly picking up the scattered papers one after another.

While Murong Shi wasn't paying attention, Xu Chuanchuan secretly wiped her sweat with her sleeve, only to suddenly hear Murong Shi asking, "The dormitory's renovation is complete. Do you not plan to move in?"

It took a while for Xu Chuanchuan to react to Murong Shi's words. Putting on a troubled smile, she said, "I replace the house I'm currently renting outside to be quite nice."

"Do you prefer to live alone?"

"Ah, that's right."

"Don't you replace it boring?"

"Sometimes… But it's not bad. I can watch videos when I'm bored."

Xu Chuanchuan's sweat started accumulating again, and she very much wished to wipe it off.

Looking at Xu Chuanchuan's cheeks that remained flushed, Murong Shi asked, "Aren't you worried for your safety if you live in such a place by yourself?"

Stunned by Murong Shi's concern, Xu Chuanchuan asked, "Safety? I'm not worried. I've been living there for nearly two years now, and it has always been safe."

Murong Shi did not respond this time, her hands never stopping even once throughout the entire conversation.

With neither of the two taking the initiative to strike up a conversation, the awkward silence returned. To avoid this atmosphere, Xu Chuanchuan pondered for a moment and said, "My landlord is a woman, and she designed the entire apartment complex herself. She's a nice person, and she's been very good to me."

Nonchalantly sending Xu Chuanchuan a glance, Murong Shi said, "I've never rented an apartment before, but I saw that your place gets very dark at night. There are also plenty of trees outside with not a single street light. Also, not only are you living by yourself, but you're even living on the first floor."

After living in the apartment for two years, Xu Chuanchuan had long since treated the place as half a home. The landlord had also adequately renovated the place, and it had all the necessary household appliances. So, she found living there quite comfortable.

Also, Xu Chuanchuan found it convenient to live on the first floor as she could carry her bicycle straight into her home; she wouldn't have to climb any stairs. However, she couldn't help but shudder a little after hearing Murong Shi's analysis of her home's safety. Shrinking her neck a little, she said, "It's fine. I don't usually go out at night."

When Murong Shi looked at Xu Chuanchuan again, the emotions in her eyes had turned a lot colder, her sharp and slender eyes seemingly saying, "What a waste of breath. Do whatever you want, then."

Maybe I'm reading too deeply into the matter. Xu Chuanchuan awkwardly looked away, unsure of what to say at the moment.

Eventually, Xu Chuanchuan picked up the final sheet of paper, and she couldn't help but sigh in relief. Without looking at the expression on Murong Shi's face, she patted the dust off the documents and thanked Murong Shi in a soft tone.

Initially, the heat on Xu Chuanchuan's face had already cooled down a little. However, when she sensed Murong Shi's gaze wandering on her, her face started heating up once more. Xu Chuanchuan didn't understand why Murong Shi was still standing around. Tucking the stack of documents into her arms, she stammered, "I still have some documents I need to copy."

After placing the documents into the photocopier, Xu Chuanchuan sullenly tapped the buttons on the machine, not noticing the expression Murong Shi was making behind her.

When Xu Chuanchuan heard the clicking sound of high heels, she noticed Murong Shi's long legs moving through the corner of her eye. However, to Xu Chuanchuan's confusion, Murong Shi moved closer to her instead of leaving the room.

While Xu Chuanchuan wondered what was going on, she heard Murong Shi saying, "Jiang Shaohua has a somewhat detestable mouth. Did he do anything to you?"

Xu Chuanchuan's heart thumped when she heard Murong Shi's question. Her back stiffening, she urgently replied, "No! I don't know what he said at all! Just like what you saw, I paid him no attention at all!"

Murong Shi grinned slightly behind Xu Chuanchuan. In a casual tone, she said, "Maybe he's taken a liking to you."

Although Murong Shi had spoken casually, Xu Chuanchuan grew flustered when she heard those words. Turning around in a panic, she said, "Miss Murong, I—"

"You don't need to explain. I'm not suspecting you," Murong Shi interrupted.

Despite these words, Xu Chuanchuan felt even more nervous than before.

Xu Chuanchuan could tell that Murong Shi's relationship with Jiang Shaohua wasn't good by any means. Also, for some inexplicable reason, she felt that the two weren't actually a couple at all. After all, shouldn't couples be more intimate with each other? Yet, Murong Shi and Jiang Shaohua's behavior were very strange. Every time they spoke to each other, they would lace their words with gunpowder. The gaze they used to look at each other also held not the slightest hint of affection. Rather than a couple, they looked more like long-time enemies instead.

However, no matter how terrible a relationship Murong Shi had with Jiang Shaohua, with her vengeful personality, she would most likely explode when seeing her boyfriend teasing another woman.

Now that Jiang Shaohua had left, what worried Xu Chuanchuan was that Murong Shi might vent her anger on her instead. Wouldn't it be the worst of luck if something like that happened?

Hence, although Murong Shi had said she needn't explain, Xu Chuanchuan still anxiously said, "Please rest assured. I'll stay as far away as possible the next time I see him."

Murong Shi couldn't help but smile when she heard Xu Chuanchuan's promise. "No need to avoid him. If he dares to do anything to you next time, you can report it to me directly."

And then you'll ruthlessly take care of him?

Upon hearing Murong Shi's words, Xu Chuanchuan inadvertently recalled the sight of Murong Shi slapping Jiang Shaohua and splashing Coke into his face. Her body shuddered at this memory, and she hurriedly nodded in affirmation.

"I'll be taking my leave now."

When the photocopier started generating rhythmic sounds, Xu Chuanchuan snapped back to reality. And when her eyes fell upon Murong Shi's delicate back, blood momentarily flooded into her head as she shouted, "Miss Murong—"

Murong Shi turned around. "Hmm?"

Xu Chuanchuan took a moment to look at the entrance first. After verifying that nobody was walking by the printing room, she looked back to Murong Shi and said in a suppressed voice, "I think that Young Master Jiang doesn't deserve you at all."

Her expression unwavering, Murong Shi said, "What?"

"...He'll flirt with any woman he deems to be slightly beautiful. He won't hold back even when he's in front of you. Don't you think this is too much?"

A hint of interest appeared in Murong Shi's eyes. Instead of answering Xu Chuanchuan's question, Murong Shi said, "Slightly beautiful? It seems you're quite confident in yourself. How many points will you give yourself in terms of attractiveness?"

Xu Chuanchuan fell into a daze for a few seconds at Murong Shi's question. Her face then turned as red as a tomato as she stammered, "I didn't mean it like that. How am I attractive… What I mean is, aside from myself, he'll flirt with any woman he replaces attractive…"

Murong Shi's lips curled up as she leisurely asked, "So what?"

Xu Chuanchuan was momentarily stunned by Murong Shi's calm response. "Don't you care about it even a little?"

After pondering for a moment, Murong Shi evaded the actual topic and jokingly said, "After listening to your words, I suddenly have the urge to drag him back and give him a beating."

Xu Chuanchuan subconsciously looked at Murong Shi's hands and slender fingers. Although Murong Shi had kept her fingernails short, she had trimmed them to have quite the sharp edge. And while she had never touched Murong Shi's palms before, they looked quite skinny from her perspective. Inwardly, Xu Chuanchuan thought to herself, Getting slapped by one of these hands must hurt a lot.

Xu Chuanchuan had initially thought to warn Murong Shi that Jiang Shaohua wasn't a good person. However, she now felt that her words were redundant.

Murong Shi wasn't blind. She had personally seen Jiang Shaohua hugging another woman before. She had even seen Jiang Shaohua trying to flirt with Xu Chuanchuan. After all these incidents, how could Murong Shi not see through Jiang Shaohua's personality?

This is bad. Will she think I'm nosy?

Now that the conversation had reached this point, Xu Chuanchuan didn't know how she should end it. After the photocopier finished copying the last document, silence enveloped the printing room once more.

Xu Chuanchuan started regretting her rash actions now. She grew even more afraid when she failed to see any expressions on Murong Shi's face. Lowering her head, she timidly said, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been so nosy."

Looking at Xu Chuanchuan's slightly trembling eyelashes, Murong Shi softly said, "I've long since known that he wasn't anything good. Even so, thank you for warning me."

Xu Chuanchuan was stunned. Murong Shi didn't get angry at her?

Moreover, not only did Murong Shi not get angry, but there was even a hint of a smile in her eyes.

Confused, Xu Chuanchuan hesitantly asked, "Since you know he's such a person, why haven't you…"

—Broken up yet?

Xu Chuanchuan found herself unable to say these last few words.

However, Murong Shi appeared to have interpreted Xu Chuanchuan's thoughts. Her beautiful eyes narrowing, Murong Shi pondered briefly before saying, "You're right. Letting this situation continue will indeed become a problem. I'll have to replace the right timing to dump him."

"..." Xu Chuanchuan didn't know how she should follow up these words.

Lightly sweeping her gaze across Xu Chuanchuan's face, Murong Shi asked in a casual tone, "Since you replace Jiang Shaohua unworthy of me, what kind of person do you think is worthy of me?"

Xu Chuanchuan was once again confused. She still wasn't familiar with Murong Shi to such an extent, so there shouldn't be a reason why Murong Shi would seek her opinion on such a private matter.

Xu Chuanchuan suddenly felt as if she had just shot herself in the foot, and she couldn't help but wail inwardly. On the surface, though, she put on a forced smile and said, "How would I know that?"

Murong Shi raised an eyebrow at Xu Chuanchuan's answer, her reaction making it seem as if she wouldn't be satisfied until she received a proper answer.

A drop of hot sweat flowed down her right cheek to her chin, but Xu Chuanchuan dared not wipe it. After swallowing the saliva in her mouth with great difficulty, she looked at Murong Shi's near-perfect facial features and held back her embarrassment as she said, "Miss Murong, you have both looks and money. Anyone deserving of you should at least be a handsome man with a noble character, successful career…"