Ji Zhi Xiu didn't understand what she was talking about.
"When did I ever say I liked Shen Ting Yu?" His eyes were unreadable, revealing neither joy nor anger.
Jiang Mian's lips twitched. As if making a desperate gamble, she asked, "Isn't it true?"
"As everyone knows, Shen Ting Yu was the only ex-girlfriend you ever acknowledged."
If dating for a month counted, then Ji Zhi Xiu had nothing to refute. He nodded, "Yes."
"Lu Cong said you took good care of her, that you were always the first to stand up for her."
Ji Zhi Xiu frowned, a barely perceptible gesture. "It's not wrong to say that."
Jiang Mian scoffed, her heart filled with disappointment, a large chunk of it feeling hollow. "See? What else do you have to argue against?"
Ji Zhi Xiu remained composed, a hint of a smile in his eyes. "Indeed, I have nothing to argue against."
Jiang Mian lowered her gaze, her voice tinged with loss. "Since that's the case, then..."
Before she could finish, her face was lifted, and Ji Zhi Xiu's handsome features loomed large. His cool, thin lips gradually drew closer. She was caught off guard. Taking advantage of her stunned silence, Ji Zhi Xiu parted her lips and tasted the sweetness within.
This sudden, almost forceful kiss instinctively drew Jiang Mian into a playful chase. Sensing her arousal, Ji Zhi Xiu's brow furrowed, and his mood brightened.
Only when he had drained the last breath from her chest did Ji Zhi Xiu release her. His voice was husky as he murmured, "Mian Mian, don't listen to Lu Cong's nonsense."
His voice was extremely gentle, meant to soothe. Jiang Mian's eyes welled up. "That's how it is."
"It is, but I never said I liked her," Ji Zhi Xiu said, sounding uncharacteristically helpless.
The young woman's eyebrows drooped, looking pitiful, as if she had been bullied. Hearing his words, a spark ignited in her eyes. "You don't like her?"
Jiang Mian almost laughed aloud. So, all this time, she had been mistaken?
"Never liked her," he stated plainly, his voice calm.
Their past relationship had been merely an accident.
He wrapped an arm around Jiang Mian's slender waist and said slowly, "The reason I took care of her was because I promised Mu Yuan that I would look after his sister within my capabilities."
Jiang Mian looked up, her eyes sparkling. "So I'm not her substitute."
Ji Zhi Xiu paused, then denied, "Of course not."
She was she, uniquely herself.
She subtly tried to gauge his reaction. "Last time she saw me, she said you married me because of her. I know I'm not good enough, that I'm climbing too high by being with you..."
Her voice faded as Ji Zhi Xiu's gaze intensified. He affectionately pinched her nose. "Don't say things like that. I don't like hearing it."
Jiang Mian's chest swelled with joy, and she threw herself into his embrace. "A Xiu."
"Mm?"
"Then who do you like?" she asked with a sly smile, her eyes as bright and agile as a little fox.
Ji Zhi Xiu chuckled softly, his thumb caressing her lips. "I thought you knew."
The words were so ambiguous, it was hard for Jiang Mian not to overthink. She tried to control her rapidly beating heart. "I don't know. Tell me."
As they were speaking, Ji Zhi Xiu's phone rang, startling them both.
Jiang Mian licked her lips. "Why don't you answer it?"
Ji Zhi Xiu picked up his phone. "Okay, I got it."
Jiang Mian looked at him questioningly.
Ji Zhi Xiu frowned. "Lu Cong says Zhi Lan is drinking in Seattle and wants me to go over."
"Should I go with you?" she asked.
Ji Zhi Xiu ruffled her hair. "Be good and wait for me at home."
Jiang Mian nodded. "Okay."
...
Lu Cong was pulling his hair out. He had no idea what was wrong with Ji Zhi Lan, who immediately asked the bartender for drinks as soon as she arrived.
He snatched a bottle from her, pleading, "Ji Zhi Lan, you're a mother now. Can't you have some responsibility? Can you drink while pregnant? Do you even want this child?"
Ji Zhi Lan chuckled. "I want a drink. Bring it here."
Lu Cong sat opposite her. With a single look, the server understood and removed all the alcohol from the table.
He poured her a glass of orange juice and offered it to her. "Tell me, what happened?"
Ji Zhi Lan shook her head. "Nothing. I just want to drink."
He knew Ji Zhi Lan was always proud. If she refused to talk, it was likely something unpleasant related to Jiang Cheng.
Lu Cong didn't press. "If you don't want to say, fine. But don't drink. You're pregnant. If you want this child dead, don't treat him like this. Get an abortion now."
Ji Zhi Lan blinked and sat up straight. "Brother Lu Cong..."
Her eyes welled up. "I didn't mean to. I'm just feeling upset."
Lu Cong nodded. "If you want to talk, I'll listen. If not, that's fine. Don't make things difficult for yourself."
Just then, Ji Zhi Xiu walked up behind him.
Ji Zhi Lan's expression stiffened, and she whispered, "Brother."
Ji Zhi Xiu's expression was indifferent. He glanced at her and sat down beside Lu Cong with his long strides.
"Ji Zhi Lan, you're in your twenties, not a minor. Have you considered the consequences of your actions?" His eyes, deep as a calm lake, fixed on Ji Zhi Lan, tinged with a hint of anger.
Ji Zhi Lan was speechless and finally said, "I'm sorry, Brother."
Ji Zhi Xiu leaned back, rubbing his temples with his fingers. "What exactly happened? My patience is limited, so you'd better tell me honestly."
Ji Zhi Lan was silent for a moment, then said with difficulty, "Jiang Cheng... he might be bisexual."
"I went to pick up Jiang Cheng from work the other day and saw him being very close with his boss, a middle-aged man in his forties."
Lu Cong was taken aback, then guessed, "Could he have been sexually harassed by his boss?"
Ji Zhi Xiu took out his phone. "If you want to know, call him right now and ask him to come over."
Ji Zhi Lan shook her head. "No, Brother... please don't do that."
Ji Zhi Xiu ignored her and called Jiang Cheng, ordering him to come over immediately.
His wife was heavily pregnant and alone outside; he should be watching her.
Jiang Cheng arrived quickly after Ji Zhi Xiu's call, looking somewhat shocked to see Ji Zhi Lan.
"Zhi Lan, why are you alone at a bar? Mom doesn't know where you are and is worried sick."
Ji Zhi Lan's eyes were red. "This afternoon I went to pick you up from work and saw Manager Li from your company..."
Jiang Cheng's face changed. He didn't know what she had seen, but he knew it wouldn't be anything good. He licked his dry lips. "Let me explain."
Ji Zhi Xiu didn't even spare him a glance.
Lu Cong clicked his tongue. "Go on. We're listening."
Jiang Cheng looked at the two men beside him, appearing somewhat troubled. "Zhi Lan, can we talk about this at home? There are too many people here."
"No, talk here," she said firmly.
Jiang Cheng suppressed his annoyance and sat down, looking wronged. "Our boss is gay. I mentioned to you a while ago that I was getting a promotion, right? I thought I had earned recognition, but it turns out he wanted to exploit me. Could I agree to that? Forget about me having you in my heart, even if I weren't married, I couldn't agree."
Ji Zhi Lan nodded. "You did mention it before, but when I saw him touching you, you didn't seem to react much..."
Jiang Cheng felt even more wronged. "Well, if a grown man is suddenly touched, I'm bound to be stunned. I didn't react immediately."
The explanation was plausible. Just as Lu Cong was about to say something, Ji Zhi Lan suddenly leaned into Jiang Cheng's embrace. "I'm sorry, husband. I misunderstood you."
Jiang Cheng cautiously glanced at Ji Zhi Xiu's expression. "It's okay, it's okay. It's just that my brother-in-law had to worry about us married couples. Don't bother him with this kind of thing next time."
Ji Zhi Xiu let out a scoff, his gaze cool, making Jiang Cheng shiver. He avoided his gaze and carefully helped Ji Zhi Lan up. "Shall we go home?"
Ji Zhi Lan stood up. "Brother, Brother Lu Cong, since the matter is resolved, we'll be leaving now."
"Go, go. Be careful," Lu Cong said.
Ji Zhi Xiu grunted lazily.
After they left, Lu Cong asked him, "What do you think of this? Do you believe it?"
Ji Zhi Xiu smiled. "Anyone who believes it is a fool."
If he was capable of domestic violence, infidelity and bisexuality weren't surprising.
Lu Cong's eyes widened. "Then you're not telling Zhi Lan?"
"Even if I did, she wouldn't listen." His sister, for all her faults, wasn't very bright.
...
As soon as they returned home, Jiang Cheng's expression changed. Jiang's mother, being older, had already fallen asleep.
Seeing his demeanor, Ji Zhi Lan also got angry. She threw her things down. "Jiang Cheng, why the long face?"
Jiang Cheng immediately glared at her. "Keep your voice down. My mother is asleep."
"Just now, in front of your brother and his friend, did you think it was appropriate to grill me like that? Can't we, as a couple, solve our own problems behind closed doors? Why did you have to bring outsiders into it?"
Ji Zhi Lan felt uncomfortable hearing this. "He's my brother, who do you mean by outsiders? Lu Cong grew up with me too."
Jiang Cheng took off his jacket and walked into the room. "Can you stop running to your brother for everything?"
When Ji Zhi Xiu called him, he was scared to death. This man wasn't as easily fooled as his sister.
Ji Zhi Lan felt wronged. "I didn't run to my brother."
It was Lu Cong, the gossip, who called her brother. Ji Zhi Lan couldn't help but resent him.
Hearing her say this, Jiang Cheng quickly put his arm around her shoulder. "Wife, next time you have a problem, just come to me directly. I, your husband, am your biggest support."
Ji Zhi Lan pouted. "In any case, you can't keep this job."
Jiang Cheng's heart ached. He gritted his teeth. "If I quit, will you support me?"
She snorted. "You wish. Quit this job and find a new one quickly. Otherwise, when the baby is born, will you expect me to manage alone?"
"How dare I, wife. How about I look for a job after you give birth? I can also take care of you."
Ji Zhi Lan glared. "No, I've hired a helper. Besides, I don't like this job of yours. It's just this meager salary every month. It's good that you're quitting."
Jiang Cheng started calculating. "How about you talk to your brother? Arrange a sinecure for me in your family company. I'll get a salary and can take care of you. Two birds with one stone."
Ji Zhi Lan spoke truthfully. "The minimum requirement for employees at our Ji Corporation is a 211985 graduate. It's difficult for a regular undergraduate like you to get in."
"You, a pampered young lady, can't even manage something like this?"
Ji Zhi Lan couldn't arrange anything for him. She never interfered in company matters. She had enough from the shareholder dividends each year; it was effortless and didn't require thinking.
She shook her head. "When it comes to company matters, my brother always has the final say."