Chapter 35. This person still has a conscience; there's still hope. ...

"So where should I go to pay my respects to her during the Qingming Festival? Am I supposed to worship her in every sewer in the city?"

Just as Jiang Jiezhi was muttering to himself, a figure suddenly landed beside him.

"You've been cursing me to die all night, haven't you?" Jiang Miaomiao stared at him with an icy expression, her two fingers still circling her cheek.

Jiang Jiezhi took another closer look; she was removing her makeup. Wait a minute, "Are you even a woman? You came out halfway through removing your makeup? Trying to scare me to death? Wait, when did you get back?"

Jiang Miaomiao frowned at him: "I was already back when you were nagging me about whether I had been photographed naked. I'm asking you, are you thinking about how you only get a zero on your exams if you can't even get a nude photo of a woman? And you even coveted your own sister, how shameless."

"I'm afraid I'll get a sty if I even look at you. I'm just setting the stage for the worst possible outcome for you!"

Since no one was hurt, Jiang Jiezhi got up and left.

Jiang Miaomiao stretched out her greasy hand to stop him.

Jiang Jiezhi choked back tears and said, "What? Don't think I was just worried about you."

Jiang Miaomiao: "Could you get me a facial cleansing towel? My hands are still oily and it's inconvenient."

"You've gone too far!" Jiang Jiezhi angrily turned and walked away.

Jiang Miaomiao shouted, "Do you remember when Old Jiang wanted to marry me off to the deceased old man of the Song family? Tonight, he dumped me on a group of people old enough to be my father. One of the second young ladies of the Song family even came to humiliate me."

Jiang Jiezhi paused, but still said something contrary to his true feelings: "Then you deserve it."

Jiang Miaomiao rubbed her face and rubbed it in circles as if nothing had happened: "You deserve to be dumped by Teacher Ren's daughter! Straight man, foul mouth, and ugly too!"

Jiang Jiezhi rushed back instantly, taking advantage of his height of over 170cm during his growth spurt. He reached out and poked her shoulder, his tone urgent as if he had heard the most unbelievable thing: "Am I ugly? Am I foul-mouthed? Am I straight? Are you blind and deaf? I'm the class heartthrob!"

Jiang Miaomiao, who is 168cm tall, took off her shoes and stepped onto the sofa, looking down at him and said: "Did you say in your speech for the class heartthrob election: 'So that when all the boys in the class look back on high school, they will say that they are more handsome than the class heartthrob'?"

"Do I even need to speak with a face like mine? I can just stand there and I'm the epitome of handsome!" Jiang Jiezhi also tried to step on the sofa, but Jiang Miaomiao hooked his leg and pulled him down. Before he could get up from the sofa, a heavy weight pressed down on his back.

He struggled to prop himself up but couldn't, and said angrily, "Get off me right now! A good woman weighs no more than 100 pounds, you're definitely overweight!"

Jiang Miaomiao sat on his back as if she hadn't heard him, and said disdainfully, "A good woman weighs less than 100 pounds, either flat-chested or short. Besides, you're a grown man, can't you even support yourself when you're carrying someone? You're so effeminate, you have no manly spirit. No wonder Teacher Ren's daughter doesn't like you."

"She doesn't like me because of my poor grades!" Jiang Jiezhi blurted out, revealing the truth.

Jiang Miaomiao nodded approvingly: "That girl is quite farsighted. Knowing that you have intellectual problems, she simply didn't give you even the slightest chance."

"Who says my poor grades mean I have an IQ problem?" Jiang Jiezhi continued to struggle upwards.

Jiang Miaomiao took a breath and quietly performed a "thousand-pound drop".

Having managed to prop himself up to a height of 5 centimeters, Jiang Jiezhi buried himself deep in the sofa again.

Jiang Miaomiao said, "Top students rely on talent, above-average students rely on diligence, and bottom students rely on intelligence. Jiang Jiezhi, it's your own fault for being so unmotivated and showing off your low intelligence all day long."

Jiang Jiezhi, burying his head on the sofa, simply gave up struggling. "Grades don't determine everything. In the end, those with good grades still work for those with bad grades! What's the use of being good at studying?"

Jiang Miaomiao clicked her tongue in admiration, "I truly admire your courage."

"..." Jiang Jiezhi remained silent, whether out of anger or frustration, it was hard to tell.

After a long while, he finally said in a muffled voice, "But studying is too boring."

Jiang Miaomiao, without hesitation, continued to stab him in the back: "Then why don't others who are bored with studying get the lowest scores?"

She continued, "Things are valued for their rarity. If something can be done easily, then everyone can do it, so what's its high value? Jiang Jiezhi, you like Teacher Ren's daughter, is it just because she's pretty? If so, there are plenty of people prettier than her, and you can win them over by giving them designer bags like your second brother Jiang Bainian did!"

Jiang Jiezhi scoffed: "She's not one of those common, vulgar women!"

Jiang Miaomiao raised an eyebrow: "Then tell me, what makes her different?"

Jiang Jiezhi said, "Her smile is refreshing and lovely."

Jiang Miaomiao asked, "Do you know what a comedian is?"

Jiang Jiezhi said indignantly, "Her voice is nice."

Jiang Miaomiao asked, "Do you know what a voice actor is?"

Jiang Jiezhi gritted his teeth: "She's number one in the whole school in art!"

Jiang Miaomiao nodded: "I know... wait, she's a top student, how dare you, a bottom-of-the-class student, pursue her?"

"Can't a mediocre student have romantic relationships?" Jiang Jiezhi felt that this explanation didn't make sense.

He said irritably, "She's not just good at academics! She has a great personality too. She seems gentle but is very strong. Even when her paintbrush broke and her hand was injured, she kept painting. She's also very kind-hearted and often does volunteer work. Unlike you, who's a two-faced beast. Anyway, she's just really, really good. Otherwise, why would the teachers and classmates like her so much..."

Saying one thing and then criticizing another?

In short, "It's normal for her not to like you."

Jiang Miaomiao said, "After all, from your description, she's perfect in every way, while you're lacking in everything except for your family's wealth. What if you go bankrupt one day?"

Jiang Jiezhi scoffed: "How could our Jiang family go bankrupt? Besides, we have so many RVs."

“…I mean, what if one day?” Jiang Miaomiao said wistfully.

Currently, within the Da Jiang Group, she holds the identity of a prophet!

Unfortunately, Jiang Jiezhi couldn't understand and was still trapped in his own thoughts: "Even if I study well, she might not like me."

Considering Jiang Jiezhi's earlier concern for her, Jiang Miaomiao unusually advised, "Why don't you study hard first and see how it goes?"

Jiang Jiezhi frowned: "What if I work my butt off and do well on the exam, but she still doesn't like me? Wouldn't all my efforts be wasted?"

Jiang Miaomiao sneered: "If all men in the country were like you, no wonder modern women don't want to date!"

Feeling utterly disgusted, Jiang Miaomiao immediately moved away from him, afraid that touching him would bring bad luck.

"What?" She shook off the hand and sat down on the sofa next to her, continuing to rub her face and remove her makeup.

Jiang Jiezhi scrambled to his feet, looking disheveled. "Then what do you suggest? If you can't come up with a solution, you're just spouting empty words and telling me to study hard!"

Jiang Miaomiao rolled her eyes at him: "With your skills, don't try to provoke me!"

Jiang Jiezhi gritted his teeth: "Then what else can I do?"

Jiang Miaomiao shrugged: "Helping you isn't difficult, but why should I?"

Jiang Jiezhi tried to appeal to emotions, saying, "We're siblings!"

Jiang Miaomiao remained unmoved: "We're not mothers, we have no feelings for each other."

Jiang Jiezhi nearly vomited blood: "I couldn't participate in your past for the first seventeen years, but I can make up for it in the next seventeen years."

Jiang Miaomiao: "...Please, don't use such cheesy sweet talk, it makes me want to throw up."

She casually brought up an old grudge: "You wanted to hit me when we first met?"

"I was the one who got beaten up!" Jiang Jiezhi shouted, but realizing he was asking for a favor, he held back and said in a humble voice, "Then what do you want in return for my help? So many people are chasing after her. If she really gets her, won't I be single for the rest of my life?"

Jiang Miaomiao said disdainfully, "Oh, the Jiang family actually produced a womanizer like you?"

Jiang Jiezhi glared at her angrily: "I'm talking to you nicely, can't you just reply nicely?"

Jiang Miaomiao then said, "Do you know what a consultant is? They charge for their advice!"

Jiang Jiezhi cursed, "You...you're really greedy for money!"

Jiang Miaomiao retorted sarcastically: "The strong help each other, which is naturally free, but are you one? You're of no use to me now, so don't try to morally blackmail me into helping you!"

Jiang Jiezhi knew perfectly well that Jiang Miaomiao was talking nonsense, but he was speechless.

He could only grit his teeth and ask, "How much money do you want?"

“Just like custom cabinets, different packages have different prices,” Jiang Miaomiao said, then deliberately stretched out two fingers that were rubbing her face in front of Jiang Jiezhi, “Get me a face towel first, then I’ll consider continuing our conversation.”

Jiang Jiezhi strongly refused to be used as a servant by Jiang Miaomiao.

But he still turned around and ran to the bathroom to get the face towel.

Jiang Miaomiao wiped her face, then "delicately" stretched out her right hand: "I'm thirsty, I want to drink a cup of hot water."

After Jiang Jiezhi handed her water, she held out her right hand again: "I need to eat some late-night snacks."

Jiang Jiezhi: "..."

Jiang Jiezhi: "I'll just go to the kitchen and get you a knife! Do you want one?"

He quickly shook his head to shake off the terrible thought.

Jiang Miaomiao glanced at him sideways, her gaze clinging to him like vines.

She said, "Jiang Jiezhi, but my rules must be laid out in advance. Even if I take your money and teach you how to do things, if you dare to give up halfway and waste my time and energy, I will cripple you!"

Jiang Jiezhi couldn't help but shudder. "...I'm starting to regret it."

Jiang Miaomiao raised an eyebrow: "It seems that even love couldn't save the lost sheep."

Jiang Jiezhi clenched his right fist, slammed it on the table, and said, "I'll do it!"

Early romantic relationships are really powerful.

Jiang Miaomiao nodded and said, "How high our personalized service goals are depends on how fat your wallet is. Go upstairs and bring down my laptop, and while you're at it, bring down all your savings."

Jiang Jiezhi stared in disbelief: "...You really want money?"

Jiang Miaomiao glanced at her coldly, "Do you know what a life planner is? Typing costs money!"

Damn it!

Jiang Jiezhi remained silent once again and went upstairs alone.

Jiang Miaomiao watched them go: After all, he was only seventeen years old, his thinking was immature, and unlike Jiang Bainian and Jiang Zhongming, who had been immersed in the bad habits of society for many years, he could still be saved...

***

The next day was Sunday.

After washing up, Jiang Miaomiao, who was temporarily unemployed, sat on the empty dining table and waited for the clock to slowly reach "nine o'clock." Suddenly, she got up, pulled out Jiang Zhongming's baseball bat from under the sofa, and used the spare key to open Jiang Jiezhi's door.

"Ugh, it's so noisy! Let me sleep a little longer."

"Ugh, who the hell poured cold water all over my face?"

"Ahhh, help! Stop hitting me!"

"What private contract? Can the contract from last night be voided?"

"I won't give up halfway! Don't spank me! I'll get up right away, brush my teeth, wash my face, and start studying."

Then, at 9:23 AM.

Jiang Miaomiao walked out of the room with a baseball bat in her hand, followed by Jiang Jiezhi, who looked dazed and like a walking corpse.

His chrysanthemums were withered, and he was covered in wounds.

Even with two plush cushions on the dining chair, Jiang Jiezhi's buttocks still burned like fire when he sat down, causing him to grimace in pain.

Finally, he could only squat halfway down, like in a horse stance, watching Jiang Miaomiao, who stood behind the dining table with her hands outstretched like someone at the top of the food chain, freely manipulate his body, mind, and time:

From Monday to Friday, they attend school during the day and are picked up by a driver to go home for tutoring in the evening.

I spend all of Saturday and Sunday reading and doing practice questions.

If he dared to say "no" even once, Jiang Miaomiao would raise the silver baseball bat.

...

Jiang Zhengye, as usual, didn't get up until noon to have lunch.

He will confront Jiang Miaomiao today to demand an explanation.

The elderly but vigorous Steward Xun quickly helped him up.

But then Jiang Zhengye rubbed his eyes and said, "Am I drunk or am I still dreaming? That brat is actually reading and studying?"

Butler Xun glanced at Jiang Miaomiao, who was typing on the computer at her desk, and replied, "Neither. Master often says that studying is useless. Should we go in and stop the young master from doing his homework?"

Jiang Zhengye's eyes widened: "Steward Xun, did I say 'studying is useless'?"

Butler Xun nodded decisively: "Master, you often tell Miss that it happens no less than three times a day."

Jiang Zhengye: "..."

Jiang Zhengye: "Butler Xun, don't be so honest!"

Butler Xun remained polite and exuded an air of nobility, saying, "I am the master's butler, and every word I say to you must be truthful and practical."

Jiang Zhengye: "..."

His daily criticism of Jiang Miaomiao's "education is useless" theory was purely out of fear that she was too shrewd and difficult to control. As for his son's desire to study and pursue further education, he would absolutely give it a thumbs up!

Jiang Miaomiao sneered as she watched the two figures slinking away from the study door. They were truly despicable!

But getting back to the main point, Jiang Jiezhi's academic foundation was even worse than she had anticipated, downright outrageous. A high school sophomore who couldn't even solve a linear equation with two variables?

This forced her to search online for top-rated tutors and invited four of them to come for interviews that afternoon.

Learning something is like building a house; you can't rush it, you have to start from the ground up.

Jiang Miaomiao touched the 20-pound safe beside her and thought to herself: It's okay, it's okay, I have plenty of money!

Jiang Jiezhi had saved up all his pocket money over the years in a safe. Because his unrequited love hadn't been reciprocated, he didn't spend much money. His only hobbies were going to bars and playing games.

Compared to Jiang Zhengye's allowance of tens of thousands of yuan during holidays, this kind of expense of going to bars and playing games is a drop in the ocean, so he puts almost all his money in this safe. Last night, he also signed a private contract for "early love to come to fruition" and handed it all over to Jiang Miaomiao.

Jiang Si had originally planned to play ball with Jiang Miaomiao on Sunday, but was shocked to learn that she was tutoring Jiang Jiezhi.

[Jiang Si: Why don't you plan for your other two younger brothers' futures and marriages?]

[Jiang Miaomiao: This guy still has a conscience, there's still hope. He's gullible and rich, I can't help but be tempted...]

[Jiang Si: How much?]

[Jiang Miaomiao: I've saved about two million yuan in pocket money since I was born, and I've swindled it all out of me.]

[Jiang Si: ...It's rare for our Jiang family to produce such a romantic, so go easy on her.]

She glanced at the colorful head before her, a sneer playing on her lips: "As long as it's a brother who's within the bounds of law and morality, I'll go easy on him! The other brothers? Forget about it."

But has she forgotten something?

Jiang Miaomiao scrolled through her WeChat list and found a message with a husky profile picture that had been buried under other messages. It was Yan Yousui!

[Yan Yousui: A nine-grid image of milk tea and rice porridge.jpg]

Black, white, pink, red, purple, blue, green, cyan, and orange-red – nine pictures show nine plates of rice in different colors, more vibrant and colorful than a giant dye vat, and incredibly toxic!

Is this the legendary milk tea rice soup?

[Jiang Miaomiao: I lost my phone yesterday and forgot to reply.]

[Jiang Miaomiao: It looks absolutely delicious, with perfect color, aroma, and taste.]

[Yan Yousui: Husky handshake.jpg, Shall I treat you to a meal?]

[Jiang Miaomiao: Great! It's such a pity I missed Dr. Yan's cooking yesterday. Looking forward to next time.]

[Yan Yousui: No need to regret it, happiness is right in front of you. Husky winking.jpg]

[Jiang Miaomiao: ?]

"Young Miss, SF Express just delivered a same-city express package." Butler Xun suddenly entered the study carrying a white foam box.

Jiang Miaomiao's eyelids twitched suddenly: "Who sent it?"

Steward Xun replied, "The sender wrote the character 'Yan' on the mail."

Jiang Miaomiao quickly checked her WeChat.

[Yan Yousui: I sealed and froze it yesterday, and judging by the time, it should have arrived at your doorstep by now. It cannot be heated; the point of milk tea rice porridge is its icy, slushy texture. Remember to give me feedback after you finish it so I can improve the recipe. (Grim Reaper scythe.jpg)]

The Grim Reaper's scythe, so is it threatening her?

Jiang Miaomiao opened the styrofoam box and found a nine-square grid plate inside, with nine palm-sized squares and nine different colors of rice.

Her intuition, which had saved her from danger several times before, struck her again. She could say whatever she wanted, but she couldn't just eat whatever she wanted!

Author's Note: Um... please add this story to your favorites after reading!