An Apology After a Clumsy Cover-Up

No one had expected Song Anning to suggest checking whether Guo Lantai was up to something at the critical moment just before the recording played. Then his foot twisted, and he fell straight toward Guo Lantai.

One of his flailing hands happened to knock the phone out of Guo Lantai's hand.

"Anning!"

Cen Muxiao reacted quickly, grabbing Song Anning and keeping him from falling completely.

But Guo Lantai released his grip in pain and could only watch as the phone flew away. It slammed into the wall with a thud and split into two pieces when it hit the floor.

"My phone!"

A figure lunged over almost at the same time, but it had happened too suddenly. Tang Xu was still a step too late and failed to catch it.

"This was a limited edition I just got! My mom's going to kill me when I get home!"

Tang Xu picked up the phone's corpse and howled in anguish. Then he turned and glared at Song Anning, demanding compensation on the spot. "Pay up!"

"I'm sorry! I twisted my ankle and couldn't keep my balance. I really hit it by accident. How much was it? I'll compensate you!"

Song Anning steadied himself and apologized with obvious unease and guilt, looking every bit like it had truly been an accident.

"Is this about money? There are fewer than a hundred of these custom collaboration models in the world. Do you know how hard it was for me to get one? You can't just buy this with money!"

Tang Xu pouted as he snapped back at him. When he carried the phone back to his cousin, he grumbled without any courtesy, "Green tea bitches really spare no expense when they're pulling tricks!"

Song Anning: ...A flashy piece of junk like that was actually limited edition? Was this brat deliberately trying to scam him? He did not even want money, so what compensation was he demanding?

Song Anning had been left speechless by the retort. He could only turn to Cen Muxiao for help. As the richest man in the Imperial Capital, Cen Muxiao should be able to get him a limited edition model, right?

Yet Cen Muxiao did not respond as Song Anning had imagined after receiving his pleading look and step in to resolve the situation for him.

Instead, he was frowning at Guo Lantai across from them. Following Cen Muxiao's gaze, Song Anning discovered that his attention was fixed on Guo Lantai's hand. The web between his thumb and forefinger was slightly red, and its owner was gently rubbing it with his other hand.

Apparently, he had been hurt by Song Anning's earlier move. What did Cen Muxiao mean by this? Was he feeling sorry for him?

Song Anning could not help pinching his own fingers. That hit had hurt him too, okay? There had been recoil!

Then Song Anning suddenly realized that his actions just now might have been a little too deliberate. Could he have already aroused Cen Muxiao's suspicions?

He had only decided to do it in a moment of panic. To make it look more convincing, even his ankle still hurt a little. If Cen Muxiao had not caught him in time, he might really have sprained it.

Yu Tu had been standing behind Guo Lantai, so he had seen everything clearly. Song Anning had done it on purpose, trying to destroy the evidence right in front of them.

Heh. What scheming, what reflexes. He truly was a model green tea bitch.

"Lantai, are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

Guo Lantai softly replied as he rubbed the web between his thumb and forefinger. Song Anning's goal had been to destroy the phone, so he had used considerable force, though not enough to truly injure him.

He glanced at the phone wreckage in Tang Xu's hands and chuckled softly. "It seems Mr. Song not only has poor eyesight, but unsteady legs as well. Such a good show was interrupted just like that. What a coincidence."

Yu Tu added, "What a fucking coincidence. Coincidence has come knocking right at our door!"

Tang Xu pouted and chimed in, "Exactly. He's obviously guilty and trying to destroy the evidence!"

After being mocked one after another by the three people opposite him, Song Anning could no longer maintain his pleasant expression. He wanted to argue, but Cen Muxiao beside him still had not reacted. Feeling guilty, he did not dare openly challenge Guo Lantai again.

"I'm sorry. I only wanted to confirm whether the video really existed. You can toy with me if you want, but you can't treat Muxiao that way."

Song Anning once again put on an appearance of thinking of Cen Muxiao in every regard while being willing to suffer the grievance himself.

Guo Lantai snorted as though he had heard a joke. "Then you were far too impatient."

After saying that, he ignored Song Anning and looked directly at Cen Muxiao. "What do you think, sir? Do you still want to see the evidence?"

Guo Lantai did not spell it out, but as an experienced programmer, recovering data from a broken phone was an easy task for him.

Tang Xu clearly understood this as well. His attention seemed focused solely on worrying over his phone; he was not at all anxious about what Song Anning had truly destroyed. They were both engineering guys, and neither took this matter seriously.

Song Anning was merely a clown who had panicked, trying to cover up his guilt with a clumsy act that he had not even thought through!

Even an elementary school student present would have laughed at him for ages!

Naturally, Cen Muxiao understood what Guo Lantai understood. That was why he had remained so calm since earlier.

Song Anning's performance just now had indeed been somewhat abrupt. Cen Muxiao had to admit that it was a sign of Song Anning's guilty conscience!

That video probably really recorded a side of Song Anning he did not want Cen Muxiao to see. If they insisted on viewing the evidence now, it would only make things even more awkward for both himself and Song Anning!

As for why Song Anning had acted that way, Cen Muxiao figured it out after a moment of doubt. Song Anning was bothered by Guo Lantai's presence. It should count as jealousy, too.

The person who had never given a clear response to his pursuit in the past had become so eager the moment he returned, picking at Guo Lantai at every turn. Could it be that Song Anning felt a sense of crisis because there was now a third party?

Though he felt a small measure of secret delight, he still did not approve of this approach. There was simply no need for it. No one needed to deliberately smear Guo Lantai; Cen Muxiao already had no good impression of the man!

Thinking of the current situation, although he was very curious about the entire incident—especially what intimate behavior had occurred between Guo Lantai and Yu Tu that made Song Anning insist on interpreting it negatively—he still held himself back.

"There's no need."

He said it softly, then his expression turned serious. "There's no smoke without fire. No matter what Anning said, it probably wasn't malicious fabrication. He can apologize, but you should also reflect on whether your behavior was inappropriate. Otherwise, it would not have caused others to misunderstand."

After hearing that, Guo Lantai could not help scoffing inwardly. This big pig trotter could still defend Song Anning at a time like this, then turn around and lecture him. He really was a qualified flower guardian.

Pah! What flower? He was nothing but a dogtail grass!

Though he was unconvinced inside, he showed none of it on his face. He merely smiled faintly and nodded. "Mm, you're right, sir. As a married person, I really should watch my conduct at all times, even at gatherings with friends. I'll be careful. So, sir, you should also uphold masculine virtue and keep your distance from this friend of yours."

Cen Muxiao: ...This man really had some nerve, daring to remind him in return!

Taking a deep breath, he did not respond to Guo Lantai. He only turned toward Song Anning, whose lips were tightly pressed together, and gently advised, "Anning, you..."

"I understand. Maybe I really did misunderstand Mr. Guo. I was too anxious and said the wrong thing!"

Song Anning cut him off, then turned to Guo Lantai and Yu Tu. He gave them a very solemn bow. "So, I'm sorry. Please forgive me!"

The corner of Guo Lantai's lips twitched. This man really knew when to bend and when to stop while he was ahead!

In the end, he was just acting. He was giving Cen Muxiao plenty of face and would never make things difficult for him!

Hmph! They really were so understanding and tolerant of each other!