Chapter 191: Chapter 191: Played for a Fool
In the confined space, Lu Qingyan’s scent of fresh snow cedar became even more potent.
Jiang Nanshu appeared calm on the surface, but was actually very nervous, her palms sweating.
If Lu Qingyan took the initiative to kiss her, it would mean he had reserved a spot for her in his heart. As long as she was present, filling his heart and eyes with her couldn’t be that difficult.
Lu Qingyan’s eyes were cool and clear as he slowly lowered his head.
Jiang Nanshu nervously closed her eyes.
The warm breath, however, paused at her ear, making her bare skin tremble with the sensation.
“Nannan, lipstick will smear. Let’s kiss another time,” his deep voice lightly rang out.
His large hand trailed down Jiang Nanshu’s hair, gliding over her delicate collarbone before finally resting on her waist: “The concert is about to start; Jiashu is waiting for us downstairs.”
Just like that, Jiang Nanshu was bewilderedly led away by him.
[Damn it, I’ve been played! What does he mean by this? Is he playing hard to get with me?]
Jiang Nanshu felt somewhat agitated and even thought about checking the Disgust Value to see what was going on.
But she’d used it ahead of time, so now she had to wait a year.
After some thought, Jiang Nanshu gave up on the idea. She decided to wait and check it when Lu Qingyan utterly despised her.
The two of them appeared close, but each harbored their own thoughts.
Lu Qingyan slightly curled the corner of his mouth, suppressing the darkness in his eyes.
At the end of September, the air in Beijing was hot and restless.
A black Range Rover pulled up in front of them, with Yang Jiashu in the driver’s seat, worn out but dutiful: “The two of you, get in.”
Lu Qingyan, with Jiang Nanshu, took a seat directly in the back row, with Yang Jiashu acting as their driver.
While driving, Yang Jiashu said, “Nanshu, I’ve sent Yan Yidan’s WeChat information to you. Have a private chat with her and discuss the matter of today’s payment.”
Only then did Jiang Nanshu open her phone. She preferred to sleep with the sound off, which was why when she logged into WeChat, a barrage of red notifications popped up.
The list was quite impressive.
Messages from Mrs. Jiang.
And Jiang Leyi.
And the urgent yet unreachable Jiang Zhouye.
Most importantly, her foster brother Ji Ze.
He had also sent a message, and it had been years since they connected on that account.
Jiang Nanshu first opened the message from Yang Jiashu. Yan Yidan’s profile picture was a distant shot of her brewing tea, wearing traditional Chinese clothing, hazy and quite beautiful.
Her username was very simple, just “Yan.”
She sent a friend request, noting her name and intent to repay the money from the afternoon.
Jiang Nanshu thought she might have to wait a while for approval.
But it came through in a second.
[So eager to fight with me? That was a fast approval, like she was waiting by the phone…]
Lu Qingyan glanced over and let out a cold chuckle.
He unlocked his phone and sent a sum of money to Jiang Nanshu, his voice cold: “Transfer it to her. You don’t owe her anything.”
“…”
She, too, was angry: “Fine! If she dares to come for you, I’ll give her a piece of my mind.”
The money was quickly transferred.
Yan: [?]
Jiang Nanshu: [Meal money. My fiancé said, you’re not owed anything.]
Yan: [I don’t like online transactions. Give me the money in person.]
Jiang Nanshu: “???”
Yan: [When are you free? I’ll wait for you.]
“…”
You have to admit, this was a very courteous and cultured rival.
And she wanted a face-to-face meeting.
With a stern face, Jiang Nanshu tried to appear very serious.
Her fingers typed rapidly: [I’ll notify you when I’m available.]
Yan: “OK. Kiss kiss JPG.”
Jiang Nanshu fell into silence.
After two seconds,
she sent another message.
Yan: “Sorry, my hand slipped.”
Jiang Nanshu: “…”
“Wow, good thing I was the one who added you. You’re quite the flirt, heh, you’ve met your match with me.”
Lu Qingyan’s brow jumped, he turned to look at her and asked, “Did you win her over?”
Jiang Nanshu nodded, not mentioning a thing about wanting to have a face-to-face talk with Yan Yidan. Let her handle this kind of smoke and mirrors between women.
“What did she say?” Lu Qingyan continued to ask.
Jiang Nanshu, combining the few sentences she’d chatted with Yan Yidan, sighed with some melancholy, deliberately overacting as she burrowed into his embrace, “She said she won’t let me off, Brother Qingyan, for you, I’ll fight with her to the very end!”
He raised his hand to touch her hair, chuckling softly, “So we should keep our distance from such people.”
Through the rearview mirror, Yang Jiashu watched Lu Qingyan with a mournful gaze, “Brother Yan, I’ve been thinking all afternoon, I think you’re fooling me!”
Lu Qingyan’s expression was calm, “How so? Don’t believe me? Just observe her more carefully next time you see her.”
“Jiashu, you’re not getting any younger, it’s time to find a girlfriend to give your parents some peace of mind.”
Yang Jiashu: “…”
He turned 22 this year, almost the same age as Lu Qingyan. Was he old?!
The first one to rush him to find a partner was unexpectedly his brother.
Yang Jiashu felt it was hard to respond, he said grumpily, “You better take care of yourself. You’ve got way more complicated things going on around you.”
Having an illegitimate older brother who was also involved with Su Ran.
Yang Jiashu found it amusing.
Maybe Su Ran could actually become Lu Qingyan’s sister-in-law.
Just thinking about that scenario made Yang Jiashu gasp in shock, it was just too explosive.
Jiang Nanshu didn’t listen to their conversation; her attention was entirely on the few sentences Ji Ze had sent her.
He mentioned that his foster mother had fainted again after returning from the hospital and stubbornly refused to go back, simply saying it was a case of low blood sugar that could be remedied by some supplements.
Then he also brought up her…
Ji Ze meant for her to visit her foster mother back in the countryside during the holidays.
Mrs. Ji missed her a lot.
And Jiang Leyi had come to thank her for securing the second female lead role in “Luanying.”
She also mentioned their foster mother’s situation, hinting whether she wanted to return for a visit.
It must have been that Ji Ze approached her, and unable to decline, she had agreed.
Jiang Nanshu replied: “When will Director Wen make the official announcement?”
Jiang Leyi responded quickly: “It should be in the next couple of days… Nannan, how did you get Director Wen to agree? He might offend Bao Yan.”
Jiang Nanshu: “Don’t worry. Remember your task, I don’t want to waste this opportunity on someone indecisive. You have to seize it and then climb upwards. Don’t let me down.”
The most fundamental aspect of changing one’s fate is standing higher than others.
Her words weren’t pleasant, filled with utilitarianism.
But Jiang Leyi knew that beneath Jiang Nanshu’s unapproachable exterior was a tender, vibrant heart.
Jiang Leyi: “Mm-hmm, I won’t disappoint you, I’ll earn lots of money for you to spend.”
Jiang Nanshu was heartened.
Golden Sister’s awareness was admirable.
Jiang Nanshu turned her head to look at the streetscape outside the window, Beijing’s roadside was lined with ginkgo trees, a golden carpet spread on the ground during autumn.
Autumn had arrived.
Jiang Nanshu: “I’ll go see her tomorrow, no need to tell Ji Ze.”
Jiang Leyi, on the other side of the screen, was grinning so wide she couldn’t close her mouth.
Great.
If Jiang Nanshu returned, Mrs. Ji would be overjoyed.
She really wanted to share this news with her brother Ji Ze, but seeing Jiang Nanshu’s message, she thought maybe it was supposed to be a surprise, so she agreed.