Chapter 13

Chapter 13 Rose x Kiss

Ji Mingzhu didn’t know when she woke up. In her haze, she only felt that the “long pillow” beside her suddenly had warmth.

She rubbed her head against it, pressing and kneading with her forehead, discovering that compared to last night’s feel, it seemed a bit firmer.

Thinking this, Ji Mingzhu muttered a few words like, “So long already,” “How can a pillow be this hard,” “A bit hot,” and so on.

Her eyelids drooped for a while, then she opened her eyes while lying on her side.

The crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling gave off a dim light. It was morning; outside was misty.

She casually rubbed again, then turned her gaze back to the side. When she focused, she froze.

Jiang Ji’s face was right in front of her.

Even closer than before sleeping last night.

Close enough that she could make out his lowered eyelashes, long and thick.

His cool pale skin sank into the dark gray bedding, jade-like, refined and handsome.

Actually, Jiang Ji’s eyes were the best feature—hooked inward, lifted outward, the ends long and sharp, captivating.

When he looked at people calmly, they were deep like a pool.

Some say eyes are windows to the soul. Jiang Ji was the opposite; sometimes even Ji Mingzhu couldn’t meet his gaze for long.

Ji Mingzhu stayed stunned for a moment. Before she could figure out why they were so close, the person before her slowly opened his eyes, dark pupils locking onto her.

Caught precisely.

So he wasn’t asleep—he was awake!

Ji Mingzhu still maintained her previous posture and let out a small “Ah.”

Startled by Jiang Ji, she instantly sobered up. Once her thoughts returned, the warm sensation under her hands became more real.

Only then did she realize both her arms were wrapped around him, tightly clasping him without any space.

Like being burned, Ji Mingzhu quickly withdrew her hands.

“…What’s going on?”

She wanted to ask, but as soon as she spoke, her throat seemed stuck.

Hoarse, with a heavy nasal tone, and her throat felt dry and painful.

Even at this moment, she was still thinking whether Jiang Ji had really been asleep or not.

If he had been asleep, then after waking he must’ve noticed her presence but didn’t say anything and even scared her—so it was his fault! And if he had been awake—pretending to be confused while knowing everything—then… still his fault!

“Jiang Ji, were you taking advantage of me!” Ji Mingzhu ignored her throat pain and blurted it out.

Jiang Ji kept his posture. “Who exactly was taking advantage of whom?”

As he spoke, his gaze shifted downward.

Ji Mingzhu was about to speak, then followed his gaze—

Her leg was still resting on his thigh, outrageously, like an octopus.

In just a few seconds, the title of “taking advantage” bounced back onto Ji Mingzhu, about to be nailed firmly onto her.

She was about to speak again, but Jiang Ji lightly stopped her. “Don’t talk yet.”

The calm way he ordered actually carried a bit of deterrence.

Ji Mingzhu saw Jiang Ji half prop himself up, then he placed his hand on her forehead, feeling it, pausing for a moment.

Jiang Ji sensed her temperature—not too high. But hearing her voice, she definitely had caught some cold.

He recalled what Ji Mingzhu said last night—she mentioned feeling unwell. Lin Manxi had asked if she wanted medicine, but she declined, saying it wasn’t serious.

Now it seemed it had lasted for a while.

“You caught a cold.” After confirming this, Jiang Ji withdrew his hand.

“You’re sure…?”

Ji Mingzhu asked, then remembered the tearing pain in her throat and wisely shut up.

“You can’t even tell when you’re unwell yourself?”

As he spoke, Jiang Ji turned over, got out of bed, and walked straight toward the door.

Seeing his almost “resolute” back, Ji Mingzhu briefly guessed whether he thought she had a cold and hadn’t told him, believed she might infect him, and was angry enough to go report to Jiang’s mother.

But she didn’t feel like she had a cold at all.

When she was studying before, she often had these symptoms, and they disappeared quickly. Winter was cold anyway—occasionally getting chilled, warming up would fix it.

And she always dressed lightly; she hadn’t expected Yin City’s cold wave to be so damp and chilly, so she got caught.

Now it seemed not only had she not endured it, she had even worsened it.

Thinking this, she tentatively spoke—

“Jiang Ji… where are you going?”

Jiang Ji twisted open the door, slender fingers on the handle. Hearing her, he slightly turned his face.

His voice remained as cold as ever—

“To get medicine for someone.”

…

After Jiang Ji went downstairs, he happened to encounter Jiang Yucheng, who was sitting on the sofa reading the newspaper, coffee steaming in front of him.

Seeing Jiang Ji, Jiang Yucheng broke the silence first. “You’re up.”

Jiang Ji looked over and slightly nodded.

Seeing this, Jiang Yucheng also nodded. Memories of last night surged up, similar past events surfacing one after another, yet none compared to his current surprise—

“You woke up this late today?”

Jiang Ji paused, then answered, “Mm.”

Jiang Yucheng had only guessed, but Jiang Ji really admitted it.

Since childhood, Jiang Ji had been calm, strict with himself, an excellent heir cultivated by a prominent family, his bearing and temperament distinct. Sometimes even Jiang Yucheng, as his father, had to admit Jiang Ji stood out among the young elites.

Jiang Yucheng didn’t know how Jiang Ji lived while studying in America, but ever since Jiang Ji took over Jiang Corporation, transitioning from crown prince to absolute controller, he had never woken this late at home.

Before moving to Park Hyatt residence, Jiang Ji mostly lived at the Jiang house.

…

Jiang Ji originally wanted to find Jiang’s mother for help. She had more experience, and the home medicine cabinet was managed by her, so she could prescribe properly. But after turning around several times, he couldn’t find her.

Seeing Jiang Ji seemed to be looking for someone, a servant came forward and said Lin Manxi had gone out early in the morning. Thinking this, he simply went to the backyard and took some stock from the small pharmacy.

Previously, the Jiang house’s family doctor had stored both Chinese and Western medicine there, treating various conditions, with backups for emergencies.

After Ji Mingzhu took the medicine Jiang Ji brought back and had breakfast at the Jiang house, the two directly returned home in the continuing rain.

They didn’t have time to greet Lin Manxi.

Ji Mingzhu sat in the car, watching the rain outside, mist covering the end of the road.

Probably because of the medicine, her head still felt heavy.

She thought for a long time, brewing her thanks along the way, but before she could say it, the car’s ringtone rang.

Jiang Ji answered the call, switching to the in-car voice function and signaling the other side.

“What is it.”

“President Jiang, the partner from the south city project said he’s coming to the company today to discuss the profit split.”

“Already here?” Jiang Ji kept his eyes forward, hands loosely resting on the steering wheel. When he stopped at a red light, he glanced toward the passenger seat; Ji Mingzhu was lazily leaning back.

Then the assistant’s voice came through—

“Yes, their team has arrived. What time should the meeting be scheduled?”

“I’ll go in the afternoon.”

“Alright, it’s arranged. Also—someone from the TV station came recently, saying they want to secure the exclusive interview rights with Jiang Corporation. I declined for you at first, but later the Zhao family sent someone, so we’re asking for your opinion.”

“I’ll handle it when I return to the company.”

“Okay.”

After hanging up, Ji Mingzhu thought of something and spoke, “The Zhao family? The Zhao family from the north of the city?”

If she remembered correctly, the one Lian Tang frequently mentioned before was Zhao Lan from the north-side Zhao family. Back at the club, they even saw Zhao Lan hosting a promotional video, all related to financial interview programs.

Hearing her question, Jiang Ji seemed to think for a moment, then replied, “Probably.”

If Zhao Lan wanted to interview Jiang Ji, it made sense.

After returning to the country, Lian Tang kept feeding her information about this person, so Ji Mingzhu learned some related matters. Zhao Lan had confessed to Jiang Ji in high school. After failing, she turned to one of Lian Tang’s friends, and eventually… became the third party.

And during the time Ji Mingzhu hadn’t returned, the Zhao family had extended countless olive branches to the Jiang family.

Thinking of confession…

As soon as that topic surfaced, Ji Mingzhu quickly shook her head, driving away the memories that surged like seawater.

Returning to her thoughts, she recalled what the assistant had just said—exclusive interview rights?

These days interviews even had exclusivity. Jiang Corporation really was a hot commodity.

Thinking this, Zhao Lan wanting this interview was indeed intriguing.

“From your tone, you sound busy. Don’t you need to go now?”

“I’ll send you back to Park Hyatt first.”

As he spoke, Jiang Ji turned the steering wheel neatly.

When the car slowly stopped in the underground garage, Ji Mingzhu hadn’t yet unfastened her seatbelt when the ringtone sounded again.

She turned her head to look at Jiang Ji—

He really was busy. She wondered which family this time—Li family, Shu family—coming one after another asking for exclusive interviews.

Jiang Ji lowered his eyes at the caller ID and answered.

“Jiang Ji, what’s wrong with you! I go out for a bit and come back, and you’ve already taken Mingzhu away???”

A familiar interrogation and familiar scolding.

—It was Lin Manxi.

“Mm, we’ve already reached Park Hyatt.”

Ji Mingzhu intended to greet Lin Manxi after finding her crossbody bag, but she hadn’t paid attention getting in. Now she couldn’t find where it was. The car interior was dim; she focused entirely on searching.

While responding to his mother, Jiang Ji turned on the dim overhead light.

“So you really went back. I went to Avenue des Champs-Élysées this morning, planning to pick up some red ginseng I ordered, stew it for you two. But when I came back, you were gone.”

“Uncle Lin didn’t tell me where you went.”

“If he didn’t, couldn’t you call and ask?! Forget it—by the way, why were you looking for me this morning? I heard you got medicine for Mingzhu. She’s okay now, right? I said she looked unwell. Yesterday she didn’t take it seriously. What’s with you young people? And you! It was just a phone call, why didn’t you inform me?”

Lin Manxi’s tone became more urgent. If time travel existed, Ji Mingzhu felt she would appear the next second and twist Jiang Ji’s ear.

After listening, Jiang Ji only replied calmly, “Nothing serious. Her throat’s just a bit hoarse.”

“Oh~~~ So Mingzhu’s throat… was hoarse last night?” Lin Manxi’s tone suddenly shifted, slow and probing.

Jiang Ji still responded lightly, “Mm.”

Ji Mingzhu had been rummaging through her bag, but upon hearing the conversation between the two, she fell silent.

She didn’t know if she was overthinking it, but she felt this exchange was a bit strange.