Jiang Mian closed her eyes and then opened them again, the bitterness of her inner grievances finding an outlet.
With two parts pretense and eight parts truth, Jiang Mian began to cry, "You just leave whenever you want, abandoning me. Not saying a word, what do you take me for, Ji Zhixiu?"
"I'm sorry, it was my fault." Ji Zhixiu quickly admitted.
"I don't object to you going to take care of her, yet you hid it from me. Am I that kind of petty person? I understand, I'm an outsider."
"No, you're family," Ji Zhixiu immediately denied.
The more she spoke, the sadder she became, and Jiang Mian sobbed, "To you, I'm like whipped cream, easily dismissed."
Her tears fell endlessly, splashing onto Ji Zhixiu's heart, hot and burning.
Ji Zhixiu knew that if he continued talking to her, it would never end, so he cupped her small face and gently kissed away her tears.
Jiang Mian froze, her small hands unconsciously clenching his clothes, her eyelashes trembling slightly, "Ji Zhixiu."
"I'm here."
"Don't kiss me."
"Then don't cry."
Jiang Mian immediately stopped crying, pushed him away, and said with a slight nasal voice, "I'm still angry."
When Ji Zhixiu backed down, Jiang Mian wanted to push her advantage.
But she was genuinely unhappy. Shen Tingyu's words had been like a thorn lodged in her heart, impossible to dislodge. Anyone could see it was intentional, said to provoke her.
She had been holding it in for days, and it was also partly due to failing her audition. Today, she vented it all at once.
Ji Zhixiu held her palm and squeezed, "Actually, you don't need to care about Shen Tingyu."
He had never liked Shen Tingyu, and that relationship that ended without a trace was an impulsive mistake.
Of course, Jiang Mian didn't care about Shen Tingyu. All along, she only cared about Ji Zhixiu's attitude towards her.
However, it was undeniable that the return of the white moonlight had brought a sense of unease to Jiang Mian.
Jiang Mian's lips parted slightly, wanting to say, "Ji Zhixiu, can you like me..."
But she thought better of it and couldn't say it.
Things were good as they were. Given Ji Zhixiu's character, he wouldn't have lingering feelings for Shen Tingyu. Moreover, her goal was to make Ji Zhixiu like her willingly, not to push Ji Zhixiu towards another woman.
Jiang Mian knew when to stop. She buried her face in his embrace, "Axiu..."
"I've booked a flight to Ireland for tomorrow," Ji Zhixiu said calmly.
It was a week before Chinese New Year. While handling business in A City, he deliberately avoided thinking about Jiang Mian. But after finishing everything, seeing the strong festive atmosphere of the New Year in the city, he decided to rush back overnight.
Jiang Mian immediately looked up, "Then I'll pack some things."
The next day, they boarded a private jet to Ireland, arriving at three in the afternoon.
Outside the airport, the people Ji Zhixiu had arranged were already waiting.
Seeing Ji Zhixiu, Xiang Long still had his stern face and greeted them, "Mr. Ji, Madam."
He was the one Ji Zhixiu had arranged to come ahead of time.
Behind him was a middle-aged man in simple attire, tall and sturdy, with deep-set eyes and a kindly demeanor. Upon seeing Ji Zhixiu, he immediately stepped forward and bowed ninety degrees, speaking in not-so-standard Chinese, "Welcome back, Mr. Ji. The car has been arranged. This way, please."
This was the butler of Ji Zhixiu's manor in Ireland.
Jiang Mian linked her arm through Ji Zhixiu's and got into the car.
Jiang Mian had been to Ireland once before, several years ago, for a commercial shoot. She had stayed for two days and left without doing anything else.
Leaning on Ji Zhixiu's shoulder, Jiang Mian watched the scenery on both sides of the road whiz by, her mind elsewhere. Her voice was muffled, "Axiu, my head hurts."
Jiang Mian didn't usually get carsick or airsick. Ji Zhixiu furrowed his brow, stopped looking at the documents on his laptop, and turned to place his palm on her forehead, "No fever, just a headache?"
Actually, it had started hurting a bit last night, but she thought she would be fine after sleeping. However, it had continued to hurt until now. It wasn't excruciating, and Jiang Mian could endure it, but she didn't want to hold back in front of Ji Zhixiu.
Closing her eyes, she hummed, "Mmm, just a headache."
The butler, named Steven, was of mixed heritage and had grown up in Ireland. His Chinese was passable, but he could understand. Through the rearview mirror, Steven asked with concern in English, "Do you need to find a phar-"
He had been having Fan Cheng investigate Jiang Mian's affairs. He only knew that Jiang Mian had grown up with her grandmother, but he couldn't understand why the once lively and adorable little girl had forgotten him...
Gently opening the door, Ji Zhixiu sat on the edge of the bed. Jiang Mian wasn't asleep. Seeing him when she opened her eyes, she nuzzled his head against Ji Zhixiu's arm, her voice weak, "What did the doctor say?"
"He said you've been overworked and emotionally agitated lately, which caused a migraine. A little medicine will help." Ji Zhixiu looked down at her appearance, reminded of how their little kitten would act when being pampered.
Jiang Mian hummed, "It's still because you angered me."
Although she had taken medicine, it wasn't taking effect quickly. Jiang Mian closed her eyes and talked to Ji Zhixiu to distract herself.
Ji Zhixiu understood too, his eyes filled with a gentleness she had never seen before. It was a pity Jiang Mian didn't notice.
"It was my fault, it won't happen next time."
"I don't believe you. Why does my head hurt so much..."
Ji Zhixiu's fingertips massaged her temples, "Let me rub it for you."
"A little harder... Rub here too."
"Read me a book," Jiang Mian continued to make requests.
"What should I read?" The books here might not be to Jiang Mian's liking, so Ji Zhixiu took out his phone, intending to search for an e-book online.
Jiang Mian tilted her chin up, "The Runaway Sweetheart of the CEO, author Xia Xiao X."
Ji Zhixiu's hand froze, his eyes flickered, and he even suspected he had misheard, "What book?"
Jiang Mian suppressed a smile, her voice soft and tinged with disappointment, "Can't I? Then forget it, I won't listen anymore, my head hurts so much..."
"Yes, you can," Ji Zhixiu sighed almost imperceptibly, "Which chapter?"
"Chapter six hundred and forty-nine."
"'Xia Guo pushed open the door and saw Lu Nan embracing Xia Yu in the office, kissing passionately. Xia Guo's blood boiled, and she immediately pounced on them, shouting, 'You pair of bitches!'" Ji Zhixiu's voice was pleasant, clear and precise, even incorporating the emotions of the characters.
Jiang Mian was very satisfied, feeling that her headache had lessened.
Ten minutes later, Ji Zhixiu glanced over and saw that the young lady had fallen asleep.
He breathed a sigh of relief and put down his phone. He found it hard to believe such melodramatic plot points from CEO romance novels. At least, in his many years as a CEO, he had never heard anyone exclaim "Shit! Woman, you're playing with fire!" so readily. He could hardly imagine Jiang Mian enjoying listening to such things.
His impression was that it was fake and ostentatious.
Jiang Mian rested for two days, and her headache was gone the next day. However, Ji Zhixiu still made her stay in bed for another day.
It wasn't until the third day that Ji Zhixiu took her to tour the manor. The manor was located by the river in the center of the small town, offering a beautiful view of the lighthouse at night.
Jiang Mian loved it. At night, she pestered Ji Zhixiu, and he accompanied her on a cruise, enjoying a romantic candlelit dinner.
When Ji Zhixiu wasn't looking, Jiang Mian quietly took a few unidentifiable photos and posted them on Weibo.
On the last day before the Lunar New Year, Jiang Mian finally became busy. Half of the servants in the manor were Chinese, so everyone took the Spring Festival very seriously.
Ji Zhixiu personally wrote couplets. Even in Ireland, they couldn't forget Shengshi Huating and the separate residences.
As he wrote, his brushstrokes were vigorous and powerful. He rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, revealing a pair of fair, slender hands. He wore gold-rimmed glasses on his nose. Standing by the table, his posture was like a pine and bamboo, elegant and upright. At this moment, he didn't look like a CEO, but more like an old scholar.
Jiang Mian's eyes flashed with adoration. She obediently ground ink for him.
After finishing, Ji Zhixiu arranged for them to be sent back to China to be posted.
For the New Year's Eve dinner, Jiang Mian volunteered to cook herself. She wanted to eat dumplings, and Ji Zhixiu naturally wouldn't object.
The servants arranged the ingredients and then retreated.
Jiang Mian was full of energy. She tied her hair into a high ponytail and tilted her chin at Ji Zhixiu, "Husband, come tie an apron for me."