Only then did Zheng Zhouzhou realize that she had fallen into Jiang Jiang's trap—she had deliberately provoked her.
She had done it to force her to make a promise in front of Ji Heyuan. That way, if she ever wanted to use Ji Heyuan again to climb up to Ji Xu'an, the difficulty would double.
But if she refused to swear, even if Ji Heyuan wouldn't truly fall out with her at this moment, a knot would inevitably remain in her heart.
Although Zheng Zhouzhou's ultimate goal was Ji Xu'an, she was unwilling to give up Ji Heyuan as well. Ji Heyuan was the fallback she had reserved for herself.
The current situation was undoubtedly like roasting her over a fire. Whether she swore or not, the situation was extremely unfavorable to her.
If those words had been proposed by Jiang Jiang, Zheng Zhouzhou could still have accused her of being jealous. But she just so happened to hide behind Chu Yueqi, letting Chu Yueqi charge into battle on her behalf.
If, at the beginning, Zheng Zhouzhou hadn't known Chu Yueqi, she could have chosen to ignore her. But Ji Heyuan's earlier remark—"born in Rome"—made Zheng Zhouzhou realize that Chu Yueqi might not be the ordinary person she had assumed.
That made sense. Someone who could trade barbs back and forth with Ji Heyuan and leave her helpless—how could she possibly lack a background?
Although Zheng Zhouzhou wished she could tear Jiang Jiang apart with her bare hands right now, she couldn't show the slightest trace of resentment on the surface. She even had to follow Chu Yueqi's words.
"My conduct is upright; I have nothing to fear from slander. Why wouldn't I dare to swear?"
"It just so happens that little Yuan is here and can be a witness. If in the future I approach your sister under non-necessary circumstances, you can cut ties with me and never contact me again."
Chu Yueqi immediately let out a cold snort. "Then what exactly counts as 'necessary'?"
Zheng Zhouzhou took a deep breath, suppressing her anger. "After all, I'm little Yuan's friend. If she takes the initiative to bring me to meet her sister, am I supposed to refuse?"
Ji Heyuan also felt that made sense. But she silently added in her heart that, in the short term, that would be impossible. It wasn't that she was unwilling—her sister simply looked down on Zheng Zhouzhou and would never agree to meet her.
Of course, Ji Heyuan only thought those hurtful words and did not say them aloud.
She wanted to leave Zheng Zhouzhou some dignity, but Chu Yueqi did not think the same way.
"You're thinking quite far ahead. Based on my understanding of Ji Xu'an, she wouldn't waste her time on something this boring," Chu Yueqi said mockingly.
Seeing Zheng Zhouzhou looking furious but not daring to speak, Chu Yueqi finally felt somewhat relieved. She turned and leaned toward Jiang Jiang, bending down to comfort her in a low voice—far gentler than before.
"Jiang Jiang, don't cry. I've already explained things clearly to Miss Zheng for you."
Zheng Zhouzhou nearly burst out swearing when she heard that. Was that what she called explaining?
That was coercion!
Chu Yueqi didn't care. She had even decided that once she got home tonight, she would have someone properly investigate Zheng Zhouzhou. Zheng Zhouzhou had better pray there was no dirt on her—otherwise, Chu Yueqi would be more than happy to spend money pushing her onto the trending searches.
Jiang Jiang slowly stopped her tears. "I'm sorry, Sister Chu, Xiaoyuan. I made you lose face."
Though her tears had stopped falling, her eyes were still red, and her soft voice had turned slightly hoarse from crying.
"You didn't lose face. Don't worry—no one saw."
Jiang Jiang had cried without making a sound, silently shedding tears the entire time, drawing little attention. The sales assistants in the jewelry store were also tactful. As soon as the dispute began, they had stepped away to keep watch for them.
They had even thoughtfully prepared towels and hot tea. Chu Yueqi helped Jiang Jiang sit on the sofa so she could slowly calm down.
Seeing her so pitiful, Ji Heyuan couldn't say anything harsh. Not only did she not blame Jiang Jiang as Zheng Zhouzhou had expected, she instead comforted her.
"What do you have to worry about? My sister has many suitors, but she's always treated them coldly."
"Your background might be a bit lacking, but Linghai Group isn't some small company. My sister isn't the type who needs a political marriage to help the company develop."
"You also have Grandma's support. Who in our family would dare show you attitude?"
At this point, Ji Heyuan even sounded a bit aggrieved.
She thought to herself that Jiang Jiang just overthought things. Didn't she see that even her sister had to obediently listen to Grandma and compromise under her pressure?
In Grandma's heart now, Jiang Jiang was her precious granddaughter-in-law. As long as Grandma approved of her, who would dare utter a single word of objection?
Jiang Jiang was just thinking too much. But Ji Heyuan sighed inwardly—maybe this was what people meant when they said love made people feel inferior.
As expected of her sister. Even Jiang Jiang couldn't escape her charm, completely captivated by her.
Ji Heyuan felt particularly proud. Especially when her gaze accidentally swept over Chu Yueqi and she clearly saw the undisguised disappointment in her eyes—that sense of satisfaction reached its peak.
Chu Yueqi was indeed upset. Just now she had only been focused on standing up for Jiang Jiang. Now that she had calmed down, a delayed ache filled her heart.
Thinking about how Jiang Jiang had cried because she loved Ji Xu'an too humbly made Chu Yueqi feel miserable. Heartache and jealousy intertwined within her, yet she still had to follow Ji Heyuan's words and coax Jiang Jiang.
"Ji Heyuan is right. Since Ji Xu'an chose you, it means there's something about you she recognizes."
She paused and gazed deeply into Jiang Jiang's slightly reddened eyes. "Jiang Jiang, you're so good. No one could dislike you."
Jiang Jiang cautiously lifted her gaze at the two of them, her tone still carrying insecurity. "Really?"
Ji Heyuan clicked her tongue. "If you don't believe us, at least believe your grandma."
Jiang Jiang's own grandmother had said that she and her sister were a match made in heaven.
Hearing that, the heavy stone in Jiang Jiang's heart seemed to finally fall. Though mentioning Grandma still made her sad, her eyes reddened again faintly.
"Little Yuan, you're right. I should listen to Grandma."
Chu Yueqi, unaware of the inside story, suddenly felt an ominous premonition. "What did Jiang Jiang's grandmother say?"
Ji Heyuan had been waiting for that question.
"What do you think is the reason Jiang Jiang is with my sister?"
"Because Grandma Xie said that Jiang Jiang and my sister are fated by heaven. They can only be with each other—otherwise they'll both end up lonely for life."
Chu Yueqi found it absurd.
Wasn't that pure feudal superstition?!
She felt suffocated, but since those words had come from Jiang Jiang's grandmother, she couldn't utter a single objection in front of Jiang Jiang.
At the same time, despair crept in. Whether this so-called fate was real or not, as long as it came from Grandma Xie, Jiang Jiang would definitely listen.
Then didn't that mean there was truly no possibility between her and Jiang Jiang?
Chu Yueqi was so regretful she could pound her chest. If she had met Jiang Jiang a few months earlier, maybe things wouldn't be like this!
She firmly believed that Grandma Xie had only said such words because, among the younger generation she knew, Ji Xu'an was barely considered outstanding.
If Grandma Xie had known her too, maybe she would have chosen her!
While Chu Yueqi sulked and Ji Heyuan basked in her victory, neither noticed how ugly Zheng Zhouzhou's expression had become.
Only Jiang Jiang saw it.
Not only did she not avoid Zheng Zhouzhou's almost cannibalistic glare, she even gave her a light smile—full of provocation.
Zheng Zhouzhou dug her nails into her palm. Ever since her rebirth, her plan to hook Ji Heyuan had gone smoothly, and she had inevitably grown a little arrogant.
She had underestimated Jiang Jiang, assuming she was as brainless as Xie Xiao, and had thus suffered a heavy loss at Jiang Jiang's hands.
But there wouldn't be a next time.
Watching Ji Heyuan and Chu Yueqi stand on either side of that green-tea bitch Jiang Jiang, racking their brains to coax her, Zheng Zhouzhou felt her chest ache violently. Her emotions surged so intensely she could barely breathe.
She swore in her heart that she would take away all of Jiang Jiang's backers.
Ji Heyuan, Ji Xu'an—even Chu Yueqi—she would take them all.
She would make Jiang Jiang pay for today's provocation and smugness!
Jiang Jiang saw through her thoughts at a glance. Losers always made vicious vows in their hearts. But victory had never depended on who was more ruthless.
The key to victory was having a brain that matched one's desires.
Jiang Jiang casually wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes, thinking: so what if she had been reborn? A foolish person, even given another chance, would only waste it.
Rebirth would not increase intelligence. And this world had never lacked smart people.
Jiang Jiang did not consider herself particularly smart. But she knew Ji Xu'an certainly was.
If Ji Xu'an discovered that this little celebrity—whom she already disliked for deliberately approaching Ji Heyuan—was hiding a big secret…
Ji Xu'an would probably be very interested, wouldn't she?
—
In the end, they chose a pair of cufflinks. Ji Heyuan paid for them.
Jiang Jiang hadn't brought any money when she went out, and besides, she didn't want to use the money Grandma Xie had left her to buy a gift for Ji Xu'an.
Ji Heyuan had never imagined Jiang Jiang would have no money, so when she first received Jiang Jiang's message, she was confused.
They were face to face—why send a WeChat message instead of just speaking?
But after seeing the content, Ji Heyuan felt only relief.
Thankfully Jiang Jiang hadn't said it aloud in public. It barely preserved some face for her sister.
[Ji Heyuan: My sister doesn't even give you an allowance??]
Ji Heyuan suddenly felt no jealousy toward Jiang Jiang at all. Being Ji Xu'an's girlfriend was too miserable—she was better off as the younger sister.
When her sister was angry with her, she had only deducted two months of allowance. But Jiang Jiang? She had never even had one.
[Jiang Jiang Doesn't Eat Ginger: Sister must have her own arrangements. Little Yuan, can I ask you something? Could you not mention the allowance in front of Sister?]
Ji Heyuan awkwardly stopped typing and deleted everything in the chat box.
How did Jiang Jiang know she had planned to complain to her sister?
Before she could think it through, Jiang Jiang sent another message.
[Jiang Jiang Doesn't Eat Ginger: Sister has bought me many things I never even dreamed of before. I'm already very satisfied.]
[Jiang Jiang Doesn't Eat Ginger: I don't want Sister Xu'an to think I'm materialistic, just coveting her money.]
Ji Heyuan was deeply moved. Jiang Jiang was way too easy to satisfy. Those little things had already won her over?
Ji Heyuan was certain that those items hadn't been personally chosen by her sister—most likely they were arranged by Secretary Zhao.
But there was no need to let Jiang Jiang know such a cruel truth. Otherwise her fragile maiden heart would probably shatter into pieces.
[Ji Heyuan: Fine. I won't interfere in you two's matters.]
Even so, she couldn't resist sending Ji Xu'an a message.
[Ji Heyuan: Sis! I only found out today that Jiang Jiang truly loves you!]
[Ji Heyuan: I've deeply reflected on my past mistakes. There's nothing wrong with loving someone. I shouldn't have looked down on Jiang Jiang's feelings.]
A moment later, Ji Xu'an replied.
[?]
[Ji Xu'an: What happened?]
Ji Heyuan typed rapidly.
[Ji Heyuan: Last night Jiang Jiang told me Chu Yueqi invited her shopping. I was worried, so…]
She rattled off everything that had happened today.
In return, she received a cold: […]
[Ji Xu'an: I know.]
Ji Heyuan scratched her head. Huh? That's it? And then?
Why was her sister's reaction different from what she'd imagined?
Even if she wasn't excited enough to bombard her with messages, shouldn't there at least be some other response?
What did an ellipsis even mean?
Was she so happy she was speechless?
Comparing it with Jiang Jiang's humble appearance earlier, Ji Heyuan felt her sister was indeed a bit too cold. Dating someone like that must be exhausting.
Jiang Jiang really wasn't having it easy.
After buying the cufflinks, Chu Yueqi bought a necklace from the same store as a birthday gift for her cousin.
She had also wanted to buy Jiang Jiang a gift, but Jiang Jiang refused to accept it. Chu Yueqi felt sour—was Jiang Jiang afraid Ji Xu'an would misunderstand?
Since Jiang Jiang liked Ji Xu'an so much, to avoid causing her trouble, Chu Yueqi decided to hide her own feelings from now on and just be ordinary friends.
This corner she couldn't pry open—and didn't dare to anymore.
Otherwise, she might not even be able to remain friends.
After shopping, Chu Yueqi proposed treating Jiang Jiang to dinner. Jiang Jiang didn't refuse. Hearing this, Ji Heyuan clamored to join as well.
Chu Yueqi's face almost turned green, but she couldn't actually drive Ji Heyuan away, so she reluctantly agreed.
If Ji Heyuan was going, Zheng Zhouzhou naturally followed.
Fortunately, they had come in two cars. Chu Yueqi refused to act as a driver for Ji Heyuan and Zheng Zhouzhou. Though Ji Heyuan felt a little regretful, she thought that inside the car Chu Yueqi couldn't do anything anyway, so she happily got into the other car with Zheng Zhouzhou.
The atmosphere in the two cars was completely different.
Although Chu Yueqi had decided to remain only friends with Jiang Jiang, she was still dejected. Her first love—before it even had the chance to bloom—had already withered.
Her mood was wilted, and she was far less talkative than before.
As one of the driving forces behind this, Jiang Jiang clearly understood that Chu Yueqi must be in a bad mood. Thoughtfully, she didn't disturb her and instead gave her space to sort out her emotions alone.
As for Zheng Zhouzhou and Ji Heyuan, it was a completely different scene.
The moment Zheng Zhouzhou got into the car, her eyes reddened. Ji Heyuan was startled.
"Zhouzhou, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"
"And you still have the nerve to ask me? Ji Heyuan, what do you mean? Were you deliberately playing me?" Normally, Zheng Zhouzhou would never lose her temper in front of Ji Heyuan. Her persona before her had always been that of a gentle confidante.
But now she had every reason—and she didn't want to endure it anymore. Besides, blind tolerance would only make Ji Heyuan ignore her feelings even more.
"Me? What did I do?" Ji Heyuan was genuinely confused. She hadn't done anything wrong to Zheng Zhouzhou today, had she?
"When you invited me shopping, why didn't you say you were going to follow Jiang Jiang?" Zheng Zhouzhou demanded.
Hearing that, Ji Heyuan's slight dissatisfaction instantly vanished. She had indeed handled that poorly.
When she invited Zheng Zhouzhou, she'd only said to meet at the mall entrance. She hadn't dared tell her the true purpose. As the second young lady of the Ji family, secretly tailing someone was already embarrassing enough.
"I'm sorry, Zhouzhou. At the time I just thought I had to find a suitable excuse. Otherwise, if Jiang Jiang saw I was alone, wouldn't she guess I was following her?"
Zheng Zhouzhou's face was full of mockery. "So I was the excuse you used?"
Ji Heyuan stammered, unable to respond.
"Fine, let's not mention that for now. At least you thought of me at that time, which means you still treat me as a friend." Zheng Zhouzhou took a deep breath. "Why didn't you tell me in advance that you'd already changed your opinion about Jiang Jiang?"
Ji Heyuan blinked. "Huh?"
She defended herself in a small voice, "It's not that my opinion has completely changed. I only started feeling yesterday that she doesn't seem as unbearable as I thought…"
The rest of her words gradually faded under Zheng Zhouzhou's furious glare.
"Yes, you think your attitude hasn't completely changed—but you're already acting like it has!"
"I even remembered what you told me before and wanted to stand united with you against a common enemy. And what happened? I ended up looking like a joke!" As Zheng Zhouzhou spoke, she couldn't help but start crying softly.
Her grievance was half real, half fake. More than anything, she wanted Ji Heyuan to feel guilty and choose to stand on her side.
Jiang Jiang's methods were truly formidable. It had only been a few days, and Ji Heyuan already no longer disliked her. If given enough time, would she turn both Ji sisters into her devoted followers?
Ji Heyuan immediately panicked. "That was my fault too. Don't be angry, Zhouzhou. I know you're on my side."
For the rest of the drive, she kept coaxing Zheng Zhouzhou. Only just before getting out of the car did she finally manage to stop her tears.
After arriving at their destination and stepping out of the car, Jiang Jiang could clearly feel that Ji Heyuan's attitude toward Zheng Zhouzhou had become even more attentive.
She glanced at Zheng Zhouzhou's eyes, still marked with tear stains, said nothing, and merely lowered her thick lashes halfway to conceal the mockery in her gaze.
Ji Heyuan was indeed a spineless fool with soft ears. A few half-true complaints, mixed with tears, were enough to easily win her over.
But Jiang Jiang wasn't surprised. After all, that was exactly how she dealt with Ji Heyuan herself. There was no reason others couldn't use the same tactic.
While eating, Jiang Jiang deliberately took several photos and posted them all on her Moments.
She hadn't mastered the art of photo editing. She didn't even turn on the phone's built-in beauty filter. The original camera shot showed even the pores on her face clearly.
Fortunately, her face was fair and delicate enough to withstand the harshness of the original camera. Not only did she not look bad in the photos, she had a kind of genuine beauty—her vivid youthful aura almost seemed to burst through the screen.
She only had five WeChat friends. Four of them liked her post, including Secretary Zhao and Wen Xueyun. Only Ji Xu'an remained silent. It was unclear whether she had even seen the post.
At the table, Ji Heyuan criticized Jiang Jiang's shooting angles. Chu Yueqi chimed in from time to time. Only Zheng Zhouzhou, who wasn't Jiang Jiang's friend on WeChat, couldn't join the conversation.
But she refused to be outdone. "Miss Xie, we're not WeChat friends yet. Shall we add each other?"
The private room fell silent.
Jiang Jiang slowly opened her WeChat. "Sure."
Chu Yueqi looked displeased. "Is that really necessary?"
Zheng Zhouzhou smiled gently. "Just making friends."
Chu Yueqi let out a dry laugh. "Friends are good. A friend's wife must not be bullied. Miss Zheng should remember that."
Those words made Zheng Zhouzhou's expression stiffen again. In the end, Ji Heyuan stepped in to smooth things over.
"Chu, can you stop saying things with no basis?"
Chu Yueqi snorted but didn't continue making things difficult for Zheng Zhouzhou.
After dinner, everyone prepared to leave.
Chu Yueqi drove Jiang Jiang back to the apartment building. Jiang Jiang was just about to unbuckle her seatbelt when Chu Yueqi suddenly spoke in a low voice, "Jiang Jiang, if Ji Xu'an treats you badly, you can come to me anytime."
There was a hint of self-mockery in her eyes. She hadn't expected that one day she would willingly become someone else's backup.
Jiang Jiang turned and looked at her seriously. "Thank you, Sister Chu."
Chu Yueqi quickly waved her hand. "I won't say more. You understand."
She was truly afraid Jiang Jiang might follow up with, "You're a good person." The destructive power of that sentence was too great. She worried she might have heart palpitations all night if she heard it.
Just as Jiang Jiang was about to say something more, someone knocked on the car window from outside.
It was Ji Heyuan.
"Are you two getting out or not? What are you doing there?"
Chu Yueqi ground her teeth. That little brat guarded against her like she was a thief. Was her character really that untrustworthy?
Since Ji Heyuan kept urging, Jiang Jiang swallowed her words back. She mimicked what Chu Yueqi had done yesterday and waved her phone at her. "Sister Chu, we'll stay in touch."
Chu Yueqi hummed in response. She didn't get out, only sat in the car watching Jiang Jiang leave.
The cool night breeze blew in through the open window. The overlapping sounds of voices and passing cars filled the air. Amid that lively loneliness, Chu Yueqi suddenly felt like smoking.
She rubbed her fingertips together. Only after Jiang Jiang's figure completely disappeared from sight did she start the car and drive toward her familiar bar.
—
By the time Ji Xu'an returned to Xinghe Bay, it was already 10:30 p.m.
When she first pushed open the door and saw a small lamp lit in the living room, she thought Jiang Jiang was waiting for her. But when she walked closer, she realized Jiang Jiang wasn't on the sofa.
She rubbed her aching temple and went to the kitchen for a glass of water. As she passed the refrigerator, she noticed a small sticky note on the door.
On the pink rabbit-shaped note was familiar, beautiful handwriting.
[ Sister, there are dishes I made in the fridge. If you're hungry when you get back, you can heat them up in the microwave. ]
Ji Xu'an's expression paused slightly as she stared at the lines for a long time.
There had been many things to handle today. She had only taken a few perfunctory bites for dinner and then worked overtime until ten.
She knew Jiang Jiang had messaged Secretary Zhao to ask whether she would return tonight. Secretary Zhao had given a definite yes.
At the time, Ji Xu'an had assumed Jiang Jiang was just confirming and hadn't taken it to heart. She hadn't expected Jiang Jiang to leave her dinner.
Ji Xu'an not only already knew from Ji Heyuan that Chu Yueqi was treating Jiang Jiang to dinner, she had also seen Jiang Jiang's Moments post tonight.
So this dinner wasn't incidental—it was specially made for her.
Ji Xu'an's expression grew complicated. Reason told her she should remind Jiang Jiang not to do such unnecessary little things. But in reality, after standing there for a long while, she still took out the two dishes Jiang Jiang had prepared and placed them into the microwave one by one.
The hum of the microwave echoed in the quiet kitchen. As it buzzed, Ji Xu'an's thoughts drifted.
The same act, done by different people, brought completely different feelings.
In the past, the housekeeper would instruct the servants to prepare late-night snacks for her. Ji Xu'an had always found it ordinary, without the slightest stir in her heart.
Because between her and the housekeeper and servants, it was fundamentally a transactional employment relationship. They worked for her because she paid them.
Even Secretary Zhao was the same. All their interactions stemmed from interests.
But Jiang Jiang was different. She wasn't a nanny hired with money, nor an employee. She was someone Ji Xu'an regarded as a younger sister.
In a certain sense, she was the same category as Grandma Ji and Ji Heyuan. Though her importance in Ji Xu'an's heart was far lower than the latter two, it was undeniable that Ji Xu'an had placed them in the same group.
Jiang Jiang could be considered family.
In fact, Jiang Jiang's evaluation of Ji Xu'an had been completely accurate. Though Ji Xu'an appeared cold and distant on the surface, she indeed cherished the ordinary feeling of home.
Her only two relatives—one was too old to bear any more burdens; the other too young, her heart filled only with eating, drinking, and having fun, not understanding her sister's real needs at all.
Even if Ji Xu'an wanted their care, because of her own reserved and taciturn personality, she simply couldn't say it.
Jiang Jiang hadn't done anything particularly special. She had merely sensed Ji Xu'an's inner needs and catered to them everywhere.
But such small tactics could probably only soften Ji Xu'an's heart a little. As for liking—there was still a long way to go.
Ji Xu'an poured half a cup of warm water and leaned against the counter. The aroma of the dishes gradually filled the kitchen. With a soft ding, she heard footsteps approaching from behind.
The footsteps drew closer. After turning the corner, Jiang Jiang appeared in her line of sight.
"Sister." Jiang Jiang yawned, her eyes filled with hazy sleepiness. "When did you get back?"
Ji Xu'an glanced at her watch. "Fifteen minutes ago."
Jiang Jiang rubbed her eyes. "Have you already heated the dishes?"
"I originally wanted to wait for you, but I was too sleepy."
As she spoke, she kept yawning. Physiological tears gathered on her lashes like tiny broken diamonds.
Under the soft lighting, her features appeared even softer and brighter. Her dark, shining eyes were like a clear pool, gently and selflessly enveloping the person opposite her.
Ji Xu'an watched her quietly for a while before softly saying, "No need to wait for me. If you're sleepy, go to bed."
Jiang Jiang shook her head. "I woke up when I heard the noise. Sister, I have something to tell you."
She helped bring the dishes to the table and attentively served her half a bowl of rice.
There were only two of them now, and one hadn't started eating yet, so Ji Xu'an didn't observe the rule of not speaking during meals. As she ate, she asked, "What do you want to tell me?"
Jiang Jiang rested her chin on her hand, staring at Ji Xu'an without blinking. It was clearly still that cold and noble face, but Jiang Jiang could sense the chill in her brows had melted.
Her lips curved. "Sister, today Sister Chu asked me to help choose a gift for her cousin. I also bought you a gift while I was at it. Can you guess what it is?"
Ji Xu'an knew what it was. She even knew Ji Heyuan had paid for it. Though Ji Heyuan hadn't said much, Ji Xu'an could sense the hidden surprise in her words.
Because she hadn't given Jiang Jiang any allowance.
Ji Xu'an had done it deliberately. She wanted to see when Jiang Jiang would bring it up.
Under Jiang Jiang's expectant gaze, Ji Xu'an said calmly, "I can't guess."
Like performing a magic trick, Jiang Jiang pulled out a shopping bag from under the table. "It's a pair of cufflinks!"
"Xiaoyuan said you'd be able to use them."
Knowing Ji Xu'an was eating and it wasn't convenient to open them, she took them out herself. "Little Yuan and I chose them together. Do you like them, Sister?"
The deep blue gemstones glimmered mysteriously under the light—low-key yet tasteful, fitting Ji Xu'an's aesthetics.
She didn't deliberately nitpick and merely nodded lightly. "Not bad."
Jiang Jiang let out a breath of relief. "As long as Sister Xu'an likes them."
"Is that what you wanted to tell me?" Ji Xu'an asked, picking up another piece of braised beef brisket.
Her movements were unhurried and elegant, almost making no sound as she chewed.
Jiang Jiang looked a bit embarrassed. "That's only one of them."
"Actually, today I deliberately led little Yuan to the mall."
Ji Xu'an had remained calm until then. Only after hearing that did she lift her eyelids and glance at Jiang Jiang. There was a trace of surprise in her eyes—not because of the content, but because Jiang Jiang had voluntarily confessed.
Sure enough, such small schemes couldn't be hidden from Ji Xu'an.
"Little Yuan doesn't like me getting too close to Sister Chu. I can also feel that Sister Chu seems to like me." Jiang Jiang's cheeks flushed slightly as she said this.
Ji Xu'an patiently waited for her to continue. Seeing Jiang Jiang's nervousness, she even reassured her, "I know. You don't need to be nervous."
Her expression remained calm and indifferent. "I can't control who likes you. Who you like is even more your freedom. According to our agreement, you can have someone you like."
She looked at Jiang Jiang steadily. "If you really like Chu Yueqi, I won't object."
Jiang Jiang nodded. "I know Sister wouldn't object. As for the future, I'm not sure. But at least for now, I don't want to spend my time on romance."
Ji Xu'an nodded in acknowledgment. "You're still young. You'll meet more people in the future. Maybe someone who seems good to you now will only be an ordinary passerby later."
Jiang Jiang kept nodding. "That's exactly what I think. I'm still young anyway. I have plenty of time to choose the most suitable one."
Ji Xu'an replied, "Mm. As long as you have your own plans."
Jiang Jiang continued, "I also don't want Sister Chu to waste her time on me. So… in order to make her give up, I told a small lie in front of her and little Yuan."
She pinched her fingertips together to show it was really just a very small lie. But the guilt on her face and her evasive eyes had already betrayed her.
Ji Xu'an put down her chopsticks and slowly wiped her lips. "Oh? What did you tell them?"
Jiang Jiang's face was completely red. She seemed unbearably embarrassed. Under Ji Xu'an's gaze that seemed to see through everything, she felt all her little thoughts laid bare.
"I… um… I told them that I really like you, Sister."
She said the last sentence very quickly, but Ji Xu'an still heard it clearly.
Not just "really like," was it?
Thinking of the messages Ji Heyuan had sent earlier, in Ji Heyuan's description Jiang Jiang had been a pitiful girl who loved deeply yet dared not speak, humble to the extreme.
"Mm. And then?" Ji Xu'an asked.
Seeing that she didn't seem angry, Jiang Jiang relaxed. "Little Yuan and Sister Chu both believed it. But…"
Her voice lowered. "The friend Xiaoyuan brought—Miss Zheng Zhouzhou—seems to have a different view of our 'relationship.'"
Ji Heyuan hadn't mentioned that.
Hearing Zheng Zhouzhou's name, Ji Xu'an instinctively frowned. "What did she say?"
"She seemed to think that you shouldn't like a girl like me. Between the lines, she kept probing about the progress of our relationship."
Ji Xu'an didn't speak, only revealing a contemplative expression.
Jiang Jiang tilted her head, looking puzzled. "I've never met Miss Zheng before. But for some reason, I always feel like she's very familiar with me."
Ji Xu'an gestured for her to continue.
"When little Yuan called me Jiang Jiang today, Miss Zheng looked very shocked."
After a moment's thought, Jiang Jiang summarized, "She seemed to think I shouldn't have the nickname Jiang Jiang."
"Grandma gave me that nickname. I rarely mention it to others. Not many people know. But I've also never told anyone that I don't have a nickname." Jiang Jiang looked at Ji Xu'an in confusion. "So I really can't understand why Miss Zheng would have such a question."
Ji Xu'an's expression turned slightly solemn. Jiang Jiang didn't know what she was thinking. A moment later, her face returned to its usual indifference.
"Does little Yuan know that you're reporting her friend to me?"
Jiang Jiang showed no guilt at all. Instead, she looked at Ji Xu'an oddly. "How could I let her know?"
"Little Yuan likes Miss Zheng so much. If she found out I was speaking ill of Miss Zheng in front of you, she'd definitely argue with me."
Ji Xu'an let out a faint, ambiguous laugh. "And you still dare to do it? Speaking badly of others behind their backs isn't a good habit."
Jiang Jiang bit her lip and asked hesitantly, "But I'm only telling you. Is that not okay either?"
Ji Xu'an was momentarily stunned.
The matter-of-fact expression on Jiang Jiang's face was so obvious it couldn't be ignored.
She understood the implication.
In Jiang Jiang's heart, she was an absolutely trustworthy family. That was why Jiang Jiang could speak ill of others before her without scruple—because she was certain Ji Xu'an wouldn't dislike her for it.
Such direct, undisguised trust made Ji Xu'an feel as though a feather had brushed lightly against her heart, leaving a faint itch.
Did Jiang Jiang trust her that much?
—
Author's Note:
After Jiang Jiang unremitting efforts, everyone now thinks she and Ji Xu'an are a loving wife–wife couple.
Ji Xu'an: Hm? How come I don't know about this?
The two funniest nicknames seen in the comments:
Ji Xu'an → Chicken Mushroom
Ji Heyuan → Little Bird
President Ji: My reputation has been harmed :)
—
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