001 When are you going to pay back the money you owe my brother?
"The Socially Anxious Person Was Mistaken for a Catfish"
Text/Baby Panda
001
The bustling street was bathed in generous sunlight, casting cheerful smiles on every passerby.
Suddenly, a sharp childish voice pierced the crowd.
"You're crazy!"
A little girl around five or six stared blankly at the pastry that had fallen to the ground, using the harshest words she'd learned from adults.
Her mother crouched down and gently comforted her, "Maybe she didn't mean to. Come on, Mom will buy you another one, okay?"
The little girl's tears instantly spilled over, and she asked with a heavy sob, "Then why didn't she apologize for dropping it?"
Yeah, why not?
A few passersby slowed down, glancing sideways, but after a few seconds they indifferently looked away and merged back into the hurried crowd.
The mother was momentarily at a loss for words. To hide her embarrassment, she scolded softly, "Why are you so difficult? I said I'll buy you another one!"
The little girl's eyes reddened, her mouth puckered in grievance, and she cried even harder.
"Here."
A pair of fair, slender hands held a steaming piece of osmanthus cake, reaching out to the little girl.
The crying stopped abruptly.
The little girl stared blankly at the pastry, then clutched it to her chest like a lost treasure.
The mother stood up and looked at the owner of the hands.
It was a young woman, about twenty years old, around 1.65 meters tall.
She had long, straight black hair, a small face, and extremely delicate features. Especially her almond-shaped eyes, clear and bright, with dark, moist pupils. The slight curve of her lips held a gentle yet awkward smile.
The woman seemed to notice the scrutiny, quickly lowered her head, and a blush crept up to her ears.
The mother said to the little girl, "Quick, thank the pretty sister."
The little girl raised her tear-streaked face and said crisply, "Thank you, pretty sister!"
"You're... you're welcome."
The woman's voice was soft. Even though she had done a good deed, she acted as if she'd done something wrong, her eyes darting away. She quickly disappeared into the stream of people.
"Mom, why did that sister run away?"
"Maybe... she was embarrassed."
Zeng Keqin sprinted all the way until she ducked into a small alley, hands on her knees, panting heavily.
Her heart pounded wildly.
She touched her burning cheeks and hung her head in chagrin. Was it just giving away a piece of cake? Why was she so nervous?
'Ding ding ding—'
Her phone suddenly rang.
"Hello, is this Ms. Zeng Keqin?"
"Yes."
"This is Bai Run'er Law Firm. We've seen your resume and it has passed the preliminary review. We sincerely invite you to come for an interview next Monday at 10 a.m."
Zeng Keqin was stunned. Her hand tightened on the phone. "Thank you. I'll be there on time."
The caller briefly explained the interview requirements and politely ended the call.
The screen went black.
Zeng Keqin still stood there until a cold wind blew into her collar, snapping her back to reality.
Bai Run'er.
The most famous law firm in Jiangchuan, ranked top ten nationally, and a dream for countless law students.
She looked at her palm in disbelief, where the lingering warmth of the pastry remained...
*
Zeng Keqin pushed open the dormitory door, and a blast of cold air rushed in, instantly dousing the excitement inside her.
It was May, but the air conditioning was already on in the dorm.
She shivered from the cold, walked to her desk with her head down, and pulled out the books she'd just borrowed from the library from her canvas bag.
"Oh, back?"
The speaker was named Liu Ying, sitting cross-legged on her bed, painting her nails.
"Pretty as you are, you only read all day. What's that about?"