Chapter 28

Chapter 28 Rose x Kiss

After Jiang Ji’s words, the group fell silent.

Dead silent.

At this moment, Xiao Yi also felt his life was about to end.

Xiao Yi: Jiang Ji, listen to my explanation.

Xiao Yi: …No, this doesn’t need explaining! I didn’t say anything wrong, right?

Xiao Yi: Ji, it’s not what you think!

Jiang Ji: Ji?

On the other side of the screen, Xiao Yi saw Jiang Ji’s reply, then looked at the character he had sent, and immediately cursed.

He had just been busy changing the group name, and the input method had memory suggestions. He typed too fast and didn’t correct it.

Lian Tang: Xiao Yi hahahahahahaha you’re killing me.

Lian Tang: Admit your mistake!

Lian Tang: Otherwise what awaits you will be a little whip~

Ji Mingzhu: +1.

Cheng Chi: +1.

Xiao Yi: Whip my ass!

Xiao Yi: Seriously, Cheng Chi, why did this dog show up at this time.

Xiao Yi: No, even dogs aren’t as fast as you.

Cheng Chi: Just resting on set.

Cheng Chi: Shouldn’t you take care of yourself first?

Jiang Ji: .

Xiao Yi: kneels with a thud.gif

Xiao Yi: Dad, I was wrong.

Xiao Yi: Totally the input method’s fault, look up at the group name!

Jiang Ji: Next time we collaborate, give me five percent of the profit.

Just look at that—what is concise and to the point! What is domineering!

Xiao Yi immediately wilted, starting to regret why he, a good person, got treated like an old fox and even bitten back.

Xiao Yi: Oh.

At this moment, Lian Tang quickly came out to smooth things over—

Lian Tang: Alright, actually it’s also for the group name, Chicken-Pig CP, we support it!

Ji Mingzhu: You all support it, did you ask my opinion?!

Ji Mingzhu: And why is it Chicken-Pig, why not Pig-Chicken?

Lian Tang: You want to be the one in front? That can be changed too.

Lian Tang: Brother Xiao Yi, you go!

Xiao Yi: I’m not going.

Xiao Yi: Hello, the user you are calling is roaming in space, please try again next century.

Lian Tang: Then change it—pick a name yourself, okay!

Xiao Yi: Not impossible.

Xiao Yi: Let’s change it to “Jiang Dog and His Four Dogtail Grass.”

Ji Mingzhu: ……

Cheng Chi: ……

Lian Tang: Why do I feel like you’re insulting people?

Xiao Yi: Shut up.

Xiao Yi: I’m going to change it now.

Jiang Ji, who hadn’t spoken for a long time, suddenly appeared.

Jiang Ji: Xiao Yi.

Jiang Ji: Try changing it.

Xiao Yi: Your wife doesn’t like it, and I can’t change it?

Xiao Yi: Then let’s follow what Little Eight said and switch the order?

After a while, Jiang Ji replied again.

Jiang Ji: No need.

Jiang Ji: I’ll do it myself.

So—

[“Boxing Jiang” changed the group name to “The Breeding Kingdom for Protecting Pig and Chicken.”]

In the end, only Xiao Yi and Jiang Ji were left competing in the group.

Who had been hit the hardest was obvious, clear without needing to emphasize it.

Lian Tang opened a private chat with Ji Mingzhu, her tone unable to hide her excitement—

Lian Tang: Little Eight! Your husband is really too cool!

Lian Tang: I haven’t seen anyone choke Brother Xiao Yi in eight hundred years. The last time was a long time ago, and it seemed to be Jiang Ji too!

Ji Mingzhu read her message, her gaze fixed only on certain two words.

Ji Mingzhu: …Don’t randomly label things.

Ji Mingzhu: Who said he’s my husband?!

Lian Tang: I didn’t say anything wrong, sooner or later he will be.

Lian Tang: Look at you two just now, husband-and-wife teamwork, front and back, just to catch Brother Xiao Yi and give him a deep chain attack. That move—amazing!

After reading Lian Tang’s message, Ji Mingzhu went back into the group, her gaze focusing on Xiao Yi’s phrase “your wife.”

Then… her delicate fingertips slid up and down, stopping on Jiang Ji’s reply.

Unlike her, Jiang Ji seemed not to deny it.

As if he had tacitly accepted it.

Extraordinarily natural.

…

When she woke up the next morning, Jiang Ji was already gone.

Ji Mingzhu vaguely remembered that before leaving, he had knocked on her door and said something.

It seemed to be about breakfast. Half-asleep, she hadn’t listened carefully, only felt his voice steady and somewhat annoying, so she let it go in one ear and out the other, casually replying “got it.”

The scene felt like back in high school, being called to the teacher’s office for a talk.

Forced to listen, forced to respond.

Actually, this listless mood, at its root, was because she hadn’t slept well.

First, for no reason, she couldn’t fall asleep for a long time. Then, during light sleep, she kept dreaming intermittently, unable to stop for ages.

And those dreams weren’t single in content, but there was one thing in common. The protagonist never changed.

Ji Mingzhu shook her head, making sure to push those dreams aside. After getting up, she washed up, then slowly walked step by step toward the kitchen.

As she brushed past the counter, she took a closer look. There was a note lying quietly there.

She leaned closer and saw writing on it.

The handwriting was elegant and slender, with strong strokes.

It should be Jiang Ji’s handwriting—

【Didn’t have time to make breakfast. Toast and milk are on the left side of the fridge, butter on the right, juice in the middle chilled layer.】

Although there was no signature, at Park Hyatt, who else could it be but him.

Ji Mingzhu opened the double-door refrigerator as he described. It was filled with things.

Indeed, if she had to search carefully herself, she’d probably get dazzled, then feel it was troublesome and simply not eat.

Jiang Ji really understood this little thought of hers.

Ji Mingzhu didn’t have much appetite. She took toast and milk and sat down at the dining table.

She had chatted late with Lian Tang yesterday and hadn’t paid much attention. When she got up this morning, she found her Moments almost exploded.

The reason was nothing else—those photos she posted yesterday.

The response was great, likes and comments all in one stream, comparable to fans controlling the comments under Weibo.

Lian Tang: Outer packaging design outer packaging design outer packaging design!

Xiao Yi: Where did you go?

Cheng Chi: I think I filmed here before, near Shen City’s hot spring winery?

Ji Shaoyan replied to Xiao Yi: Cheng Chi is right, my little princess went with Jiang Ji to relax, I arranged the itinerary.

Xiao Yi replied to Ji Shaoyan: Uncle, I didn’t ask who she went with… now I’ve taken critical damage.

Xiao Yi: Yes, understood, little princess, Little Xiao is retreating.

Ji Mingzhu replied to Xiao Yi: So sarcastic, stinky little brother.

The likes list was also 99+. Not to mention other acquaintances, Ji Mingzhu casually opened it, preparing to clear the obvious red dots, when one avatar stood out.

Not exactly standing out—there were only a few people she kept long-term chats with and recognized.

And after everything, Ji Mingzhu had developed very clear recognition of Jiang Ji’s avatar.

And the message was—

【“Boxing Jiang” liked you at 2:58 a.m.】

Strange.

Could it be that Jiang Ji, like her, tossed and turned last night, unable to sleep?

After all, he slept so late.

…

After quickly finishing breakfast, Ji Mingzhu moved from the dining table to the living room. The sofa there was wide and soft, suitable for someone like her to curl up like a cat.

Ji Mingzhu opened Weibo, preparing to post some daily photos not revealed on other platforms.

Then she suddenly remembered something.

She seemed to have directly missed Zhao Lan’s livestream last night.

Holding some different emotions, Ji Mingzhu wrestled with herself for a while. In the end, she directly tapped open that livestream’s Weibo.

At first glance, the number of reposts and comments was astonishing.

Could it be…?

Jiang Ji really… accepted her interview?

Previously, she had asked Jiang Ji about his relationship with Zhao Lan.

His answer had been—“nothing to do with her.”

But sometimes, “nothing to do with her” sounded like an answer, yet it didn’t indicate whether he had accepted the interview.

Because it was very possible that, in his view, accepting an interview didn’t equal having a relationship.

This was another kind of subtlety only girls could understand between themselves.

Like Ji Mingzhu—since childhood, the things she obtained were unique.

In matters like this, she was unusually persistent.

So much so that this time, she seemed to have endless doubts, endless knots she couldn’t resolve.

Unexpected, yet undeniably present.

But what was the big deal.

She calmly scrolled down the comments and glanced through them.

Contrary to expectations, they were all criticisms.

—Just stick to being a pretty vase. This interview quality… can your questions have some depth?

—I was really looking forward to it at first, but it ended up fizzling out. For the next episodes, I’ll wait and see if I even watch.

—Miss Zhao, is baiting fans fun? You hinted at Jiang Group so obviously before, and in the end nothing. Is that fun?

—I told you not to oversell it. Do you know how many people you misled? They came to see Jiang Ji—did you think they came for you?

—Same as above. This flop is comparable to that actress who denied plastic surgery before. It looks so ugly.

—Doesn’t Miss Zhao love buying publicity posts? Why not buy more comments to control things? These are all scolding you [dog head.jpg].

—I’m so mad. Yesterday I said Jiang Ji has a fiancée in the comments, and Zhao Lan blocked me. Isn’t that guilty? She’s acting weird, like she won’t give up unless she gets this interview.

—Speaking of which… it kind of smells like green tea white lotus… Zhao Lan is really obsessed with interviewing Jiang Ji. The comments are in chaos, yet she hasn’t come out to explain.

Without exception, the comments were similar—accusing her of misleading people, buying publicity, faking traffic, unable to invite Jiang Group but unwilling to admit it.

Ji Mingzhu hadn’t expected things to turn out like this.

Then she quickly opened Zhao Lan’s so-called interview video, pressed fast forward, and skimmed through.

—Jiang Ji indeed wasn’t there.

Ji Mingzhu glanced at the comments again. She didn’t intend to understand more; she just felt it was settled.

And certain doubts in her heart naturally had answers.

With that, she felt as if certain pulses in her body had been opened one by one, emptied, then filled with fresh oxygen.

Every cell relaxed.

Ji Mingzhu shuffled in her slippers, bounced from the living room back to the bedroom, and flopped onto the bed.

She lay on her side, propping her face, looking at the little yellow chick plush.

“Didn’t expect it—you’re pretty sensible.”

After that, Ji Mingzhu simply lay down and took a second nap,

to make up for the fatigue from staying up late.

But it felt like she hadn’t slept long before the ringtone beside her started causing trouble, persistently buzzing.

Without stopping at all.

Ji Mingzhu squinted at the caller ID. “What, didn’t we talk enough last night? You’re at it again?”

Hearing Ji Mingzhu’s drowsy voice, Lian Tang swallowed the words she was about to blurt out and instead said, “You’re still sleeping? Just woke up?”

“Mhm.” Ji Mingzhu responded lazily.

“You’re okay, right? You weren’t affected, right?”

“Affected by what?” Ji Mingzhu closed her eyes as she answered. “I was planning to catch up on sleep, and now you’re about to ruin it.”

“What catch-up sleep? Your house is on fire!” Lian Tang’s voice became intermittent. “I’m using a side account to scold that little bitch. She even bought a trending topic!”

“Lian Tang, what exactly happened? Seriously, I’m completely confused right now.” At this moment, Ji Mingzhu truly had no sleepiness left.

“Go check Weibo—Zhao Lan and Jiang Ji are on the trending search!” Lian Tang shouted on the other end, her tone disdainful. “I told you she hasn’t given up on Jiang Ji. Look at her now—she’s determined to tie herself to him!”

Ji Mingzhu listened. Before she even switched out of the call screen to open Weibo, she heard Lian Tang scream twice in a row.

“…You’re really going to scare me to death.” After spending so long with Lian Tang, Ji Mingzhu suspected she might go deaf when she got old.

“Oh my god! Little Eight, hurry and look—” Lian Tang’s tone turned excited and smug. “The Jiang Group’s Weibo has responded!”

Author’s Note:

[Mini Theater:]

Ji Ji: You know.

Zhu Zhu: ?

Ji Ji: For this kind of thing, I only want to do it with you.

Zhu Zhu: ………

Yes, next chapter is the crazy face-slapping you all like, hehe.

Twenty-five characters get a red envelope, thanks everyone, but Cong Cong wants to climb the rankings qwq!

Also—Happy Lantern Festival, hope everyone stays home, takes precautions, stays healthy, and reunited with family~!

Thanks to the little angels who threw rocket launchers: Xi 1;

Thanks to the little angels who threw landmines: Xi 2;

Thanks to the little angels who irrigated nutrient solution: .roue, Chicken Feet Little Sister 6 bottles; Pumpkin Cheese, Nan Sheng Qian Meng 5 bottles; Wutong Qiao Shu 3 bottles; Little Bear □□, 21246194, Never Encountered One Not Occupied, Quiet Quiet Quiet Quiet 1 bottle;

By the way, recommending Song Song’s good ongoing novel! “Wearing into the Book as the Villain’s Sickly Beautiful Younger Sister [Transmigration]” by Wu Xia Song

Lu Nian transmigrated into a book, becoming an insignificant sickly female supporting character.

The only daughter of the wealthy Lu family, a pitiful sickly beauty. In the original plot, she died after only a few chapters. Unfortunately, to assist the young lady, the Lu family had brought back a fake older brother from an orphanage when she was young.

Called brother, but actually the young lady’s servant, low in status in the Lu family, as lowly as a dog, anyone could beat or scold him.

When Lu Nian suddenly transmigrated, she saw the pale and handsome boy being stepped on underfoot. His gaze was gloomy and cold as he stared fixedly at her in the distance. When Lu Nian heard his name, she shivered.

Wasn’t this the biggest villain’s appearance in his youth?

The final ruler of the Lu family—cold and emotionless, ruthless, powerful, taking revenge for all the suffering in his youth, and in the end nearly perishing together with the male lead.

She was terrified, and decided that in her limited remaining life, she would treat him well, hoping that after he turned dark, he would at least spare her dog life.

Qin Si had never imagined that one day he would receive the gentleness she bestowed from between her fingers.

The secretly growing obsession became reality. As long as she looked at him one more time, gave him one more smile, he could give up anything—even his life.

[Gentle healing sickly beauty x cold gloomy obsessive boy]