Chapter 17: I Also Want Cake (17)
Liang Xi glanced at Jiang Zhiyan, then carefully unwrapped the gift.
She usually wouldn’t be so hasty, but this was a gift she had been anticipating for a month. Now that it was time to reveal the answer, she couldn’t help herself. After opening it, she froze for two seconds, repeatedly confirming what she saw.
“You said you were a beginner?” Liang Xi’s eyes widened. “This is too amazing.”
She carefully picked up the items, feeling their weight.
This weight…
“This…” Liang Xi stammered. “This can’t be real, can it?”
“It is, because it can be melted down and remade.” Jiang Zhiyan said a bit shyly. “And I think the meaning is good, our friendship is as strong as gold.”
Liang Xi froze for a second and coughed dryly: “But it’s too expensive.”
“It’s not expensive.” Jiang Zhiyan looked at Liang Xi. “You’ve been bringing me cakes for so long. If we have to calculate it, based on the current price of custom-made desserts, the gold should be even bigger.”
“That’s ridiculous! This could be sold as an art piece… the price would definitely be higher.”
“How can this be considered art? It’s just a beginner’s work, at most it’s just made with care. As long as you like it. In my heart, your help is worth it.” Jiang Zhiyan said seriously. “And you have to accept it, so I can feel less guilty about eating your food every day. Otherwise, I’ll feel like I’m being too thick-skinned.”
She clutched her chest and blinked at Liang Xi repeatedly.
“Liang Xi.” Jiang Zhiyan tugged on Liang Xi’s sleeve. “I just wanted to give you a sturdy ornament so you’ll always carry it with you and remember me when you see it.”
Liang Xi looked at Jiang Zhiyan, her cheeks flushing.
Yang Xiao stood at the doorway with a blank expression. She had been standing there for three minutes. As expected, she came at the wrong time. Hearing Jiang Zhiyan acting cute made her skin crawl, but Liang Xi seemed to be enjoying it.
She rolled her eyes twice. What made it even more ridiculous was that she had been standing there for so long, and no one had noticed her presence.
Ever since Jiang Zhiyan started clinging to Liang Xi, Yang Xiao felt that her eyeballs had become much more agile.
In the end, Liang Xi accepted the gift. She really liked it. She put it away carefully, then noticed the person standing at the door from the corner of her eye and froze for three seconds: “Huh? Xiao Xiao, why aren’t you coming in?”
“I didn’t want to interrupt.” Yang Xiao said with a smile.
Jiang Zhiyan looked at Yang Xiao and sighed softly: “Have you been outside all this time? I’m so sorry.”
Hearing Jiang Zhiyan’s apologetic tone, Yang Xiao suppressed the urge to roll her eyes.
“What did you give her?” Yang Xiao walked over and asked curiously. She had heard the cheesy things Jiang Zhiyan said but hadn’t seen the actual gift.
“An ornament.” Liang Xi said.
Yang Xiao leaned in for a look: “Gold and gemstones?”
When she heard “sturdy,” she thought of silver, but she never expected it to be gold.
“Did you make this yourself?” Yang Xiao didn’t touch it. The exquisite craftsmanship didn’t look handmade at all.
“Yes.” Jiang Zhiyan replied. She had worked overtime and even used some points to extend her time at night.
Yang Xiao fell silent and glanced at Jiang Zhiyan. If this person’s ultimate goal was to cause trouble for Liang Xi, she was really patient.
“I’m afraid someone will steal it if I leave this in the classroom.” Liang Xi repackaged the gift and took out the breakfast she had prepared. “I’ll lock it in my locker after breakfast.”
“Hmm… If you’re really worried, I’ll walk you home after school today.” Jiang Zhiyan said.
Yang Xiao: Tsk.
Looking at Jiang Zhiyan’s expression, she suspected this person had already planned this. This person was truly scheming.
“Yang Xiao, do you want to walk with us?” Jiang Zhiyan casually took the rice ball Liang Xi offered and continued to ask.
Yang Xiao took a deep breath. Although she shouldn’t be overthinking this, she couldn’t help it.
“Us?” What did “us” mean? With just one sentence, she had categorized her as an outsider.
If it were someone else, it might have been a casual remark, but if it was Jiang Zhiyan… it was definitely intentional. During the time she had gotten to know her, she found that this person really liked to do this, intentionally or unintentionally including Liang Xi in her circle.
And Liang Xi hadn’t even agreed yet.
“Shouldn’t you ask Liang Xi’s opinion first?” Yang Xiao said angrily.
“Ah… sorry.” Jiang Zhiyan bit her lip. “I was just worried.”
Yang Xiao: I shouldn’t have said anything. A ruthless person who wields knives, saying things like this?
“Alright, let’s eat, Yan Yan, stop teasing her.” Liang Xi patted Jiang Zhiyan’s arm.
Yang Xiao snorted, smiled smugly, and gave Jiang Zhiyan a provocative look, only to find that Jiang Zhiyan wasn’t angry at all, but rather happy.
She suppressed her smile and took a bite of her pancake.
Jiang Zhiyan smiled. There must be a catch.
For the next ten minutes, Yang Xiao didn’t speak, pondering this matter.
Jiang Zhiyan quietly ate her breakfast. Her phone was on the table, messages rapidly appearing on the screen, all from the same person.
[Mom: There’s a project, contact Lin Shenyu about it.]
[Mom: You two are still together, right? Coax him, okay? Things are difficult for the family now.]
[Mom: Why aren’t you replying? The housekeeper said you’re up.]
[Mom: Don’t pretend you don’t see my messages!]
Jiang Zhiyan ignored the messages. The other party started calling frantically, but she had turned on Do Not Disturb.
[Mom: You don’t understand how you’re living this life. Shouldn’t you contribute to this family?]
[Mom: I’ve frozen your card, come find me when you’ve thought things through.]
…
Jiang Zhiyan turned her phone face down on the table and twitched her lips sarcastically.
“Host, aren’t you going to do anything?”
“No, I’ve already transferred most of the money to my other card. It’s better to deal with Liang Xi’s matter first.”
“Host, I don’t think your relationship with her is close enough for you to meddle in that kind of thing.” The system reminded her.
Jiang Zhiyan finished the last bite of the rice ball and carefully wiped her hands with a tissue: “Thank you for telling me what happened, I would have had to guess otherwise. As for the rest… I just need to make sure she doesn’t know I did it.”
“Then what’s the point of you doing this?” The system didn’t understand.
“It makes her happy.”
Yang Xiao on the other side also finished eating and finally figured it out. Liang Xi had long known that Jiang Zhiyan was putting on an act, but she never said anything. Jiang Zhiyan was happy because Liang Xi knew but still tolerated her.
Yang Xiao took a big gulp of milk: “Xi Xi, should we go to our usual spot this weekend?”
“Huh? But the monthly exams are coming up soon.” Liang Xi politely declined.
“Then let’s study together at the library! I have so many questions to ask you.” Yang Xiao looked at Liang Xi pitifully. “And I want to try the new milk tea from Jiang Jiang’s, I heard it’s pretty good.”
“Okay.” Liang Xi looked at Jiang Zhiyan. “Do you still have cello lessons this weekend?”
“Yes.” Jiang Zhiyan nodded. “Have fun, and tell me how the milk tea tastes.”
Yang Xiao’s mood brightened again. This clingy person finally knew her place.
On the way back, Yang Xiao noticed that Jiang Zhiyan had sent her a message. She frowned, glancing at Jiang Zhiyan suspiciously, then feeling a bit excited. As expected, Jiang Zhiyan, your true colors are about to be exposed.
[Jiang Zhiyan: When I came this morning, she was in a bad mood.]
[Yang Xiao: ?]
Jiang Zhiyan didn’t reply. Yang Xiao gritted her teeth, put her phone back in her bag, and glanced at Liang Xi from the corner of her eye. She didn’t notice anything unusual. Liang Xi was holding the gift box, glancing at it from time to time, her mood clearly good.
**********
Chapter 18: I Also Want Cake (18)
When Jiang Zhiyan returned home that evening, Jiang’s mother was sitting on the sofa. The two exchanged glances, and then Jiang Zhiyan walked straight past her.
“Jiang Zhiyan!”
Jiang Zhiyan frowned. After a month, her voice was still so shrill.
“I heard you haven’t had cello lessons for a month? What are you doing now?”
“I just found out you’ve been fooling around at school every day! And you’re not willing to help the family at all? How can you be so selfish?”
Jiang Zhiyan looked at her coldly. Jiang’s mother and father seemed like completely flat characters. She could hardly find any redeeming qualities in them. If the person standing here were really her daughter, it would be difficult not to be provoked by her implications.
She stopped, still not speaking, just looking at her with a blank expression.
Jiang’s mother’s ferocious expression and imposing manner gradually weakened, her body subconsciously leaning back, tensing up in a defensive posture. She recalled Jiang Zhiyan that day and Jiang’s father lying unconscious in bed.
Jiang Zhiyan turned and went upstairs. Jiang’s mother breathed a sigh of relief, but then, realizing what had just happened, angrily threw a cup on the floor.
For the next two days, Jiang’s mother didn’t come home. Jiang Zhiyan didn’t bother asking about her affairs, she was more concerned about Liang Xi’s situation.
After Liang Xi’s parents divorced, Liang Xi had a good life with her mother until her father went bankrupt from gambling and started pestering them again.
Because Liang Xi’s mother had a strong personality, her father initially targeted Liang Xi.
According to the plot, Liang Xi, worried about upsetting her mother, would hide the fact that she was being harassed. Only when the man couldn’t get any further with Liang Xi and went to her mother would the conflict truly erupt.
Jiang Zhiyan had been finding excuses to walk home with Liang Xi these past few days. On the third day, she noticed a man following them.
She glanced at Liang Xi, who was talking about other things, completely oblivious, her eyes crinkling into a smile.
“Host, what are you going to do?” The system was curious. “The male lead used not-so-legal means to stop this man from continuing to harass her.”
“I’m not planning on using any legal means either.” Jiang Zhiyan tapped the edge of the car window.
Jiang Zhiyan dropped Liang Xi off at her doorstep and watched her enter before leaving. When she came back out, the man was still at the entrance of the residential complex. The two exchanged glances, and the man stared at her, showing no intention of avoiding her. He seemed to be assessing something. Seeing Jiang Zhiyan get into the luxury car waiting at the entrance, a greasy and greedy look appeared in his eyes.
“Isn’t this guy planning to just stay at the entrance of the complex? Fortunately, Liang Xi’s complex seems to have good security, this guy probably can’t get in.”
Jiang Zhiyan frowned, sitting in the car, taking a few pictures of the man standing there through the window. The man kept looking at her, allowing her to capture a clear frontal view of his face.
After returning home, she compiled all the information about this man from the script. He had borrowed money from loan sharks in another province, and many people were looking for him.
Jiang Zhiyan rested her chin on her hand, flipping through the document, formulating a preliminary plan.
“Host.”
“Hmm?”
“Just now, the plot underwent a massive change. I checked, Liang Xi just reported to the police that Sun Mian broke into her house and robbed her. Sun Mian has been apprehended. Liang Xi stated that she doesn’t know him.”
“Huh?” Jiang Zhiyan’s eyes widened. This was the biggest emotional fluctuation she had shown since entering this world.
“Yes, Host, you heard that right. How is this female lead’s character different from the one in the book?” The system was puzzled. The female lead in the book mostly endured things.
Jiang Zhiyan regained her composure, lowering her head and chuckling.
Liang Xi sat at the police station, clutching a box of tissues, sobbing as she recounted what had just happened: “As soon as I opened the door, he rushed in. He saw the things I had put in the cabinet and tried to snatch them! I tried to stop him, and he pushed me to the floor! Then he grabbed the things and ran.”
“What was inside?”
“There was an ornament and a few smaller ones. My friend gave them to me a few days ago. They’re made of gold and gemstones. Because they were valuable, I kept them in a box.” Liang Xi said with a trembling voice. “He’s been following me around for a while now, harassing me, but because he hadn’t done anything, I didn’t feel like I could call the police.”
“Is that so? He said he’s your father.”
“I don’t know him at all! My parents divorced a long time ago, and he hasn’t contacted us for years. He can’t be my father. He remarried and has a family.” Liang Xi wiped her tears, her voice trembling. “He definitely intended to rob me! He must have planned it, otherwise… why would he steal a box? He’s been following me for several days.”
The police checked the surveillance footage of the residential complex. Sun Mian had sneaked in by following a resident, then followed another resident into Liang Xi’s building. At her door, he claimed to be delivering takeout and forced his way into her apartment.
When Sun Mian was caught, he insisted that he just wanted to find an excuse to see his daughter.
“I really am her father, you can definitely verify it! She doesn’t recognize me, so I just wanted to talk to her.” Sun Mian clutched his chest. “If I told her directly, she definitely wouldn’t open the door.”
“Then why did you steal her things?”
“I, I just wanted to see if they were real.” Sun Mian chuckled dryly. “I was afraid she had been scammed.”
“Then you could just look, why take them?”
The police reviewed the surveillance footage from the past few days and saw Liang Xi getting out of a luxury car, holding a box that looked identical to the gift box Sun Mian had stolen.
“You saw this box and decided to steal it?”
Sun Mian lowered his head and remained silent.
“Because this car is expensive, so you wanted to gamble? You thought she wouldn’t call the police? Where did you get your confidence? Just because you’re her father whom she hasn’t seen for fifteen years?”
…
Liang Xi looked at the retrieved items, confirmed that nothing was missing, and breathed a sigh of relief, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably: “My friend made these herself. If they were gone, I…”
Liang Xi’s mother rushed over after hearing the news. When she saw Sun Mian, if the police hadn’t stopped her, she would have slapped him. “How dare you, Sun Mian? You haven’t paid a cent in child support, and you have the nerve to come and bother Xi Xi! Sentence him according to the law! Charge him with robbery! We will not forgive him!”
“Then I’ll call my friend, because I don’t know how much they’re worth.” Liang Xi tugged on her mother’s clothes and whispered.
After receiving the call, Jiang Zhiyan found her purchase records and went to the police station. When she saw Liang Xi, Liang Xi’s eyes were red, and she sat there looking pitiful and well-behaved.
“I should have left later.” Jiang Zhiyan ruffled Liang Xi’s hair and sighed softly.
She placed the documents on the table: “The gold for these seven rabbits is 88 grams each, the cake is 288 grams, all solid gold, totaling 750 grams. The gemstones range from a few thousand to tens of thousands yuan. The receipts are here, I used these ones. The total price is about 130,000 yuan.”
“I bought the gold at 420 yuan per gram at the time.” Jiang Zhiyan calculated rapidly. “Adding it all up, it’s 445,000 yuan.”
Everyone present fell silent upon hearing the price.
Liang Xi’s eyes widened. The price far exceeded her expectations. She didn’t know much about gemstones and couldn’t distinguish their grades. She knew they weren’t cheap, but she didn’t expect them to be this expensive. She knew the gold was heavy, but the actual weight was also much greater than she had estimated. She counted on her fingers, calculating how many years of cakes she would have to make to repay this. She had actually accepted it on a whim at the time.
“Young lady, you gave such an expensive gift?”
“I made it myself. I accidentally made it bigger and bigger, couldn’t help it.” Jiang Zhiyan smiled. “Then I just decided to make all the numbers auspicious.”
Jiang Zhiyan noticed Liang Xi’s expression and gently shook her wrist.
The man inside, upon hearing the price, nearly fainted. He had robbed her precisely because he thought the items were valuable, thinking he could live comfortably for a while after selling them. But he didn’t expect the price to be this high. After learning that he could be sentenced to more than ten years, he tried to seek leniency, but Liang Xi and her mother didn’t agree.
“Liang Xi, how can you be so cruel? I’m your father!” He roared indignantly.
Jiang Zhiyan covered Liang Xi’s ears: “Don’t listen to the trash, let’s go.”
“Okay.”
Liang Xi left the police station and said goodbye to Jiang Zhiyan.
After getting into the car, she deleted the pictures of the gifts she had posted on her alternate account and then deactivated the account.
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