Chapter 17

Chapter 17 Rose x Kiss

Although in a certain sense she had been caught on the spot, Ji Mingzhu this time managed to steady the situation in time.

Hold position, know how to wait and endure—that was the best strategy.

“Not too sure, can’t remember. Did I—?” Ji Mingzhu’s delicate brows knitted slightly, as if hearing this form of address for the first time. “...Darling?”

She deliberately emphasized the two words, then intentionally avoided the fact that she had called Jiang Ji a “jerk,” and began to change the subject. “I vaguely remember I was speaking English.”

The English “Darling” and the Chinese “Daling” were clearly two different things.

At a time like this, it would be a waste not to split hairs.

Before Jiang Ji could speak, another flashy little thing shot straight toward Ji Mingzhu’s legs. She steadied her gaze and realized it was the little robot tomi, whom she hadn’t seen in a long time.

Ever since it ran out of power last time, Ji Mingzhu had no idea which corner Jiang Ji had thrown it into.

Now the little robot was fully revived, rubbing against her ankles, endlessly looping—

【tomimi is the most loyal supporter by the hostess’s side, welcome home, muamuamua~】

The final “mua” had been formatted by its internal chip. Though it was a single, cold mechanical voice, it was oddly magnetic, even carrying a bit of nightclub-style electronic sound.

The wavering tone at the end of “mua” was actually imitated by it, slightly rising.

Jiang Ji didn’t give Ji Mingzhu much time to think.

“So now.” He paused, implying something. “Have you remembered what you said today?”

Jiang Ji was referring to the last sentence the robot spoke.

Whether it was “darling” or “Daling,” that “mua” couldn’t be denied.

“Th-then I still want to say—you came back and didn’t even turn on the lights?” The words circled in Ji Mingzhu’s mouth.

Hearing this, Jiang Ji pointed to the pendant lamp above the bar. “This side is on.”

Ji Mingzhu gave a couple of perfunctory responses and pretended not to care.

But then a new trouble arose. The smart little robot clung to her like a pest—

Right now she couldn’t even pull back her legs, completely entangled by tomi.

“Jiang Ji, when did you charge it?”

Jiang Ji leaned lazily against the edge of the bar counter and slightly lifted his chin toward the robot.

tomi received the instruction and answered first.

【Hostess, I charged myself. Solar cable—environmentally friendly and economical~】

Wait.

...Was there really no human shell inside this, just an intelligent robot?

Ji Mingzhu pursed her lips and softened her tone slightly. “Jiang Ji... you... make it move away a bit.”

Jiang Ji raised his brows slightly, still unmoved. “Is that how you ask for help?”

Ji Mingzhu stood in the living room like that, the atmosphere between them locked in a stalemate.

After a while, she suddenly had an idea, feeling that going to Lise Avenue today had been the best decision.

That shop suddenly reminded her of the pair of cufflinks Ji Shaoyan had asked her to take earlier. The cufflinks she had been unwilling to bring out before now seemed to hold the magic of opening some door.

As if luck had suddenly descended, she too had her moment of hitting the jackpot—

“I have a gift for you. Really.”

…

Ji Mingzhu slightly closed the bedroom door and changed into another set of clothes.

Then she walked straight to the walk-in closet and took out the small box from the accessories cabinet.

The velvet box was deep bluish-gray, with a butterfly-shaped knot of pure jade-white satin attached outside.

The cufflinks inside were simple and grand, only the rounded edges inlaid with faint gold, shimmering under the lights of the walk-in closet.

It had to be said, Ji Shaoyan had good taste—consistent with hers.

In matters of aesthetics, Ji Mingzhu trusted him.

Ji Mingzhu weighed the small box in her hand, then returned to the bedside to pick up the phone she had just placed to one side.

As soon as she pulled down the notification bar, it was filled with messages.

Suddenly, Ji Mingzhu’s gaze paused.

After all, there was a name that, after today, had become impossible to ignore. Even if she hadn’t remembered it before, she had to now.

Zhao Lan had bought another round of publicity posts. The headline read—

【Everything is settled, please stay tuned. Sunday at 8 p.m., the financial interview program—we’ll see you there~】

“Everything is settled” meant…?

There was only one possibility. Probably—maybe—Jiang Ji had agreed.

Actually, what she did in Jiang Ji’s office today was three parts playful, seven parts provocative. In short, she hadn’t taken Zhao Lan to heart at all.

Subconsciously, she felt Jiang Ji wouldn’t easily give in.

The Jiang family and the Ji family had been family friends for many years. Although the two hadn’t always been together growing up, they knew each other well.

They studied together all the way until entering the international high school.

Only after going abroad separately did they truly part and stop seeing each other.

But that didn’t prevent her from understanding Jiang Ji. In many matters, he had his own principles and wouldn’t easily be swayed by others.

Trapped within a circled cage, there was only a cold heart.

But perhaps precisely because he was indifferent and calm, yet ruthless in his methods, he caught Ji Shaoyan’s eye. Leaving aside that their family backgrounds matched, the Jiang family’s satisfaction with Ji Mingzhu was also obvious.

But looking at this… this man really agreed to Zhao Lan???

A 24k pure jerk.

She recalled the scene when she entered earlier—Jiang Ji lazily leaning against the bar counter.

There was red wine and stemware placed on the bar, and signs that they had been used.

Clearly, he had been back for quite some time.

So what happy matter made him so delighted?

Even here… leisurely sipping wine!

Ji Mingzhu’s gaze fell again on the cufflink box, her emotions dispersing as she drifted into thought.

Actually, ever since Ji Shaoyan proposed this idea, an inexplicable resistance had risen in her heart.

Taking the initiative in front of Jiang Ji would undoubtedly remind her of that cold season many years ago, of his thin lips pressed into a straight line.

The birthday banquet was in winter. At that time, his eyes were as dark as the backyard, and just as cold.

She had offered up a warm heart, only for it to freeze in the biting wind and scatter away.

Ji Mingzhu didn’t want to experience anything similar again. Most of the time she reminded herself that the past was buried in the soil—who hadn’t been reckless in youth, who hadn’t had restless moments during adolescence?

Thinking this way, everything suddenly felt clear.

Shaking her head, Ji Mingzhu suppressed the emotions rising in her heart.

She had just stood up, her hand not yet reaching the small box, when she heard someone knock twice on her bedroom door—“Come out and eat.”

…

Ji Mingzhu hadn’t eaten on Lise Avenue, and after walking all the way back, she was indeed a little hungry.

Jiang Ji had taken on the duty of cooking. Sometimes, simply treating him as a partner living together who also happened to cook didn’t seem so bad.

Having both been abroad for many years, her cooking skills still remained at the starting line. Ji Shaoyan had hired a dedicated chef for her; she herself only knew how to make simple salads or sandwiches.

In contrast, Jiang Ji, such a young master, was surprisingly skilled at cooking.

Most importantly, he could perfectly match her taste.

Halfway through the meal, seeing the atmosphere was fairly good, Ji Mingzhu slowly pushed the box over.

“Here, for you.”

After saying that, Ji Mingzhu suddenly added, “Um, I dirtied your clothes today, so this gift... can offset it?”

She was used to being willful, and only suddenly remembered that, in her carelessness, she had ruined one of Jiang Ji’s shirts.

Ji Mingzhu knew quality goods and understood his pursuit of refinement and perfection—those shirts were all custom-made.

Hearing her words, Jiang Ji lowered his gaze slightly, fixing it on the box.

“My dad asked me to give it to you. It counts as a gift. I have a matching necklace.”

Jiang Ji reached out, took it directly from her palm, and responded lightly, “Mm.”

During that movement, his fingertips touched her palm.

Ji Mingzhu only felt a tingling sensation spreading through her hand, layer upon layer.

Seeing him accept it so readily without saying anything more, Ji Mingzhu found it awkward to ask further.

On the way to the dining room earlier, she had planned to raise her elegant head high and question him about everything today.

But at the critical moment, Miss Zhu retreated again.

…

After dinner, Ji Mingzhu played video games in the living room for a while and returned to her room early.

Her day had been quite full, so she wrapped herself in a bathrobe and planned to soak in the bathtub to relax.

Warm water slowly rose, submerging her awareness. As it gently rippled, every cell in her body opened, shouting in comfort.

Ji Mingzhu narrowed her eyes and turned on the bathtub’s soothing music mode.

The rose-scented fragrance drifted softly, mist spreading around. Listening to the music, she half-closed her eyes.

After an unknown amount of time, Ji Mingzhu finished bathing, loosely tied her bathrobe belt, and prepared to wash up.

She had brought her pajamas in, hanging them on a golden hook, but hadn’t changed yet.

After finishing her bedtime skincare routine, Ji Mingzhu supported herself lightly on the vanity, leaning forward, her gaze falling directly on the person in the mirror.

After the bath, her whole body had a rosy glow, her cheeks fair with a flush, soft as if they could be pinched to yield water. Her peach-blossom eyes looked like a pool of spring water, like flowers blooming brightly.

Ji Mingzhu suddenly thought of a scene—earlier today, in Jiang Corporation’s top-floor office, she had leaned in front of Jiang Ji in exactly this posture.

So this was what she had looked like at that time.

Just as she slowly stood up from the mirror and turned to grab the pajamas hanging nearby, a scratching sound came from the bathroom door.

Accompanied by a very familiar mechanical voice, rising and falling beside her—

【Hostess, would you like me to play music for you?】

So—

Did it hear her playing music in the bathroom and come over?

Only now did Ji Mingzhu remember that she didn’t have the habit of locking the door between rooms. That meant her bedroom door wasn’t tightly shut.

Actually, this was related to her living habits. Back at the Ji residence, one had to knock before entering. When she studied, her room used password and fingerprint locks, which were very convenient.

But now the situation was that tomi had slipped through the gap and followed her in. Perhaps it was this looseness that gave the little robot the chance to sneak in.

It kept circling outside, as if it wouldn’t leave unless she responded.

“You thing, have you really… become a spirit?!”

The response from the other side was—

【Hostess, willing to serve you, mua~】

That final sound appeared again. Ji Mingzhu only felt that it and its owner were carved from the same mold. She simply shut the bathroom door forcefully and randomly selected a few songs.

Through the bathroom door, listening to the leisurely music coming from outside, Ji Mingzhu slowly let out a breath.

Just as she reached again for her pajamas, the song outside suddenly switched. Ji Mingzhu’s steps halted abruptly, and her feet seemed to slip, unable to stop at all.

In just a moment, Ji Mingzhu toppled sideways.

Before she fell, her ears were filled with the high-pitched music from outside—【Even if I die, I must love; without complete abandon, it’s not satisfying】

At this moment, it wasn’t “even if I die, I must love,” it was “only dying would be satisfying :)”

At the critical moment, Ji Mingzhu grabbed the edge of the sink, but it was too slippery. She couldn’t hold on, only managing a bit of buffering before sliding down and collapsing onto the floor.

A sharp pain shot through her ankle.

Ji Mingzhu let out a small cry of pain, feeling as if pricked by a long needle, then only numbness remained.

The music outside stopped abruptly. tomi came closer and scratched at the door.

【Hostess?】

【Hostess!】

【Hostess, please respond!】

Ji Mingzhu snapped, “Go away!!”

tomi fell silent for half a second, then seemed to actually move farther away.

Ji Mingzhu twisted her ankle, just about to slowly climb up, when the bathroom door was suddenly flung open with a “bang—”. The solid brown wooden door rebounded against the marble-patterned tiles, making a crisp sound.

Jiang Ji appeared before her like a savior, his face cold.

“Eh—eh?” Ji Mingzhu hadn’t reacted yet when she was lifted horizontally.

Jiang Ji strode forward, reaching her bed in a few steps, and without slowing down, tossed her half-reclined onto the edge of the bed.

“Wait for me.” After dropping that sentence, he turned and left again.

Ji Mingzhu stared in the direction where he disappeared—the half-open door.

The wall lights in the corridor were half-lit, dimly flickering, as if wondering whether what had just happened was real.

And because the mattress was soft, she even bounced twice on it…

Could this man use any more strength! Did he think she was some inflatable plastic doll!

Ji Mingzhu raised her small fist, not yet having waved it a few times toward that direction, when Jiang Ji quickly returned.

He carried a medical kit. After opening it, he held emergency medicine in his hand. “Where does it hurt?”

Seeing him so serious, Ji Mingzhu was momentarily dazed. After two seconds, she said, “Actually it’s fine…”

Before she could finish “it doesn’t hurt much now,” Jiang Ji directly grasped her ankle and spoke slowly—

“Don’t move.”

Author’s note:

[Mini Theater:]

Before it was watching—

Jiang Ji: 【covering nosebleed.gif】

Now it’s holding—

Jiang Ji: Sorry, I can’t cover it anymore.

There are still red packets for twenty-five words, everyone comment more, don’t save money for me! It’ll help Cong Cong climb the monthly rankings, right (:3∠) Thanks to the little angels who cast overlord tickets or poured nutrient solution between 2020-01-29 00:48:21~2020-01-30 03:07:36~

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