Chapter 31: Mathematics Makes Life Unbearable

Jiang Deyu glanced past Ji Jingyu at Jiang Sui's sleeping face and couldn't help but sigh, "You know what, Jiang Sui is quite well-behaved when she's asleep..."

When Jiang Sui is awake, she is flamboyant and unrestrained, and her beauty is unforgettable. Unexpectedly, after falling asleep, that sharp brilliance is toned down, and instead, her docility takes the lead.

However, before Jiang Deyu could speak, he met Ji Jingyu's indifferent face.

Ji Jingyu subtly shifted her body, completely blocking Jiang Deyu's view of Jiang Sui.

Jiang Deyu had always respected, loved, and feared Ji Jingyu. Seeing this, he quickly made a zipping motion over his mouth and lightly tapped his chest a few times with his fist to indicate that he would shut up immediately and would not disturb Princess Jiang.

That only applies to Brother Ji.

No matter the situation, he always maintains a dignified and indifferent demeanor, unmoved by praise or criticism—a true role model for us all!

Jiang Deyu thought to himself.

Thanks to Jiang Sui, Jiang Deyu had a rest period of unknown duration.

He hadn't brought his phone with him at all, and he didn't dare ask Ji Jingyu to borrow it to play games, but he was told to stare at the exam paper...

I'd rather sleep like Jiang Sui.

Perhaps afraid of disturbing their studies, Grandma Ji went back to her room to rest after tidying up.

It was quiet outside; not a sound could be heard.

The room they were in was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

It's really boring.

Jiang Deyu sighed silently and began to roll his eyes to pass the time.

As he turned around, his gaze fell on Ji Jingyu once again.

At seventeen, the boy's bone structure was already beginning to resemble that of an adult man, with broad shoulders and long legs.

His eyes were deep-set, his nose high and straight, and his profile sharp and defined. His forearms, peeking out from under his short sleeves, were pale and slender, exuding a powerful aura. His long, white fingers contrasted sharply with the black pen, appearing like pale porcelain under the light.

It's no exaggeration to say that Ji Jingyu's appearance perfectly matches the aesthetic standards of most people.

The next second, Jiang Deyu saw Ji Jingyu suddenly clench the black pen in his hand. Jiang Deyu thought that he had offended the other party by looking at her too directly, so he was frightened and quickly looked away, focusing on the math test paper in front of him, and occasionally circling and marking on the test paper with his pen.

Even if Qin Lin himself were here, he probably wouldn't find a single fault with this attitude towards learning.

—

In addition to the main light on the ceiling being on, the eye-protecting desk lamp on the desk was also lit.

Perhaps because of the bright lights, Jiang Sui, in her sleep, instinctively moved closer to Ji Jingyu to avoid the light.

Her crimson, moist lips brushed casually across his forearm.

Ji Jingyu's heart suddenly raced, as if an electric current was spreading from his heart, surging irresistibly through his limbs and bones.

Moist and tender, he could even feel Jiang Sui's upper lip being pushed open a little...

Ji Jingyu took a deep breath and looked at her forearm with a gloomy expression.

It was slightly damp.

However, the trace was faint, as if it would evaporate completely in the hot air and disappear without a trace in the next second.

This was an accident.

Unfortunately, the situation did not develop in a way that could be controlled.

Ji Jingyu could clearly feel that small patch of skin getting hotter and hotter, bringing an undeniable throbbing and trembling sensation, as if all the senses in her body were screaming and clamoring for it.

This was an emotion that Ji Jingyu had never experienced before.

For a moment, he even suspected that Jiang Deyu could hear his rapid heartbeat.

The places Jiang Sui touched were still very hot.

Pressing the finger with its distinct knuckles on that spot revealed nothing unusual; its temperature was the same as the surrounding skin.

Ji Jingyu thought that perhaps the fingers were not sensitive enough to temperature.

He raised his arm and carefully touched the area with his cheek.

However, her face was hotter than her arms.

All indications suggest that it was his misconception that gave it its special status.

Ji Jingyu lowered her arm and met Jiang Deyu's slightly shocked eyes.

"..."

The two looked at each other in silence.

After a long while, Jiang Deyu blinked his sore eyes, his gaze wandering, and asked, "Brother Ji, what were you doing just now?"

Ji Jingyu lowered his eyes awkwardly, and, mindful that Jiang Sui was sleeping, replied to Jiang Deyu in a low voice: "...Mind your own business."

—

At a time like this, how could Jiang Deyu only care about himself and disregard brotherhood?

What if Jiang Sui doesn't wake up in the middle of the night and sleeps until dawn?

Are he and Brother Ji going to come along?

He could just pack up and leave, but this is Brother Ji's room; Brother Ji can't leave.

No one knew that in those short ten seconds, Jiang Deyu, a poor student, went through a "brainstorming" session.

Although Brother Ji is an absolute gentleman, there is a difference between men and women, so we definitely can't let the two of them be alone together.

Or let Jiang Sui have the room, and Brother Ji can go home and sleep with him.

Thinking of this, Jiang Deyu bit his pen cap, feeling a headache coming on.

Brother Ji doesn't like sleeping with people.

One person sleeps in the bed, and the other sleeps on the floor?

But who will sleep on the floor?

It seems like no one is suitable...

Perhaps the intimidating effect of Ji Jingyu's previous words was still there; Jiang Deyu's mind was in such a whirl that he didn't even consider waking Jiang Sui.

This is clearly the simplest and best solution.

However, it seems that Jiang Deyu has discovered that Ji Jingyu doesn't seem to have a particular fondness for Jiang Sui.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have gotten so angry that his ears turned red when he saw Jiang Sui being lazy and sleeping.

He had just seen it clearly; Ji Jingyu's ears were indeed red.

—

Jiang Sui had no intention of sleeping with Ji Jingyu forever.

After the two boys fell silent, she rubbed her eyes and slowly straightened up.

"Looks like Teacher Zhou Gong has finished class. How did you learn in this lesson, Jiang?" Jiang Deyu looked at the sleep marks on Jiang Sui's face and teased her with a smile, "Brother Ji gave you the most comfortable chair, is this how you repay him?"

Jiang Sui sat in the gaming chair that Ji Jingyu usually used, while Ji Jingyu settled for another swivel chair. Only he sat on a hard stool that was temporarily moved from the living room.

It would be better if this topic weren't brought up, because just mentioning it makes Jiang Deyu feel a dull ache in his tailbone.

Jiang Sui rolled her eyes at him. "It must be your academic underachiever attitude that influenced me. I never fell asleep when Brother Ji was explaining problems to me privately."

After saying that, she tilted her head and looked at Ji Jingyu, then apologized to him sheepishly, "I'm sorry, Teacher Ji, I didn't mean to fall asleep."

When facing Jiang Deyu, Jiang Sui could still banter with him with ease, but when she was in front of Ji Jingyu, she became extremely obedient.

Even if Ji Jingyu wasn't angry to begin with, she was easily appeased.

"I'm not angry," he said gently. "Would you like to wash your face?"

Seeing that Ji Jingyu wasn't really angry, Jiang Sui felt relieved and said, "Mm."

Ji Jingyu pointed in the direction of the bedroom, her tone low and gentle, "The bathroom is inside, the light is on the wall, go in slowly, don't fall."

One patiently gave instructions, while the other listened quietly; they were even more attentive than if they were in class.

Only Jiang Deyu wore a strange expression.

—

Ji Jingyu's bedroom was pretty much what Jiang Sui had imagined.

Clean, tidy, simple and elegant.

The bathroom is no exception.

There was no odor at all; the air was filled with the scent of minty air freshener.

Even the mirror in front of the sink was spotless, clear and bright.

Jiang Deyu's conclusion was overturned the moment Ji Jingyu spoke to Jiang Sui.

He knew Ji Jingyu wasn't lying; he truly wasn't angry with Jiang Sui.

So, why did his ears turn red just now?

If it's not because of anger, then what else could it be because of shyness?

The moment the thought crossed Jiang Deyu's mind, he got goosebumps all over.

The word "shy" has absolutely nothing to do with Ji Jingyu.

Jiang Deyu rubbed his arms helplessly; he still couldn't figure it out.

Ji Jingyu sat in the chair and watched Jiang Sui walk into his bedroom.

"Brother Ji..."

"Hmm?" Ji Jingyu withdrew her gaze and turned to look at Jiang Deyu, the tenderness in her eyes not yet completely concealed.

Jiang Deyu didn't see it.

He lowered his head, looking like he wanted to say something but hesitated, and after stammering for a long time, he finally gave up.

"nothing."

Having known Ji Jingyu for so many years, he understands him well. As long as Ji Jingyu doesn't want to talk about it, no one can force him.

"I'm here, I'm here, I'm here." After a while, Jiang Sui jogged out of the bedroom and sat down next to Ji Jingyu again.

Turning her gaze, she saw Jiang Deyu looking dejected and suggested, "Jiang Deyu, why don't you go wash your face and wake up? Otherwise, I'm afraid we really won't be able to go home today."

"Yes, yes, I need to wash my face to wake myself up. Maybe I fell asleep just now, and it was all a dream..."

Jiang Deyu got up in a daze, rubbing his tailbone as he walked towards the bathroom.

"What happened to him?"

"The questions are too difficult," Ji Jingyu said casually.

In this respect, Jiang Sui can empathize with Jiang Deyu, after all, they are currently suffering the same "ordeal".

She slumped onto the table, resting her chin on the back of her hand, her eyes becoming lifeless. "Indeed, mathematics makes life meaningless."

Ji Jingyu curled her lips into a smile. "Which question do you still not understand? I'll explain it slowly later."

—

Because Jiang Sui had sent a WeChat message to Su Yinian in advance, Su Yinian did not come to the Ji family to look for her after returning.

It was nearly 11 o'clock when the tutoring session ended.

When Ji Jingyu saw the two out of the room, she ran into Ji He dragging a suitcase out of the bedroom.

The four met in the living room.

Even though it was late at night, Ji He was still dressed up in a glamorous manner.

The black dress accentuated her elegant and serene demeanor, and her makeup was flawless.

Jiang Sui couldn't help but think that if Ji He and Ji Jingyu stood together, people would be more willing to believe that they were siblings rather than mother and son.

Jiang Deyu pointed at Ji He's suitcase and blurted out, "Aunt Ji, what's this...?"

Ji He gracefully gathered her long hair that was draped over her shoulders, and smiled gently, "I have to go on a business trip."

Her tone was filled with obvious joy and anticipation.

It didn't feel like a business trip; it felt more like heading to a long-awaited date.

"Oh, is that so?" Jiang Deyu chuckled awkwardly and scratched his head. "It must be so tiring for you to go out to work so late. We won't bother you any longer."

After saying that, he tugged at Jiang Sui's schoolbag, gesturing for her to come for a walk with him.

Jiang Sui understood, "Aunt Ji, then we're leaving."

After saying that, she lifted her leg and walked towards the door.

Jiang Deyu rushed out.

Jiang Sui did not succeed.

There was resistance behind her that stopped her from moving.

Jiang Sui turned around and realized that it was Ji Jingyu who had hooked her backpack bag.

Judging from the force of the pulling and the blue veins spreading across the pale wrist, its owner was not in a good mood at the moment.

It could even be described as absolutely terrible.

Ji Jingyu said coldly, "I'll take you back."

"Oh? My house is right across the street..." The next second, she immediately changed her mind, "Okay, then I'll trouble you, Brother Ji."

Jiang Sui had never seen Ji Jingyu show such an expression before.

So unfamiliar that her heart began to feel inexplicably astringent and bitter.

It was as if a huge crack had appeared on Ji Jingyu's usually calm and aloof mask. A look of despair and disgust flashed across his face. His thin lips trembled slightly, then suddenly tightened, restrained and patient, as if he would lose control of his emotions if he stayed for another second.

Ji Jingyu took very long strides; rather than wanting to take Jiang Sui home, it was more like he wanted to use this opportunity to escape from this home.

Jiang Deyu had long since disappeared from the outside.

It is clear that he rushed home in one go, without even noticing that his only teammate had failed to escape.

Unreliable.

Jiang Sui thought to herself, "This is what I'm complaining about."

After leaving the Ji family, Ji Jingyu's expression softened somewhat.

No one would ask him why he was unhappy at this time.

Jiang Sui didn't know either, even though she had a lot of questions right now.

"Teacher Ji."

After being called "Brother Ji", Ji Jingyu has gained another new nickname from Jiang Sui.

"Hmm?" Ji Jingyu responded softly.

"Is there any gift you want lately? Your student will buy it for you." Jiang Sui walked to his side, her slender, fair fingers tugging at the hem of his school uniform and gently shaking it, as if she were being coquettish, but also as if she were comforting him. "Anything is fine, you know your student is very rich."

Ji Jingyu remained silent.

Jiang Sui thought for a moment, then took out a box of sticky notes and a pen from her schoolbag.

Students with poor grades have a lot of stationery.

Princess Jiang's sticky notes are prettier and more delicate than everyone else's.

"Open your hand."

One second he was asking Ji Jingyu what gift he wanted, and the next second he was ordering him around.

But Ji Jingyu happened to cooperate.

Jiang Sui placed the sticky note in Ji Jingyu's palm, using his hand as support, and then began to write on it.

"Good Teacher Gift Voucher"

The handwriting above is rounded and lovely, pleasing to the eye.

Fearing that the words she had just written would be smudged, Jiang Sui blew on the sticky note again and again, unaware that much of the heat landed on Ji Jingyu's wrist, making his pulse pound even harder.

"Okay." Jiang Sui excitedly peeled off the sticky note with writing on it and handed it to Ji Jingyu, winking at him playfully. "Starting today, whenever I think you're doing well in your tutoring, I'll give you a gift voucher. There's no time limit for redeeming it; you can come to me anytime to redeem it."

"Where do students give teachers vouchers?"

This is a common tactic teachers use to appease students.

Jiang Sui had already prepared a reason for her response: "What teacher doesn't charge for tutoring?"

Therefore, they cannot be judged by conventional standards.

"We can't lose them. If we accumulate enough of these vouchers, they'll definitely be a huge fortune."

"Don't worry," Ji Jing said in a low, husky voice, "it won't get lost."

Jiang Sui patted his shoulder, "Then I'm going home?"

"Um."

Ji Jingyu watched Jiang Sui open the door, watched her walk into the house, watched the warm light shining through the crack in the door gradually disappear...

The light source did not disappear.

The door was reopened.

Jiang Sui poked her little head out from inside, and it felt like time had turned back to the "first day" they met.

"Ji Jingyu, if you also want to talk to someone, I'm available anytime."

This time, Jiang Sui really went home.

Looking at the closed door, Ji Jingyu slowly clenched her hands hanging at her sides.

—

Su Yinian was still preparing her lessons, so Jiang Sui decided to go back to her room to take a shower first, and then talk to her about Lu Shuhe.

When she drew the curtains, she saw Ji He.

The rain has stopped.

Ji He stood on the path downstairs, her suitcase beside her.

It looks like she's waiting for someone to come and pick her up.

Soon, a black sedan approached her from a distance and finally stopped beside her.

Immediately afterwards, a middle-aged man got out of the car.

Despite the sweltering heat, the man was dressed in a formal suit, as if he had rushed over from a banquet.

Jiang Sui couldn't figure out what the relationship was between Ji He and that man.

On the one hand, the distance was too great for her to hear anything, and on the other hand, the two of them did not have any intimate contact.

To be precise, they were all avoided by men.

Ji He even carried her own suitcase into the trunk.

However, when the man looked up at a certain spot, Jiang Sui suddenly felt that he looked somewhat familiar.

Author's note: Today it's Sui Sui's turn to coax Brother Ji.

Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2024-07-05 23:31:16 and 2024-07-09 02:55:49!

Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: s_33 and 1 bottle of orange-white;

Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!