Jiang Family, Bedroom.
Jiang Chi stared at the sentence on her phone screen, her brows furrowing slightly as she fell into thought: “Next time for sure.”
Was she rejecting him?
Had he done something wrong again?
No! It was that he lacked confidence. Such an important matter definitely required face-to-face discussion or at least a video call.
Qingchan wasn’t refusing; she was subtly hinting at him with the unique reserve of a woman.
Thinking this, a hint of joy appeared in the boy’s deep blue eyes, his heart racing as if he saw a glimmer of hope.
He dialed a video call, which was answered within two seconds.
“Jiang Chi, what’s up?”
The familiar face of Ji Qingchan appeared on the screen—fair, delicate skin; perfectly exquisite features combined into a pleasing visage; especially those black, shining eyes, sparkling like water-soaked black gemstones.
Jiang Chi originally wanted to discuss the weekend family gathering, but when he noticed the obvious redness and finger marks on the right side of the girl’s cheek, his brows immediately knitted together tightly.
“What happened to your face?”
“N-nothing.” Ji Qingchan quickly shook her head, nearly dropping her phone in panic.
After steadying herself, she refocused the camera on her face and gave a sweet smile.
“It’s nothing serious. Don’t worry.”
Jiang Chi was silent for a moment, then asked, “Where are you?”
“At home.”
“Okay, wait for me at home.”
After saying this, the video call ended, leaving Ji Yue Nian in a daze.
“What the hell is this guy up to?” Ji Yue Nian scratched his head. After being slapped by Su Tian’s irritable mother, he knew he was in the wrong and didn’t resist or argue.
Moreover, with the bright red slap mark on his face, it would be humiliating if anyone at school saw it. After leaving the hospital, he took a taxi back to Ji Qingchan’s rented apartment.
Ji Yue Nian didn’t pay attention to Jiang Chi’s odd behavior and soon forgot about it altogether.
About fifteen minutes later, a loud knocking sounded at the apartment door: “Bang! Bang! Bang!”
Ji Yue Nian went to open it, only to see Jiang Chi standing outside in a white shirt, holding something.
“You…” Ji Yue Nian was about to ask why he was here, but before he could say a word, Jiang Chi grabbed the girl’s hand and without another word, pulled her into the bedroom.
As soon as the door closed, Ji Yue Nian instinctively shifted on the bed, covering herself with a thin quilt. After all, Jiang Chi’s last freaky move had left an indelible scar on her young heart.
Seeing the girl’s cautious expression, Jiang Chi could easily guess what she was thinking. He patted the medical kit in his hand, showing a look of helplessness.
“I’m not going to do those things to you this time. Come down, I’ll put some medicine on it.”
Saying that, Jiang Chi opened the medical kit, took out some medical tools, then pulled out cotton swabs and ointment.
Ji Yue Nian hesitated for a moment but didn’t refuse. She obediently sat on the bed, letting the boy gently and tenderly apply the medicine.
The dark green ointment, resembling mustard in color, felt cool on her cheek and was quite pleasant. Ji Yue Nian couldn’t help but squint her eyes and hum softly in contentment.
“Who did this?” came a dark and displeased voice by her ear.
Ji Yue Nian remained silent.
Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her arm. A large hand gripped her tightly as if punishing her. The girl frowned and looked up—Jiang Chi’s handsome, pale side profile was sharp as if carved by a blade.
His narrow, beautiful blue eyes were slightly squinted, and his thin lips pressed into a cold, straight line, looking extremely stern.
His tone was displeased as he looked down into Ji Yue Nian’s clear, bright eyes and asked again, this time more seriously, “Who did this?”
Ji Yue Nian’s heart raced as he stared at her. She blinked and avoided his gaze, turning her head and feigning indifference:
“It’s nothing major, just a conflict with a coworker at work.”
“Don’t think too much about it. We’re still colleagues; it’d be awkward if things got tense…”
“Quit the job.”
“Huh?” The girl looked surprised.
“I said quit the job. I’ll support you from now on.” Jiang Chi looked at Ji Qingchan seriously and sincerely repeated his decision.
“Rent, living expenses, tuition fees—I’ll cover all of these. You just need to study hard and do what you want.”
Ji Yue Nian’s mouth twitched.
What kind of sponsorship declaration was this?
“I refuse.” The girl rejected without hesitation. “I don’t want to be a freeloader. Wealth only has value when earned by one’s own hands.”
“Being kept by a man—what about my pride?” Ji Yue Nian thought bitterly in her heart; that was her true feeling.
Jiang Chi was silent for a moment. In his deep blue eyes flashed a mix of helplessness and admiration.
Helpless because Ji Qingchan rejected his help, refused his plea to tie their lives together.
Admiration because she was exactly the girl he liked—strong, independent, loving money but with principles.
That was Ji Qingchan. He understood her a little better now.
Thinking this, Jiang Chi couldn’t help but cup the girl’s face and plant a light kiss on her lips, like a dragonfly touching the water.
“You!”
Startled by the sudden attack, Ji Yue Nian’s eyes widened, her small hands instinctively covering her mouth like a frightened fawn.
Seeing such a cute scene, Jiang Chi swallowed his saliva, heart beating faster, and couldn’t help but reach out to stroke her soft hair, his voice much gentler.
“If you want to support yourself, I’ll help you find a job nearby. The pay’s decent. It’s that maid café near the school…”
“You want me to be a maid?” The girl looked at him in shock, her face still flushed with embarrassment and annoyance.
He’d seen boyfriends pulling strings to help their girlfriends get in, but sending his own girlfriend to work as a maid? Jiang Chi must be crazy.
Ji Yue Nian had been to the maid café plenty of times. It was always packed because the maids were all pretty and… well, the perks! Every one of them was a ‘perk girl’!
Otherwise, how could the business be so good?
Did people really think some guy was spending hundreds just to eat cake and drink coffee?
“My family’s in the food business. My dad’s on the school board. This café is owned by us.”
Jiang Chi smiled and leaned against the bed, amused as he watched the girl’s expression change.
“We urgently need a ‘boss lady’ to sit there every day counting money.”
Wow, really pulling strings here.
Calling it a job but really a perk. Jiang Chi’s social skills still needed work—favor exchanges should be subtle, natural, with a veneer of legitimacy and no hint of impropriety.
If it were me, I’d let you be a maid, but a private ~maid.
“No, I actually like my current job.” Ji Yue Nian brushed her hair behind her ear, noticing Jiang Chi’s embarrassed expression and deliberately changed the subject.
“Senior Jiang, I thought about it. I’m free this weekend. I’ll accompany you and your uncle and aunties for dinner then.”