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  Xia Yanran’s pupils constricted.

  She stared at that pair of stilettos for a moment, her chest heaving.

  But she was not a girl anymore. She trusted Xiao Yi so she would not leave on an impulse because of a pair of high heels before finding out the truth.

  If he really had any other thoughts, he would not give her the password for his house.

  Xia Yanran’s heart that had jumped into her throat, slowly returned to normal.

  Xia Yanran did not change her shoes and went into the living room with her suitcase.

  When she was by the sofa, one of the room doors in the hallway that was connected to the living room, suddenly opened and a woman, who had just taken a bath and wearing a male shirt, walked out.

  The woman had a slender figure, her long hair dripping wet and plastered to her shoulders. She was using a towel to wipe it.

  The woman was wearing a pair of big men’s grey slippers. Her ankles were slender and her skin was delicate like a jade.

  The woman had come out with her head lowered so Xia Yanran did not see her face. Seeming to have sensed something, the woman raised her head.

  The two pairs of eyes met.

  Slender eyebrows, bright eyes, delicate nose, charming red lips…… With a glance, it was Yi Ran, the girl who was similar to Xia Yanran when she was young.

  Xia Yanran’s heart that had calmed down pounded again, and wild thoughts ran rampant in her mind.

  Why was Yi Ran here? And wasn’t it a little ambiguous for her to be wearing a man’s shirt and slippers?

  Although Yi Ran was still a young girl, Xia Yanran thought of how she was at Yi Ran’s age when Xiao Yi took a fancy to her and bought her.

  She knew that he liked girls like her, if not, he would not have bought her that year!

  Did his old habit act up and mistook Yi Ran for when she was in her youth?

  Xia Yanran put down her suitcase and regained her senses from her thoughts. She said with a slightly cold gaze, “Miss Yi, why are you here?”


  Yi Ran also got out of her shock. She seemed to have gotten a fright and waved her hands hurriedly, saying anxiously, “Sister Yanran, d-don’t be mistaken. Sit down first……”


  Yi Ran walked towards Xia Yanran and went past the living room, going into the kitchen to pour a cup of water for Xia Yanran. “Sister Yanran, I heard Brother Xiao Yi mention that you’ll be coming. You drove over here, right? You must be tired, have a drink of water first!”


  Looking at Yi Ran, who had on the attitude of the female owner of the house, Xia Yanran was unable to be courteous to her. “I’m asking you, why are you here?”


  She hardened her voice, a sharpness in her eyes.

  Xia Yanran was a bright person. She usually liked to make friends and was also kind to others. When she saved Yi Ran in Bardahl, she felt that the girl was pure and cheerful, like how she was when she was young, so she had quite a good impression on her.

  But she had never expected that the next time she saw her, it would be in Xiao Yi’s home. And it was difficult for her not to make one imagine things, dressed like that.

  “Sister Yanran, it’s not what you think. Although I was here last night, it was because……”


  Xia Yanran could not listen further and she interrupted Yi Ran coldly, snatching the cup of water from Yi Ran and poured that cup of warm water on her face. “You were here last night? Have you and Xiao Yi already progressed to the point of staying overnight?”


  Yi Ran did not expect Xia Yanran to pour the water on her face. Although it was not hot, the drops of water sliding down from her face to her shirt made the white shirt cling tightly to her body, outlining the shape of her bra. She bit her lips, tears circling around her eyes.

  At that moment, she heard sounds at the door and the tears in her eyes fell in large droplets. “Sister Yanran, things are not what you think they are. Brother Xiao Yi and I did nothing. He’s my boss and I’m just a little assistant. I have no other ideas, please don’t get me wrong……”


  Xia Yanran looked at Yi Ran’s aggrieved expression and she frowned. Did she really misunderstand her?

  She was about to say something when an unhappy voice sounded behind them. “What are you doing?”


  Xia Yanran turned back and saw Tang Chao, who was carrying two bags, hurrying over.

  Tang Chao looked at Yi Ran who was soaked and looked terrible, and then at Xia Yanran who was holding an empty cup. He seemed to have understood what had happened and he frowned slightly, looking at how Xia Yanran’s attitude was not as friendly as before, he said, defending Yi Ran, “Sister-in-law, were you the one who poured water on Yi Ran? Why did you do that without distinguishing right from wrong?”


  Without waiting for Xia Yanran to say anything, Tang Chao laughed mockingly. “Don’t tell me you thought the shirt on Yi Ran belongs to Brother Xiao? And thought that Yi Ran and Brother Xiao did something unspeakable?”


  Xia Yanran was stunned.

  “Brother Xiao is infatuated with you, how could he do something wrong to you? Besides, Yi Ran is a sensible person. She’s just working under me and Brother Xiao and we all know that Brother Xiao has a girlfriend. She would never have those kinds of ideas. How could you misunderstand her the moment you came?” Tang Chao looked at Yi Ran whose face was tear-streaked. “You didn’t explain to Sister-in-law?”


  Yi Ran raised the back of her hand to wipe at her tears and said in a choked voice, “I-I did, but Sister Yanran didn’t believe me……”


  Tang Chao passed one of the bags in his hands to Yi Ran. “I bought you some clothes. Go and change in my room first!”


  Yi Ran took the clothes and looked at Tang Chao with red eyes. “You can’t blame Sister Yanran too, she cares about Brother Xiao Yi too much.”


  Tang Chao frowned.

  He thought Xia Yanran was a sensible, bright and interesting person. Why was she so petty now? She shouldn’t have poured water on a girl just because she cared about Brother Xiao, right?

  After Yi Ran went into the room, Tang Chao said to Xia Yanran, “Brother Xiao was taking care of the matter in Bardahl all day and night, but the family member of the worker who fell off the building would not listen and hit Brother Xiao’s head with an ashtray. Although his family agreed on a settlement, Brother Xiao had not rested for days and was in a hurry to get back to B City, so he had a high fever after getting off the plane last night.

  “I went to Bardahl with Brother Xiao and after getting back, I didn’t know how to take care of a sick person so I called Yi Ran. Yi Ran brought medicine over and cooked for the two of us. I wanted to look after Brother Xiao, but I fell asleep by his bedside and it was Yi Ran who looked after him at night. I was also in Brother Xiao’s room and there was nothing between them.

  “I might have caught a cold to the stomach last night and accidentally threw up on Yi Ran when I woke up in the morning. I asked her to go to my room to have a bath and the shirt she’s wearing is mine. I felt bad so I went to buy clothes and breakfast back. That’s all. Sister-in-law, do you still need me to explain further?”


  Xia Yanran had a complicated feeling in her heart.

  Tang Chao’s explanation was impeccable, She knew she had misunderstood and there was nothing between Xiao Yi and Yi Ran.

  But, all this time, she had not known that Yi Ran had unknowingly blended into Xiao Yi and Tang Chao’s work lives out of nowhere.