Chapter 28: I Also Want Cake (28)
The sofa wasn’t big, and the two were pressed close together.
It was strange. When Liang Xi was sitting on the bed, her heart was racing, but now, sitting next to Jiang Zhiyan, leaning against her, she suddenly felt calm.
“Liang Xi, what’s your hand doing?” Jiang Zhiyan’s voice suddenly broke the silence.
Liang Xi froze, instinctively pulling her hand back and staring wide-eyed at Jiang Zhiyan, as if she had done something unbelievable.
“What did I do?” Liang Xi asked, blinking innocently.
“I didn’t expect you to be this kind of Liang Xi, taking advantage of me and then refusing to admit it.” Jiang Zhiyan pulled the blanket higher.
Liang Xi looked at her hand: “I don’t think so, I feel very calm right now.”
Jiang Zhiyan looked at her with a deadpan expression, her voice laced with mock aggrievement: “You were about to rub my leg raw, and now you’re saying you’re calm? You sleep on the sofa, you can have the blanket, no need to thank me.”
Liang Xi stared, watching Jiang Zhiyan smoothly slip back into bed, suspecting a trap, but she had no proof.
“You just said you loved me the most! You said it just now! Have you changed your mind so quickly?”
Jiang Zhiyan didn’t answer, just looked at Liang Xi from the bed, then extended her leg, wiggled it invitingly, and raised an eyebrow.
Liang Xi usually found these actions incredibly cheesy, but now that it was Jiang Zhiyan doing them, she held out for thirty seconds before giving in and running over.
“See, you couldn’t resist.” Jiang Zhiyan said.
“That’s how it should be.” Liang Xi snorted softly. “You better not…”
Jiang Zhiyan turned and kissed Liang Xi, then clung to her like a koala: “Go to sleep. Touch all you want, I won’t say anything.”
“I don’t want to.” Liang Xi declared, full of false bravado.
Feeling the touch on her thigh, Jiang Zhiyan reached out and turned off the lights.
They stayed in He City for a whole week, visiting all the famous and lesser-known spots, taking thousands of pictures.
Many places were ordinary, but as long as she was with Liang Xi, Jiang Zhiyan could find a reason to take a picture.
“So, what was the reason for taking pictures in front of a trash can?” The system flipped through the photos Jiang Zhiyan had taken.
“The red and green color scheme! Look at the composition, so beautiful, art that transcends time.”
System: …
Jiang Zhiyan brought Liang Xi to He City to trigger her memories, but perhaps because the soul fragment that had become Liang Xi was too small, only the subconscious instincts remained, not the memories.
She had already anticipated this, but after confirming it, she still felt a pang of heartache.
“Why are you looking at me like that? I just bumped into a wall.” Liang Xi rolled up her sleeve to show Jiang Zhiyan. “Not a scratch.”
“I see, put it down, it’s cold, you’ll freeze your hand.” Jiang Zhiyan pulled her sleeve back down.
“Where are you spending the New Year this year?” Liang Xi rubbed her arms.
“Good question.” Jiang Zhiyan put her hands in her pockets. “It’s okay if I don’t celebrate. New Year’s Day is no different from any other day. I’ll just do some homework, and it’ll be over in a flash.”
“Do you want to come to our house? My mom and I are going back to my grandma’s, she’s very nice.” Liang Xi said shyly.
“I probably can’t. I think I have to go back home. They haven’t explicitly told me, but they asked me to attend the company’s annual meeting, so I’ll probably have to go to the ancestral home for New Year’s too.” Jiang Zhiyan said, then noticed Liang Xi’s pained expression, and said with a wry smile, “What’s with that look? It’s my aunt who’s in charge now, and I have a good relationship with her. Besides, in the eyes of the rest of the Jiang family, I’m the big bad villain they need to be wary of.”
Liang Xi wiped her tears: “Will you run into your mom?”
“It’s fine, even if I do, she can’t do anything to me. She can’t hurt someone who doesn’t care about her.” Jiang Zhiyan looked at Liang Xi. “She needs me to support her right now, so she won’t do anything to me.”
Liang Xi bit her lip. Although Jiang Zhiyan said that, and she probably wouldn’t be hurt, she still felt sad.
“This week we’ve been traveling, let’s just consider it our New Year’s celebration. No, every day we’re together is a celebration for me. I should take a break too, celebrating every day is too exciting, my heart can’t take it.” Jiang Zhiyan pinched Liang Xi’s cheek, not letting go until it was deformed.
Liang Xi glared at Jiang Zhiyan, playfully hitting her arm, then couldn’t help but laugh: “So cheesy… where did you even learn that?”
“Does that need to be learned? It’s just expressing my true feelings, my most genuine thoughts.”
“Ha.” Liang Xi narrowed her eyes. “I’ll reluctantly believe you.”
Jiang Zhiyan: ?
“Ha, the consequences of being too glib.” The system said faintly.
“I told you, it’s just expressing my true feelings.” Jiang Zhiyan corrected it.
After returning from He City, Jiang Zhiyan originally wanted to spend a few more days with Liang Xi. Liang Xi’s mother still had a few days off before they went to her grandmother’s house. But Yang Xiao returned.
Perhaps to get back at Jiang Zhiyan for her previous actions, Yang Xiao dragged Liang Xi out to play without her, with a very justifiable reason: since Liang Xi and Jiang Zhiyan got together, they rarely had any alone time as best friends. Now, taking advantage of the winter break, they had to make up for it. Yang Xiao was so sincere she almost made Liang Xi cry.
Logically, Jiang Zhiyan knew she shouldn’t let love affect her friendships, and she shouldn’t interfere with Liang Xi’s social circle. Liang Xi should have time to hang out with her friends. But deep down, she felt very unhappy.
They had finally gotten together, and she wanted to be glued to Liang Xi’s side every minute of every day.
“I should have agreed to spend New Year’s with her.” Jiang Zhiyan regretted it. “The Jiang family is such a pain.”
“Sometimes I feel like you don’t have human emotions, and sometimes I feel like your possessiveness is inhuman. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, being too clingy might scare people away.”
“Absence…” Jiang Zhiyan scoffed. “This is a long separation.”
Jiang Zhiyan attended the company’s annual meeting with her aunt. Before leaving, her aunt comforted her, telling her not to be too nervous. When they arrived, they found that Jiang Zhiyan wasn’t nervous at all, she was just a smooth operator. However, it could be seen that she wasn’t very interested in socializing. After brushing people off, she sat in her seat and ate peacefully.
Other members of the Jiang family also attended the annual meeting. To avoid unnecessary chatter, Jiang Zhiyan would leave whenever they approached her. They didn’t bother her too much, after all, it wouldn’t look good to cause a scene with a junior at an annual meeting.
“I think it will be very unpleasant for you if you return to the ancestral home for the New Year.” The system said.
“It’s fine, going crazy can solve everything.”
Shortly after the annual meeting, Jiang Zhiyan returned to the ancestral home. Because she hadn’t seen Liang Xi, she was in a particularly bad mood. Liang Xi sang to her for half an hour before her mood improved slightly.
Arriving at the ancestral home, Jiang Zhiyan saw four people of her age gathered in the garden. She quickly identified them: two cousins and a younger cousin, none of whom she had a good relationship with.
She glanced at them without greeting them and walked past them, dragging her suitcase.
“Look at the person who’s clinging to Auntie’s favor, becoming more and more arrogant.”
“Don’t say that, she doesn’t even care about her own mother, let alone us. Be careful she doesn’t cause trouble for you.”
“I know, shut up.” Jiang Zhiyan looked back at the speaker.
“Tsk, really thinks she’s something. I heard you have a girlfriend now? Quite obedient, huh?”
Hearing the malicious tone, Jiang Zhiyan stopped, turning to look at the speaker.
“I’m also very curious. Someone you approve of must be very interesting. I wonder…”
Jiang Zhiyan picked up a pebble from the ground and kicked it at the speaker, hitting him in the forehead, interrupting his words.
The person cried out in pain, stumbling backward. Feeling the warm liquid flowing down his face, his expression turned ugly.
“Jiang Zhiyan, are you crazy?” He clutched his forehead.
“Cousin doesn’t like it? A sign of good fortune.” Jiang Zhiyan looked at him coldly. “Oh, right, the last person who badmouthed me died in a car accident.”
Everyone in the garden looked at her warily. When Jiang Zhiyan left, dragging her suitcase, no one stopped her.
Going crazy was very effective. Jiang Zhiyan had a peaceful afternoon.
At dinner, the cousin with the injured forehead didn’t come down. A mild concussion had made him vomit several times, and he couldn’t eat anything. His parents glared at Jiang Zhiyan but didn’t say anything, mainly because they were afraid Jiang Zhiyan would dump their food on their heads.
After being ousted, Jiang’s mother had talked to them, insisting that Jiang Zhiyan pushed her father down the stairs, but she had no proof, so they just thought she was crazy.
Their impression of Jiang Zhiyan was still that of a “brainless beauty,” but Jiang Zhiyan’s actions this time indirectly proved this point. Who in their right mind would throw a rock at someone? If it weren’t for the fact that the injury wasn’t serious, and they cared about their reputation, they would have taken Jiang Zhiyan to the police station.
They had originally planned to give Jiang Zhiyan a hard time at dinner, but now they were unusually quiet. They weren’t without ulterior motives, but after exchanging glances, no one wanted to be the first to speak.
The more they suppressed their emotions, the more hostile their gazes towards Jiang Zhiyan became. Jiang Zhiyan was a challenge to their elders’ authority.
Aunt Jiang pretended not to notice the undercurrent at the dinner table and poured Jiang Zhiyan a glass of juice: “Still planning to go abroad?”
“No.” Jiang Zhiyan said.
“Because of your little girlfriend?” Aunt Jiang asked.
Jiang Zhiyan glanced at her. Her aunt’s expression was normal, seemingly not caring whether her partner was male or female: “It’s partly because of her, but mainly because I don’t think it’s necessary.”
The Jiang Zhiyan in the book didn’t go abroad.
“You should break up soon. It’s so embarrassing being asked about it every time we go out.” The man diagonally across from Jiang Zhiyan said with a disgusted look. “Two women together, isn’t that disgusting?”
“Disgusting? A married man fooling around outside, who knows what diseases he has, has the nerve to sit here and point fingers at others and doesn’t think he’s disgusting? I’m in a proper relationship, what’s disgusting about that?” Jiang Zhiyan looked up at him.
The man’s face turned red. He wanted to say something, but after struggling for a while, he only managed: “Don’t interfere in your elders’ affairs.”
“Everyone should have their own separate plates tomorrow, in case there are any infectious diseases.” Jiang Zhiyan continued. “This isn’t about you, this is for everyone’s health.”
The others, who were about to pick up food, quietly put down their chopsticks, feeling slightly nauseous.
Aunt Jiang chuckled: “Okay, I understand. That’s a good suggestion, I’ll take it.”
“Jiang Jingxue!”
“Why are you so agitated, brother? You’re getting old, you should take care of your health.” Jiang Jingxue said calmly.
“I get a physical exam every year, I don’t have any infectious diseases.” He said through gritted teeth.
“Mm-hmm.” Jiang Jingxue nodded casually, infuriating him even more.
The conflict was successfully shifted away from Jiang Zhiyan.
They didn’t eat much at dinner. Afterward, they all went their separate ways.
Jiang Zhiyan leaned against the railing, video chatting with Liang Xi, who was sitting cross-legged on the carpet, seemingly freshly showered, her hair still wet.
“Go dry your hair first.”
“I did, it’s not dripping anymore.” Liang Xi shook her hair, and as a drop of water fell, she quickly wiped it away with her little finger. “See? Gone.”
They stared at each other, then Liang Xi sighed.
“Fine, fine, I’ll go. I just didn’t want to let drying my hair interrupt our conversation.”
“You’re getting better and better at making excuses. I’ll wait for you. I can just watch you, we don’t have to talk.”
“Hmph.”
Liang Xi put her phone on the table, turned on the hairdryer, and said something, then winked.
Jiang Zhiyan smiled, watching Liang Xi. She went back to her room, grabbed a piece of paper, and wrote four words: “I can read lips.”
Liang Xi’s smug smile instantly vanished. She coughed a couple of times and pretended nothing happened as she dried her hair, glancing at the screen. Jiang Zhiyan was writing something again, several pages of it.
[I’ll wear everything you bought for me]
[But I also want to see you wear them]
[Why is it taking so long for you to become an adult?]
Liang Xi blushed furiously as she thought of something, then reached out and hung up.
Jiang Zhiyan chuckled.
“Unbearable to watch.”
“You don’t have eyes to begin with. If you did, you would have fainted from shock last time.” Jiang Zhiyan shredded the papers and threw them in the trash.
Twenty minutes later, Liang Xi called her back, seemingly having recovered, her complexion normal, her eyes normal, the conversation positive and uplifting, as if nothing had happened. She then proceeded to torture Jiang Zhiyan with a bunch of strange math problems.
Liang Xi’s mother, who had been discussing the problems with Jiang Zhiyan, greeted Liang Xi when she came to the door, placed a fruit basket down, and quietly left the room.
When Liang Xi’s mother learned about her relationship with Jiang Zhiyan, she was a bit worried. She didn’t have any particular opinion on Liang Xi dating a girl, but she had made inquiries about Jiang Zhiyan. She knew she couldn’t judge someone solely based on rumors, but Jiang Zhiyan’s reputation was truly… colorful. She had dated many boys before, and she seemed very experienced. Liang Xi, on the other hand, had always been a good girl and had never been in a relationship. She had even liked a boy not too long ago. No matter how she looked at it, their relationship didn’t seem very stable. But because Liang Xi clearly liked Jiang Zhiyan very much, she didn’t say anything, just quietly observed.
Seeing them video chatting, she thought they were just idly chatting, but then she saw a pile of practice problems on the table and heard them discussing the questions. She felt relieved.
She heard Liang Xi ask tricky questions from various angles, and Jiang Zhiyan patiently answered each one without any sign of impatience.
Liang Xi’s mother smiled and sighed in relief. She probably wouldn’t have had the patience herself; some of Liang Xi’s questions sounded like she was deliberately finding fault.
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