Jiang Jiang also tilted her head and stared fixedly at Ji Heyuan. "Little Yuan, who is this? Your friend?"
Ji Heyuan spat, "Don't know her. Probably here to scam someone."
She twisted her shoulder to shake off Qu Jingran's hand. Not only that, Ji Heyuan even deliberately patted her shoulder heavily a few times, as if she had touched something dirty.
Seeing this, even the smile at the corner of Qu Jingran's lips did not change in the slightest. She stuffed the bag in her hand into Ji Heyuan's hands. "Apply some medicine. It'll heal faster."
While Qu Jingran was speaking to Ji Heyuan, Jiang Jiang had been observing her. She also noticed a similar wound on Qu Jingran's lips. Coupled with the fact that Qu Jingran had bought medicine, it was not difficult to conclude that Ji Heyuan's lips had indeed been bitten by her.
Jiang Jiang sat on the bench and silently watched the show.
Ji Heyuan did not notice the interest-filled look in her eyes. She forcefully pushed the things Qu Jingran had given her onto the ground, then raised her head and glared angrily at Qu Jingran. Her eye rims were red, as if tears were shimmering inside.
"No need for your fake kindness!"
If it weren't for Qu Jingran, would her lips be broken?!
When Ji Heyuan thought about how her first kiss had just been gone like that, she felt grief and indignation intertwined. The way she looked at Qu Jingran became increasingly hostile.
Although this matter could not be entirely blamed on Qu Jingran—after all, when she had almost fallen, it was thanks to Qu Jingran pulling her—and who could have expected things to become so melodramatic? When Qu Jingran dragged her over, their lips just happened to collide!
She had thought this kind of plot would only appear in idol dramas. Who knew she would also experience the feeling of being the female lead in an idol drama.
Ji Heyuan had been almost dumbfounded at the time. When she reacted, she discovered that Qu Jingran still had not let go of her. So, overwhelmed with anger, Ji Heyuan instinctively bit Qu Jingran hard.
Therefore, strictly speaking, the wound on Qu Jingran's lips was much more serious than hers.
But if Qu Jingran had not suddenly gone crazy and stopped her, Ji Heyuan would not have argued with her, nor would she have twisted her ankle trying to avoid Qu Jingran. None of the subsequent chain of events would have rehappened. So in the end, it was all Qu Jingran's fault.
Ji Heyuan angrily wiped her lips. Her fingertips were stained with a trace of blood again, and her lips stung like needles. So Ji Heyuan tilted her head up and stared at the bright red teeth mark at the corner of Qu Jingran's mouth for quite a while before finally feeling a little better.
It didn't matter. Qu would only hurt more than she did.
Qu Jingran looked at the medicine thrown on the ground. There was no particular expression on her face, nor did she become angry because of Ji Heyuan's rejection. Under the gazes of Jiang Jiang and Ji Heyuan, she bent down and picked up the bag. "If you don't apply medicine, the wound might get infected."
Ji Heyuan sneered coldly. "No need for you to worry about it. I can afford this bit of money to buy medicine."
Qu Jingran did not insist. She lowered her head and put the ointment back into her pocket. "Alright."
After that, Qu Jingran did not say anything more. She lowered her head, her expression seeming somewhat dejected.
If she had continued pestering, Ji Heyuan might have grown even angrier. But this compromising attitude of Qu Jingran's instead made Ji Heyuan feel a little strange.
She couldn't help thinking that perhaps it wasn't entirely Qu Jingran's fault. She herself bore just a tiny bit of responsibility too—just about the size of a fingernail.
Seeing this, Jiang Jiang could not help sighing inwardly. In just a few sentences, Ji Heyuan's anger had been coaxed away by this woman by more than half. Wasn't this method far more clever than Zheng Zhouzhou's?
With such skill, why had this woman never appeared in the original novel?
Qu Jingran was especially sensitive to others' gazes. She turned her eyes to meet Jiang Jiang's line of sight. At the moment their gazes collided in the air, the fingers hanging at Qu Jingran's side curled very slightly.
The girl in front of her gave her a very strange feeling. She looked pure and harmless, and the smile on her face was gentle and sweet. But for some reason, Qu Jingran felt she was not simple.
Perhaps because she had stared at Jiang Jiang for too long, Ji Heyuan also sensed something was wrong. She stepped sideways to block in front of Jiang Jiang. "What are you looking at?"
"I'm warning you. She's my sister-in-law. If you dare do anything to her again, my sister definitely won't let you off."
Qu Jingran was stunned for a moment, her eyes full of astonishment. So this girl was Ji Xu'an's girlfriend?
She had not heard of it, but presumably Ji Heyuan would not deliberately lie to her.
Jiang Jiang could clearly feel that the way Qu Jingran looked at her had become much kinder, even carrying a subtle hint of ingratiation. It was completely different from the cold, hard scrutiny just now.
Jiang Jiang did not feel particularly flattered. The smile in her eyes remained faint. It was a kind of polite distance.
The three of them suddenly fell into silence. After half a minute, it was Jiang Jiang who took the initiative to break it.
"Little Yuan, let's go back. Don't let Sister and Grandma wait too long."
Jiang Jiang stood up, nodded at Qu Jingran, then turned and walked in the direction they had come from.
Ji Heyuan followed step by step behind her and even secretly turned back to make a silencing gesture at Qu Jingran.
If you dare go out and talk nonsense, you're dead!
Qu Jingran said nothing. She watched the two of them leave with a thoughtful look in her eyes.
Ji Heyuan seemed to listen very much to this sister-in-law of hers?
—
After walking some distance, Jiang Jiang slightly turned her head and glanced out of the corner of her eye. Qu Jingran was still standing in the same spot, seemingly watching this way.
"Little Yuan." Jiang Jiang withdrew her gaze and then looked at Ji Heyuan. "You and that lady…"
Ji Heyuan shook her head frantically. "There's nothing between us. Don't overthink it."
When she spoke, her gaze dodged, and she licked her lips uncomfortably.
Jiang Jiang did not expose her. She was still thinking about why this person had never appeared in the original novel.
The way Qu Jingran looked at Ji Heyuan was clearly meaningful. Although she had not said many words, Jiang Jiang could sense that this person's personality was rather strong. Since she liked Ji Heyuan, there was no reason she would just watch Ji Heyuan be with someone else.
"I know there's nothing between you." Jiang Jiang first affirmed Ji Heyuan's statement. After Ji Heyuan let out a sigh of relief, she then softly said, "But from the way you two spoke, it seems you're quite familiar with her."
Ji Heyuan did not notice at all that Jiang Jiang was probing for information. She hesitated for a few seconds. "Not that familiar, I guess. We just met before."
She clearly did not wish to say more, and Jiang Jiang did not dig further. She timely changed the topic. "Her aura is stern and sharp. She looks like…"
Ji Heyuan naturally picked up the topic. "Yes, she's from the Municipal Public Security Bureau."
Jiang Jiang seemed to think of something, and her expression grew much more serious.
She remembered another incident mentioned in the original novel.
That year, S City solved an especially major drug trafficking case, arresting dozens of traffickers. During the final arrest of the drug lord, more than a dozen police officers sacrificed their lives. Among them, one seemed to hold a rather high position.
This matter stayed on the trending searches for several days. But because it did not have much to do with the original novel's plot, it was only briefly mentioned through Ji Heyuan's words.
Jiang Jiang suddenly had a bold guess—among those sacrificed officers, could Qu Jingran have been one of them?
If that were true, it would explain why Qu Jingran had never appeared.
Thinking of this, Jiang Jiang felt a heaviness in her heart. The reason she could now enjoy tranquility and peace was because some people had paid the price of blood and life.
Could she use her full strength to change something?
Ji Heyuan noticed Jiang Jiang's reaction was strange. After she said Qu Jingran was from the Municipal Public Security Bureau, Jiang Jiang kept looking at her with a very subtle gaze.
How to put it—Ji Heyuan felt like she was a fat sheep being stared at by a hungry wolf.
She rubbed the goosebumps on her arm. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Nothing." Jiang Jiang showed her a gentle smile. "I just wanted to ask you, little Yuan, have you thought about how you're going to explain to Sister and Grandma where the injury on your lips came from?"
"Huh?" Ji Heyuan subconsciously raised her hand to touch her stinging lips, then sucked in a breath of cold air.
She carefully probed, "If I say I accidentally bumped into something, do you think it sounds believable?"
Jiang Jiang's lips curved slightly. "What do you think?"
—
Inside the tea room.
After Jiang Jiang left, the room was quiet for a while. Madam Ji looked at Ji Xu'an sitting opposite her, composed and unhurried, and had probably already guessed what she wanted to say.
She slowly lifted her teacup and took a sip, her eyes slightly narrowing. "The tea Jiang Jiang brewed is indeed very good. Don't you think?"
Ji Xu'an refilled her own cup. "Mm."
She raised her eyes to meet Madam Ji's meaningful gaze. Her expression remained calm and steady, but the fingers holding the teacup subtly tightened a few degrees. "Grandma, what do you think of Jiang Jiang?"
Madam Ji clicked her tongue inwardly. Rare indeed. She had thought she would never see Ji Xu'an fall in love with anyone in this lifetime. No joke—Madam Ji had truly prepared herself for Ji Xu'an to live alone until old age.
"Jiang Jiang is of course good. Sensible and obedient, with a kind and filial personality. If I didn't think she was good, would I have taken her as my god-granddaughter?"
Ji Xu'an had been about to lower her head to take a sip of tea to moisten her throat. Hearing this, her movement paused. The rim of the cup stopped at her lips and did not move for a long while.
After a moment, Ji Xu'an calmly put down the teacup and looked at Madam Ji with steady eyes. "When did you take her as your god-granddaughter?"
Madam Ji raised her brows. "You're already Jiang Jiang's sister. Wouldn't that make her my god-granddaughter?"
"Speaking of which." Madam Ji pretended not to see Ji Xu'an's slightly tightened lips. She smiled. "A few days ago someone even asked me about Jiang Jiang. They said they have a granddaughter the same age as Jiang Jiang and asked if I could arrange for the two children to meet."
"What do you think, Xu'an?"
Ji Xu'an answered without hesitation, "I don't think much of it."
Madam Ji laughed. "Why not? I've heard of that child too. She's a good girl, obedient just like Jiang Jiang. The two of them would surely have topics to talk about."
Ji Xu'an tugged at the corner of her mouth. "If it's just making friends, of course there's no problem. As for anything else, forget it. Jiang Jiang doesn't like someone the same age as her."
Madam Ji feigned ignorance while fully understanding. "How do you know Jiang Jiang doesn't like someone the same age? Could it be that Jiang Jiang already has someone she likes?"
After saying this, she clearly felt Ji Xu'an's mood sink. This made Madam Ji feel somewhat strange.
She had thought Ji Xu'an would take the opportunity to admit it. Who would have thought that Ji Xu'an instead seemed unwilling to answer this question? Yet from her earlier reaction, she clearly had special feelings toward Jiang Jiang.
Madam Ji couldn't help thinking—could it be that Xu'an still didn't know that the person Jiang Jiang liked was her?
This was quite interesting.
Madam Ji's tone carried a bit of probing. "Although Jiang Jiang isn't that old, she's already an adult. She can date now. If she truly has someone she likes, you, as her sister, must remember to help her take a good look."
Hearing this, Ji Xu'an's expression grew even lighter. "Grandma, Jiang Jiang doesn't have someone she likes right now."
She looked straight at Madam Ji. "What I want to tell you is this. Weren't you always wanting Jiang Jiang to be your granddaughter-in-law before?"
"And now? Do you still have that kind of thought?"
Madam Ji's brows furrowed slightly. She deliberately pretended not to understand her meaning. "I would like Jiang Jiang to be my granddaughter-in-law, but didn't you disagree?"
As Madam Ji spoke, she observed Ji Xu'an's reaction. "Now that you're saying this, what do you mean? Could it be that little Yuan—"
Ji Xu'an rarely interrupted her before she finished. "No."
Ji Xu'an knew that Madam Ji had long since understood her meaning. Right now, she was only pretending to be foolish to force her to personally admit it.
Ever since deciding to come ask Grandma for help, Ji Xu'an had already thought that such a day would come. At this moment, she did not feel it was difficult to speak.
"Grandma, I want to try to start another kind of life mode with Jiang Jiang. But because of all the things that happened before, Jiang Jiang now seems to only treat me as her sister. So I want to ask you to help me." The expression in Ji Xu'an's eyes was especially serious. These words were spoken only after deep consideration.
The smile on Madam Ji's face gradually faded. She stared at Ji Xu'an for quite a while before asking in a low voice, "Do you really understand what this means?"
Jiang Jiang was not someone who could be casually abandoned. Madam Ji would absolutely not allow Ji Xu'an to toy with Jiang Jiang's feelings. If Ji Xu'an truly chose to take this step, then in the future she would most likely have to marry Jiang Jiang.
"I know." Ji Xu'an's gaze was exceptionally firm.
"If a person must choose a partner to spend this life with, then in my heart, that person would only be Jiang Jiang, and can only be Jiang Jiang. Other than her, no one else will do."
Madam Ji fell silent again, as if she did not trust her words.
Ji Xu'an knew that this was all because her previous attitude had been too indifferent. So now that she had changed her stance and said she wanted to marry Jiang Jiang, Madam Ji felt she was joking.
In fact, even Ji Xu'an herself felt surprised. Before discovering that she liked Jiang Jiang, she had never had such thoughts. But once she understood her own feelings, Ji Xu'an urgently wanted to become partners with Jiang Jiang.
Even she herself could not understand why her feelings for Jiang Jiang had changed so quickly. When they first met, she had clearly been indifferent toward Jiang Jiang.
But afterward, in their day after day of getting along, Ji Xu'an vaguely felt as if some seal inside her body had gradually been lifted. Her softness and being moved toward Jiang Jiang were all subconscious. Upon closer examination, it felt more like a habit formed over a long period of time.
Sometimes Ji Xu'an would think that the way she and Jiang Jiang got along was so tacit and harmonious, as if they had known each other for a very, very long time—so long that it felt as though in their previous life, the two of them had already been lovers who stayed together until their hair turned white.
It was no wonder Madam Ji doubted her. She and Jiang Jiang had only been together for such a short time, and now she said she liked her. No one would believe that.
After a long silence, Madam Ji finally sighed lightly. "Have you told Jiang Jiang about these thoughts of yours?"
Madam Ji was certain that Jiang Jiang definitely did not know Ji Xu'an's feelings. Ji Xu'an also did not know Jiang Jiang's feelings for her. Otherwise, she would not have said that Jiang Jiang only treated her as a sister.
These two children clearly both had feelings for each other, yet each mistakenly believed that the other did not share the same emotions.
As the only one who knew the truth, Madam Ji could have directly told Ji Xu'an the truth. But after another thought, if some things came too easily, perhaps they would not seem so important.
So she chose to pretend to know nothing.
Ji Xu'an rarely showed a disappointed expression in front of Madam Ji. Her thick lashes lowered halfway, and her voice sounded somewhat muffled. "I didn't tell her."
She had not yet obtained Jiang Jiang's affection. If she confessed at this time, Jiang Jiang would definitely be frightened and avoid her.
No matter how decisive and resolute a person might be, when it came to emotions, she would still hesitate and feel uneasy. There were simply too many things to consider. Ji Xu'an did not dare to take risks lightly.
Madam Ji knew that this posture of Ji Xu'an's was half real and half fake. There was disappointment, but with Ji Xu'an's personality—once she wanted something, she would definitely get it—even if Jiang Jiang truly did not like her, she would very likely force the matter.
The way she was acting now was merely to soften her heart.
Madam Ji felt somewhat amused. Seeing her usually strong and taciturn granddaughter use such tactics in front of her was quite interesting.
"Then how can you be sure that Jiang Jiang will definitely like you? What if the person she likes is someone else, and she is unwilling to marry you? Wouldn't I become an accomplice?"
What Madam Ji said was very reasonable, but Ji Xu'an still vaguely sensed something was off.
Grandma had always wanted to bring her and Jiang Jiang together. Why now did her words instead show a bit of reluctance?
Was it really as she said, that she did not want to delay Jiang Jiang?
Or had she already found a more suitable candidate in her heart?
Ji Xu'an quietly observed Madam Ji's expression. Yet her tone remained calm. "Jiang Jiang does not like me right now, but I will work hard to change her mind. I do not need Grandma to force her to do anything. As long as Grandma can occasionally say a few good words for me, that will be enough."
These words were almost exactly the same as what Jiang Jiang had once said. Madam Ji was already delighted inside. As expected of a wife destined for another— even their reasons for persuading her were the same.
She pretended to think for a while before compromising. "Alright. If Jiang Jiang does not resist, I will help you."
Ji Xu'an let out an extremely light breath, feeling as if a huge stone in her heart had finally fallen to the ground.
She picked up her teacup and took a shallow sip, returning once again to her composed and unhurried demeanor. "Since that is the case, Grandma, there is no need to introduce your friend's granddaughter to Jiang Jiang."
This time Madam Ji truly could not hold back her laughter. "You're still remembering that?"
"There is no such person. I only said it to trick you."
Ji Xu'an: …
Ji Xu'an did not speak. But her crossed legs lowered and then lifted again. She switched to the other leg and continued crossing them, using the motion of lowering her head to drink tea to conceal the embarrassment on her face.
—
When Jiang Jiang and Ji Heyuan returned to the tea room, the atmosphere inside was relaxed and peaceful.
Madam Ji saw Jiang Jiang return and beckoned her over. Ji Xu'an, meanwhile, looked at Ji Heyuan.
Her gaze first landed on Ji Heyuan's lips. Then her brows slightly drew together. "What happened to your mouth?"
Ji Heyuan's body stiffened. Almost instinctively, she turned her head to look at Jiang Jiang for help.
Jiang Jiang did not disappoint her. She explained for her, "Little Yuan almost fell on the road just now. It was a close call that she didn't get hurt. She bit her lip accidentally at that time."
What she said was all true. But listening to Jiang Jiang's explanation, someone who did not know better would think she had witnessed it personally. At least Madam Ji believed it.
As for Ji Xu'an, she stared at Ji Heyuan for a while longer. It was unclear whether she believed it or not.
Only after she withdrew her gaze did Ji Heyuan shoot Jiang Jiang a grateful look.
As expected of Sister-in-law!
Jiang Jiang returned a faint smile.
Ji Xu'an took in the silent exchange between the two. Her expression grew even more tense, but she said nothing.
Ji Heyuan observed for a while and realized that her sister truly did not seem to have noticed anything. Only then did she relax and begin acting coquettishly around Madam Ji.
However, during the meal, another small incident occurred.
According to past habits, Madam Ji sat at the main seat. Jiang Jiang and Ji Xu'an sat on either side of her. Ji Heyuan sat beside Ji Xu'an.
But Ji Heyuan had just lied and still felt somewhat guilty. So she planned to sit together with Jiang Jiang.
She had just pulled out a chair when she heard Madam Ji call her. "Little Yuan, sit over here by me."
Ji Heyuan: "Huh?"
She was pulled to sit at Madam Ji's right side with a confused expression. Madam Ji's left side was Jiang Jiang. Ji Xu'an sat on Jiang Jiang's right.
Only then did Ji Heyuan realize that Ji Xu'an was sitting exactly in the position she had wanted to sit in just now.
Ji Heyuan seemed to understand a little.
Fine. Her opinion was not important. As long as the other three were happy.
Both Jiang Jiang and Ji Xu'an were very satisfied with Madam Ji's arrangement. The two of them each cast a subtle grateful glance toward Madam Ji.
During the meal, Ji Xu'an's gaze was most of the time on Jiang Jiang. From time to time, she would pick up food for Jiang Jiang.
When Jiang Jiang ate something delicious, she would also put some into Ji Xu'an's bowl. "Sister should eat too."
The distance between the two was not far. When they spoke softly, their shoulders inevitably brushed together. Yet neither avoided the contact. They both tacitly leaned closer and closer.
With the two of them being so affectionate here, Ji Heyuan felt like a third wheel. She thought, fortunately Grandma was accompanying her.
Just as she was thinking this, Ji Heyuan saw Jiang Jiang also pick up a piece of stewed pig's trotter for Grandma. "Grandma, try this."
Ji Heyuan: …
Ji Heyuan pushed her own bowl forward as well. "I also want—"
Before she could finish her sentence, Ji Xu'an lightly glanced at her.
Ji Heyuan: Fine. Fine. Fine.
She withdrew her hand and resentfully took two large mouthfuls of plain rice with tears in her eyes.
It was fine. She had hands. If she wanted something, she could pick it up herself.
In the end, it was Madam Ji who could not bear it. With affection, she picked up a piece of ribs for her.
Hurry and eat. Don't disturb the young couple flirting.
After finishing the meal, Jiang Jiang and Ji Heyuan still had to return to school. Ji Xu'an also had to go back to the company.
Several of them walked out of the sanatorium. Ji Heyuan looked around but did not see Old Liu.
"Where's the car?" she muttered softly.
Ji Xu'an opened the front passenger door and turned to look at the two of them. "I'll take you."
Ji Heyuan had self-awareness. Seeing this, without waiting for Ji Xu'an to speak again, she climbed into the back seat by herself and quickly fastened her seatbelt.
"Let's go, let's go," she urged.
Jiang Jiang also got into the car. Only after she was seated did Ji Xu'an walk around to the other side.
The vehicle slowly started. Having eaten her fill, Ji Heyuan sprawled in the back seat. She rubbed her stomach and was just about to chat with Jiang Jiang when she saw the partition between the front and back seats slowly rise.
Ji Heyuan: ??!!
Ji Heyuan stared wide-eyed at the scene. Through the last gap, she saw in the rearview mirror that her sister seemed to glance at her. The emotion in that glance was deep and unreadable.
Ji Heyuan was dumbfounded.
This was clearly guarding against her.
So what exactly were the two of them going to whisper about that she was not allowed to hear?!
—
Author's Note:
Little Bird: I'm really going to run away from home!!
—
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