Chapter Nine, Yang Guifei Color (03)

When will it end, in the morning or in the afternoon

Once, Chen Juefei was chatting and boasting with a few friends in the corridor when he suddenly saw Jiang Ci being dragged into the girls' restroom by several girls, her hair in their grasp. When the class bell rang, Jiang Ci emerged from the restroom, drenched and with one side of her face swollen significantly. However, in her typically dark eyes, there was now a glint of excited ferocity, resembling a lone wolf that had fought fiercely and emerged victorious.

"How else would I know? It's what my uncle said." Chen Juefei said casually, completely unaware that Jiang Ci's expression had suddenly darkened. "Don't send any more messages. It's not easy to have a day off, so let's relax for a day. Yuno is also here." As he spoke, he waved his hand towards the car.

Chen Juefei snorted coldly, "I am not so desperate as to demean myself."

I will visit your residence for a while

"You must not learn from Jiang Ci; just one absence is enough to be troublesome." The young master of the Chen family leaned back and sighed.

Stop and go, upon reaching the underpass of the overpass, completely blocked, Liang Jingxing simply eased off the accelerator. The temperature gradually rose, and the glass windows became fogged up.

My aunt is about to publish a new book and would like to ask for your help in illustrating a few pictures. The remuneration will definitely be generous, far better than the hard work you are currently doing distributing flyers

Hey! Chen Juefei caught up and forcefully pulled her arm, "Jiang Ci, how can you be so ungrateful?"

Chen Juefei had no interest in such a spoiled young lady, but when Jiang Ci fell into misfortune and no longer concealed her numerous flaws, she suddenly became intriguing

You think too highly of yourself—your parents are back

A pair of cold and desolate eyes glanced at him sideways, clearly revealing a hint of anger beneath.

He immediately called Liu Yuan to inquire

Liu Yuan nodded and went out, while Liang Jinghang took out the banknotes from the envelope. It was a not thick stack, mixed with new and old notes, yet it felt heavy in his hand

As soon as Chen Juefei thought that the carefree days were coming to an end, a cloud of gloom settled on his face. The monthly exam naturally concluded on a dismal note. After it ended, he declined several friends' invitations and took a taxi home by himself

Before the car started, Liang Jingxing glanced at Jiang Ci once more. She was handing out flyers to the passersby, her face displaying a polite yet unfamiliar smile

"On which date is your monthly exam?" Liang Jinghang inquired

Chen Juefei began to pay attention to Jiang Ci at that time, and it quickly became uncontrollable, ultimately leading to the so-called "sexual harassment" incident. He knew that Jiang Ci had a fierce temperament, but he did not expect that when she became ruthless, she would not distinguish between friend and foe; as long as she could achieve her goals, she would not hesitate to inflict heavy damage on both sides.

Chen Juefei immediately wilted, "When will we arrive?"

The solar term of Frost's Descent has passed, and the temperature in Chongcheng has also dropped. Liang Jingxing stood up, pulled open the blinds, and outside, rain was falling, shrouded in a veil of white mist

Jiang Cixin thought that it would probably be a while before she could return

Jiang Ci shrank her neck slightly, just about to withdraw her gaze, when she suddenly caught sight of a person standing under the eaves of a shop across from the school gate, and her steps immediately halted.

What task is it

Jiang Ci extended a finger and randomly drew a few strokes on the foggy glass window. Just as she was about to reach out to wipe it away, she heard Liang Jingxing's voice behind her: "I told you, there is no need to rush"

A clear and deep voice penetrated the curtain of rain, resonating distinctly in the ears

Liang Jingxing lowered his head to look at her, "Do you have time?"

Chen Juefei felt perplexed, but upon hearing Liang Jinghang's serious tone on the phone, he complied. In the end, he couldn't help but ask: "What happened to Jiang Ci?"

Indeed, since then, the girls in her class who had once conspired to bully her have all shown some restraint, fearing that one day the razor that had shaved off Jiang Ci's long hair might fall upon their own heads

He held a black long-handled umbrella in his hand, the tip of the umbrella gently tapping against the blue and white tiled floor. His trench coat was also black, accentuating his tall and slender figure. Amidst the misty rain, his brows and eyes appeared less serious than before, giving him a more refined and elegant demeanor

Ginger words

Chen Juefei initially thought that Jiang Ci was quite a person of character, and it would not be a bad idea to be friends. However, after several encounters, it was all one-sided enthusiasm from him. One cannot help but feel that while I intended my heart towards the bright moon, the bright moon only shines on the ditch.

This matter was originally supposed to end like this, until one day Liang Jinghang went to the company and was astonished to find an envelope on his desk containing one thousand yuan

Sitting in the back seat, Xu Jinhui laughed and said: "Jue Fei, you seem to be quite attentive to Miss Jiang."

Liang Jingxing's gaze darkened as he picked up the phone, preparing to call Jiang Ci. After a moment's thought, he restrained himself and instructed the front desk, "In the future, if she comes again, regardless of what she brings, refuse to accept it and call me immediately."

Immediately, a hand pushed her umbrella upward, and the view before her suddenly became clear.

At the end of the workday, the traffic was as congested as a can of sardines. Liang Jinghang seemed to be concerned that she might find it boring, so he turned on the car radio. The continuous traffic reports indicated that the entire city was experiencing gridlock.

Jiang Ci bit her lip and said, "Open the umbrella."

He found it uninteresting, so he suggested returning to the car.

Jiang Ci subconsciously lowered the umbrella to shield her face, yet...

Jiang Ci looked at him oddly and said, "How does your aunt know about me?"

Jiang Ci returned to the classroom from the examination room, flipped through the dictionary to check a few English words, and then went to the school art studio to practice for half an hour. By the time she packed her things, only a few people remained on campus. She picked up the umbrella that was propped against the corridor floor, silently calculating the total score for this monthly exam as she walked towards the school gate

Liang Jingxing was much taller than her, and the umbrella was held high, covering the one in her hand

Jiang Ci did not speak

Jiang Ci forcefully struggled and said, "What does it have to do with you?"

"You all go by yourselves." Jiang Ci turned away and walked to the side

Is it cold? Liang Jingxing adjusted the heating to a higher setting

The blazing sunlight illuminated her arms and calves, creating a dazzling white glare

Liang Jingxing rubbed his brow, finally realizing the seriousness of the issue. He began to recall the day he distributed the flyers, pondering what had prompted Jiang Ci to make such a decision.

Liang Jingxing took out a cigarette and lit it, opening the car window just a crack. Sparse raindrops drifted in, landing on his shoulders and hair

During the first and second years of high school, Chen Juefei had heard of Jiang Ci. This person had always been reclusive by nature, but two years ago, when her family was affluent, Jiang Ci, who had grown up in a honey pot, was still willing to put on a facade and bestow some small favors. Over time, she gathered a few close friends around her. However, once her family fell into decline, these so-called close friends immediately scattered like birds and beasts.

After that day, Chen Juefei encountered Jiang Ci at school, but he pretended not to see her. On the contrary, Zhang Yuno, noticing the rift between the two, spoke a great deal of good words.

Jiang Ci withdrew her gaze and shook her head

As he opened the car door, Liang Jingxing asked him, "What happened?"

The polite refusal that had reached the tip of the tongue was swallowed back by oneself

Chen Juefei was also angry; after introducing her to a part-time job in good faith, she not only failed to appreciate it but also lashed out at him. This person's unreasonable behavior is simply consistent throughout.

Jiang Ci lowered his head, standing in place. Beyond the sound of the rain, footsteps gradually approached slowly. Before him appeared a pair of legs, the shiny shoe surfaces stained with a bit of rainwater

What else can be done?" Chen Juefei snorted through his nose, "It's simply a stone in a latrine.

Chen Juefei, do you know about the matters at Jiang Ci's home

Once inside the car, Liang Jingxing turned on the heater and tossed his trench coat onto the back seat. He was wearing only a gray shirt underneath, and before gripping the steering wheel, he rolled up the sleeves, revealing the clean lines from his wrist to his forearm.

Liu Yuan slapped his forehead, "I almost forgot, this was handed over by the front desk, saying it was from a Miss Jiang..." His voice suddenly halted, and Liu Yuan suddenly realized that it should be 'Jiang', not 'Jiang'.

Jiang Ci was taken aback and looked down; the legs of his western-style trousers were completely soaked. It was already late October, and with the continuous rainfall, the temperature had dropped sharply. The sensation of the rainwater soaking in must be quite unpleasant

Jiang Ci raised her eyes and saw that beside Zhang Yuno sat a woman with short hair and light makeup, whose appearance bore some resemblance to a mainland actress. It seemed that this person was the "aunt" mentioned by Chen Juefei.

Zhang Yuno bit her lip and said, "Well... if Sister Jiang is not going, then I won't go either."

Liang Jingxing opened the glass window, and the cold, damp wind rushed in, accompanied by the drizzling rain that soon soaked the windowsill. He lit a cigarette and held it in his mouth, wanting to say something, but ultimately refrained, saying, "... ... Forget it, don't provoke her in the future."

As soon as the words fell, a car came roaring in. Jiang Ci suddenly felt the light in front of her dim, as Liang Jingxing stepped forward and enveloped her in his embrace, completely shielding her from the splashed water raised by the car wheels as they brushed against the road.

The rear window of the car was opened, and Zhang Yuno shouted, "Sister Jiang, hurry up and get in the car, we can't park here!"

In the afternoon, following the same schedule as the college entrance examination, Chen Juefei curiously asked, "What's wrong? You don't intend to come and pick me up, do you?"

Chen Juefei came to his senses, "Oh, on the 29th and 30th, after the exams, we will have a holiday."

In Chongcheng, the late autumn is marked by frequent rain, with the sky remaining overcast for several consecutive days. Dark clouds gather atop the distant buildings, as if they are poised to descend at any moment

Jiang Ci slowly raised his eyes, the umbrella in his hand was not opened, and the fabric of his windbreaker was also stained with rainwater

Her academic performance has always been commendable, but this level of commendation is relative to that of art students. Typically, her monthly exam scores barely reach the first-tier line for ordinary undergraduate programs, and there remains a considerable distance to cover in order to gain admission to a better school

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, "... ... I heard that her father died in a car accident?"

After much contemplation, I fear that the crux of the matter lies with Chen Juefei, so I called him and asked him to recount what he said to Jiang Ci that day

On the 30th, you should go straight home after finishing your exam, don't blame me for not reminding you

This situation, upon closer reflection, is somewhat amusing. Jiang Ci felt uncomfortable and took a step back to create some distance between them