But this "Thank you, Young Master Tang" struck him like a bolt from the blue, leaving him completely stunned.
He gazed at Shi Ran, taking in every inch of her facial expression. He clearly felt the shift from surprise to cold indifference in her eyes the moment she saw him.
Though fleeting, the impact was immense, causing Tang Si's heart to clench painfully. His brows furrowed, and even breathing felt like agony.
It was a genuine, piercing pain that visibly paled his face.
"I'm sorry, I only just learned about your situation."
Tang Si's face was etched with pain, his voice unexpectedly hoarse as he reached out to grasp Shi Ran's hand.
Yet, just as he neared, she callously dodged him.
In the past, Tang Si had adored Shi Ran's eyes the most. They were dark and bright, as if holding a sky full of stars. When she smiled, her beautiful eyes would crinkle, making her seem sweet and adorable.
But now, her eyes were as if coated with frost, thin, cold, and indifferent.
Shi Ran looked past Tang Si, where both Qing Muye and Lu Yanming stood.
She bypassed Tang Si and walked towards Lu Yanming. "Mr. Lu, thank you for your generous help."
Lu Yanming cast a sympathetic glance at his good friend Tang Si before giving Shi Ran a slight nod. "You're welcome. Xiao Si was very worried about you."
Having rushed over from Zhuo Rui Technology at breakneck speed, Lu Yanming had personally witnessed Tang Si's deep concern for Shi Ran.
Now, with their misunderstanding so profound, he truly felt for them.
Shi Ran didn't respond to Lu Yanming's words. Her hand still clutched the collar of her sweater, her face, having just experienced a scare, had calmed to a placid surface. Only the tear tracks, not yet dry, silently testified to her inner sorrow.
She approached Qing Muye. "Mr. Qing, could you help me? A week ago, my brother owed them only three hundred and fifty thousand, and now they're demanding five hundred thousand from me. At first... I offered forty thousand, and they refused. Finally, I agreed to pay fifty thousand, but after transferring the money, they refused to give me a debt acknowledgment."
Shi Ran knew these people operated in the dark, but she hadn't expected them to be so utterly despicable and shameless.
She felt fortunate, so fortunate that they had all come.
Otherwise, she truly didn't know how she would have gotten through today.
Hearing Shi Ran's words, Qing Muye's brows furrowed. He remembered A Wei mentioning that she had transferred fifty million to Shi Ran.
How could she say she had no money?
Qing Muye knew Shi Ran wasn't lying, nor was there any need for her to lie. Whichever step had gone wrong was unimportant.
"Yanming mentioned you were looking for me today, but I sincerely apologize. My company has been dealing with many tricky issues lately and can barely manage its own affairs." He said to Shi Ran, then turned to Tang Si. "Xiao Si, you know there's urgent business at the factory. Since Shi Ran is fine now, I'll go with Yanming to check on the factory."
He was creating an opportunity for Tang Si and Shi Ran.
Lu Yanming naturally understood Qing Muye's intention and immediately patted Tang Si on the shoulder. "Xiao Si, I'm leaving Shi Ran to you. Mu Ye and I will go check on the factory and find you when we get back."
"If you don't handle Shi Ran's situation properly, not only will I not let you off, but A Wei won't either!" Qing Muye stated sternly, then added to Shi Ran, "Don't worry, with us here, no one will dare bully you again."
Shi Ran bit her lip. Although she knew their intentions, she couldn't say anything more, only nodding. "Thank you, Mr. Qing."
"You call A Wei 'sister,' so you should call me 'brother-in-law'." Qing Muye didn't treat Shi Ran as an outsider.
When he was pursuing Meng Jingwei, Shi Ran had helped him quite a bit.
Moreover, Shi Ran was simple and kind-hearted, truly a rare girl. Especially the injuries on her face, which made both him and Meng Jingwei feel very guilty.