"What? You earned over three hundred in half a month?"
Chen Jing was taken aback, his face filled with disbelief; this was even more lucrative than what he earned in the black market.
Ji Xia met his surprised gaze and lowered her voice, saying, "If anyone asks, just say you made about a hundred. Don't tell the truth."
"Yeah, that's impressive, a hundred bucks is pretty good. How did you manage that?"
Chen Jing listened with delight. Did this prove that she felt differently about him deep down?
For some reason, when Ji Xia met Chen Jing's amazed and admiring gaze, she blurted out everything on her mind.
Upon hearing this, they began to talk about the supply and marketing cooperative's handling of fabrics. The four of them divided the work and cooperated, and the new styles they produced every day were in high demand at the cooperative. They even told others about the wedding dress they had made for Liu Pianran.
Upon hearing that he had made a wedding dress for that woman, Chen Jing shook his head dismissively: "Why would I think of making a wedding dress for her?"
"I was just practicing when I had an idea in mind, so I gave it a try and even impressed an art school teacher who happened to be visiting the supply and marketing cooperative."
Ji Xia was still somewhat proud when talking about what happened that afternoon.
This sense of pride couldn't be shared with Liu Hongju and others, as it would seem like bragging. Nor could it be shared with parents and others, given the generational gap between them.
She didn't even want to confide in her two older brothers, but for some reason, she had the urge to confide in Chen Jing.
Chen Jing looked at her tenderly and listened attentively. After a while, he said in a low voice, "I knew you were capable. Now it seems you're very confident about getting into university."
"The academic requirements are low, so I'm fairly confident. The professional requirements are still unknown."
Ji Xia shook her head. Seeing that he had finished his dinner, she waved the medicated oil in her hand and said, "I'll apply the medicine for you."
She pushed the oil lamp closer to him, sat down next to Chen Jing, dipped her fingertip in the medicated oil, and gently applied it to the bruises on his face.
Because of the application of medicine, the two were very close. He could feel the warm breath on his face, mingling with his own breath, making him feel itchy. A heat spread from the bruises on his face into his blood, and he could almost feel his heart pounding and his blood trembling in his ears.
Chen Jing's gaze moved down from her beautiful eyes and slowly landed on her slightly parted cherry lips.
He swallowed hard, concealed the dark glint in his eyes, and listened quietly with his gaze lowered.
Ji Xia gently rubbed the medicated oil on his face with her fingertips, while nagging him with concern.
"If you encounter someone bullying you in the future, run away if you can't beat them. Don't rely on your physical strength to fight back. If you get hurt, no one will stand up for you outside."
She turned her head and poured some medicated oil into her palm. When she turned back, her pink lips accidentally brushed against his lips.
Their lips met, and a tingling, numbing sensation swept through Ji Xia's body, leaving her stunned.
The two stood face to face, stunned. After about a second, Ji Xia finally came to her senses, blushing and leaning back.
"careful!"
She almost fell backward, but Chen Jing quickly pulled her back, tightening his grip on her slender waist with his right hand, and Ji Xia sat on Chen Jing's lap.
Looking down at her shy face, Chen Jing swallowed hard, cupped the back of her head with his left hand, and pressed his lips against hers, their teeth locked in a passionate kiss.
Fireworks seemed to explode in her mind, leaving her dizzy and her mind blank.
She naturally reached out and put her hand on his shoulder.
"Cough cough cough—"
A few coughs startled Ji Xia and Chen Jing from their reverie. Ji Xia instinctively pushed Chen Jing's hand away and stood up awkwardly.
"Second Brother—"
She bit her lower lip shyly, not daring to look Ji Xiangjun in the eye.
Ji Xiangjun glared at Chen Jing and said, "What are you doing here so late?"
"Second brother, I'm going back right away!"
Chen Jing instinctively straightened up and respectfully replied, while Ji Xia instinctively responded in a voice barely above a whisper, "Brother, I'll take him back right away."
"It's just a few steps, do you really need to deliver it?"
Seeing his younger sister's shy and hesitant gaze, Ji Xiangjun sighed inwardly, "Girls grow up and leave home," gave Chen Jing a warning glare, and finally went back to his room.
As soon as Ji Xiangjun left, Ji Xia breathed a sigh of relief and gently pushed him, saying, "Let's go, I'll see you out."
Chen Jingyi grasped her hand, stroking her palm with his large hand, and murmured a soft "Mmm" with a broad smile.
Stepping out of the Ji family courtyard and seeing that no one was around, Chen Jing took her hand and placed it on his pounding heart: "Xia, my heart is beating very fast. I'm very happy tonight."
Ji Xia's face turned completely red, all she could hear was her own heart pounding like a drum, and her head was spinning.
Not knowing how to face her, she pushed him away shyly, saying, "Stop talking, go back quickly, my brother will come out again soon."
"Ah Xia, deep down you're willing too, aren't you?"
Chen Jing pressed her hand tightly against his chest, chuckling silently, "Xia, shall we get engaged?"
Ji Xia blushed, biting her lower lip and hesitating, "No, I still want to go to university."
"We can get engaged first, Xia. Once we're engaged, I won't stop you from studying."
Chen Jing held her hand tightly. He had finally found an opportunity to soften her heart, and he wanted to strike while the iron was hot and settle things.
Ji Xia was in a state of turmoil. She bit her lower lip and glanced at him: "Studying takes at least a few years. Once you're engaged, it's hard to back out. What if you take a fancy to another girl later—"
"There will be no other girl, you are the only one in my heart."
"Really? What if there were? What if you were like Lin Haodong—"
"Impossible, Xia. I've liked you for years. If it weren't for this, I wouldn't have gone to such lengths to expose them—"
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