Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Don’t Panic when Trouble Arises, Start by Passing the Buck Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Don’t Panic when Trouble Arises, Start by Passing the Buck Jiang Nanshu smiled gently amidst the angry gaze of the youth.
The smile made the red tear mole under the corner of her left eye even more vivid, adding a bright, rose-like radiance to her appearance.
She pointed directly at Jiang Leyi and said to the youth in a gentle tone, “I’m not looking for you, I’m looking for her.”
It would have been better if Jiang Nanshu had kept quiet, but her words made the young boy break into tears.
As if Jiang Nanshu were some unforgivable villain.
But she had no interest in appeasing a child, even if this was Ji Ze, her foster brother with whom she had lived day and night for eleven years.
He was fifteen this year, attended Mingde Middle School, and was currently a freshman.
Jiang Leyi’s eyebrows furrowed, and she sneered, “Every time you come, it’s never for anything good. What now? Do you want to spread rumors again, like you did when Xiaoze was in middle school, claiming your foster parents treated you poorly and abused you? Do you know how much emotional damage Xiaoze suffered from being isolated and coldly treated by his classmates because of that? Even if you want to sever ties with your past self, how can you hurt a child like this? Don’t you have a conscience?”
Ji Ze was already tearing up, his eyes red.
He stared intently at Jiang Nanshu, as if trying to find his former sister through her now glamorous appearance.
[I don’t have anything as nice as a conscience, you’re giving me too much credit.]
Jiang Leyi paused for a moment, realizing she was hearing Jiang Nanshu’s inner voice, and was about to explode in anger when she saw Jiang Nanshu grab a handful of candied chestnuts from her hand and put them in Ji Ze’s hand in a fierce gesture, “I hate it when kids cry. Don’t cry, or I’ll beat you until you shut up.”
Ji Ze was frightened by Jiang Nanshu’s fierce demeanor, staring dumbly as those soft, pale hands opened his palm and solemnly placed the candied chestnuts in it.
[Don’t cry, I surrender, I don’t know how to comfort, I’ve even given you my favorite candied chestnuts, can this make things better?]
In the next instant, Ji Ze angrily threw the candied chestnuts onto the ground, shouting with teary eyes, “I don’t want your stuff! It’s disgusting.”
Jiang Nanshu blinked, showing no sign of hurt feelings, and tried to defend herself, “The chestnuts are clean; they’re edible. I ate a lot on the way here.”
Ji Ze shot off like a naughty child caught in wrongdoing and ran far away.
[Hey! It’s okay to be angry, but why throw away my chestnuts! If I had known, I wouldn’t have tried to appease you.]
Jiang Nanshu was pouty but consciously maintained her crafty persona, “Hmph, bad kid. Jiang Leyi, you must have deliberately taught him that. I’ve only been gone for three years and he’s turned out like this. It must be your doing!”
[When you encounter trouble, don’t panic, just shift the blame.]
Jiang Leyi: “…”
What to do, suddenly I can’t bring myself to hate her.
Even though it’s the same person, the dynamic Jiang Nanshu inside seems much more interesting.
“If it wasn’t for you, would he be like this?” She crossed her arms and snorted coldly, then quickly changed the subject, “What do you want from me? I have to go play an adversarial role with the lead actress in ten minutes, so you’d better talk fast.”
“Heh, just quit acting with your lousy skills. Even a passing dog acts better than you.” Jiang Nanshu engaged in a risky endeavor.
Jiang Leyi was about to retaliate, but then Jiang Nanshu’s inner voice reached her:
[Actually, your acting is much better than Su Ran’s. She acts like a zombie, the kind that even a passing dog would kick twice, but I won’t compliment you to your face.]
This sarcasm, combined with Jiang Nanshu’s haughty expression, one that said “I’m the coolest sister,” successfully made Jiang Leyi laugh.
Jiang Nanshu: ?????
[How can you laugh when you’re being insulted? Did you think of something happy? Like meeting that scumbag who exploits you like an ox and a horse, that PUA? Hmm, seems like he’s in the same crew as you…]
Jiang Leyi’s smile froze.
She suddenly remembered Jiang Nanshu’s earliest inner voice about her being harvested for organs, like having her kidneys dug out and corneas donated.
Truly a sin.
His eyelids twitched violently and he frowned, “Did you come here just to mock my acting?”
“Of course not,” Jiang Nanshu curled his lips, “I have a question for you, do you have a crocodile leather LV bag from the Spring/Autumn Collection?”
Jiang Leyi thought for a moment and seemed to have some recollection, so she nodded, “Yes, what about it? Do you want it?”
Jiang Nanshu let out a cold laugh, steady in his performance, “Heh, I wouldn’t even want your junk as a gift.”
[Wuwuwu, sister, I want it, I want it—I’m a poor wretch without money, give it all to me, smash me with luxury goods, I hope you can see through my strong facade and realize the fragile heart of someone who is saying the opposite.]
Jiang Leyi: “…”
She rubbed her temples, “Get to the point.”
“Did you give the bag away to someone?”
“Are you investigating me?” Jiang Leyi frowned, “How do you know I gave my bag away?”
Jiang Nanshu’s gaze was cold, “You think you were being very secretive?”
[The intent to harm me is so obvious, bribing Chen Qian, destroying my innocence.]
Jiang Leyi’s pupils shook in shock, her instincts telling her that without a clear explanation, she might be done for, the kind that couldn’t be appeased by a truckload of luxury goods on Jiang Nanshu.
Sweat broke out on her forehead as she hurriedly said, “I gave the bag to Chu Muxi.”
“Chu Muxi?”
Jiang Leyi nodded, “Yes, she’s my childhood friend. When I went abroad to visit her, she saw me carrying it and said she liked it, so I gave it to her.”
Jiang Nanshu had some impression of this person, a girl who was extremely gentle and tranquil, always smiling, speaking softly and kindly to everyone—a favorite in their elite circles, the complete opposite of Jiang Nanshu.
However, she had poor health, born with congenital asthma, and had spent most of her life immersed in herbal remedies.
“Where is she now?”
Jiang Leyi hesitated for a moment before slowly saying, “Abroad. She and Lu Qingyan were graduates of the same cohort. She went overseas for further studies right after high school and hasn’t been back home for nearly three years.”
The trail ended abruptly with Jiang Leyi.
She had thought it would have been this fake sister, but it turned out that the bag had not passed through her hands to Chen Qian.
The person in question, Chu Muxi, was also absent, and it was unclear when she would return to the country.
Or could it be that the person behind Chen Qian wasn’t Jiang Leyi or Chu Muxi but someone else entirely?
Jiang Nanshu’s head hurt from thinking, her patience nearly depleted. Forget it, she wouldn’t think any longer; she would simply ask Chen Qian directly later on.
“Okay, I’m not very interested in your affairs, I’m leaving.” After Jiang Nanshu finished speaking, she looked at the chestnuts on the ground with a pained expression.
[I really want to pick them up ahh!]
Jiang Leyi: “…”
So she stiffly bent down to help pick them up, “Take your leftover trash with you, don’t pollute the school environment.”
“Ha,” Jiang Nanshu sneered, “Who wants stuff from the ground, huh? What, you’re mad because I threw them there? You believe I’ll come tomorrow and throw another handful?”
Jiang Leyi saw that despite her harsh words, the bag she was using to carry the chestnuts was honestly open.
As if she feared she would pick them up and sneakily eat some when not being watched.
“Here, all returned to you…”
Jiang Nanshu closed the bag.
[Hehe, I’m going to give them all to Lu Qingyan, saving a small expense.]