Chapter Eight: Oh, You Know Each Other?

The weekend was sunny and bright, and with work officially starting this coming Monday, Su Mian spent time rummaging through her wardrobe. Most of her clothes were loose and casual; she had never bought anything stylish or form-fitting before because it had been impractical while caring for Qin Yunzheng.

She stepped into a premium boutique that specialized in professional attire. As she entered, the shop was filled with a faint, sophisticated scent of lavender. A sales associate greeted her immediately with a pleasant, welcoming smile, "Miss, please feel free to look around. If you see anything you like, I can bring you the appropriate size."

Su Mian nodded and returned the smile. As she strolled through the store, her eyes landed on a well-tailored grey suit. She reached out to take it, but another hand snatched it away first.

Looking up, she saw a woman with a smug expression—it was Sun Qian, whom she had met during her interview, standing right beside Lin Qingqing.

Sun Qian held the garment up haughtily and said triumphantly, "Qingqing, look at this. The craftsmanship is simple and elegant; it suits you perfectly." She then glanced sideways at Su Mian with a look of disdain, adding, "This is a luxury brand. Not everyone can afford it, and a poor person shouldn't even dream of it."

Su Mian frowned slightly. Instead of rushing to snatch the garment back, she fixed a sharp gaze on Lin Qingqing. The look left Lin Qingqing feeling flustered and at a loss—after all, no one knew better than Lin Qingqing whether or not Su Mian was actually "poor." As for who Sun Qian was really insulting, it remained to be seen.

Lin Qingqing, standing to the side, felt a headache coming on from Sun Qian’s words. She managed a strained smile and feigned intimacy, saying, "Sister Su Mian, I didn't expect to run into you here. What a coincidence! Are you here to buy clothes too?"

Su Mian was speechless. It was a clothing store—if not to buy clothes, did she think she was here for a meal?

Sun Qian looked curious. "Oh? You two know each other?"

Lin Qingqing replied somewhat awkwardly, "Well, I suppose... we know each other. We met in a private room with Yunzheng before."

Su Mian gave her a cold look. "Know each other" my foot. Lin Qingqing’s ability to lie through her teeth was truly something.

Seeing that Su Mian didn't pick up on her lead, Lin Qingqing’s expression turned awkward. As for Sun Qian, she projected her own character onto others. Assuming Su Mian knew that Lin Qingqing was the girlfriend of the Qin family heir, she gave her a quick, sharp look before turning to Lin Qingqing with a biting tone: "A bumpkin like her knows you? She’s probably just trying to climb the social ladder. How shameless!"

Sun Qian’s words were as poisonous as her heart. Lin Qingqing stole a smug glance at Su Mian before tugging on Sun Qian’s sleeve and whispering, "Don't talk nonsense here." She wasn't trying to defend Su Mian; she was terrified that Su Mian would expose her.

Su Mian found the situation laughable; the two were a perfect match. She said to Sun Qian in an understated tone, "Oh? Then why don't you let Lin Qingqing tell you herself how we know each other and what our relationship is?"

Sun Qian glared, acting overbearing. "What’s hard about that? Qingqing, tell her! It must be that she’s trying to latch onto wealth by pestering you, right?"

Lin Qingqing felt a wave of dizziness; being put on the spot like this was unbearable. She opened her mouth but couldn't utter a word, eventually lowering her head to avoid meeting Su Mian’s eyes. Her delicate, lovely face was filled with such grievance that it seemed she might burst into tears at any moment.

Just then, Qin Yunzheng walked over. His arrival made Lin Qingqing feel as though she had found her backbone. She immediately stepped forward to hook her arm into his, looking pitiful and on the verge of tears. "Yunzheng... Sister Su Mian, she..."

Although she hadn't explicitly said anything, her performance spoke volumes. Qin Yunzheng didn't even glance at Lin Qingqing, his gaze fixed entirely on Su Mian. He hadn't expected to run into her here. This woman had left with such resolution, not only causing him to lose face in public but also refusing to return home even now. The thought filled him with irritation.

He furrowed his brows, his eyes sweeping coldly over Su Mian. "What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice icy.

Su Mian did not shy away from his gaze. She looked back at him with equal coldness, though the eyes that once held warmth for him were now utterly devoid of it.

"I’m just here to buy work clothes. Who knew I’d have the misfortune of running into you two," Su Mian said indifferently. She felt a cold smirk forming internally but offered no further explanation.

Watching the scene, Sun Qian sensed the tension and egged him on: "Young Master Qin, this woman is only getting close to Qingqing to suck up to you. You shouldn't let her off easily."

Qin Yunzheng turned his gaze back to Su Mian, staring intensely with complex emotions. "Is that so, Su Mian? You came here just to see me on purpose, didn't you?"

Su Mian couldn't help but deeply question her own judgment once again. Finding his words the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard, she let out a soft laugh. "Qin Yunzheng, how did I never notice before that you were so arrogant and self-absorbed? First of all, I am only here to buy clothes. Running into you and your mistress was purely accidental."

Su Mian’s words made Lin Qingqing’s face drain of color. Su Mian glanced coldly at Sun Qian, having no intention of wasting more breath on her. With a faint, disdainful smile, she reached out and snatched the suit from Sun Qian’s grip with quick, precise movements.

"I forgot to tell you," Su Mian said, "the one who is desperately trying to climb the social ladder is the person standing next to you, not me!"

Without waiting for Sun Qian to react, she turned and headed straight for the checkout counter. As she paid, she met the clerk’s eyes and offered a polite smile, as if the earlier confrontation hadn't affected her mood in the slightest. Once the transaction was complete, she took her items and walked out the door without a backward glance.

Sun Qian remained stunned, still reeling from Su Mian’s words. Lin Qingqing was actually the mistress? The information was too much for her to process all at once.