妈妈的朋友在线

Chapter 555: Framed

Of course, to her, these physical pains were trivial compared to the embarrassment of the growing crowd around her, all wearing looks of curiosity and amusement.

She helplessly surveyed the scattered fruits and pastries all around her, sticky and messy. Looking down at her own ruined gown, her heart sank even further.

At that moment, her mind was a blank, unable to comprehend the unprecedented embarrassment she was facing.

“Are you okay?” The waiter who had bumped into her hurried over to check on her.

Before Shu Pan could respond, she heard a familiar voice beside her, “Always so reckless, aren’t you? Now you understand the humiliation of making a fool of yourself in public.”

Shu Pan looked up to see her—wherever she went, it seemed, trouble followed. She couldn’t have failed to notice that it was Charlene who had knocked her over.

Charlene had been waiting for this opportunity all night. Finally, when Gu Shaoting had left, she had intended to arrange this through a waiter she had bribed. However, that idiot had bungled it completely.

Seeing Shu Pan still standing there after the collision, Charlene couldn’t resist adding a little push to make her fall.

Spotting Gu Shaoting approaching from nearby, Charlene pretended to offer help. “You’re so clumsy. Let me help you up.”

Shu Pan, unable to bear Charlene’s insincerity, pushed her away. She didn’t need her fake sympathy. Such hypocrisy was something she had never encountered before.

“I know it’s uncomfortable to fall, but there’s no need to take it out on me,” Charlene said, sounding somewhat aggrieved.

“Panpan, what happened?” Gu Shaoting asked, having left only a short while ago, yet returning to find chaos.

As Gu Shaoting asked, he helped Shu Pan up.

“It’s okay, just got bumped accidentally,” Shu Pan said, seeing the concern on his face and trying to downplay the situation.

Gu Shaoting, seeing her disheveled state, thought it best to have someone help clean her up.

“What happened, Shu Pan?” Tang Wei, who loved watching drama, hurried over upon seeing the crowd gathering. To her surprise, she saw Shu Pan had fallen.

Tang Wei quickly offered her support, and Gu Shaoting seized the opportunity. “Could you please help her clean up?”

With the banquet about to start, he couldn’t leave as he was the host.

“Sure,” Tang Wei readily agreed.

“Shaoting, you should go attend to the guests. I probably won’t be able to join you for the opening dance. Find someone else as your partner,” Shu Pan said, dismayed by the stains on her dress, feeling like she had ruined the event.

“It’s okay. What matters is that you’re alright. Once I’m done with my duties, I’ll come find you, okay?” Gu Shaoting comforted her, knowing she must be feeling upset about what had happened.

“Yeah,” Tang Wei assisted Shu Pan back to the lounge. After cleaning up and changing out of her gown, Shu Pan luckily had brought along a qipao just in case.

Originally meant for toasts later, she had to wear it now.

“Shu Pan, how did this happen? It’s such a shame. You and Mr. Gu’s opening dance was a highlight for everyone else,” Tang Wei lamented.

“It’s no big deal. I never really knew how to dance anyway, so it’s not a loss for me,” Shu Pan said nonchalantly.

She wasn’t upset about missing the dance; she was more troubled by messing up the event and possibly embarrassing Shaoting.