"Don't mention it," Luo Fei said with a deep voice.
Because he hadn't planned on giving it to her anyway.
Shen Tingyu, oblivious, was in an excellent mood with the painting about to be hers.
For the rest of the auction, neither of them bid again.
Jiang Mian whispered to Ji Zhixiu, "Do you know who that person was bidding against Luo Fei?"
Ji Zhixiu didn't recall seeing him before, nor had he heard his voice.
"I don't recognize him," he said, not giving it much thought.
Jiang Mian continued, "I noticed he didn't bid anymore afterwards, only casually bidding on a pendant."
She paused, a sly smile playing on her lips. "It's thanks to him that Luo Fei had to shell out so much."
"You're quite the schemer."
Jiang Mian accepted the compliment without false modesty. "Just keeping a low profile."
The auction ended. After the lengthy closing remarks, everyone began to depart.
In the hallway, Luo Fei was about to stop Ji Zhixiu when Shen Tingyu grabbed his arm. "Where's my painting?"
Luo Fei replied impatiently, "There isn't one."
"How can there not be? You promised to give it to me, how can you go back on your word?"
"I bid for the painting, and I paid for it. Now, I don't want to give it to you." Luo Fei was eager to get rid of Shen Tingyu, and his tone wasn't particularly pleasant. He brushed off Shen Tingyu's hand and caught up to Ji Zhixiu.
"Mr. Ji, please wait."
Ji Zhixiu looked up, a hint of surprise in his eyes. He asked knowingly, "What is it, Mr. Luo? Are you here to discuss a collaboration? You should contact my secretary for that."
"No, I want to talk to you about something else." Luo Fei glanced around to ensure they were alone and lowered his voice. "I'd like to ask Mr. Ji to..."
In the restroom.
Jiang Mian washed her hands and spread her fair, tender palms under the hand dryer. Her fingers were long and slender, as white and lustrous as jade.
Shen Tingyu burst in and stopped short, her gaze fixed on Jiang Mian. "Jiang Mian!"
Jiang Mian remained unfazed. As the moisture on her hands evaporated, she acted as if she hadn't heard, preparing to leave.
Enraged, Shen Tingyu grabbed her hand.
Jiang Mian's expression immediately turned cold. She turned her head and said sternly, "I suggest you let go."
"It really is you." Hearing her voice and sensing that tone, Shen Tingyu was certain. She released Jiang Mian's hand.
"And if it is?"
Shen Tingyu's expression was calm. "It's nothing. I just came to tell you a secret about Ji Zhixiu."
Could she possibly be that kind?
Jiang Mian shook her head. "Thanks for the invite, but I'm not interested."
???
For a fleeting moment, Shen Tingyu's calm expression cracked. Why wasn't she interested? Wasn't she curious at all?
"Don't you want to know Ji Zhixiu's secret?"
"I do."
"Then why aren't you listening?"
"Because I don't want to hear it from you," Jiang Mian said truthfully.
Even though she knew Ji Zhixiu harbored no ulterior motives towards Shen Tingyu, it didn't stop her from feeling annoyed by her.
She was never a generous person. The only reason she was still engaging with Shen Tingyu was due to her good upbringing, which compelled her to maintain a semblance of decorum.
"Let me tell you the truth. Both you and I are substitutes for Ji Zhixiu's 'white moonlight.' Don't disbelieve me. Yes, I admit, I saw the design for that Paraíba bracelet in Ji Zhixiu's office three years ago and then made it myself."
"But when he was with me, he already had that design. Where were you back then? You probably hadn't even appeared yet. He certainly wasn't creating it for you."
"Now that it's come to this, I don't want you to be kept in the dark. Investigate it yourself. Find out who the woman in the deepest recesses of his heart truly is!"
Afraid Jiang Mian wouldn't listen, Shen Tingyu spilled everything in one go.
Jiang Mian's expression remained unchanged. "Are you finished?"
Hidden behind her mask, Shen Tingyu couldn't see Jiang Mian's face. Listening to her voice, there was no discernible abnormality. Was she truly indifferent? No, she didn't believe it.
"If you're done, then please move aside."
Jiang Mian brushed past her.
Seeing Ji Zhixiu waiting for her by the entrance, Jiang Mian hooked her arm around his shoulder. "Sorry for keeping you waiting."
He naturally took her hand. "I just managed to send Luo Fei away."
They got into the car, and Jiang Mian asked curiously, "What did he say to you?"
"He wants me to help him seize control of the Luo family's assets."
"He seems to hate the Luo family very much?"
Seeing the young woman's eager expression, keen for gossip, Ji Zhixiu felt a sense of helplessness. He tilted his head slightly, finding a comfortable position. "Let me think about where to begin."
"Luo Fei is an illegitimate son of the Luo family. His mother was originally just a servant in the Luo household. Later, she became pregnant with Luo Fei, and Madam Luo discovered it. To save her husband face, Madam Luo agreed to have the child registered under her name."
"It wasn't until Luo Fei was two years old that Madam Luo felt she couldn't keep his mother around any longer. She wanted to drive her away. When Luo Fei found out, at the age of two, he was audacious enough to drug Madam Luo's drink."
"This incident was discovered, of course. Madam Luo was furious, believing the child was an ungrateful viper. The maid who gave him the drug also met a grim fate; mother and son were both expelled from the Luo family. Old Master Luo gave them nothing."
"His mother raised Luo Fei until he was fifteen. She fell seriously ill and passed away. It was then that Luo Fei returned to the Luo family."
Ji Zhixiu removed her mask and continued, "Old Master Luo had a chaotic private life, and Luo Fei wasn't his only illegitimate child. Madam Luo had only one son, but their eldest son was utterly useless. In terms of personal conduct, he was exactly like his father."
"As soon as Luo Fei returned to the Luo family, Madam Luo engaged in constant open and covert struggles with him. The Luo family was filled with internal strife and never knew peace."
Jiang Mian was engrossed in the story when Ji Zhixiu suddenly fell silent. She pressed, "Is that all?"
Ji Zhixiu pinched her soft, plump cheek. "That's all."
"The gossip from wealthy families is always so juicy."
Ji Zhixiu caressed her face and warned, "Stay away from him."
"Of course."
She disliked the covetous gaze Luo Fei cast her way; it was repulsive.
They returned home.
As Ji Zhixiu headed for his study, Jiang Mian stopped him. "Can I see the original design for the bracelet? Please?"
She held up her hand, revealing the bracelet, which sparkled brilliantly under the light.
Ji Zhixiu looked at her, then walked back. His eyes were calm, betraying no hint of panic. "Why do you suddenly want to see it?"
Jiang Mian smiled sweetly. "I just want to see how accurate the reproduction is."
Ji Zhixiu put his arm around her waist and whispered, "We're at the company. We can look next time?"
The man leaned in, his large hand seeming to generate heat. Jiang Mian's breath hitched. She looked up, a smile on her lips, and agreed crisply, "Okay."
"Good girl. Go to bed now. I have things to take care of tonight."
Jiang Mian stood on tiptoe and hooked her arms around his shoulders. "Mr. Ji, I have a question for you."
Ji Zhixiu raised an eyebrow, thinking she was going to ask about some gossip. "Ask away."
"Why do you like me?"
She didn't even dare to use the word "love."
Ji Zhixiu frowned. "What's wrong?"
"I'm just suddenly curious."
How was he supposed to answer this question?
Liking someone was a very mysterious thing. Before meeting Jiang Mian, Ji Zhixiu had always scoffed at the notion of love.
Even though his parents appeared to be a loving couple in the eyes of outsiders, Ji Zhixiu knew that wasn't the case.
That kind of marital life was not what he desired.
Even though Chang Qin and Chang Qingqing displayed everyday affection, he sometimes couldn't understand their loving actions.
It wasn't until he saw Jiang Mian, her image overlapping with the girl from his memories, that he felt that familiar sensation, that contentment he felt every day just seeing her, that sheer delight.
He seemed to vaguely understand.
He couldn't live without Jiang Mian.
He liked Jiang Mian's willfulness, her pouting, her anger, her frown. Every little thing moved him. He had once thought he would never see Jiang Mian again.
Fortunately, they had met again. This world was a lost forest; those who meet will meet again.
"Is it that difficult to answer?" Jiang Mian interrupted him, sounding displeased.
Ji Zhixiu returned to the present, a faint smile on his lips. "Liking someone is often without reason."
Jiang Mian nodded. "That's true."
"So, there's no why. Go to bed now."
Her attempt to pry out a definitive answer failed, and Jiang Mian's body suddenly went limp. "Goodnight then. No sleeping in the study tonight."
Ji Zhixiu said playfully, "How could I bear to leave you to sleep alone?"
Jiang Mian ignored him and skipped back to the master bedroom.
Lying in the soft duvet, Jiang Mian turned over and sprawled on the bed in a starfish position.
Bored, she pulled out her phone and posted on Weibo.
Jiang Mian v: [How do you know if someone likes you?]
Happy Little Lamb: [What? Someone doesn't like you, Sister? [Angry] Yay, one less love rival for me.]
Peach Four Seasons Spring: [If they're not proactive, they don't like you, right?]
Little Fairy: [[Smirking][Smirking] Put on some lingerie and seduce them, and you'll know if they like you!]
Cilantro Get Out of Earth: [Thanks for the invite, I don't know.]
Jiang Mian scrolled through the comments, finding few reliable answers.
Until she saw a reply from a user named [Taro Boba]: It's about the feeling. Feel it with your heart. If you can't feel it, then they don't like you.
Jiang Mian clicked on his profile and was surprised to see it was a man. His homepage was full of reposts of her Weibo. Jiang Mian's lips curved up, feeling a little happy. It seemed this person was a fan of hers only.
She liked this comment, and it quickly rose to the top.
Putting down her phone, Jiang Mian tilted her head. Sleepiness suddenly washed over her. In a daze, she thought, who cares about 'white moonlight' or substitutes.
Ji Zhixiu liked her, and she liked Ji Zhixiu. That was enough.
Everything else could wait.
She was tired and decided to sleep.
...
Shen Tingyu couldn't believe that Jiang Mian could accept being a substitute without any qualms. She also couldn't believe that their relationship was as solid as ice.
Even if it was ice, she would melt it!
Jiang Mian, who was being thought of, slept soundly and woke up the next day in the arms of a man, as expected.
Jiang Mian rested her palm on Ji Zhixiu's chest. She couldn't resist extending two fingers to pinch it; the sensation was exquisite.
She propped herself up slightly, lifted his pajama top, and stared shamelessly at his firm, powerful abs. From time to time, she reached out to pinch them, becoming increasingly engrossed.
At some point, the man had already opened his eyes. His gaze was filled with amusement as he watched the little woman misbehaving on him. He suddenly spoke, "Are you satisfied with what you see?"
The unexpected voice startled Jiang Mian.
She accidentally bumped her head against Ji Zhixiu's chest. "Ouch...!"
Her other hand landed on a sensitive area of his body. Ji Zhixiu's expression became strained, and his voice suddenly changed pitch. "Take it off...!"