“So… your identity has been exposed?”
The next day, in the small rented house, Jiang Chi’s expression was quite a sight to behold. He had been dragged there by Ji Yunian on an urgent summons right after school, only to listen to her recount the whole story.
On October 7th, he and Ji Yunian had just returned home by bullet train.
On October 8th, Ji Yunian told him her cover was blown.
What exactly had happened during that one day—no, that half-day?
“It’s exposed. My whole family knows.” Ji Yunian lowered her head, awkwardly trying to look at her toes, but her view was blocked by the two full mounds on her chest.
She quietly lifted her head, stealing a glance at the boy before her whose expression was a mix of complicated emotions, and added another sentence: “That includes the relationship between you and me.”
“…” Jiang Chi remained silent.
“So, what do you plan to do from now on?” Ji Yunian asked again.
One had to understand that yesterday, under the coercion of her father and older brother, she had been “voluntarily” forced to confess everything.
When her older brother, Ji Haotong, heard that she and Jiang Chi had shared a bed more than once, he nearly jumped off the sofa. He looked like someone whose prized, tender cabbage had been uprooted by a yellow-haired punk on a motorbike from next door, wearing an expression that suggested he was ready to commit murder.
Her father, Ji Hong, was relatively calmer, but only by comparison. He had given her a complex look, his eyes full of disappointment as if she were a piece of iron that failed to become steel.
In response, the blue-eyed boy remained silent for a moment longer. Finally, he slowly raised his head, his gaze meeting hers calmly. He hesitated as if wanting to say something, but ultimately only said: “Let’s go out for a walk. I have something to tell you.”
After saying that, Jiang Chi turned around to pack his things.
Looking at his back, Ji Yunian found the whole thing inexplicable.
Go for a walk? Something to tell me?
Can’t you say it here?
Does it have to be outside?
Wait, could it be that Jiang Chi thinks their affair is out in the open and is worried that her brother will greet him with his fists? Does he want to make a ‘clean break’ with her?
At that thought, Ji Yunian looked at the boy searching for an umbrella, and her heart felt heavy, a strange sense of distress washing over her.
*****
Swoosh, swoosh!
Wanqing in October was in the transition from late summer to early autumn. The summer heat had just subsided, leaving a trace of dry warmth in the air, but the autumn wind had quietly begun to blow, bringing hints of coolness.
In the sky, a fine drizzle fell like ox hair or embroidery needles, dampening the soil in the flower beds along the banks of the Yangtze River. The air by the riverside carried a moist scent, mingled with the fragrance of green grass and flowers.
Ji Yunian stood under the umbrella with her hands in her pockets, her short hair swaying slightly in the breeze.
Beside her was Jiang Chi, dressed in a crisp white T-shirt and black jeans. He stood tall and straight like a green pine tree, his blue eyes as deep and enchanting as the sea. He steadily held the umbrella over Ji Yunian’s head. Raindrops lightly tapped against the surface of the umbrella, making a faint pattering sound.
The two walked side by side along the bank of the Yangtze River, the bluestone path beneath their feet becoming slightly slippery from the soaking rain. Their pace was neither fast nor slow, maintaining a consistent, tacit rhythm.
However, neither of them spoke, walking in silence.
Jiang Chi didn’t speak because he vaguely sensed that Ji Yunian had something on her mind. He followed her silently, wanting to be a listening ear for her, while also secretly pondering the future for himself and Ji Yunian.
Now that Brother Haotong, Uncle Ji Hong, and Auntie Huang all knew, did that mean the identity problem that had always plagued Ji Yunian was perfectly resolved?
As someone who cared deeply about her pride, she no longer had to worry about the strange looks from her family.
Perhaps he could personally pay a visit to her home.
Holding the umbrella, the blue-eyed boy felt quite pleased with himself at that thought.
Meanwhile, Ji Yunian stole a glance at the expressionless boy beside her. Thinking back to her previous guess, she felt extremely dejected.
Although they hadn’t done much besides rolling around in bed—and even then, they hadn’t gone all the way—Ji Yunian felt like she had somehow lost out.
She had spent a massive amount of time and energy pretending to be “Ji Qingchan” for Jiang Chi’s sake, and later, when her identity was exposed, she had been pinned to the bed and played with by a furious Jiang Chi.
While it was true she had deceived his feelings first, putting the facts aside for a moment, wasn’t Jiang Chi also at fault?
The more she thought about it, the more she felt she had lost out, and the more depressed she became.
He had taken so much advantage of her, and now he wanted a clean break? What a jerk!
On the river’s surface, the mist was thick, and distant ships were barely visible. The wind blew gently, ruffling Ji Yunian’s hair, as if it were also telling the story of those unspeakable worries.
“Brother Ji!”
Suddenly, a shout came from ahead. The two looked up at the sound and saw Su Tian, dressed in casual clothes and also holding an umbrella, appearing before them. Beside him was a young girl clinging to his arm.
The girl had long hair draped over her shoulders and a delicate face. She was an old acquaintance to Ji Yunian—Wan Qing.
Wan Qing smiled and waved at Ji Yunian: “Director Ji, what a coincidence! I didn’t expect you and the School Grass to be out for a stroll by the river too.”
“What a coincidence.”
Ji Yunian waved back in response.
Her gaze involuntarily fell on the girl’s arm wrapped around the boy’s. Su Tian noticed Ji Yunian’s curious look, patted the girl’s shoulder, and took the initiative to introduce her.
“Brother Ji, this is my girlfriend, Wan Qing.”
“I went out to play CSGO with her and her sister over the National Day holiday.”
At this point, the corner of Su Tian’s mouth twitched involuntarily. During the holiday, he had led a five-man assault, only to be wiped out by the two sisters wielding rifles.
Who would have thought that beneath the skin of a frail young girl lived a literal firearms fanatic!
“Congratulations!” Ji Yunian didn’t know what else to say, so she could only use those two words to express her feelings.
When his subordinate found a girlfriend, he, as the boss, was naturally happy.
If it weren’t for Jiang Chi being beside him and the issue of his identity being exposed, he would have normally dragged the guy out to drink and toast to the future.
After a few pleasantries, Ji Yunian quickly retreated with Jiang Chi.
Wan Qing watched Ji Yunian’s hurried departure, tilted her head, and rested her small head on the boy’s shoulder, whispering:
“Boyfriend, the atmosphere between Senior Ji and School Grass Jiang is so strange. Are they always like this?”
Su Tian, who had been standing still since Ji Yunian left, didn’t answer. It wasn’t until their silhouettes completely disappeared that he suddenly spoke: “Wan Qing, my geography isn’t very good. Let me ask you something.”
“Ask away, my dear Vice Director.”
“Is our Wanqing far from Chengdu?”
*****
The fine rain continued to fall, pitter-pattering.
By the riverbank, Ji Yunian didn’t slow down until she had dragged Jiang Chi far away from everyone else. Only then did she let out a sigh of relief.
She lowered her head, intending to look at the river, but unexpectedly caught sight of the large hand she was tightly gripping. She was startled and hurriedly let go.
Jiang Chi, watching Ji Yunian’s mysterious behavior, grew even more confused.
“You…” Just as Jiang Chi was about to speak, Ji Yunian interrupted him. She turned around, her dark eyes staring intently at him, with a faint shimmer of moisture in the depths of her gaze.
“Jiang Chi, how much money do you have?”
Facing this sudden question, Jiang Chi was stunned for a moment. After a brief thought, he reported his financial situation without reservation.
“Two hundred and fifty thousand in liquid cash, stocks in several companies that are about to go public, a small plain dedicated to cultivating tulips, and I’ve also invested in a Braised Chicken and Rice restaurant.”
After finishing his report, Jiang Chi keenly noticed that Ji Yunian’s eyes held a bit more dampness and gloom, but in the next moment, she forcibly suppressed those emotions.
After listening to his report, Ji Yunian took a deep breath to suppress her strangely sour mood. She reached out her hand toward Jiang Chi and said: “Give me fifty percent of all that.”
“You’re smarter than me, so you should know better than I do. Now that my identity is exposed, this ambiguous relationship between us is no good for you, for me, or for the two corporations behind us. So…”
Her gaze remained fixed on the boy in front of her, her voice righteous.
“Let’s have a clean break!”
“Give me a sum of money as compensation, and after that, we go our separate ways. You take the high road, and I’ll take the bridge.”
“I guarantee my brother won’t look for trouble with you, much less put a sack over your head and beat you up in an alley!”
Jiang Chi, after listening to Ji Yunian’s “severing of ties” manifesto, couldn’t help but marvel at how peculiar her thought process was.
A few black lines appeared on his forehead as he spoke helplessly: “So, you’ve been moping around this whole time just because you were thinking about dumping me?”
“Yes!”
Ji Yunian nodded vigorously, looking very serious.
“I’ve thought it over. A clean break is best for this stuck-in-the-middle relationship. Think about it, my whole family knows I’m involved with a man. Where am I supposed to put my pride?”
“Of course, that’s only one part of it. There are other aspects I can’t go into detail about.” Having said that, Ji Yunian crossed her arms and glared at Jiang Chi with an expression that said, “Hurry up and agree so we can split the assets and have our clean break.”
Looking at Ji Yunian like this, Jiang Chi was both annoyed and amused. But then, putting himself in her shoes, he felt she was actually quite pitiful.
He opened his mouth, wanting to properly sort out the relationship between them. For instance, if anyone deserved compensation, it should be him receiving a fee for emotional damages—or better yet, a girlfriend as compensation.
However, when Jiang Chi’s gaze landed on those red lips as delicate as flower petals, he suddenly remembered a line from a certain book: sometimes, actions speak louder than words!
Thus, Jiang Chi made a decision!
He took a step forward and suddenly pulled Ji Yunian into his arms. Ji Yunian’s eyes widened, and before she could react, Jiang Chi lowered his head with an irresistible aura and fiercely bit down on those succulent red lips!
At that moment, time seemed to stand still.
Biting, invading, taking, domineering… a flood of sensations swept through her entire body! Ji Yunian’s brain exploded with a bang, and her whole person went blank!
The man’s kiss was hot and overbearing, filled with aggression like a burning flame, wantonly biting and pillaging her lips.
The intense feeling surged through her body like a tide, making the beautiful woman’s body tremble uncontrollably.
She even forgot to push him away, forgot to struggle… she just stared wide-eyed at this man who had suddenly gone crazy and was forcibly kissing her.
If you think I’m asking for too much, we can talk it out! You don’t have to force a kiss on me!!
That was the only thought in the muddled Ji Yunian’s mind!
After an unknown amount of time, the passionate kiss finally ended. Then, the beautiful woman with blurry eyes and flushed cheeks seemed to still be immersed in that intense sensation.
“Don’t you want compensation?”
In her daze, the man dominantly pinched her small chin. His usually gentle blue eyes were now filled with a hint of dominance and sharpness. When Ji Yunian met those eyes, she felt her heart thumping violently. Before she could regain her senses, he spoke again.
“Fine! My cash flow, my stocks, my garden, my Braised Chicken and Rice—I can give them all to you!”
After the man made his dominant announcement, he pulled her tightly into his embrace. Ji Yunian’s body felt weak as if all energy had been drained from her, leaving her to be held by him as he whispered softly in her ear.
“But, Ji Yunian, I want you to be my girlfriend!”
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