Chapter 545: Who to Complain To?
Chapter 545: Chapter 545: Who to Complain To?
Meng Chenghui looked An Zhihan up and down, unable to believe his eyes. From what he’d heard, An Zhihan had injured his spine and suffered damage to various internal organs. He had almost died back then. According to the doctors’ prognosis at the time, it would have been a blessing from his ancestors if An Zhihan could even live to be thirty or forty in a wheelchair.
But the person standing before him now didn’t look sick or weak in the slightest.
An Zhihan nodded at Meng Chenghui. "I was lucky. I met a benefactor, and my legs have been healed."
An Zhihan didn’t know Meng Chenghui well, but they had met a few times in Xiangcheng. Although An Zhihan disapproved of Meng Chenghui’s romantic history, he didn’t let it show, keeping his words and expression indifferent.
"Incredible. Where did you find such a brilliant doctor?" Meng Chenghui was still amazed. Then, his expression suddenly turned serious. He looked at An Zhihan and Su Qing, frowning slightly. "You two know each other?"
"Yes, we’re friends," An Zhihan said faintly. "Miss Su Qing and I have known each other for a few years."
Instantly, a sense of crisis washed over Meng Chenghui. In terms of looks, he knew he couldn’t compare to An Zhihan. He wouldn’t have been worried if An Zhihan were still in a wheelchair, but An Zhihan now...
Meng Chenghui narrowed his eyes slightly, then smiled at An Zhihan. "I suppose you could say that Su Qing and I are friends now, too."
Then, Meng Chenghui turned to Su Qing and said, "You’re good friends with my cousin, so by extension, that makes us good friends too, right?"
At a time like this, Meng Chenghui didn’t dare say he was pursuing Su Qing. She had already rejected him once before. He was certain that if he dared to say it today, Su Qing would show him no mercy and utterly humiliate him in public.
Meng Chenghui was at least sharp enough to realize that.
Su Qing looked at Meng Chenghui and pursed her lips. It was hard to argue with that logic. In any case, Meng Chenghui didn’t seem to have any ill intentions toward her. As long as he didn’t push his luck, she wouldn’t go out of her way to shut him out completely.
An Zhihan walked to Su Qing’s side, a faint smile on his face as he looked at Meng Chenghui without saying a word. Yet, Meng Chenghui was overcome with the urge to walk up and punch him.
The undercurrent of tension between Meng Chenghui and An Zhihan was so palpable that even Li Huan and the others could feel it, let alone Su Qing.
Su Qing was a little speechless. ’Are these two actually competing?’
Seeing this, Chen Meizhen quickly smiled and said, "Since we’ve run into each other and you’re all friends, let’s just sit down and eat together. Su Qing, hurry and have your friend sit down."
Chen Meizhen was worried Su Qing might feel awkward, so she quickly extended the welcome first.
"Right, right, come sit and eat with us. The food at this state-run restaurant is pretty good," the other girls chimed in with smiles.
An Zhihan smiled. "Sorry to intrude."
Su Qing smiled faintly. "Go ahead and sit. It’s a good chance for us to eat together."
The food at this state-run restaurant was indeed excellent—not only was it delicious, but the portions were generous too. The group pushed two tables together to make one big one, and everyone happily enjoyed the meal. However, the girls kept stealing glances, looking first at Meng Chenghui and then at An Zhihan. In their eyes, it was obvious both men were interested in Su Qing. As for the newcomer An Zhihan, they all felt he had a better chance than Meng Chenghui. After all, he was better looking and had known Su Qing longer. No matter how you looked at it, he was the stronger competitor.
Su Qing naturally noticed her roommates’ subtle actions but couldn’t really say anything. She could only roll her eyes inwardly. ’What are they all thinking? I’m full of secrets; romance is the last thing on my mind, okay?’
The meal ended in a lively yet somewhat strange atmosphere. Seeing that it was getting late, Su Qing and her friends decided to head straight back to school. Before they parted ways, An Zhihan said to Su Qing, "By the way, Miss Su Qing, please come by my grand-uncle’s place when you have time. There’s something I need to tell you."
"Alright." Su Qing nodded. "I’ll go over when I have a free moment."
"Okay, see you then."
"See you then."
Off to the side, Meng Chenghui’s lips were pressed into a tight line. The relationship between An Zhihan and Su Qing seemed even closer than he had imagined. He glanced at An Zhihan discreetly, an unexplainable tightness constricting his chest. He genuinely liked Su Qing, but it was clear that his past romantic history had made her hold a negative opinion of him.
At that moment, Meng Chenghui despised his former self. If he had known he would meet Su Qing, he absolutely would not have been such a womanizer, let alone supported so many starlets.
Meng Chenghui wished he could just crumple up his past self, toss it into the sea, and pretend it never existed.
When they got back to the dorm, Chen Juan and the others stared at Su Qing with gleaming eyes.
Su Qing said helplessly, "What are you all doing?"
Li Huan giggled and stood in front of Su Qing. "My dear Qingqing is timid, don’t scare her."
Chen Juan laughed. "Li Huan, get out of the way. We need to give Su Qing a proper interrogation."
"Interrogate me about what?" Su Qing said, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
"Su Qing, spit it out. Do you like that guy, An Zhihan?"
At this question, Li Huan also stared at Su Qing with gleaming eyes. Li Huan actually didn’t know An Zhihan. She hadn’t met him when he was in the Northeast, and after he came to Beijing, he was either in the hospital or recuperating at Mr. Gong’s residence, so she had even less of a chance to see him. She had never even heard Su Qing mention his name before.
"Yeah, Qingqing, what’s the deal with that An Zhihan?" Li Huan’s eyes were wide as she looked at Su Qing.
’Ooh, is something going on? Is my dear friend’s love life finally blossoming?’
Su Qing said helplessly, "What ’deal’? There’s no deal. What are you all guessing at?"
Ye Qingqing had a gossipy look on her face. "Do we look like we believe you? It’s obvious that An Zhihan is interested in you too. And he’s way better looking than Meng Chenghui! Su Qing, you better not be hiding things from us."
"Yeah, don’t hide it from us. We’re good sisters here, no secrets allowed. Look, even Li Huan doesn’t hide things from us," the other girls chimed in, nodding eagerly.
Su Qing was even more exasperated. "What are you talking about? There’s nothing going on, really. That An Zhihan and I are just friends."
"Really? Just friends? Is it that simple?" Chen Meizhen said, unconvinced.
"Really. It’s the honest-to-God truth." Su Qing nodded frantically. "We’re really just friends."
Seeing how earnest Su Qing was, the girls all deflated. "And here we thought your love life was finally blossoming."
Su Qing smiled and shrugged. "Then you’re bound to be disappointed. I’m focusing on my studies right now."
"Hmph!"
Hearing Su Qing’s words, the girls all expressed their disdain in unison. Focusing on her studies? Who focuses on their studies by taking one or two months off at a time?
Then again, when it came to brains, they really couldn’t compare to Su Qing. Taking a leave of absence for a month or two, only to come back and place first in the year on her exams... who could you even complain to about that?
No comparison. Absolutely none.