Zhang Jingzhi
Xiao Xiao was quite beautiful and felt that it was really not easy to get such a compliment from her mother. Just as she was about to say a few more good words for Jiang Sicheng, she heard her mother say lightly, "He's just a bit dark-skinned."
Xiao Xiao's face darkened. What's the use of a man being so fair-skinned? Haven't you seen plenty of pretty boys who deliberately tan themselves? I don't understand my mother's thinking.
“Your father isn’t fair-skinned, which affected my good genes. I never expected you to find such a dark-skinned boy,” Xiao’s mother sighed. “It seems you should have a boy in the future. It’s okay for a boy to be a little dark-skinned. If you have a girl as dark-skinned as him, she’ll really have to marry into Africa!”
"Mom!" Xiao Xiao said coquettishly, shaking her mother's arm, somewhat unwilling to give in.
Xiao's mother laughed, "Alright, just kidding. I'm very satisfied with the young man. I've approved him!" As she spoke, she took out a scroll from her suitcase and handed it to Xiao Xiao, saying mysteriously, "Here you go. I got this from your father. Anyway, he's not in the country. You can send it out first! Haha."
Now that her mother had given her approval, Xiao Xiao naturally had to go with Jiang Sicheng to visit his family. Xiao Xiao had been worrying about what gift to bring for the first visit, so she decided to ask her father. Her father was a painter and had collected many works by famous artists, so getting one as a gift would be quite nice.
Xiao Xiao opened the scroll and glanced at it, and couldn't help but gasp. It was actually her father's most treasured "Horse Painting"!
"Good heavens, Mom, you actually stole Dad's painting! He'll skin you alive if he finds out!"
"It's alright," Xiao's mother said with a smile, gently stroking Xiao's hair. "Girl, your parents are very happy that you've settled down. As long as you're happy, we don't care about any master's painting of galloping horses. Even if you're your father's skin, Mom would peel it off for you!"
Looking at her mother's gentle smile, Xiao Xiao felt a lump in her throat. These past few years, she had been living a carefree and irresponsible life. Although her parents hadn't really restrained her, they must have seen it and been worried about her. It turned out that her mother's happiness wasn't just her own.
Xiao Xiao put the painting back into her mother's suitcase and said softly, "You don't need to bring such an expensive gift when you go to their house." She smiled and continued, "Besides, your daughter is already presentable enough, so there's no need for this painting to complement her!"
Her mother looked at her and smiled with satisfaction.
On a weekend evening, Zhang Jingzhi came over to have dinner with Xiao's mother. She had gone home with Xiao Xiao during college, so she and Xiao's mother were very close. A few days ago, she went to see Xiao's mother at Xiao Xiao's place and they had already spent half the day being affectionate. When they met again tonight, she couldn't help but shower Zhang Jingzhi with compliments, saying things like she was getting younger and more beautiful, and so on. Xiao's mother smiled like a flower, almost as if she wanted to hug Zhang Jingzhi and call her her darling.
Xiao Xiao was alright, just watching with a smile on her lips. Jiang Sicheng, however, was far less skilled. Listening to Zhang Jingzhi's flattery of Xiao's mother, he would occasionally twitch his arm, giving everyone goosebumps!
While Zhang Jingzhi was helping the "Empress Dowager" change her clothes, Jiang Sicheng whispered to Xiao Xiao, "What's wrong with Zhang Jingzhi today? She's been talking too much. Something feels off."
Xiao Xiao glanced at Zhang Jingzhi and her mother's departing figures. "She and my mom have always gotten along well. When she came to my house during college, she almost won my mom over to adopt her as her goddaughter. But later, I don't know who told her that the number of children a person has is predetermined, and having more children is actually bad for them, so she gave up on that idea. As for why she was so talkative today," Xiao Xiao paused, then said lightly, "She has something on her mind. It's an old problem of hers. The more things she has on her mind, the more agitated she becomes, like a chatterbox!"
Zhang Jingzhi really had a lot of worries on her mind. First of all, there was Chu Yang's mess. That day, a deep-water bomb was dropped, and before the waves had even fully risen, another atomic bomb was dropped—she said she was going to get engaged to Fang Yi!
Chu Yang's mother did want to marry her off, but she never thought of marrying her off to a 31-year-old "old man"! And an old man who clearly wasn't a good person! — These are Chu Yang's mother's exact words.
So, the family was in an uproar. Even Zhang Jingzhi's parents came out. Several close relatives took turns trying to persuade and coax him. They used every kind of face imaginable, but Chu Yang still said the same thing: "I'll get engaged first. Whether we get married or not is still up in the air. What's the rush?"
Zhang Jingzhi was baffled. What started as a cat-and-mouse game had somehow escalated to discussing marriage. Chu Yang's brain short-circuited. Had Fang Yi also had his white matter removed? Even more absurdly, Fang Yi's mother somehow got wind of it and personally joined the debate, leaving Chu Yang's mother speechless. Zhang Jingzhi's mother, seeing this, was furious. Despite her strained relationship with her siblings, when faced with a common enemy, they surprisingly formed a united front!
First debate: Chu Yang's mother vs. Fang Yi's mother, a crushing defeat!
The second debate: Chu Yang's mother & Zhang Jingzhi's mother VS Fang Yi's mother, a hard-fought victory!
In just a few days, the house has been in complete chaos!
Zhang Jingzhi was very troubled, but this was still good. No matter how close they were, it was still someone else's business, and she wasn't involved. In addition, with her elders worrying about her, Zhang Jingzhi only had a headache and didn't care much. What was really bothering her was Wang Yuhan's matter.
In the past few days, she and Wang Yuhan had crossed paths several times, but Wang Yuhan hadn't even glanced at her. In the past, no matter if his gaze was cold or warm, he would at least linger on her for a moment, but now, he simply couldn't see her anymore.
Logically, Zhang Jingzhi should be happy, since she had always disliked his persistent pursuit of her. However, ever since she learned from Xiao Xiao that he had stayed by her side in the hospital all night, she felt that she could no longer look at him with a normal attitude.
She felt like she had become invisible in his eyes, and a strange gloom settled over her, like a sky that had been overcast for a long time, with thick, dark clouds pressing down as if a few raindrops would fall if poked with a stick.
On Monday, Zhang Jingzhi wasn't really focused on her work. When she glanced back at Wang Yuhan's office, she met Xiao Wang's gaze across from her.
Xiao Wang raised the corner of his mouth, looking like he was looking forward to a good show, and said in a low voice, "I wasn't sure before, but now I'm sure."
"Confirm what?" Zhang Jingzhi asked.
Xiao Wang smiled slyly, "Have you figured out who the mysterious person is who caused you to dump that super handsome guy?"
Zhang Jingzhi was startled and involuntarily asked, "Who?"
Xiao Wang chuckled, gestured with his chin towards Wang Yuhan's office, and whispered, "Right?"
Zhang Jingzhi was so shocked she almost fell off her chair. She stared at Xiao Wang in astonishment and disbelief, forgetting to even deny it.
Xiao Wang smiled smugly, tapping the table lightly with his fingers and shaking his head as he said, "You looked in that direction thirty-one times this morning. Do I need to say anything more?"
Thirty-one times already? Zhang Jingzhi looked at Xiao Wang in surprise and disbelief. Had she done something so foolish?
Xiao Wang looked at Zhang Jingzhi with some sympathy and nodded slowly.
Zhang Jingzhi rubbed her forehead. If even someone as careless as Xiao Wang could see through it, what about everyone else? What about her cunning colleagues? What about the White Bone Demon? If she knew her little scheme, wouldn't she destroy her? Who knows what kind of trouble she'd be in!
"At first I didn't quite understand, but then an older sister enlightened me, and I suddenly figured it out," Xiao Wang said, glancing furtively at the White Bone Demon's office. Unfortunately, Zhang Jingzhi was too preoccupied with her head down and didn't see it. "Hehe, to be honest, and I'm not afraid you'll laugh at me, I almost had a crush on you. Luckily, luckily, just looking at that person's tragic fate makes me so grateful!"
Zhang Jingzhi was already incredibly annoyed and had no interest in listening to Xiao Wang's jokes. She waved her hand and muttered, "Go away, go away, I need some peace and quiet..."
Yes, she needs to calm down and think about where she can go next. Not to mention how awkward it would be to stay here and face Wang Yuhan, she can't afford to offend even the White Bone Demon!
Trying to steal a man from a demon? It's probably better to just kill her!
But what I feared most came true. Just as I was feeling anxious, the White Bone Demon called on the intercom. "Come to my office for a moment," she said, her tone cold.
Wang Yuhan and Bai Gu Jing's offices are semi-open, with a glass wall facing the lobby. Today, Bai Gu Jing's glass wall has been fitted with blinds.
"Zhang Jingzhi, I didn't expect you to be so capable!" The White Bone Demon sighed sarcastically from her black leather chair. "What are your plans?"
"Plans?" Zhang Jingzhi decided it was best to play dumb for now. "Director Bai, what are you talking about?"
The White Bone Demon was somewhat angry. She stood up, propping herself up on the table, her almond-shaped eyes wide and her willow-leaf eyebrows raised. She said resentfully, "Zhang Jingzhi, let's not beat around the bush. What exactly are your feelings for him? Is it fun to play with people? Hmm? If you don't like him, just let him go. Don't keep him hanging on. Is that interesting?"
Zhang Jing was momentarily stunned. She hadn't expected the White Bone Demon to be so fierce, skipping all the preliminaries and getting straight to the point. She wondered if she would be pointing fingers at her and cursing her, just like she had done to Yang Lei's ex-girlfriend. Was this retribution coming too fast?
Seeing Zhang Jingzhi's half-dead state only fueled Bai Gu Jing's anger. She truly felt sorry for her senior brother. What was so good about this woman? How could he be tormented by her so much? The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She roared, "I've never seen a woman like you before! You're incompetent at work and indecisive in relationships. You're in your mid-twenties, can't you even think this through? If you like someone, go for it; if you don't, leave. Why make such a fuss?"
The barrage of insults from Bai Gu Jing suddenly made Zhang Jingzhi realize something. She looked up and asked, "Director Bai, are you his girlfriend now?"
The White Bone Demon was taken aback, then cursed, "I wish I were, but that guy has his eye on you, you idiot!"
"Is it still the same now?" Zhang Jingzhi asked.
The White Bone Demon was so angry she almost choked, but she forced herself to nod.
Zhang Jingzhi suddenly stood up from her seat, bowed deeply to Bai Gu Jing, and said, "Thank you, Director Bai, I finally understand!" Without waiting for Bai Jie's reply, she left.
The White Bone Demon paused for a moment, then snorted coldly and muttered, "For this kind of fool, you have to use drastic measures!"
After leaving Bai Gu Jing's office, Zhang Jingzhi, with a burst of energy, rushed into Wang Yu Han's office with her head down. Once inside, ignoring Wang Yu Han's surprised gaze, her first action was to pull down the blinds on his glass wall, thinking to herself, "I'll just embarrass myself inside; I don't want the people outside to get a free show."
Wang Yuhan watched her actions coldly, inwardly cursing her as an idiot! She had just entered the office and immediately closed the blinds—wasn't that a blatant indication that she and he were having an affair?
Zhang Jingzhi
Wang Yuhan watched her actions coldly, inwardly cursing her as an idiot! She had just entered the office and immediately closed the blinds—wasn't that a blatant indication that she and he were having an affair?
He looked up at her without saying a word.
Zhang Jingzhi strode over to Wang Yuhan's table, her face flushed, and the first thing she blurted out was, "Yang Lei and I broke up!"
Wang Yuhan looked at her, raising an eyebrow slightly. "Oh? Is that so? Then I'm sorry, is there something you need?"
Zhang Jingzhi gritted her teeth and looked at him, unsure how to begin. Was she really going to ask him directly, "Do you still like me?" or tell him, "I think I might like you a little now too?"
No matter what she said, she couldn't bring herself to speak. Zhang Jingzhi regretted it now, regretting that she had lost her mind after being provoked by the White Bone Demon and rushed to Wang Yuhan's office. It was an extremely irrational act. As her mind slowly cooled down, she was shocked to find that, oh my god, why were the blinds in his room drawn? Did she draw them?
Wang Yuhan noticed all the changes in Zhang Jingzhi's expression. Just by looking at her expression, he knew that this young woman had run out of courage and that her next move would probably be to turn around and leave.
Just as he expected, Zhang Jing's next words were: "Oh, then I'll be going. You go ahead and do your work!"
After saying that, he turned and left.
Wang Yuhan shouted, "Stop!"
Zhang Jingzhi stopped, somewhat at a loss.
Wang Yuhan emerged from behind the table and asked calmly, "You came here just to say this? What does this have to do with work?"
Zhang Jingzhi was somewhat embarrassed and stood there awkwardly, not expecting Wang Yuhan to say such a thing. She bit her lower lip and replied coldly, "No!"
"Oh?" Wang Yuhan sneered, "Then why are you telling me?"
Zhang Jingzhi remained silent, trying to convince herself not to feel awkward. This was something she owed him; she had embarrassed him so many times, so it was alright to let him get his revenge this time. In fact, it was better this way, so she wouldn't always feel indebted to him in the future!
But Wang Yuhan persisted, "Tell me, why are you telling me about your breakup with him?"
Zhang Jingzhi was furious. She turned around and snapped, "I'm sick, okay?"
But she was shocked to find Wang Yuhan right behind her, so close that his face was inches away from hers and his warm breath was right in front of her. Zhang Jingzhi was stunned and instinctively tried to back away.
He didn't give her that chance, reaching out to grab her shoulders, preventing her from dodging.
As his face drew closer, Zhang Jingzhi panicked. Her heart was pounding wildly, almost bursting out of her throat. Her legs felt weak, and she could barely stand.
Wang Yuhan was both amused and exasperated. He forcefully lifted her by the shoulder and straightened her up, then quickly pulled one hand out to hold her waist, and muttered, "Idiot, we haven't even kissed yet, why are you being so soft?"
"Huh?" Before Zhang Jingzhi could react, Wang Yuhan's lips actually pressed down...
He occasionally looked up to catch his breath, and seeing her still staring blankly, he sighed helplessly and whispered, "Close your eyes!"
She quickly and obediently closed her eyes, her eyelashes trembling as if she had been electrocuted, but then she suddenly woke up, her eyes widening in shock as she looked at Wang Yuhan and the glass wall with the blinds drawn.
He grinned mischievously, "Don't worry, you already pulled it down! Looks like you came prepared!"
"You?! You—" She choked on her words, unable to find any words to refute him, and dared not argue with him loudly.
He suddenly lost his smile, looked at her with a deep gaze, and commanded in a serious tone: "Close your eyes!"
She didn't react.
He began to threaten, "It's fine if you don't want to look at me, I like it even more!" He ignored her hoarse struggles and kissed her again, grabbing the back of her head.
For her, it was another dizzying spin, so bright she couldn't open her eyes... In the chaos, her last shred of reason suddenly made her wonder if this was another trap? The difference this time was that the one standing at the edge of the trap was the White Bone Demon, so she was less on guard and was kicked to the bottom of the pit by the White Bone Demon, where Wang Yuhan, who was grinning wickedly and opening his arms to her, caught her right in the act!
Regret, oh regret, I shouldn't have let the White Bone Demon spur me into coming to Wang Yuhan's office. Hate, oh hate, I shouldn't have impulsively pulled down the blinds!
"Say it, say you like me!" he coaxed in her ear.
Zhang Jingzhi managed to maintain a sliver of clarity in her mind and bargained, "You go first!"
Wang Yuhan chuckled, "I already said that!"
"That doesn't count!"
"Okay, I love you, Jingzhi. I said it, it's your turn!"
“Oh,” she pushed him away, sat down on the sofa, and peeked guiltily through the blinds, whispering, “I have to go out.”
He sat down on the sofa armrest close to her. "Speak up, stop making excuses!"