After Being Bent by Reader

Three days later, Friday.

Before the end of the day, Linda sent an email notifying all staff in the company of a dinner party after work. Apart from those with special circumstances, nobody was allowed to be absent from this dinner.

When this notice came out, the entire office building was abuzz.

—I've worked in this company for five years now and I've never had a dinner party before. What's the situation?

—That's right. Even on New Year's Eve, the company just gave us some money to celebrate on our own. Did the boss suddenly find his conscience and decided to provide us with some welfare?

—I heard it's Miss Murong's idea.

—She's going as well? If that's the case, forget it. I'm not going.

—No absentees aside from those with special reasons. Are you planning to resign?

…

The company hosting a dinner party was supposed to be a good thing, but when everyone heard Murong Shi's name, they immediately lost interest. Everyone was afraid of Murong Shi, so the atmosphere at the company's first dinner party was incredibly awkward. Nobody dared speak nonsense inside the large room.

That was until Murong Shi stood up and said, "Everyone, let's have a toast."

The 50 people within the room stood up one after another.

Because Murong Shi needed to drive afterward, she had filled her cup with Sprite instead of alcohol. Raising her glass, she slowly said, "I would like to thank everyone for your unfailing commitment to the company. We will be working together from now on. So long as the company's performance increases by five points, I'll give everyone a raise. How about it?"

Everyone: "..."

Not finding the silence embarrassing whatsoever, Murong Shi smiled and said, "Do you not want a raise?"

"We do!" Someone shouted.

With someone taking the lead, the second person quickly followed and said, "We do! What else are we working for if not for money?"

The third person said, "Will we really get a raise?"

Turning toward the direction of the third voice, Murong Shi said in a firm tone, "I, Murong, always do what I say. I'll have Linda draw up a document once I return."

"!! Miss Murong, here's to you!" the third person said as he raised his glass.

Murong Shi responded with a polite smile. She then swept her gaze across the room and continued, "Let's toast, everyone. Those who can drink alcohol should drink up. Those who cannot drink alcohol can drink other beverages."

Money truly was a wonderful thing. With just a few words, Murong Shi had changed the atmosphere in the room, and sounds of clinking glasses and cheering echoed throughout the room repeatedly.

Murong Shi knew that her employees wouldn't be able to let loose of themselves if she remained, so she left the party shortly after it started.

Now that their boss had left, Xu Chuanchuan started growing restless in her seat. She disliked lively scenes like this, and she wanted nothing more than to return and write her book right now. Hence, she said to Chen Lina, who sat beside her, "You guys have fun. I'll head back first."

Grabbing onto Xu Chuanchuan's arm, Chen Lina asked, "There's no work tomorrow, so what's the hurry? Do you have a man waiting for you at home?"

Blushing, Xu Chuanchuan denied, "Nonsense. I have something to do."

"Alright, alright. Be careful on your way home."

"Bye-bye."

After sneaking out of the room, Xu Chuanchuan breathed out a sigh of relief. She had come to the restaurant in a colleague's car, so her bicycle wasn't with her right now. So, she had no choice but to look for a bike share.[1]

There was none nearby, so she made her way to a more open area. On her way, she suddenly saw a familiar car, and she stopped dead in her tracks.

The person inside the car also noticed her.

After staring at each other for a few seconds, Xu Chuanchuan smiled and nodded at the person inside the car as a form of greeting. Just when she was about to continue on her way, Murong Shi drove slowly towards her and stopped beside her.

The car window rolled down, revealing Murong Shi's face, the dim street lights adding a hint of softness to her face. Once the barrier separating them disappeared, Murong Shi asked, "You're leaving?"

The fee for the dinner party was calculated based on the number of attendants, so anyone leaving ahead of time meant a waste of food and money. Anxiously, Xu Chuanchuan explained, "Yes. I have something I need to go home and deal with immediately."

Xu Chuanchuan dared not look Murong Shi in the eye. When she lowered her head, she heard Murong Shi asking, "Do you need me to drop you off?"

Upon hearing these words, Xu Chuanchuan lifted her head and looked at Murong Shi. After verifying that Murong Shi wasn't being polite or joking, she couldn't help but be bewildered. Hurriedly, she said, "No need, no need. I—"

"Weren't you in a hurry to go back? Your place is on the way, anyway."

Xu Chuanchuan didn't even get the opportunity to voice her refusal. After hearing Murong Shi's words, she obediently got in the car.

This was Xu Chuanchuan's second time riding Murong Shi's car, yet she still wasn't quite used to it. While sitting in the passenger's seat, she tensed up her whole body and dared not move her arms and legs around. She also centered her eyes straight ahead.

The road leading to the main street was quite narrow, making it difficult for a car to maneuver through it. So, Murong Shi's car had to hit the brakes frequently, and the constant accelerations and decelerations caused Xu Chuanchuan to feel suffocated and nauseous.

While paying attention to the sides of her car, Murong Shi noticed Xu Chuanchuan's state and asked, "Are you carsick?"

Forcing a smile, Xu Chuanchuan said, "A little."

Sending Xu Chuanchuan another glance, Murong Shi asked, "Why didn't you get carsick the last time?"

I was dead nervous last time, so where would I find the time to care whether I was carsick or not?

Xu Chuanchuan made up an explanation and said, "I ate a piece of pork belly just now. The grease is probably getting to me."

"Have you ever driven a car before?"

"I have. I used to drive my father's car back when I was still living with my parents."

While avoiding the pedestrians and cars around her, Murong Shi nonchalantly said, "You drive once we're out of this side street."

"Huh?"

Xu Chuanchuan thought Murong Shi was merely joking. She never expected Murong Shi to bring the topic up again once they arrived at the junction beside the main road.

Hesitantly, Xu Chuanchuan asked, "Are you really letting me drive?"

"It'll take at least 20 minutes to get to your place. Can you endure it if I drive?"

Since when did she become so considerate? Xu Chuanchuan wondered.

"If you end up throwing up in my car, you'll have to pay for the cleaning."

"..." Fine, I must've been overthinking things.

Eventually, Xu Chuanchuan switched seats with Murong Shi.

Xu Chuanchuan would be lying if she said she wasn't nervous about driving such an expensive car, so she drove very slowly.

However, Murong Shi didn't let Xu Chuanchuan have her way for long as she nonchalantly said, "The traffic police is going to stop us at this rate."

"..." Xu Chuanchuan had no choice but to accelerate slightly.

Murong Shi sat slightly slumped, and she appeared exhausted. The dark circles under her eyes were so apparent that even makeup could not cover them.

In a soft tone, Xu Chuanchuan suggested, "Why don't you take a short nap?"

Murong Shi remained indifferent to XuChuanchuan's suggestion as she listlessly said, "No need. I'm afraid you'll drive the car into a ditch."

"..." Embarrassed, Xu Chuanchuan said, "My driving skills aren't that bad."

"Just don't disturb me."

"Okay."

The next several minutes went by in silence.

"Why are you in such a hurry to go home?"

It took a moment for Xu Chuanchuan to realize that Murong Shi was asking her a question. After pondering for a moment, she found that she couldn't come up with a reasonable excuse, so she ambiguously said, "Some personal matters."

Murong Shi didn't probe further into the matter. Rubbing her temples, she said, "I've been suffering from insomnia the past few days."

"You must've overworked yourself."

"Mhm." Murong Shi vaguely responded with a hum. Her phoenix eyes narrowed, she casually asked, "How do you usually deal with insomnia?"

Xu Chuanchuan found that Murong Shi had been acting strange recently. The other party had been asking her a lot of questions unrelated to work…

Before Xu Chuanchuan could think deeply into Murong Shi's question, she subconsciously blurted out, "I usually listen to songs or read novels."

Several emotions flashed across Murong Shi's tired eyes briefly. Maintaining an indifferent expression, she asked, "Listening to music will only get me more excited. Also, you read novels?"

"...I read them occasionally when I have free time, but I haven't read a novel for a long time already."

When bringing up the topic of novels, Xu Chuanchuan inadvertently started thinking of Passerby Shi's identity again. Unable to help her curiosity, she tried sneaking a peek at Murong Shi's reaction through the rear-view mirror. To Xu Chuanchuan's surprise, what entered her sight was a pair of eyes filled with inexplicable emotions staring back at her. Immediately, her heart tensed up anxiously.

In an indifferent voice, Murong Shi said, "Keep your eyes on the road."

"..." It's your fault for asking so many questions!

While waiting for the water to boil, she threw herself onto her soft bed and decided to chat with Ange. Before she could do so, her phone vibrated, indicating that she had received a new message. When she opened up the message, she couldn't help but doubt her eyes for a moment.

Passerby Shi: "I just found out that you got monetized. I originally wanted to send some Deep-waters, but my account is currently empty. I'll make up for it some other day."

Xu Chuanchuan rubbed her eyes and looked at her phone again. However, the message remained on the screen. Hurriedly, she typed out a reply.

I Love Malatang: "Didn't you delete your reading app already?"

Passerby Shi: "I deleted it on my phone, but my iPad still has it."

Xu Chuanchuan: ...

I Love Malatang: "Are you not angry anymore?"

Passerby Shi: "Why would I be angry?"

It would seem that a certain someone was playing amnesia with her. Hence, Xu Chuanchuan kindly took a screenshot of their previous conversation and shared it with the other party.

Passerby Shi: "[Bye-bye]"

I Love Malatang: "Wait, wait, wait! Welcome back~"

Passerby Shi: "I just decided to take a look out of boredom."

I Love Malatang: "Yes, yes, yes. Whatever you say."

Passerby Shi: "I've caught up now. I'm bored."

Xu Chuanchuan: ...

I Love Malatang: "You have a girlfriend to accompany you, so how can you still be bored?"

Passerby Shi: "We broke up."

Pfft—

Xu Chuanchuan couldn't help but brainstorm a little at this message. So, this capricious tycoon decided to use novels to fill the void in her broken heart?

If that's the case… I shouldn't mess with her.

I Love Malatang: "*Headpat* There, there, don't be sad. Time will heal everything. There are still plenty of single girls in the group. Many of them like you."

Passerby Shi: "Aren't you single as well?"

What is she trying to get at? Xu Chuanchuan suddenly noticed that something was amiss. Sitting upright, she quickly typed out a reply.

I Love Malatang: "I forgot to tell you this, but I'm straight. So, I'll never get into a relationship with my readers!"

Xu Chuanchuan had been depressed for a long time after getting falsely accused previously.

Passerby Shi: "You think I want to court you?"

Fortunately, Xu Chuanchuan wasn't narcissistic to such an extent.

I Love Malatang: "I'm just afraid you'll misunderstand."

Passerby Shi: "Hehe."

Xu Chuanchuan: "..." To hell with your "hehe."

TL Notes:

[1]bike share: A bicycle-sharing system in which bicycles are made available for shared use to individuals on a short-term basis for a price or free.

Wikipedia link:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle-sharing_system