Xie Xiao was obviously eager to hear some gossip. Jiang Jiang also felt there was nothing she couldn't let her hear, so just like last time, she hid the White Jade Linglong Mirror in a relatively concealed spot. But to be safe, she casually placed her phone nearby as well.
After tidying everything up, Jiang Jiang got up to open the door.
As the door opened and a light breeze rushed in, Jiang Jiang caught a faint fragrance from Ji Xu'an. It was like white magnolia drenched in fine rain—subtle and elegant, with a hint of fresh droplets mixed into the scent.
Ji Xu'an was still dressed in a shirt and suit trousers. Her slightly wavy long hair fell loosely down her back, looking much like the way she had dressed when Jiang Jiang first met her at the old residence.
But there was something different.
Back then, the way Ji Xu'an looked at her had been cold, tinged with impatience. Now, although her expression remained indifferent, Jiang Jiang could no longer detect even the slightest trace of dislike in those calm black eyes.
She could even vaguely sense an almost imperceptible concern in Ji Xu'an's gaze.
"Were you sleeping?" Ji Xu'an lowered her eyes and carefully examined Jiang Jiang's features.
There seemed to be fatigue in Jiang Jiang's eyes, but her clothes were neat, not like someone who had just gotten up from bed.
"I was reading just now. I leaned against the sofa and fell asleep while reading." As she spoke, Jiang Jiang even yawned.
"Why did you come back at this time, Sister?"
Ji Xu'an didn't explain. Instead, she asked another question. "Are you free right now?"
She looked like she had something to say.
How novel, Jiang Jiang thought. The last time Ji Xu'an had sought her out for a talk, her tone had been cold and purely informative.
"Come in first, Sister." Jiang Jiang pulled the half-closed door fully open and stepped aside.
Ji Xu'an paused. She first swept her gaze over Jiang Jiang's room, then stepped inside.
This was the first time Ji Xu'an had entered Jiang Jiang's room. Even at the old residence, she had at most stood at the doorway to speak with her.
A bedroom was an inherently private place. The fact that Jiang Jiang allowed Ji Xu'an inside at least proved she was willing to accept her.
Ji Xu'an likely understood what that meant, yet she didn't refuse.
Aside from the brief glance at the doorway, Ji Xu'an didn't let her eyes wander. However, when she sat down on the sofa, the items in front of her inevitably came into view.
On the coffee table lay an Outline of Modern Chinese History. From the bookmark sticking out halfway, it was clear Jiang Jiang had read at least half of it.
Beside it were a notebook and a black gel pen. Jiang Jiang probably hadn't had time to close it; the notebook was densely filled with her handwritten notes—key points she had summarized herself.
Ji Xu'an knew that on the second day after arriving at the old residence, Jiang Jiang had asked Butler Chen for many books, mostly about history and technology. At the time, Butler Chen had praised her in front of Ji Xu'an as a good child who loved reading.
Back then, Ji Xu'an hadn't thought much of it. Who knew if it was just a persona Xie Xiao had deliberately crafted? Now it seemed it wasn't fake. She truly liked reading.
When Jiang Jiang noticed Ji Xu'an looking at her notes, a blush immediately spread across her face. She stepped forward, gathered the book and notebook together, and placed them on the nearby bookshelf.
Ji Xu'an's gaze followed her movements to the shelf—three tiers of wooden boards packed full, nearly overflowing.
Jiang Jiang sorted the modern history book into its category before silently letting out a breath. When she turned around, she found Ji Xu'an watching her quietly, an indescribable emotion in her eyes.
"You like reading history?" Ji Xu'an asked.
Jiang Jiang nodded, then shook her head. "At the moment, history is my favorite. I can learn a lot from it."
She was eager to understand this world's development from ancient times to the present, so she wouldn't slip up in front of others. Besides, she genuinely enjoyed reading.
"Mm." The frost between Ji Xu'an's brows seemed to melt slightly. "There's a study here. I've never locked it. You can use it."
"I'll have another bookshelf installed in there."
In any world, the study was an important place. It might contain many things not meant for outsiders. Jiang Jiang was truly surprised that Ji Xu'an would allow her to use it.
"What if I accidentally break something of yours?" Jiang Jiang tested cautiously.
"If it breaks, it breaks. It's nothing serious." Ji Xu'an sounded indifferent.
Either there was nothing confidential in the study, or she truly didn't mind Jiang Jiang discovering anything.
Jiang Jiang guessed it was the former.
From Secretary Zhao, she had learned that this property in Xingyue Bay had only recently been purchased by Ji Xu'an. She rarely stayed here. If not for living together with Jiang Jiang, she wouldn't have moved in at all.
"Then can I put the books I buy later into the study as well?" Jiang Jiang also felt her room was too cramped. Occasional reading was fine, but if she stored all her books there, it simply wouldn't fit.
"Who do you think the bookshelf is for?"
Jiang Jiang thought she saw Ji Xu'an smile. But the hint of a smile vanished from her lips in the blink of an eye, so quickly it almost seemed like her imagination.
Unable to resist, Jiang Jiang stepped closer, as if trying to see Ji Xu'an's expression more clearly.
Ji Xu'an raised her hand and lightly patted the sofa beside her. "Come sit."
Instead, Jiang Jiang knelt with her legs together on the carpet by Ji Xu'an's feet. Her upper body leaned against the sofa, her head resting on her own arm.
She seemed to like this posture. Last time in the living room, she had spoken to Ji Xu'an the same way.
Ji Xu'an crossed her legs. "Don't like sitting next to me?"
Jiang Jiang shook her head. "I like looking at you like this, Sister."
If she sat beside Ji Xu'an, she could only look at her at eye level. But in this posture, Jiang Jiang had to lift her eyes to meet Ji Xu'an's gaze.
Such a gentle, admiring posture was the least likely to arouse someone's guard.
In Ji Xu'an's eyes, Jiang Jiang at this moment was like a docile, harmless rabbit, tilting her head up at her in a coquettish manner.
Ji Xu'an lowered her gaze to meet those round eyes. She searched carefully several times but still couldn't find even a trace of sadness. She could even sense that Jiang Jiang's mood was fairly good right now.
It seemed her emotions had already calmed.
After watching her for quite a while, Ji Xu'an finally asked softly, "Did something unpleasant happen at school today?"
Jiang Jiang froze. "Why do you say that, Sister?"
Ji Xu'an didn't intend to hide anything. "Little Yuan told me. She said you were very unhappy."
Jiang Jiang unconsciously avoided her gaze. Her thick, long lashes lowered, concealing the emotions in her eyes. Ji Xu'an could only see the faint upward curve of her lips gradually flatten into a straight line.
"Why does little Yuan tell you everything?" she muttered softly.
Ji Xu'an's gaze never left her face. "So, why were you unhappy?"
Jiang Jiang didn't plan to tell Ji Xu'an about Liang Junsheng. Leaving aside how well he disguised himself in public, logically speaking, Jiang Jiang shouldn't even know about his cruelty to animals, let alone suspect he had ill intentions toward her.
Besides, she had already decided how to punish Liang Junsheng. If Ji Xu'an discovered his scheme too soon, how could she make him pay?
"When I was in the cafeteria, someone looked at me in a way that made me uncomfortable." Jiang Jiang spoke vaguely, without specifying who it was.
If Ji Xu'an investigated, she would probably assume it was the boy who had bumped into her.
And Jiang Jiang thought Ji Xu'an probably wasn't that idle.
Ji Xu'an frowned upon hearing this. "If that happens again, remember to take a picture of that person's face."
Jiang Jiang looked puzzled. "And then?"
Ji Xu'an's face was cold, her tone serious. "Then come complain to me."
Jiang Jiang burst out laughing. "Why complain to you instead of to a teacher?"
Ji Xu'an replied evenly, "Teachers won't handle it."
But she would.
Jiang Jiang stared at her blankly. Her eyes slowly reddened. A clear tear slid from the corner of her eye into her hair, leaving those dark eyes glistening.
Ji Xu'an's voice seemed gentler. "Remember that?"
Jiang Jiang nodded vigorously. She bit her lower lip lightly, then suddenly leaned forward and rested her head beside Ji Xu'an's leg, her cheek almost brushing the back of Ji Xu'an's hand.
"Thank you, Sister." Her voice was muffled.
Ji Xu'an didn't have time to comfort her. As Jiang Jiang spoke, the faint warmth of her breath brushed against Ji Xu'an's hand, making her entire arm feel as though someone had pressed an acupuncture point—stiff and immobile.
Jiang Jiang seemed unaware of Ji Xu'an's discomfort. Because of that one sentence, she seemed completely relaxed, unable to stop herself from wanting to be closer.
Ji Xu'an knew Jiang Jiang was good at acting spoiled. One only had to see how every time Grandma was coaxed into hearty laughter by her. But she had never expected that one day, Jiang Jiang would use those same tactics on her.
Jiang Jiang continued, "Sister, at first I was really afraid of you. When you kept a cold face and didn't speak, it was truly scary."
She was trying to confide in Ji Xu'an.
Ji Xu'an had originally planned to distance herself, but hearing this, she couldn't interrupt casually—lest Jiang Jiang misunderstand again and think she was being disliked.
So Ji Xu'an endured the awkwardness and listened quietly.
"But after spending some time together, I realized Sister is actually someone with a sharp tongue but a soft heart." Jiang Jiang smiled shyly. "I really envy you. It feels like your emotions are very stable. Even when you meet someone you dislike, you don't get angry easily."
"But I can't do that. Even small things make me unhappy."
Ji Xu'an felt that Jiang Jiang's mention of someone she disliked carried a deeper meaning.
Jiang Jiang lifted her head and asked, "Sister, if you met someone you hated, what would you do?"
"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth," Ji Xu'an answered without hesitation.
There was arrogance in her tone, but Jiang Jiang knew she truly had that capability.
Seeing Jiang Jiang's thoughtful expression, Ji Xu'an felt as though she might be setting a bad example for a child, so she added, "Of course, no matter what, you must not do anything illegal."
Jiang Jiang pressed her lips into a smile. "Don't worry, Sister. I definitely won't."
Ji Xu'an couldn't help curling her lips slightly.
Jiang Jiang seemed to have endless things to say. She wasn't usually talkative, but perhaps the atmosphere was just right. Ji Xu'an was the kind of mature, steady older woman she admired most. Jiang Jiang couldn't help wanting to say more, her tone unconsciously growing softer and more coquettish.
"Does Sister still have anyone she dislikes now?"
Ji Xu'an looked at her deeply. "No."
The tension in Jiang Jiang's eyes instantly dissipated. She had gotten the answer she wanted. The corners of her eyes curved with a smile, and her gaze toward Ji Xu'an was filled with obvious admiration and longing.
"That's wonderful. I also want to become someone like you, Sister."
Ji Xu'an neither agreed nor denied. She lifted her hand slightly and said softly, "Outstanding people inevitably attract all kinds of attention. When you stand high enough, there won't be anyone around you who can make you unhappy."
Jiang Jiang watched as that jade-like hand descended onto the top of her head. It felt as though a gentle breeze passed over her hair—Ji Xu'an's fingertips brushing her long strands. The touch was fleeting, light as a feather falling into water, sending ripples outward.
Ji Xu'an was comforting her.
Jiang Jiang froze, still gazing up at her for a long moment. Ji Xu'an had already withdrawn her hand, her expression unchanged. "I'm going on a business trip to M Country for a few days. The flight is early tomorrow morning."
Which meant that for the next several days, Jiang Jiang would be alone at home.
They said they were living together, but they were more like roommates—one of whom was often absent, with little chance to meet.
Reluctance surfaced in Jiang Jiang's eyes. "How many days will you be gone, Sister?"
Ji Xu'an thought for a moment. "Around four."
Jiang Jiang's mood dimmed, but she obediently promised, "I'll wait at home for you to come back."
Ji Xu'an's heart stirred. After a few seconds of silence, she replied softly, "Alright."
With everything said, Ji Xu'an prepared to pack her things. As she stood, the back of her hand accidentally brushed against something warm and soft.
Ji Xu'an's body stiffened instantly.
She lowered her head to look at Jiang Jiang, who stared at her blankly, as though she hadn't processed what had happened.
Slowly, under Ji Xu'an's unreadable gaze, Jiang Jiang's face flushed like the evening clouds at the horizon, layers of rich color spreading across her cheeks.
Enticing crimson spread from the corners of her eyes to the tips of her ears. Her gaze darted left and right, anywhere but at Ji Xu'an.
But soon she steadied herself, looking straight at Ji Xu'an with bright eyes—there was even a hint of anticipation within them.
From her reaction, Ji Xu'an deduced that what she had just touched was Jiang Jiang's cheek.
Patting her head was one thing. Touching her face was another entirely.
The fingers hanging at Ji Xu'an's side curled unconsciously.
Neither of them mentioned the accident. Ji Xu'an let out a soft breath and continued toward the door. Just as she was about to reach it, she heard Jiang Jiang ask softly behind her:
"Sister."
"Did you come back specially because you were worried about me?"
Otherwise, with the flight to M Country not until tomorrow morning, why had Ji Xu'an returned so early?
From Jiang Jiang's angle, she could only see Ji Xu'an's back. After she asked the question, Ji Xu'an's steps paused briefly, but she soon continued walking out. After turning the corner, her figure completely disappeared from Jiang Jiang's sight.
She didn't answer.
But sometimes, not answering was itself an answer.
—
It wasn't until the next morning that Jiang Jiang saw the class assignments had been finalized. The counselor added her to another group chat called "Photography Class 2."
The counselor informed everyone in the group that they needed to go to school to collect textbooks that day and to gather punctually downstairs at Building A2.
It seemed Jiang Jiang was the only one in their class living off campus. The counselor even sent her a private message reminding her not to forget.
Jiang Jiang replied, "Okay."
When she pushed open her bedroom door, Ji Xu'an had already left. The house felt empty.
On the coffee table in the living room, Jiang Jiang found something Ji Xu'an had left for her: a handwritten note and a square card.
Ji Xu'an's handwriting was bold and elegant. There was only a simple sentence on it:
[The password is your birthday.]
It was a bank card.
Jiang Jiang didn't know how much money was inside, but since it was from Ji Xu'an, it certainly wouldn't be little.
Was this also a form of comfort?
It really suited Ji Xu'an's style.
Jiang Jiang put the bank card away. For now, she didn't plan to use Ji Xu'an's money.
She arrived at Building A2 twenty minutes early. From afar, she spotted Ji Heyuan in the crowd. Ji Heyuan looked puffed up with anger, her face full of displeasure.
"Little Yuan." Jiang Jiang walked over. Only when she got closer did she notice Fu Xihe and the other two were there as well, softly comforting Ji Heyuan.
The four of them were in the same dormitory. They had probably had a friendly exchange in the dorm last night; today, the atmosphere between them was clearly more relaxed and harmonious.
"You're here." Ji Heyuan glanced at her listlessly.
Seeing this, Jiang Jiang grew curious. "What's wrong with you?"
Ji Heyuan had always appeared lively and full of energy in front of her. Even after being lectured by Grandma and Ji Xu'an, she would still look unconvinced and refuse to admit defeat. This was the first time Jiang Jiang had seen her show such an expression.
When she heard Jiang Jiang ask about it, Ji Heyuan couldn't help revealing an annoyed look again.
Yan Ke explained softly to Jiang Jiang, "Just now, on our way from the dormitory, some overly self-confident guy blocked Ji Heyuan and asked for her WeChat. He even said some unpleasant things."
With Ji Heyuan's temperament, she naturally cursed him out on the spot. But under Ji Xu'an's upbringing, even when she scolded someone, she wouldn't use profanity. The other person, however, used some extremely disgusting words, which infuriated Ji Heyuan.
"If it weren't only the second day of school and I didn't want to cause trouble, I'd have punched him twice already!" Ji Heyuan said as she shook her fist hard.
Jiang Jiang pondered for a moment. "Did you take a picture of his face?"
Ji Heyuan looked at her in confusion. "What, you want to make him debut in the center position?"
She now regretted it a little. She should have recorded a video just now and kept evidence, then posted it on the school forum and confession wall to make that idiot famous at S University.
Jiang Jiang didn't understand what "debut in the center position" meant. She shook her head. "You can send the photo to Sister."
Ji Heyuan was stunned. "Send it to my sister for what? No way, Jiang Jiang, are you an elementary school student? Running to your parents to complain when something happens?"
Jiang Jiang looked puzzled. "Why not?"
"When you don't have the ability to solve something yourself, you hand it to someone who does. What's wrong with that?"
There was nothing wrong with it, but Ji Heyuan prided herself on already being an adult. How could she still let her sister solve everything for her like before? Wouldn't that be embarrassing?
Ji Heyuan stubbornly insisted, "My sister definitely wouldn't bother with something this trivial."
"She would," Jiang Jiang said firmly.
Ji Heyuan: "How do you know?"
Jiang Jiang honestly told her, "Because Sister was the one who told me this method."
Ji Heyuan: …
Did her sister really treat Jiang Jiang like a child?
Ji Heyuan didn't want to argue about it anymore. Still, after bickering a few words with Jiang Jiang, her mood did improve considerably.
After her own issue was temporarily settled, Ji Heyuan started worrying about Jiang Jiang again.
"Jiang Jiang, has any idiot been harassing you?"
"Mm…" Jiang Jiang thought for a moment. "Does adding me as a friend count?"
"Someone added you? Who? A guy or a girl?" Ji Heyuan was like a cat that had smelled fish, her eyes full of vigilance.
If someone didn't know better, they would think Jiang Jiang was her fiancée.
"I don't know. I haven't accepted yet."
Ji Heyuan snorted. "We don't even know each other yet. What's the point of adding friends? Besides, if there's something to say, why not say it in the group chat? Why sneak around?"
When Ji Heyuan said this, she had completely forgotten the long list of contacts in her own phone.
Jiang Jiang frowned in distress. "But little Yuan, if someone wants to be friends with me, I can't just refuse."
"I didn't say you can't make friends." Ji Heyuan clicked her tongue. "Just don't be friends with people who have ulterior motives."
But then Ji Heyuan thought about it—Jiang Jiang was so naïve, she definitely wouldn't be able to tell whether someone liked her or not. In the end, she still had to rely on her.
Sigh, she really had sacrificed too much for her sister's love life.
"I'll screen them for you. If I don't approve, you're not allowed to interact with them, got it?"
Jiang Jiang: "Oh."
Great. From now on, whenever she encountered someone she didn't want to deal with or something she didn't want to do, she could just blame it on Ji Heyuan.
Ji Heyuan had no idea she was being used as a scapegoat again. She only felt that Jiang Jiang was obedient and even felt a bit guilty about always bullying her in the past.
"Don't worry. If it's normal friendship, I won't stop you—unless it's some ill-intentioned idiot like earlier!" As Ji Heyuan spoke, her anger flared up again.
Jiang Jiang rarely comforted people so patiently. "It's okay, little Yuan. Outstanding people inevitably attract attention. When you stand high enough, there won't be people like that around you anymore."
Ji Heyuan: …
She looked at Jiang Jiang in disbelief. "Where did you learn that kind of inspirational chicken soup?"
She burst into laughter. "Jiang Jiang, you're so funny. 'Stand high enough'? Then tell me, how high is high enough?"
Jiang Jiang said in a very small voice, "Your sister said that."
Ji Heyuan's laughter abruptly stopped.
"Ah… that actually makes sense, haha."
If it was her sister, then yes, that height was indeed very high.
Ji Heyuan fell into silence.
What exactly had her sister been telling Jiang Jiang?
Jiang Jiang couldn't help laughing. Seeing Ji Heyuan at a loss gave her a strange sense of satisfaction.
Ji Heyuan caught the smile on her face and reached out to pinch her cheek. "Oh, Jiang Jiang, you did that on purpose, didn't you!"
Jiang Jiang hurriedly dodged. "I didn't!"
Fu Xihe and the others quickly came over to stop Ji Heyuan. The group laughed and played around. Jiang Jiang casually lifted her eyes and glanced into the distance, only to suddenly see someone standing on the second floor across from them, quietly watching them with an unreadable gaze.
It was Liang Junsheng.
—
Jiang Jiang and Ji Heyuan were not in the same class. They were both photography majors, so they gathered at the same place, but when it came time to actually collect textbooks, the two classes were in different areas.
Ji Heyuan felt uneasy. "Can you manage on your own?"
With those thin arms and legs, she wouldn't get crushed, would she?
Jiang Jiang smiled at her. "Don't worry, little Yuan."
Ji Heyuan looked back every few steps, earning teasing comments from Fu Xihe and the others for acting like a mother hen.
Ji Heyuan didn't get angry and casually replied, "What do you know? Jiang Jiang is my…"
Sister-in-law.
Just before the last two words left her mouth, Ji Heyuan realized what she was saying and quickly shut up.
"My what? Why did you stop?" Xu Zhen covered her mouth and laughed. "You're guarding Jiang Jiang so closely. Could it be…"
Ji Heyuan quickly cut her off. "Don't talk nonsense. If my sister hears that, she'll break my legs!"
"Oh—"
Everyone understood.
So Jiang Jiang actually had some special relationship with Ji Heyuan's sister.
Ji Heyuan deflated, feeling like she had said nothing—and yet everything.
She kept her mouth shut and walked forward, not noticing that the boy who had just brushed past her turned his head thoughtfully after hearing that sentence.
The rich person Xie Xiao had latched onto—was she this girl's sister?
—
Jiang Jiang stood in line waiting to collect her books. There were quite a lot this semester—sixteen in total—heavy in her arms.
The weight was nothing to Jiang Jiang. She held them steadily without any effort.
Ji Heyuan's side was still lining up. Jiang Jiang decided to find a place to wait for them. She walked toward the shade of a tree, where there happened to be a step.
Just as she was about to reach it, she didn't know whether she had stepped on a pebble, but her ankle suddenly twisted and the books in her arms began sliding down.
"Careful!" A hand reached out from beside her and stopped the falling books.
Jiang Jiang let out a sigh of relief, turned to the person, and said lightly, "Thank you."
"You're welcome." After helping, the person didn't leave but remained standing there, staring at Jiang Jiang without blinking.
Jiang Jiang frowned. "Do you need something else?"
The person chuckled softly. "You really don't recognize me anymore, Xie Xiao?"
"I'm Liang Junsheng."
Xie Xiao and Liang Junsheng had indeed been middle school classmates, but they barely interacted, the kind who didn't speak a single word to each other all year. Their only common point was that both their names had appeared on the school's financial aid list.
Jiang Jiang suddenly understood. "Oh, it's you."
She looked him up and down. "You actually got into S University too."
The smile on Liang Junsheng's face seemed to fade slightly. "I didn't expect to meet you here either. When I heard your friend call you Jiang Jiang earlier, I wasn't even sure it was you."
"Did you change your name?"
Jiang Jiang's expression was indifferent, not warm but not distant either. "No. Jiang Jiang is my nickname."
Liang Junsheng smiled. "I never heard you mention it before."
"We didn't talk before." Jiang Jiang didn't look at him. Her gaze passed through the crowd and landed on Ji Heyuan.
Liang Junsheng followed her line of sight. "That's true. But meeting a middle school classmate in college—it feels quite special."
"You were lively back then too. No wonder you made friends so quickly."
As he spoke, he kept his eyes fixed on Jiang Jiang's face, not missing any reaction.
Jiang Jiang seemed unguarded and corrected him deliberately. "We knew each other before."
Liang Junsheng didn't pursue the topic. He looked at Jiang Jiang with a smile. "I actually once guessed that you might also be a student at S University."
Jiang Jiang finally shifted her gaze to him. "Why?"
His voice lowered slightly. "After your grandmother passed away, I thought about looking for you. But at that time, my dad was sick…"
"Later, when I finally had time, I heard from people in town that you had come to S City."
Xie Xiao had attended elementary, middle, and high school in that town. Liang Junsheng was also from the same hometown, so it wasn't strange that he could find out about her situation.
"Why were you looking for me?" Jiang Jiang asked.
Liang Junsheng smiled awkwardly. "I don't really know. Maybe because I wanted to know how you were doing."
"Xie Xiao, are you doing well?"
Jiang Jiang gave a faint smile. "What's not good? I live at my grandmother's friend's house now. Her family is very rich and treats me well."
The smile on Liang Junsheng's face grew wider. "I see…"
"Xie Xiao, as long as you're doing well, I'm relieved."
Jiang Jiang pretended not to hear the implication. "Mm, thank you for your concern."
She asked casually, "By the way, how is your father's illness?"
Liang Junsheng paused for a moment, then smiled again. "Much better."
Jiang Jiang's almond-shaped eyes curved. "That's good. You're really filial to your father. But that makes sense—he raised you, so it's only right for you to treat him well."
Liang Junsheng cared deeply about his pride. No matter how much pain or hatred he felt, he carefully disguised himself to avoid others noticing.
So only very few people knew that he had been abused by his father. Xie Xiao didn't know.
Liang Junsheng didn't realize Jiang Jiang was deliberately provoking him. When he heard this, his expression twisted for a split second.
"Yes," he slowly exhaled. "I've always treated those who have shown me kindness very well."
"Xie Xiao, I still remember that once in school, you lent me your umbrella…"
So Xie Xiao, I'll treat you the same way I treated that man.
That man had been dead for many years.
So I'll personally send you to meet him.
How about that?
Jiang Jiang also smiled. "It's been so long. I don't remember."
"But I've always liked helping others."
"Liang Junsheng, if you ever need help, be sure to tell me."
Meeting her smiling eyes, Liang Junsheng's honest-looking face was also full of smiles. "Okay."
"Let's add each other as friends, Xie Xiao?"
Jiang Jiang glanced at Ji Heyuan again. "No. My family is strict."
Her words were vague, clearly unwilling to elaborate.
Liang Junsheng let out an "oh." "Is it your grandmother's friend? Older people do tend to be stricter."
Jiang Jiang didn't explain, which to Liang Junsheng seemed like tacit agreement.
So Xie Xiao wasn't living that well in a rich household after all. She must be repressed and miserable, right?
She needed someone to "save" her.
Jiang Jiang refused his friend request, and Liang Junsheng didn't seem angry. He just smiled good-naturedly.
"Alright. Then can I come find you later?"
Jiang Jiang didn't refuse. "If I'm not busy."
Ji Heyuan was almost there, and Liang Junsheng didn't intend to keep pestering her. "Then I'll go first, Xie Xiao. See you next time."
Jiang Jiang watched him walk away. Even when Ji Heyuan reached her, Jiang Jiang was still quietly staring in that direction.
"What are you looking at?" Ji Heyuan waved her hand in front of Jiang Jiang's eyes. "So focused—did you see money or something?"
"No." Jiang Jiang withdrew her gaze. "I saw a dog trying to disguise itself as a wolf."
"Where?" Ji Heyuan looked around curiously. "We have dogs on campus?"
Jiang Jiang pressed her lips into a faint smile. "Not sure. I'll tell you next time I see it."
Ji Heyuan snorted. "You're not lying to me, are you?"
"I'm not."
Her eyes were sincere, her smile gentle and harmless. "Next time, when I strip off its disguise, you'll see."
Ji Heyuan shivered. "That sounds kind of scary."
"Let's go, let's go. Back to the dorm."
Jiang Jiang didn't have a dorm to return to, so she followed Ji Heyuan to hers.
S University had standard four-person dorms with beds above and desks below. The room had just been renovated, the walls freshly painted white.
Ji Heyuan let Jiang Jiang sit at her spot. "Well? Jealous? Regret moving out to live with my sister?"
Probably because she had already slipped up in front of Fu Xihe and the others earlier, Ji Heyuan now didn't care anymore.
The other three girls didn't say anything, but they all subconsciously glanced at them from the corners of their eyes, clearly listening for gossip.
"Both are pretty good."
Comparatively, Jiang Jiang still preferred living outside.
Perhaps because there were no outsiders here, Ji Heyuan suddenly grew curious.
"Jiang Jiang, tell me honestly—how far have you and my sister gone?"
Jiang Jiang's face instantly turned red. "Little Yuan, what are you saying?"
"Tsk." Ji Heyuan crossed her arms and looked down at her. "Why pretend in front of me? We're not kids anymore."
"When adults date, you can't be doing pure romance, right?"
Jiang Jiang shyly avoided her gaze, her fingers twisting together. "We…"
Ji Heyuan grinned wickedly. "Don't be shy. Hurry up and share."
"Has my sister kissed you?"
—
Author's Note:
Jiang Jiang: Mm, about that… (hesitates)
Ji Heyuan: (slaps her thigh) Okay, okay! I get it! And then? Did my sister use her hands?
Jiang Jiang: Well, how should I put it…
Ji Heyuan: Okay, understood. (evil grin) Don't tell me you've already completed the final step?
Jiang Jiang: little Yuan, stop asking…
Ji Heyuan: Hehehe, as expected of my sister!
Ji Xu'an: ???
Ji Xu'an: I heard that while I wasn't aware, I've already been living a life with a wife, children, and a warm bed? :)
—
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