Chapter 15: I Also Want Cake (15)
“No need.” He clutched his wrist, glanced at Yan Yanzhuo, Lin Shenyu and the others standing not far away, and pushed himself off the floor, chuckling. “How would I dare call the police?”
“Playing the innocent victim now?” Jiang Zhiyan looked at him. “You were very bold when you shamelessly demanded Liang Xi to kneel, but now you’re afraid to do something legal and proper?”
“A bully and a coward? Because our background isn’t as powerful as theirs, you dare to bully us so casually, is that right?” Jiang Zhiyan’s tone was flat. Seeing him speechless, she let out a cryptic chuckle.
Jiang Zhiyan then looked at the others, her gaze sweeping over the boys one by one: “What about you guys?”
“Hahaha…” One of them stepped forward and let out a forced laugh. “We’re all classmates, there’s no need to make things so serious. Let’s hurry and treat the wounds. Let’s just forget about this. It was our fault, we shouldn’t have made random assumptions.”
“Everyone was too impulsive. I’ll take him to the infirmary, he’s bleeding too much, in case something happens.” As he spoke, he dragged the boy out of the classroom.
No one stopped him. Jiang Zhiyan stared at their retreating figures, then looked away.
“Lin Shenyu.” Jiang Zhiyan turned to Lin Shenyu. “Please handle the aftermath here, I’ll accompany them to the infirmary.”
“Okay.” Lin Shenyu came back to his senses and nodded.
Jiang Zhiyan had originally wanted to handle it herself, but then she suddenly realized she could buy prop cards. It didn’t matter who stayed behind. She spent two thousand points to ensure the video wouldn’t be leaked.
Actually, she didn’t really care if her own video was leaked. She never had a reputation to begin with. The important thing was that Liang Xi’s video couldn’t be leaked.
She could control the video, but she couldn’t control the online discussions.
“Host, actually, the male lead and the second male lead will handle it cleanly, no need to spend the money.” The system said.
“It’s hard to trust them, leaving even one of them behind is troublesome.”
Some things she had to do herself to be at ease, especially since this wasn’t part of the original plot.
Jiang Zhiyan and another girl helped Liang Xi and Yang Xiao leave.
Along the way, no one spoke. Yang Xiao glanced at Jiang Zhiyan several times.
When Jiang Zhiyan looked back, she immediately looked away.
“Thank you for speaking up for me today.” Jiang Zhiyan said.
“No need to thank us.” Yang Xiao cleared her throat. “As soon as Liang Xi heard it, she slammed the table and stood up, I could only follow suit. A kind heart, can’t help it.”
“I’ll treat you to dinner this weekend, don’t worry about anything else, I’ll handle it.”
“Don’t worry, when I took action, I was already prepared to accept the consequences.” Liang Xi finished and looked at Yang Xiao. “I’ve dragged you into this.”
“Hey, hey, hey, you make it sound like you guys are together, and I’m an outsider!” Yang Xiao put her hands on her hips and snorted. “Of course, I still don’t like Jiang Zhiyan… but we’re all girls, and those guys were going too far.”
When they arrived at the infirmary, the boys there, seeing them enter, all took a step to the side. They had been talking, but now they shut their mouths. Some hadn’t intended to give up their seats, but after Jiang Zhiyan approached, they immediately vacated a few chairs.
Jiang Zhiyan found this scene incredibly ridiculous. She let Liang Xi and Yang Xiao sit down and stood to the side, arms crossed.
Although it was called an infirmary, it was actually like a small hospital, equipped with common examination equipment, much of which was jointly funded by parents, after all, the annual tuition fee for this school was six figures.
Liang Xi and Yang Xiao only had superficial injuries, nothing serious. Jiang Zhiyan was relieved.
The boy’s examination didn’t reveal anything major either. He had avoided any vital areas, just some temporary limitations in arm movement.
“Doctor, are you sure? My arm feels like it’s broken!” The boy’s voice was loud, and it was unclear who he was intentionally speaking to.
“I’m sure.” Jiang Zhiyan said casually. “I know my limits. It’s the first time, so, it’s just a small lesson.”
The boy suddenly fell silent, a chill running down everyone’s spines.
Yang Xiao shrunk her neck, nudged Liang Xi’s arm, and made a few faces.
“That’s good, so no one will dare to talk nonsense again.” Liang Xi said.
Yang Xiao felt like Liang Xi was looking at Jiang Zhiyan through rose-tinted glasses. She also thought what Jiang Zhiyan did was great and satisfying, but thinking about it calmly, the speed and decisiveness with which she wielded the knife, and her calmness afterward, made her feel a bit scared.
She thought this was a normal reaction. Clearly, everyone around them had been frightened at the time, except for Liang Xi.
“Do you think Jiang Zhiyan is super pitiful and tragic?” Yang Xiao asked.
Liang Xi nodded: “She’s really nice, you’ll know after spending more time with her.”
Yang Xiao: …
“But you two haven’t known each other for very long.” Yang Xiao couldn’t help but mutter.
The incident was completely contained within the school and didn’t reach outside. The teachers notified the parents, but the matter was settled through negotiation. After all, making a fuss wouldn’t benefit anyone. The boy’s parents didn’t want to offend so many people for his sake.
“Host, just letting it go like this?” The system felt that Jiang Zhiyan hadn’t finished what she wanted to do.
“What’s the male lead’s favorability towards the female lead now?” Jiang Zhiyan asked.
“Sixty percent.”
“No wonder he helped.” Jiang Zhiyan frowned, murmuring, “I remember in the original plot, his favorability shouldn’t have risen so quickly… That’s right, the plot of Liang Xi ignoring him shifted from university to high school.”
Jiang Zhiyan twitched her lips. There were so many ridiculous things happening today.
“What did you just ask me?” Jiang Zhiyan came back to her senses.
“I said, are you just letting those boys off like that?” The system patiently repeated itself. “It doesn’t seem like your style.”
“I’m not letting them off, didn’t I write to the Main God requesting their erasure?” Jiang Zhiyan said coldly. “These kinds of people can’t be taught or changed, so it’s better to just say goodbye.”
System: What a simple and crude method.
“After all, doing it myself carries the risk of going to jail here.” In another world, she would have directly aimed for his carotid artery.
“You scared me, I thought you were going to report me.”
“Why would I report you? What did you do behind my back?” Jiang Zhiyan frowned.
The system immediately changed the subject: “Host, your persona has collapsed by 60%.”
“Oh, I’m just a green tea bitch with a bit of strength and a tendency to go crazy. I can still salvage my persona later.” Jiang Zhiyan said casually. “Not a big problem.”
The system was silent for three seconds: “As long as you’re happy.”
Jiang’s father remained unconscious. The news of his coma still got out, and while the company appeared to be operating normally on the surface, the upper management was in chaos.
Jiang’s mother had been a full-time housewife for too long, and had focused her energy on “catching mistresses” for so long that she was particularly overwhelmed when dealing with company affairs. However, at least she listened to advice, and together with Assistant Wang, temporarily gained the upper hand.
“It doesn’t matter how well she does, as long as she listens to advice.” Jiang Zhiyan wasn’t demanding.
It wasn’t scary to be incompetent, what was scary was being incompetent and thinking you were very capable.
Because of the busy situation at the company, Jiang Zhiyan rarely saw her mother after school, which was convenient for her to do her own things. The gold bars she bought with the money from her bank card arrived.
“Host, what are you buying this for?”
“A return gift for Liang Xi.”
“Gold?”
“She’ll like it.”
Chapter 16: I Also Want Cake (16)
The other tools Jiang Zhiyan bought gradually arrived home within three days. She also received some jade and gemstones. Because Jiang’s mother wasn’t home, it was very convenient for her to do anything.
Her cello lessons progressed quickly. The teacher often didn’t know what to teach Jiang Zhiyan anymore. Recently, even her playing had started to become emotive, as if she had suddenly unlocked a hidden potential. Because Jiang Zhiyan’s performance was so outstanding, the teacher agreed when she asked for a few days off.
Jiang Zhiyan planned to use these evenings for crafting. If time wasn’t enough, she could only resort to skill cards.
“Host, what are you making?”
“A rabbit and a pendant.” Jiang Zhiyan said. “I’ll use the remaining gold for other things later.”
“Do you think she’ll accept it?”
“Yes, don’t talk, you’re disturbing my work.”
“Oh.” The system snorted softly.
It had always known that Jiang Zhiyan could make these things, but it rarely saw her make them for anyone.
“Don’t tell me you’re going to open your heart to the female lead? You know the first taboo for a tasker is to develop feelings for an NPC in the task world. Although some have achieved good endings before, they made significant contributions to the system. What about you?”
“I know my limits.”
“What limits do you have?” The system thought, if it had a physical body, it would definitely stand in front of Jiang Zhiyan and roll its eyes three hundred times.
Jiang Zhiyan didn’t bother with it, focusing on the things in her hands.
“Wait a minute, Host… we seem to have forgotten something.”
“What?”
“Didn’t you miss a task, the task of tripping up the female lead! You did that on purpose!”
“How could I forget? There have been so many things happening lately. I’m human, I’m bound to forget. Shouldn’t you, as an AI, remind me?”
System: …
The system looked at its to-do list reminders.
Perhaps, maybe, possibly, it did remind her.
But something might have been happening at the time, so it just closed the reminder.
Wait, Jiang Zhiyan didn’t even participate in that activity, she didn’t see the female lead’s speech, so it also forgot about it.
“What were you doing that day?” The system asked.
“Period cramps.” Jiang Zhiyan said. “You’re an AI, why is your memory worse than mine?”
The system coughed loudly.
“You need to clear the junk in your memory.” Jiang Zhiyan said casually. “You should bear at least half the responsibility for this.”
The system thought Jiang Zhiyan was doing this on purpose, but it had no proof.
“We share weal and woe, as you said.” The system sighed. “Forget it, I’m going to heal my wounds.”
Jiang Zhiyan didn’t bother with it, continuing to work on the things in her hands.
…
“You seem to be in a good mood lately.” Liang Xi looked at Jiang Zhiyan, who was smiling.
“Yes, my mom hasn’t been home recently.” Jiang Zhiyan chuckled. “And, with such delicious desserts every day, of course I’m in a good mood.”
Jiang Zhiyan lowered her voice: “I’ve started doing handicrafts too. I’ll give you the first thing I make, I hope you won’t dislike it.”
“What is it?” Liang Xi asked curiously.
“I won’t tell you.” Jiang Zhiyan took a bite of the cupcake. “Anyway… you can’t say you don’t like it when the time comes.”
“What is it!” Liang Xi widened her eyes. “You’re too much, you’re doing this on purpose!”
“Yes.” Jiang Zhiyan wiped her hands. “I’m afraid I’ll give up later because it’s too difficult. I’ll tell you first so I can persevere.”
Liang Xi opened her mouth. Jiang Zhiyan’s reasoning made sense, but she felt incredibly frustrated.
“Can’t you at least tell me what it is?”
“I need to finish it first before I can tell you.”
Liang Xi froze for two seconds, then couldn’t help but laugh.
Yang Xiao, sitting on the side, took a bite of the cake and rolled her eyes. Then she shifted a bit to the side, finally unable to bear it any longer and took out her phone.
[Yang Xiao: I really, can’t stand it! These two, my god, they’re so sickeningly sweet, I don’t understand, I just don’t understand?!]
[Yang Xiao: It’s unbelievable, I can’t even get a word in edgewise. If someone didn’t know better, they’d think I was a third wheel!]
[Yang Xiao: Ahhhhh!]
[Yang Xiao: Doesn’t anyone know Lin Shenyu? Can he control his girlfriend?]
[Wang Yiyi invited Lin Shenyu to the group chat]
[Yang Xiao: …]
[Lin Shenyu: ?]
[Yang Xiao: I’m in the small woods at school, come take your girlfriend away 🙂 ]
[Lin Shenyu: She doesn’t listen to me.]
Lin Shenyu hadn’t looked for Jiang Zhiyan in the past two days. The impact of that day was too great. Not only him, but even Jiang Zhiyan’s ex-boyfriends felt extremely uncomfortable.
Yang Xiao gave the two of them a sidelong glance, then looked at the chat.
Suddenly, she felt that with so many people suffering with her, it wasn’t so bad.
“You two.” Yang Xiao put down the empty box in her hand. “Do I not exist?”
Liang Xi blinked: “I know, I know. It’s just that I can only talk to her in the morning, I can talk to you all day.”
Yang Xiao took a deep breath: “Fine.”
She turned her head and saw Jiang Zhiyan looking at her with a strange expression. She felt a chill in her heart, but upon closer inspection, there seemed to be nothing wrong with that look.
“I’m so envious of your friendship.” Jiang Zhiyan smiled at the two, her eyes full of envy and a hint of loneliness.
Yang Xiao narrowed her eyes: “Oh, I envy you. You’re beautiful, rich, and have a boyfriend who treats you well.”
Jiang Zhiyan looked at her, smiled faintly, then lowered her head, not arguing, but that smile made anyone who saw it feel sympathy.
Yang Xiao: ???
Don’t go too far!
She clutched her chest and took a deep breath.
Forget it, forget it. She knew Jiang Zhiyan was a green tea bitch, why get angry! What’s there to be angry about! She wasn’t angry at all!
She glanced at Liang Xi, who was patting Jiang Zhiyan’s shoulder sympathetically, then put an arm around her.
Yang Xiao’s expression remained flat. As expected, Jiang Zhiyan even glanced at her, and that glance, how to put it, was meaningful.
Liang Xi, previously a lovesick puppy, now couldn’t distinguish a green tea bitch.
As her best friend, Yang Xiao felt mentally exhausted.
She rubbed her temples.
She hoped Jiang Zhiyan wouldn’t hurt Liang Xi, otherwise she would really… She stared at Jiang Zhiyan, not looking away this time. Although she couldn’t beat Jiang Zhiyan, she would scratch half the hair off her head.
Over the next few days, Liang Xi tried to pry information out of Jiang Zhiyan, but her prying skills were rather poor, looking no different from asking directly.
Jiang Zhiyan did reveal some information, but revealing a little was even more frustrating than revealing nothing at all. Liang Xi felt like she was constantly on tenterhooks.
Yang Xiao watched as Liang Xi’s attention was completely captivated by Jiang Zhiyan: “You haven’t mentioned Yan Yanzhuo in a long time.”
“Ah… him.” Liang Xi frowned. “I don’t know why, even though he helped that day, I don’t have the same feeling as when he helped me the first time. Am I being ungrateful?”
“That’s normal. After Jiang Zhiyan’s actions, who would remember anyone else?”
“I remember you.” Liang Xi patted Yang Xiao’s shoulder.
“Tsk tsk, thank you.” Yang Xiao tentatively asked, “So you don’t like Yan Yanzhuo anymore? I haven’t seen you give him desserts in a long time.”
“I don’t know.” Liang Xi rested her chin on her hand. “I used to think of him from time to time, but not anymore. It’s strange, sometimes I don’t think of him for the entire day. As for the desserts, every time I made them and gave them to him, he wouldn’t eat them, so I stopped making them. It’s a waste.”
“That’s true. Now you think of Jiang Zhiyan from time to time, eh.” Yang Xiao winked.
Liang Xi pushed Yang Xiao’s shoulder: “You really are… don’t you also mention her all the time?”
“Is that because I want to? It’s because of you!” Yang Xiao snorted. “She stole your heart with just a casual mention of a gift, she hasn’t even given it to you yet! I want to see what she’s planning to give you.”
Jiang Zhiyan originally thought she could finish the outrageous first piece in a week, but the project kept getting delayed. The one item turned into a set because she kept coming up with new ideas every day. For example, she originally just wanted to make a rabbit, but ended up making seven rabbits in different poses, as well as a small cake where the rabbits could be placed. She had drawn a stack of design drafts.
But she finally finished it the day before Christmas Eve. Because she was so excited, she arrived at school very early, much earlier than the usual agreed time with Liang Xi.
“Host, your behavior really isn’t like that of a centuries-old person.” The system said sarcastically.
“Shut up.” Jiang Zhiyan was in a good mood and too lazy to argue with it.
She thought she was early enough, but when she arrived at the activity room, Liang Xi was already there, lying on the table, seemingly asleep, or perhaps crying.
She walked over and gently touched Liang Xi’s shoulder: “What’s wrong?”
As the female lead, Liang Xi definitely had her own storyline, and her storyline wouldn’t be any smoother than hers, but those events shouldn’t be happening yet. They should appear before the college entrance exam, and she had originally planned to find an opportunity to quietly deal with them later.
Jiang Zhiyan frowned. Did the acceleration of the male lead’s feelings also accelerate the plot?
Liang Xi’s body stiffened. Her head rested on her sleeve, moving from side to side, as if wiping away tears.
“I, I fell asleep.” Liang Xi took a deep breath and raised her head. “You’re here so early today?”
Jiang Zhiyan stared at Liang Xi’s red eyes, reached out, and touched them: “What happened?”
“Really, nothing happened, you don’t have to worry, I just fell asleep and yawned so hard I teared up.” Liang Xi lowered her head slightly, her eyes falling on the box in Jiang Zhiyan’s hand. She immediately changed the subject, her voice deliberately cheerful. “Is this the gift you’ve been making for a month? I want to see it!”
Jiang Zhiyan placed the box on the table and pushed it towards her, looking at Liang Xi’s profile.
Leave a Reply