After Being Bent by Reader

"The one with a water and a heart."

Ange's heart thumped, and she immediately became mute.

There can't be such a coincidence, right? Ange thought.

Confused, Xu Chuanchuan asked, "What's the matter?"

"I-It's nothing…" Ange nervously took a sip of water. Then, she said, "It's quite a good name."

Xu Chuanchuan did not suspect Ange's words. Instead, she said, "She's a single beauty, just like you."

Ange did not follow up with Xu Chuanchuan's words. After letting out a dry cough, she said, "I'm going to the restroom."

There wasn't much traffic at night, so Fang Qin quickly arrived at the restaurant. Currently, her hair looked slightly moist, and her body also emanated a pleasant fragrance. It was evident that she had just come out of the shower recently.

Upon seeing Xu Chuanchuan and Murong Shi, Fang Qin reacted as she had just seen her relatives as she hugged both of them simultaneously. Then, she asked, "What are you two doing here?"

"Are you the only one who can visit Shanghai?" Murong Shi grumpily said.

Meanwhile, Xu Chuanchuan explained, "A friend of mine lives in Shanghai, so we came to visit her."

"A university classmate?"

Xu Chuanchuan was reluctant to reveal Ange's identity without receiving the latter's permission. However, just as she was troubled about what kind of excuse she should give, she suddenly thought of something. Then, she leaned into Fang Qin's ear and said, "Do you remember the girlfriend we said we wanted to introduce you to last time? It's her."

Fang Qin's eyes glowed at Xu Chuanchuan's words. "For real? Where is she?"

"She went to the restroom," Xu Chuanchuan said, smiling. Then, taking a look at the time, she muttered in confusion, "Why is she taking so long?"

"Give her a call," Murong Shi said.

Thus, Xu Chuanchuan took out her phone. However, before she could locate Ange's number, she heard Murong Shi speaking up once more, "Nevermind, she's back."

Ange was walking behind a waiter carrying a tray. She walked very slowly, and she had covered half of her face with her hair. After arriving back at the table, she looked up slightly and said, "Sorry, there was a long queue."

"It's fine, it's fine," Xu Chuanchuan said. Then, she eagerly introduced, "This person here is Fang Qin, Murong's childhood friend. This person here is my friend, Tang Xin."

"Hello," Fang Qin greeted. From her angle, she could only see Ange's profile.

"...Hello."

When Ange turned around to face her, Fang Qin's smile was instantly replaced by a look of surprise, and she subconsciously blurted out, "It's you?"

Ange: "..."

Xu Chuanchuan quickly switched her gaze between Ange and Fang Qin. Then, she hurriedly asked, "You two know each other?"

Fang Qin quickly retracted her surprise, though she couldn't help but sneak a few glances at Ange. However, after failing to see any reactions, she calmed down and said, "We met once before, but I don't know her name."

"Tang Xin," Xu Chuanchuan repeated. "It's the 'xin' in 'happy.'"

Fang Qin repeated this name in her mind and committed it to memory. Then, after adjusting her mood, she smiled and extended a hand to Ange. "Hello, Miss Tang."

Ange was no stranger to the slender and textured hand in front of her. After hesitating for a moment, she held onto Fang Qin's hand and shook it.

Dammit, even the warmth is familiar.

After the handshake, Ange quickly withdrew her hand as if zapped by lightning. Then, she insecurely sat back in her seat.

Neither Xu Chuanchuan nor Murong Shi noticed the peculiarity between the two people seated across them. The waiter had also brought the food over at this time, and Xu Chuanchuan, famished as she was, picked up her chopsticks and began eating immediately.

Murong Shi wasn't particularly hungry, so she stopped after taking a few bites. Then, she asked Fang Qin, "I sent you a WeChat message a few days ago. Why didn't you reply to it?"

Fang Qin punctured a soup dumpling with her chopsticks. Then, she casually said, "I didn't see it. Maybe I didn't have any signal."

"Did you not have fun in Yunnan?"

"It's okay. It's just a little sunny," Fang Qin said before taking a sip of the soup that had leaked out of the dumpling.

At this time, Xu Chuanchuan asked in a lowered voice, "Did you have any romantic encounters in Lijiang?"

Clink.

Fang Qin's spoon struck the porcelain bowl. Then, her eyes flickered as she said, "No."

"Is that why you came to Shanghai?" Murong Shi teased.

"I found out that a singer I like was holding a concert here a few days ago, so I flew over," Fang Qin said, sneaking a glance at the person eating with their head lowered beside her. Afraid that her friends would pry too deeply, she changed the topic and asked, "Murong, didn't you go to Malaysia for a business trip? Why did you come to Shanghai as well?"

"She came here to accompany me," Xu Chuanchuan answered on Murong Shi's behalf.

Throughout the conversation, Ange felt like she was seated beside a ticking time bomb as a certain someone's voice constantly harassed her eardrums. Her heart in a mess, she asked, "When do you two plan on returning?"

Xu Chuanchuan looked toward Murong Shi upon hearing Ange's question.

Meanwhile, Murong Shi leisurely turned to Xu Chuanchuan and said, "You decide yourself."

"Then, let's stay for two more days?"

"Up to you," Murong Shi said with a relaxed expression. Then, she pointed at Fang Qin and asked, "What about you?"

"Me?" Fang Qin currently had her mind occupied with her thoughts, so it took her some time to process Murong Shi's question. "I'll see how things go."

Done with her meal, Ange set down her chopsticks and interrupted, "Sorry, but I'm going to the restroom."

"But you just went," Xu Chuanchuan said, puzzled.

Showing her palm to Xu Chuanchuan, Ange said, "I accidentally spilled some soup. You guys take your time." Then, Ange left without asking if anyone wanted to visit the restroom with her.

Fang Qin stopped talking as she looked at Ange's departing back.

Meanwhile, Murong Shi intently stared at the person seated across her. She kept on getting the feeling that Fang Qin was behaving strangely tonight. In the end, she couldn't help herself from asking, "How did you two get acquainted?"

Fang Qin retracted her gaze but not her heart. Then, she absent-mindedly said, "We met at the side of a street. I stopped her to ask for directions."

"You managed to remember what she looks like just from that?" Murong Shi dubiously asked.

"We made some small talk afterward."

Murong Shi glanced at the miserable soup dumpling that Fang Qin had poked numerous holes into. Although she still felt suspicious about Fang Qin's words, she did not pry any deeper into the matter.

Ange returned much more quickly this time. However, after returning to her seat, she adamantly refused to look at the person seated beside her. Instead, she asked Xu Chuanchuan if there was anywhere in particular that she wished to visit.

"What about Disney? I've never been there before," Xu Chuanchuan eagerly asked.

"Forget about Disney. I went there by myself a few days ago. The place was so crowded that I didn't even manage to buy a ticket after waiting in line the entire morning," Fang Qin said before Ange could speak up. Then, she pointed her chin toward Murong Shi and continued, "If even I don't have the patience to wait, don't even mention this person here."

Meanwhile, Ange seconded Fang Qin's words. "That's true. It's difficult to get tickets into Disney even during normal days, let alone on National Day."

"Nevermind, then," Xu Chuanchuan said, a hint of disappointment in her tone. Then, she quickly put on a smile and said, "In that case, just take us around the city."

"Actually..." Clearing her throat, Ange said, "I'm not a native of Shanghai. I rarely go out as well, so I don't know which places I should take you to visit. I'll have to look it up on the internet first."

Finally seeing an opportunity to strike up a conversation with the person beside her, Fang Qin asked, "You're not from Shanghai?"

Ange glanced at Fang Qin when she heard the latter's question. Then, she quickly turned her head away and said, "I just went to university here and stayed after graduation."

Following the flow, Fang Qin asked, "What work do you do, Miss Tang?"

"I'm currently unemployed," Ange lied without batting an eyelid.

Xui Chuanchuan nearly burst into laughter but chose not to expose her friend's lie.

After failing to get a friendly response from the person beside her, Fang Qin tacitly gave up and changed the topic. "I've been touring around Shanghai the past few days and found quite a few interesting places. I can take you guys there."

While biting on her spoon, Xu Chuanchuan smiled and said, "Okay."

What should've been a simple midnight snack ended up lasting for more than an hour because of their conversations. If not for Xu Chuanchuan worrying that it would be dangerous for Ange to go home by herself late at night, she would've preferred for them to stay together for a little while longer.

Fang Qin and Ange walked at the back of the group, neither of them able to see each other's faces. Eventually, Fang Qin said, "We seem to be heading the same way. Miss Tang, do you mind dropping me off?"

Putting on a complicated expression, Ange faintly replied with an "Mhm."

Before parting ways, Xu Chuanchuan said to Ange, "Drive safely."

Ange nodded.

"See you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow."

After seeing Xu Chuanchuan and Murong Shi getting onto the taxi, Ange turned around. When she saw Fang Qin looking at her, her expression changed slightly, and she dryly said, "Let's go."

The two got into the car one after another. As soon as Fang Qin settled in her seat, she asked, "That day... Did I dirty your car that day?"

"No."

The car gradually began to move and merged with the traffic under the illumination of the staggered street lights.

Although Ange looked calm on the surface, turbulent waves raged in her heart. She never thought that the friend Xu Chuanchuan and Murong Shi spoke of would be Fang Qin, the drunkard she had picked up some days ago. Now, this same drunkard was even sitting in her car again. Though, this time, Fang Qin was sober.

The inside of the car was very quiet, so quiet that it made its occupants grow flustered. Unable to stand the silence any longer, Ange turned on the radio.

Meanwhile, Fang Qin also felt as if she was sitting on pins and needles. After taking a deep breath, she said, "Thank you for giving me a ride."

"You're welcome. It's on the way, in any case."

"I'm talking about that night.'

Ange's right eyelid twitched a little, and she subconsciously tightened her grip over the steering wheel.

"I blacked out that night. When I woke up the next day, I saw that you were no longer around. You didn't leave behind any contact information, either."

Ange wanted to smile but found that the corners of her mouth had stiffened. So, she gave up and stiffly said, "Isn't that unnecessary?"

Fang Qin snuck a glance at Ange through the rearview mirror. Then, she said in a soft voice, "Indeed, it was unnecessary."

Afterward, the two shut their mouths.

The drive lasted around ten minutes. After parking the car by the roadside, Ange asked, "It's this place, right?"

When Fang Qin looked at the hotel's sign outside, she found that she had indeed arrived at the hotel she was staying at. However, ever since they had gotten into the car, Ange had never once asked her which hotel she stayed at.

So, she still remembers. Fang Qin was in a daze for a moment. Then, she started unbuckling her seatbelt while saying, "Mhm, it's here."

Ange didn't remain idle during this time as she pulled out something from her bag and handed it to Fang Qin.

Fang Qin accepted the item, only to become momentarily stunned when she saw that it was the earring she lost. Then, she said, "I've been looking for this. Where did you find it?"

Ange awkwardly turned her head away and said, "I picked it up in the car."