Wednesday, eight in the morning—it was time for Chen Shitai’s Chinese class again.
Since entering the third year of high school, the reading comprehension assignments in Chinese had noticeably increased. Even a question like “Why are the curtains in the author’s house blue?” could be enough to fill an entire lesson.
【Ugh~ So tired~】
【Not an ounce of energy】
【Even out of water】
At this moment, Ji Yuenián lay exhausted and spiritless on her desk, barely able to keep her eyes open.
When Jiang Chi took her home last night, it was nearly midnight. Jiang Chi had originally suggested they just wash up and sleep, saving the fun for next Saturday. But Ji Yuenián couldn’t stand the loneliness and, driven by desire, forced Jiang Chi down.
So, the two of them kept going until four in the morning, trying out all sorts of things like wild dog, toy egg, and water bag play. Ji Yuenián was so happy that she even passed out.
“Why are you so energetic?” Ji Yuenián, groggy and bleary-eyed, turned to the blue-eyed boy beside her who, though not exactly brimming with energy, at least looked completely unfazed.
“Efficient sleep.” Jiang Chi closed his Chinese notebook and gave a brief explanation. “Sleep has three layers: light, middle, and deep. In deep sleep, you can recover the most energy in the shortest time. Think of it as a secret agent’s trick from a movie.”
“Our campus hunk really is full of skills.”
“It’s for trading stocks. Sometimes I need to stay up late to buy at the bottom. Ninety percent of my net worth was built up this way.”
“You’re something else.” Faced with this silent humblebrag, the short-haired, cool big sister rolled her eyes but couldn’t fight her drowsiness. She opened her Chinese textbook, laid it across most of her body, slumped on her desk, and yawned.
“I want to nap for a bit. Watch out for Shitai for me.”
“Chi-bao, don’t let me down.”
Her gentle voice grew smaller and smaller, finally fading to nothing like a mosquito’s hum as she drifted into deep sleep.
Jiang Chi glanced at the now silent girl beside him, and, out of habit, reached out for a thin blanket to cover her, just like he had countless times before.
But his arm froze halfway, and he awkwardly pulled it back, suddenly remembering this was a classroom, not home.
Looking at the sleeping girl, especially those flushed cheeks, Jiang Chi found himself thinking for the umpteenth time, “Ji Yuenián is so cute.”
*****
Meanwhile, in another part of the city, inside a nail salon, after saying goodbye to her best friend post-manicure, Chen Mengrou watched as Huang Qingchuan walked away with her little bag and couldn’t help but fall into deep thought.
Was it Musiwei who tricked her, or was her own best friend just too good at acting?
She had dropped hints, both obvious and subtle, many times, but every time Huang Qingchuan just looked at her with that clueless, adorable face, like an innocent college student. It made Chen Mengrou start to doubt the authenticity of that paternity test report.
After all, in this information age, paternity tests could easily be forged.
Just look at all those internet celebrities—many didn’t even get a paternity test, yet they could split a tycoon’s inheritance with just a child in hand.
Maybe… she should secretly get another paternity test done for Chanchan and Little Huanghuang?
The thought had just emerged, but it lingered in her mind, refusing to fade, taking root and growing stronger.
With this on her mind, Chen Mengrou decided to act immediately. She took out her phone to contact a hospital in another province. The fewer people who knew about a paternity test, the more secretive it was, and the lower the chance of “accidents” like tampered results or destroyed samples.
Otherwise, just like Musiwei’s paternity test agency—almost every couple of weeks, they got trashed, and their yearly revenue relied entirely on insurance claims.
*****
Have you ever counted a girl’s eyelashes?
Jiang Chi never had, not before. He had a cleanliness obsession, he had issues, and he never had a girl he was close with.
But now, Jiang Chi did. He… was counting.
He didn’t even know what had come over him. At first, he was just looking at Ji Yuenián’s chubby cheeks rising and falling with each breath, but gradually, his gaze was drawn to her fine eyelashes and he couldn’t look away.
Her eyelashes were beautiful.
Long lashes, as light as butterfly wings, lay gently across her eyelids. Slightly curled, like two tiny brushes. Below her tall nose, her rosy lips looked as if painted with lipstick, sweetly inviting.
And as he counted her eyelashes, a gentle warmth welled up inside him—a kind of calm and sincere warmth, free from any desire. Jiang Chi called this feeling—appreciation.
Ji Yuenián had put on makeup today—not as a girl, but as a boy. Yet, in Jiang Chi’s eyes, there was no difference at all—her lashes were still long and curled, her eyes deep-set, her cheeks round and soft, her lips red and teeth white, her little mouth slightly open. With each breath, her chest, bound with cloth strips, rose and fell—she looked just like a little kitten.
The bell signaling the end of class rang, lunchtime had arrived, and students poured from the teaching building to the cafeteria like zombies set free. Only after the crowds from her class had trickled out in groups did Ji Yuenián slowly wake up.
She rubbed her blurry eyes, stretched in satisfaction, her drowsiness fading and giving way to a clear-headed contentment after a good sleep.
“Jiang Chi, what time is it?”
Jiang Chi, busy replying to messages on his phone, noticed she was awake and replied, “Five past twelve.”
“Oh right, Ji Yuenián, come to my house tomorrow morning.”
“My mom wants to meet you—no, she wants to meet Ji Qingchan.”
“Huh?” Ji Yuenián blinked in confusion. Jiang Chi was about to explain, but the big sister’s stomach suddenly growled with a loud “gurgle.”
A flush of red crept up her ears. Ji Yuenián coughed, then slung her arm around Jiang Chi’s neck and waved her little hand, “Come on, let’s go eat first and talk over lunch.”
“Don’t worry, it’s just a meeting.”
“A gentleman’s agreement, as good as a signed contract!”
But the two of them, arms slung over each other’s shoulders as they left the classroom, didn’t notice that in a more secluded corner a few rows behind them, a well-built male student was watching them leave with a strange look on his face.
*****
“Chi-bao, should I wear this dress to meet Chenjian, or should I wear this dress to meet Chenjian?”
Inside the rented apartment’s dressing room, Ji Yuenián—her looks pure, face made up as “Ji Qingchan”—once again threw a “pick one” question at a certain shameless man.
According to their gentleman’s agreement, until Jiang Chi broke up with “Ji Qingchan,” Ji Yuenián was obligated to keep playing the role of “Ji Qingchan” and act out their couple routine.
This agreement seemed unfair—actually, it really was unfair—but who told a certain “macho man,” constantly switching between big sister and cute girl, to feel so guilty?
“No matter which you wear, you’ll look great.” Having learned his lesson last time, Jiang Chi was careful with his answer this time.
Ji Yuenián was dissatisfied, “Tch~ That’s just empty talk with no substance.”
“If you keep talking like that, you’ll never find a girlfriend in the future. Let me teach you—The standard answer is, ‘As long as it’s you, any outfit looks good.’”
“Learn from this. Unless you only plan to find a ** wife, emotional interaction is essential in relationships.”
Jiang Chi nodded, thought for a moment, then said, “Qingchan, Qingchan, as long as it’s you, any outfit looks good.”
Ji Yuenián was stunned for a moment, then her face turned red, a shy blush creeping up her fair neck. She shouted at the man, “Get lost!”
“I’m teaching you how to pick up girls, not how to flirt with me!”
“And you’re flirting with me in this form—don’t you know this is my image of the perfect girlfriend, you bullhead!!”
“If you flirt with me again, I’ll knock all your big teeth out!” Saying this, the girl waved her “terrifyingly powerful” little fists at the man, baring her teeth and putting on a fierce front.