Chapter 1535: She Pissed Him Off

Xu Xiaoxiao looked up, looking at the other person with a face full of guilt.

But once she saw clearly who the other person was, she couldn't be bothered to finish the apology she had started.

Wang Sinian saw the change in her expression and immediately frowned: "You bumped into someone, and that's it?"

The person who had collided with Xu Xiaoxiao was none other than Wang Sinian.

At this moment, the plastic bucket he had been holding was gone, replaced by a bottle of cola.

Xu Xiaoxiao then reminded him: "I already apologized."

"But I haven't forgiven you yet!"

"Then what do you want, for me to die to atone for my sins? Come on, a grown man being so petty; it seems public service hasn't broadened your mind at all!"

It would have been fine if Xu Xiaoxiao hadn't mentioned "public service."

As soon as she brought it up...

Wang Sinian nearly exploded!

Just now, Wang Sinian had merely been trying to save face in front of his friends.

Xu Xiaoxiao knew exactly what was going on, yet she laughed so brazenly...

It was clearly meant to embarrass him!

Wang Sinian's breathing gradually quickened, and the cola bottle in his hand was crushed by him.

Xu Xiaoxiao glanced at the unfortunate bottle, then looked at Wang Sinian, who was almost distorted by anger...

It was obvious that Wang Sinian did not like his so-called "public service."

But he had actually persisted for so long!

Wang Sinian was a very self-centered person; if there wasn't a special reason, he wouldn't have been able to persist.

Then what... was the reason?

Xu Xiaoxiao really wanted to know the answer, but she also knew that if she asked directly, Wang Sinian wouldn't say anything.

Then...

Xu Xiaoxiao pursed her lips and began to probe indirectly: "How long do you have to clean up this sanitation work?"

Wang Sinian had already prepared himself to face Xu Xiaoxiao's infuriating remarks.

But he didn't expect her to start chatting with such a friendly attitude.

Listening to that tone... it sounded very much like she was concerned about him.

In that very instant, Wang Sinian's anger also miraculously vanished by more than half.

But his expression remained stiff, and his voice had no inflection: "Three months."

Three months!?

Xu Xiaoxiao couldn't help but shake her head and sigh: "The director is really heartless, punishing you for so long just because of such a small matter!"

This sounded as if Xu Xiaoxiao was speaking up for Wang Sinian.

But Wang Sinian suddenly became very nervous.

He stared fixedly at Xu Xiaoxiao and asked: "Do you... know what I was punished for?"

Xu Xiaoxiao wanted to admit it right away.

But thinking of the director's evasion that day, and looking at the man in front of her who was clearly becoming nervous...

Xu Xiaoxiao changed her mind and replied: "I asked the director, but he didn't say clearly; I guess it was a small matter."

Phew, good thing she didn't say it!

The director was as good as his word!

Recalling that day, Wang Sinian had indeed been impulsive.

He only hoped now that as time passed, everyone would forget about that incident.

While Wang Sinian was silently complaining to himself, he looked up and saw Xu Xiaoxiao staring at him without blinking.

Xu Xiaoxiao's eyes were full of scrutiny.

That scrutiny made Wang Sinian immediately straighten his back and say as if nothing were wrong: "Since it's a small matter, you shouldn't pay too much attention to it."

The implication of his words was that he wanted Xu Xiaoxiao to stop digging.

But Xu Xiaoxiao had gone through all this trouble precisely because she wanted to know the reason.

So she asked tentatively: "Why would you endure these punitive measures for a small matter?"

"I don't think this is a punishment; it's quite good to be able to do some practical things for the school in my spare time."

Wang Sinian said nonsense with a righteous face.

Clearly,

he still refused to tell the truth.

But that was fine, Xu Xiaoxiao... could deduce it.

If she were to deduce it from the fact that Wang Sinian would rather endure the punishment than leave...

Xu Xiaoxiao asked: "Do you want to stay at the school?"

Wang Sinian lifted his chin and answered firmly: "Yes, I like it here."

"Then do you like the environment here, or the people here?"

This question made his eyes flicker, and his tone weakened slightly: "I think... this job has prospects."

Xu Xiaoxiao laughed at that.

She even said: "Come on, if you're going to fob me off, at least change the reason? Prospects... ha!"

That final laugh from Xu Xiaoxiao infuriated Wang Sinian.

He widened his eyes and questioned: "The work I do may be insignificant, but it still needs someone to do it!"

"Don't, I really don't need it. What you do, I can complete myself; it has no value at all. If you want to have some pursuits, then you should learn from Qing Ze and Zhou Zhou."

The two names Xu Xiaoxiao brought up, especially that Liu Qingze... made Wang Sinian's expression darken.

He pressed his lips together and stood there without a word, his whole body radiating heavy resentment.

Yet Xu Xiaoxiao continued, "Those two have made great achievements; they attained success at a young age. As for you..."

Xu Xiaoxiao looked him up and down, then handed the flowerpot in her hand to Wang Sinian, "Fortunately, you have plenty of strength, so help me take the flowerpot to the office."

Wang Sinian threw the flowerpot onto the ground with a backhand motion!

The flowerpot rolled a few times, the petals scattered all over the floor, the flower branches snapped, and the soil spilled out.

It was heartbreaking to look at!

Wang Sinian had no time to worry about that pot of flowers; he stared fixedly at Xu Xiaoxiao and retorted, "Take people to your office to play on your own; what right do you have to lecture people? Don't think I don't know that you close the door and laugh and chat inside!!"

(Note: The source text for 【69】 and 【70】 was split mid-sentence; this translation reflects the full thought.)

Xu Xiaoxiao glanced at the flowers on the ground, then... suddenly moved close to Wang Sinian.

Wang Sinian retreated involuntarily.

But for every step he retreated, Xu Xiaoxiao moved two steps closer, until there was no distance between the two of them.

This distance of no distance made Wang Sinian swallow his saliva involuntarily.

He didn't even know where to look.

Xu Xiaoxiao's gaze, however, remained fixed on Wang Sinian, and she opened her mouth to say, "They came to help me research and calibrate new equipment! Everything we do is meaningful! You could also say that everyone is making progress, except for you, this young master, who doesn't know what's what!"

Xu Xiaoxiao's words crushed Wang Sinian's self-confidence bit by bit.

He glared fiercely at Xu Xiaoxiao, yet he couldn't refute a single word.

Xu Xiaoxiao then stepped back two paces.

She looked him over again, then said, "I previously thought that you were surrounded by fair-weather friends, but now it seems..."

Xu Xiaoxiao paused, then her red lips lightly uttered: "Perhaps the only one truly wasting their days is you yourself!"

Elder Wang had originally let Wang Sinian come here only hoping that he would stop living his days in absurdity.

But to have such a prime youth and only seek not to be absurd?

That is the true absurdity!

However, what did that have to do with Xu Xiaoxiao?

Xu Xiaoxiao had retorted against Wang Sinian and vented her anger for her flowers, so she didn't want to pay him any more mind.

She turned to bend down to lift the flowerpot and scooped the spilled soil back in.

As for the flowers...

Xu Xiaoxiao sighed, not knowing if the flowers could still survive if she tried to save them.

Wang Sinian looked down at the top of Xu Xiaoxiao's head, his eyes shifting through several expressions.

In the end, he ground his teeth and said: "Not everyone is like you, like a perpetual motion machine; if you don't do something, you lose your own value. I came into this world to enjoy life!"

(Note: The source text for 【91】 and 【92】 was split mid-sentence; this translation reflects the full thought.)