With a sharp thrust of the needle into the doll's chest, Cheng Yongxin, panting heavily, dropped the doll and collapsed onto the bed, utterly disheveled.
The rag doll bearing the name "Jiang Haozhe" suffered torture far exceeding the ten most brutal tortures of the Qing Dynasty. Under the torment of thousands of silver needles, it was already riddled with holes and a pitiful sight.
It's not that she's cruel or perverted, but these little tricks are simply not enough to quell her anger!
She absolutely hated him!
It's all Jiang Haozhe's fault, that shameless pig! If he hadn't had to say those nonsense in front of all the student council members from both schools, would she be in such a miserable and destitute situation now?
First of all, her image was completely ruined. She had actually destroyed her elegant image, which she had always been proud of, because of that guy! And in front of all the student council members!
She still clearly remembers the astonished and incredulous looks everyone gave her, as if they simply couldn't believe that the furious girl was the same person as their usually gentle and kind student council president. By the time she realized she needed to maintain her image, it was too late. The news that Cheng Yongxin, the student council president of Youluo Girls' High School, was actually a fiery woman spread like wildfire, causing her to completely lose face in front of the student council members of both schools.
That would have been one thing, since everyone could tacitly accept that her words and actions, which seemed out of character, were due to emotional distress. But—
Rumors were circulating at school that she and that certain someone were a couple, and that certain someone was none other than Jiang Haozhe, whom she hated with a vengeance but dared not offend now! She didn't care who she spread rumors with, but it had to be with that guy—ugh…it disgusted her! And with the enthusiastic and gossipy descriptions of many student council members, the rumor spread at lightning speed, becoming increasingly distorted—eventually evolving into the claim that she and that Jiang guy were betrothed since childhood—yes! She really wanted to marry into the Jiang family! But, but—she didn't want to marry that guy! That guy was worlds apart from her perfect Jiang brother—they were on completely different levels!
The more I think about it, the angrier and more depressed I get!
Pick up the discarded rag doll, prick it a few times, and use it as a way to vent your frustration!
Knock knock!
Two polite knocks sounded at the door.
"Who is it?!" Cheng Yongxin replied in a bad mood, especially since she was already in a terrible mood! Anyone who came now would be blasted into cannon fodder on the spot, leaving no trace.
"Miss, the eldest son of the Jiang family is here. Madam asked me to come downstairs. Do you want to come downstairs?" The nanny, Xiao Hui, said anxiously outside the door. Judging from her voice, it seemed that the young lady was angry again. She was so unlucky to become cannon fodder who ran into the line of fire. She deserved to die.
"What?" Cheng Yongxin immediately rolled over and jumped out of bed. Her bad mood from just now vanished instantly and was long forgotten.
"Okay! Got it! I'll be right down!"
She hurriedly opened the wardrobe and rummaged through the drawers to find the most satisfactory clothes—she wanted to appear in front of Brother Jiang in the most perfect image in the shortest amount of time!
This skirt is too short; it would look inappropriate... PASS!
Hmm, this shirt looks too mature...it makes me look too old-fashioned, not good!
This one looks too bright...
After fussing for a long time, Cheng Yongxin finally found a light blue chiffon dress to change into, combed her hair neatly, and examined herself in the mirror for a while before finally smiling with satisfaction. Then she opened the door and rushed downstairs.
Hearing the clear laughter coming from the living room, she quickly slowed her pace, took several deep breaths, then put on a faint smile and walked forward slowly—
"Brother Jiang!"
The man sitting on the sofa chatting with Cheng's father turned around at the sound. His eyebrows and brows were somewhat similar to Jiang Haozhe's, but he was more refined and handsome because of the mature man's demeanor. His slightly long bangs were casually parted and scattered on his forehead, with a few strands occasionally slipping down between his eyebrows, making him even more handsome. He smiled and greeted him softly, "Yongxin."
Brother Jiang is perfect no matter when you look at him, even his voice is as beautiful as heavenly music—Cheng Yongxin gazed at the face she admired most, completely mesmerized.
"Come sit down, Yongxin, why are you just standing?" Jiang Chenjun smiled at her and pointed to the sofa next to him.
Wow! Brother Jiang actually asked her to sit next to him! Cheng Yong was overjoyed, but her face still showed the shyness and reserve of a young girl: "...Okay, Brother Jiang."
Sitting next to Jiang Chenjun, she couldn't help but blush and feel her heart pound. Every angle of Jiang was perfect; he was practically a masterpiece of God—how could that guy surnamed Jiang compare to "her" Jiang Chenjun in the slightest? Humph! Just thinking about him made her furious! Better not to think about it!
"It's been a while since I've seen Yongxin. She seems to have grown even more beautiful! Girls really do change a lot as they grow up." Jiang Chenjun smiled and handed over a box. "This is a gift that your brother Jiang brought back from his business trip to Sweden. Do you like it?"
Brother Jiang even went out of his way to buy her a gift—the sudden surprise made Cheng Yongxin's heart almost skip a beat. She quickly accepted it, her joyful expression turning to a stunned silence upon seeing the gift—it was a box of genuine Swedish pure chocolate! Good heavens—chocolate is a major no-no for women's figures; eating too much can lead to weight gain and breakouts…
Seeing her blank expression, Jiang Chenjun hesitated for a moment, somewhat surprised, "Because I've never bought anything for a girl before, I don't know what girls like. If you don't like it—"
"No way! I love it! I love it so much! My absolute favorite food is chocolate!" Cheng Yongxin quickly said, clutching the box tightly as if afraid he might change his mind.
So what if I gain weight! So what if I get pimples! I'd rather die than lose Brother Jiang's gift! For her beloved Brother Jiang, even if she gains ten pounds and her face is covered in pimples, she will eat it without hesitation!
For love, it doesn't exist!
"It's good that Yongxin likes it." Jiang Chenjun secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He came today mainly to apologize on behalf of Xiao Zhe. He had just returned home when his mother told him that Xiao Zhe had offended Yongxin again, making her angry and causing her to change her expression on the spot. The Jiang and Cheng families had always been on good terms, and he had watched Yongxin grow up, always regarding her as family. Since that was the case, as the older brother, he had to apologize when his younger brother offended someone.
"I like anything Brother Jiang gives me!" Cheng Yongxin replied happily, but in her heart she was secretly calculating how much effort she would have to put in to lose the potential weight gain once she finished this box of chocolates.
"Then—can Yongxin grant Brother Jiang a favor?" Jiang Chenjun asked with a smile, his smile appearing gentle and harmless, quite unlike the man known as the White-Faced Fox in the business world.
"What?" She was stunned. It was rare for Brother Jiang to have a favor to ask of her!
"Brother Jiang, I heard that Haozhe seems to have made you angry again today. Yongxin, for Brother Jiang's sake, please don't be angry with him, okay?"
What--
Cheng Yongxin's pretty face froze instantly. She was asked to forgive that damned Jiang Haozhe?! She had been wronged so badly by that guy, and he was asking her to forgive him?! That guy had made her lose face in front of everyone, and her prestige was completely gone. How could someone as holy and noble as Brother Jiang plead for such a despicable person who was practically on the verge of being executed? It was an insult to the god in her heart!
"Is that not okay?" Jiang Chenjun looked at her with some concern. It seemed that Yongxin was quite angry! Her face had been sullen the whole time.
Cheng Yongxin was slightly taken aback. No! How could she let Brother Jiang mistakenly think she was the kind of petty and calculating girl because of that guy? She couldn't let that guy ruin her happiness; that would be a huge loss for her!
Alright, alright. Considering that Brother Jiang personally came to plead for that guy, Miss is magnanimous and will mercifully let go of such a petty person!
She immediately put on a sweet smile and said with a grin, "How could that be? Brother Jiang, I'm not that petty. I'm not angry with Jiang Haozhe anymore, and I don't care about him at all."
It would be a miracle if she didn't take it to heart! She had already cursed him a thousand times over in her heart!
If she gets too angry later, she can always stab that Jiang Haozhe doll a few holes in it to vent her anger! In front of Brother Jiang, she must maintain the best demeanor and the most perfect elegance no matter what!
Jiang Chenjun finally smiled with relief. He gently stroked Cheng Yongxin's smooth, silky hair. "I knew Yongxin was a generous person."
His sudden intimate gesture startled Cheng Yongxin. She froze, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it would jump out of her chest, and her body stiffened so much she almost turned to stone on the sofa.
Brother Jiang, how could you suddenly—suddenly do this, so suddenly…
Stumbling back to her bedroom in a daze, Cheng Yongxin couldn't hide her surprise and joy. Her face was flushed with shyness, as red as a ripe tomato.
Could it be that—could it be that Brother Jiang also had designs on her?
Then, wouldn't that bring her one step closer to her goal?
Completely absorbed in her fantasies of a bright future, Cheng Yongxin temporarily forgot about Jiang Haozhe's "bad" behavior that day.
Even though he contributed to the further development of her relationship with Brother Jiang, the young lady was in a good mood and didn't hold it against him!
"Hmph! I'll let you off the hook today for Brother Jiang's sake!" Looking at the "Jiang Haozhe" doll she had retrieved, now free of all the silver needles, Cheng Yongxin made a mocking face at the doll, then casually placed it on the bedside table, turned over, and fell into a deep sleep.
Outside the window, a gust of wind suddenly rose, scattering the clouds across the sky.
Encounter
As the saying goes: The sun is new every day.
Therefore, as long as she is in a good mood, Miss Cheng can completely open her mind, let go of past grievances, and forgive Jiang Haozhe, that stubborn guy who refuses to be taught.
Of course—that is, provided that the guy surnamed Jiang doesn't provoke her again.
Unfortunately, as the saying goes, even teeth can bite the tongue sometimes. For two people whose schools are practically next-door neighbors, the chances of them bumping into each other are far, far greater than the chances of them never meeting.
After all, everyone goes to school on the same road, so it's almost impossible not to run into each other. That's probably the meaning of the saying "enemies meet on a narrow road".
"Cheng, you lovesick fool, why are you smiling so brightly this morning? Be careful you don't dislocate your jaw from laughing so hard!"
A sarcastic voice drifted over from afar, and Cheng Yongxin's smile froze instantly. Her good mood vanished immediately. She took a deep breath and turned her head with a radiant smile—
"Who do we have here? It's Chairman Jiang." Cheng Yongxin forced a stiff smile. "So you're still alive."
"How could I bear to go before you report for duty?" Jiang Haozhe curled his beautiful lips into a cold laugh. "My brother went to your house yesterday?"
"Hmph! Brother Jiang is just different from so-and-so! He has both manners and temperament, is mature and steady, and handles things much better!" Cheng Yongxin snorted, ignoring him and quickening her pace.
"The victor is king, the loser is villain. Sigh, some people say you should run away when you can't win—" Jiang Haozhe sighed to his retreating figure, seemingly talking to himself, secretly chuckling to himself, then silently counting, one, two...
Sure enough, when he counted to three, Cheng Yongxin stormed back, her face flushed red, hands on her hips, glaring at him. "Who are you saying ran away? It's just that your legs are too short to outrun me!"
Jiang Haozhe crossed his arms and glanced at her with a half-smile, laughing leisurely, "Judging from the height, it's obvious who has shorter legs."
"Me, me, me—so what if I'm not as tall as you? My overall proportions are better than yours!" Cheng Yongxin stood on tiptoe, craned his neck, and tried his best to make himself look taller to balance the height difference between them. So what if he's 1.84 meters tall? They're only 20 centimeters apart, it's nothing!
"Why are you, a girl, being so fierce? Be careful you won't be able to get married in the future!" He frowned slightly, somewhat unable to bear it.
"I don't need Chairman Jiang's concern if I can't get married!" Cheng Yongxin was never one to back down when it came to verbal sparring, especially since she was determined to become the eldest sister-in-law of the Jiang family and didn't need her future brother-in-law to worry about her!
Just as the two were staring at each other, their eyes crackling with sparks, a lazy, pleasant male voice suddenly broke in.
"President Jiang, President Cheng, what a pleasant morning!"
Upon hearing the sound, the two turned around, and their expressions instantly returned to their usual gentle, polite, and sweet smiles.
The speaker was a handsome young man, a few inches taller than Jiang Haozhe. His long, jet-black hair fluttered in the wind. His slightly upturned lips and narrow, bright eyes added a touch of wickedness to his refined appearance, but it wasn't off-putting. Instead, it gave him a somewhat unruly and rebellious air.
Jiang Haozhe frowned, but still smiled without changing his expression. "Student Mo, so early?"
Mo Zijing returned his smile with a crescent-shaped smile, "President Jiang, aren't you here this early too?"
"Hehe, this is my duty. As the student council president, I naturally have to set an example." Jiang Haozhe smiled brightly, his clear eyes glancing at Mo Zijing with a meaningful look.
Mo Zijin casually brushed her hair aside and smiled, "I just hope that President Jiang doesn't set a bad example. After all, the student council president's job is very stressful. I'm afraid President Jiang might be overwhelmed and cause her grades to drop."
"Then there's no need for you to trouble yourself, Mo. Actually, I'm quite envious of you, Mo. After all, being always in second place means you don't have the same pressure as me. It really makes me jealous!"
"Hmph! At best, you'll always be second place, a defeated opponent!" Jiang Haozhe's eyes were full of provocation.
"President Jiang really has a good sense of humor. By the way, is President Jiang still confident about this week's midterm exams?"
Don't be so smug just because you got first place in the entrance exam. I'll definitely bring you down this time! Mo Zijin returned the gaze without backing down.
"It's just so-so. I just feel bad for letting Mo continue to be second place. It's really hard for me."
"Hehehe, it's still uncertain who will emerge victorious. Chairman Jiang's words made upfront might make him lose face later."
Cheng Yongxin stared blankly at the two seemingly amicable individuals who were actually engaged in a fierce and turbulent exchange, wondering what entanglement existed between them that made it so difficult for them to speak with such barbed remarks.
With a pout, Cheng Yongxin turned to leave, not wanting to get involved in the two's childish bickering. What did it matter to her what entanglement these two had? Whether that Jiang guy lived or died was none of her business.
"Is this President Cheng of Yuluo?"
Before she could move, her hand was pulled by someone else. Cheng Yongxin turned around in surprise and met Mo Zijin's dark, bright eyes, which were as dark as the night sky, and his ambiguous smile.
“You…” This person’s behavior is too frivolous! Cheng Yongxin glared at him with some displeasure.
She tried to pull her hand away angrily, but he held it tightly, which annoyed her.
The only one who can touch her is Brother Jiang! Who does this guy think he is?
Despite her inner displeasure, Cheng Yongxin maintained her smile without wavering. "Excuse me... um, Mo, could you please let go of my hand? I don't think we're very familiar—"
This guy with those darting, flirtatious eyes must be surnamed "Mo," right? A bead of cold sweat dripped down Cheng Yongxin's forehead. After all, in her heart, apart from her middle-aged but still incredibly handsome father and the universally perfect Jiang brother, everyone else—mainly men—was treated the same as radishes in a field, and none of them could catch her eye. Of course, this guy named Jiang Haozhe in front of her was temporarily considered human because he was only slightly related to Jiang brother by blood.