"Don't you just want to see him get angry?" Jiang Mian said coldly.
She could see right through his little game.
Ignoring him, Jiang Mian went downstairs.
Nightwing touched his nose and followed, "He didn't get angry either, just left like that."
Jiang Mian looked down at the stairs. Only after reaching the bottom and stepping out the door did she say, "He just didn't want to bother with you."
"Why are you always defending him? Look at him, he has an ex-girlfriend who's still clinging to him. What's so great about Ji Zhixiu?"
Heaven knows, every word he spoke was the truth.
Jiang Mian paused, "So what if he has an ex, who doesn't have a past?"
Nightwing shrugged, "I don't have an ex, and if I did, I wouldn't admit it."
"..."
Jiang Mian rolled her eyes at him, "Stop fooling around, let's go back to the company. Sister Ning is looking for me."
"Alright," he thought regretfully, musing that the old man was quite patient.
As soon as they got out of the elevator upon returning to the company, Nightwing's eyes narrowed and his tone sank, "You go find Sister Ning yourself, I'm not coming."
Jiang Mian raised an eyebrow and stopped, looking at him, "Why aren't you coming? Didn't you just say you had something to talk to Ye San about?"
"I just remembered, I can have him come find me."
Nightwing pushed her shoulder, blocking her way. "Alright, you go yourself."
"Nightwing!"
Upon hearing this voice, Nightwing flinched as if shocked, turned, and walked away.
Unfortunately, the elevator seemed to be stuck, not moving for a long time.
Jing Yiyi caught up, "Nightwing! Stop! Why are you hiding from me!"
Jiang Mian, with amusement, moved aside.
Jing Yiyi's small face was flushed with anger.
She had the day off today and had gone to Nightwing's house early in the morning to wait for him. She hadn't seen him all day.
So she had to come to the company to wait.
She was about to feel dejected when she looked up and saw Nightwing returning.
You see! Isn't this fate!
"Why aren't you talking? Why are you ignoring me?"
Nightwing frowned tightly, utterly annoyed by her nagging.
He turned around, "We have nothing to say to each other."
"Have you eaten? I haven't eaten waiting for you until now. Can you go eat something with me?" Jing Yiyi acted as if she hadn't heard him.
They were talking past each other.
"Why should it matter to me whether you eat or not?" he said with a cold face, showing no gentlemanly behavior.
Jing Yiyi continued to smile, not showing any anger, "Of course it matters to you. I haven't eaten until now because I was waiting for you. Can you just go eat something with me?"
Jiang Mian was somewhat impressed by the girl in front of her.
She was clearly so upset but still enduring.
What a strong young girl.
Nightwing was impatient, he put his arm around Jiang Mian's shoulder, "We ate together, I'm not hungry. Don't you understand?"
Jing Yiyi bit her lip, her eyes reddened, and she asked cautiously, "What... what's your relationship?"
Actually, she had seen the person next to him long ago.
And she had seen them get out of the elevator together, their conversation warm.
But she wished she could pretend not to see it!
Nightwing curved his lips, "As you can see."
Jing Yiyi's expression dimmed, as if she were about to cry in the next second.
Jiang Mian turned her head and glared at him, then shook off his arm, explaining softly, "We're in an employer-subordinate relationship."
Jing Yiyi's eyes instantly lit up, "Really?"
Jiang Mian: "Really."
Nightwing was displeased, "Why aren't you cooperating with me?"
"How can you bear to break a young girl's heart like this?" Jiang Mian pouted.
Jing Yiyi carefully inserted herself between them, her pair of fox-like eyes astonishingly bright, "Then, do I still have a chance?"
Jiang Mian smiled, "Of course. As far as I know, President Ye is still single."
Jing Yiyi nodded repeatedly, "Yes, yes! Hello, my name is Jing Yiyi! Although I'm not Nightwing's girlfriend yet, I believe I will be soon!"
Jiang Mian's eyes curved into crescents, "Hello, my name is Jiang Mian. You two chat, I'm going to find Sister Ning."
"Okay, then you go be busy." Jing Yiyi couldn't help but feel delighted. It seemed this wasn't a romantic rival!
After Jiang Mian left, she looked up and saw Nightwing's extremely sour expression.
Jing Yiyi pretended not to see it, and happily linked her arm with his, "Shall we go eat?"
Nightwing glanced down at her, "Alright."
Company cafeteria.
Jing Yiyi stared at her tray, "The dishes your company makes look good."
This was her first time eating in the company cafeteria.
Nightwing grunted, "You eat first."
His attitude made Jing Yiyi feel uneasy.
She swallowed, "Is there something you want to say?"
Nightwing raised his eyes to look at her, "We'll talk after you've eaten."
No matter how slowly Jing Yiyi ate, the meal eventually came to an end.
She lingered as she returned her tray, "I'm done."
"Sit," Nightwing said lightly.
Jing Yiyi pursed her lips, "What... what do you want to say?"
"Don't come looking for me anymore." There was a rare seriousness in his eyes.
Jing Yiyi turned her head away, not looking at him, "Why?"
Nightwing said nothing.
The air was very quiet.
Jing Yiyi still silently turned her head back, meeting his gaze.
He hadn't said anything, but Jing Yiyi's heart involuntarily trembled.
This man had seen through it all...
And had always hoped she would back down.
Jing Yiyi raised her hand to wipe away tears that had fallen at some point, stubbornly, "I won't."
She hadn't wanted to cry, but she really couldn't help it.
She was so sad.
Nightwing turned his head, "It's hopeless."
"How will you know if you don't try?" she asked with a hint of a sob.
"I don't like you." he stated directly.
"But I like you." Jing Yiyi's eyes were misty, and she felt her vision of Nightwing blurring.
Hearing these words directly, Nightwing's heart still skipped a beat.
He took a deep breath, "If I didn't feel anything for someone at first glance, no matter what happens afterward, I won't develop feelings. Do you understand?"
Jing Yiyi bit her lip, even though she understood, she still said, "I don't understand."
"A forced melon isn't sweet."
"It quenches thirst, which is enough," she responded quickly.
Nightwing was amused to the point of laughter, "Fine, whatever you say."
He stood up, without looking at Jing Yiyi again, and strode away.
Jing Yiyi looked at the table, her expression dejected.
They were fine just a few minutes ago, so why were they talking like this all of a sudden?
Nightwing let out a soft sigh.
He had already said such harsh words, hoping she would understand and stop coming to find him.
...
After finishing her work with Sister Ning, Jiang Mian returned to Xiushui Villa.
Xiao Bai was on duty at the gate. Seeing her, he scurried up the mountain to open the door and took her suitcase, "You're back, Madam."
Jiang Mian nodded, "Is he home?"
"Yes, the CEO just got back too."
Jiang Mian acknowledged him and walked inside.
Bypassing the smart vacuum cleaner in the living room, Jiang Mian headed towards the study.
She knocked twice with her knuckles, then heard the man's deep voice say, "No water, Aunt Song."
Jiang Mian curved her lips, turned the doorknob, "It's me."
Ji Zhixiu looked up, his gaze shifting from the computer to her.
Jiang Mian leaned on his desk, her eyebrows raised, and said cheerfully, "I'm back."
Ji Zhixiu nodded, "You went to eat as soon as you got back."
Jiang Mian walked around and stood beside him, "I came back as soon as filming wrapped up."
"You went to eat as soon as you got back."
There was a hint of sourness in his tone.
Jiang Mian couldn't help but chuckle, "Nightwing is my boss."
Ji Zhixiu put his large hand around her waist, embracing Jiang Mian from behind, "So you went to eat as soon as you got back."
Jiang Mian lowered her head and cupped his handsome face with her small hand, "Are you jealous?"
"Why would I bother with him?"
"Oh—" she drew out the vowel, clearly not believing him.
"Actually, he's just a very childish kid," Jiang Mian mused.
"I don't know, I'm not concerned, and I don't understand," Ji Zhixiu frowned.
Jiang Mian shrugged, hinting at it, "I told Sister Ning that I'm taking a week off. I'll have a lot of free time this week."
"Then stay home and keep me company properly. I'll be working from home too."
"Oh, right," Jiang Mian suddenly remembered, "What happened with Shen Tingyu going blind?"
This was a rather long story.
Ji Zhixiu explained the situation in a few words.
Jiang Mian pondered, "I've heard. But what does this have to do with you?"
If Shen Muyuan hadn't said it himself, Jiang Mian would have thought Shen Tingyu was seeking attention.
"It really has nothing to do with me." His voice was clear and light, with a hint of indifference.
"Then we don't need to worry about her. What's for dinner?"
"Hungry?"
"Not hungry, just asking."
"Indeed, after all, you went to eat as soon as you got back," Ji Zhixiu repeated faintly.
Jiang Mian feigned anger, "Are you done with this?"
Why was this man so petty about this matter, his mind smaller than the tip of a needle?
"I'm hungry," Ji Zhixiu said in a low voice, tightening his hold on her inch by inch.
If one listened closely, there was even a hint of grievance.
"Shall I ask Aunt Song to make you something? What do you want to eat?" Jiang Mian asked.
Ji Zhixiu's eyes were dark. He embraced her, turned her around, and then his thin lips landed on her fair neck, "You..."
It had been a long time since they had been intimate, and now there was even more anticipation.
Jiang Mian closed her eyes, gripped his arm, and whispered, "Go to the bedroom."
Ji Zhixiu kissed her soft cheek, "Not here?"
"There's no..."
Ji Zhixiu's large hand pulled open the desk drawer and found something he had placed there long ago, "There is."
Jiang Mian's heart trembled, feeling both shy and timid, "Why do you keep them in the study too?!"
"Better safe than sorry."
Was that the right way to use that idiom?!
Jiang Mian bit her lip, wanting to say more, but the words that escaped her lips quickly became fragmented.
When Jiang Mian woke up later, she found herself back in bed.
The curtains were drawn tightly.
One bedside lamp was on.
She closed her eyes and reached for the nightstand; her phone was indeed there.
She opened the screen, squinting slightly. It was already eight o'clock in the evening.
Too lazy to move, she decided to scroll through Weibo in bed.
Until she came across a fan-made parody video. It was so funny that she couldn't help but laugh out loud.
The laughter dispelled all her sleepiness, and she even gave it a like.
Then, she got out of bed, put on her slippers, and went downstairs.
Aunt Song looked up and smiled, "Madam, what would you like to eat tonight?"
"Seafood wontons, do we have any?"
"Yes, Madam. Please wait a moment."
Jiang Mian sat down at the dining table and took out her phone to message Ji Zhixiu.
Jiang Mian: 【Where are you?】
Xiu: 【In the study for a meeting. Are you awake? What do you want to eat?】
Jiang Mian couldn't help but grumble, how could this man have so much energy.
He was the one who exerted himself, and he was the one who woke up first.
She typed heavily: 【I've already asked Aunt Song to make it for me.】
Xiu: 【We're going back to the old house for dinner tomorrow. Grandpa said so.】
Jiang Mian: 【Okay, why are you slacking off during a meeting?】
Xiu: 【What does slacking off mean?】
Jiang Mian: 【It means being lazy and not doing proper work. You don't even know that? You're like an old man.】
Ji Zhixiu subtly furrowed his brow. Old man?
Was he old? He was only five years older than Jiang Mian.
In the remote video conference, the director who was reporting suddenly stopped speaking.
Had he said something wrong? Why did the CEO frown?
Perhaps he should say the report wasn't finished yet? He could revise it later?
After a long silence, the director weakly looked up at the camera, "CEO."
Ji Zhixiu tapped the table, came back to his senses, and quickly said, "I am very satisfied. Meeting adjourned."
The camera quickly went black.
The director was still a bit bewildered.
What did the CEO just say?? He was satisfied with him??
What an honor!
Besides Assistant Fan, who else had he praised like this?
He felt invigorated!