53. I’m responsible for being beautiful like a flower!
Monday, at the Flower Language Coffee Shop.
“Gu Zhi Nian!”
A sharp reprimand rang out from inside the coffee shop, surprising many guests who were leisurely drinking their coffee.
Jiang Ruyan’s elegantly arched eyebrows shot up, her pretty face turning red with anger.
She stepped on Gu Zhi Nian’s leather shoe: “What kind of trouble did you introduce to Xiao Zhi?!”
“……”
Gu Zhi Nian silently pulled his foot back, facing Jiang Zhi with a hint of apology in his tone: “I’m sorry.”
“I didn’t expect him to be this kind of person either.”
“It’s alright, Brother Gu.”
Jiang Zhi said: “It’s not your fault.”
She turned to Jiang Ruyan, still fuming, and softly comforted: “Sister Jiang, don’t be angry anymore…”
She also didn’t expect that after telling the two about Principal Wang’s situation, Jiang Ruyan would react so strongly.
While feeling warm inside, Jiang Zhi also wanted to laugh a bit.
“Xiao Zhi!”
Jiang Ruyan glared with puffed cheeks: “You’re still laughing? You almost got put in a compromising position!”
That wasn’t wrong…
Jiang Zhi said: “But I didn’t suffer any losses, did I?”
To say she was angry, Jiang Zhi was indeed quite furious at the time.
But now, two days later, she had already moved on; she was eating and drinking as she pleased, and her feelings weren’t strong anymore.
Mainly, that fat pig didn’t succeed anyway.
And she had successfully used the Earth Explosion Chicken, hadn’t she?
Thinking of Principal Wang rolling on the ground helplessly, Jiang Zhi even feared that he might try to blackmail her.
Now that would truly be ridiculous!
“What are you talking about, Xiao Zhi…”
In these matters, it’s always the girls who suffer losses.
Seeing that Jiang Zhi really seemed unconcerned, Jiang Ruyan sighed helplessly, swallowing the rest of her words.
She turned her glare to Gu Zhi Nian: “What’s your response?!”
Gu Zhi Nian looked back at her speechlessly, but he was also thinking: “I’ll ask for you…”
“No need, no need!”
Jiang Zhi hurriedly waved her hand, refusing: “I’ll figure out Qian Qian’s schooling on my own.”
Speaking of which…
She wasn’t very familiar with Brother Gu; he was probably just helping because of Sister Jiang’s influence, right?
It wouldn’t be good to keep bothering such a big CEO.
“But, Xiao Zhi…” Jiang Ruyan hesitated.
It might be a bit discouraging to say this, but she didn’t think Jiang Zhi could really come up with any good solutions.
After all, she was only 22 years old.
Being able to raise her six-year-old Qian Qian alone already seemed impressive to Jiang Ruyan.
Asking for more would be a bit hard, wouldn’t it?
“Oh, it’s really fine, don’t worry, Sister Jiang.”
She indeed had no way, but unlike before, she was now someone with support!
She still had Su Yan… right?
Though she didn’t know if that guy was reliable, it didn’t matter, better to believe first!
“Dinglingling~”
The sound of the wind chimes announced the arrival of a guest.
Jiang Zhi told Jiang Ruyan and Gu Zhi Nian: “I’ll go back to work first, you two continue to chat.”
After saying that, she turned and walked back to the front desk.
Jiang Ruyan, however, did not plan to let Gu Zhi Nian off the hook: “No matter what, I still want to test you to death!”
Gu Zhi Nian: …
————
“Your four-leaf clover coffee, enjoy!”
Handing the freshly brewed coffee to the customer and watching them leave, Jiang Zhi’s smile gradually faded.
Letting out a slight sigh, she rubbed her stiff apple cheeks.
She actually liked smiling quite a bit.
This might not be entirely accurate…
Compared to liking it, she seemed more like she wasn’t averse to it.
When she was very young, the orphanage often played some motivational videos for their mental health.
Things like facing life with a smile.
A smile is the greatest weapon.
A smile can help you make friends.
And Jiang Zhi did remember this lesson; she didn’t have many friends but never lacked smiles.
But she had already laughed the whole day!
Not to mention herself, even if an ugly guy came in, he’d have to eat a lemon before leaving; who could really handle that?
Jiang Zhi sat back in her chair, stretching her waist and arms.
Just as she wanted to take a break, the wind chimes rang again… more customers were coming in.
Damn it!
Jiang Zhi cursed that person in her heart a thousand times!
But since business was coming, she put her smile back on and greeted the customers.
“Welcome to… damn.”
Su Yan raised an eyebrow, asking knowingly: “Who are you cursing?”
“I’m cursing no one.”
Her smile vanished in an instant, Jiang Zhi pouted, leaning half her body on the table: “What are you doing here?”
“Came to buy coffee.”
Su Yan casually glanced at the menu, then said something pointless: “The usual.”
“……”
Jiang Zhi pursed her lips and silently ground the coffee.
“Why aren’t you speaking?” Su Yan frowned: “You’re not going to pull that routine on me again, are you?”
“What routine?”
“That one.”
“Oh, that one.”
She remembered she had quite a bad attitude when Su Yan came to buy coffee last time, didn’t she?
Wait, did she actually recall that?!
Jiang Zhi lowered her voice and explained: “I’m just scared…”
Su Yan was even more confused.
“What I mean is that one, that one!”
Jiang Zhi pointed to a pair of childhood friends chatting happily not far away: “I’m afraid Sister Jiang might find out about us.”
“We’re completely innocent…” Su Yan started to speak.
“I’m the one who’s eating lemons and innocent!”
Jiang Zhi nearly wanted to punch him: “Qian Qian calls you dad and calls me mom; you tell me we’re innocent?”
Let’s not even talk about being innocent!
The last person who said that had already had two kids!
Even if she was determined never to have a relationship above friendship with Su Yan, that child’s parents — how could she say it didn’t matter?
“That can be explained clearly, right?”
Su Yan asked again.
“How do you explain that?” Jiang Zhi shot him a glare: “How old are you? How old am I? And how old is Qian Qian?”
Seriously, was this guy out of his mind?
Still explaining clearly… you explain to me how two people in their early twenties have a six-year-old child.
I’ll sue you for defamation, do you believe it?
Putting it in simpler terms, even if she really explained it.
But you don’t know Sister Jiang! Please, I’m the one who has to take Sister Jiang’s questioning, alright?!
So.
Based on the principle of it’s better to have fewer matters than more matters, and fewer matters than no matters at all.
The less people know about her and Su Yan’s relationship, the better.
The aroma of coffee thickened, and steam rose before Jiang Zhi, blurring her delicate features.
Su Yan waited a bit bored, suddenly hearing her ask:
“How’s it going with Qian Qian’s schooling?”
“Eh, it’s alright, I suppose?” Su Yan said vaguely: “Anyway, you don’t need to worry about it.”
He was really busy preparing for a competition during this time.
After the match was over, he’d have time to figure out Qian Qian’s schooling. Based on his understanding of that person, it shouldn’t be difficult.
It’s just how to explain Qian Qian’s existence to her that’s a problem.
“Let me ask you something.”
Su Yan stared at Jiang Zhi and asked: “How did you convince your parents to accept Qian Qian?”
“What? Parents?”
Jiang Zhi froze for a moment, the hand pouring coffee into the plastic cup paused as well: “I don’t have parents; I’m an orphan.”
“Why do you ask that?”
Jiang Zhi looked at Su Yan skeptically; her tone was flat, as if discussing something trivial.
Su Yan was stunned.
He ran a hand through his hair, almost pulling it out in frustration: “I… um… this…”
“N-Never mind.”
An orphan?
She’s an orphan?
So painful! Time to grow brains!
Su Yan opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but Jiang Zhi shot him a dangerous glance:
“If you dare say ‘I’m sorry’, I’ll kill you.”
Su Yan completely stopped talking.
A mysterious atmosphere spread in the air as Jiang Zhi handed the prepared coffee to Su Yan.
“Let’s not ask why you brought this up.”
Jiang Zhi smirked slightly: “You don’t need to worry too much; I don’t care about these things anymore.”
“Anyway, I’m leaving Qian Qian’s matter to you.”
As she spoke, seemingly to ease Su Yan’s embarrassment.
Jiang Zhi showed him a bright smile, revealing a small, pointed tiger tooth: “Alright?”
“……”
Su Yan took the coffee: “You trust me this much?”
“Otherwise, who else can I trust?” Jiang Zhi threw the question back at Su Yan: “You’re the child’s dad, right?”
She had no dad.
But in her impression, a father was supposed to be all-powerful, wasn’t he?
Jiang Zhi had fantasized about what it would be like to be a father before.
Now, although her fantasies were shattered and she had become a mother instead, it was not much different…
At least her child has a father!
Jiang Zhi thought, since Su Yan, the father, had made a promise, then she would just believe it.
“You’re the child’s mother, after all.”
Su Yan retorted: “You don’t do anything at all, do you?”
“Isn’t what you said quite heartless, Su Yan?”
Jiang Zhi was displeased, slamming the table: “Did I not cook for my daughter or not wash her clothes?”
“Furthermore…”
Jiang Zhi proudly declared: “I’m still responsible for being beautiful like a flower!”
While saying this, she even flirted with her hair as if she really wanted to show Su Yan her charm.
One can’t deny, this is when the benefits of long hair truly appeared.
How could you show off with short hair that can’t even be flipped? It’s just a pity that show off is show off, but cutting still needs to happen.
She had long decided to go for a haircut in a few days.
Meanwhile, Su Yan still looked on with a perplexed expression, sincerely asking: “Are you mentally challenged?”
Jiang Zhi’s face flushed; she probably realized her action looked a bit awkward:
“I…I was just saying it.”
The more she thought about it, the redder she became; the blush on her face from embarrassment was impossible to hide: “Promise me, forget about it, okay?”
Damn, what had she just done?
What’s wrong with her recently?
Has being a woman for too long made her think she’s a girl? How could she do such an embarrassing thing?
Jiang Zhi cleared her throat a few times: “What are you still doing here?”
“…I’m leaving now.”
Su Yan glanced at the blush on her fair face, suddenly saying: “Oh right, remember to tell Qian Qian.”
“I’ve been very busy these two days; I probably won’t make it over.”
After saying that, he turned around, waved his hand, and walked out of the coffee shop’s front door, the crisp sound of the wind chimes following.
That annoying person left.
Jiang Zhi peered cautiously, Jiang Ruyan was still happily chatting with Gu Zhi Nian, thank goodness…
Everything that just happened, Sister Jiang didn’t see.
At this moment, a WeChat message notification chimed from her pocket, and Jiang Zhi pulled out her phone to take a look.
It was a message from her WeChat alternate account.
You: Are you there? Qian Qian’s mom?
You?
Lele’s uncle?
With a bit of reflection, Jiang Zhi remembered the man who had tightly wrapped himself up at the amusement park.
She had almost forgotten about this person.
