Chapter 52: Money Talks
Jiang Lingling, engrossed in cracking sunflower seeds, only heard the sound, not seeing its source. Mi Hongdou and Ji Junxin, however, who were glued to the monitor, didn’t miss a thing.
As soon as Jiang Dingyi finished saying, “We want individual pots, not the large one. Bring us two small pots,” Lu Gaoshi, who had been toying with her spoon, slammed it into the bowl, abruptly stood up, her chair scraping against the floor with a harsh screech. Her face was full of barely suppressed anger.
Almost simultaneously, Jiang Dingyi also jumped to his feet. A slow-motion replay would reveal that he was startled, practically leaping up, his chair toppling over with a thud.
Lu Gaoshi’s expression darkened even further.
When Jiang Lingling looked up, she saw the two standing in a standoff, the waiter discreetly retreating a few steps.
Jiang Dingyi was indeed startled. He hadn’t expected Lu Gaoshi’s sudden outburst. For the past six months, he had been distant and indifferent towards her, and she had always been accommodating, never showing such anger. And today, with Jiang Duo absent, she exploded… Jiang Dingyi tried to maintain a calm expression, suppressing his surprise, but he felt uneasy. Jiang Duo was five hours away, did he have to appease Lu Gaoshi himself? He felt a sense of dread. If he had known Jiang Duo wouldn’t be back today, he wouldn’t have agreed to this meeting.
“Just bring the large pot.” Jiang Dingyi decided to avoid confrontation. He picked up the fallen chair, sat down, and tried to diffuse the awkward situation.
Unfortunately, Lu Gaoshi’s anger wasn’t appeased so easily.
Jiang Dingyi could feel her furious gaze without even looking up. How troublesome… He mentally complained, took out his phone, and found the message Jiang Duo had sent him that afternoon. Then he called out to the retreating waiter.
“Add two more dishes, vermicelli noodles and pig’s brain.” Jiang Dingyi forced himself to say the words “pig’s brain,” then forced himself to look at Lu Gaoshi, his voice softening. “You like them.”
“Hmph.” Lu Gaoshi’s anger subsided slightly, her expression softening. “No need to add anything, I’ve already ordered. But… it’s good that you still remember what I like.” She slowly sat down.
With the height difference gone, the confrontational atmosphere eased. Jiang Dingyi breathed a sigh of relief. If Jiang Duo hadn’t specifically reminded him in a text message, he wouldn’t have remembered what she liked!
Jiang Dingyi hadn’t met Lu Gaoshi often in the past six months, always maintaining a distant demeanor. According to Jiang Duo, as long as he remained aloof towards Lu Gaoshi, occasionally showing a sliver of warmth, she would be overjoyed. What you couldn’t have was always the most desirable. With a few tricks, he could keep Lu Gaoshi hooked. It had proven quite effective. But in their previous meetings, Jiang Duo was always present to smooth things over, and Jiang Dingyi only needed to be cold and distant. But without Jiang Duo now, he had quickly angered Lu Gaoshi, and his usual tactic of constant rejection wasn’t working.
So, when Lu Gaoshi’s expression softened, Jiang Dingyi no longer maintained his aloofness. They chatted about the dishes they had ordered, easing the awkwardness.
The dishes arrived, and Jiang Dingyi poured Lu Gaoshi a drink. She blushed, her anger completely gone, replaced by affection. Jiang Dingyi finally relaxed. Although Lu Gaoshi’s lovestruck demeanor at her age was always a bit creepy, it was better than her suddenly turning into a tigress. Thinking this, he decided to give her some food later, even if it didn’t fit his aloof image, just to ensure that this meal ended peacefully. As for the slight damage to his image, it didn’t matter, Jiang Duo would be there next time.
Ji Junxin’s frown remained as she watched the two on the screen start eating harmoniously. But… why could she smell the food through the screen? Ji Junxin sniffed carefully. It smelled really good. Was she hallucinating from hunger?
The two on the screen were eating heartily. Even Ji Junxin, despite her lack of appetite, felt a pang of hunger. Looking at the untouched nuts on the table, she reached out.
“Why are you eating snacks instead of a proper meal?”
The sudden voice startled Ji Junxin, and the walnut she had just picked up slipped from her hand, rolling towards the edge of the table, where it was stopped by a hand.
Ji Junxin looked up and saw Qiao Rubai, surprised: “When did you get here?”
“Um… probably when he ordered pig’s brain.” Qiao Rubai pointed at the coffee table by the wall. “You were so engrossed, you didn’t even notice me. I didn’t order hot pot, I got us two meals, they just arrived, still warm, want some?”
There were two trays on the coffee table, with several covered bowls. Ji Junxin sat still and sniffed the air. “Is that curry?”
“When I came in, you were frowning so hard, I thought you had seen something upsetting. But it seems like you’re fine.” Qiao Rubai chuckled, walked to the coffee table, brought the trays over, and opened the lids of the bowls. “Braised beef with potatoes in curry sauce, braised pork with taro, steamed egg, fish ball soup, honey-glazed chicken wings, and rice. I had the Nan Tian staff get it from the Chinese restaurant next door. They said there’s usually a long queue during dinner time, and it’s only because they have connections that they could get it so quickly. I don’t know if it’s good, do you want to eat now?”
The moment the lids were opened, the rich aroma of curry filled the air. Was there anything more delicious than curry and rice? … Ji Junxin glanced at the fragrant rice sprinkled with sesame seeds, then at the braised pork with taro. The braised pork, with its glistening layers of fat and lean meat, looked tender and melt-in-your-mouth. And the small taro, slightly larger than her thumb, each one perfectly formed, coated in thick sauce, if mixed with rice, it would be so delicious she could swallow her own tongue! It was hard to choose which was the better pairing for rice! Ji Junxin gulped silently.
Ji Junxin’s conflicted expression was obvious. Qiao Rubai glanced at the screen, where the two were eating without any significant development, smiled, and set the table.
Seeing Ji Junxin shift from a melancholic state to a foodie one, Qiao Rubai was greatly relieved. Her intention was for Ji Junxin to see Lu Gaoshi’s true colors, not to make her unhappy. But she hadn’t expected this private investigator to be so efficient. She had been told that at most, they could only manage audio surveillance in Nan Tian, but they had installed cameras, and not just one. Dong Yuannan’s recommendation was excellent. She had to thank him properly next time.
She carefully divided the rice into two bowls, one for the curry and one for the braised pork. Ji Junxin’s eyes narrowed in delight as she ate: “Although it’s just simple home-style cooking, it’s really delicious, no wonder there’s such a long queue. I have to go there next time.”
Do you want to be swarmed for autographs? Qiao Rubai wiped her mouth, pretending not to notice the wall of rice separating the curry and the braised pork in Ji Junxin’s bowl. She was really particular about her food.
While enjoying the meal, Ji Junxin didn’t forget the serious matter at hand: “Lu Gaoshi lost her temper earlier. Jiang Dingyi seemed quite cold towards her.”
“What, are you going to defend her?” Qiao Rubai, ever vigilant, wanted to prevent any sympathy Ji Junxin might have for Lu Gaoshi. “It takes two to tango. We can all see how much Lu Gaoshi likes him, can’t he see it? He’s willing to entertain her, he must have ulterior motives. Lu Gaoshi isn’t a teenage girl anymore, I think she knows what she’s doing.”
“But they don’t seem like they’re going to have a deep conversation.” Ji Junxin actually wanted to ask what Qiao Rubai was trying to show her. These were Lu Gaoshi’s private matters. Even if there was something inappropriate or unreasonable, it wasn’t their place to interfere.
“These chicken wings are good. Look, they have those glistening sugar strands, and the skin is crispy, sweet but not greasy, with a hint of spice, very flavorful.” Qiao Rubai gave Ji Junxin a chicken wing. “Don’t worry, they just started eating. You eat, wait, and watch.”
Qiao Rubai wasn’t sure if they would see anything conclusive tonight that would completely disillusion Ji Junxin about Lu Gaoshi. Her goal was simply to show Ji Junxin Lu Gaoshi’s other side, to shatter the illusion of her warmth and kindness. It was her own mistake. When she chose Lu Gaoshi as Ji Junxin’s manager, she had valued her age and experience, thinking she could take better care of Ji Junxin, even overlooking her mediocre work skills. But she hadn’t expected that over the years, Ji Junxin would come to see Lu Gaoshi as a mother figure, tolerating her increasingly inappropriate behavior. Thinking of Ji Junxin’s parents, who were so devoted to their teaching careers that they often forgot they had a daughter, Qiao Rubai understood what qualities in Lu Gaoshi appealed to Ji Junxin.
Actually, if Lu Gaoshi had been truly sincere towards Ji Junxin, Qiao Rubai wouldn’t have minded her arrogance and condescending attitude towards others. But Lu Gaoshi’s loyalty was given to someone else.
In her previous life, Lu Gaoshi was the one who connected Ji Junxin and Jiang Duo. Their later relationship probably had Lu Gaoshi’s hand in it. Ji Junxin, usually focused only on acting, started paying attention to resources outside of filming, and both she and Qiao Rubai, who disliked Jiang Duo but had to give Ji Junxin face, paved the way for her. Perhaps due to Jiang Duo’s limited abilities, despite all the resources, she became famous but never truly reached the top. It was the same with Zhang Zijing. As Ji Junxin’s publicly acknowledged boyfriend, his rise was swift, but he lacked staying power and later could only rely on his relationship with Ji Junxin to maintain his popularity. Perhaps they realized that they couldn’t go any further by leveraging Ji Junxin’s resources, so they gave up and pursued their true love. At the same time, Lu Gaoshi resigned as Ji Junxin’s manager and went to manage Jiang Duo.
So, it had to be said that in her previous life, Ji Junxin being manipulated by Jiang Duo, Lu Gaoshi had played a key role. And then, leaving with Jiang Duo, her clear preference for Jiang Duo over Ji Junxin, was like rubbing salt in the wound. With a second chance at life, Qiao Rubai couldn’t possibly allow such a person to stay by Ji Junxin’s side.
If it weren’t for the fact that Ji Junxin now considered Lu Gaoshi almost family, Qiao Rubai wouldn’t have taken such a gradual approach. From occasionally reminding Ji Junxin to pay attention to how Lu Gaoshi deliberately helped Jiang Duo, to investigating the relationship between Lu Gaoshi and Jiang Duo’s family and bringing Ji Junxin here to watch the show unfold, Qiao Rubai was trying, step by step, to reveal Lu Gaoshi’s other side, to make Ji Junxin think and be more wary. When Ji Junxin had enough information and enough disappointment, when she no longer considered Lu Gaoshi family, that would be the time for Qiao Rubai to get rid of her.
This wasn’t something that could be achieved overnight, and Qiao Rubai didn’t expect to completely succeed tonight. In any case, Ji Junxin hadn’t objected to this observation, which meant that she already had doubts about Lu Gaoshi.
This was a good sign. She hoped they would continue to talk and reveal more. Qiao Rubai glanced at the screen, where Lu Gaoshi was adding meatballs to the pot, narrowed her eyes, and picked up a fish ball. Hmm… fresh and not fishy, springy and not greasy, it was really good.
And Lu Gaoshi and Jiang Dingyi didn’t disappoint.
For Lu Gaoshi, the last time she had dinner alone with Jiang Dingyi was decades ago. Back then, they were both students, and Jiang Dingyi was her senior. He was smart, good-looking, and many girls in school had a crush on him, including Lu Gaoshi. She was young then, and although she admired him very much, she was too shy to confess. She had joined the same club just to be closer to him, but she only dared to interact with him as an ordinary junior. He was her teenage crush, a ray of sunshine in her heart. After graduation, they went their separate ways and lost contact. Lu Gaoshi got married, then divorced. Years passed, and it wasn’t until six months ago, when Jiang Dingyi found her through the alumni group, that she realized that the feelings she had secretly harbored, although bittersweet, hadn’t faded. But now, they met again, Jiang Dingyi was married with a daughter, and she was no longer the naive and innocent girl she once was.
Perhaps even Lu Gaoshi herself hadn’t expected that, nearing middle age, facing the same person again, her feelings would be even more intense than when she was young. Jiang Dingyi had come to connect her with Jiang Duo, but she wanted to use this opportunity to keep him forever. Perhaps, it was just wishful thinking…
Lu Gaoshi stared at the lamb slices in the pot, Jiang Dingyi’s favorite. After the lamb changed color, a few more seconds in the boiling broth, and it was perfectly cooked. She fished out the lamb and put it in Jiang Dingyi’s bowl, then glanced at him, who was busy with his phone, a wry smile appearing on her face. As a shy young girl, she had thought that her crush was a secret she kept hidden. Now, older and more experienced, she understood that those pure and intense feelings couldn’t be hidden. What secret crush? It was just self-deception. He must have known all along and just pretended not to. Just like now, he clearly knew, but he acted as if he didn’t…
Lu Gaoshi took out a thick manila envelope from her bag and handed it to Jiang Dingyi. “Here’s some money, use it for now.” For middle-aged people, money talked.
The envelope was bulging, seemingly containing over a hundred thousand yuan.
Jiang Dingyi’s usually calm face flushed slightly. “You already lent me a large sum last month, I can’t ask you for more.” Although he said that, he didn’t push the envelope away.
“Take it, having more cash flow will help your business. If it’s not enough, I have more.” Lu Gaoshi pushed the envelope closer to Jiang Dingyi.
Jiang Dingyi took the money, found a pen and paper, and said, “Including the money you transferred last month, I’ll write you an IOU. Don’t tell Jiang Duo about this.”
“Okay…” His wife had gambled away all the money Jiang Duo earned from acting, and then their retirement savings, and almost mortgaged their house last month. He really couldn’t let Jiang Duo know about this. Lu Gaoshi touched her slightly deflated bag. This trick of casually mentioning business difficulties during a phone call was really hard to fall for. But, being his creditor, when he couldn’t repay his debts, perhaps he would be hers.
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