C26 Both of Them Are at Fault!

Huo Niannian could no longer muster the courage to sit beside him, rising to her feet with a blush spreading across her cheeks.

"That's enough, I'm going to head back."

After saying this, she snatched up her food box and scurried out of the office as if in escape.

Gu Tingshen watched her departing figure and felt a burst of color enliven his otherwise dull existence, a smile unwittingly gracing his lips.

In a state of panic, Huo Niannian bolted for the elevator, only to bump into a woman with wavy hair who was hurrying out. Their sudden collision sent the woman's milk tea flying, splattering both of them.

"Ah!" the woman cried out in shock.

"Are you okay?" Huo Niannian asked.

Though the accident had left both their clothes stained, Huo Niannian felt a pang of guilt, especially seeing the other woman's white dress now tarnished.

"Do I look okay to you?"

The woman shot Huo Niannian an indignant look. "This dress is brand new, and today was its first outing!"

As she spoke, she frantically wiped at the stains on her dress. Huo Niannian could tell that the outfit was high-end and white, now spoiled by a large and unsightly blotch that seemed stubborn to clean.

"I'll compensate you for it," Huo Niannian suggested.

"Compensate? Do you think you can afford it? My cousin bought this for me from overseas—it's a designer custom piece that cost 15,000!"

Huo Niannian's eyes widened at the thought of 15,000 for a simple white blazer. She internally sighed at the irrational world of the wealthy.

But what could she do? She had, after all, dirtied the woman's dress. Although her own attire was also stained, her skirt surely wasn't as expensive.

Gu Tingshen had arranged for his assistant to buy the skirt for her. Curious about its price, she had asked Assistant Zhou, intending to pay Gu Tingshen back. Zhou had dismissed it, saying it wasn't much and that repaying the President would be awkward. Trusting Zhou's judgment, Huo Niannian gratefully accepted Gu Tingshen's gesture without further question.

"Your dress may be expensive, but that doesn't mean it's beyond cleaning. Here's what I'll do: I'll pay for the dry cleaning. If the stains don't come out, then I'll reimburse you for the dress," Huo Niannian proposed.

The thought of coughing up 15,000 yuan made Huo Niannian's heart ache, but she wasn't the type to dodge her debts.

As for how she'd scrape together the fifteen grand, she already had a plan. Gu Tingshen, the illustrious President of Gu Group, certainly wasn't short on cash. She decided to consider it a loan from him for the time being, one she would repay gradually with her earnings.

At that moment, a stifled giggle pierced the silence, followed by a somewhat familiar female voice.

"Miss Huo, it seems you're not quite acquainted with high fashion. The garment Lin Lele is wearing isn't designed to be washed."

Huo Niannian turned to see Ding Xuelan approaching with poise.

"A dress that can't be washed? What kind of dress is that?" Huo Niannian asked, her tone laced with irritation.

This time, it was Lin Lele who responded with a derisive sneer.

"Secretary Ding, who is this person who seems so out of place? How did she even make it up to our floor?"

Ding Xuelan took her time responding, relishing the chance to let Lin Lele's unawareness of Huo Niannian's identity add to Huo Niannian's discomfort.