Jiang Jiang was slightly stunned by Ji Xu'an's words. When she came back to her senses, two faint blushes floated onto her cheeks.
She was still not used to discussing this kind of topic with someone, let alone when there were other people in the house.
Although she knew the people here had always been bold, and even if Ji Heyuan really heard it, she would probably only tease them with a laugh, Jiang Jiang still felt uncomfortable all over.
Subconsciously, she avoided Ji Xu'an's gaze.
But Ji Xu'an mistook Jiang Jiang's embarrassment for rejection. She pressed her lips tightly together, the fingers hanging at her sides slowly curling up, her nails digging deeply into her palms.
Actually, Ji Xu'an did not necessarily have to do anything. Saying those words to Jiang Jiang was only meant to test Jiang Jiang's attitude toward her.
Yet Jiang Jiang's reaction made Ji Xu'an feel even worse.
Jiang Jiang's inability to accept more intimate behavior meant that she still had not fully accepted her new identity. In her heart, she had not truly regarded her as her fiancée at all.
Ji Xu'an looked at Jiang Jiang silently, wanting to say something, but her throat felt as though it were blocked. For a long time, she could not make a single sound.
After finally calming herself and waiting for the heat on her cheeks to fade, Jiang Jiang raised her eyes to look at Ji Xu'an again.
She parted her lips, intending to ask about Zheng Zhouzhou and Arkle forming an alliance, but Ji Xu'an avoided her gaze first.
"You don't seem to have classes during third and fourth period this morning. Do you have any plans?"
Hearing this, Jiang Jiang had no choice but to swallow her words. "Does Sister want me to do something?"
It was not as if this had never happened before. In the past, Ji Xu'an rarely asked about Jiang Jiang's schedule, yet now she was deliberately bringing it up.
Ji Xu'an's gaze fell on the dining table not far away. She turned her face slightly, not letting Jiang Jiang see the emotions in her eyes.
"Mm. Arkle has been in S City recently. I'm worried he might do something against you."
"After you finish class, I'll have old Liu drive you to the company. Is that okay?"
From Ji Xu'an's tone, it sounded as if only by keeping Jiang Jiang within her sight could she feel at ease.
As for whether that was truly what she thought in her heart, only Ji Xu'an herself knew.
Jiang Jiang always felt Ji Xu'an's real intention was not so simple. She seemed to be deliberately avoiding something. But it was also possible that Ji Xu'an was taking the opportunity to observe her every move in order to confirm her true purpose.
So in the end, Jiang Jiang still nodded. "I'll listen to Sister."
As the two were speaking, the door behind Ji Xu'an suddenly opened again. Immediately afterward, Ji Heyuan's head popped out from the half-open doorway.
Seeing the two at the door, Ji Heyuan was startled as well. "Y-You two… what are you doing standing here?"
Jiang Jiang subconsciously looked at Ji Xu'an. Ji Xu'an was also looking at her. After their eyes met, Ji Xu'an said softly, "Let's go."
Ji Heyuan was ignored. Strangely, not only did she not look unhappy, she even seemed to let out a sigh of relief.
Something was very wrong.
Jiang Jiang could not help glancing at Ji Heyuan a few more times. Who knew Ji Heyuan would deliberately avoid her gaze, as if dodging something terrifying.
Jiang Jiang even thought she saw a pleading look in Ji Heyuan's eyes.
Thoughtfully, she withdrew her gaze and began pondering Ji Heyuan's strange reaction. As she thought, Jiang Jiang glanced at Ji Xu'an again.
From her angle, she could only see Ji Xu'an's tightly pressed lips. Although Ji Xu'an had not said a single harsh word, Jiang Jiang still had the intuition that Ji Xu'an was not in a very pleasant mood right now.
In a flash, another thought suddenly surged into Jiang Jiang's mind.
Previously, she had always believed Zheng Zhouzhou would only target her and would not involve Ji Heyuan. So she had been thinking about how to explain her identity clearly to Ji Xu'an once everything was exposed.
But now, seeing Ji Heyuan's unusual reaction, Jiang Jiang suddenly realized that Zheng Zhouzhou did not actually like Ji Heyuan that much. And now that she had Arkle as backing, in order to sow discord, what would she not dare to say?
She thought, could it be that Zheng Zhouzhou had told Ji Xu'an the original plot?
For example, that "Xie Xiao" and Ji Heyuan were the true protagonists of the story?
If that were the case, Ji Xu'an and Ji Heyuan's reactions would make sense.
Anyone who learned that her fiancée and her own younger sister were the fated lovers would not be happy.
At this thought, Jiang Jiang's expression became difficult to describe, as if surprised, yet also confused.
Ji Heyuan had always been kept in the dark, knowing nothing about Zheng Zhouzhou's rebirth. If she now knew something, then Ji Xu'an must have told her.
But Jiang Jiang truly could not imagine such a scene. How would Ji Xu'an explain to her own sister that someone said my fiancée is actually your wife?
It was too chaotic.
Jiang Jiang was quite frightened by the scene she imagined. Yet the more she thought about it, the less she could control her gaze, her eyes drifting back and forth between Ji Xu'an and Ji Heyuan.
Judging from Ji Xu'an's attitude toward her, she did not seem angry with her.
That surprised Jiang Jiang. Compared to being deceived by her, did Ji Xu'an mind more the possibility that she and Ji Heyuan might be a pair?
Something seemed to grow in Jiang Jiang's heart.
The thought she had previously pressed firmly to the bottom of her heart surfaced again.
Could it be that Ji Xu'an really liked her a little?
So last night, she did not come to see her because she did not know how to face her?
After something like this happened, Ji Xu'an's first reaction had been to find Ji Heyuan…
Jiang Jiang looked at Ji Heyuan again. Before she could look long, she suddenly found a patch of white filling her vision.
Ji Xu'an had used her own body to block her line of sight.
She did it openly and naturally, so natural that Jiang Jiang almost thought she had misunderstood.
Not only that, when facing Jiang Jiang's questioning gaze, Ji Xu'an asked calmly, "What's wrong?"
Jiang Jiang moved her lips. "Nothing."
She could hardly say, you're blocking me from looking at Ji Heyuan, could she?
Ji Xu'an might already be suspecting their relationship. If she said that, Ji Xu'an would probably explode with anger.
After Jiang Jiang fell silent, Ji Heyuan at the side also quietly let out a sigh of relief.
The three of them got into the car amid this strange atmosphere.
Aunt Zhou had not come this morning, so Ji Xu'an took the two of them out to eat breakfast.
Jiang Jiang suddenly remembered she had not eaten "KFC" for a long time. When Ji Xu'an asked what they wanted to eat, she raised her hand to indicate that she wanted that.
Ji Xu'an had no objection. Ji Heyuan did not dare have any objection.
She was on edge now, afraid of doing anything wrong. If she made her sister unhappy again, her already precarious allowance would probably completely slip away from her.
So from morning until now, Ji Heyuan had not even dared to meet Jiang Jiang's eyes. Every time Jiang Jiang's gaze swept toward her, Ji Heyuan's heart would tighten.
Finally reaching the ordering stage, Ji Heyuan casually ordered something, then hurried to an empty seat first, leaving space for Jiang Jiang and Ji Xu'an.
Ji Xu'an lowered her head to look at Jiang Jiang. "What do you want to eat? The same as before?"
The previous two times, Jiang Jiang had ordered the children's set meal, for which Ji Heyuan had laughed at her for a long time.
She did not feel embarrassed at all. Thinking of that beautiful illustrated booklet, Jiang Jiang nodded. "Mm!"
She was more than half a head shorter than Ji Xu'an, the top of her head only reaching Ji Xu'an's earlobe. Dressed more youthfully and energetically than Ji Xu'an, she appeared even more obedient and harmless standing beside Ji Xu'an in her shirt and suit trousers.
Ji Xu'an's gaze finally softened slightly. She moved her fingers and added everything Jiang Jiang wanted into the cart.
Only after watching Ji Xu'an complete the payment did Jiang Jiang prepare to turn toward Ji Heyuan's seat. After taking no more than two steps, her wrist was suddenly gently grasped.
She turned back and met Ji Xu'an's calm gaze. In those dark eyes, her reflection filled them completely.
Jiang Jiang stopped walking.
Ji Xu'an explained naturally, "Your hair is a bit messy."
Before Jiang Jiang could speak, Ji Xu'an reached out toward her.
Soft, slightly cool fingertips landed on Jiang Jiang's head, sliding down along her long hair, her finger pads seemingly brushing Jiang Jiang's ear unintentionally.
Jiang Jiang shivered unconsciously. The ticklish sensation spread from her ear to the back of her neck, even making her back tingle.
An ambiguous atmosphere suddenly arose. As Jiang Jiang lowered her eyes, her heartbeat also quickened.
A certain thought kept circling in her mind. Jiang Jiang momentarily lost her reaction, letting Ji Xu'an tidy her disheveled hair.
There were other people around. Jiang Jiang did not know whether they had noticed Ji Xu'an's action. She could not help blushing, her voice very soft. "Sister, next time I can do it myself."
Ji Xu'an withdrew her hand in time, but the fingers encircling Jiang Jiang's wrist did not loosen. Standing tall and straight, her eyes fixed steadily on Jiang Jiang's. "Even this level of contact, you can't accept?"
There was a faint huskiness in her voice.
Jiang Jiang wanted to explain clearly, but she did not want others to overhear their conversation, so she leaned slightly closer to Ji Xu'an.
She tilted her neck up a little, her lips near Ji Xu'an's ear. "It's not that. People are watching."
A faint warmth brushed Ji Xu'an's neck. Ji Xu'an lowered her eyes into Jiang Jiang's. Those bright almond-shaped eyes were staring at her without blinking.
Only at her alone.
Ji Xu'an's fingertips curled slightly. She hummed softly. "When no one is around, then it's okay?"
That shameful feeling came again.
Jiang Jiang did not know whether Ji Xu'an had become so strange because she was stimulated by something. She only felt that the sense of pressure from Ji Xu'an had grown stronger.
Previously, Ji Xu'an would not have been like this, seizing every opportunity to test her, pressing closer step by step, leaving her no chance to breathe.
Did she really have to give a clear answer?
Jiang Jiang looked away, her voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz. "Mm… if Sister wants to."
Ji Xu'an nodded. "I understand."
She paused for two seconds. Seeing Jiang Jiang silent, she added, "I want to."
Enough!
Jiang Jiang's face was burning. She could not help reaching out to push lightly at Ji Xu'an's waist, mumbling, "Sister, let's go quickly. If there's anything, we can talk about it after we get back, okay?"
Ji Xu'an did not know which word had soothed her. She nodded and followed the force of Jiang Jiang's push, taking two steps forward. "Alright."
"I'll listen to you."
—
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