Chapter 59: Come and Snatch the Bride (2) -2
Jiang Zhiyan washed up, casually dressed, took a picture by the window, and posted it to her Moments.
“Host, you remind me of a phrase: a peacock spreading its tail feathers,” the System commented.
Jiang Zhiyan ignored it, glanced at the time, grabbed her bag, and ran out.
“Ten minutes posing, five minutes picking the right selfie, now you have eight minutes left until class, good luck.”
“By the way, this teacher takes attendance every class, and you can’t make it up.”
“Thank you so much for reminding me.” Jiang Zhiyan gritted her teeth sarcastically, rushing into the school as she spoke. She wasn’t the only one sprinting. She took countless shortcuts within the rules, such as skipping a dozen steps, flipping directly down the side of the stairs, and leaping over flower beds.
“Holy crap!”
The people behind her exclaimed, wanting to follow suit, but after looking at the height, they silently retreated.
“Being late forces people to parkour, which teacher is so ruthless?”
Jiang Zhiyan entered the classroom just as the bell rang. The teacher frowned at her but didn’t say anything. She found a random seat, patted her chest, and took out her phone to check.
“She was on the night shift yesterday, she’s definitely not awake yet. Stop looking, she just fell asleep not long ago,” the System said.
“I know.”
Although Xie Liaoyi hadn’t liked her post, Jiang Ciqiu had, and she was the first. She didn’t have morning classes today, but she wasn’t home either. Jiang Zhiyan didn’t know where she had gone.
Jiang Zhiyan scrolled through her own Moments. The original owner liked to cultivate an artistic persona. Her Moments were full of painting, reading, illustrations, and tea, occasionally posting some reading reflections. The things she wrote were superficial and somewhat awkward, good at first glance, but not upon closer inspection.
She deleted them one by one, leaving only the selfie.
“She might have already seen it last night.”
“I still need to delete them.”
Xie Liaoyi liked her post at noon.
[Jiang Zhiyan: Are you awake?!]
[Xie Liaoyi: Just finished washing up.]
The corners of Jiang Zhiyan’s mouth turned up slightly: “So she also checked her phone as soon as she woke up.”
[Jiang Zhiyan: I almost arrived late this morning, luckily I ran fast.]
[Xie Liaoyi: Did the teacher take attendance?]
[Jiang Zhiyan: Yeah, this teacher takes attendance and doesn’t allow make-ups. So scary, I came in just as the bell rang, I was scared to death.]
[Xie Liaoyi: (head pat)]
[Xie Liaoyi: Have you eaten?]
[Jiang Zhiyan: Just about to go, what are you having for lunch?]
[Xie Liaoyi: BBQ rice.]
[Jiang Zhiyan: I’ll have that too, our school’s BBQ rice is delicious. If we have a chance to meet up later, I’ll treat you.]
[Xie Liaoyi: Okay.]
“YanYan.”
Hearing this nickname, the smile on Jiang Zhiyan’s face froze. She quickly said something to Xie Liaoyi and stuffed her phone into her bag.
“Why haven’t you contacted me recently?” Liang Yan walked towards Jiang Zhiyan, his face full of concern.
“Because I’ve been thinking, you’re my sister’s fiancé, it’s not good for us to be too close, so let’s have less contact in the future.” Jiang Zhiyan took a step back, keeping her distance from him.
Liang Yan frowned, saying with slight dissatisfaction: “Did Jiang Ciqiu give you trouble? We’re just like siblings, what is she jealous about?”
“She didn’t give me trouble, and she’s not jealous, she didn’t say anything.” Jiang Zhiyan frowned. “I just personally feel it’s not appropriate, and there’s a misunderstanding between us.”
“What misunderstanding?” Liang Yan was a little anxious.
“I’m not the little girl who saved you when you were young. I thought you were talking about something else. Now that I think about it carefully, the thing I did probably didn’t save your life, so the person you’re looking for is someone else.”
At this point, everyone was just tacitly understanding, nothing had been explicitly stated, so the crime of her impersonation wasn’t that serious. It was easiest to just weasel out of it. The longer this kind of thing dragged on, the more troublesome it became.
Liang Yan was stunned for a second: “So?”
Jiang Zhiyan: ?
“So, you don’t need to be so good to me anymore, I don’t deserve it.” Jiang Zhiyan nodded. “Let’s keep our distance in the future and not contact each other privately anymore.”
After saying that, she quickly left. She was hungry and wanted BBQ rice.
“So this still isn’t considered breaking up?”
“How is this breaking up? Keeping a distance, separating myself, if he continues to pursue me after this, it’s his problem.” Jiang Zhiyan saved the recording she just made, speaking with a hint of mockery. “But most people are more tolerant of men. If he continues to look for me, I’ll probably be the one who gets scolded more… tsk, I’m even more pathetic.”
Delayed by Liang Yan, the BBQ rice Jiang Zhiyan wanted to eat already had a long line. She took a number and walked around the cafeteria twice before finding a seat.
[Jiang Zhiyan: I was delayed, there are so many people, I have to wait a long time.]
[Xie Liaoyi: I’m already eating [picture]]
[Jiang Zhiyan: It looks so delicious!]
[Xie Liaoyi: This place is really good.]
Xie Liaoyi sent a screenshot of the restaurant’s name.
Jiang Zhiyan waited for twenty minutes. Just as she carried her plate back to her seat and was about to eat, she received a call from Jiang Ciqiu.
“Did something happen?” Jiang Ciqiu asked, her voice calm.
“Hm? Nothing happened… Did Liang Yan go to you?”
“Mm.”
Jiang Zhiyan wasn’t surprised at all. After all, it was a classic dog-blood drama, Liang Yan would definitely go to Jiang Ciqiu. She thought for a few seconds: “I just don’t want to be so close to him anymore. Did he say anything? Did he blame you? But I told him it had nothing to do with you.”
“I made everything clear to him, including the fact that I’m not the one who saved him when he was young.”
There was silence on the other end for a moment before Jiang Ciqiu spoke again: “Why so suddenly? If you like him, this engagement…”
“I don’t like him, I’ve discovered I like girls.” Jiang Zhiyan interrupted Jiang Ciqiu.
The other end fell silent again, seemingly stunned.
“Mm, okay, but regarding sexual orientation, I think you should observe for a while longer.”
“I know, I’m going to eat now.” Jiang Zhiyan hung up after saying that. Continuing the conversation would only be awkward.
Jiang Zhiyan ate her meal peacefully. Jiang Ciqiu held her phone, her mind in turmoil.
“What did she say?” the person next to her asked.
“She said she made things clear with Liang Yan,” Jiang Ciqiu said.
“Has she turned over a new leaf? Or does she have a new target recently?” another person asked. “She’s looking down on Liang Yan now, who has she set her sights on?”
“New target?” Jiang Ciqiu thought of Jiang Zhiyan frequently checking her phone this morning. “I don’t know, don’t speculate. She might really not have those feelings for Liang Yan, it was all just rumors.”
“But how could Jiang Zhiyan be a pure little white rabbit?” The other person widened her eyes in disbelief. “Everyone knows what she’s done.”
“Alright, stop talking,” Jiang Ciqiu interrupted her.
She didn’t like Liang Yan either. She was actually quite happy that they had become close before, and she had always tacitly approved of their interactions, sometimes even covering for them. If those two got together, she could justifiably break off the engagement.
But now, Jiang Zhiyan didn’t want him either, so it would be a bit tricky… However, when she heard Jiang Zhiyan say that, she was actually a little happy.
On the other hand, thinking about that “sister” called “Liaoyi” made her annoyed.
Why did Jiang Zhiyan suddenly start liking girls? Was it also because of that sister? When did these two meet?
“Qiuqiu? What’s wrong? You don’t look well.”
“It’s nothing.” Jiang Ciqiu shook her head.
Jiang Zhiyan had a full day of classes and didn’t get home until after 9 pm. She came back with cold noodles she bought from a street vendor. She hadn’t planned on buying them, but when she passed by that street, she happened to get hungry.
When she arrived in the living room, Jiang Zhiyan saw Jiang Ciqiu sitting on the sofa, clearly waiting for her. She didn’t know how long she had been waiting. Her phone was on the coffee table, the TV wasn’t on, she seemed to have been just sitting there waiting.
She nodded and walked towards her room.
“Jiang Zhiyan,” Jiang Ciqiu called out.
“I only bought one serving,” Jiang Zhiyan said.
Jiang Ciqiu was momentarily speechless, both exasperated and amused: “I wasn’t asking for your food.”
“Then what’s the matter?” Jiang Zhiyan looked at her.
“You’ve been very strange lately.”
“Because I haven’t been bothering you? But haven’t you always wanted this?” Jiang Zhiyan frowned at her.
Jiang Ciqiu did want this, but it was different. She looked at Jiang Zhiyan, feeling as if thousands of tiny claws were scratching at her heart, uncomfortable, but she couldn’t express it.
“I’m sorry about what happened before.” Jiang Zhiyan lowered her head. “I just have a histrionic personality and want attention. You don’t have to put up with me anymore.”
“You’re like a different person now.” Jiang Ciqiu clenched her fists.
“What do you think?” Jiang Zhiyan asked.
“I think I might be going crazy.” Jiang Ciqiu gave a self-deprecating chuckle, staring at Jiang Zhiyan. “She wouldn’t say such things.”
“I’m going to eat my cold noodles.”
Jiang Ciqiu leaned against the sofa and took a sip of water.
She really must be going crazy.
She took a deep breath, leaning against the sofa.
Jiang Zhiyan took a bite of the cold noodles. They were quite delicious, no wonder there was such a long line.
“Host, your one sentence made her heart rate spike.”
“After all, it’s a turning point.” Jiang Zhiyan sent a message to Xie Liaoyi. “I’m curious what conclusion she’ll come to.”
“I don’t know why, even though it’s the same person, I feel like you’re two-timing.” The System looked at Jiang Zhiyan’s contact names.
One was X, the other was Y.
Jiang Zhiyan shared her late-night snack with Xie Liaoyi. Three minutes later, the other party posted a picture of the same cold noodles.
[Xie Liaoyi: This place is really good, I like it a lot.]
[Jiang Zhiyan: What a coincidence, if I had come back later, we might have run into each other.]
[Xie Liaoyi: Maybe, I arrived twenty minutes ago. The sweet potato noodles here are also delicious [picture]]
[Jiang Zhiyan: Are you still there?]
[Xie Liaoyi: Getting ready to go back, I’ve already bought my late-night snack [picture].]
[Jiang Zhiyan: Alone?]
Jiang Zhiyan looked at the portion Xie Liaoyi sent. It didn’t look like a portion for one person no matter how she looked at it. Who else was there? Eating a late-night snack together so late.
She narrowed her eyes.
[Xie Liaoyi: Alone, I’ll eat half today and put the rest in the fridge for tomorrow. There’s no other way, there’s too much I want to eat.]
[Jiang Zhiyan: Leftovers aren’t as tasty. Bring me next time, we’ll finish it all together, everything fresh.]
[Xie Liaoyi: Okay.]
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