Chapter 10: I Need to Go Home to My Mother  

“Hey, Toad Guo. What is that look? Do you want to eat us up?”

Zhao Anan didn’t spare any politeness while speaking with him when she saw a glimpse of evilness emerging out of Guo Shuai’s eyes.

She had no fear of anyone since childhood, except for her aggressive mother and her brother who exceeded her both in EQ and IQ. Whenever she annoyed someone, her brother was always able to settle the issue with them for her. Guo Shuai was nothing more than a tiny nuisance.

Anan had seen him having dinner with Shangguan Ning last time at the restaurant. She had heard what he said and concluded that he was a terrible person. She would have driven him out directly had she known that Ning had nothing to do with him.

Guo Shuai got extremely angry when he heard her calling him “Toad Guo”. He pointed at Zhao Anan, trying hard to squeeze some words out but only ended up saying a few “you’s”.

Shangguan Ning was very amused by this title. But she tried to press down the laughter at the moment because she thought it might not be proper behavior.

“Huh? What’s wrong with you? Have you suddenly started stuttering seeing the beauty? You better find a pool and check your own reflection in it. Then, you will understand your horrible look is not meant to be coupled with our swan! Our beauty Shangguan is already taken. If you keep badgering her, I will remove some part of your body!”

Shangguan Ning had wanted to stop Anan, but she spoke too fast and too much for her to do anything in time. Guo Shuai had already flushed so much that his face color became as red as a pig’s liver.

He knew that no one could have known about his pursuit of Shangguan Ning, unless Shangguan Ning had leaked that news herself.

Guo Shuai got so enraged that he was shivering from head to feet.

This bitch thought so highly of herself for having a pretty face. She looked pure on the surface, but she was actually going around ruining his reputation. There would be a time when she would kneel down and crawl towards him, begging for his mercy with tears filling up her eyes!

Also, she already had a boyfriend, but she was still trying to lure him. What a disgusting, pretentious woman!

However, a good man wouldn’t be bothered with the trouble at the present. This Zhao Anan had been arrogantly domineering on many occasions. Look at her black jacket and hair dyed in green color! She wasn’t a nice woman, either. When Shangguan Ning met her downfall, he would have numerous ways to repay her! It was never too late for a man to take revenge!

Seeing Guo Shuai’s expression, Shangguan Ning understood that he must be hating her now more than ever. He might have already scolded her dozens of times inside his heart.

However, she was not afraid of him. She just didn’t want Anan to be involved in this matter. She tugged at Anan’s sleeves and said softly, “Let’s go. The class is starting.”

Anan also noticed that Guo Shuai wasn’t thinking right. She had the impulse of beating him up, yet she was forced away by Shangguan Ning at that moment.

“Ning, you don’t need to be scared of that toad. He won’t dare to do anything. Later, I will ask my brother to get rid of him.”

Shangguan Ning had actually felt thankful to Anan during the first part of the sentence because she only addressed her as “Ning” when she was talking about something serious. Otherwise, she always called her “Beauty” for normal conversation.

But the second part of the sentence almost made her fall off the road.

“How can he do nothing, when his wife is being hunted by someone else?”

“Hey, hey. Zhao Anan. Dates can be set casually, but words can’t. Even if my reputation doesn’t matter, your brother’s should be, right? Don’t be a bad sister, okay!”

“What do you mean? I was just letting my brother have the best girl. Besides, the Chinese New Year is in one month’s time, Do you know what that means? It means that we are all getting an year older. You will be 27 next year, my brother 33. Sigh! Time and tide wait for no one. I think you two should get married this year.”

She was totally off the track. It was never going to happen.

A handsome yet distant silhouette flashed across her brain. She couldn’t help but sigh upon his perfection. But that was all there was to him. She had met him only once and didn’t experience any profound feelings towards him.

Marriage seemed to be something really far fetched for her. She was afraid that she might end up living as a single lady for an incredibly long time.

Shangguan Ning shook her head, grinning. “Anan, let’s not talk about me. What about you?”

Anan was too absorbed in the fantasy of her brother’s wedding to realize what Ning said. “Me? What about me?”

“When are you getting married?”

“I’m not getting married. I told you that.” Zhao Anan had an of-course-that-was-the-case expression on her face.

Shangguan Ning had heard her “not getting married” speech, but she thought that it was just a speech. She had been deeply hurt by Xie Zhuojun and Shangguan Rouxue. But even then, she had not thought about giving up on marriage. It was just not the right time for her to get married. Anan was an outgoing girl. She didn’t look like someone who had been hurt in love. Therefore, she shouldn’t have chosen this alternative.

“That’s nonsense. We are the same age. You will be 27 next year too. Sigh! Time and tides wait for no one!”

Seeing that Shangguan Ning had repaid her with her own words, Anan couldn’t help but burst into laughter. “I have eaten immortal pills, so time is not a problem for a young, vigorous girl like me!”

Shangguan Ning laughed along. They two walked towards the classroom together.

When they finished their respective classes in the morning, they ate lunch at a newly-opened hotpot place outside school. Then, they drove to the studio in Gaoxin District to play tennis. That was their tradition, something that they almost never skipped. Shangguan Ning would drag her all the way there, even if Anan got lazy sometimes.

The studio at Gaoxin District was called Big World. It was true to its name for being massive in area and rich in having various kinds of studios. The studio had indoor and outdoor tennis courts. For a cold day like this, only indoor tennis courts were suitable to play a game. There were almost no indoor tennis courts in any studio in A City.

As a tennis lover, Shangguan Ning had checked almost every tennis court in A City before she finally found this treasured place.

The two of them changed into sportswear and sneakers, did ten minutes of pre-exercise and then started to play.

It was not even half an hour yet when Anan started to cry in pain. “Beauty, it is such a self-abusing thing to play tennis with you! At first, you lied to me for being bad at it. In fact you are more professional than the professionals.”

“Do you think my inability to attack can turn into a Guinness Record? For the past six months, I have lost numerous times, but fought equally numerous times. My soul and body have been seriously tormented, yet I am still alive!”

Shangguan Ning ignored her nagging and stopped to drink up half bottle of water. She waved the racket and said, “C’mmon!”

“No, no, no! I’m too tired to play anymore. I need to go home to my mother!”

“Forget about it. I could have believed that before, but now I don’t. You are really good at taekwondo and swimming, to not have energy for tennis.” Shangguan Ning passed her the water bottle and spoke with a grin.

“We can continue, but you must spare me. Forget your bottom-line and spare me. We aren’t on the same level. You are just tormenting me on purpose.” Zhao Anan understood pretty well that skipping the game was impossible. More importantly, she liked playing with her, yet had no intention of making the Beauty feel too proud. That was why she needed to bargain actively.