The Song family.
Song Yan was preparing dinner in the cramped kitchen.
There was only a dim light in the kitchen. Song Yan looked down at the steaming white porridge, which was emitting a fragrant aroma. Laughter and cheerful voices from the living room occasionally drifted into his ears.
"Grandma, your eyesight is getting better and better. Before long, you'll probably be able to see more clearly than any of us!" Jiang Fei's sweet and natural voice rang out in the small living room, carrying a touch of delightful charm.
The old man laughed, amused: "Feifei, you're joking again. I'm old and just want to be able to see things clearly so I don't cause any trouble instead of being of help!"
“Where are you old?” Jiang Fei retorted. “I don’t think you’re old at all. In fact, you’re getting younger and younger. You can enjoy decades more of retirement!”
"You silly girl," the old man complained, but his smile only grew wider, "you really know how to sweet-talk people..."
"I'm not lying, I'm telling the truth."
"..."
The noise outside continued.
Song Yan pursed his lips, listening to the laughter filling the room and looking at the smoke in front of him, his brows furrowing involuntarily.
How can Jiang Fei be such a good actress? She has completely different faces in front of him and in front of her grandmother.
In his presence, she acted as arrogantly as a peacock.
In front of her grandmother, however, she is obedient and sweet-talking.
Song Yan couldn't help but glance into the living room, where Jiang Fei was teaching his grandmother how to massage her calves.
He paused, and for a moment it seemed as if he had returned to his youth.
One evening after class, his grandmother went out and didn't come back until very late. He was picked up by a neighbor and sat in the corner of the sofa, watching the old woman and her granddaughter joking around. His son and daughter-in-law were busy in the kitchen, and the aroma of food wafted out from time to time.
It was noisy and bustling, but very fulfilling.
But he was a cold-hearted person, and his grandmother was busy making money every day, so the house was always cold and quiet.
Looking back now, it seems... we've never had anything as lively as today.
Grandma hasn't been this happy in a long time.
The white porridge bubbled and gurgled.
Song Yan suddenly came to his senses, picked up a spoon and stirred the porridge.
You can still hear the old man's laughter outside.
Song Yan lowered his head, put the dishes into a plate, and then put two bowls of white porridge on the coffee table.
"Thank you, Song." Jiang Fei took a moment to look up at him and smile.
Song Yan paused, his brows furrowing slightly: "Aren't you going home?"
"Xiao Yan!" Before Jiang Fei could speak, his grandmother looked at him disapprovingly, "Fei Fei came to examine my eyes, what's wrong with letting her stay for a meal?"
Song Yan froze for a moment, then turned to look at Jiang Fei, who was raising his eyebrows at him innocently yet smugly.
"Grandma, Jiang is used to good food, she might not like this kind of food," he said casually.
The old man seemed to realize what was happening and looked at Jiang Fei, about to say something.
“If you can eat it, why can’t you?” Jiang Fei took the bowl and chopsticks and handed them to the old man, then looked at Song Yan and said, “So, Song, could you please get yourself another bowl?”
The old man immediately smiled.
Song Yan glanced at her for two seconds, then turned around and went back into the kitchen. When she came out again, she was carrying a set of bowls and chopsticks.
Jiang Fei smiled and slowly placed a piece of meat into the old woman's bowl: "Grandma, please eat more."
The old man smiled and nodded repeatedly, saying "okay."
They completely ignored Song Yan, who was standing to the side.
After dinner, the old man was tired. Before returning to the master bedroom to rest, he reminded Song Yan, "Xiao Yan, remember to take Fei Fei back."
Song Yan nodded.
Once the master bedroom door closed, the temperature in Song Yan's eyes dropped, and he looked at Jiang Fei: "What exactly do you want to do?"
"What do you mean, what do you mean?" Jiang Fei's obedient smile deepened as she walked up to him. "Xiao Yan, take me home."
Song Yan frowned, glanced at the closed door of the master bedroom, turned around, took the key, and walked out of the house.
Around 8 p.m., the streetlights in the old residential area were dim.
Song Yan pushed his bicycle and glanced at Jiang Fei, who was following beside him: "Jiang Fei, I have agreed to all your requests, but I hope you will not put on an act for Grandma in the future."
Jiang Fei raised an eyebrow: "Acting?"
Song Yan said in a deep voice, "Grandma has always been alone. She's been a bit lonely, but she's managed to get through it. Don't use your schemes on her and hurt her feelings."
"Scheming?" Jiang Fei walked up to Song Yan. Under the dim light of a streetlamp, she looked up at him and then slowly moved closer to him, no more than a finger's width away.
Song Yan paused, instinctively wanting to avoid it.
Jiang Fei chuckled softly, "Don't worry, I'm much more sincere to the elderly than to you."
Song Yan frowned.
Jiang Fei turned back, took two slow steps forward, and then looked back at him: "Aren't you going to look for a job?"
Song Yan continued to watch her cautiously, without saying a word.
She ruined all his work.
“Hey, even if I could give you everything you want, including money,” Jiang Fei raised an eyebrow and smiled, “don’t think I’ll be a sucker.”
"If you don't earn money, I'm afraid that in the future I won't even be able to afford groceries if I want to freeload a meal. How will I take care of my parents then?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Fei saw Song Yan's favorability rating fluctuate slightly.
Song Yan tightened his grip slightly as he pushed the bicycle.
His shameful relationship with her was a disgrace to him.
He would never accept her money, but he thought she would use it to humiliate him.
Unexpectedly, she also showed a rare, reasonable side.
"Oh right, you used to tutor on weekends, right?" Jiang Fei suddenly remembered something.
Song Yan snapped out of her reverie: "Hmm."
“You’re currently unemployed, so why don’t you teach me?” Jiang Fei said casually. “Anyway, I just transferred to your class and I’m struggling to keep up. As for the price, we’ll stick to your previous rate, seven days a week…”
“Jiang Fei.” Song Yan interrupted her, staring at her for a full two seconds. “You know better than anyone why I lost my job. And I will find a job myself; you can hire other tutors.”
Jiang Fei frowned: "Are you rejecting me?"
Song Yan's expression hardened as he recalled her previous request.
Jiang Fei added, "I'm not the kind of person who makes trouble unreasonably." She smiled and said, "Didn't you say you would work hard to earn money to repay me and then completely end our relationship? Let's put the tutoring money in there."
Song Yan gazed at her, knowing he had no freedom to refuse.
She was truly devoted to Shen Fang, even taking up his time outside of class.
"Only on weekends." Finally, Song Yan lowered his head and said in a deep voice.
He didn't need the money she gave him through her fingers.
Jiang Fei smiled and said, "Okay." Then she thought for a moment, "Isn't tomorrow Saturday? Let's start from tomorrow."
Song Yan lowered his eyes and got on his bicycle.
Jiang Fei sat in the back seat, with one arm around his waist.
Song Yan's body remained frighteningly tense from her contact.
The two didn't speak again on the way. Song Yan dropped Jiang Fei off at the entrance of the villa area and then rode away.
Jiang Fei glanced at his back; his white shirt looked particularly thin and desolate under the distant neon lights.
Jiang Fei withdrew her gaze and turned to walk into the villa.
Suddenly, a blinding beam of light shone on her from ahead.
Jiang Fei couldn't help but raise her hand to shield her eyes from the light, and then she saw a dark figure walking towards her against the light, stopping right in front of her: "So intimate?"
A deep, resonant sound.
Jiang Fei turned to the side and finally saw Shen Fang's expression clearly. He was expressionless and his face was gloomy.
"Aren't you happy?" Jiang Fei asked calmly, her eyes lowered.
Shen Fang laughed angrily: "What should I be happy about?"
He was glad that he had waited there for three hours until Song Yan brought her back.
I was still happy to see her laughing on that old bicycle, but when I saw him, my face was tense.
Jiang Fei hesitated for a few seconds, then slowly raised her head and looked into Chen Fang's eyes: "As you wished, isn't it?"
Chen Fang's breath hitched, and his face turned slightly pale.
Jiang Fei smiled and said, "Shen Fang, the holiday is over. Now that I've agreed to help you get close to Song Yan, you don't need to play the 'being nice to me' act with me anymore."
"I heard that Ruan Tang and you have become much closer. Congratulations."
After saying that, Jiang Fei walked past him toward the villa.
"Jiang Fei!" Shen Fang's hand, hanging by his side, twitched. His low, husky voice, typical of boys, seemed to be squeezed out of his throat, filled with resentment and defiance. "Tell me, what do you think about me being with Ruan Tang?"
Jiang Fei paused in his steps.
Shen Fang noticed her hesitation, and his eyes lit up slightly.
However, the next second, Jiang Fei said, "I wish you and Ruan Tang happiness."
After saying that, he walked straight into the villa.
Shen Fang remained standing in the same spot, her hands clenched tightly, her nails, which hadn't been trimmed for days, digging into her palms.
She actually wished him and Ruan Tang happiness?
After a long while, Shen Fang opened his palm, looked at the crescent-shaped bloodstain on his palm, and then touched the corner of his lips.
He didn't believe it. She had liked him for eight years, and now, after only a little over ten days, she had no feelings left at all.
If there really wasn't one, then what did that kiss mean?
Chen Fang's favorability rating: 90.
As soon as Jiang Fei entered the main hall, he heard the system report.
She just smiled indifferently.
Seeing Song Yan escort her home spurred her on and increased her affection for him. She wondered what he would be like at the freshman welcome dance.
She was actually getting more and more excited.
"Jiang Jiang?" Just as she was thinking, someone called her from the side.
Jiang Fei looked up and saw her father standing at the entrance of the banquet hall, with several suitcases at his feet.
"Dad?" Jiang Fei asked, puzzled.
Mr. Jiang smiled and walked up to her: "Your Aunt Wen and I are going on a business trip for a while. Don't worry, I've made all the arrangements. Your aunt and the housekeeper will take good care of you."
Jiang Fei nodded: "Okay."
"Sweetie," Mr. Jiang patted her head, hesitated for a moment, "Jiang Jiang, when Daddy comes back from his business trip, Aunt Wen and I have something we want to discuss with you..."
Seeing her father's expression, Jiang Fei's mind raced: "Dad, is it related to Aunt Wen's family?"
To be precise, it's related to Jiangcuo.
Father Jiang paused for a moment, then said awkwardly, "You...know?"
Jiang Fei laughed: "Aunt Wen is my family too!"
Father Jiang's eyes brightened slightly, and he slowly breathed a sigh of relief, saying softly, "Jiang Jiang has grown up."
On the other side.
Song Yan rode his bicycle back to his apartment building. As the surrounding prosperity gradually turned into simplicity, he habitually looked up at his own window.
It was pitch black, desolate and lonely.
Song Yan was momentarily dazed, and for a fleeting moment, the sounds of her grandmother and Jiang Fei laughing and joking echoed in her mind.
He quickly shook his head, banishing the unwanted images from his mind, locked his bicycle, and headed upstairs.
A soft voice came from the dimly lit corner of the stairwell: "Song Yan?"
Song Yan paused, looking towards the light outside. A girl in a white dress was standing there, looking at him with teary eyes.
"Ruan Tang?" Song Yan said in a low voice, a hint of surprise in his eyes.
Ruan Tang slowly emerged from the darkness: "I came to apologize to you. I'm sorry about what happened at noon today. I shouldn't have said those things to you..."
Song Yan paused slightly, then shook his head: "It's alright."
“Song Yan, can you tell me what happened?” Ruan Tang walked up to him, looking at him earnestly. “Why are you suddenly ignoring me? What’s going on between you and Jiang Fei? Did I do something wrong? I…”
“Ruan Tang!” Song Yan interrupted her, “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
"Then what about you and Jiang Fei..."
Song Yan frowned slightly but remained silent.
How could he tell this girl about his relationship with Jiang Fei?
Seeing that he didn't speak, Ruan Tang's eyes dimmed, and she nervously clenched her hands at her sides. She asked again, "Then, can I invite you to be my dance partner at the freshman welcome dance next month?"
Song Yan moved her lips, but thinking of Jiang Fei's charming and arrogant eyes, she knew she would definitely not agree.
But looking down at the girl's trembling eyelashes, Song Yan's words of refusal stopped in his throat: "I... I'll give you an answer tomorrow, okay?"
Ruan Tang was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and nodded: "Okay, I'll wait for your answer."
After saying that, she hesitated for a moment, then turned and walked out.
Song Yan gazed at her retreating figure, which appeared even more frail in the night. After a long while, he sighed softly and stepped forward, saying, "I'll see you off."
...
the next day.
After seeing off her father and Aunt Wen, Jiang Fei went to her usual shopping mall and shopped until evening before heading directly to the Song family home with her bags.
Song Yan seemed to be waiting for her arrival; as soon as she knocked, the door opened from the inside.
Even at home, he was still dressed neatly in a white shirt and black pants. There were tutoring materials on the coffee table. When he saw what Jiang Fei was holding, he was stunned for a moment, but still politely took the bags and packages from her.
"Thank you." Jiang Fei looked around. "Where's Grandma?"
Hearing her call her "Grandma" so naturally, Song Yan paused for a moment before saying, "She's resting."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than the old man's voice came from the master bedroom: "Feifei is here?"
Jiang Fei responded crisply and got up to walk towards the master bedroom.
Song Yan placed the paper bag in her hand on the sofa. Listening to the familiar laughter coming from the master bedroom, the whole house suddenly felt full.
He himself didn't know when Jiang Fei and his grandmother had become so familiar.
After an unknown amount of time, Jiang Fei came out of the master bedroom and quietly closed the door.
Song Yan watched her silent movements and thought of what she had said that night: that she was more sincere to her grandmother than to him.
Maybe... she's telling the truth?
"I have something to tell you." Song Yan stood up and looked at her.
“Coincidentally, me too,” Jiang Fei smiled, rummaged through the paper bag she had brought, and handed three of them to Song Yan, “Go try on this dress.”
"Formal dress?"
“Yes,” Jiang Fei nodded, pushing him toward the bathroom, “Go and try it.”
"I don't need it..."
“You’ll be my dance partner at the freshman welcome dance next month,” Jiang Fei interrupted him. “It doesn’t matter whether you use me or not, but you can’t embarrass me.”
Song Yan's body stiffened, his eyes dimmed, and his expression was full of anger and helplessness after being humiliated.
"By the way, what were you about to say?" Jiang Fei looked up at him.
Song Yan's lips moved slightly, but he ultimately shook his head: "It's nothing."
Jiang Fei raised an eyebrow: "Could it be... that you have a date with a beautiful woman?"
Song Yan paused, frowned, and glanced at her: "I will pay you back for the dress." After saying that, he turned and walked into the restroom.
Jiang Fei watched his retreating figure, his expression of anger that dared not be expressed, which was truly endearing.
She chuckled softly, took the paper bag, and went into Song Yan's bedroom.
When Song Yan came out of the bathroom, the living room was completely empty, except for his bedroom, which had been open just moments before but was now closed.
Song Yan was annoyed. He didn't like others touching his things, so he quickly stepped forward, opened the door and was about to go in when a red figure happened to walk to the door and bumped into his arms, carrying a dangerous faint fragrance.
Song Yan looked down and then froze.
Jiang Fei wore a red halter-neck dress, her eyebrows and eyes charming and captivating. A thin red strap wrapped around the back of her neck, revealing her fair shoulders. Her waistline was cinched, her curves exquisite, and the fishtail hem of the dress accentuated her slender and graceful figure.
Unlike the elegant beauty of a white dress, she was unrestrainedly beautiful at this moment, seemingly making even the background pale in comparison.
Jiang Fei was also sizing him up.
Wearing a sharp suit, Song Yan exuded an air of nobility. His brows and eyes were indifferent, yet his features were captivating. His cold demeanor carried an aura of asceticism that made people want to defile him.
“I have good taste,” Jiang Fei said first, then raised her eyebrows and asked confidently, “Am I good-looking?”
Song Yan realized what was happening and quickly took a half step back, stopping only when he could no longer smell her fragrance. His gaze darted away when he saw her bare shoulders: "It's time for tutoring." With that, he turned to leave.
Before she could even step out of the bedroom, the door was slammed shut behind her by a snow-white hand. Jiang Fei leaned against the door, looking at Song Yan who was right in front of her: "No tutoring today."
Song Yan remained silent.
Jiang Fei moved closer to him: "Practice dancing."
As Song Yan inhaled the fragrance emanating from her body, which rushed towards him, his blood surged even faster, and he hurriedly tried to back away.
Jiang Fei parted her red lips slightly: "Hold me."
Song Yan glanced at her slender waist but didn't move.
"Hmm?" Jiang Fei looked at him in confusion, then simply stepped forward, took his hand with one hand, and pulled his hand to her waist with the other.
Song Yan's fingers trembled, and he felt his palms burning hot.
He forced himself to calm down; it was just dancing.
"Can you dance?" Jiang Fei asked earnestly, leaning against him.
Song Yan lowered his eyes and didn't speak, nor did he look at her again.
In the cramped bedroom, without music, the two people dressed in elegant attire quietly danced a waltz.
Every dance step was perfectly synchronized, as if they had rehearsed it thousands of times.
However, Song Yan's limbs were very stiff.
As soon as the dance ended, Song Yan was about to release Jiang Fei almost immediately.
Jiang Fei stopped him: "The dance is fine, but you have to do me a favor."
Song Yan habitually looked down at her, but his gaze quickly shifted away when it met hers: "What kind of help?"
Jiang Fei paused for a moment, walked up to him, and slowly approached him. As he tried to back away, she said leisurely, "You're not allowed to back away."
Song Yan paused.
Jiang Fei finally stopped when she was only a finger's width away from him, looked down at his lips, and asked seriously, "Have you ever kissed someone?"
Song Yan's breath caught in his throat. He could only see the girl's red lips moving as if she were saying something, but he couldn't make it out clearly: "Wh..."
He was about to ask a question in return.
The next second, a sudden tingling sensation ran down my lips.
Jiang Fei wrapped one arm around the back of his neck and kissed the corner of his lips, her soft, red lips gently caressing his.
Song Yan's body stiffened, and he even forgot to dodge.
Jiang Fei slightly parted her lips, bit his lower lip with her pearly teeth, and then licked the spot where she had just bitten it with the tip of her tongue, moving her body closer and closer to him.
Song Yan instinctively felt something explode in his mind, his heart skipped a beat, and as she chased after him, he could only retreat until he bumped into the bed behind him and fell onto it.
Jiang Fei fell down with him, pinning him beneath her, her lips becoming even redder and glossier.
The small room was filled with heat and ambiguity.
"Your kissing skills are terrible." Jiang Fei pulled away from his lips, looking down at him as if assessing something.
Song Yan's wandering consciousness suddenly returned, and he was as if he had just woken up: "Shameless!"
As he spoke, he suddenly pushed Jiang Fei away, stood up, took two steps back, his eyes wide with astonishment, his face flushed, and his breathing rapid.
Jiang Fei lay on the bed, her expression showing no anger, but slowly sat up and looked at him.
Song Yan stared at the ambiguous lipstick smeared on her lips, his brows furrowed: "I am not your plaything to do as you please." His voice was terribly hoarse, with barely perceptible panting.
Jiang Fei remained silent.
Song Yan turned around quickly: "If you don't want tutoring today, then let's do it another day." Then she was about to leave.
Jiang Fei watched his retreating figure as he quickly headed towards the restroom.
How sinful!
but……
Song Yan's favorability rating has reached 20, and it is still fluctuating wildly.
Jiang Fei stood up, walked out of the bedroom and headed towards the door. She paused as she passed the bathroom and knocked on the door.
Song Yan ignored him.
Jiang Fei slowly said, "The paper bag on the sofa is a gift for Grandma."
After waiting for a while, Song Yan still ignored her.
Jiang Fei: "..."
How much damage did this cause to his young mind?
Feeling hurt actually increases affection level?
Jiang Fei shrugged, opened the door, and left.
The sound of the bathroom faucet gradually stopped only after the door closed.
Looking at herself in the mirror, Song Yan noticed that even after washing her lips, there was still trace of Jiang Fei's lipstick and... the teeth marks she had just left.
Song Yan's throat tightened, filled with humiliation and resentment, but... he hated being touched, yet he couldn't find a trace of disgust now.
Even now, her scent still lingers in my arms.
Song Yan snapped out of her daze, quickly took off her formal attire, and changed into her own clothes.
His expression finally calmed down after he put the dress into the gift box.
A kiss without emotion means nothing.
Jiang Fei just thought it was fun; if he minded, it would only make it seem like he cared.
He had neither the inclination nor the time to play such childish emotional games with her.
"Xiao Yan?" Grandma's voice came from the master bedroom.
Song Yan cleared his mind of unnecessary thoughts; he couldn't think about it anymore!
He walked into the master bedroom: "Grandma?"
"Feifei has left?" The old man looked at him.
Song Yan paused for a moment: "Hmm."
Seeing that her grandmother was about to ask more questions, Song Yan turned around and said, "I'll go make dinner."
Behind him, the old man watched his retreating figure and sighed softly.
That evening, Song Yan and her grandmother ate dinner quietly, just like always.
The only exception was Grandma's occasional sigh: "Why didn't you keep Feifei here for dinner?"
Song Yan listened to his grandmother's words and remained silent with his head down.
That evening, after applying a hot compress to the old man's legs, Song Yan returned to his room. Looking at the bed, he couldn't help but recall the scene of Jiang Fei pinning him down there.
Song Yan's face darkened, and he quickly looked away.
She simply wrote down in her mind the money for the dress and the gift Jiang Fei bought for her grandmother.
Song Yan lay on the bed, picked up a book from the side, but couldn't concentrate on reading. He wanted to fall asleep, but he tossed and turned and couldn't.
A faint, lingering fragrance always permeates the air, enough to make one feel irritable just by smelling it.
Song Yan sat up, followed the scent, and then saw the white dress draped over the side of the chair.
Those were the clothes Jiang Fei had changed out of when she changed into her formal dress; she hadn't taken them. Song Yan was stunned for a moment, then felt a surge of annoyance, reached out and grabbed the clothes, stuffing them into the far corner of the wardrobe.
The fragrance has finally faded considerably.
Song Yan lay back down on the bed, but the fragrance lingered.
Song Yan frowned, then suddenly remembered something and looked down at the blanket covering him.
Last time, Jiang Fei slept in his bedroom, and this was the same blanket he used.
Song Yan pursed her lips tightly, tucked the blanket and pillow into a corner, but still felt restless and anxious, so she simply got up and went to the living room.
That night, Song Yan slept on the sofa.
Before going to sleep, he thought over and over again about every debt he owed Jiang Fei.
When the debt is fully repaid, that will be the time for him to completely sever ties with Jiang Fei.
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