Perhaps the disdain in Ji Xu'an's eyes had been too obvious. Jiang Jiang also understood that even if they truly married, they would only be a couple in appearance. What was more, Ji Xu'an did not even want to marry her at all right now.
But it didn't matter. As long as Ji Xu'an still acknowledged the words she had spoken that day, Jiang Jiang had a legitimate reason to care about her, and in doing so, gradually change Ji Xu'an's attitude toward her.
Before, it had always been Ji Xu'an using her own words to block Jiang Jiang. This was the first time she had been rendered speechless by Jiang Jiang instead.
She had personally said that she would marry her. Ji Xu'an could not possibly slap her own face. Nor could she use that to demand that Jiang Jiang stop caring about her. In the end, she could only console herself inwardly.
It didn't matter. No matter how Xie Xiao tried to curry favor with her, she would never waver.
Sooner or later, Xie Xiao would understand that everything she was doing was useless effort.
Ji Xu'an lifted her chin at Jiang Jiang indifferently. "Suit yourself."
After speaking, she turned and walked toward her own room. Her straight and slender figure quickly disappeared from Jiang Jiang's line of sight, leaving behind only a faint woody-fruity fragrance that slowly dispersed into the air.
Only after Ji Xu'an had left did Jiang Jiang calmly close the door. On the surface she appeared composed and unhurried, but the moment she turned around, she was completely exposed.
She had actually persuaded Ji Xu'an.
Jiang Jiang clenched her hand into a fist and pressed it against her chest, feeling her heart beating faster and faster. Even her legs trembled faintly, as though she might be unable to stand steady at any moment.
Remembering that Xie Xiao was still watching, Jiang Jiang hurriedly supported herself against the desk to retrieve the White Jade Exquisite Mirror, then collapsed into the sofa as though all her strength had drained away.
"Xie Xiao, I really did it!"
Jiang Jiang tried hard to maintain her reserved demeanor, but the upward curve of her lips and the dimples at her cheeks betrayed the small pride in her heart.
Xie Xiao covered her forehead. "You just have too heavy a filter for her. She isn't Princess Huaining. Why are you so afraid of her?"
Ji Xu'an wasn't actually going to kill Jiang Jiang, was she?
Xie Xiao admitted that Ji Xu'an's presence was indeed difficult to resist, but it wasn't to the extent that she should scare Jiang Jiang like this.
Jiang Jiang defended herself in a small voice, "You don't understand."
Even if Xie Xiao told her this was a world where everyone was equal, the concepts of hierarchy from the past had long been carved into Jiang Jiang's bones. Ji Xu'an also looked exactly like Princess Huaining. It was difficult for Jiang Jiang to regard herself and Ji Xu'an as people of the same social standing.
That was why, after daring to contradict Ji Xu'an tonight, Jiang Jiang had been so excited. After all, in the past, how could she have ever imagined that one day she would leave Princess Huaining unable to respond?
However, what Xiao Xiao said was not wrong either. Ji Xu'an truly was not as frightening as she had thought.
Recalling the other woman's silent, wordless expression, Jiang Jiang could not help laughing out loud.
"Alright then, let's just say I don't understand." Xie Xiao changed the subject. "I think the move you made today was excellent. Ji Xu'an clearly softened a lot."
Sure enough, no one in this world could refuse a well-behaved little beauty currying favor with her.
If someone could, it must mean the little beauty had not fawned thoroughly enough.
Jiang Jiang's brows curved, a small dimple appearing at her cheek. "Fortunately, I didn't mess it up."
Although Ji Xu'an had still warned her not to play tricks, Jiang Jiang could see that Ji Xu'an had not truly been angry.
If she had really disliked it, she would not have drunk that bowl of hangover soup at all—Jiang Jiang had smelled the hangover soup on Ji Xu'an.
That meant she could be a little bolder.
"Then are you going to make her breakfast tomorrow?" Xie Xiao asked.
Jiang Jiang shook her head. "If you use the same tactic twice in a row, the effect won't be as obvious."
After thinking about it, Xie Xiao agreed. They could not let Ji Xu'an form a habit of it and truly start treating Jiang Jiang like a nanny in the future.
After finally calming down, Jiang Jiang suddenly remembered that she had not finished her "study materials." She quickly sat upright, her eyes fixed unblinkingly on the television screen as she continued watching with relish.
The corner of Xie Xiao's mouth twitched. Seeing how engrossed Jiang Jiang was, she could not say anything.
After all, this idea had been hers. When she proposed the suggestion, however, she had not expected Jiang Jiang to select this particular drama at a single glance from among so many campus idol dramas.
Forget it. She had nothing to do anyway. She might as well accompany Jiang Jiang and watch a little longer.
——
The consequence of staying up late watching dramas was that the next morning, although Jiang Jiang managed to sit at the dining table before Ji Xu'an came downstairs, the dark circles beneath her eyes could not be concealed at all, startling Butler Chen.
"Xie Xiao, didn't you sleep well last night?"
Jiang Jiang suppressed the urge to yawn, holding her breath until her eyes turned red, two pools of tears gathering in her eye sockets, on the verge of falling.
Butler Chen thought she had been wronged. After thinking it over, the only person in the house who could have upset Jiang Jiang was Ji Xu'an.
He asked Jiang Jiang, "Did the eldest miss bully you again?"
When Ji Xu'an drank the hangover soup last night, her expression had not looked very pleasant. Perhaps after going upstairs she had scolded Jiang Jiang.
Butler Chen's voice was not loud, but Ji Xu'an had just reached the staircase and heard the sentence clearly.
Her steps paused slightly. What was this? In other people's eyes, was she someone unreasonable who only bullied the weak?
Butler Chen had not expected Ji Xu'an to overhear him. He felt a bit awkward, though it did not show on his face.
"The eldest miss is awake. Breakfast is ready."
Ji Xu'an gave a soft acknowledgment. When she walked up to Jiang Jiang, she finally understood why Butler Chen had asked that question.
Jiang Jiang had not had time to explain earlier. Now, in front of Ji Xu'an, she felt embarrassed to say much. She merely raised her eyes to glance at Ji Xu'an, then quickly lowered them again, her voice soft and thin. "She didn't bully me."
She had thought Ji Xu'an would say something, but after a long while she heard no response. Jiang Jiang had no choice but to lift her head again to look at Ji Xu'an, only to meet Ji Xu'an's assessing gaze directly.
The other woman's expression was somewhat strange. Jiang Jiang could not decipher its meaning. Her hands, resting on her lap, nearly twisted into knots.
Why wasn't she speaking?
She kept looking at her. Could it be that her makeup or attire today was not proper enough?
After looking her over sufficiently, Ji Xu'an slowly withdrew her gaze, picked up the honey water in front of her and took a sip, then asked, "Were you out stealing cattle last night?"
"Huh?" Jiang Jiang was momentarily stunned. Then her cheeks flushed bright red. Being teased by Ji Xu'an, she nearly could not lift her head.
It was her first time encountering something so captivating. It was far more interesting than the operas she had watched before. If dawn had not forced her to come downstairs for breakfast, she might still be sitting in front of the television watching the drama now.
Her secret of staying up late had been exposed by Ji Xu'an in a single sentence. Jiang Jiang felt terribly guilty, as though she had been caught doing something bad, so nervous that her palms were almost sweating.
She moved her lips. "I… I had a nightmare last night."
Lying in front of Ji Xu'an placed immense pressure on Jiang Jiang, because Ji Xu'an's gaze was too deep and dark, as though it could see through all her lies at a glance.
Setting down the glass in her hand, Ji Xu'an smiled faintly. "I see."
Before Jiang Jiang could breathe a sigh of relief, she continued, "I thought you stayed up all night watching dramas."
"I didn't," Jiang Jiang insisted stubbornly, yet she did not dare lift her head to look at Ji Xu'an even once.
Ji Xu'an let out a soft snort and did not continue making things difficult for her.
She thought to herself that she was, after all, merely a little girl who had just turned eighteen. Even if she had some small schemes of her own, they were so shallow that one could see through them at a glance.
This absurd marriage must have been the idea of Xie Xiao's late grandmother, right?
Of course, that did not mean Xie Xiao was innocent.
It was simply that, perhaps because she had seen Xie Xiao's childish side and remembered that she was only a girl the same age as little Yuan, Ji Xu'an felt that she did not dislike Xie Xiao quite as much anymore.
If her previous dislike had been one hundred points, now… well, it had barely dropped to eighty.
After breakfast, Ji Xu'an was going to the company to work, while Jiang Jiang planned to return to her bedroom to catch up on sleep.
Butler Chen winked at Jiang Jiang. After hesitating for a moment, Jiang Jiang followed behind Ji Xu'an, intending to see her off at the door.
Ji Xu'an said nothing. Only when they reached the car door did she turn back to look at Jiang Jiang, dismissing her like a little attendant. "Alright, go back."
Jiang Jiang remembered the television drama she had watched the night before, where people embraced before parting.
But her relationship with Ji Xu'an had not yet reached the point of a farewell hug. Jiang Jiang also could not bring herself to act intimately in front of others.
Ji Xu'an probably would not want to hug her either.
Jiang Jiang lowered her eyelashes halfway, staring only at the pattern on Ji Xu'an's sleeve. Because of her shyness, a faint blush colored her cheeks.
"Will you… come back tonight?"
The light and soft voice drifted into Ji Xu'an's ears, and even her heart seemed to be lightly bumped by something neither heavy nor light.
When Xie Xiao was not causing trouble, she was, in fact, somewhat well-behaved.
Ji Xu'an pressed her lips together slightly. "Do you need something?"
Her tone was very indifferent. To Jiang Jiang, it sounded like Ji Xu'an's patience was nearly exhausted.
"Mm… I have something I'd like to discuss with you." Jiang Jiang did not say what it was. She merely stole glances at Ji Xu'an with those eyes still faintly red and moist.
Ji Xu'an fell silent for a moment. "Alright."
Jiang Jiang seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. In her watery almond eyes, excitement overflowed uncontrollably even after she tried to restrain it. "Then I'll wait for you to come back!"
Ji Xu'an looked at her deeply, then turned and got into the car, rolling up the window.
Jiang Jiang watched the vehicle drive away. Only after it completely disappeared did she return to her room under Butler Chen's approving gaze.
In her open palm were several curved nail marks. With her back pressed against the door, Jiang Jiang let out a long breath.
She had truly been nervous just now, afraid that Ji Xu'an would expose her little trick in front of everyone. Fortunately, things had turned out as she hoped. Ji Xu'an had not embarrassed her.
She did not know whether it was because Ji Xu'an had not seen through her scheme at all, or simply did not wish to waste words on her.
Jiang Jiang could not help raising her hand to touch the dark circles beneath her eyes. She had deliberately left them unhidden, precisely so that Ji Xu'an would see them.
Now, Ji Xu'an should remember that she was merely a childish little girl still in school, right?
She would neglect her own body because she was engrossed in play. Someone like her was not worth Ji Xu'an's vigilance.
Hopefully, after this, Ji Xu'an's guard against her would lessen somewhat.
Jiang Jiang encouraged herself inwardly. It was alright. She would continue trying. One day, she would make Ji Xu'an completely believe that she was nothing more than a fragile orphan, too weak to withstand a single blow, surviving only under Ji Xu'an's protection.
After all, pretending to be obedient and playing weak was Jiang Jiang's specialty.
—
Author's Note:
Jiang Jiang: I'll act. I'll keep acting.
President Ji: (Dizzied by her wife's charm) She must be so deeply in love with me she can't extricate herself!
—
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