Chapter 11 Don't grieve over people who aren't worth it.
When Jiang Sui was awakened, she was still a little dazed.
Her long, wet eyelashes drooped low, and a faint red mist clung to the corners of her eyes, making her look exceptionally pitiful.
Her slender, pale fingers groped around on the table for a long time, but she couldn't find the source of the disturbance.
"Ji Jingyu, it's so noisy..."
She buried her face in her arms, trying to deceive herself, and spoke in a somewhat slurred and unclear voice.
She's not too confused; she still knows to call his name.
A helpless chuckle landed on her head, and the next second, a hard object with a slightly cool touch was carefully placed into her hand.
The sound came from Jiang Sui's phone.
Since discovering that she had fallen asleep, Ji Jingyu has put her phone on silent mode.
Jiang Sui sat up with a displeased expression, but her face changed immediately after she saw the identity of the caller on the screen.
She took her phone, walked to the window, and pressed the answer button.
She was grumpy from being woken up and in a bad mood, so she didn't say a word after answering the phone.
The person on the other end of the phone had no idea what was going on, and their tone even carried a hint of "interrogation."
"Sui Sui, do you still consider me your best friend? You didn't even tell me about such a big thing as transferring schools."
Jiang Sui chuckled ambiguously, "Obviously not."
"..."
One sentence left the other party speechless.
After a long while, she forced a smile and said, "Sui Sui, are you kidding me? Today isn't April Fool's Day."
Jiang Sui wasn't going to give the other person any leeway, saying, "You think you're worthy of joking with me?"
Ji Jingyu had no intention of eavesdropping, but in such a confined space, Jiang Sui's voice inevitably reached his ears.
The pen tip slowly spread a black dot on the white paper, with a faint tendency to expand.
"Besides, school hasn't even started yet, how did you know I transferred schools?"
"..."
The other party fell silent again; the course of the call had gone completely against her expectations.
Jiang Sui didn't care what the answer was at all.
"Fang Ying told you, right? Did she even ask you to call me to find out more information?"
"I..." The other person stammered for a long time without being able to give a coherent answer.
"Alright, Qin Beibei, stop pretending to be my sister."
Jiang Sui was too lazy to play along. She chuckled and said, "My transfer is a good thing for you. It saves you from being a fence-sitter and running back and forth. Now you can go and be Fang Ying's little follower without worry."
Qin Beibei was shocked by Jiang Sui's blunt words; her face turned pale and then flushed repeatedly.
Before I could even utter the word "you," I heard the call ending.
After hanging up the phone, Jiang Sui cleanly and decisively blocked all of Qin Beibei's contact methods.
but……
I'm still feeling uneasy.
As if throwing a tantrum, Jiang Sui reached out and forcefully ripped open the white veil, letting the sunlight rush in through the window.
Jiang Sui's eyes, which had just woken up, couldn't immediately adapt to the strong light, so she closed her eyes uncomfortably and turned her head to hide.
A lean, strong arm almost brushed past her cheek, the slightly astringent and cool scent of mint lingering around her nose.
Strong and with a strong presence.
"Whoosh."
The blackout curtains on both sides were closed again, and the room returned to its dim state.
Jiang Sui blinked and subconsciously looked at the person behind her.
Their gazes met in mid-air. The boy's face was pale and indifferent, his dark eyes deep and calm, revealing no emotion whatsoever.
Jiang Sui thought Ji Jingyu would say something to her.
Since she chose to answer the call in her room, she didn't intend to avoid Ji Jingyu.
After all, he knew her most important secret.
But he seemed to have really just come to draw the curtains; after doing all that, he returned to his seat.
He remained silent.
To remain uninvolved.
Jiang Sui: "..."
Why doesn't he play by the rules?
But after this interruption, the frustration that had been weighing on her mind dissipated considerably.
Or rather, they couldn't care less.
Although they are all about the same age, Jiang Deyu is loud and boisterous like a simpleton, while Ji Jingyu has already learned to keep his emotions hidden.
Jiang Sui was really curious about how he managed to look so old at such a young age.
Humans are inherently rebellious.
The more he acted this way, the more Jiang Sui wanted to remove the mask of coldness and restraint on his face, and to see more of his emotions.
"Ji Jingyu".
Finally, he's not calling me Brother Ji anymore.
"Aren't you even a little bit curious?"
No sooner had she finished speaking than Jiang Sui launched a surprise attack. She moved closer to Ji Jingyu and brazenly scrutinized his expression, trying to find a flaw in his demeanor.
The distance between the two suddenly shrunk to an extreme close, so close that they could almost see each other's thick, distinct eyelashes, and their breaths mingled.
Ji Jingyu never expected Jiang Sui to make such a bold move.
A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes, his Adam's apple bobbed silently, and his hand resting on his thigh clenched quietly.
He could have stood up and dodged, but at this moment he seemed to be frozen in place, unable to move, and could only let Jiang Sui look him over.
Outside the window, the shadows of trees swayed, and the cicadas chirped incessantly.
The small space inside the house was unusually quiet.
Time seemed to stand still, and the two of them fell into a midsummer dream together.
Jiang Sui had always known that Ji Jingyu was good-looking, but she never expected that even at such close range, his good looks would not be diminished at all.
Especially when those dark eyes stared intently at her, she inexplicably felt a sense of unease, as if she were about to be swallowed up by the vortex in his eyes.
Alarm bells rang in Jiang Sui's mind, and she subconsciously straightened up, even taking a small step back.
The heel hit the chair leg, making a screeching sound that startled the tadpoles nearby, causing them to jump onto the table.
Jiang Sui apologized to it while hugging it in her arms, then quickly walked back to her seat, her movements suggesting a hasty retreat.
Therefore, she missed the blush that quietly crept up on the other person's cold, jade-like earlobe.
—
The tadpole, held in Jiang Sui's arms, seemed to hear her pounding, rapid heartbeat. It popped out of her embrace and tilted its head to look at her for a while.
Originally, she intended to tease Ji Jingyu, but ended up making herself look so pathetic.
But the other person acted as if nothing had happened, probably laughing at her to herself!
Jiang Sui took a deep breath and tried to justify herself, "Fine, if you don't want to know, then forget it. I don't want to tell you anyway."
"I want to know, can you tell me what exactly happened?"
Although Ji Jingyu didn't hear what the person on the other end of the phone said, she could roughly guess what was going on from Jiang Sui's few words.
However, Jiang Sui will have to tell him the specifics of what happened.
The two voices rang out almost simultaneously.
Jiang Sui paused in her petting of the cat, her previously annoyed expression softening slightly. "You really want to know?"
Ji Jingyu closed the book. "Hmm, I want to know."
"They were all my friends before I came to Xunning."
Although Jiang Sui brought it up herself, when she actually told Ji Jingyu about it, her thoughts became somewhat chaotic, and she didn't know where to begin.
"them?"
"Yes, them. Besides the one who just called me, there's another one."
It might sound a bit sentimental, but seventeen-year-old Jiang Sui did indeed experience growing pains brought about by friendship.
As if in response to her mood, the previously sunny and hot weather suddenly became overcast.
Jiang Sui's expression was indescribable: "...Is even the heavens pitying me?"
Ji Jingyu scientifically refuted the rumors: "Xunning is rainy, and it has been raining almost every afternoon lately."
After a pause, he added, "Didn't it also download while you were asleep yesterday?"
Jiang Sui's heart skipped a beat when she heard this. The voice she heard in her half-awake state was indeed Ji Jingyu's.
I wonder if my sleeping posture was ugly at the time?
She had absolutely no image to maintain in front of Ji Jingyu.
Lightning pierced the sky, a sudden clap of thunder echoed across the horizon, followed by a torrential downpour accompanied by strong winds.
Large raindrops pounded against the window with a "pitter-patter" sound, then slowly slid down the glass, leaving winding streaks of water.
The room grew increasingly dim.
Ji Jingyu got up to turn on the light, but Jiang Sui stopped her.
"Don't turn on the light."
Some things are not suitable to be said in a bright and open environment, and Jiang Sui felt that this was just right.
It doesn't matter how dark it is.
Whether it's the chubby kitten in her arms or Ji Jingyu sitting across from her, they both give her a sense of security.
—
“Many people befriend me because of my father; I thought the two of them were different…”
As is well known, commercial resources in Licheng are controlled by a small number of people, and these people often have long-term, fixed partners. Resources only circulate among these "family members," so many people can't get a share of the pie even if they try their hardest, but no one is willing to give up just like that.
Driven by huge profits, some people began to take a different approach and set their sights on Jiang Yunzhao's only daughter, Jiang Sui.
If their child could become friends with Jiang Sui, and Jiang Sui could put in a good word for them, the effect would be twice as good. After all, everyone knows that Jiang Yunzhao is a complete doting father to his daughter.
Jiang Sui hated the way people looked at her; it was full of calculation, flattery, and ingratiation.
She was always the most popular person in school, but also the loneliest.
They fawned over her, yet they also rejected her.
The desire to please is to fulfill parents' instructions and for the benefit of the family, while the rejection stems from the fact that at this age when self-esteem is at its peak, no one wants to be labeled as "Jiang Sui's lackey."
Even those who genuinely wanted to befriend her backed down under the knowing glances and malicious teasing of others.
What's even more terrifying is that this isolation and harm are invisible; Jiang Sui can't even find their fault.
No one realized that Jiang Sui was the most innocent. She hadn't done anything, yet she became the arrogant and difficult young lady in everyone's eyes.
Only Qin Beibei and Yu Chen were different.
They never cared about other people's opinions or views, and never asked her for anything.
"I thought we would be best friends for life."
At this point, Jiang Sui remained silent for a long time.
Just when Ji Jingyu thought she wouldn't continue, Jiang Sui finally spoke again.
A slightly hoarse voice slowly rang out in the dimly lit space, "That day I originally wanted them to tell me about transferring schools, but I overheard their conversation instead."
Jiang Sui still finds it unbelievable to this day when she recalls pinching the tadpole's paw pads.
"You're contacting Fang Ying behind Jiang Sui's back? Aren't you afraid she'll be angry if she finds out?"
"But she has to know first," Qin Beibei said nonchalantly. "She's completely fooled by me now; she'll believe anything I say."
Yu Chen sneered: "You really are ungrateful."
The other party retorted, "What, after serving the young lady for a few years, you really think you're a servant?"
Qin Beibei had always been gentle in front of Jiang Sui, and this was the first time Jiang Sui had heard her speak in such a sharp and sarcastic tone.
A hint of ferocity flashed across Yu Chen's face: "If it weren't for Old Master Jiang making me follow her, do you think I would be willing to associate with someone like her!"
—
The memory abruptly ended.
"Do you know what's the most ridiculous thing?"
What is it?
"The next day, Yu Chen came to confess to me and said he liked me."
Ji Jingyu frowned. "Confess?"
"Yes." The thought of this made Jiang Sui's face contort with disgust. "Do you think he has schizophrenia?"
"and you……"
"Of course, I blocked all his contact methods." Jiang Sui rubbed her nose. "Otherwise, why would I keep them around to disgust myself?"
"How did you meet Yu Chen?" Ji Jingyu's voice was low, with an unreadable emotion in his tone. "The 'Grandpa Jiang' he mentioned is your grandfather, right?"
Qin Beibei is a girl, so they naturally have more opportunities to interact. But what opportunity did Yu Chen, a boy, have to get close to Jiang Sui?
“It’s him.” Jiang Sui nodded. “I met Yu Chen at the hospital.”
Ji Jingyu frowned even more deeply. "Is someone sick?"
Jiang Sui pointed to herself.
When Jiang Sui was eight years old, she was in a car accident and had to stay in the hospital for a long time.
Even if Jiang Yunzhao made the ward as comfortable as possible, it couldn't compare to home. So when the weather was nice, the aunt who took care of Jiang Sui would push her to the hospital's small garden for some fresh air.
It was there that Jiang Sui met Yu Chen.
Yu Chen said he came to the hospital with his parents to visit relatives.
"The moment I saw Yu Chen, I felt a sense of familiarity with him, as if I was meant to have such a playmate, so we quickly became good friends."
The happier I was then, the more disgusted I feel when I think back on it.
"That car accident must have damaged my brain, that's why I considered that kind of person a friend," Jiang Sui said self-deprecatingly. "I don't know what benefits my grandfather promised him that would make him 'endure hardship' by my side for so many years."
As for Jiang Zhenkai, his purpose is not hard to guess.
At that time, Jiang Yunzhao was already at odds with him, and Jiang Sui also stopped getting close to him. The old man had been autocratic all his life, so naturally he would not allow them to escape his control.
Placing a watcher next to his granddaughter is indeed something he's capable of doing.
"Jiang Sui." Ji Jingyu leaned forward slightly, his dark eyes looking directly into hers, his voice clear and bright, "Don't be sad for someone who isn't worth it."
Jiang Sui bit her lip, instinctively about to retort, "Who said I was sad..."
"Since you've blocked all their contact information, then don't think about them anymore."
Jiang Sui was taken aback.
The reason she only blocked Yu Chen was because she still had hope for Qin Beibei.
But Qin Beibei still disappointed her.
The proud and arrogant young lady hates being lectured the most, but with Ji Jingyu's look and tone, she had no temper at all.
Jiang Sui nodded obediently, "I understand."
—
The rain stopped and the wind died down.
The sky cleared up again, and the raindrops scattered on the treetops shimmered in the sunlight, making the greenery even more lush and full of vitality.
Ji Jingyu stood by the window and reached out to pull back the white gauze.
The gentle sunlight after the rain fell on him, casting a light golden filter over him, perfectly outlining the boy's tall and vigorous frame.
The unique naiveté and power of youth are fully revealed at this moment.
Jiang Sui quietly watched Ji Jingyu's retreating figure. The true colors of those two. "After arriving in Xunning, I immediately made friends; I didn't have time to be sad. Hmm, Gu Ci doesn't count yet; he hasn't added me as a friend."
She concluded, "I really enjoy my life now."
"Making friends is not a hasty thing. Perhaps over time you will find that we do not meet your requirements for friends. You should not make a conclusion so early."
Ji Jingyu's words took Jiang Sui by surprise.
Is he worried that she will be hurt again by a "friend"?
But the people she mentioned were all his good friends who grew up with him.
After a moment, she curled the corners of her lips and said, "How can it not fit? Although Jiang Deyu is a bit silly, he has no bad intentions. As for Fanfan and Gu Ci's early romantic tendencies, they won't affect my interactions with them."
"Finally, there's you, Brother Ji. You're cold on the outside but warm on the inside, making you a top-notch friend," Jiang Sui said, half-jokingly. "Besides, you know all my secrets, so I have to stay with you all the time."
—
I don't know when it started, but whenever Ji He returns home from a business trip, the atmosphere at home becomes dull and suffocating.
The meal was eaten in complete silence.
Grandma Ji seemed to want to say something to ease the tension, but in the end she didn't say anything.
Ji Jingyu returned to her bedroom, intending to finish the book she hadn't read during the day, but for some reason, she couldn't concentrate tonight.
The tadpole perched on the desk, its two front paws enthusiastically fiddling with the pen, while its gaze, peering through the window, was fixed on the distant and deep night sky…
That night, Ji Jingyu dreamed of Jiang Sui.
To be precise, it was Jiang Sui at the age of eight.
Xiao Jiangsui sat on a bench, listlessly counting the withered leaves blown down by the wind.
Her fair and delicate face was bathed in the warm sunlight, like a beautiful and proud little kitten.
Hearing footsteps, she looked up abruptly, puffing out her chubby cheeks, "Why are you taking so long!"
A note from the author:
The next chapter will begin campus life.
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