Substitute Bride to the Crippled Billionaire-Chapter 194: In a Difficult Position

The supervisor’s expression grew darker.

"So what you’re saying is, this time, it’s not your fault?"

Su Qingnuan shook her head and replied rationally, "We are at fault too."

"As long as you admit your mistake." The supervisor leaned on the table and said coldly, "This month’s perfect attendance bonus will be deducted. Damaging public property—go pay the fine yourselves."

"....." Gu Xiaoxiao glanced at Su Qingnuan, whose expression was barely holding together, and sneered, "Supervisor, what about Sister Hong? Shouldn’t Sister Hong pay the fine too? How about the three of us split it evenly?"

"Sister Hong isn’t in our department. She’s not under my direct management."

The supervisor waved dismissively, his tone filled with disdain, "Look at your current appearances. Such a disgrace. Get out now!"

Su Qingnuan: "..."

This supervisor was promoted after that incident. He’s quite familiar with the people in the R&D department, but on the contrary, much closer to Sister Hong and the HR department.

During leisure times, many gossip sessions float around the company, and Su Qingnuan had overheard some.

Back then, she treated those rumors as a joke, but seeing the supervisor’s behavior now, those gossip might be closer to the truth than she thought.

Sister Hong was the HR supervisor. Everyone had to listen to her. There’s no way she would fine herself.

Poor Su Qingnuan and Gu Xiaoxiao—they hadn’t been in the company for long but had already been fined countless times.

"Supervisor." Su Qingnuan took a deep breath and bitterly asked, "There’s no room for negotiation, is there?"

The supervisor raised his eyes and said expressionlessly, "Do I look like I’m open to negotiation with you?"

So there’s no room for negotiation.

Gu Xiaoxiao wanted to say more but was stopped by Su Qingnuan.

"Fine, we’ll do as the supervisor says."

After speaking, she decisively pulled Gu Xiaoxiao out of the office.

Outside the office, Su Qingnuan finally let go of Gu Xiaoxiao.

"Qingnuan!" Gu Xiaoxiao gritted her teeth, "How can you accept such humiliation?"

Su Qingnuan gently brushed aside Gu Xiaoxiao’s messy bangs and said calmly, "Go to the restroom first, fix your appearance, and then return to work. Don’t bring this matter up again today."

Seeing her composed demeanor, Gu Xiaoxiao didn’t quite understand, "You’re just letting it go like this?"

"Let it go?" Su Qingnuan shook her head and clenched her fists, "No way I’m letting it go."

"Then you..."

Facing Su Qingnuan’s enraged gaze, Gu Xiaoxiao froze slightly.

"Xiaoxiao." Su Qingnuan pressed Gu Xiaoxiao’s shoulders and said gravely, "We’re just interns right now. As we are now, we can’t do anything. We’ll wait."

Wait until their status changes, until the moment they can strike back—she would make her pay.

"...Alright." Gu Xiaoxiao suddenly reached out to hug Su Qingnuan. "I’ll go fix my hair. You go back first."

"Alright."

Su Qingnuan returned to her desk and, looking up, found that many people were staring at her.

She raised a hand to touch her burning face and couldn’t help but frown.

Earlier, she had looked in the mirror—she knew her face was swollen.

If she went home with this face today, aside from her grandfather, Fu Yihan wouldn’t know how to react.

After thinking for a while, Su Qingnuan decided to push through the discomfort and went downstairs to the convenience store. She bought a mask and some medicine.

The cool ointment did nothing to reduce the swelling on her face; instead, it made the redness more noticeable.

Su Qingnuan anxiously stared at the clock, wishing time would pass slower.

Yet even by the end of the workday, the marks on her face hadn’t subsided.

Staring at her reflection in frustration, Su Qingnuan hesitated about whether to stay late at work.

"Why are you just sitting there?" Gu Xiaoxiao knocked on Su Qingnuan’s desk, "Let’s go. Time to clock out."

Su Qingnuan put down her phone and looked pitifully at Gu Xiaoxiao.

Seeing the fresh red marks on her face, Gu Xiaoxiao teased, "You know, your face usually has no color at all, but like this, it actually looks a bit better."

"Get lost!" Su Qingnuan shot back irritably, "I don’t dare to go back."

"Why not?" Gu Xiaoxiao asked with confusion, "Did you fight with Mr. Fu?"

"No."

Su Qingnuan pointed to her face helplessly. "If I go back looking like this, I don’t know how Mr. Fu will react."

"You got hit—of course he’ll feel bad for you and find a way to get justice for you!"

Saying this, Gu Xiaoxiao’s eyes lit up, and she looked at Su Qingnuan expectantly. "With the Fu family being so powerful, will he get furious for the sake of his lady and directly acquire this company?"

"...You should read fewer romance novels."

"Hey, I’m just upset on your behalf...." She propped her chin and looked at Su Qingnuan curiously. "But honestly, if Fu Yihan found out, he’d definitely be angry, wouldn’t he?"

"Exactly."

Su Qingnuan stood up and grabbed her belongings, sighing, "It’s precisely because I know he’ll be angry that I don’t know what to do."

"What’s there to overthink? Deal with it when you’re home—I’m starving."

Being rushed by Gu Xiaoxiao, Su Qingnuan reluctantly grabbed her things and headed downstairs.

As she walked out, she put on her mask and looked around.

"Hey!" Gu Xiaoxiao on her right nudged her playfully, "Over there! Stop looking like a thief sneaking around."

Following Gu Xiaoxiao’s gaze, Su Qingnuan spotted Fu Yihan’s understated car.

"I’m heading back first." Su Qingnuan said muffledly, "Don’t forget to do what I handed over to you."

"Got it. Go quickly."

Su Qingnuan jogged toward the car and opened the door.

"Mr. Fu."

"Mm."

A curt response without even looking up.

Su Qingnuan exhaled in relief and got in the car.

Just like usual, Fu Yihan was focused on his phone, seemingly deep into whatever he was reading.

Su Qingnuan silently prayed he wouldn’t look up and gazed out the window instead.

"Young Madam." A-Qi glanced at the person in the backseat with a slight frown. "Why are you wearing a mask?"

Damn it.....

Fu Yihan lifted his head to look at Su Qingnuan.

"Is it cold?" he asked.

Su Qingnuan nodded hastily and replied in a soft voice, "Probably because of the recent drop in temperature."

"A-Qi, turn up the heat." Fu Yihan said expressionlessly.

"Understood."

As the car’s interior warmed up, Su Qingnuan began to sweat lightly on her forehead.

Cautiously tugging at her mask, she wiped away the sweat.

"Still not taking it off?"

The sudden question startled Su Qingnuan, making her turn her head.

Facing those icy eyes, Su Qingnuan froze.

Fu Yihan quietly stared at her, his gaze scrutinizing.

"Actually..." Su Qingnuan covered her throat and coughed lightly twice, "I think I might have caught a cold. I didn’t want to risk infecting you, Mr. Fu."

There was a flicker in that deep gaze—a fleeting, unreadable emotion flashed through.

"Take it off."

His tone was firm and frosty, his cold eyes silently locked onto Su Qingnuan.

".....Can I not?" Su Qingnuan ventured tentatively.

Fu Yihan raised his brows but remained silent.

It seemed negotiation wasn’t an option.

Su Qingnuan sighed and carefully removed her mask.

"Turn around."

"..."

Su Qingnuan obediently turned, facing Fu Yihan directly.

His icy gaze grew even colder, with a hint of frost.

The once warm car interior instantly felt like it had dropped several degrees.

"Who did this?"

His voice was glacier-cold, almost trembling with suppressed anger.

Su Qingnuan covered her cheek, forcing a bitter smile. "If I said I did it to myself, would you believe me, Mr. Fu?"