Chapter 58: Different Treatment

A Qing looked quite happy: "Brother, she waved at me."

Gao Qiangqi wiped the stubble off his chin and said: "No... impossible, could it be that she's waving at me?"

"Could it be that she knows my status in town, so she's being so proactive?"

Lao Mai wasn't as self-absorbed as the two of them, and instinctively looked toward Wu An.

Wu An waved his hand and took the initiative to greet: "What a coincidence."

Saying that, he walked over.

They had already made eye contact, and the other person even waved proactively, so he couldn't just leave like that.

Moreover.

He noticed the nearby vendors were stirring, and he couldn't help thinking back to the last time he saw a vendor being bullied—maybe the one being bullied this time is Gu Anran.

Walking up to the stall, Wu An took a look and said: "Your business is doing well."

"Not bad, though it's raining today, so business is actually just average." Gu Anran said while busy.

It started raining again just now.

Since it wasn't raining when they came out to eat, Wu An and the others hadn't brought umbrellas.

Gu Anran quickly called out: "Don't stand in front, come over here."

"My umbrella is big enough to block the rain."

Wu An didn't stand on ceremony, walked over to Gu Anran's side, and called for A Qing and the others to come over to take shelter from the rain.

He noticed that when Gao Qiangqi walked over, the surrounding vendors stopped staring at Gu Anran; even if some vendors still glanced this way, there was no malice in their eyes.

No wonder, Boss Gao with many friends carries some weight in the jianghu.

Gao Qiangqi asked: "A An, won't you introduce her?"

Wu An thought for a moment and said: "Her name is Gu Anran; we go to the same school, and she's a year below me."

A Qing counted on his fingers: "That makes her two years above me."

Gao Qiangqi waited a moment, then asked: "That's it?"

Wu An nodded: "That's it."

In his view, his and Gu Anran's connection really is just that small; he couldn't possibly bring up yesterday's clam‑digging and seafood‑selling incident, could he?

It's not like he's being interrogated.

There really isn't much to say about it.

Gao Qiangqi gave a look that said, "I don't believe you," and with such a relationship being only slightly stronger than strangers, how could they greet you and let you come here to shelter from the rain?

Gu Anran had actually been eavesdropping the whole time; hearing Wu An merely introduce their relationship like that, she felt he was quite different from others.

She knew of Wu An, or rather she had heard the village elders chatting, saying that a college student from a neighboring village had been expelled and returned, then stole chickens and dogs in the village and was dumped by his girlfriend.

In fact, the Wu An she saw was completely different from the gossip going around the village.

Even when she was gathering seafood, she would occasionally rest because she was really tired.

But Wu An hardly stopped from start to finish.

Someone so conscientious and hardworking—how could he possibly steal chickens and dogs?

And be dumped by his girlfriend?

Then the only thing to say is that this girlfriend—no, ex‑girlfriend—is short‑sighted; being expelled from college isn't such a big deal.

She didn't even get into college in the end, so she never went.

Actually, she also knows that behind her back the villagers haven't stopped gossiping about her.

At that moment, she felt she and Wu An were quite alike, a kind of mutual sympathy.

Therefore she developed some curiosity about Wu An.

Now, upon looking, she surprisingly discovered she had taken a liking to Wu An, which is why she instinctively waved and greeted him when she saw him.

Gu Anran's thoughts turned, and she quickly prepared a plate of tin‑foil clams, handing it to Wu An and saying: "Try it."

Wu An shook his head: "Thanks, but no need."

"I just came to buy some, already ate it, and it was delicious."

Gu Anran blinked: "You came to buy it?"

"How would I not know?"

"If you had come, I couldn't have missed seeing you."

A Qing raised his hand: "It was me who came."

Gu Anran looked at him: "I don't remember seeing you either."

"……" A Qing was speechless.

He felt the gap; people really can't be compared, but he thought it was okay—in his view, it was normal, since he was originally far behind Big Brother An.

Gu Anran realized she had spoken too hastily, and quickly tried to make amends: "Now that I know you're friends, I'll count this as buy‑one‑get‑one‑free."

Wu An quickly took it.

Since they'd already said it to this extent, if he didn't take it now, he'd be really clueless.

A Qing was very happy: "Brother, you should have said so earlier."

"If I had just come over and reported your name, I could definitely get a free portion."

Wu An handed the tin‑foil clams in his hand to him: "With just this little ambition, go ahead and eat."

A Qing asked: "Brother, aren't you eating?"

Wu An shook his head.

A Qing laughed heartily: "I happen to still have room, so I won't be polite."

Gao Qiangqi and Lao Mai looked at Wu An, their eyes full of deep meaning.

Both of them are seasoned; at a glance you can tell that the relationship between Wu An and Gu Anran is definitely not that simple.

Wu An didn't say anything, so they naturally didn't feel comfortable asking Gu Anran.

No wonder Wu An didn't want to come over and strike up a conversation.

They already knew each other!

Gao Qiangqi and Lao Mai only then realized that just now they were worrying about trivial matters, even saying that just saying hello was the start of fate.

Their fate had already begun; there was no need for them to worry.

Because A Qing was eating flower clams, they could only wait.

A Qing was almost done eating, suddenly lifted his head, with a look of realization, and said: 'Brother, no wonder I said earlier I met a great beauty, you were so calm—did you already know who I was talking about?'

Wu An nodded.

Someone who could astonish A Qing to the point of heavenly admiration, who could talk big in front of him, and who just happened to be selling flower clams—no need to guess, it must be Gu Anran.

A Qing quickly said: 'Brother, sorry, I didn't know she was your sister-in-law.'

Gao Qiangqi also said: 'A An, I also didn't know she was your sister-in-law; don't blame Brother for speaking a bit offensively just now.'

Wu An laughed helplessly, quickly explaining: 'What sister-in-law, younger sister-in-law nonsense.'

"We're actually not even friends."

"At most we're just business partners."

This needs to be explained clearly.

He doesn't mind, but we can't unjustly tarnish someone else's reputation.

Gao Qiangqi looked doubtful.

Gu Anran turned her head and glanced; actually she had been eavesdropping, and upon hearing Wu An anxiously trying to clear up their relationship, she felt inexplicably uncomfortable.

She quickly prepared two portions of foil-wrapped flower clams, handed them to the customer, then turned to look at Wu An and said frankly: 'Wu An, what you said sounds a bit distant.'

"I feel a bit hurt."

"Did you drink the water I gave you for nothing?"

Upon hearing her say that, Wu An instantly felt awkward, not knowing what Gu Anran meant.

This only counts as their second meeting.

What's up?

Speaking like that, are you trying to get involved with him?

He remedied: 'We're just friends.'

"Sorry, I misspoke."

Gu Anran said: 'Then another day, treat me to milk tea.'

"???" Wu An was stunned for a moment; he was just being polite, never expecting Gu Anran to seize the opportunity to make a demand.

He remembered that in school, classmates said Gu Anran was very aloof; how come he didn't notice?

This looks quite outgoing.

Or is she only warm toward him?

Wu An quickly dismissed that thought; men's several major illusions must not be entertained!

Gao Qiangqi and Lao Mai looked at Wu An with a playful expression; the fact that the girl said that actually shows she has no ulterior motives.

You little brat, being evasive and fidgety, actually shows you have something on your mind.

What does 'no silver three hundred taels here' mean? This is it.

Gu Anran's pretty face blushed slightly; just then someone walked up to the stall, and she quickly turned to greet: 'Hello, what do you need?'

One of them, an ordinary-looking but still pretty girl, said angrily: 'I need an explanation.'

Beside her, the freckled girl shouted indignantly: 'Right, give an explanation.'

"What exactly is your relationship with Wu An!"