C16 Shangguan Ruohong's Thoughts

Seeing Xiao Nan's smile reappear, Liu Feng's irritation intensified. In a fit of anger, he confronted Xiao Nan, "What's so funny? You laughed before, and you're laughing again. Do you find me, Liu Feng, to be a joke? Or perhaps you think my father being nicknamed Fatty Liu is hilarious?"

As Liu Feng pressed Xiao Nan for an answer, all eyes, including those of Wang Ziyan and Shangguan Ruohong, turned to Xiao Nan, who then stood up confidently. "You're right, I did laugh at the mention of Fatty Liu. But honestly, your attempt to threaten me is quite amusing. Fatty Liu himself wouldn't dare say those words to my face. Believe me, I could call him Fatty Liu anytime I want."

Xiao Nan's retort left the crowd speechless, engulfed in an eerie silence.

While Liu Feng was busy berating Xiao Nan, Wang Ziyan and Shangguan Ruohong had been pondering who this adept individual was, who had managed to rescue them from Liu Feng's threats and shift the focus away from them.

However, the shock on Shangguan Ruohong and Wang Ziyan's faces surpassed that of everyone else. Shangguan Ruohong, unlike Wang Ziyan, had noticed Xiao Nan nearby earlier but had ignored her, choosing instead to enter Hemipeel Tower.

For Shangguan Ruohong, encountering Xiao Nan here was more startling than encountering a ghost. Ghosts wander without purpose, so stumbling into Hemipeel Tower could happen, but Xiao Nan was Wang Ziyan's best friend. Shangguan Ruohong was well aware that Xiao Nan typically obeyed Ziyan's every command. If Ziyan said go east, he wouldn't dare go west; if she said climb a mountain, he wouldn't think of descending a river; if she ordered him to die, he'd probably hesitate only a moment before weighing his options.

So, after much thought, Shangguan Ruohong was utterly baffled as to why Xiao Nan was here.

No way!

A sudden thought struck Shangguan Ruohong: the reason Xiao Nan was here might very well be due to her best friend's doing. After all, Xiao Nan had redirected the attention to himself, rescuing both her and her best friend in front of Liu Feng...

However, as Shangguan Ruohong pondered this, she turned and caught sight of her best friend hand-in-hand with Wang Ziyan, both wearing expressions of disbelief. It seemed unlikely that Wang Ziyan had instructed Xiao Nan to come here.

Shangguan Ruohong's suspicions deepened. Wang Ziyan's puzzled look didn't seem feigned, leading Shangguan Ruohong to deduce that Xiao Nan must have taken it upon himself to show up here. That Xiao Nan was truly something...

As she thought this, Shangguan Ruohong could feel her best friend Wang Ziyan trembling beside her. Holding Wang Ziyan's hand, she could sense the continuous quiver.

Wang Ziyan's eyes, fixed on Xiao Nan, radiated intense annoyance. Yet, Shangguan Ruohong noticed a layer of doubt in Wang Ziyan's gaze, mirroring her own confusion.

In the past, Xiao Nan had always been timid, never daring to stand up to others. But now, he seemed transformed, fearlessly confronting Liu Feng as if ignorance granted him boldness. He even went as far as to casually refer to Liu Feng as Fatty Liu.

This brazenness might highlight Xiao Nan's naivety, but it also suggested a newfound strength; he had never dared to speak up before, but now he was speaking his mind, however foolish it might seem.

Even though openly provoking Liu Feng was akin to seeking trouble, one couldn't deny that Xiao Nan's strategy of creating a diversion was effective. Liu Feng, for all his bluster, was not a murderer; the worst he would do was deliver a beating. So, even if Xiao Nan had offended Liu Feng, he would only have to endure a thrashing.

By taking the blows, Xiao Nan would allow both himself and Ziyan to escape unscathed, effectively breaking the deadlock for them both.

Reflecting on the situation, Shangguan Ruohong found herself nodding in agreement. Xiao Nan did have his uses, it seemed. At the very least, in times of crisis, he could serve as a scapegoat. After taking a beating, he managed to ensure that both she and Ziyan were unscathed, sparing the two beauties any embarrassment.

Initially, Shangguan Ruohong had resolved to leave Hemipeel Tower with Wang Ziyan and address the issue at a later time. However, now that Xiao Nan had stepped in and lent them a hand, there was no longer a need for them to depart. Poor Xiao Nan would have to endure the hardship.

If he had to take a beating, then so be it. She planned to use the distraction of his confrontation with Liu Feng to slip back to the company with Ziyan. Still, she couldn't be certain whether Liu Shihan's earlier words were truthful.

If Liu Shihan was telling the truth, then after reaching the 66th floor, they might encounter the management of Hemipeel Tower. Shangguan Ruohong wondered if Director Liu, the friend Liu Shihan had mentioned and who now posed a threat, would actually show up.

After all, Hemipeel Tower was under their management. This thought reignited an uncomfortable feeling in Shangguan Ruohong's heart.

With a sigh, she and Wang Ziyan stood their ground.

Yet, while Shangguan Ruohong appeared indifferent to Xiao Nan's beating, for Wang Ziyan, the prospect of her husband in name being harmed was quite distressing. She even thought that had Xiao Nan not shown up earlier, and had they left under Liu Feng's intimidation, it would have been preferable to Xiao Nan being assaulted.

After all, even when dealing with a dog, one must consider its owner. If Xiao Nan were to be beaten...

It was at this moment that a burst of hearty laughter echoed from outside.