The Substitute Bride and the Cripple

Chapter 22: Is He Better Than Me?

Tired of Feng Yao and her dramatics, Tang Qiu said frostily, “I think you two owe me an apology. And stop with those crocodile tears.”

“Agreed,” Qian Hongwei added. “Me and Mufan can testify to that.”

Tan Yuqi felt pain lance through her heart at seeing the man she adored helping another woman threaten her. When she didn’t move, Ning Mufan adjusted his black-rimmed glasses and said, “You should apologize after making a mistake, Yuqi.”

“I’m practically your little sister!” Tan Yuqi cried out, enraged. “How can you side with them over me?” She leveled a hateful glare at Tang Qiu. There was no way in hell she was apologizing.

Unmoved, Tang Qiu turned to Feng Yao. “You won’t apologize either, I suppose?”

Feng Yao glanced at Ning Mufan, weighing her options and deciding on a retreat. “You walked too fast,” she said, voice quivering pitifully. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t have knocked into you. It’s all my fault… I’m so sorry, Tang Qiu.”

Tang Qiu smirked at watching the other woman swallow her pride. “Just remember to stay out of my way next time.”

She made them both sound like dogs. “Watch yourself, Tang Qiu,” Feng Yao gritted out, scowling.

“You agreed to it before we watched the security footage.”

“That was between you and Yuqi. It had nothing to do with me.”

“What happened to being good friends with Yuqi?” Tang Qiu taunted coldly. “She was trying to have your back, and now you’re calling her a troublemaker, is that it?”

“What are you talking about? I never said that!” Hatred swelled in Feng Yao’s heart. She hadn’t anticipated that Tang Qiu would go so far as to drive a rift between her and Tan Yuqi. No matter what, she couldn’t let her come between them both now. “Fine. I promise.”

“Heard that?” Tang Qiu asked Tan Yuqi. “And you two had better remember it.”

“You…” Tan Yuqi was furious enough to seize the little bitch by the throat and throttle her to death.

“Remember your manners, Yuqi,” Ning Mufan cut her off. “Is this how Auntie raised you?”

“Brother…” Tan Yuqi’s hands balled into fists, boiling with murderous hatred.

“Brother…” Qian Hongwei mimicked. “You two messed with our junior and tried to frame her. You think you can lean on the Ning family and act all high and mighty in front of us? Fat chance.”

Tan Yuqi’s eyes went red. To be so mercilessly ridiculed by Qian Hongwei, the man of her dreams… If he wasn’t around, she would have lunged at Tang Qiu and made her beg for mercy. Having had her fair share of humiliation in one day, she threw a resentful glare at Tang Qiu and left.

“Yuqi! Yuqi!” Feng Yao called, running after her.

As they left the control room, Tang Qiu thanked the two seniors for their help. “Or else Tan Yuqi would have never let me hear the end of this,” she added. That woman had an explosively fiery temper; she would have hounded Tang Qiu for an apology, acting out on her own accord even if Feng Yao had urged her to compromise. She hadn’t expected Qian Hongwei and Ning Mufan to appear, or for the latter–who was like an elder brother to Tan Yuqi–to speak up for her.

“You’re Professor Sun’s assistant. That makes you our junior. What were we supposed to do when we saw you getting bullied, idiot?” Qian Hongwei playfully flicked her head. Tang Qiu smoothened her hair, which proved to be useless, since he immediately moved to ruffle it.

“Still, thank you both.”

Qian Hongwei threw his arm around her and teased, “If you really want to thank us, come watch one of my games.”

Ning Mufan’s eyes narrowed at his gesture. He wedged his way between them and said, “Tang Qiu isn’t familiar with sports. She’ll get bored. Why not ask her to help cover your duty?” The two seniors were students of Professor Sun, as well as assistants in his office.

Eager to avoid having to be a spectator to one of their basketball matches, Tang Qiu responded brightly, “That settles it. I’ll stand in for you both during one of your slots.”

Qian Hongwei sensed that Ning Mufan was trying to separate him and Tang Qiu. He raised a brow at his friend. “Okay then. Anyway, I’m meeting someone for a game of basketball, so I’ll be off.”

After he had left, Ning Mufan asked Tang Qiu abruptly, “What do you think of Qian Hongwei?”

Tang Qiu’s gaze swiveled to him suspiciously. “Him? He’s fine.” The third-year was tall and well-built, all boldness and swaggering demeanor; he sometimes teased her, but he was a good guy at heart, always sticking up for her when she was in trouble.

“Fine,” Ning Mufan echoed. He had noticed her staring after Qian Hongwei earlier, and couldn’t help pressing, “But is he better than me?”

Tang Qiu eyed him. Who knew my senior had this childish side to him?