You Can Never Have Me (16)

An Xiaowei’s scalp prickled—something felt off.

Still, she followed Xu Ya and sat down.

Xu Ya had the front desk prepare some fruit wine for An Xiaowei, along with a fruit platter and other snacks.

"Xu Ya, you’ve got good taste. This girl looks just like that big celebrity on TV," the girl at the front desk remarked, raising an eyebrow at Xu Ya.

"Haha, that’s nothing special. Plenty of girls look alike," Xu Ya replied. Though she liked to mess around, she didn’t dare tell anyone that An Xiaowei was actually the celebrity’s younger sister.

"She’s pretty. If you really like her, treat her well," the front desk girl said, patting Xu Ya’s shoulder.

Xu Ya smiled faintly but didn’t respond. When she turned to look at An Xiaowei, the seat where she had been sitting was empty.

Xu Ya’s smile vanished instantly.

What the—?

Where’d she go?

"Xu Ya, that girl went to the restroom just now," the front desk girl informed her.

An Xiaowei walked toward the restroom, but this was her first time using a public bathroom. She glanced around nervously, afraid she might take a wrong turn.

If she accidentally walked into the men’s room, she’d be done for.

Heart pounding, she peeked inside the women’s restroom. Thankfully, it didn’t seem much different from the men’s—except for the absence of urinals.

Just as she stepped out, a man blocked her path.

"Xu Ya’s friend?" The man looked ordinary, but his gaze lingered on An Xiaowei’s figure with a lecherous glint.

Xu Ya sure had an eye for beauty—this girl was stunning.

"What do you want?" An Xiaowei asked coldly.

The man reached out to pinch her cheek, but she slapped his hand away.

"Playing hard to get? I know exactly what kind of people Xu Ya goes for," the man sneered, his eyes flashing with malice. Clearly, he held a grudge against Xu Ya.

He grabbed An Xiaowei’s wrist, trying to force a kiss, but she stomped hard on his shin.

The man hadn’t expected her to be so vicious. Pain shot through his leg, his face contorting in agony.

Damn it, was this girl wearing steel-toed heels?!

The restroom area was nearly empty, leaving just the two of them. An Xiaowei eyed the exit, calculating her escape.

If she stayed, she was screwed.

"Whatever grudge you have with Xu Ya, it’s none of my business. I’m not here to entertain you," An Xiaowei said icily. But the man still wouldn’t back off.

Fed up, she kicked him again—harder this time.

"Ah—!" The man howled in pain. An Xiaowei shoved him aside and bolted out, crashing straight into Xu Ya’s arms.

"What happened? Are you okay?" Xu Ya steadied her.

Before An Xiaowei could answer, her gaze landed on a graceful figure in the distance—a woman in a floral dress and white heels, poised and elegant.

Oh no.

Busted.

Ning Moqing’s expression was stormy.

"I turn away for one second, and you’ve dragged her to a bar? And what’s with the makeup on her face?"

She pulled An Xiaowei away from Xu Ya.

"If anything happened to her, you wouldn’t be able to handle the consequences," Ning Moqing said coldly.

Without waiting for a response, she led An Xiaowei out of the bar. The night breeze tousled their hair, casting a dreamy glow over the scene.

An Xiaowei trailed behind Ning Moqing, but her ankle throbbed from kicking that creep.

"Ow—"

Ning Moqing stopped and turned. "What’s wrong?"

She studied An Xiaowei and noticed her awkward gait.

"I twisted my ankle kicking that guy," An Xiaowei muttered, embarrassed.

"The parking lot’s still a ways off. How about I buy you new shoes to change into?" Ning Moqing scanned the area—there was a convenience store nearby.

She’d never seen An Xiaowei wear heels before. Clearly, Xu Ya was a bad influence.

Though frustrated, Ning Moqing swallowed her anger. She was partly to blame for not keeping a closer eye on An Xiaowei.

She guided An Xiaowei to a bench. "Sit here." Then she headed into the store.

Minutes later, Ning Moqing returned with a pair of fluffy slippers. An Xiaowei had already peeled off her stockings and was massaging her ankle.

"All they had were these bunny slippers. They suit you," Ning Moqing said, kneeling to examine An Xiaowei’s foot.

An Xiaowei yanked her foot back. "Wh-what are you doing?!"

Ning Moqing’s fingers were cold, sending a strange tingle through her.

"Checking if it’s serious. If it is, we’ll need to go to the hospital."

Ning Moqing stared at An Xiaowei’s delicate, pinkish-white foot—it looked almost like a dainty hand, untouched by hardship.

Without thinking, she playfully wiggled An Xiaowei’s toes.

Oh no.

This girl wants me.

An Xiaowei panicked. If Xu Ya was bad, Ning Moqing was downright creepy.

What kind of girl stares at another girl’s feet like that?!

She hugged her foot protectively, glaring at Ning Moqing.

"Listen, you’re not getting anywhere near me! I’m a pure, innocent girl!"

Ning Moqing blinked, then tore open the slipper packaging and set them in front of An Xiaowei.

"Put these on. The car’s not far."

An Xiaowei stuffed her feet into the bunny slippers and stared at the floppy ears.

…Was this too cute?

Still, it beat heels. She followed Ning Moqing to the underground parking lot.

"Still planning to go out with Xu Ya again?" Ning Moqing asked.

An Xiaowei looked everywhere but at her.

This weirdo—she wasn’t dignifying that with a response.

"Are you being difficult on purpose?" Ning Moqing raised an eyebrow.

An Xiaowei slid into the passenger seat, only for Ning Moqing to lean over and buckle her seatbelt.

Holy—

Too close!

An Xiaowei’s eyes widened. Ning Moqing’s face was right there—one slight move, and their lips would touch.

She held her breath, afraid to even blink.

Ning Moqing’s hair brushed against her lips as she straightened up, puzzled by An Xiaowei’s frozen posture.

"It’s just a seatbelt. Why are you—"

"I wasn’t trying to kiss you!" An Xiaowei blurted out.